A/N: NO ONE KNOWS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. THIS IS MERELY SPECULATION. I OWN NOTHING, yet still hope you enjoy! SPOILER: keep the tissues handy and KTZLF ALWAYS!

There was no denying the fact. The feelings were nerves and anxiety, all in one tiny brunette package. Everyone she had been working with the past couple of months could pick up on this. She's not herself, she overheard them whispering on more than one occasion. Typically all it took was just one look from her for the whispers to stop, but within the past almost three weeks- not long after her return from Las Vegas when the two of them spent his birthday weekend together- when her mood took a turn for the worse, it just became flat out unbearable. Not having any female costars to confide in didn't help matters, either. Other than one of the hair stylists and one of the make up artists, she was one of only three females on set. The grandfatherly figure in the cast took it upon himself to approach her finally one day.

They had had a long day of filming and all she wanted to do was go to her trailer- her sanctuary of sorts while on set- and hopefully get a good nap in during the one hour break. No sooner did she lie down on the small love seat sized couch that sat along one of the walls and close her eyes that there was a knock at her door.

"Go away, please," she said as she pulled one the pillows from behind her back and covered her face with it.

"Vanessa, sweetie. It's Michael. May I come in?"

Upon hearing the voice of Sir Michael Caine- an older gentleman who Vanessa had come to not only look up to as an actor but also view as a grandfather, one she felt she could confide in and confess things to when her own grandfather was so far away- Vanessa let out a sigh and reluctantly sat up on the love seat, bringing her feet to the floor and stood up. As she made her way to the door, she caught sight of herself in the small mirror hanging on the wall.

I didn't even realize I was crying, she thought to herself, quickly wiping her eyes as she rolled her eyes. I seem to be doing that a lot lately.

As she opened the door, the British actor took one look at her and let himself in, closing the door behind him, and held out his arms. Vanessa just looked at him for brief second and wasted no time closing the distance. Michael had told Vanessa once that she reminds him of his own daughter when she was Vanessa's age.

"Crying again, my dear?"

"How can you tell?" she asked.

He pulled out of the hug and held her at arms length, taking in her appearance.

"Your eyes give you away every time," he told her in his gentle British accent.

In the khaki shorts, purple top, and hiking boots, she looked the part of "the tour guide's island girl daughter" Kailani. However, if one were to look close enough, they would be able to sense the walls of her personal life that she was currently hiding behind. Michael Caine was one of the few who had the ability to see past those walls. Other then her parents and sister, only two others had that knack and none were there with her right at that moment when she most needed them most. Ashley was in Vancouver filming for "Hellcats" and Zac was in New Orleans filming his own movie. While she needed both for different reasons, she was trying to push her selfish desires out of her mind and focus on work.

Vanessa released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding and sat back down on the couch again, letting Michael join her.

"I don't want to be like this," she said.

"Like what?"

"I don't want to be the kind of girl who cries over a guy."

"Another argument?" Michael asked. He had been privy to the inside knowledge that Vanessa and Zac had not had the best past few weeks. Every time he saw her with the phone to her ear, she looked more and more distressed. One of the most recent times in particular, she confided in him that it was because he had just told her that he wouldn't be coming to Los Angeles for her sister's birthday.

"He's too busy, he says," she had told the older gentleman during one of their breaks when he finally questioned her about the phone call. "I can't be upset over the fact that he's working. His work ethic is one of the things I love most about him. That'd be unfair."

"Then what does upset you about it?"

"I don't know. I guess that fact that I won't see him at all, but then I feel like if I say that, that's being a hypocrite."

"In what way?"

"I support what he does and all the traveling and promo-ing and so forth that he always does. I mean, yes, it's hard to be away from each other for long periods of time all the time- and it's never affected me before. Why all of a sudden is it okay for me to be upset by us being separated?"

"I think in the past it's only either been for a few weeks at a time or because the two of you have been able to see each other more often than just the sparse amount of time you've spent together this time. The last time you were both working simultaneously is when you were in Vancouver, right?" He paused, waiting for Vanessa's nod of confirmation before continuing. "Even though you were both working, you were in the same city. This time around is a shock to both of you. And especially to be learning this lesson as young as you are… Most people wait until they're married with kids to learn how hard it is to have a relationship in this business."

"Vanessa! They need you again!" The voice of Dwayne Johnson called, causing Vanessa to once again put up the personal walls and focus on the task at hand.

"I'll just have to think about that later," she told Michael as the two made their way back to the set.

"That's just it," she said, bringing the conversation back to the present. "It wasn't an argument. He called and I was filming, so he left a voice mail. When I tried to call him back, I got his voice mail. Once again, we're missing each other. Do you know when the last time we actually talked was? Not voice mail, I mean actually had a conversation?" When Michael shook his head, she continued. "Let's see, today's what? Friday? Saturday?"

"Saturday," he confirmed.

"Wednesday is the last time we actually talked to each other without having to play phone tag, where he called and I actually was able to answer. What kind of relationship is that? It's been three days of not even talking! We've had a text relationship for the past month."

"When does he get in for the big visit?"

"Tomorrow."

"Is that why you've been so on edge these past few days?"

"Is it wrong that I'm nervous?"

"What makes you nervous, Love? I thought you'd be over the moon that you get to see Zac again!"

"Well, I mean, not nervous at seeing him again, per se, but I guess I'm just…" She let her voice trail off as she tried to gather her thoughts before vocalizing them for the older gentleman.

"Just what?" he prompted, after a lengthy pause.

"I'm scared of what's going to happen this next week when we finally get to talk about everything." She spoke the last line with her voice choked up and her chin began to tremble. Giving up the battle, she finally leaned into Michael's chest and he wrapped her in his arms, rubbing his hand up and down her right arm while he just let her cry. When her sobs subsided and the only sound in the room were her sniffles, Michael leaned over to reach for the box of tissues and spoke again.

