As soon as the last bell of the day rang on Friday, Troy practically ran to his locker to get what he needed for homework that weekend, reminding himself as he pulled out the necessary binders, notebooks, and books to grab the items Gabriella had requested from her locker as well before he left the East High grounds. Troy had returned to school the day after Gabriella was released, feeling better with being at school knowing Gabriella was at home and was with Mary or Sandra at all times of the day. It also helped that Troy was able to text Gabriella and communicate with her that way at lunch and during breaks between periods.

Troy nearly jumped out of his sneakers when he closed his locker door to head to Gabriella's locker only to see Sharpay standing right in front of him, giving him a curious look. "Geez Sharpay, don't do that! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry," replied Sharpay, giving him a sweet smile. "I just wanted to come over to see if you were free tonight to see a movie. Maybe some dinner? Consider it a cheering up night."

"Sorry Shar, I can't. Maybe another time though, okay?" offered Troy, making sure not to say anything about Gabriella. Taylor and he had both agreed not to say anything to anyone else, even their friends, about Gabriella's true whereabouts or what happened, wanting to minimize the awkwardness for Gabriella when she returned, hopefully next week.

Sharpay cocked her head to the side, surveying his face. "You do look better than earlier this week even. Everything better? Did you finally get over the pain and heartache Gabriella so carelessly caused you? When she left for Tristan?"

Resisting the urge to snap at the blonde, a sign of his impatience at hearing such lies that he easily recognized now with his own ears, Troy just shook his head as he threw his backpack onto his right shoulder, wincing a little as some of his stitches stretched. "I'm doing all right, thank you for the concern Sharpay. I'll catch you later, okay?"

"Call me!" she called out, not seeing Troy roll his eyes as he continued down the hall and left her behind.

Sharpay watched as Troy disappeared down the hall, narrowing her light brown eyes as she wondered what was really causing the change in his behavior. If it was her and the relationship they were building again, Troy wouldn't have blown her off like that. 'No, there's something else going on and it better not be what I think it is,' she thought, immediately pulling out her cell phone and dialing a number she hadn't called in while.

When she got voicemail right away, Sharpay sighed, disappointed that she wouldn't be able to trade notes with Tristan and find out exactly what was going on, if Gabriella was still within his grasp or if Sharpay had another plan to put into motion. Before Tristan's voicemail ended, Sharpay snapped her cell phone closed, making a note to call him again later, something in the back of her mind telling her not to leave a voicemail as it was evidence of their link together.

"Hey Shar, how's it going sis?" greeted Ryan, giving her a suspicious look when Sharpay jumped at the sound of his voice, having a guilty look on her face for a fleeing moment before she put away the cell phone. "Oh God, please tell me you aren't up to some manic plan about something or another."

"And if I was?" challenged Sharpay, raising a finely plucked eyebrow at her twin. "What would you do about it?"

"Besides feel absolute pity for the poor soul? I know I can't ever change your plans or mind when you want something but Sharpay, if this involves another human being, which it most likely does, just remember that everyone bleeds," stated Ryan, shaking his head as he walked down the hall, waving to a friend as he left his sister behind.

"Everyone bleeds? What overdramatic Shakespearean bull shit is that?" murmured Sharpay to herself, letting out an annoyed huff at being left behind by her twin yet again, wondering exactly what Ryan meant as she followed him to their lockers a few hallways down.

Gabriella let out a deep sigh as she stared at the red spots of blood on the comforter, looking at the pair of scissors now on her bedside table, closing her eyes against the invitation they made to be used in a not so innocent way as they were intended for. Instead she took in a huge breath of air and let it out again while she pictured a happy memory, helping push away the need for the sharp instrument next to her bed that she had used earlier to cut some paper for a scrapbook project she started.

Gabriella had been nervous when she saw Dr. Johnson for the first time outside of the hospital, but in that first hour session, he really showed Gabriella that not only could he be trusted but that he had some genuine ideas to help her through everything. One idea was to get Gabriella to face her temptations head on. She had questioned that unconventional way of dealing with her cutting but now saw Dr. Johnson's wisdom. Each time she had picked up the scissors yesterday and today, Gabriella used all her strength and determination not to turn the blades against herself but to use it only on the paper. At first it had been hard, especially as memories of Tristan when he was alive and what she heard over the phone that night kept playing in her head but she fought through it without the physical pain, as tempting as it was.

