Because You Were Mine

Chapter I

Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx

Troy Bolton opened his eyes and smiled. Today's the day! He thought happily. He looked over to his right and found his wife still sleeping, her blonde locks framing her beautiful face as she breathed deeply, in and out. His lips curled into a cheesy grin and he propped himself up on his elbow in order to fully stare at her.

"Troy if you keep staring at me like that I won't be able to sleep," his wife grumbled burying herself under the sheets. Troy just chuckled softly and wrapped a muscular arm around her petite waist.

"But staring at you just like this makes me happy…" he whispered softly in her ear. She smiled despite herself and reached out blindly to stroke his cheek. Even if she had her eyes closed and her body turned away from him, she knew that he'll just be there. Sure enough, her hand made contact with a rough jaw line.

"No… it makes you horny," she retorted as she slowly raised her hand to caress his cheek, her eyes instinctively rolling beneath her eyelids.

"Pay, continue doing that and I'll show you what horny really means," he whispered huskily and started moving his arm that he wrapped around her waist downwards. He heard her moan as he continued to stroke her thigh. Before any of them could go further, however, the alarm clock on Troy's bedside table started screaming its shrill song.

"Crap!" he snapped and rolled over quickly to shut it off but before he could roll back and cuddle more with his wife, she was out of the bed and sauntering over to the bathroom.

"Can I shower with you?!" he called out excitedly but Sharpay was already closing the door.

"No, it's your turn to make the bed today," she answered playfully from the other side. He heard her lock the door and groaned – she meant what she said. Troy sat up in bed and was about to get up and look for the key when another crashed open and a mop of dirty blonde hair whizzed right in and Troy felt himself being tackled by a person smaller than he.

"Gotcha!" a little voice yelled as a little body tried to pin down Troy's muscular arms and legs.

"Aww man – Zachary Bolton I'm going to get you!" Troy said in a kind of sing-song voice and suddenly reversed positions with his son. Zach was now pinned beneath him and Troy was tickling him mercilessly. His son just giggled and tried to push him away but his father tickled him harder.

"Stop… Dad!" he tried to say in between giggles and Troy just rolled his eyes.

"What?" he replied everytime and then attacked his son with more tickles. Zach managed to wriggle free of his father and grab a pillow which he promptly started attacking Troy with. Troy also grabbed a pillow and started hitting back, although with much less force. The two were laughing and bouncing on the bed they didn't notice Sharpay come out of the bathroom, nor did they notice her stand at the foot of the bed and frown at them.

"Is this your idea of 'making the bed'?" she asked sternly and both Bolton male stopped to look at her guiltily.

"I'm sorry Mama. I tried tack'ling Daddy but he was too strong. Then I got free and hit him with pillow!" little Zach narrated and held up Sharpay's battered pillow. She immediately smiled as she looked into her son's blue eyes and opened her arms indicating that he was forgiven. Zach beamed and rushed into his mother's arms.

"Do I get a hug too?" Troy asked playfully and Sharpay glared at him over her son's shoulder.

"No, you get to fix the bed," she deadpanned and told her son to wait for her while she got dressed.

"Aww, I thought you were gonna do the pouty thing again with Mama? You said you could away with anything with that look?" Zach asked and Troy looked down on his son.

"Apparently, not anymore," he said and laughed as he continued to fix the messed-up bed. Zach just shrugged and went to one of the armchairs in his parents' huge room. Sharpay got out of the walk-in closet and held out her hand to her son.

"Breakfast time, honey – and Troy, today's the big day, right?" she asked. Troy looked at his wife and nodded excitedly making her smile.

"Great, bring home the bacon, Bolton." Sharpay nodded and went to the kitchen with their son to make breakfast.

Troy smiled happily at his family's retreating back. After college, everything made a huge turnaround which started a chain of events that lead him to his life right now, not that he was complaining. On the contrary, Troy was happy that his life ended up this way – in Sharpay's arms along with his son.

