Chapter Text
He went over to the door and looked through the peek hole. He gasped. He opened the door.
"Hello Troy." A soft women's voice said.
"Mom…" Troy gasped.
"Can I come in?"
The shock wore off and Troy grew angry.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you."
"Since when do you care?"
"I've always cared that's why I left you that note."
"What about dad? Did you not care about him?"
"Troy I…I did what I had to do."
"What does that mean?"
"Can I just come in please?"
"Why?"
"So I can explain."
"Will you explain to dad?"
"Yes. I will explain to both of you."
"Come in."
Troy's mother walked inside. Troy sighed. He closed the door and took a deep breath. He needed strength to confront his mother. Then he heard Gabriella scream and he ran back into the living room. Gabriella was holding a small table plant over her head ready to strike. She was shaking from head to toe and tears were burning her eyes.
"Gabriella it's ok that's my mom just put the plant down." Troy said.
"N-no I-I ha-ha-have t-to de-defend my-myself."
"Brie she won't hurt you I promise."
Gabriella shook her head. Troy went over to her and took the plant and set it back down on the table. She was shaking.
"It's ok baby she won't hurt you. She just wants to talk."
"Sh-sh-she wi-wi-wi-will hur-hur-hur-hur-hur…. Troy!"
Gabriella burst into tears. Troy pulled her into him. "Gabriella it's ok. It's ok shhhh just calm down." He rubbed her back and kissed her head. No matter what he did Gabriella did not calm down. He took her into the kitchen and set her up on the counter and stood in between her legs.
"What is it sweetie why are you so scared of her?"
Gabriella didn't respond.
"You can tell me baby girl. Please?"
"I know her."
"What?"
"I've seen her before. She was one of my foster mothers."
Troy froze his mother was once Gabriella's foster mother? How did that work?
"What? How does that work?"
"I never knew she was your mom too. I would have told you if I did."
"I don't blame you sweetie. You had no way of knowing. Just try and relax I'm going to call my dad."
Troy took out his cell and called his dad. As he waited for his dad to answer he looked at Gabriella. She had fear written all over her face. He stroked some hair behind her ears and then rubbed leg soothingly. When he heard a hello on the other end he responded.
"Dad you need to come home right away….Mom is back."
Troy waited for his dad to respond and then he hung up.
"My dad is on his way back home. Do you want me to take you to your room? I won't make you face her if your aren't comfortable."
Gabriella whimpered. "I want to stay with you. Don't leave me."
"I'd never leave baby never."
Troy pulled Gabriella into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He rubbed her back as she buried her face in his chest.
"I got you. I'm never letting go. Everything will be ok."
Troy walked back into the living room and sat across from his mother.
"Dad is on his way home. I hope you have a good reason for leaving."
"I do."
"Good."
"I left because of Gabriella."
Gabriella whimpered and squirmed in Troy's arms. Troy growled. "Don't you dare blame Gabriella for this."
"I'm not blaming her. I left for her."
"That doesn't make any sense."
"How old were you when I left?"
"Thirteen."
"Gabriella how old were you when I was your foster mother?"
"Don't talk to her. You have no right to speak to her. I know about her past mom I know what you did to her."
"I didn't do anything."
"You allowed men to rape her."
"What are you talking about? I never knew anything about her being raped."
Gabriella burst into tears. She was thirteen when Lucille fostered her. It was her fault Lucille left. All of Troy's pain was because of her. "I'm sorry Troy. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault baby girl. Don't listen to her." Troy looked at his mother. "Shut up." Troy growled.
"I'm just telling the truth."
"This is about Dad, you, and I leave Gabriella out of this."
"I left because of Gabriella so she has everything to do with this."
Just then the front door open. "Troy?" Jack called.
Gabriella pulled away from Troy and ran to Jack in tears.
"I'm sorry Jack. I'm sorry I made Lucille leave."
Jack hugged Gabriella.
"Lucille leaving has nothing to do with you Gabriella just try and calm down."
Jack kept Gabriella close and walked into the living room.
"Lucille."
"Jack it's good to see you again."
"Wish I could say the same but I'm not going to lie. What do you want?"
"I want to come home."
"What?"
"I want to come back. I want to be Troy's mom again and your wife."
"Well that's not going to happen so if that is why you're here then leave."
"Let me explain. I left because of Gabriella."
"She's been saying that since she got here." Troy said.
"I'd love to hear this. Why do you think that?" Jack laughed.
"Do you guys remember my friend Kevin Maxwell?"
"Yes why?"
"Well he wanted to have a baby but his couldn't mate so his wife left him. So he thought of fostering but they wouldn't allow him to foster unless he was married. Since I was his friend he asked me to marry him. I know you wouldn't agree so I just left. I married him and we took Gabriella in. After that I was going to divorce him but if I did he'd lose Gabriella. If I had known he was raping her I would have stopped it."
"You are a liar." Troy said.
"I'm telling the truth Troy. I had no idea. If I did I would have stopped it. "
"You allowed him to rape Gabriella!"
"I told you I didn't know!"
"STOP IT!" Gabriella screamed.
She ran back into Troy's arms.
"Troy take Gabriella upstairs." Jack said.