"Gabriella, you okay?" questioned Sandra, worriedly looking at her best friend who was now holding the scissors in her hands, staring at it.

Gabriella slowly turned her head and met those concerned eyes of Sandra's and nodded her head, grabbing a piece of red construction paper and cutting out the letter she had stenciled onto it moments before. "Don't worry, I'm getting there. Just a momentary battle," Gabriella assured Sandra, hearing the other girl's sigh of relief. "You know, you don't have to babysit me all the time."

"Should I be insulted you are tired of my presence after only a few days?" teased Sandra, laughing as Gabriella rolled her eyes as she continued to cut various pieces of paper.

"You know that isn't true and I love having you here but sometimes, I can almost feel you freaking out that I'm going to do something if you so much as blink. My mom is worse given but as much as that may annoy me, thank you for being here, for supporting me," said Gabriella, pausing in her cutting to look up at Sandra and give her best friend a smile from the heart.

Sandra smiled back, relieved Gabriella seemed to accept the extra surveillance but also making a mental note to give her a bit more space now as more time had passed and nothing had happened. "So, I think Taylor and Troy are coming over in an hour and a half or so when school is done. What's the game plan for tonight? Want to go out and get some pizza or something?"

Gabriella shook her head, not feeling quite ready to deal with the stares of her peers. Although she knew no one else knew besides her mom, Troy's parents, Sandra, Taylor, and Troy, Gabriella didn't feel that she was ready to really put herself out there quite yet. Even when Gabriella told Taylor earlier on in the week that she'd understand if she told Chad, Taylor had refused to, telling Gabriella that Chad could handle a few days without her, without an explanation.

After giving it some thought, Gabriella said, "I think I'd rather stay in. Maybe tomorrow? The session today with Dr. Johnson has me a bit emotionally drained and I kinda feel like I need to be on my guard if we go to an East High hangout. People may not know about what happened, the cutting, but people probably still remember my freak out last week. There were already whispers about it then."

"Yeah but if East High is like any other high school, something else has happened between then and now making your episode something of the past. You know how fast moving the gossip mill is in high school," remarked Sandra, hoping she was telling her best friend the truth. "Besides, so what if they think you are a freak? Didn't you say some people thought you were last year already because you were smart and a theater girl?"

Nodding her head, Gabriella smiled, thinking back to wining the Scholastic Decathlon, the lead in the winter musical, and the dream guy, Troy, even if things took a lot longer to settle with him. "Chad I think was one of those people, Taylor too. That whole crossing the imaginary clique lines. I think Sharpay is the biggest fan of the 'Gabriella Montez is a freak' club, probably the president."

Laughter bubbled from Sandra's smiling lips. "Well, I'm glad you are getting to be back to yourself Gabriella. I missed your sense of humor, the true sense of it. And if Sharpay is the president of it, that right there tells you how stupid it is, at least based on what I know. Chad and Taylor on the other hand, I think it's safe to say you aren't a freak on their lists now or if you are, they are one too because of how close you all are. I'm glad you have that support here, these friends of yours."

"I am too but I do miss you quite a bit," returned Gabriella, smiling at the other girl. "You know Tristan used to call me his adorable brainy girl. He was just as smart but he always played it down with his friends. I still just don't understand why he did it all, why Tristan…"

Sandra just let Gabriella trail off, watching as her brown eyes slowly filled with tears, letting them roll down her cheeks unchecked. In a few moments, Gabriella had managed to blink the remainder of tears away, sniffling a little before she brushed the tears away, looking back at Sandra a little later, embarrassment evident on her face.

"Sorry," she murmured, knowing by now that Sandra didn't judge her but feeling stupid nonetheless. "Maybe, would you mind if I take a bath? Relax a little, try to clear my mind some more right now?"

Sensing Gabriella's need to be alone Sandra nodded her head, knowing that she had to trust Gabriella now, realizing that the dried blood on the comforter was a symbol of the past, not of the future. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea at all. Want to get you all smelling good for the boyfriend after all right?"

Gabriella laughed a little, not even having thought about that aspect but seeing the truth in the bath not doing her any harm in that department. "Thanks Sandy, although I have to say that sounded a bit like Chad there for a moment. Maybe I'll give those lavender candles Taylor and you bought for me a try."

