Author's Note-Thanks for the reviews you guys. I really appreciate them. I know that I'm a new author and so any kind of feedback is very important to me. I'm going to try my hardest to update at least once a week (mainly on the weekends), however, if I update during the week then that's just a bonus. One last thing, whoever reads my story should go and check out my banner that I made for this story. Just go to my author's page and click the title. Thanks.

When Troy woke up the next morning he was greeted with coldness. This wasn't the usual coldness that made his chest ache and his mind go numb. Instead, this coldness made his upper body stiff and his toes curl with cracks.

After Troy showered for the day and dressed appropriately for his new job he headed downstairs. Kelsi was already rushing around for the morning rush, Dillon was sitting by himself with a glass of chocolate milk, and Maria was leaning across the counter talking to a blonde hair man.

Troy sat down at Dillon's table with a smile. "What are we having for breakfast today, Dillon?" Troy asked with a grin. Most guys his age were uncomfortable talking to little kids, but Troy had grown used to them since his old partner, who was his best friend, had three children.

Dillon grinned up at Troy. "Chocolate chip pancakes with bacon."

Just after Dillon responded Kelsi came waddling over to the table. "I hope Dill isn't bothering you so early in the morning. He kept Jason up with questions last night."

"Nah, don't worry about it. If anything, I'm the one bugging him." Troy smiled and ran his hand over the start of his baby mustache. "Can I get a stack of chocolate chip pancakes with a side of bacon and a cup of coffee, please?"

Kelsi smiled while ruffling Dillon's head, "Sure thing. I'll bring it right out."

When his mother left Dillon started asking the questions that his father couldn't answer the night before. "Do you get a gold star badge?"

Troy chuckled at the innocent question. "I sure hope so."

It was nine in the morning by the time Troy made it across the street from The Lodge. Three trucks were parked next to the police building, all with labels on the side doors that said 'Lexing Police.' Troy made a quick evaluation of the building before entering. It didn't look big, that was for sure. Also, there was smoke coming out of the chimney. That meant someone either started a fire and left or his two deputies were already there.

Troy entered the small building and was met with another door. There were three jackets hung up on hooks already and pairs of gloves lined up. Troy did the same with his gear before entering through the other sets of doors. The moment he did enter, however, the three people in the room went silent.

"Is everyone going to stop talking when I enter the room?" Troy joked lightly to cover up his nerves.

"Nice boots," The dark skinned man grunted, one side of his lips going up.

Before Troy could say anything the older woman, who looked to be in her late fifties, slapped the man on the arm before smiling brightly at Troy. "You must be the new Chief. I'm Ellen Darbus, but everyone calls me Twinkle. I take care of all the filing, paper work, and unofficial cleaning of this place." She held up a plate of sugar cookies. "Would you like some? This recipe always wins me the cookie contest in May."

"Thank you Mrs. Dar—"

"Twinkle," she corrected with her extravagant smile.

Troy nodded. "Right. Twinkle. I'm Troy Bolton, and you two are?"

"I'm Jason Cross, sir," the same man who walked into The Lodge the night before greeted. "My boy Dillon couldn't stop talking about you last night."

"And I'm Chad Danforth. I'm just going to make this known right now that if you wouldn't have come here than I would have been Chief. I was the head of the party to vote against you coming." Chad leaned back in his seat and put his feet on the desk in a casual manner.

"Well then," Troy said, "I'm glad that you were honest with me." He then looked Jason, Twinkle, and Chad in the eye to emphasize his next statement. "WE all need to be honest with each other from now on. I don't know what happened before me, but for some odd reason Lexing decided they needed an outsider to run the show. We are all a team now, and I trust the teams I'm assigned. I hope we can all work together without personal feelings getting in the way. If not…" Troy hesitated before swallowing thickly. "If not then we will just deal with the issues when they happen."

It was silent for a moment before Twinkle clapped her hands once in excitement. "Well then Troy, let me just show you around and help you get settled in your new office."

