Last chapter of this story my friends. I'll be posting 'Virgin For Sale' next.

Thank you so much for being the most amazing fans ever :') I love you all.

25

"Where's Troy?" Sharpay asked Gabi as she unloaded her books into her locker.

"He's not coming to school today." Gabi answered, not lying in her words. Only Troy was missing and she couldn't mention it for several reasons, mostly because it made her cry when she imagined him running away and leaving her. Not to mention Ellie being inconsolable.

After their trip to the creek, he had apparently gone home drunk and by the time her dad had dropped Ellie back at Harmony's, he was gone. He hadn't even showed up for Scream, making Ellie worry for her big brother just as much as Gabi did, and still did, right now.

"Oh, don't tell me he has 'flu?" Sharpay asked with her typical eye roll. "I'm not visiting his sorry butt if he's sick."

"Yeah, he's really sick…" Gabi nodded in agreement, but Sharpay noticed her lie and she smiled to herself.

"Is there something I should know, Gabrielle?" She enquired nosily.

Gabi smiled a little and shook her head. "Of course not."

"Mm-mm…." Sharpay's keen gaze flicked her up and down. "Tell him I said Hi, huh?"

Gabi nodded again and sighed as Sharpay went out of sight, leaving her with her own worries.

"Hey…Gabi…" The voice was male and she didn't know it well, but when she turned and saw a head of dark curls, she knew it was Chad right away.

"Hi, Chad." She nodded to acknowledge him.

"Look I don't know where Troy's at right now, and don't give me that bullshit you just gave Shar…" He warned, leaning his hand against her locker behind her and intimidating her a little.

Her large brown eyes crept up and eventually met his.

"What do you want to know?" She asked.

"Just tell me what's really going down with the Wildcat?" He begged.

Gabi sighed and then the tears came and Chad shifted awkwardly until he rubbed her arm.

"We should go somewhere else…" She suggested and he nodded his agreement, taking them both away from their lessons to talk.

/

It wasn't cold out, but Troy felt the loneliness wash over him as he faced his still uncertain future. The empty basketball court downtown was a place he hadn't visited in a long time, but he smiled at the memories of himself and Chad stealing the ball from each other and learning their tricks on this very tarmac.

Last night he had slept in an old bus shelter, freezing cold and cursing his stupidity. But this was something he needed to do. And a whole night out of everyone's sight, out of reach of their words, was strangely helpful. He couldn't think of anything else right now, just how to get out of this nightmare he was living.

He bounced the leather ball on the worn ground and noticed the cracks in the dark surface and tilted his head at them, wondering when everything suddenly broke apart like that. There were little green weeds shooting through and he smiled at their insistence to grow.

Even in destruction came life.

He saw the flash of clothing and sensed Chad's presence a long time before he acknowledged him and when he did, Chad simply walked onto the court and began a one on one lock down that had Troy focusing entirely on the game and nothing else.

"If I get a shot, you answer me a question." Chad posed, flipping the ball between his hands as he crouched low.

"And if I get a shot?" Troy lifted a brow.

"You tell me." Chad invited.

"You lay off my back." Troy stated.

"Fine."

Ker plunk.

Chad smiled. "What you doing out here, man?"

Troy shrugged, skitting for the ball and gaining possession once more. "Thinking."

Chad executed a steal and lofted the ball through the hoop again.

"What about?" He asked.

Troy squinted, in awe of his move. He realised how much he had missed this last year.

"Everything. How I'm such a fucking burden to everyone." Troy spat, attempting a shot on the net and missing.

"That's bullshit, dude and you know it." Chad grasped the ball, bounced it three times and made another successful shot.

"Why you drinking?" He wondered next.

Troy ran a hand through his hair and took in a breath through his teeth.

"It's nobody's damn business!" He roared.

"I'm your best friend, bro." Chad accused. "I care about what happens to you."

"It's all I have right now that makes sense."