"He's your first love, isn't he?" At her nod of confirmation, he continued. "It's hard. Distance is hard. You two have made it work for how long now?"

"Five years," she told him as she wiped her eyes with one of the tissues from the box he passed her.

"Wow. That's impressive. Especially for a couple as young as you two," he said. Vanessa gave a small chuckle and just looked at him.

"I'm scared," she said again.

"Of talking to him, or of being alone for the first time?" The two generations just looked at each other- one with knowledge and experience, the other with longing of understanding.

"I don't want to lose him," she whispered.

"And I can promise you that he feels the same. He doesn't want to lose you, either, Vanessa." The room was basked in silence once again, but the silence was short lived as Vanessa's phone quickly began to sound with the familiar ring tone. When the sounds of The Pretenders I'll Stand By You filled the air, Michael took that as his cue and stood. He looked down at his adopted grand-daughter and placed a hand on her cheek.

"Don't be afraid of what the future may hold, my dear."

She stood and placed a gentle kiss to his cheek and offered a feeble "Thank you" before he walked out the door. Once the door was closed behind him, she reached for her phone.

"Hey, Baby Boo," she answered in an almost whisper.

"Hey, Gorgeous," he responded, making her smile. "I miss you so much."

"You don't know how much I needed to hear that right now."

"I can't wait to see you. Just a few more hours until I'm on the plane."

"Nineteen and a half hours my time until you're here." Vanessa made her way back to the couch and sat down with her feet tucked under her. She grabbed the small pillow from behind her and held it in her lap as she talked to her MIA boyfriend. "But who's counting, right?"

"You know what I want to do when I get there?" he asked, as his voice took on the sultry, seductive tone that she knew all too well.

"What's that?" she asked as she fingered the fringe on the red pillow.

"Let me just say it involves you… and me…"

"Yeah?" she said with a small smile and a slight blush.

"…and I'm sitting at the table while you slave in the kitchen cooking my dinner…"

"Zachary!" she exclaimed with a smile in her voice as she hit the pillow in her lap. "That wasn't funny!"

"I got you all hot and bothered didn't I?"

"Yes," she said after a pause with a pout in her voice.

"Then I thought it was hilarious!" he boasted.

"Yes, but getting me all hot and bothered when you're not here to help… Not one of your smartest moves, Efron."

"Then I guess I'll have to do something about that when I'm there, don't I?"

"And what exactly do you plan on doing?" she asked, allowing her voice to take its own seductive tone.

"Oh, I have some ideas," her told her.

"Why does that sound like a threat to me?" The sound of her love's chuckle making its way through the phone lines warmed her to no end. "I really miss you, Babe."

"I know. I miss you, too." Zac paused as he heard his name being called, alerting him that he was needed back on the set. "Baby, I've got to go. They're calling me back. I'll call you later this evening."

Vanessa paused, taking deep breath and letting it out slowly before she spoke again. "Okay."

"That didn't sound too convincing. Are you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said with a sigh. "It's just that this conversation has lasted six whole minutes- almost seven- and it's the longest one we've had since we saw each other last month in Las Vegas. I just miss being able to do something as simple as just talking to you."

"I know. Believe me, I know. But we've got six whole days together. We can do nothing but talk if you want. Although I for one would like to accomplish a lot more, but if talking is what you want, then we'll make it happen."

"You're so crazy," she told him while rolling her eyes, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Go. They're calling you again. I can hear them. I'll talk to you later."

"Alright," he said reluctantly. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

By the time Vanessa hit 'end' on her phone, the emotions were beginning to take a toll on her once more. It was becoming too much for her to handle. Being in a serious relationship for over five years and not having the time to give the relationship the attention it so desperately needs? As the thought entered her mind and the tears filled her eyes once more, her thoughts began to wander to the year to come. 2011 was going to be insanely busy for him. He had inked a deal for one movie already, was in talks for several others, and had a new production company that he and Jason were trying to get off the ground. Not to mention all the commitments she herself had; three movie premieres- two of which were within mere weeks of each other- and the promotional tours that go along with them, charity appearances, red carpets for the awards shows… her list was endless.

Yet the heart breaking question remained. It was one she didn't want to ask herself, yet she knew that the topic would be brought up at some point within the next week when Zac was there for his visit. As her eyes closed and she allowed the much needed nap to overtake her, the same thought ran over and over in her mind…

What exactly would the end of her boyfriend's visit mean for them as a couple?

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On Sunday, Vanessa was sitting comfortably in one of the lawn chairs on the balcony of her two bedroom suite with a book open in her lap, although the words were all running together and becoming gibberish right before her eyes. She was finding it hard to focus on the plot that Nicholas Sparks was trying to convey. All she could concentrate on was the phone call she received a mere twenty minutes ago.

"Baby?" she excitedly shrieked into the phone when she heard the all too familiar ring tone.

Zac chuckled as he pulled the phone a few inches from his ear. "I'm on the island, Van. I'm here at the baggage claim. As soon as I get my stuff and get a car to bring me to the hotel, I'll be there."

"Oh, Baby Boo. You're so close yet so far away!"

"Thirty minutes. That's all." As soon as those words left his mouth, the carousel containing the luggage from his flight started. "Maybe even less than that. I see my suitcase now."

"Get a car! Get a car!"

He laughed just hearing her excitement through the phone. Zac could practically see his girlfriend jumping up and down, unable to contain her self.

"Give me ten minutes and I'm out of here. I'll be there shortly. It's room 2602, right?" After her confirmation, the young couple ended their conversation, Zac quickly found a car, put his suitcase in the trunk, and climbed in the backseat, giving the driver the name his destination.

At the hotel, he stood at the front desk and pulled his credit card out of his wallet to pay for a spare room key when the manager stepped out from the back and interrupted the conversation taking place between his newest guest and his employee.

"Actually, Mr. Efron, this one has been taken care of," the manager stated as he reached behind the counter and got an envelope that had Zac's name on it. "Miss Hudgens has already arranged for you to have an extra key for the duration of your stay."

