Loud, sharp voices cut through the walls and lured Gabriella back to Positano from the magnificent world of her dreams. She squeezed the pillow underneath her head to reorient herself before blindly reaching for Troy, but the bed was empty. She peeled open her eyes and felt through the darkness for him. The muffled shouts reached her ears from outside, so she crawled out from underneath the covers and peeked between the curtains to investigate the commotion out the window. The fog was so thick that she couldn't see past the fence to the sea. It was like the world ended at the rose bushes.

Ronaldo was standing beside the trail of stepping stones leading from the shed around the side of the house. While the men carried huge bags marked as soil, he barked orders at them in Italian. Troy appeared from the side of the house and vanished back into the shed. When he came out, he was balancing one of the heavy bags on his muscular shoulder. Even from the balcony, she could see the short stubble surrounding his frown. Her eyes instinctively looked over to Ronaldo, his eyes already glaring into hers.

She pulled the curtains between them and backed into her room, afraid she intruded upon something she wasn't supposed to witness. She passed by all the girls' rooms in the hallway, the doors closed and the whole level silent in the misty dusk. She went downstairs and found a mountainous heap of bacon and scrambled eggs courtesy of Leonardo in the center of the island. She pinched a strip of bacon and held it up to her teeth when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She turned and locked eyes with Ronaldo.

He said, "I apologize if we woke you."

"I would have woken up soon anyway." She gnawed on her bacon as he went to the fridge and removed a large glass jar of orange juice. There was a damp pattern of sweat down his back, so Gabriella commented, "Strange time to be gardening, no?"

The sound of his chuckle made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. "It's going to rain all day, and that shed leaks." He slammed the refrigerator shut and departed the room. The bacon sat uncomfortably in her stomach. She was beginning to feel the same way about Ronaldo as she did about her former employer Karen Collins. She was consoled by the fact that their brief time being acquainted should come to end soon, she hoped.

Regardless, he was right. It started raining shortly after breakfast and was pouring sheets down the house by lunch time. The men were out in the garage and the girls spread out across the living and dining room. Sharpay approached the window looking out the back yard and laid her hands on either side of the frame. "All this moisture is going to murder my hair. I'm going to be a frizzy-headed freak by tonight."

Gabriella asked, "What's so important about tonight?"

Sharpay slowly turned around with an angry twitch in her eye. "The symphony? The most important night this month?"

Although Gabriella couldn't recall learning about these plans, she said monotonously, "Oh yeah."

"Would it kill you to pretend like my life matters to you?" Sharpay snapped.

Gabriella looked up from her book at the furious face staring down at her. She was surprised and confused that this was what Sharpay seemed to care so much about. Gabriella began to say, "Sharpay, I'm sorry," but Sharpay stormed upstairs with a trail of friends chasing after her. After the flurry of bodies crossed the room, Gabriella spotted Ivonne leaning against the fireplace shaking her head. Gabriella said, "I didn't know she'd take it that personally. It's not like it's her symphony."

Ivonne waited to hear the door upstairs slam shut and then said, "It's not about the symphony. You should know that. She's projecting."

Gabriella rubbed her eyes, tired from the long day even though it was only the afternoon. Ivonne came over to share the couch with Gabriella. Ivonne said, "I know it's cliché, but I can guarantee you it's not about you."

"You're right." Gabriella looked down at the cover of the book in her lap when the room fell dark the only dim light coming in was from the windows behind them. The girls screamed from upstairs and all the men calmly filed in from the garage. Ronaldo removed a couple of flashlights and candles from a cabinet before passing them around.

The screaming upstairs finally subsided once Ivonne and Gabriella brought them flashlights. Sharpay and her followers breezed past Gabriella and followed Ivonne down the stairs. As the girls all found a spot around the dining room table, Ronaldo finished his call and tossed his cell phone on the table with a loud, frustrated thud.

Fabrizio asked, "How long did they say?"

"They can't send anyone out until it stops raining," Ronaldo responded.

Sharpay suggested, "Could we go out to the vineyard? Maybe they have power."

"You don't want to travel in this."

"So what now? We have to waste a day indoors?"

"I can't control the weather, Sharpay!"