His whole relationship with Gabriella didn't work out. They tried living together in a small apartment in Albuquerque but it ended up with her cheating on him with her boss. He broke up with her though she took it well; she was convinced that Troy's life after his basketball accident in college, would go nowhere – and she didn't want to be there when Troy Bolton finally fell. Some girlfriend, he thought bitterly.

After trying to nurse the feeling of betrayal (it wasn't heartbreak anymore), he decided to move on to bigger and better things and show her that there was something more to Troy Bolton than a shattered knee! He moved to New York and took a job for a sports magazine. Then he met Sharpay, who was starting to make her name in Broadway.

The two realized that they were much better together than canon and after two years, decided to tie the knot. Shortly after that, Sharpay found herself pregnant and nine months later, Zachary Alexander was born. The three were a happy family.

Four years later, Troy was about to be promoted, again, into the position of editor-in-chief. This brought Troy back to earth and he looked at the half-made bed and furrowed his brows. He zoned out again and, glancing at the clock, realized that it ate ten minutes of real time and he had to hurry if he wanted to get to office in time.

Sharpay glanced at the clock and rolled her eyes. Her husband has once again sunk himself into his reverie. She sighed and just packed the sandwich she made him for breakfast and poured his coffee into a red and white travel mug. (Reminiscent of East High much?)

"Daddy's not gonna eat with us?" Zach asked looking up from his cereal.

"I don't think he can, his brain flew off to space again." Sharpay answered glancing at her son who was giggling at her statement. For a four year old, the mental image was of his father's head, split open, with his brain somewhere in the asteroid belt – highly amusing. Though this was of course, a code, for 'Troy's off into his reverie again.'

"Hey, whose brain flew off into space again?" a voice called from the kitchen doorway.

"Uncle Ryan!" Zach cried excitedly, forgetting his cereal, and jumping from his chair to throw himself at his uncle's awaiting arms. Ryan caught his nephew, raising him, and swinging him around. Zach stretched his arms sideward and made whooshing noises as he and his uncle went around and around up to the living room.

"Whoa buddy! Time to land and finish your breakfast." Sharpay heard Ryan tell her son and giggled when Zach groaned.

"But I was having fun flying!" she heard him whining and heard her brother tut. Shortly after, Zach stomped back into the kitchen and sat on his chair eating his cereal.

"There's a good boy!" Sharpay cooed and kissed her son's cheek. He beamed at her, as best as he could with a mouthful of milk and crushed cereal, "And since you're a good boy, you'll get an extra slice of cake for dessert later tonight." Sharpay continued ruffling his hair.

"Oh, Zeke's got a new recipe?"Ryan asked raising an eyebrow and his sister rolled her eyes at him.

"No, I baked it. He gave me a new recipe," she retorted going back to the kitchen counter to pour herself a mug of coffee.

"Yes! We get cake later!" a new voice thrilled from the doorway and the twins and Zach raised their heads and found Troy making his way towards them wearing his new suit.

"Hey man, you clean up good!" Ryan nodded and Troy gave him a thumbs-up, to his sister he mouthed, 'Prada?!' to which she just rolled her eyes in reply. Sharpay gave her husband a once-over and walked up to him to fix his tie.

"Thank you," he said softly looking down at his wife who was frowning over the knot.

"Anything to make you look presentable," she smiled and kissed his cheek and then handed him his sandwich and coffee, "Here, if you don't leave now you won't make it to work early." Troy raised his hand (which held his sandwich) and mock saluted before leaving. Zach rushed after him to give him a goodbye kiss and he was out the door and into his Lexus GS 09.

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Marcus Lemensky, editor-in-chief of Sports Illustrated looked around his office for the very last time. Six years ago, a promising journalist came into this very office and managed to make his first piece the top story upon the next issue. He found talent and skill in Troy Bolton and since then, the man always gave him reason to be proud. And now that he's retiring, he wanted to ensure the magazine's life into the hands of his protégé.

Not everybody was happy about his decision, especially Mr. Terry McDonell who was expecting to get the job. But nobody can deny that Troy gave their company a new perspective and if he didn't, the magazine wouldn't sell half as good as it did in the past years. Marcus looked up when he heard a knocking on his door.