After putting the scrapbooking supplies away, including the scissors that had sorely tempted Gabriella moments before as she cried, Gabriella grabbed a fresh pair of underwear, sweatpants, and a long sleeve shirt before walking with Sandra out into the hallway. When Sandra hesitated at the bathroom door, Gabriella paused with her, looking at her best friend, silently watching what Sandra would do next.

"Umm, I guess if you need anything, you can just call for me, okay?" mumbled Sandra, feeling the awkwardness in the moment.

"I'll be fine Sandy, really," Gabriella assured her, giving her a small smile before entering the bathroom and closing the door behind.

Once the door was firmly shut, Gabriella resisted the urge to lock it, knowing that would be too much temptation to bear, being in a room she knew there would be no interruptions in. After placing the clothes she brought in with her on the counter, Gabriella twisted the silver handle to start the bath water running, letting it run for a few beats before putting the stopper down in the tub. Wiping her hands on her pants, Gabriella got up and grabbed her Love Spell bubble bath, feeling the need for something innocent like bubbles, from under the sink. She squeezed just enough to fill the bath tub with bubbles as the water continued to fill the tub but not enough to overflow or dominate the water. Next, she lit a few of the lavender candles and let them burn in the front two corners of the tub and also on the counter, filling the room with their soothing scent and dim lighting once Gabriella turned off the lights.

By the time Gabriella was undressed, the water level looked sufficient so she stepped into it, sighing a little as the warm water touched her skin. When she was completely immersed in the water and bubbles, with her head resting against the inflated bath pillow, Gabriella felt herself relax, even with her left arm hanging outside of the tub to keep her stitches dry. Sooner than she realized was possible, Gabriella drifted off to sleep, all the lack of sleeping at night finally taking a toll.

Gabriella opened her eyes and saw a room that looked so familiar yet not, realizing soon that it was Tristan's bedroom, somewhere she hadn't been since last fall. She looked around and saw all the typical guy things like band posters, his favorite football team memorabilia items scattered around, and a complete mess of clothes on the floor. A smile crept onto her lips as she dared to sit on the half-made bed, breathing in deep and smelling his familiar scent, a smell that was so comforting to her at that moment in time.

After silently looking around his room, Gabriella's eyes fell on a picture frame next to his bed, one of the few in his bedroom. Gabriella gingerly picked it up and stared down at the picture in the center of the black painted wood frame, a picture of Gabriella and Tristan from this past summer, the night they went on a double date with Sandy and a guy Gabriella had met through her internship, Bob Murray, a would-be college sophomore. The date hadn't been horrible but Gabriella had known from the start that the chemistry she had imagined would be there between her best friend and Bob was not a reality. Throughout the dinner, Tristan, seeing how important it was to Gabriella for things to go well that night, made an active effort to talk with Bob and keep the conversation and mood flowing and light. It was that night in the early part of the summer that Gabriella realized that Tristan had really matured since their time of dating while Gabriella lived in L.A., and she had opened herself up to the idea of having Tristan in her life again. As it turned out, Bob and Sandra exchanged phone numbers at the end of that night but were just friends while Gabriella and Tristan grew closer after that night.

Gabriella ran a finger over Tristan's grinning face, loving how Tristan's twinkling green eyes would forever be captured in that picture, his arm affectionately thrown around her shoulders as she was held close to his side on their side of the booth, a smile on her own face.

"We were so happy that night, weren't we? When we realized that maybe we could be actually friends and more again?" a familiar but very unexpected voice said, startling Gabriella, who looked around immediately.

"Tristan?" she managed to whisper, her grip on the picture frame loosening a little.

A grin formed on his face as he walked closer to her, taking a seat right next to Gabriella, his familiar scent filling her senses even more so now with his presence right next to her on the bed. "One and only. Good to know you haven't forgotten me completely," Tristan murmured, taking the picture frame from her slackening grip, holding it in his own hands for a few moments before putting it away. "I've missed you Ella."

Tiny sobs burst out from Gabriella as she quickly became overwhelmed by seeing a living, breathing Tristan again. "I've missed you too Tristan, so very much. I'm so sorry," she got out, her sobs increasing as she felt Tristan's familiar arms circle around her body. Gabriella allowed herself to cry while she absorbed the comfort she received by being there, being with Tristan, after everything.