Troy carried Gabriella into the bedroom.
"So what happen?"
"One day he told me that she was too shut down and withdrawn and we couldn't help her so we took her back. I swear to you Jack if I had known she was being raped I would have stopped it. By that time though we had already fallen in love so I couldn't leave him."
"So what changed?"
"He hit me."
Jack sighed. He was furious with Lucille for what she did but he still cared for her and hated that she was hurting.
"Look I will never forget what you did. I will never forget the pain I went through when you left. I will forgive you. I will not take you back, not now not ever. You and I will always be friends because we have a son together but that is all we will ever be. Now Troy is 18 so he will make up his own mind on how he feels about you and if he wants you back in his life or not. If he does not forgive you I will not force him to. He is old enough to make up his own mind. Now Gabriella is also a part of this family so she also has to agree in letting you stay in that clear? One no and you will have to find someplace else."
"I got it. Thank you Jack."
"Don't thank me yet. Stay here I'll go get Troy."
Jack went to Troy's room. Troy was sitting up against the head board. Gabriella laying with her head in Troy's lap sleeping.
"I just got her to sleep. She has had a hard enough day I am not making her talk to mom."
"I'm not either. Look you have a choice. You leave me with Gabriella and go talk to your mom or you can say no and I'll send her out."
"Would you really do that?"
"You are 18 you can make your own choice."
"I want to talk to her but if I move Gabriella will wake up and get upset again."
"Look Troy I think you mom may be telling the truth. Your mother may have left but she would never just stand there and let someone get raped."
"Then why is Gabriella so scared of her?"
"I don't know. Look I will not force you to forgive her but at least go talk to her. I'll stay here with Gabriella."
"Ok."
Troy slowly got out of bed. Gabriella whimpered "Troy."
"Shhh go back to sleep. I'll be right back."
"No…"
Gabriella woke up and her eyes filled with tears.
"Don't go."
"I'll be right baby girl. Dad is going to stay in here with you."
Gabriella nodded. She didn't want him to leave but she knew he needed to talk to his mother. Jack sat on the bed and Gabriella cuddled into him and went back to sleep. Troy went into the living room and sat down on the couch.
"Look I understand if you never want to see me again but I just want you to know that I will swear to you…I will swear on my own life that I had no idea that Kevin was raping Gabriella. If I had known I would have stopped it. If you don't believe anything I say please believe this. I would never just stand by and let someone get hurt like that. I thought Kevin really cared for Gabriella."
Troy could tell his mother was being honest. Ok so she didn't watch as Gabriella got raped but she still left him.
"I believe you. Thank you for being honest. You still left me though. You left me with nothing but a note. You didn't even have the courage to say it to my face."
"You are right. I did leave and I should have told you. I will always regret what I did. I would like a chance to make it up to you."
Troy sighed. He loved his mother, despite what she did he loved her and he wanted a relationship with her. He wanted his mother back in his life.
"Ok. I'll give you another chance. I will not trust you right away and I might not open up to you right away but I will give you a chance."
"Thank you Troy that is all I ask. Now I know I may be pushing it but do you think I can talk to Gabriella. I want her to know how sorry I am."
"She will be the judge of that. I will not force her. I'll be back."
Troy went back into his bedroom where Gabriella was still sleeping.
"How is she?"
"Sleeping peacefully. How'd it go?"
"I am giving her a chance."
"Good. Did she leave?"
"No, she wants to talk to Gabriella."
"Do you think that is a good idea?"
"I'm leaving it up to Gabriella."
Jack nodded and got up. Gabriella whimpered again. "No go."
"Hey I'm here baby girl." Troy said.
Gabriella woke up. "Troy."
"Look sweetie I need to talk to you about something important. I just confronted my mom and I feel a lot better. I think you should go talk to her. Maybe it will help you too."
"I'll only do it if you and dad stay."
It took Jack a second to realize she just called him dad. Troy smiled.
"I want my dad there."
Jack hugged her and bit back tears. "I love you Gabriella."
"I love you too…dad."
The three of them went back downstairs.
"Thank you for giving me a chance Gabriella. Now I understand why you would hate me. I even hate me at the moment. I just want you to know that I would never just sit by and watch as someone get raped. I swear to you I never knew Kevin was raping you and if I had I would have stopped it. I will do whatever it takes to make you believe me."
"You swear on your own life?" Gabriella asked softly.
"Yes."
"Ok. I believe you. It may take some time for me to trust you again though but I will give you a chance."
"That's all I ask Gabriella thank you."
""I'm doing it for Troy. If you ever hurt him again I will never speak to you again."
"I understand. Thank you guys. I know I messed up and I'm sorry. I'm even getting some counseling just to help me deal with everything I've done."
"Don't go to Dr. Anderson." Gabriella said.
"I won't. Speaking of Dr. Anderson what happen? Last time I checked Gabriella refused to speak or trust anyone. Did Dr. Anderson really help you?"
"No he made Gabriella worse. Dad and I helped her. We took her away from him and took her into our home and helped her heal."
"How what did you do differently."
"Troy just gave her what she really needed."
"Which was what?" Lucille asked.
"TLC Tender Love and Care."