Gabriella watched as Troy's eyes moved behind his closed lids more often than before. The doctor had told her and his parents who had been sitting with Troy since the accident in the room that it was a good sign. The fact that it was happening with more frequency lifted Gabriella's hopes. "Come on, Troy, pull through this," murmured Gabriella as she watched the little movements, not wanting to let them slide away unnoticed.
"Gabriella, are you sure you want to stay here?" asked Mr. Bolton. "You've been here ever since you and Troy were admitted. I'm sure your mom would like you to go home."
"No," replied Gabriella. "I can't let Troy fight for his life without me here. I'm the reason why he's in this coma, why he's been in this state for two and a half days now. If I wasn't so stupid…"
Mrs. Bolton shook her head. "It wasn't your fault, Gabriella. Jack and I definitely don't think it is at least. It was an accident. In fact, it was deemed the truck driver's fault for not having secured that wood better."
"But if we hadn't been arguing about Sharpay and what happened," continued Gabriella. "We wouldn't have even been on that highway."
"Maybe, but maybe you would have gone out for a drive anyway even if things were well," replied Mrs. Bolton. "You never know, Gabriella."
"Besides, from what I know of what happened this weekend, I wouldn't blame you for being upset at our son, Gabriella, at the very least confused. Troy confided in me on Monday night after he couldn't reach you at your house and told me what happened. I never would have expected a high school girl to be as capable of malice as Sharpay is, but that's beside the point right now. I think you two will make it out just fine. You just need to really listen to each other on this and talk it out when he comes back," stated Mr. Bolton.
"What I think we are both trying to tell you, Gabriella, is that our son cares about you, a lot, and it's clear that you care for him to for you haven't left his side since you yourself were released. How is your arm by the way?" asked Mrs. Bolton.
Gabriella looked down at her left arm, which was in a cast and in a sling. "It's all right. It hurts, but not as much as seeing Troy like this. I hope I'm not intruding by being here."
"No, not at all. All Jack meant by asking if you wanted to stay here was to make sure it was okay with your mother. I know that I'm worried sick about Troy right now and I know she was given just as much of a scare as I was when she got the call on Tuesday," returned Mrs. Bolton. "In fact, I think you being here increases Troy's chances of making it back to us because he can hear your voice, wherever he is in that coma state he is in."
"I hope you're right," said Gabriella as she turned her attention back to Troy, wiping away a stray tear with her good hand.
"We're going to go and get some coffee. Do you want maybe some tea?" asked Mr. Bolton.
Gabriella shook her head. "No thank you, I'm fine. And I promise I'll call my mother in a little bit to check in, Mrs. Bolton."
The older woman smiled at her son's girlfriend before she and her husband left the room.
'Everyone is trying to be so positive for Troy, his parents even talk about what they are going to do when Troy wakes up and how he and I should handle things when he is conscious. I want that just as much as everyone else, but I'm so scared that it's not going to happen that way,' thought Gabriella as she watched his eye movement.
Taking advantage of being in the room alone together, Gabriella got out of the chair she had been sitting on for the past couple of days and sat on the side of Troy's hospital bed, making sure she didn't disturb any of the wires. Gabriella took his still right hand in her good right hand and studied Troy's face a little more. 'At least he looks peaceful and not in pain.'
After a few minutes, Gabriella dared to go a little farther and stretched her right arm to brush aside some of his bangs that had fallen onto his forehead and covered his eyes. She lovingly pushed the bangs back and leaned down to kiss his forehead. Gabriella felt her heart ache a little more as she stared at the non-animated Troy that she had grown to love so much in the past year plus. "Troy, please, come back to me," begged Gabriella as she felt more tears slide down her face. "I need you here, I need to look into your blue eyes again and see that you are all right. I need to see you smile and to hear your voice. Yes, I'm being selfish here because I need you just as your parents do. Please, please, please, Troy, if you can hear me, come back."
She waited for a few moments but let out a sigh as he continued to be unresponsive.
"Don't worry, Gabriella, I'm sure he heard you," said Mrs. Bolton, which startled Gabriella. "Sorry, I thought you heard us come back in the room."
"No, but that's okay, I was so deep in thought anyway," replied Gabriella as she sat back down in the chair she had been occupying.
Chad, Jason, and Zeke came by again for the day's visit, each with a concerned look on their face. Chad sat down next to Gabriella and held her good hand in his. "You holding up all right, little sis?"