"Shh, you have nothing to be sorry about Ella," Tristan soothed, kissing Gabriella's dark hair. "You are right in loving who you choose and who you do love. I know you love me, I do, but you also are in love with someone else, someone I realize now you are destined to be with. I'm the one that's sorry Ella, for leaving you so. Had I known you were listening, God, things would have been different, I wouldn't have allowed you to have gone through that."

Gabriella shook her head, pulling away slightly as she wiped away some of her tears. "I deserved to hear it, the pain you went through, that I caused. Tristan, I don't know how I didn't see it, that you needed help, that you were hurting so. I don't deserve for you to be holding me now, not after what I made you do."

"No, you didn't make me do anything Ella, that's the whole reason why I'm here right now. Gabriella, I may have been heartbroken because you and I didn't work out but I am still in love with you. I wasn't depressed because of you. There was so much going on, even before you. The pressures from school, of going to the right college, leading the football team to victory time and time again, problems at home between my parents; the list is endless. You, I want you to understand that you alone made all of that disappear when I was with you. You should know that if not for you, I probably would have killed myself a lot earlier," stated Tristan, green eyes meeting watery brown eyes. "Please, you need to stop blaming yourself. I already feel guilty that you heard everything but I cannot stand for you to take on blame that is not yours to bear. Even from above, I watch over you when I can and my heart is breaking far more now than when I was alive to see you this upset, this torn apart. You need to stop doing this to yourself Gabriella, this self-torture. Things will work out for you, you just need to keep your faith."

"How can you say that? I drove you further into your depression, your mother even told me!" exclaimed Gabriella, recalling the words she and Lydia had exchanged. "Tristan, I made things so much worse for you for my own selfish reasons."

Tristan immediately grabbed onto Gabriella's shoulders, gentle enough not to hurt her but firm enough to make her look back at him. "Ella, listen to me. You didn't kill me, you didn't even add to what I did. I was stupid in what I did, I see that now, but there's nothing I can do. You need to continue living enough for both of us, love enough for both of us. Don't let my mother tell you otherwise. For some odd reason, she has never liked you, daring to call you foul names like slut and tramp even to me, but you are none of that and I told her that repeatedly over time. I think, deep down, my mother never approved of you because she knew that you had a firm hold over my heart, that you would easily become the main female in my life eventually and she couldn't stand to see her only son, only child, leave her like that. None of that though is your fault Gabriella, none. If nothing else from this, know that my mother has no basis for what she told you, what she thinks about you besides that insecurity."

Gabriella stared back at Tristan, seeing the serious and intent look on his face as she wiped away a few more tears. "How can you be so confident about all this? So adamant?"

"Because believe it or not, as you saw this past summer, I have matured with time but doing what I did, being where I am now, it's given me a lot more to think about and more perspective. You are amazing Ella, and Troy is one lucky guy and he knows it," returned Tristan, his gaze never wavering from hers. "Please Ella, be easier on yourself, on your body. Don't travel the path I took. I love you."

Gabriella watched as Tristan leaned forward and she felt his soft lips press a gentle kiss on her forehead before he pulled away, his form beginning to shimmer and become fainter. When Gabriella felt his hold on her loosen, she yelled, "No! Tristan, no, don't go! I can't bear you leaving again! Please, stay!"

"I'm sorry Ella, I can't. Just know I'll always be with you so long as you allow me to live on in your heart," replied Tristan as his body continued to fade.

The words left Gabriella's mouth before she even realized what she was saying, knowing as she heard them that she meant them from the bottom of her heart. "I love you Tristan!"

Tristan's grin at her words was enough to stun Gabriella, seeing the beauty of such a simple action. "I love you too Ella, thank you."

Gabriella helplessly watched as Tristan completely disappeared, leaving Gabriella sitting in his room, alone, yet again.

As tears filled her eyes from the brief reality Gabriella now realized was a dream, her eyes snapped open and saw in the dimness of the room the flickering candles, finding herself still in the bathtub, the coldness of the water now seeping into her skin, making her shiver a little. Gabriella had no idea how long she had been in the bathroom, in the tub soaking as she slept, but the heartache and feeling of loss managed to find a window in which to return to her as she was dreaming, present despite the words dream Tristan had murmured. Almost as if a single light had been shined down on it, Gabriella's gaze ended up on the turquoise plastic handle with a rubber grip and what she knew were three blades at the other end. Her hand trembled as she reached for it where it rested on the shelve normally used for a bar of soap, feeling the handle in her hand, flipping it over so she could look at the temptation and previous salvation, debating in her mind what she would do.