"Wow, thank you. She didn't tell me about that. I appreciate it." He then turned around to face the bellhop who had already placed his suitcase on a rolling rack and led the way to the elevators. Once he reached the twenty-sixth floor, he turned back to the young man.

"I got it from here, Jeff. Thank you for you help."

"Are you sure, Mr. Efron?"

"It's Zac, and yeah, man. I'm sure. Something tells me this little reunion won't be for, um…" He let his voice trail off, not knowing exactly what it was he wanted to say. "Let's just say it's been over a month since we've seen each other."

"Say no more. I got what you mean! I'd be the same way, too!" The bellhop's cheeks instantly reddened and his eyes widened when he realized what he said. "I mean, not for Miss Hudgens. I meant my own girlfriend. Although Miss Hudgens is very hot and all and I would… You know what? I'm just going to get back onto the elevator and go back downstairs so we can forget about my 'open mouth- insert foot' disease. Deal?"

"Deal," Zac said with a laugh, as he handed the bellhop a tip and shook his hand. "Thank you again, Jeff. We'll see you around."

"Maybe," Jeff told him with a smirk. Zac just winked at him and picked up his suitcase, beginning his walk to the end of the hall to find the door that matched the key card in his hand.

When he reached the door, he let himself in and left his suitcase just inside. He stepped out of his Sperry's and instantly spotted the long dark hair of his beloved as she had it draped over the back side of the lounge chair on the balcony. Grinning to himself, he stealthily made his way to the balcony and crept upon Vanessa. Noticing the book in her lap, he knew luck was on his side for sneaking up on her. When she was lost in the world of books, anything could get past her.

He leaned down and slowly pushed her hair to the side, placing a gentle kiss just below her ear. As he worked his lips down the column of her neck, he heard a thump as her book slipped from her lap and landed on the ground at her feet and felt her fingers as she worked them into his shortened hair and started massaging his scalp.

She let a soft moan escape her mouth before speaking. "You're here," she whispered.

"It better be me. Otherwise that moan would really have me questioning some of your goings-on here in Hawaii."

"Only for you. That sound is only for you." She slowly stood from her chair and let him wrap his arms around her petite body, holding her close.

"I've missed you so, so much," he whispered into her hair.

"I've missed you, too. I'm so glad you're here finally. I was getting lonely."

Brown eyes met blue as Zac cupped her face in his hands and leaned in to give her the proper kiss that they both deserved. All of the passion, the desire, the wanting- it was all placed in that one kiss. As they pulled back and he leaned his forehead to meet hers, they each let out a content sigh.

"It's feels so good to have you in my arms again. I've been dreaming of this moment for weeks," he softly admitted.

"I feel like I'm seventeen again!" she said with a giggle.

Zac pulled back and looked at her accusingly, taking this opportunity to pick on her. "Are you mocking my movie, Hudgens?"

"No, I'm not!" she told him with a soft smack to his arm, as her face changed to an exaggerated pout, to show him that she wasn't taking his teasing seriously. "You've only been here not even five minutes and already you're picking on me!"

"I'm sorry, Babe," he wrapped his arms around her once more and gave her a kiss to cheek to apologize. "Now, please tell me. Why do you feel like you're seventeen?"

Vanessa stood on her tiptoes to place her lips to his jaw line, slowly working her way down his neck, as she spoke softly. "I just remember a time in our lives when this," she paused as she reached her small hand out to stroke him through his khaki shorts "was a normal occurrence even when we hadn't been apart for weeks."

Zac leaned his head back and drew in a deep breath, savoring her soft touch. He brought his head forward so their foreheads were touching once more before he voiced what his body was commanding. "Van, I need you…"

"Oh, I can tell," she told him seductively, as she leaned up and gave him a passionate kiss. When the two pulled back, Vanessa took his hand and- giving him a look over her shoulder- led him back through the living room of her suite and into the bedroom. With the sound of the lock twisting on the door, the two young lovers knew they were just beginning to make up for lost time.

And that's exactly where they spent the next few hours of the day… locked away in their own blissful world of each other.

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The next morning, Zac woke before Vanessa. He found his shorts that had been discarded the previous night and stepped into them as he slipped from the room and crept out into the living room. A quick glance at the clock told him that it was only 8:30 am. He made his way to the coffee pot and prepared it- using the bag of freshly ground Starbucks that he found in the refrigerator- then walked out onto the balcony. Zac stood with his hands leaning on the iron railing, looking out into the ocean and taking in the view before him. He never got tired of visiting Hawaii. No matter how many times he and Vanessa had been to the islands, each visit was always special for them. There had even been a conversation at one point about them possibly buying a house together to use as their own private get-a-way. Those plans hadn't become a reality yet, though.

As Zac began to get lost in his thoughts, he rested his forearms on the railing and leaned forward even further. As he took in a deep breath of the crisp ocean air, he felt two slender arms wrap around his torso and a pair of lips place gentle kisses across his shoulder blade. He gave a half smile as he turned and wrapped his arms around her tiny body covered in the short cotton robe from the bathroom.

"What are you doing up?" he asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," she said with a yawn.

"Yeah, but I asked you first," he responded.

"What are we, in middle school?" she asked, earning a laugh from him.

"Glad to see you're not grumpy in the mornings anymore. What cured you of that?" His question caused his girlfriend to pinch his bicep. "Hey! I'm the one who has access to the Starbucks. Why are you abusing me?"

"You went to get Starbucks?" she asked in a small hopeful voice, with a small pout gracing her facial features.

"Um, no. You've got Starbucks in the fridge. But I found it and made it."

"Oh."

"So, I ask again… what are you doing up so early?"

"What time is it?"

"It's about 8:40 by now. I thought you'd still be asleep for awhile."

"I haven't been able to sleep very well lately. Not without you, anyway. I've never been able to sleep without you. So when I reached for you and only felt the sheet, I woke up. I thought I was dreaming… but you really are here. And why are you up so early?"