Gabriella nodded her head. "As much as can be expected. I just want him to wake up, Chad. I don't care about anything else, I just want him back," confessed Gabriella as she teared up.
Chad put his arms around her, careful of her broken left arm, and stroked her hair a little, reminding Gabriella of all those times Troy comforted her. "He'll come out of this like he comes out of everything else, just fine. You still caring this much about him after everything that has happened will make him fight that much harder to come back, Gab. Troy would do anything for you, you know that."
"I know, but after what just happened with Sharpay and all," started Gabriella.
"It's in the past," interrupted Chad. "Do you still really think he could have been doing all that she claimed behind your back?"
Without a thought, Gabriella shook her head. "No, I know he wouldn't, now that I have thought about it for the past several days. It doesn't make sense and that's what I regret now, that I didn't believe him."
"Well, it was tough to swallow and believe when you saw what you did. If you want, I can even show you the wig she used that I found on the floor if it helps you any," offered Chad.
"No, I don't think I need to see that. I have enough of the encounter burned into my memory already. There are some unanswered questions right now about the logistics of what all happened, but my focus right now is to make sure that Troy wakes up from this coma. I don't know what good I'm really doing just sitting here, but some big part of me wants to be here when he wakes up," confessed Gabriella.
"Don't worry about the future, just concentrate on Troy," advised Chad. "Oh, and I brought all the homework you wanted Taylor to get for you from your teachers. I have it here in my bag."
Gabriella looked at the notebooks and papers he lifted out and put on the table in front of her. "God, that's a lot."
Chad chuckled a little. "The smartie is afraid of school work? That's a first."
Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Well that's even funnier coming from you, who doesn't touch school work unless Taylor nags at you."
Jason and Zeke heard this and laughed. "She got you there, Chad," stated Zeke.
"How are the girls by the way?" asked Gabriella.
"Kelsi is doing well, busy with the musicale practices. I still can't believe you let Sharpay get the role unopposed," answered Jason.
"Not like I had the time, really," replied Gabriella. "And with what has happened this week, it was best it was that way."
"Taylor is fine, she's just worried about you, Gab. She also said that if you need her help to catch up, she can come over if you need. Audrina and Martha also said hello and send their best wishes. I think they may stop by this weekend or something. We didn't want to overfill the room here, even though we figured Troy could use hearing familiar voices," explained Chad.
"It means a lot to both me and the wife here that you guys have been coming to visit Troy," said Coach Bolton. "Troy needs all the support he can right now."
The three guys nodded their heads and smiled. "We're a team and close friends, that's what we do," stated Zeke.
The doctor came into the room and smiled as he saw all the young faces in the room. "I'm glad that Troy has so many good friends that want to visit him. Unfortunately, I do have to ask you three young men to leave so I can examine Troy."
"No problem," said Chad. "We'll come back tomorrow. Night Coach, Mrs. Bolton."
Before Chad got up from next to Gabriella, he kissed her on top of her head and whispered, "Be strong, Troy loves you, just remember that."
Gabriella looked up at Chad with a smile and nodded her head. "Thanks Chad. Hug Taylor for me, okay?"
Chad nodded and with that, after Jason and Zeke also gave Gabriella a hug, the three guys left so that Dr. Jones could examine Troy. After a few minutes of checking vitals and examining Troy, Dr. Jones nodded his head with a smile. "Well, he is stable and is not showing any signs of failing health, which is excellent to see. I'm on rounds tonight so I will make sure to come by again in a few hours."
"Thank you, Dr. Jones," said Mrs. Bolton with a smile as the doctor left.
Troy's parents started reading the newspaper they had brought so Gabriella ventured towards the schoolwork Chad had brought and flipped through the assignments. 'The teachers must have gone easy on me, there's not a lot,' she thought as she started sketching an outline to an essay she had due end of next week for AP English.
She was in the middle of the third body paragraph when Gabriella thought she heard Troy say something. Gabriella quickly looked over at him and saw with disappointment that he was just as motionless as he was before. 'My mind must be playing ticks on me.'
While sketching out her conclusion for the essay, she heard a stronger voice. "Gabriella," grated out Troy in a very hoarse voice.
"OH MY GOD!" exclaimed Gabriella as she jumped out of her seat and grabbed his right hand in hers. "Troy, I'm right here."
After a little while, Troy opened his eyes and Gabriella let a few happy tears roll down her cheek as she stared into a pair of ocean blue eyes she had feared she would never see again. Troy tried to say something again but ended up coughing.