Taylor and Troy arrived at the Montez home shortly after Troy met Taylor at his truck, ignoring the look of impatience on the dark girl's face at him being late, not wanting to get into rehashing Sharpay's little talk with him. He was still burning that Sharpay could be so cold about Gabriella but tried to remind himself that Sharpay didn't know, couldn't possibly know, about Tristan and for that, he did manage to cut her some slack when he would have otherwise put her in her place. The other part of Troy though also held back because he felt like Sharpay was still trying to be a friend the best way she knew how to which Troy also gave Sharpay credit for.

Now, as he dutifully listened to Sandra and Taylor talk on the couch next to the recliner Troy was sitting in, Troy's mind was filled with Gabriella and how else he could help. 'I don't want to suffocate her and make Gabriella think she's not trusted on her own but at the same time I feel this overwhelming need to be with her and make sure she's all right.'

"Troy, we're talking pizza and food here yet you seem a million miles away," commented Taylor, arching an eyebrow at this. "What's going on?"

Troy shook himself from his thoughts and grinned sheepishly at the two girls. "Sorry, just worried about Brie and what else I can do to help her."

Sandra gave him a sympathetic look as she said, "We all are Troy, don't be sorry for that. Dr. Johnson told Ms. Montez that the best we can do is to be there for her whenever she wants to talk but at the same time, and he stressed this, don't make her feel like you don't trust her with sharp things and being by herself. I struggled a while ago when she wanted to take a bath to let her go into that bathroom by herself, knowing her mom is at work catching up on things. I didn't go in because, well, it would seem pervy to watch my best friend bathe but also to show her that I trusted her and wasn't going to treat her any different."

"I read up on all of this on the internet too and each site says something different from take all sharp things away to keep them in her reach to let her come to you to make sure she's all right. I think each case is different and I have to trust that Dr. Johnson knows what he's doing by encouraging Gabriella to test her will around such sharp objects already," added Taylor. "I know Gabriella, she's strong, but I just, well sometimes I worry that maybe she's going through so much more than any of us have that she may feel like we don't understand and to some extent, in all honesty, we don't."

"And that's why we listen and support her any way that we can," replied Troy, understanding the uncertainty that Sandra and Taylor both felt all too well but knowing in his heart that he would do whatever it took to make Gabriella feel safe and well loved while she continued on this journey. Something triggered in Troy's mind just then, something that caused his gut to twist, alerting Troy that something was wrong. "Sandy, you mentioned you left Gabriella about to take a bath. How long ago was that?"

Glancing down at the watch around her left wrist, Sandra replied, "Close to two hours ago. I went up there a few times and heard movement in the water. Ella had a tough session with her therapist so I wanted to give her time to unwind and recover. Was that wrong?"

Troy heard the worry in Sandra's voice towards the end, confirming his bad feeling but he didn't want to worry her or Taylor so he shook his head. "I'm sure she's fine. I'll just go check on her if you don't mind."

Taylor gave him a curious look. "Troy, if she's in that bathroom, she may not be, well, presentable."

"Don't worry. Voice only confirmation needed," he assured her, giving her a smile before he got up and left the living room, sprinting up the stairs and down the hall to the bathroom that Troy knew Gabriella used.

Troy knocked softly and waited for a few moments before he knocked again, a little louder this time. "Brie? Gabriella?"

After a few moments passed by, each second dragging on longer than the one before, anxiety began to build again within Troy to the point where he could no longer hold back from invading Gabriella's privacy on the other side of the bathroom door. Troy opened the door and blinked a few times at the darkness, seeing only shadows in the candlelit bathroom before he heard the sound that stopped his heart while his gut wrenched a little more. Instantly, Troy flipped the light switch before dropping down to the side of the tub where Gabriella was currently sitting in a tub full of water and a thin layer of bubbles, her knees drawn up to her chest while she sobbed, a shaving razor in her right hand. Quickly, Troy's eyes moved across the water and her visible skin, relieved when he saw no red coloration in either the tub or on her.