"It's not early in New Orleans," he stated matter of fact.

"What time is it there?" she asked.

"Almost 1:00," he told her, chuckling when her eyes grew wide.

"Oh, yeah," she said as she worked the time difference through her head. "So what do you want to do today?" she asked, as she made her way back into the kitchen. She opened the cupboard and stood on her tiptoes to get down two coffee cups.

"I don't know. What ideas did you have?" he asked her, getting the cream from the refrigerator and quickly finding the sugar bowl and a spoon. He watched as Vanessa filled the cups with the dark liquid and lifted herself to sit on the counter top as he added the cream and sugar. As he crossed the kitchen floor, she reached for the cup he was extending to her and started to swing her legs back and forth. She took a slow sip from the cup before responding.

"I dunno. I do know that I want to go surfing with you while you're here."

Zac rolled his eyes and shook his eyes slowly as he thought about the last time he and his girlfriend had attempted surfing together… then his mind turned to the pictures of them surfing together that had made it all over the internet.

"Are you sure?" he asked, tentatively. Seeing her excited nod, he sighed before relenting. "Okay. But if we see any photographers, we're coming back to the room," he tried to threaten.

"Fine by me. That's not much of a threat, Efron.. Don't you know that by now?" she asked as she brought her legs out and wrapped them around his waist, pulling him in closer, and linked her ankles together to hold him in place.

"What about lunch?" he asked.

"I say let's eat it!" she said with a giggle.

"Wow," he said with a shake of his head. "You're coffee is starting to kick in quicker and quicker every time I see you." When her giggles died down, he continued. "I meant why don't we see if your cast wants to meet us for lunch or something before they all take off for the week. I'd like to meet them all."

"By 'meet them all', you mean Josh and Michael, right?" she asks, teasing him not only about his jealous bones that made up his body when it came to sharing her with her on-screen boyfriends, but also his obsession with Michael. When she told Zac months ago that Michael Caine's name was included on the cast list, he got jealous for a different reason.

"You're in a movie with Sir Michael Caine? That's so not fair! I love him!"

"I know you do and if I didn't know any better, I'd say you love him more than you do me," she joked.

"I've seen all of his movies and followed his career for years! I'm so jealous! Can I meet him when I come visit you on set?" he asked, reminding her of the little boy in the pictures his mom had shared with her years before. She found it humorous how excited he was about the mere fact that she was in a movie with him. She could only imagine what he would be like when he actually met her elder co-star.

"I just think it'll make a good impression if I show that I'd like to meet them and not make me look like a snob by ignoring them while I'm here," he told her, trying to think of a good excuse on his feet.

"In other words, you want to ask them for embarrassing stories about me?"

"Busted," he said as he leaned in for a kiss. "Or maybe even share some," he joked with their lips still connected as she playfully smacked him on his bare chest.

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Later in the morning- when the two finally untangled themselves long enough to get ready- Zac and Vanessa made their way from the hotel and headed down the street. They decided to enjoy the fresh air and walk the four blocks to the restaurant where they were meeting Vanessa's male co-stars. As they walked with their fingers interlaced and their hands dangling between them, Zac picked on Vanessa about being the only girl on set and her giggles filled his ears. He marveled at the sound and only one thought ran through his mind: If I did nothing but listen to her laugh this whole visit, it would be perfect.

When they got to the restaurant, they greeted Josh and Michael. They were the only two that Vanessa had been able to get in touch with a few hours earlier and when she shared the news with Zac that Josh and Michael were the only two that would join them, she swore he let out a girlish shriek of joy over the idea of meeting Michael Caine. She rolled her eyes and laughed at him and- of course- he denied it. She insisted, however, that she would forever hold that information deep in the confines of her brain for teasing him later.

When the two of them arrived at the restaurant, she pulled Zac aside for a quick pep talk before entering.

"Okay, you. Now listen to me," she started as she pointed a finger at Zac. "I enjoy working with these men. You are the only man in my life and the only one I want to have in my life. You have nothing to be worried about when it comes to Josh, so stop being jealous about him. Do you hear me?"

When Zac gave a small smile knowing he'd been busted on that, he nodded. "Yeah, I hear you. I love you,"

"I love you, too. Now, moving on. Michael- don't embarrass him. He's just a man like you are. You know how all those screaming girls borderline get on your nerves? Keep that in mind when you meet him. Don't act like one of them. Please?"

"I wasn't going to act like a-" he paused as he looked into her chocolate brown eyes and caught the knowing look in them. "Alright, fine. I'll be good. I promise."

"Good," she told him as she leaned in a gave him a small quick peck to his lips. "Now let's go. They're both already here; I see their cars over there."

As Zac held the door open for Vanessa, her eyes scanned the tables in front of them and she spotted her two co-stars in a corner booth. She wasn't surprised to see Josh goofing off and Michael trying hard not to laugh at the antics of the younger man. Josh spotted them and waved them over.

"Vanessa!" he called out, causing Michael to turn in his seat and smile at her.

The two stood from their seats as she led Zac over to them. Vanessa watched as the three men all shook hands and exchanged polite greetings. She also noticed with amusement the sparkle in Zac's blue eyes when he shook Michael's hand.

Is he trembling? she thought to herself with glee. He is such a girl! This is hilarious. I have to remember to tease him about that later.

They took their seats and the conversation immediately focused on Vanessa.

"So, Zac, your girl can really hold her own," Josh spoke with a slight nod in Vanessa's direction.

"Oh, yeah?" Zac asked with interest.

"Oh, it's true," Michael confirmed. "No matter how much the guys pick on her, she's quick with a come back. It surprises me sometimes how easily she can just get right in there and mix it up with them."

"I guess Corbin and Chris taught me more than we realized," she said to Zac, referring to two of their High School Musical costars who had become pseudo brothers to her over the years.

