AN: Hi, so I'm not really sure what inspired this, but I knew the whole story the moment it fell into my brain, so here it is. It's most likely going to be a two-shot with a shorter epilogue. I hope you enjoy it!

He heard her call to him over the crash of the waves against the sand where he stood, holding his black dress shoes in his fingers. The water saturated in the ground was making his best black socks soaked on the sole.

"Come on, Troy! For once, let go!"

She waded deeper into the water, lifting her already wet, heavy taffeta gown above mid thigh. She was laughing with her head flung towards the cloudy, grey sky as another wave pelted into her chest. Troy made no indication he was going follow her, and his feet had begun to sink into the sand from standing still too long. When he first saw her earlier in the night this is not what he had expected.

----

At eighteen, Gabriella left Albuquerque midway though senior year due to yet another transfer that her mother's job had deemed necessary. She promised earlier in the year that they would be staying in Albuquerque at least until Gabriella's graduation. They didn't. Instead, Gabriella's house was packed and loaded before she was able to take her finals for first semester, and that was that. Troy remembered the Gabriella he met in high school as a cautious girl, always aware of what she said and how the way she spoke might affect other people. She never let something miscalculated slip from her mouth. It wasn't with malevolent intentions; it was just Gabriella's defense mechanism. She told Troy in later months at East High that she never expected to stay anywhere long enough make friends so she did the next best thing: she avoided causing a scene, avoided making any enemies, and avoided drawing attention to herself. At least until she ended up at East High. On her first day, in her first class, she became the primary interest of one Troy Bolton. Troy Bolton – captain of the nationally ranked East High basketball team and as far as the East High girls were concerned, nationally recognized for hotness, too. Needless to say, in that first hour of school, Gabriella acquired two things she had planned on avoiding: enemies and attention. After awhile though, Gabriella accepted the animosity she received from most of the female population. It was easy when Troy Bolton, captain of the nationally ranked East High basketball team and globally recognized for hotness was her boyfriend.

That was the Gabriella Montez that Troy had known – quiet at first, constantly respectful, and always, always so astonishingly intelligent. Bits of her were the same when he saw her again for the first time eight years later; her hair was still long, black, in full, cascading waves, and she was still just as short, only pushing about 5'5" with heels on her feet. Her eyes, however, that was where it all seemed to change. Her eyes were alight with a fire that Troy had never seen before. He saw her first near the bar, talking to a group of men dressed in tuxes, who were clearly enamored by her charm as they were laughing heartily. The man closest to Gabriella, who Troy admitted to himself somewhat begrudgingly was the most handsome, began to lead Gabriella away from the others by the small of her back. Troy felt the old but familiar feeling of possession dart from his stomach to his fist. He stepped across the large wooden floor where some couples were already dancing and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hello, Miss Montez."

Gabriella spun around, humor from the joke she had told still shown in her eyes as they met Troy's, but then there was recognition and then there was surprise.

"If you'll excuse us, Charlie."

The man whose hand had, until moments ago, been pressed to the small of Gabriella's back tried to protest, but it was no use and he knew it. He stalked away to rejoin the group of men still standing around the bar.

"Hey, Troy. Or am I to call you Mr. Bolton?"

Troy chuckled, "I think Troy will be just fine, Gabriella."

Gabriella's gloved arm linked with Troy's and she began to lead him to an empty, white linen covered table, only stopping to grab two flutes of champagne. She gave the waiter a kind smile and turned back to Troy. "Ah, but Troy, I don't recall saying that it was acceptable to address me by my first name."

"Er-, I just assumed that if you called me Troy…"

Gabriella giggled and patted Troy on the forearm, "Kidding. I was just kidding."

"Oh."

They sat down across each other at a round table meant for four, though the two empty seats seemed either abandoned or never previously occupied.

Gabriella rested her elbow on the table and let her chin fall into her open palm, "So what brings you here?" Her legs were crossed with her foot gently shaking in the air and the light reflecting from the crystals on her shoe shone in Troy's eyes.

Troy looked off to the right and saw the man Gabriella was with previously, talking with an older couple near the stage. He swallowed and suddenly felt the need to seem equal to Gabriella. "I'm sure I'm here for the same reason you are, Gabriella. My date is mingling at the moment, however." He waved his hand vaguely to a large group of attendees.

Gabriella laughed lightly as she took a small sip of champagne, "Come on Troy, I know you aren't here with anyone. You would never leave your date at a function like this, it's too improper, and you're too much of the gentleman."

Troy tried to fight down the color he could feel rising from under his bowtie to his cheeks and chose not to acknowledge her comment. He took a long drink of the champagne and waved a waiter over to refill his glass.

"So who was that man? Charles was his name, was it?"

Gabriella looked to her right out the giant windows towards the ocean and flicked the crystal flute with her index finger. "Charlie's just a friend…not even. He's the son of one of my mom's coworker's, really. I think my mom told him to keep an eye on me."

For a moment they were silent, the clear note of the champagne flute ringing the only sound between them.

"Let's leave, Troy. I want to go on the beach."