"Brie?" he murmured, keeping his voice quiet as to not startle her.

Gabriella took a few moments after hearing his voice, some comfort filling her at knowing he was there while another part grew more ashamed, knowing Troy had to see her in another weak state. When she lifted her face up, Gabriella ventured to meet Troy's gaze as she tried to control her breathing to put a stop to her sobs but only felt an overwhelming need to cry again as she saw the pain and sadness in his cerulean eyes. "I'm so sorry Troy but it hurts, it hurts so much."

Ever so slowly, Troy's heart began to break all over again as Gabriella again buried her face into her drawn up knees, seeing the sobs course through her tiny body, his heart wrenching even more so as his girlfriend struggled with the raw pain and grief he knew was running through her body. Without thinking, only knowing that Troy had to help Gabriella in some way, to let her know she wasn't alone, that he was with her, Troy climbed into the tub in the space behind Gabriella's backside, hearing the excess water from his settling into the tub fully clothed hit the bathroom floor and making a mental note to clean it up later. Pushing aside that frivolous worry in the face of what Troy could only imagine Gabriella was going through, Troy focused on Gabriella, who was crying even harder now.

When strong arms wrapped around her and laid on top of hers, Troy's right hand covering hers that still held her salvation, Gabriella opened her eyes and realized that Troy was in the tub with her. "Troy…what…are you doing?" she asked between slowing sobs, hiccupping in the process.

"Whatever you need, I'm here Brie," he replied, Troy's low voice coming from his mouth that was now right next to Gabriella's right ear before Troy pressed his lips to the side of Gabriella's head. "If you want to talk, talk. If you want to cry, cry. No matter what it is though, I am here and I won't let you go."

His words pulled the plug on Gabriella's flimsy control of her emotions, fresh tears pooling in her eyes. Tears for the concern and genuine love Troy was showing her now but more so for the loss of her first true love and the confusion she now felt as to how everything came into play into Tristan's suicide. As Gabriella's heart began to tighten that much more as the familiar heartache returned yet again, a familiar feeling that was never any less painful, she felt her right hand involuntarily tighten on the razor in her hand, no longer feeling Troy's hand that was still on top of hers. Unable to resist any longer, Gabriella moved to turn the razor against her left arm, not seeing the glaring red and pink slash that was still recovering a few centimeters above where she was intending to cut to relieve the pain again.

Before Gabriella could make contact with her arm though, she felt her left arm firmly tugged away, a much more muscular and paler arm replacing it. Gabriella blinked a few times as she stared at Troy's arm now a short distance under the razor. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice raspy from all her crying. "I need to release this pain Troy, I need to cut!"

"Then cut," returned Troy, his voice steady despite his own fears and apprehension about what would happen next.

Gabriella tried to bring her left arm back to cut the spot she already had marked in her mind but again found Troy's arm covering hers. "Troy! Don't you get it! I need to bleed, I need to draw this pain away before it suffocates me! Before I surrender to something so much worse!"

"Do it then, cut! You'll just have to settle for me though. I'll be damned if I let you mar yourself anymore. If you need to cut, cut me," he reinforced, going so far as even moving her right hand still in his hold to bring the blades even closer to the inside of his left arm. "If it will help you Gabriella, cut me, give me the pain so you don't have to bear it alone."

"No!" she screamed, unable to even begin to think of Troy bleeding at her hand. "I can't hurt you! I can't bring you into this, make you suffer! This was all my fault and I'll fix it but I need this release!"

Troy shifted and removed his right hand from hers, making sure to keep her left arm blocked with his, forcing Gabriella's head to turn to the right so he could look into her eyes. "That's where you're wrong Brie," he answered in a gentle but firm way. "Every time you cut yourself, every time you cry, I'm right there with you. Your pain is my pain Gabriella, you are that big of a part of me. Making it physical is only one more thing for us to share together in this."

Swallowing, Gabriella closed her eyes, her mind and heart at a loss of what to do after Troy's words seeped further into her mind, etching themselves into her soul at the same time. "Please don't do this Troy. Let me make this last cut."

She felt her right hand being guided and snapped open her eyes just in time to see the razor flush against Troy's skin, seeing the stitches on his right hand that was forcing her hand and the razor it held against his arm. "Then make it," she heard him state, feeling his hand put a little more pressure on hers to push the razor a little more.

