Real love stories never have endings

Troy had dreaded this day, especially this day, there was nothing in the world that could make him happy on this day. Today, today exactly, was 5 years since Gabriella had been killed and had left Troy behind with their four children. The triplets, Abby, Beau and Jolene, had turned 5, 3 months ago and their oldest, Alex was 9 years old now.

The loss was still fresh and there had been some ups, but they weren't enough to help Troy, to cover the pain. Troy was stuck in a world with Gabriella, she had never left him and she never would. She wouldn't leave her children either, even when they would've forgotten about her, she would still be there.

He was in the kitchen, preparing dinner for the kids and himself, he was alone, his friends knew he was and they were there for him. Gabriella had been his life, the only reason on living he had were his kids. The triplets, who were so young that they don't even remember their mother, only from stories of their father and others that had known her. Their older brother Alex had known his mother and remembered some, but he had been only 4 at the time, he vaguely remembered her voice and appearance, but that was it.

Troy and Gabriella had been together since the day the last show of Twinkle Towne had been played. It had been 14 years since that day and five of those Gabriella hadn't been there psychically. Troy had set the table when his eyes fell on a piece of paper in one the photo frames. He picked the frame up, reading what was written on the paper.

Flashback

He glanced out at the sea of faces that were all turned in his direction; some looking into space, some smiling at him, but most people were crying too much to notice that Troy had gotten to his feet at all. A couple of people, though, were looking at Troy was going to make a speech about his wife, Gabriella Bolton-Montez, and wanted to hear what he had to say. They wanted to hear what Troy could say about the love of his life, who he had lost so fast. They knew that Troy and Gabriella were meant to be, meant to be together for the rest of their lives, not for the 9 years they had shared, but for 60 years or even 70.

Troy looked at Taylor, now, her tiny hand folded into his best friends, Chad Danforth's bigger one; tears streaming down both of their faces. Taylor smiled at him, and nodded: go on, that nod said, do what you have to do. Even Chad gave him a smile, which he hadn't done since the huge fight they had weeks ago. Taylor had talked to both boys, trying to reason them, and even Gabriella had tried, but it hadn't worked, both boys were to stubborn to listen to their wives.

That was the thought that spurred his mouth into action; every person in the church turned their head at him, wanting to hear what he had to say now. There was a person that had always accepted him, treated him for the person who he was, treated him for the person he wanted to be, not who everyone else wanted him to be, the basketball star of East High School, but the person he was, Troy Bolton, a guy who loved playing basketball, but loved to sing as well. He took a single, deep breath, slipped a ragged piece of paper out of his pocket, unfolded it, and began to read.

"Do not stand at my grave and weep," He said, his voice betraying nothing; inside his heart was shattering into a million tiny pieces, "I am not there; I do not sleep."

Troy quickly looked up at the audience; many of them were sharing confused looks with their neighbours. They hadn't expected him to read a poem that was so known by everyone, on the funeral of his wife. But still, it was a beautiful poem and they wanted to hear the rest of it. They looked back at Troy, who sighed deeply. He looked at Chad, who had buried his head in his handkerchief, sobbing steadily. This (of all things!) began to crumble his resolve; he could feel a swelling in his chest that told him if he didn't get this over with soon, he was going to cry.

"I am a thousand winds that blow," He suddenly had the absurd need to laugh; he could almost imagine how much that line would have tickled Gabriella, "I am the diamond glints on snow."

End of Flashback

Tears came to Troy's eyes, remembering the day so clearly, as if it was today. But it had been five years and she was really gone. Somewhere he had always hoped it had been one big joke. That Gabriella hadn't died and was still alive. Being held captive somewhere or in a coma ready to wake up, but she wasn't, ever…

Flashback

"W-when you awake in the mornings h-hush," He swiped at his eyes angrily; they were betraying him, "I am the s-swift uplifting rush," He took another yet another deep breath, and closed his eyes so he could no longer see anyone around him. He didn't want to see anyone anymore, "of quiet birds in circled f-flight."

Troy risked looking around the church again; he couldn't see a dry eye. Even his own eyes had begun to weep, he could feel the hot tears rolling down his cheek. He found surprisingly that he didn't even care; he couldn't feel anything anymore, only pain. The only person in the world her had left, had gone. He took another deep breath and it was husky with tears; he let it out again and it turned into some sort of strangled sob.

"I am the soft st-stars that shine at n-night."

He was surprised he could even speak anymore; his body was shaking so violently with sobs that he was trying to hold in. He gripped the sides of the stand to keep him upright. Forgetting about his policy not to cry, he let his breaths gasp in and out of him. He couldn't seem to make them stop. He didn't want them to stop, he had every right to cry, his wife was dead, he would never see her again and he was left alone, age 25 with four kids to raise by himself. He would never find someone like Gabriella again, no body would ever be able to replace her, and he wouldn't let anybody try. Gabriella was the only one he could ever love this much, and she knew that.