"Sir, I just want to thank you for looking out for her," Zac stated with a slight stammer to his words and a tremor in his voice. Vanessa smiled as she reached her hand out under the table and found his gripping his knee tightly. She laced their fingers together and gave a slight squeeze, her way of reassuring him and telling him to calm down.

"Zachary- young man- first of all, I'm only 'Sir' in England. Last time I checked, we're not in England so therefore, I'm Michael. And second of all, Vanessa makes it easy for me to look out for her. She reminds me of one of my daughters when she was Vanessa's age."

"Well, at any rate, thank you. It makes it a lot easier being away from her knowing that someone's looking out for her."

Michael waited until Zac and Josh were involved in their own conversation about the upcoming football games that would be taking place that Thursday- what teams were playing and who their picks were to win- before turning his attention back to Vanessa. He noticed Vanessa as she carefully watched her real life boyfriend size up her on screen boyfriend. The older gentleman saw the interest in her eyes over the interaction with the two. He knew that Vanessa was cautious of Zac's jealous side that she told him only came out whenever he met her on screen love interests and he watched the younger gentlemen converse with each other as Vanessa looked on. When she rolled her eyes at a comment made by Josh and turned to look out the window to her right, she felt Michael lightly nudge her foot with his causing her to turn her attention to him.

"You seem even more relaxed than the other day when we last talked. Did everything get straightened out with you two?" he asked. She gives him a nod and offers a small smile as she sneaks another glance at Zac. The two watched for a moment longer as Zac and Josh remained lost in their football bubble before Michael spoke once again.

"You know, my dear, I was thinking about you last night. I think it was about the time Zac was due in town, if I remember from your excited ramblings earlier in the week," he told her, earning an embarrassed smile to form on Vanessa's face as she lowered her eyes to the table. "I gave your dilemma a lot of thought. Don't put off talking to him about everything. The two of you need to figure out your schedules, your projects. And you need to decide your priorities together. That's what it comes down to, Love: your priorities."

Vanessa locked eyes with Michael. He saw behind her brown orbs a look of understanding and hurt all in one. She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly and turned her attention back to the window. Michael knew that she was thinking about what he had said and that was the reason for the invisible walls to appear once again. But he also knew that it needed to be shared. The role he played on and off camera was one that he enjoyed the most- that of grandfather. He loved spending time with his own grandchildren and when he met Vanessa two months ago, he immediately wrapped his arms around her and took her in under his wing. This is why seeing her hurt like this made him hurt, too. It was like seeing one of his own grandchildren hurting. Regardless of the outcome of this week that she spent with Zac, happiness was his wish for her.

Without turning his attention to her, Zac could sense the change in Vanessa. He didn't know what she and Michael were talking about, but he knew that it had to be something Michael said that caused her to temporarily shut down. From the corner of her eye, Vanessa saw Zac turn his head slightly in her direction. She turned to look at him with the hope of reassuring him that all was okay. Unfortunately, what she saw from him in return was a harsh look delivered in Michael's direction.

Don't say anything, she silently begged him. He didn't mean anything by any of what he said.

"Guys, I have to use the ladies room, if you would excuse me please," she announced to the table and urged Zac to let her out. As the two of them slipped out from the booth and stood, she stood on her tip toes and gave him a kiss on his lips, which he returned, and wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear the three words he never tired of hearing. "I love you." Her soft breath felt like angels wings against his skin and he smiled as he felt her lips on his neck.

"I love you, too," he told her before giving her a kiss on her cheek and releasing her and watching as she walked away in the direction of the bathroom. When he sat back down, Josh caught his attention again. Zac had become impressed with his girlfriend's co-star. It was minutes after they sat down that Zac realized he had nothing to be jealous of- this time.

"Hey, Zac, I'm going to get a drink. You want one?"

Josh stood and excused himself as well, leaving Zac and Michael alone at the table. The two generations sat in silence for a minute, making Zac slightly uncomfortable. He was certain that the older man had said something to make Vanessa withdraw, and he was currently having an internal battle about whether he should say something to the man he has admired for so many years or not. Finally, he decided to keep the conversation on mutual grounds and- after taking a deep breath- spoke up about the one thing they apparently have in common.

"So Vanessa's really been ok these past few weeks?"

"She's doing wonderfully with the production but that's not what you're talking about is it?" the older gentleman asked. Zac was amazed at his ability to read his mind.

"We haven't been able to talk as much as we usually do with the time difference and shooting schedules. But it sure seems like there's something else going on that she won't talk to me about," he hesitantly admitted.

"She will now that you're here," Michael told him.

"So there is something?" Zac asked, searching for confirmation.

"Priorities Zac. You both have them. While you're here, you both need to get those priorities in order. I've told Vanessa the same thing. You're both quite young and there's a lot you want to accomplish. If you mean as much to each other as it seems, then it's time to get those priorities in order. Don't be afraid of what the future holds, for both of you."

Zac searched the eyes of the older man and could pick up on a hint of experience. He knew that Vanessa had taken to him and admired him, sometimes even confided in him when she wouldn't anyone else. It was for that reason that Zac found himself latching on to every word that Michael was sharing with him at that moment in time.

Vanessa emerged from the bathroom and paused near the corner of the wall before walking back out into the open of the restaurant and took note of the look on Zac's face. She'd know that look anywhere. He was deep in thought about something and that wasn't always a good thing. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she walked the rest of the way to the table. Michael stood upon her return and gave her a pat on the back. When she sat back down in the booth, she reached a hand up until it rested on the back of Zac's neck and rubbed gently. He turned his attention to her while Michael was talking to the waitress.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking." Vanessa gave him a small nod. She knew that there was more to it than 'just thinking' and had a feeling that she knew exactly what was on his mind. But she quickly decided that this was not the place or time. When Josh returned with the drinks, the atmosphere quickly turned back to one of joking and teasing, although she could tell that Zac was still holding back and acting subdued. The group of four continued with their light-hearted lunch and when the time came, all went their separate ways.