Seeing the stitches reminded Gabriella of the pain Troy had already endured in saving her the first time and knew then that she couldn't do that to him again now or ever for that matter. With a cry, Gabriella ripped her hand and razor away from his grasp and threw the razor away from the both of them, seeing it skid across the bathroom floor, knowing then that Gabriella would never be able to cut herself again. Her eyes whipped back to Troy's left arm, relieved that there was only one bead of blood coming from his skin but knowing that was one too much. "I'm so sorry Troy, I'm so sorry," she said, repeating it a few more times as she grabbed the washcloth nearby and wiped the blood away, putting some pressure on it until she knew that it wasn't bleeding further.

"I'm fine Brie, honest. You didn't go through with it," stated Troy, his soft voice catching Gabriella's attention.

Gabriella shook her head, knowing that he was one of the biggest reasons. "I can't, not when I know it will hurt you. I will never willingly hurt you Troy. I love you too much!"

Relieved to hear the words come from Gabriella's mouth, Troy allowed himself to breathe again, closing his eyes momentarily before he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend once again, relaxing only when Gabriella's rigid back finally leaned against his chest. "I love you too Brie. You'll get through this, I know you will but I'll be right besides you the entire time, no matter time or place, got it?"

"Why do you have to be so perfect and sweet Wildcat?" she asked, guilt resurfacing at the realization of exactly how good Troy was to her.

"Trust me, I'm not perfect but I may be sweet and that's only because I have you in my life Gabriella. You make me want to bring that part of me out more than I even knew was in me," replied Troy, kissing Gabriella's cheek before resting his chin against her naked shoulder. "What happened between Sandra leaving you to take a bath and now? Did something happen?"

Knowing that this could only help, Gabriella decided to tell Troy about her dream. When she was done, there was only silence so Gabriella looked to her right, seeing an intense look on Troy's face. "What are you thinking?"

"Maybe it wasn't a dream Gabriella. Maybe Tristan is trying to tell you something, wherever he is," offered Troy, knowing he himself wasn't exactly totally sure what happened to people after they died. "I have to agree with him too. You can't keep blaming yourself for something that Tristan did, even if you did hear it all happen. I didn't know him but if Tristan felt for you even an ounce what I feel for you, I wouldn't want you to be going through all this let alone hear what you did. Maybe this is a sign, something you needed though."

Gabriella thought about what Troy said as she began to gain better control over her emotions once again, feeling stronger already by just having Troy there. As Gabriella felt the cold water against her naked skin again and the feeling of fabric against her back and along the side of her legs, she blushed realizing that Troy was sitting with her in a tub, wearing all of his clothes while she was completely naked. "Umm, Troy?"

"What is it?" he asked, concern in his voice as Troy reacted to the nervousness in her voice.

"Can you, umm, thank you for being here for me but do you think you could get out and close your eyes while I get dressed or something? There's a spare towel under the sink for you too, I'm sure you'll want to get dry too," stated Gabriella, biting her lower lip a little.

The realization of their current location and state of dress, or rather undress, dawned in Troy's mind clearly just then, seeing why Gabriella's mood shifted so quickly. He cleared his throat and nodded his head, already pulling away from her and getting out of the tub, instantly feeling the heavy weight of his soaked clothes. Wanting Gabriella comfortable first, Troy reached for her towel and unfolded it, offering it out to her for her to step into, turning his face sideways and closing his eyes. Seeing Troy's actions, Gabriella smiled as she stood up out of the tub, realizing the amounts of water on the floor and making a mental note to clean it, before she walked to where Troy was standing, letting him wrap the towel around her with her assistance while keeping his eyes firmly shut.

Gabriella giggled once he was done, somehow finding the situation rather funny yet sweet. "Thank you," she said softly, knowing that Troy would understand that her gratitude was meant for more than just the towel but from making such a positive impact on her life. "I think it's a good thing I still have some of your clothing here including a pair of basketball shorts and a favorite t-shirt."

Troy's eyes bugged out as he heard this. "That's where it is! I've been looking for that shirt everywhere!"

Laughter soon filled the room as the mood lightened considerably after that, both drying off and then changing separately before joining Taylor and Sandra downstairs, neither of them saying anything about what just happened, despite Taylor and Sandra's curiosity as to why Troy was wearing different clothing.

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