"I know you don't believe that. Ellie is staying with someone else, Troy. I know that can't be right in your mind because I know what you did to stay with her." Chad prodded.

"Maybe it's better for her!" He shouted, throwing the ball away and fisting his angry hands. "Maybe I don't want her anywhere near me because fuck, Chad, look at me!"

Chad met his steely blue eyes and held them. "I see my captain."

Troy laughed bitterly. "That's getting old."

"It's the way it is." Chad folded his arms firmly on his chest. "You're my wing man and my brother and I don't care what you say, that ain't changin'."

Troy took some breaths until his anger was all run out. He rolled his eyes around him, finally lifting them back to his friend.

"I frightened her to death last night. She won't want to live with me now." He admitted.

"She will. I bet she misses you like crazy; she always was running on your heels…" Chad remembered with a smile.

"I miss them, Chad." Troy sobbed, finally admitting his pain.

Chad hugged his best friend and held him tight for a moment. "I know, buddy."

It was a strange moment and Chad found himself caught for what to say.

"You have to come back and face up to your mess. Time to start being a man." Chad suggested.

Troy took a deep breath and nodded.

"Is Gabi okay?" He checked.

Chad pressed his lips in and avoided telling the truth. Troy noted his reluctance and swore softly to himself.

I fucked it all up again, mom. I'm even cursing to you now…what kind of man am I?

"Let's deal with one problem at a time…" Chad suggested.

Troy nodded and followed his friend, knowing it was time. Once and for all he had to put the past behind him and start looking to the future.

His whole life depended on it.

/

"I shouldn't have run away. I'm sorry I got drunk and caused you trouble and I'm sorry for breaking the rules and getting Gabi into trouble, too." Troy sighed as he began his speech to Greg.

They were sat in the kitchen, mugs of hot chocolate, Chad by his side and silently supporting him.

"I want to move in with Ellie and Harmony so Gabi can come home and I swear I will be better. I promise." He added sheepishly.

Greg saw the difference in the boy. He flicked his eyes to Chad and back to Troy and silently thanked the other boy for his influence. Sat there, wrapped in a blanket and sipping his hot drink, he didn't look like a seventeen year old at all, but like a child needing forgiveness for a particularly naughty crime.

"Are you hungry?" Greg asked, avoiding broaching Troy's subject for now.

Troy's eyes lifted in surprise at the off-topic question and he smiled a little.

"I guess."

"Pizza? Chad, you fancy pizza?" He asked, getting up and opening the freezer.

"Uh, I should get back to class…" Chad reminded him.

"Oh, of course, silly me." Greg smiled. "As should I…"

He wasn't sure the school would be happy about him being late from lunch.

"I'm coming, too." Troy announced.

"You need to keep warm and rest." Greg insisted.

"I'd like to see Gabi." Troy returned and headed up to get changed.

"Come on, Chad. I'll drive you back. I'm sure Troy will join us when he's good and ready…" Greg commented.

Chad grinned at his joke. "You noticed that about him, huh?" The boy asked.

"Uh-huh. I'm a teacher, remember? Nothing gets by me."

/

"Troy and Gabi sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, Gabi wants to suck face, Troy runs away, poor little Gabi alone all day!" Sasha chanted to the dark haired girl as she sat curled into a ball against the lockers, not knowing how else to rid her bullies.

Everyone knew about Troy's disappearance now, it hadn't taken long for rumours to circulate.

"He ran away to get away from you." Sasha announced.

"Oh Gabi, why didn't you just listen to us at the mall and wear those lovely clothes we bought you, instead of wearing those horrible dungarees...yeuch…" Courtney called.

"Hey!" The voice was from the far end of the corridor but all three of them knew who it belonged to.

"Oh there he is now, your boyfriend." Courtney sang.

"What the hell are you doing?" Troy shouted, running down the corridor to face the two girls, seeing Gabi curled on the floor.

Sasha shrugged. "Saying hi."