Troy took one look at the determination in Gabriella's eyes and downed his second glass of champagne. "But Gabriella, the auction is just about to start. Isn't it important that we bid? That we donate to the cause?" Troy looked around the table for a sign of what exactly the benefit auction was for, "That we donate for overseas aid to Kenya?"

Gabriella threw her arms in the air dramatically, "Why not just write a check. I don't need any new art, do you?"

Troy glanced up to the stage where the auctioneer was getting settled, "Well…no, but-"

"So let's leave." Gabriella was already standing up and reaching for her purse under the table, and so, they did.

----

"Come on, Troy! For once, let go!"

Troy sighed and looked up at the grey, September sky, "Isn't it freezing?" he yelled back.

She turned around to face the beach, still taking steady steps farther into the ocean, "Super freezing!" she called. "Just get in!"

Troy shrugged off his black suit jacket, unclipped his cummerbund, untied his bowtie, and took off his belt. He dropped his shoes next to the small pile of clothing now at his feet and took a tentative step forward. The seawater left over from a wave washed over his feet soaking both his socks completely. Sand had begun to collect at the hem where his pants had gotten damp and was rubbing unpleasantly on his ankles.

"It's better if you just do it fast. Like a Band-Aid," Gabriella shouted, now only visible above her shoulders.

Troy followed her instructions and hurried into the water. She wasn't kidding, it was freezing – the kind of cold that feels more like it's burning until numbness overcomes everything. Finally, when the water was up to Troy's chest, the burning dissipated and he stood still, letting the tide push and pull him gently. Gabriella swam around him in circles, or at least attempted to – the material from the dress was weighing her down. Troy was shivering. Gabriella stopped swimming and came to stand next to him. Troy could feel the current graze bits of her dress against his shins.

"Do you ever wonder why I never called you after I left?" Gabriella held up some seawater cupped in her hands and let it fall down his shoulders and chest, causing his white button up shirt to become fully soaked, now see-through.

Troy stared down at Gabriella, his hair only partly wet so it looked as though it was dyed both black and dirty blonde. He nodded his head slowly, up and down once.

"Because, Troy. What we had then, it wasn't real; you were just like me. Carefully crafted, perfectly placed, burdened by our parent's expectations." Her voice got deeper in imitation, "Get into a good university. Get a scholarship. Make the grades. Make us proud."

"Is it different now?" Troy asked, lifting Gabriella at the waist to keep her head above the water as a wave that had yet to crest passed them at Troy's shoulder. The strength of the wave pushed Gabriella's chest into Troy's. He reddened and looked away from her eyes.

Gabriella relaxed completely into Troy's hands and fell back-first into the water, wetting her hair to the scalp before standing straight again. "It is so different now. No parents, no expectations…it's different now."

Troy set her down so her feet once again touched the ground, "Hmm."

He wasn't enthusiastic about their current situation, shoulder deep in the cold Atlantic Ocean, but he surely wasn't disappointed by the fact that Gabriella's arms hadn't moved since he lifted her, and were currently wrapped around his neck, or that his hands were still holding her tight at the hips.

Gabriella drummed her ice-cold fingers against the side of Troy's neck, "Okay, that's fine, I can start. Now that it's all over, now that there are no more expectations about your future am I still something you could want? Could I be more than a finishing touch to your perfect resume?"

Troy pursed his lips in a way that made him seem guilty, though Gabriella ignored his hesitation completely; instead she tucked and untucked the hairs behind his ear. She wasn't entirely wrong in her assumption, Troy thought. His dad had approved of Gabriella, yes – he was ecstatic, actually. A transfer student with no friends, but an almost genius level intelligence; she was perfect for making an impression on those teachers who would be soon enough writing Troy's recommendations. But that wasn't what made Troy want to be with Gabriella, nor was it what made him ask her out in the first place.

After a moment, Troy answered decidedly, "Yes."

Her drumming fingers traveled from the side of his neck to his lips. On instinct Troy kissed them. Gabriella's eyes shot to Troy's as his lips connected with her fingers. It was a strange feeling, looking into the same stormy blue eyes she had for so long associated with a boy she once knew, blue eyes that now belonged to a man. Troy had grown up, most definitely.

"Hmm," Gabriella said as she let her arms sink back under the water. They were at the point where the water seemed warmer than the air around them and the wind was making goose bumps appear on her shoulders and collar.

"Your fingers taste salty," Troy said, still holding tight to Gabriella's waist. Gabriella smiled softly, and for the first time that night Troy thought he saw the Gabriella that left him in Albuquerque all those years ago. As soon as the thought came to him, it was wiped away by an action that the Gabriella Troy had known would never have done. Gabriella pulled Troy's neck down and pressed her lips against his. Troy froze, for once not because of the water temperature, but simply because for the first time in eight years, Gabriella Montez's lips were on his. They continued to kiss languorously, never taking it farther than the occasional slip of the tongue, until a particularly strong wave passed them and splashed into their mouths. They pulled away gasping and spitting seawater.

Troy laughed, "Your lips taste salty, too."