As the two of them walked back to the hotel, she finally posed the question that she had been holding back ever since she returned from the bathroom.

"Question."

"What's up?" he asked.

"I saw the look on your face when I came back from the bathroom."

"That's a statement, not a question," he pointed out.

"Smart ass. You didn't let me finish!" she told him as he ducked- fighting to escape her hand that tried to make contact with his chest.

"Fine," he said with a chuckle, as he leaned down to give her a quick kiss in surrender. "Finish."

"You were pretty intense. What were you and Michael talking about while I was gone and Josh was at the bar?"

"You," he said simply.

"Me?" she questioned incredulously.

"You and how absolutely, amazingly sexy you are."

Vanessa rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's antics. "Zac, I seriously doubt Michael Caine was talking about how sexy I am."

"I'm telling you, Babe, even the old guys notice."

"Whatever," she said laughing. Deep down, Vanessa knew there was more to it than that, but she decided to just enjoy the time she had with him while he was in town and let it go… for now.

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The rest of their week was spent doing nothing more than merely spending their time together and enjoying every minute of it. They spent evenings walking hand in hand along the beach watching the sunset and sharing sweet kisses, they dined, they shopped- or rather she shopped and he became her bag carrier-, they spent days basking in the sun while playing in the ocean, and they spent the few nights they had making love with the moon light shining through the window of the bedroom in Vanessa's suite.

Those moments when they were tangled in the sheets together, their bodies intertwined with Zac running his fingers up and down her back while they shared whispered sweet nothings were ranked upon their favorite moments in their relationship. It was just them- no fans screaming out their names and vying for their attention, no photographers with their flashes blinding them, no family members asking them about their future. Just them in their own little bubble of bliss.

On Zac's final afternoon in Hawaii, he set out in search of Vanessa when he returned from his run on the beach. He found her sitting out on the balcony, on the phone with Ashley talking animatedly about how perfect this week had been and how extremely happy she was that he had been there. The slight breeze coming in off the ocean was gently blowing through her hair and he couldn't help but take a moment to take in the sight before him. He took a step over the threshold to approach her but stopped when he heard her next words.

"No, Ash, I haven't talked to him yet," she spoke into the phone with soft sigh. "I was waiting until tonight, honestly. I didn't want to mess up this week. It's just been so perfect and we both needed it, you know?" A noise behind her caused her to pause in her conversation with their mutual best friend and she turned to see Zac just as he turned to walk back into the living room. "Um, Ash, I need to go… No, I'm fine. I just- you know what? I'll call you back tomorrow after Zac leaves, okay?… Alright, love you, too. Bye." Vanessa ended the call and toyed with her phone as she held it in her hand, her thoughts running rampant in her mind.

Tonight, she told herself. As hard as this is going to be, I need to talk to him tonight before he leaves. Vanessa took a deep breath and stood from her seat and walked into the living room just in time to see Zac shut the door to the bedroom.

Crap, she thought to herself. He heard something. When she heard the shower turn on, Vanessa sat down on the couch and turned on the tv and waited.

When Zac stepped under the steady stream of the shower, only one thought ran through his mind.

Tonight. We're talking tonight. It can't be put off anymore. He ran his fingers through his hair working the shampoo into rich lather and attempted to shake the thoughts from his hair. I can't think about that now.

Zac stepped out from the shower and wrapped a towel around his torso. When he came into the bedroom, he found Vanessa rummaging through the drawers in search of something. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her petite waist and gently nuzzled her neck, feeling her smile in return. She stood from what she was doing and leaned into him, reveling in the feel of his arms holding her tightly.

"I love you," she told him sincerely.

"I love you, too," he told her before kissing her neck. Vanessa reached her hand up to thread her fingers through his still wet hair only for Zac to pull back before their antics got too intense. "Get dressed," he told her suddenly.

"What?"

"Get dressed," he repeated. "We're going out for dinner and then coming back here for alone time before tomorrow."

"Where are we going? How should I dress?"

"Casual," he told her as he reached into his suitcase to pull out a pair of jeans and a dark t-shirt.

The two continued getting ready and about forty-five minutes later, they were walking out the door and heading down to the parking lot and climbing in the car. They enjoyed a quiet night out in public- a rare occurrence for them- and just enjoyed being together. Laughing, joking, gently sharing loving words back and forth… no talk whatsoever about the next day and Zac's departure back to Louisiana.

As they emerged from the restaurant- just when they thought that they had lucked out by being able to avoid the paparazzi for the entire week- the familiar blindness via flashbulbs was instantly thrown in their faces. Zac decided that it was time to show the world that he just didn't care. When the valet walked off to get their car and Vanessa joked about him having forgotten his belt, he tugged on his pants to pull them up.

"I don't care about a stupid belt," he told her as he leaned in and captured her lips with his, taking her by surprise.

"The cameras," she whispered as she pulled back a millimeter and kept her lips still attached to his.

"Don't care," was his whispered response as he placed his hand on the back of her head to pull her closer. He felt as she wrapped her hands around his neck and held on for dear life. As she pulled away to catch her breath, he slowly made his way to her neck, placing a kiss to his favorite spot on her clothed body.

"What brought that on?" she asked. "I mean, not that I'm complaining, but that's totally out of character for you in public."

His sexy smirk was all the response she needed as he put the toothpick back in his mouth- and she rolled her eyes at the small stick- and she moved to stand behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest and abdomen. She leaned her cheek against his back and brought her hands up and started running them up and down the muscles hidden underneath his black t-shirt. As he stood stoic, Vanessa couldn't help but notice how distant he felt to her.

Does he know something? she thought to herself as she turned her head from one side to the other, pausing to place a gentle kiss against the cotton material.

When the valet returned with their car, Zac handed him some cash and took Vanessa by the hand, helping her into the car.

When we get back to the room… That's when we'll talk. Not here in public, Zac thought to himself as he shut her door and walked around to the driver's side and got in.