"I thought I told you to stay away from her! I mean it. Get the fuck away from her! That's my girl you're picking on. You wanna take me on, too?" He asked.

They both looked at him and realised the implication.

"See ya." Sasha said and swung by him, leaving Courtney stranded.

"I…I…" She stuttered.

"Go near her again and I'll get you suspended." He warned to the image-obsessed girl.

She too passed by him and he shook his head, his gaze falling on his broken girlfriend. He didn't know what else to do other than kneel down and lift her into his arms, bringing her close to his body as he carried her away, feeling her arms cling around his neck with need. It made him ache and buzz simultaneously and he sighed at the pressure he felt for her.

"They don't mess with my girl." He assured her quietly.

The hallway filled with bodies as he headed for the exit and everyone paused to look at the couple as they made progress through the throng.

"What you looking at?" Troy called to his peers. "You see this girl?"

Murmurs and mutters spread through the crowd as he walked and he considered they might think him crazy but right now he didn't care.

He paused. "She's Gabriella Montez. She's my girlfriend and I love her. Now every damn one of you knows it, okay?"

Sharpay looked to the other students and saw Courtney's sheepish blush and guessed what had happened.

"Got it, Wildcat." She agreed, causing everyone to look at her, from Troy and Gabi.

Troy pressed his lips in to show his appreciation and carried his girlfriend out, only letting her down once they were back at her home and safely in his den room.

Then he sat on the sofa and held her for as long as she needed him to, cursing the silence as much as he welcomed it.

"You didn't have to do that." She ventured meekly.

"I know." He mused.

"But I love that you did…" She looked up to him, her face streaked with her make up.

"I love that you're my girl, Gabi. I love that you stand by me no matter what." He added.

"Where have you been, Troy?" she wondered and he saw her frightened look, like she thought he might never come back and he hated himself for making her feel that.

"Sorting my head out." He admitted. "I won't let you down again, I promise."

"You haven't." she smiled a little, playing with his fringe, and then gently kissing his lips.

"I missed that." He grinned at her.

"Me, too."

He cupped her face with his large hands and kissed her again, deeper this time, dashing his tongue between her lips and feeling her wriggle against the sensations.

Their union was wordless, only desperate; but slow touches and rhythmic stripping of each other's clothes until they were both in that moment they loved to share.

Looking into each other's eyes, sensitive to every sound and friction of skin, ready to complete their love for each other.

"I love you more than anything, Gabi," he smiled, brushing his fingers down her cheek. "This isn't even half of what I feel…"

"Don't tell me, Troy…" she shushed. "Just love me."

He kissed her and moaned out into her mouth at her words, bringing their bodies together as he lay between her thighs on his sofa, cradling her smaller body in his strong arms.

"Always…" He whispered into her ear, right before she felt her orgasm burst across her body.

"I'll always love you." He repeated softly, collapsing against her until he shifted to remove his protection and then he cuddled her against his chest while he let sleep overcome him.

/

The day after his disappearance the school had looked at him with quiet respect after his outburst and he had come to terms with it all; hand in hand with Gabi.

He knew he had to make amends with his sister and he headed toward her school with a heavy heart. If she ever forgave him it would be a small miracle.

Mom, dad please let Ellie forgive me, I know she's a monster but I love her too much. She's my sister and I'll never forget that.

"Hey, shortie…" He attempted, smiling gently as Ellie came out of the gate with Amelia in tow.

Amelia handed him something and he held it in his palm to study it. It was a pin badge, with the words 'Troy Bolton Fan Club' printed around the edge and a picture of him in the centre.

"Oh, uh…thanks." He appreciated awkwardly, blushing.

Amelia smiled at him and waited.

"Are you okay?" He asked eventually.

"Can I get a kiss?" She asked boldly, making him smirk.

"Sure…" He leaned down and kissed her cheek quickly.

Ellie rolled her eyes and made a puke sign with her fingers in her mouth.