"C'mon in!" he called out in a deep booming voice and smiled as he saw Troy enter the office.

"Are you wearing Prada?" he asked incredulously when he saw the black suit his protégé was wearing. Troy nodded proudly and did a little twirl before sitting down on a chair facing his soon-to-be-predecessor and mentor.

"The wife?" Marcus asked knowingly wiggling his bushy eyebrows.

"Nope." Troy answered with a proud smile, "I picked this out myself."

"Did you consult someone from Elle? I always thought of you as an Armani or Ralph Lauren man," his mentor teased indicating his own suit which was a gray pinstriped Armani.

"What's wrong with Prada?" Troy asked looking down self-consciously at his suit.

"Nuthin', I thought you jumped ship and decided to give Robbie Myers a run for her money!" he joked and the two men laughed. It seemed ironic to them that they worked for a sports magazine and still dress up like they work for a fashion magazine.

"I can't believe you're retiring." Troy blurted truthfully after the laughter died down and awkward silence started to settle itself between them.

"I can't believe it either." Marcus nodded his head and looked around his office once more, "But, everything's got an end and a beginning – it's called a cycle. Like the day I sat on the chair your ass is occupying and thinking to myself that I'm making a new beginning."

"I hope you have a nice long life still ahead of you, Marcus. That new beaut you just bought just won't be the same on water if you're not the one on the wheel." Troy joked and the old man rolled his eyes.

"Just because I'm retiring doesn't mean I'm dying!" he barked and the two shared a laugh once again. Marcus suddenly stopped laughing and gazed seriously at Troy.

"There's a new player we want on the cover and he won't listen to an old man like me. I think he'll like you, just get through his agent – she's the one pulling all the strings. Come to think of it, she'll be here when I announce my retirement." Marcus explained seriously and Troy nodded. He knew who his mentor was talking about: Rodney Tyler. This hotshot from Brooklyn played a mean round of boxing and in one year, manages to snag the World Heavyweight Champion belt from Ruslan Chagaev whom he beat by a knockout by the 7th round. Troy was mightily impressed since he and Marcus Lemensky watched it live in Las Vegas. But who would have thought that the man who beat the White Tyson would have a publicist?

"Okay, I'll try to persuade his agent." Troy assured his former mentor and smiled. Marcus smiled back and stood up walking to the door.

"By tomorrow, you'll be having this office redecorated and I'll be on my yacht - but that doesn't meant that when I get back here I won't see Rodney's face on the front cover." Marcus told Troy seriously wagging his finger.

"I'll get him to do it," his protégé assured him again and the two headed out of the building and into the waiting limousine in front of their building.

The two got off in front of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and were escorted to one of its function rooms where all the staff and editors of Sports Illustrated gathered to celebrate Marcus Lemensky's retirement. Troy's mentor asked him to stay at the side of the stage as he got up and addressed his employees from the podium in the middle.

"Good evening to you all! I've had a good run with this magazine and I won't dawdle, you all know me for that," he winked and a few editors chuckled nodding their heads in agreement, "I'm going to retire and my position will now be held by Mr. Troy Nathaniel Bolton." Marcus gestured to Troy who joined his mentor on the stage amidst the enthusiastic applause and cheers of his now employees. "I'd rather that you treat him with as much respect as you treated me. You all still have a long road to go and I believe that he," another gesture to Troy, "Will lead you across it! And as for me, I'll be watching you all from my yacht." Marcus finished his speech and his audience laughed and then the party was in full swing. Troy walked around with Marcus for a while greeting guests and employees here and there.

"Where's your wife?" Terry McDonell asked Troy when he and Marcus came across him.

"Sharpay? She's at home." Troy explained and Terry gave him a wink.

"Oh, you're not thinking about being a naughty-boy are you?" he joked wagging a finger. Marcus guffawed and patted Terry's back.

"Nah, he won't do that!" the old man defended his protégé and Troy was touched. His mentor gave him a thumbs-up and waved him away as he and Terry talked.