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The ride back to the hotel was nice, but quiet. Neither talked during the short drive. As they held hands across the center console, both were lost in their own thoughts about the inevitable conversation that they both knew was to come. As they approached a stoplight and Zac turned his head to look in her direction, he noticed that she was looking out the window. He lifted her hand that was joined with his and brought it to his lips, placing gentle kisses on each of her fingers. Vanessa turned to watch him and just smiled at him, reveling in the attention.

"Go," she said softly when the light turned green, forcing his attention back to the road in front of them.

An hour and a half later found the couple snuggled up on the couch, under a blanket, with a movie playing. He had known better than to let Vanessa choose the movie. But he also knew that her pleasure would give him joy as well. When she emerged from the bedroom with a copy of Enchanted in her hands, Zac rolled his eyes.

"Seriously?" he asked.

"Believe it or not, I've not watched it in a while," she said.

"Fine. Put it in. I'll get the popcorn ready."

The two were finally comfortable on the couch with a bowl of popcorn resting on the couch between them and the movie playing on the tv screen. About halfway through the movie, Zac glanced over at Vanessa and caught her staring off into space, apparently lost in her own thoughts. He leaned forward setting the popcorn bowl on the table, picked up the remote and hit the power button, causing the set in front of them to go black.

Vanessa just looked at him and watched as he rested his elbows on his knees and ran his hands through his hair. He then brought them forward and ran them over his face. Vanessa knew this to mean that he was deep in thought and he was about to bring up a topic that was sure to be intense. She watched the familiar gesture and just waited for him to speak first, swallowing the unexpected lump that had formed in her throat in the process. She had a suspicious feeling way deep down that she knew what was coming.

"Well?" he asked finally, letting out a heavy sigh.

Vanessa knew what Zac was getting at. She had been trying to think of a way to bring up to subject herself. The only problem was that she wasn't ready to admit it to herself… much less vocalize it first.

"Well what?" she asked.

"Which one of us is going to bring it up first?" he asked, still not looking directly at her. He didn't want her to see the emotions that he was working hard to keep at bay.

"Bring what up?" she questioned, still in denial.

Zac finally dared to look at her, instantly regretting it when he saw the tears glistening in her eyes. "Van, we've got the hugest elephant that either of us has ever seen sitting right there," he told her as he pointed across the room.

Vanessa struggled to take in a deep breath before speaking again. "Can't we just name it Dumbo and tell it to fly away?" she whispered with a sniffle.

Zac held his arm out and reached for her, pulling her into his lap. As he started to run his hands up and down her leg, Vanessa turned to face him for the first time since the start of the dreaded conversation.

"Baby, listen. We both know what's going on here. Our schedules are getting too intense and we can't keep-"

"Zac, don't," she interrupted. "Please? We both know where this conversation is going and I don't think I could handle it. Not right now." She struggled through the emotions to get her next words out of her mouth. "I just want to spend tonight with you. Just you and me. No talk of work, or of our schedules. Just us."

Zac just studied the woman sitting in his lap. All he needed was to look deep in her eyes to realize how much they both needed the same thing.

"Tomorrow," he began, while running his hands through her hair. "Before I leave, we need to reach a decision."

"And we will," she told him as she leaned in and closed the distance between them. He met her halfway and gently pushed he back so she was laying down on the couch, him carefully hovering over her.

Their love making that night was different than usual. All the love, all the emotions, all the passion that night held a new power. Vanessa had never experienced such highs and was determined to send Zac into a new stratosphere as well. As they came down from their first high, Zac scooped her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom, where they continued their union several times over and said good bye to a night that was filled with loving words, promises of their future, and tears over what was to come, and hello to the morning. A morning that held the most difficult discussion the two young lovers had shared in their five plus years together.

When the clock read 6:00 am, Zac took Vanessa by the hand and pulled her from the bed, making sure he grabbed the sheet, too. He wrapped the sheet tightly around them, bringing their bodies close together, and led her out onto the balcony. He held her naked body close to his and leaned down to place a kiss to her exposed shoulder.

"What are we doing?" she asked.

"I don't know about you, but I'm watching the sunrise with the love of my life." His words were as gentle against her bare skin as the breeze that was coming in off the ocean and blew through his hair. The two stood in silence for several moments before Vanessa reluctantly broke the silence.

"Are we ever going to get this again?" she asked quietly as she stared out at the waves lapping against the beach.

"Of course we are," he told her. "I can't promise you when or where, but I can promise you that we will, one day."

"I hate our schedules for this next year," she said in a soft whisper.

"I do, too, Baby. Believe me, I do, too." He slowly turned her so that the two were standing face to face and tightened his hold on the sheet, pulling their naked bodies closer in the process. As she looked into his blue eyes, she noticed for the first time the tears that had appeared there, too. He lowered his eyes and swallowed hard before speaking again. "I just don't know what else to do," he said with a shake of his head. He brought his eyes back up to meet hers before continuing. "I want to be with you, but…."

Vanessa freed a hand from its confines under the sheet and placed it gently on his cheek. "Zac, please don't finish that thought," she begged as the tears slowly began to fall freely from her eyes.

"Baby, I don't want to be apart form you. You mean more to me than anything in my life right now," Zac said as he leaned into her soft touch, sighing heavily. "But work…"

"We can try more… fight harder," she attempted.

"Van, we've tried everything we know to try… the distance over these next months… we just can't bridge that." He moved his eyes to keep from looking at her distraught face.

"That's not… we're supposed to be able to find an answer… together, right?" she asked with her last bit of hope.

She listened to his silence for a long moment before pushing again. "Zac?" Still he didn't offer a response, causing Vanessa's tears to fall harder.

She sucked in a breath and looked at the sheet that seemed to be the only thread holding them together. "So I guess this, um, this is it?" she asked in a quivering voice.