Troy looked around the Pizza Parlor. There were a couple of men there eating lunch and a few women with a bunch of paperwork in front of them at another table. Zeke and Troy had talked briefly over Troy's two-way, deciding that they shouldn't eat at The Lodge. Troy's un-said reason was because Maria kept hitting on him and so he didn't want to be put in an uncomfortable spot and Zeke's reason was because he was working the first half of the day at his restaurant before heading over to Town Hall.

Before Zeke joined Troy at the table, Troy was reflecting on his morning. Twinkle had showed him around. In the back of the building there were two cells that hardly anyone had ever used, in the main office Jason, Chad, and Twinkle all had desks, and off to the side Troy had his own little office.

This new department was a hundred times smaller than what he was used to in New York homicide. But wasn't that why he chose to apply for this position? He was fizzling out months ago and by summer he worked mostly at his desk. At least in Lexing there hadn't been a reported murder for over forty years. This way, Troy could roam the streets and take it easy behind his desk. He wouldn't go too stir crazy.

Also, around Lexing, since his job wouldn't be too difficult like New York, Troy would have time to make himself be a part of the Lexing community. Maybe he could settle down and restart his life. But then again, Troy had enough trouble in his life. He didn't have to add another person in the mix.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Chief," and African American said. As Troy shook the man's hand he looked at Zeke as if he wasn't supposed to be there. Zeke must have been used to the stare because he slid easily into the seat across from Troy. "I know," he continued to speak, "I look young, but I really am forty-two."

Troy clicked his tongue. "I consider forty-two a young age too."

"That may be, but my looks put me in the young group while my age puts me in the older group. I'm everyone's go-to guy. If it wasn't for my age then Jason would surely have my job at Town Hall." Zeke quickly turned his head to the woman walking through the back kitchen door. "Tay! Can we get two whiskeys?"

The woman Troy recognized at The Lodge the night before smiled. "Sure thing!"

"I really shouldn't drink on the job," Troy stated, but the look in Zeke's eyes told Troy otherwise.

"Nonsense. Having lunch with me isn't a part of your job either, but yet you're doing it." Zeke chuckled when a waitress delivered their drinks, but when she left he turned serious. "Listen Chief, I'm going to be straight with you. There are quite a few people who will give you a hard time around here. They don't see a reason on why you should be here, and when we voted the decision was almost split right down the middle."

"Well that's been on my mind too. Why exactly do you need an outsider being Chief? Chad seems perfectly capable to take my position," Troy pointed out. "I'm honored that you and Cross chose me, but why?"

"Those are simple enough questions with even simpler answers. We need an outsider who doesn't know Lexing on a personal basis. Chad could have qualified for Chief but he's too active and bias when compared to an outsider. And we chose you because you were the most qualified, had no family or responsibilities back in New York, and you were willing to accept our town and its climate."

The reason why, Troy thought, he had no responsibilities was because he let his partner die. They both chose to go down that alley, but Troy let Nate go down first. Usually Troy took the lead, but not the last time, because Troy lost a coin flip, Nate went first and was shot multiple times.

"I just want you to know that Sharpay, my wife, will be coming around to interview you. She's very persistent about what she wants and right now, she wants you," Zeke warned. "She's going to try to ask about your past, but Cross and I have kept your past in New York hidden. No one besides Cross, you, and me know about your old partner."

Troy didn't know how he felt about Zeke's wife poking around his past. He was used to reporters back in New York, but he was ready to give them up. Troy reached into his back pocket to get his cigarettes. "Smoke?"

Zeke shook his head. "No thanks. Shar would kill me if she found out I started smoking again."

The topics Troy and Zeke talked about weren't Troy's favorite, however, Zeke was brutally honest, and that was a quality Troy admired the most. There were no games and Troy received straight answers whenever he asked a question. He even got an answer when he asked about the bush pilot he saw the previous night.