Walking around, he greeted more guests and employees, thanking them for congratulating him. Suddenly, he found an all too familiar face in the crowd. He walked over to her getting two flutes of champagne from a passing waiter along the way.

"What is an Albuquerque lawyer doing in a retirement party of Sports Illustrated's editor-in-chief?" he jokingly asked and the person whipped around in surprise.

"I've decided to become Rodney Tyler's publicist, that's what I'm doing here," she answered coyly and Troy rolled his eyes.

"Gabriella Montez – a publicist? I find that hard to believe." Troy teased and it earned him a light slap on his chest.

"And what're you doing here Wildcat?" she quipped using the old nickname she used to call him, "Or rather… new editor-in-chief Wildcat?"

Troy found the new nickname kind of perturbing but decided against doing anything about it since it might cause him losing Rodney Tyler's picture and story on his magazine.

"Well, I'm the new editor-in-chief," he said, stating the obvious and making Gabriella laugh.

"I mean here, sitting beside me?" she clarified indicating to the both of them while Troy thought 'Oh…'

"I wanna know – why you don't like your new playa' to be the cover of my magazine?" he asked playfully nudging her shoulder with his shoulder as if persuading her to tell her secret.

"Well, call me superstitious but isn't there a curse where, if a player goes on the cover he receives bad luck?" she answered him in a serious tone causing Troy to snort in his drink.

"Gabriella, we put a lot of players in front of the camera and none of them suffer bad luck," he told her and tried to stifle the laugh that was trying to escape him.

"Well then Troy, I guess you'll have to convince me of that." Gabriella smiled slyly and trailed her hand down the lapels of Troy's suit. He frowned at her but she didn't stop.

"What's wrong?" she finally asked when he took a step away from her.

"I'm married." Troy told her but Gabriella shrugged it off.

"Okay," she answered flatly, "Let's just talk tomorrow, okay?" she asked smiling.

"Alright." Troy answered, secretly relieved that she was okay with him being married. He was about to turn away and mingle some more before going home when she grabbed his arm.

"Congratulations," she said and winked at him before disappearing into the crowd. Troy felt that her word held more meaning than what she tried to convey and he didn't like it. Feeling a bit protective of his family, he looked for Marcus and told him that he was going home.

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Troy parked his Lexus and went straight to his apartment. Opening the door, he found the places bathed in darkness – he feared the worst and immediately flicked the switch.

"SURPRISE!"

He staggered backwards at the shock as he looked at the faces of his friends and family, all convened under his roof to congratulate him on his recent promotion. Sharpay came forward and he wrapped her in his arms, thankful that no harm has come to her. The two felt something trying to get between them and the couple pulled away so Zach can have his turn with his father.

Troy picked him up and twirled him in the air, much to Zach's delight. After putting him down, his parents came forth and offered their congratulations, his mother hugging and kissing him. After that, Chad and Taylor went over and then Ryan and Kelsi. Zeke, Jason, Martha and a few other former Wildcats were also there. It was a great party and at the end of the night, Troy was happy enough that he and his wife had enough time to cuddle.

"Thanks for the great party, Pay. It was much better than the one thrown for Marcus at the Waldorf." Troy whispered in her ear. Sharpay stroked his cheek before leaning in and kissing him passionately.

"You deserve it," she whispered back after they both had to come up for oxygen. Troy smiled at her and held her closer inhaling her scent; strawberries and chocolate.

"Are you tired?" he asked after a while and Sharpay rolled her eyes.

"Aren't you?" she retorted playing with the hem of her nightie.

"No," he answered excitedly and was about to roll on top of her but Sharpay quickly straddled him.

"Me neither," she whispered in a sultry voice and Troy watched as she slowly raised the nightie. He smirked, it would be one hell of a night…


Alright, I was about to take a long hiatus from writing when this idea came along and I couldn't keep my hands off my laptop! LOL
As Victor Hugo once said: "You can resist and invading army but not an idea whose time has come."

Anyway, if any of you can guess where I'm going with this, please feel free to tell me via review. If not, please review still ;)