"D-do not stand at my gr-grave and cry," He cried, doing just that, "I am not t-there…" He looked around the room for the last time, his gaze colliding with so many tear-filled eyes—so many people had had their hearts broken when Gabriella had died. A girl who would never be forgotten, who had taken a special place in their hearts when she had come to East High and had changed everything. He could see them now, clutching each other, face turned away, screwed up in pain; just as his own was—he could hear his sobs echoing around the entire room.

"I did not die."

End of Flashback

Nothing but memories of the woman he loved wit hall he had and more, so much more. The man she had woken up in him, without her he was merely a basketball player, with her he was complete, in everything he did and stood for. She was the one that had brought the singer in him, to surface, making him dare to sing as much as he wanted to. And now she was gone, nowhere to be seen, 6,56 feet under the ground and nowhere to be seen.

Flashback

Gabriella and Troy were on the rooftop at East High. Gabriella sat on the bench that was up there, Troy leaning on the railing. Gabriella looked at Troy.

"I saw the way you acted to Kelsi, today at auditions… Do your friends know that guy?" She asked.

Troy looked at her. "To them I'm the playmaker dude…"

Gabriella nodded. "Then they don't know you, Troy…"

End of Flashback

But above all, she was the mother of his children, the mother of his son Alex, who was just as smart as his mother. He was 9 years old and was in 4th grade, where he was on top of his class. His favourite subjects being Science and Maths. He was a straight A student and Troy couldn't be prouder, but he wished Gabriella could've been here to see him do this.

Abby, their eldest part of the triplets, was only 5 years old and still in pre school, but was ready to start school, she loved school, like her older brother and unlike her younger brother and sister, she was a really good artist and loved drawing at only 5.
Beau was a smart 5 year old, he loved playing basketball, making his father really proud, but knew there was more to life than just basketball, he liked reading, which he already could, and he wasn't even in school yet.
And his youngest, Jolene, she was the spitting image of her mother, the same hair, the same eyes, the same everything. She loved singing, was singing all around the house, in her bed, in the bath, at breakfast, at school at what ever she was doing, always was she singing.

Troy cleaned up after dinner, the kids were watching television, and his eye fell on the frame again, he smiled reading the poem, Gabriella would always be there for him, she wouldn't leave him, even if she wasn't there, she was in his heart, in his kids, in everything in this house. She was everywhere.

Another tear leaked down Troy's cheek, she was still not there, the love of his life was gone, not coming back, and he needed her so badly, so much more than anyone could ever think. He needed her next to him at the nights he spend alone in his bed. At their kids first's in everything… She needed to be there on the day their children would get married, she needed to be there on the day their grandchildren were to be born.

Troy missed her so much, there were no words for what he felt, he wanted her to be with him, through everything. A life he was meant to spend with her was lost and he wouldn't spend it with her, he was going to have to die to be with her again. But he couldn't, he needed to be here for their kids. The triplets who needed him so much, who were depending on him, because he was all they had. There was no mother who they could go to, to tell about their day and what they did at school. And his son Alex, who was so brave, because he somehow believed his mother was watching his every move.

He had brought his kids to his parents for the day, and drove to the graveyard, to his wife's grave, where he sat every Sunday, to be on his own and think. He sat on the grass in front of the grave and looked at the stone. He started talking to Gabriella, as he often did before, telling about what the triplets had done at school or Alex' achievements in 4th grade. He talked about how much he missed her, with him all the time. "I miss you, Gabi… Now more than ever, I need you with me, at my side, to help me and love me…" Tears started falling again, he didn't want to be alone, but he could never love another woman, not after the love he had for Gabriella. He pulled out a little poem he had written recently, and lay it in the frame on her grave.

I thought of you with love today but that is nothing new
I thought about you yesterday and days before that too,
I think of you in silence I often speak your name
All I have are memories and your picture in a frame
Your memory is my keepsake with which I'll never part
God has you in His keeping I have you in my heart.

Troy stayed at the grave for hours, just thinking about nothing about the things they did or memories he shared with her. He sighed, he couldn't rest the memories and move on, he loved her too much, still loved her as much as he did when they became a couple. The love that had lead to their children, who were so precious to him, he wanted to keep them closer for the rest of his life.

A light breeze went by Troy's ear, he closed his eyes, feeling the breeze. He sighed, he could smell her perfume, her scent. He could remember that smell so clearly. He heard her laugh, as he used to hear it everyday. He smiled a little. He could hear her voice, whispering to him at nights. Telling him she loved him so much, every night and morning again. Then he heard her voice whispering through the air. "Real love stories never have endings…"

A/N: What u think? This was the sequel to 'Do not stand at my grave and weep..' dunno if it's as good as the first.. but I tried :) please review!!