"You mean Gabs?" Zeke asked with a smirk. "She's poison. She's also Maria's girl."

"Maria from The Lodge?" Troy exclaimed. "She's hardly old enough to have a woman as a daughter."

Zeke downed his drink in one gulp. "From what I heard she was young when she had Gabs. No one really questions either of them though."

"Why's that? They both seem harmless to me."

"You really are an outsider Chief. Maria won't stop coming onto you until you tell her directly to stop. She can be deadly when she's upset, but Gabs on the other hand is different. She lives by herself five miles out of town, knows how to move in bed, but she is picky with who she shares a mattress with."

This really wasn't the information Troy was looking for, however, he stored it into his memory.

"I don't really want to know how you know this," Troy said, contemplating his drink as his cigarette dangled between his fingers.

"She is best friends with Gabs. I hear their girl talk sometimes."

"Good morning Chief," Twinkle greeted Troy the moment he walked through the door to the station. "I have a fresh batch of cinnamon buns waiting on your desk. I also have a few messages on your calendar concerning Jimmy and Sharpay. They both want interviews with you, although Jim is most likely to just take pictures since that's what he's good at."

"Chad and Jason here yet?" Troy asked as he looked around the empty station. It was apparent that it was only him and Twinkle.

"Chad doesn't come in until nine because he has to get his kids off to school and Jason should be walking in any minute. Need anything done boss? I know that you should be busy with the Town Meeting this evening. I hear you're going to give a mighty fine speech tonight."

Troy scratched the back of his neck. "I wouldn't call it fine. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I'm going to mess it up tonight." Troy wanted to change the subject quickly and so he cleared his mind of the upcoming night. "Do you want to do me a favor, Twinkle?" Troy asked, smiling at her as if she were his own mother. Treating her like a mother wasn't that hard. Besides the fact she was old enough to be his mother, he hadn't felt like he had a mother ever since he went away to college. Lucille Bolton was a widow, and she was very bitter towards any man or woman who decided to go into law enforcement. She had never forgiven the service for taking away her husband. Her bitterness and resentment really started to show itself; however, when Troy became detective eight years prior.

To Troy, it felt wonderful to have a mother like figure looking after him again.

"That's what I'm here for. What do you need?"

"Can you pull up everyone's files? I want to know everyone's past. I want to know who gets into fights, who drives drunk, and who speeds. It's time I get familiar with everyone." Troy grinned at Twinkle's flushed face.

"Isn't that a little personal Chief?" Twinkle fanned herself off; her face was as red as a tomato.

Troy started heading towards his office where the sweet scent of breakfast waited for him. "Believe me Twinkle; I keep personal things out of my work life. Can you have the reports on my desk by noon?"

"Of course." Ellen Darbus looked startled as she called back Troy. "But you must know when you get to my file I was practically a different woman back then. I would never in my life get caught in the back of a truck nude now."

Troy nearly choked on air. The one person who resembled his mother the most was caught naked in the back of a truck! "I'll keep that in mind. Now if you'll excuse me."

Twinkle chuckled. "Your face is redder than mine Chief."

Troy shut his office door to block out the laughing.

"Thanks so much Gabs!" Martha Cox yelled from the doorway of her store. "Tiara and I owe you; especially since it's a day before a holiday."

Gabriella smiled at Martha's appreciation. She adjusted her cream colored cotton hat as she walked over to her red pick-up truck. "Anytime you need me I'll be happy to help!" She called back right before Martha went inside to go help a customer.

"Does that offer include me?" A husky voice asked. Even in negative ten degree weather and bitter words Kyle Kirking looked handsome.

Gabriella put her hands on her hips and added a mean glare to her face. "I didn't know you were back in town." Gabriella walked to the other side of her truck so that she could leave Kyle behind, just like he left her, but that was wishful thinking since he followed Gabriella. His hardened, lean body blocked the handle to her door.