"See ya, Ellie." Amelia smiled. "Bye, Troy."

"Elle…" Troy said then, appealing to her with his best puppy dog look.

"What do you want, Troy?" She asked with a barely held look of contempt.

"To apologise…to make things up." He answered honestly, his hope painted on his face as his hands hid in his pockets.

"I don't know who you are anymore, Troy!" She argued.

"I'm still me, sis. I'm still the guy who loves you more than anyone. I'm your big brother."

"You've changed so much since we left home and I don't like it." She sulked, walking away from him.

He followed slowly, sighing and running his hand into his hair.

"I can't help what's happened. I can only make it better now." He reasoned.

"How?" She challenged, turning to face him, her hands through her rucksack straps and holding them at her waist.

"By moving in with you and Harmony." He suggested.

Ellie's blue eyes got wider at his words and he smiled slowly at her look of hope. So she did miss him.

"You're gonna do that?" She tested.

"Yep. I'm going to stop with the stupidity and start being normal." He mused.

"You were never normal." She accused sarcastically, making his smile widen. She was the same old Ellie.

He shrugged. "I can try."

She took a moment, looking at her booted feet, before looking up and meeting his gaze. Her look was one of hurt, concern; and relief.

"I miss you." She admitted.

"I miss you too, monster." He sighed out, his eyes watering at their exchange.

Ellie shifted and clung to him, allowing him to hug her back.

"I love you, bro." She announced emotionally.

"I love you, sis." He smiled.

/

EPILOGUE

"Ellie!" Troy shouted in frightened protest as she pulled him by the arm and propelled him around the ice rink they were currently populating.

"Come on, Troy…" She encouraged with an eye roll impatiently.

"Geez…" He complained further, causing Ellie to tire of his groaning as she skated off and abandoned him in the middle of the rink.

"Hey!" He called to her loudly, annoyed.

"Need an escort, Wildcat?" Gabi asked with smiling brown eyes, skating up beside him as he struggled to balance.

"Hey, there's my girl." He grinned at her, immediately making to hug her.

"No you don't…" She tutted. "You'll fall over. Now concentrate…" She instructed.

"Man, you're no fun…" He sighed teasingly, letting her lead him by the hand around the busy ice.

She looked back on him and smiled gently. He was right, she was no fun, she was still way too serious, but that was her; that was Gabi Montez and she had grown into that realisation, now happy with herself and not trying to be someone else, anyone else.

"I know." She agreed quickly, not apologising.

"But I love you, angel." He called to her, as if sensing she might be sensitive about his observation.

She stuck her tongue out to him. "Whatever."

He grinned with an amused chuckle and shook his head, losing his balance from his loss of concentration, slipping down into the ice and tugging her hand, bringing her down, too.

"Ouch…" She frowned, crawling onto her knees and rubbing her backside. "Hands in, Bolton…" She warned quickly, crawling over to protect his hands.

"Can we just stay here?" He asked from the ice, reaching for her again.

"We're in a packed ice rink, Troy…" She arched her brow, grabbing his jacket in both hands to haul him up into a sitting position. "Don't even think about it."

He grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her prisoner to his body.

"Too late." He quipped, smiling into her face until she gave in and kissed him, once.

"Now let me go before we get thrown out…" She sighed.

"You're the naughty one…" He accused, managing to get balance to stand. She followed and they made it to the side of the rink, Troy clinging to the board for help. When they were safe he cupped her face in his hands.

"I'm not naughty…" She pouted playfully.

"You are…when I first met you, god, you were so sweet and innocent and then, whoosh, something happened…" He marvelled.

"You happened, Troy." She replied drily.

"I can't help that I love being with you." He grinned charmingly.

"I can't help that being with you makes me want to do…things." She counter-acted.

"Mmm…" He smiled as he held her close again, both of them bundled in thick jackets and preventing his need to be closer, still. He leaned back to unzip his jacket and wrap her into his body, both of them encased in the warm fabric. "This is nice."