"Hmm," Gabriella said, "So do yours." Gabriella's right hand left Troy's neck and found his hand resting on her hip. She pulled it out of the water and kissed his index and middle finger. "And so do your fingers."

Minutes passed and they stood pressed together in the water, both of them shivering, though Gabriella tried to hide it more than Troy.

"And I suppose it's my turn to ask a question now?" Troy asked.

Gabriella let out an involuntary shiver, "Yeah, I guess it is. Let's get out first, I'm cold."

Troy held back his question as they waded through the water until they were both standing on the shore once again. Abruptly he asked, "What happened to you, Gabriella? You're so different. You're wild."

"I didn't go completely crazy." Gabriella said, completely nonplussed by Troy's accusations, "I'm just not living for anyone but myself anymore."

Troy watched her as she spun around in circles, flinging drops of water from her hair and dress here and there. The sun had started sink below the horizon and as the last few rays of daylight hit Gabriella the remnants of water left on her skin began to sparkle, making it seem as though she was glowing.

"That's selfish, Gabriella," Troy said in a tone so reminiscent of the way his parents used to speak to him.

She stopped spinning and stood, swaying slightly in front of him. The bits of light brown sand that clung to the bottom of her dress contrasted heavily with the once-navy-now-black fabric. "I know," she spoke these words with no sense of hesitation, of guilt. "I know," this time when she said it there was a clear tone of acceptance within her words. "But isn't it about time? Isn't it about time for both of us?"

Troy noticed then, that Gabriella looked nothing short of exhausted. Exhausted from swimming, maybe. But definitely exhausted from this masquerade she had been putting since the beginning of her education. He felt a sudden surge of sympathy for Gabriella and picked up his jacket to quickly swing over her shoulders. She must have been freezing; he could see her goose bumps from feet away.

"Why?" Troy asked stepping away from her again, "What made you decide that?"

Gabriella sighed, slid her arms into Troy's jacket, and started wringing out the water in her hair, "I graduated from Stanford, I went to med school at Dartmouth – I did exactly what my mother expected of me. Now I'm taking a break. And judging from the fact that you were invited to this benefit I'm assuming you did exactly what was expected of you, too?"

Troy nodded, "I went to UPenn, played ball, majored in business, and now I work in New York."

"So no break for you then?"

Troy squeezed the excess water out of his shirt; it looked stretched and wrinkled where he had been pulling. "No break for me. I work at an investment firm and my boss is an old friend of my dad's. Do you live here in Maine?"

"Yeah, for the time being. I work at the library."

Troy smiled; it was the perfect job for Gabriella, really. Her voice interrupted his train of thought.

"Aren't you tired of it, Troy?"

Troy shrugged, "I don't know, I'm paid well and my parents are proud of me."

"But are you happy?"

Troy stared at Gabriella and then at the large benefit hall where the windows had turned a golden color from lights shining within and the darkening sky outside. No one had ever asked him that before, at least not with the goal to really know the truth.

"No, I suppose I'm not."

Gabriella rubbed her hands up and down her arms in an effort to warm herself. "I think in life, first and foremost, you should do something that makes you happy."

"Is that what you did?"

Gabriella laughed and kicked out her dress where it had begun to stick to her legs, stealing her warmth. "It's what I'm doing. I like working with books. I like the way they smell, the way they feel. I like watching children discover the magic of reading. It's just as exciting to me as diagnosing an illness."

She was standing in the sand soaked to the bone, wrapped in his jacket, and talking about the library when Troy realized how much he had missed her. He missed hearing her voice; watching her speak with her hands, the tinkling sound of her laugh, he missed just looking at her. Her hair was still dripping on his jacket despite her efforts to dry it, and she didn't look a day over twenty. Sure, she had changed a little. She had filled out a bit, but in all the right places. The grace and natural elegance she possessed as a teen only seemed to have been honed and perfected. To be honest, Troy was quite enchanted. The same way he had been the first moment he laid eyes on her that day in Mrs. Darbus's classroom.

"Come on, Gabriella, I'm freezing." Troy strode quickly over to her, reached for her hand and began pulling her away from the crashing waves and the steadily encroaching tide.

"Where are we going now?" Gabriella asked, pulling Troy's jacket tighter around her waist.

"We're going back to your place, of course," Troy answered, a smile tugging his lips. "If we're letting go now I might as well forego the whole part about me asking you if you want to get out of here."

"Mmm," Gabriella agreed and let the side of her head lean against Troy's wet upper arm as they made their way barefoot back to his car.

The Gabriella that Troy remembered before tonight was much easier to handle. She would never have left an important benefit on a whim to go jump in the ocean still wearing her pearls and an expensive dress. She wouldn't have kissed him, regardless of their history, the first night of seeing him again. But somehow, this new attitude she possessed made all the trouble, all the freezing, worth it. If this was the person underneath the shell Troy had known in high school he was more than willing to deal with her spontaneity. Even if it meant jumping into the ice-cold Atlantic Ocean and ruining his best pair of black dress socks.

AN: Hi! Thank you so much for reading, and now if you could be so lovely, click that little green review button and tell me what you thought!