"You didn't answer my question." Kyle's mouth lifted on one side. "Come on Brie. Don't be like this." His hand reached out to tug at one of her long curls.

Gabriella snatched her hair away from her ex-boyfriend. No guy was allowed to treat her without respect. "Move Kyle. I have errands to run before the town meeting."

Kyle scoffed. "The meeting with the Chief? I hear he's a prick. He's just a guy from the lower forty-eight states."

Gabriella smirked now. She received weird pleasure from the envious look in Kyle's eyes. "I think you're jealous."

"Jealous?" Kyle scoffed again in mockery. "Why would I be jealous? The boy won't even make it through the winter."

"You never were good with authority or rules. If you had it your way then there would be no Chief of Police to keep this town safe and sane." Gabriella tried to reach for her door handle again, but Kyle stepped in her way. "Move Kyle!"

"Calm down. I have one more thing to ask you and then I will leave."

Gabriella wasn't ignorant to his dark green eyes moving down her face to land on her plump rosy lips. "Well?" She snapped. One of her biggest pet peeves consisted of people being late, and now because of Kyle, she would be late.

"I want to have dinner with you. We could fly into Anchorage tomorrow night, get a hotel room, and then celebrate the New Year together." Kyle reached his glove covered hand out again, however, this time he had the nerve to cup her cold face. "It's been a month since we were last together." His voice became softer, and it was beginning to become harder for Gabriella to tell if this was an act. "I miss you Brie."

And then the memories of him leaving and ditching her came forward in her mind. "You left me in bed with no note Kyle! You were gone for a whole fucking month! If you missed me so much then maybe you should have called." She had to take a breath to steady herself. "I'm over you and now it's time for you to move on from our relationship too. We're not kids anymore. We broke up in high school, and last month was the last attempt to be young again."

"Fine," Kyle growled out, trying his hardest to keep his anger in line. "I'll let this go for now, but sooner rather than later you'll realize that we're good together. I'm the only man around here that can handle you."

Gabriella sighed out of relief the moment Kyle walked away. She knew her past wasn't ideal. She knew her family wasn't perfect. Gabriella also knew that Kyle might just be right about him being able to handle her.

Troy was about halfway through the files Twinkle had delivered to him when Chad knocked on his door. "Chief, we have a Dim situation."

Troy didn't think he heard correctly. "A what?"

"A Dim situation at The Lodge. Donny and Jim started a fist fight…again. We call it a Dim situation because the 'D' in Don's name and—"

"Yeah, I got it." Troy stood up and patted the belt around his waist; where his gun and two-way walkie-talkie laid.

"It's just a fight Chief. There's no need to shoot them."

"It never hurts to scare them if things get out of hand. Now you're coming with me Chad and you can fill me in about Dim." Troy grabbed his jacket, but ignored his gloves.

"Okay Chief, I'll be right behind you."

Jimmy Zara and Donny Gold fighting was a common thing around Lexing, Alaska. They were best friends who liked to pound on each other because of stupid disagreements. This time at The Lodge was no different.

By the time Troy and Chad had gotten over to The Lodge two tables had been broken, three pool sticks snapped in half, and Jimmy's jaw was swollen so that it matched a large grapefruit.

Troy frantically looked around for Dillon or any other little kid in the restaurant. The last thing he needed was for anybody else getting hurt besides two idiots who obviously can't keep their fists to themselves.

"You grab the short one and I'll get the tall one," Troy said casually once he realized the only people in the room consisted of Bubba, Maria, a guy who was drinking whiskey at the bar, and about ten other people who surrounded Donny and Jimmy. Troy did a double take at the man sitting at the bar. He looked about his age; maybe a year or two younger, and his dark green eyes seemed to judge him. It made Troy feel like he was in court again, being judged by every word that he said.

"No need Chief," Chad said, "Jim's about ready to knock Don out."