"Shh, Troy, don't try to talk," said Mrs. Bolton from the other side of the bed. "Your father just went to get Dr. Jones. Oh sweetie, it's so good to see you back with us."
Troy attempted to smile as his mother kissed his cheek but felt so tired. He turned his gaze over to Gabriella and felt relief and confusion both in seeing her. 'She's alive,' he thought as he surrendered back to the darkness.
By the time Dr. Jones arrived with Mr. Bolton, Troy had fallen back to unconsciousness, or so the women thought.
Dr. Jones examined Troy and the machines around him. "Actually, no, he's no longer considered unconscious, and the good news is that he has broken out of the comatose state he was in. I expect Troy will be more awake probably tomorrow. Most patients when they recover from a coma will be very tired for the first few days and he will need therapy to help him get better control of his mind and physical abilities. Troy has a road to travel before he is back to his normal self but this is a very good turn."
"Oh thank you so much, Dr. Jones," said Mrs. Bolton as she wiped away some of her own tears from her eyes.
Dr. Jones smiled at Troy's parents and then Gabriella. "Like I said, Troy still has a way to go, but with your support, I see him doing just fine from here on out."
After the doctor left, Troy's parents and Gabriella smiled at each other as they just enjoyed this moment. 'Troy is alive, he's out of his coma, and he's going to be just fine!' cheered Gabriella in her head.
"Oh, we need to tell the guys," remembered Mr. Bolton.
"Let me, Mr. Bolton. I'll call them after I finish calling my mom outside. You should stay with Troy just in case he wakes up. I know you didn't really get to see him before," volunteered Gabriella.
"Thank you, Gabriella," said Mr. Bolton with a smile.
Gabriella left the hospital room, feeling her steps a lot lighter than they were before as she went down in the elevator and made the calls she needed to. All of the gang were ecstatic, well those she could reach. For those she couldn't, she just left voicemails. Ms. Montez was happy for her daughter that Troy was conscious, but was still worried about Gabriella spending so many straight days and nights in that hospital chair after she had injured not only her left arm but also her back in the accident. "I'm fine, Mom, really," assured Gabriella.
"Gabriella, you're fine because you are taking those pain medicines. Back problems should not be messed with and I'm actually surprised the doctor, knowing your condition, has not insisted you come home and sleep," returned Ms. Montez.
"Dr. Jones knows how worried I am about Troy and understands," replied Gabriella.
"Well I understand too, but at the same time, now that Troy is out of the woods, don't you think it's time for you to come home and get some rest? How about I make you this promise. Let me come get you right now and I will take you back to the hospital first thing in the morning? I just want you to take better care of yourself, Gabriella. You will be no use to Troy if he needs help if you are also hurting too," stated Ms. Montez.
Knowing her mother was right, Gabriella agreed to be picked up. She went back up to Troy's room and smiled at the Bolton family as his parents were still standing by Troy's bedside.
"I called the gang so they all know he is at least in the clear and my mom is coming to pick me up. I don't want to go but she's worried about my back. Will you tell Troy that I'm coming back first thing in the morning if he wakes up between now and then?" asked Gabriella.
"Of course, dear, and I agree with your mother. Now that we all know Troy is going to be fine, you need to dedicate some of your own time and attention to taking care of yourself. I'll make sure Troy understand the depth of your love for him – spending day and night in a hard hospital chair when you yourself have your own physical injuries. It'll mean a lot to him," commented Mrs. Bolton with a smile.
"I'll go downstairs and wait with you, Gabriella," offered Mr. Bolton. "I think Troy is going to sleep for quite a while actually after his whole ordeal."
Gabriella nodded and gathered up her things with the help of Mrs. Bolton. She picked up her bag and went over to Troy's bedside. After Gabriella kissed Troy lightly on the lips, she whispered, "Good night, Troy. I love you with all of my heart."
Shortly after the walk outside, Ms. Montez pulled up in the family van and picked up Gabriella, thanking Jack for staying outside with her daughter. Once home, Ms. Montez helped Gabriella carry her bag in and change out of the clothes she had been wearing from the past few days and into a pair of pajamas. Gabriella was then tucked into bed by her mother like when she was little and said good night to her as the light was turned off. Shifting a little on the bed, Gabriella turned her attention to the wooden frame Troy gave her for Christmas that was sitting on her bedside table.
She smiled as she saw the couple in the pictures having fun together. 'At last, things finally feel like they are coming together and falling into place. Troy and I just need to work at it to make sure it all happens for us now, no doubts and no regrets.'