She should have listened to that little voice in her head that told her to not look at his face. The sight of his tears falling, too, made her look completely away from him. She pulled one hand up to try and wipe away her tears, but they only fell faster.

Vanessa gave a small nod while choking on her ever growing sobs before throwing her arms around his neck, causing Zac to pull her closer against his chest. The couple just stood there crying together over their uncertain future, repeating the three words that held so much truth and hope for them in the past and would continue to do so in the future.

"I love you," he told her. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Baby Boo. I can't stand the thought of losing you."

"Baby, you're not losing me. Not now, not ever. We just need to adjust our focus for a little bit."

The two stood there clutching onto each other as the sun made its way higher in the sky, representing a new beginning. Of course, neither one wanted to recognize the bright symbol.

They slowly made their way back into the bedroom and snuggled back under the covers for a few hours of peace before Zac had to leave to catch his flight. He leaned over to set the alarm for four and a half hours later and pulled her body so it fit comfortably against his. The two clutched to each other for dear life, knowing that their time together was quickly coming to an end, and faded into dream land together.

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When the alarm sounded at 10:30, Zac reached across Vanessa to turn off the alarm and slowly made his way from the bed. He picked up a pair of his boxers and a t-shirt from the suitcase and made his way into the bathroom to get a quick shower. When he emerged from the bathroom once more, he saw that the bed was empty and his suitcase had been zipped shut and was sitting on the bed with a pair of jeans next to it. He slipped on the faded jeans and moved back into the bathroom to gather his toiletries.

He noticed movement in the mirror behind him and glanced up with the toothbrush hanging from his mouth to see Vanessa standing in the doorway. She was standing with her hands stuffed in an old hoodie sweatshirt of his and just watched his movements. As he spit the toothpaste from his mouth and wiped his face on the hand towel hanging nearby, he turned around to face her.

"Hey, why the long face?" he asked, attempting to make light of the situation.

"I'm not ready to see you leave," she admitted quietly, her eyes darting all over the room. Zac watched her, taking in her nervous expression. He let out a sigh as he approached her, knowing the severity of the situation, and placed a finger under her chin lifting it up, forcing her to look him in the eyes.

"And I'm not ready to leave," he told her.

"When will we see each other again?" she asked in a small voice.

"I wish I knew, Baby. I wish I knew."

"It's so unfair!" she cried out in frustration as she moved forward and lowered her head so that she could rest it against the hard muscles of his abdomen. He brought his hand up to run his fingers through her thick dark curls.

"I know, Van. I know." The two savored their last few moments together, not knowing what their future would hold. Finally Vanessa spoke the one thought that both had but neither wanted to vocalize.

"What do we tell people?"

"Who, our families?"

Vanessa brought her lips into a tight line. "Well, yeah. But they're not who I talking about." Zac just looked at her. He knew what she was asking, but didn't want to take the conversation in that direction. "We have to figure that out, Zac. The press is going to go crazy once they hear!"

He let out a sigh before taking her hands in his and answering her. "We'll cross that line when we get to it. I think we need to talk to our families before saying anything to the press."

After a moment of silence, she spoke again. "What time do you need to leave to get to the airport on time?" Before he had a chance to answer, the phone rang from in the living room. Sighing, he left the bathroom and went to answer the phone.

"Hello?… Yeah, okay, thank you. I'll uh- I'll be right down." Zac hung up the phone and turned around to walk back into the bedroom, only to see that Vanessa had followed him and had her hands buried in the pockets of the hoodie once more. The quiet tears she cried made tracks down her cheeks.

"It's time?" she asked in a whisper. Zac's silent nod was all the answer she needed. Vanessa nodded in response and turned to go back into the bedroom, emerging a moment later with his suitcase in her hands.

"Have a safe flight," she told him. "I guess I'll uh- I'll see you soon." She turned back around and began to walk back into the bedroom.

"Van," he called out to her, causing her to freeze in her steps and turn back around to face him. He held his arms out to her and she practically threw herself into them. "I'm not going to stop feeling for you what I feel now," he whispered into her ear. "You're the best friend I've ever had and if I lose that-"

"I don't want to lose that," she told him, shaking her head emphatically. "I can't lose that. I need you in my life."

"Then you'll have me," he told her as the phone rang again. This time, Vanessa answered it.

"Hello?… Oh, yeah, sorry. He um, he'll be right down." When she hung up the phone and turned around, she saw him watching her. He approached her slowly and captured her lips with his. The two savored the feel and couldn't help but wonder when they'd feel that again. As he pulled back, he leaned his forehead to rest against hers, their cheeks both wet with their tears.

"I love you, Vanessa Hudgens. Don't forget that."

"And I love you, Zac Efron. Don't you forget it, either."

He reluctantly pulled away and made his way to the door with Vanessa following him. He pulled the door open and turned around to face her, bringing his hand up to rest against her cheek.

"I'll see you soon," he told her. Without waiting for a response, he turned back around and exited the room that had caused the couple so much bliss within the past week. Vanessa stood leaning against the doorframe and watched as he walked down the hall. Once he reached the elevator, he turned to look at her once more- taking in her appearance and committing it to his memory- and lifted his hand and blew her a small kiss down the hall. She reached up to catch the kiss and brought her closed fist to rest against her heart.

As she watched the elevator doors closed- concealing him from her sight- she shut the door to the room and leaned against the door, taking a moment to let reality sink in. Finally, Vanessa pushed herself from the door and found her phone sitting on the counter of the bar. She picked it up and quickly found the one entry in her address book that she was looking for and brought it up to her ear, waiting for the person on the other end to answer.

"Ashley?" she said, sniffling. "He's gone." Vanessa finally let the emotions of the past twelve hours overtake her and slid down the wall, sitting on the floor.

Listening to the words her best friend and proverbial sister was telling her at that moment and the sobs coming from the other end of the phone lines, Ashley knew there was only one thing to do.

"I'm on my way, Nessa. I'll get on the next flight out and I'll be there soon."