"You make me sick…" Ellie accused scathingly as she too exited the icy surface for normal ground.

"Hey!" Troy called to her. "It's our six month anniversary!"

She poked two fingers into her empty mouth to signal her dislike of this fact and Gabi giggled, parting from Troy's lovely, warm body.

"Hey, Elle, let's go get hot chocolate, huh?" Gabi suggested to the girl.

Ellie smiled happily and stuck her tongue out at Troy, but he knew it was for show.

Since they had been living together again, with Harmony, they were getting back on track. He was being a brother again, he was being a boyfriend and he wasn't getting in too much trouble. Only the usual sneaking out to see Gabi reprimands.

Back at home, when Ellie was safely deposited with Harmony and Troy had escorted Gabi to her house, they lay together on her bed and enjoyed the silence.

"Saturdays are my favourite day." Troy cuddled Gabi to him as he spoke, her curls pressing into his chin and tickling him.

"What about Scream?" Gabi asked of his Sunday activity with Ellie.

"You know, I love that too, but it doesn't beat this…" She felt his smile as he shifted and she twisted to kiss him.

"It's pretty cool…" She agreed happily.

"Are Sasha and Courtney leaving you alone?" He checked.

She nodded. "Sasha went back to Mommy's on Friday so she's out of East High now and Courtney won't cross Sharpay."

"Good." He squeezed her tightly and kissed her again.

The six months she had been with Troy hadn't dampened her desire for him, she still felt the same as she had all those months ago and she felt the passion bubble up as they kissed.

It wasn't new, or exciting like it used to be, but as she crawled up and straddled him, she loved the feeling of intimacy they shared.

Their kisses were firm, their strokes practised, but the same hot, buzzing need pounded through her as they removed their clothing.

He was gaining weight, becoming harder and musclier and at first, she had been intimidated but now she let her hands roam freely, enjoying his physique.

"Gabi, I love you." He murmured cupping her face as she rose and dipped above him, their bodies joined and seeking release.

"Me too, Wildcat." She panted back, stretching as the sensations drowned her and she grasped for something to hold.

He threaded his fingers through hers and felt her tight grip in return, smiling as his own release came.

"I love that it's so amazing with you." He professed.

She lay into his arms and sighed happily. "Well…this is nice."

He chuckled at her remark and cuddled her close, knowing a future with her in it would be a bright one.

"I guess we make a good team." He stoked her curls tenderly, the feeling of her shiny hair against his fingertips one he could never tire of.

"I guess we do. You know, my mom would have liked you." She added thoughtfully.

"She would? Even though I get detention and break out to see you?" He challenged.

She nodded against his chest. "She would have loved you, Troy. She might not have been happy about the late visits, but I think she would have liked how you make me smile."

"Well, what can I say? Your frown is cute, but I love your smile so much more…" He grinned, earning a kiss on his chin from where she lay on his chest, wrapped in his arms.

"Oh please…" She rolled her eyes, making him smile wider. "Enough."

"My mom would have loved you, too." He murmured, the words hurting him even though he was ready to lay their memory to rest.

"I'm glad. I would have liked to have met her…" She replied, moving his hair from his forehead.

"I'm glad I met you, angel." He smiled a tiny smile, cupping her curls in his palm.

"Happy six month anniversary." She ventured back, cuddling back into his embrace, "I love you."

"I love you, too. Always." He vowed.

Dear Mom & Dad

Thank you for my angel, I couldn't have got here without her.

I miss you but I'm learning to cope. I'm learning to love and to be the man you hoped I would be.

I know you're watching out for me but you can rest now and I'll call you if I need you.

I'll call you when I'm in trouble, or to tell you I love you.

Because I do. I love you so much and I wish you could have known it.

I hope you're safe where you are. Don't forget us.

By the way, if you see Gabi's mom, tell her she's safe, too. Tell her I'm taking good care of her little girl.

Love, Troy.