Just as Troy turned his eyes onto the fight, Jimmy sure enough cranked back his fist and slaughtered Donny's face. By witnessing Donny's body fall to the ground, Troy's legs moved faster. Without so much of a warning Troy had Jimmy's hands behind his back, handcuffs being slapped around the wrists.

"You're coming with me Jimmy Zara. I'm Chief Bolton. It's nice to meet you."

However, Jimmy was too caught up in his victory to hear Troy completely. "That's right Don, Kentucky was a part of the South! Take that fact and shove it." It took a moment longer for Jimmy to realize his hands were tied behind his back. "Hey! What the fuck?"

"You're coming with me Jimmy. You have a right to a lawyer; however, I doubt you need one. I'm going to take you down to the station so you can cool off in a cell, once you're released you will receive a fine for one hundred dollars that you'll have a week to pay off, and you will pay for all the damage you caused Ms. Spell."

"What?" Jimmy exclaimed. "I've never had to pay a fine before…and what about Don?"

"Chad is going to bring Donny over to the hospital to be checked out, and once he regains consciousness he will be charged just like you." Troy looked at Chad who was propping Donny up. "You okay with this?"

"Yeah. Go and bring Jim in."

"So what were you two fighting about exactly?" Troy asked, leading Jimmy away.

"The Civil War. Kentucky was on the South side, right?" Jimmy asked.

"Sorry to burst your bubble Jim, but Kentucky was the North." Troy heard Chad's laughter even through the shut door.

Various people had spoken already. Zeke opened the meeting, discussing past events. The high school drama and math teacher spoke of the schools' upcoming dance, (making the meeting a school meeting just as much as a Town meeting) and now Cross was speaking.

"He hasn't been here long," Cross said just as the back doors opened and the red parka woman stepped in. Troy noted she sat in the back by a blonde haired female who was bundled up in the color pink.

She wasn't just pretty. The woman, Gabriella, was remarkably gorgeous and beautiful. Troy couldn't believe he had mistaken her appearance the night before.

"Troy Bolton worked in New York for eleven years, and eight of those years as a detective. Put your hands together to welcome Chief Bolton."

Troy had been nervous for the speech, but no matter how nervous he was, he still didn't really prepare anything to say. As he stepped up to the lectern his hands became moist.

"Outsider!" A man in the crowd called out, causing many others to start talking and arguing. By watching the arguments take place Troy felt the foreign feeling of leadership take over.

"Yeah, that's right. I am from New York. It's already obvious that I'm not from here." Troy clenched and then unclenched his fingers. The room went silent. Some towns people stared up at Troy with wide, surprised eyes while others set their lips firmly in thin lines, and glared with all their might.

This was Troy's big moment and he had no idea what to say. His eyes scanned over the crowd, staying on Gabriella. She was eating out of a brown bag that she was sharing with Zeke's wife. Somehow, looking into her dark eyes made his stomach settle.

"I'm not going to pretend I know what I'm doing here. I've never been in a snow storm, I don't know who half of you are, and I don't know if you guys will even like me. But I do know, however, I'm not going anywhere unless I'm fired. I signed a contract to keep everyone safe for a year, and I promise that I will stick to the contract. Any questions?" Troy saw Gabriella smirk. He didn't know if it was out of approval or entertainment. He really hoped it was because she was satisfied with his words.

"Yeah, I've got one," The man from The Lodge with the dark green eyes called out. "What gives you the right to play God and fine people? There were never fines before you!"

"This badge gives me the right to do as I please. If you have a problem with that then you and I can talk in private later…"

"Kyle. Kyle Kirking," The man said with a cocky grin. "I'm one of the best pilots around here. Isn't that right baby?" Kyle turned to look at Gabriella who rolled her eyes.

"Cross, aren't we getting off topic?' Gabriella called out.

"Right!" Cross jumped up, startling Zeke who was right next to her. Troy took his seat and watched as Cross adjourned the meeting.