Gabriella argued, "No one is saying you could."

Ivonne yelled over them, "Stop bickering! It's a temporary outage. It's not that big of a deal. We'll just have to figure something else out in the meantime."

Sharpay stood and decided, "I've been wanting to clear out my closet for the next collection. I guess today is the day. We're taking the flashlights upstairs. Follow me ladies."

While Tiara, Emma, Jackie, and Lea fawned over each piece in Sharpay's never ending collection of designer clothes and accessories, Ivonne and Gabriella sat together in the nook overlooking the street. Gabriella twisted around at the torso to watch the water cascading down the window. "I love weather like this." She dragged her fingers down the cool glass longingly.

"Me too."

"I don't understand why she's so worked up over something so insignificant. Shouldn't we be looking for tickets home? Shouldn't we be packing?"

"She's the queen of avoidance. It's an escape mechanism. It's how she stayed with Ronaldo, it's how she doesn't implode under the stress of it all. Hell, it's the reason why we're here. One big distraction."

Sharpay came over with a handful of black fabric and dropped it onto Gabriella's lap. "Put this on." She rejoined the others to supervise as they raided her closet.

Gabriella set the dress to the side and took off her shorts and T-shirt. She slid the dress on and felt the silk cascade down her body before pooling at her feet. Ivonne zipped the back for her before leading her over to the mirror with a flashlight. Gabriella admired her reflection as she stroked down the sides and traced the crossed fabric beneath her bust.

Sharpay said behind her, "That'll have to work for tonight. It's the only thing I have in your size."

"It's a little tight up top. Just look at my boobs, I'm spilling out of it." Gabriella bent over and shook to show its snugness.

"Well if you wanted something that fit, then you shouldn't have avoided our shopping spree."

"Sharpay, please, is this really what we should be arguing about?"

Sharpay held her stare but said nothing. She wrapped the clothing in her hands over her forearm and walked away.

The girls resumed their conversations in the closet and Ivonne pulled the zipper down. She whispered into Gabriella's ear, "Don't worry. She always comes around."

Gabriella nodded, pulled the dress down, and stepped out of it. She went towards the closet for a hanger when she noticed the ceiling was creaking. She murmured to herself, "What the hell is that?" She stood underneath and barely saw through the darkness that it was protruding. The creaking reached a crescendo and before Gabriella could react, the ceiling burst open and gallons of dirty rain water washed over her. Frightened, she screamed and the all flashlights from the closet pointed to her. Leonardo ran into the room with Fabrizio and Alfonso close behind him. There was a roar of laughter coming from the closet as Gabriella stood there, humiliated in her soaked underwear.

Sharpay approached the men and angrily barked, "What are you staring at? Go tell Ronaldo!"

Gabriella approached the hoard of hysterically laughing girls standing outside the closet and snatched a flashlight from Jackie's hands. Jackie protested, "Hey!" But Gabriella ignored her and went into the bathroom for a towel.

By the time the rain let up enough for an electrician to arrive, everyone was sick with cabin fever. Ronaldo took the guys to check on the yacht in the harbor after the storm, and Sharpay took the girls to the seamstress.

The woman walked in formation down the street, Sharpay at the head, Emma and Tiara next, then Lea and Jackie, and finally Gabriella and Ivonne. The overhead signs jutting over the sidewalk still dripped, and streams of water flooded down the drains in the street.

Ivonne said to Gabriella, "I hope this isn't the last we see of each other."

"What makes you say that?"

"The vacation is coming to an end. I'm going back to Sante Fe, you're going back to wherever."

"Albuquerque. Just an hour away."

Ivonne and Gabriella smiled to each other, but within a few seconds everything changed. A loud engine roared behind them and they turned just in time to see a black sedan flying directly towards them. With the adrenaline racing through her veins, Gabriella could see everything as if it happened in slow motion. She saw the car bounce as it hopped up the curb and sped onto the sidewalk. She turned back towards the others in front of her and sprinted with Ivonne up to Sharpay. As others became aware, they dispersed and fled across the street and against the building. Sharpay was still a yard away, her blonde locks slowly flaring up around her face as she turned her head. She held her hands out in front to protect herself from the impact when Gabriella and Ivonne tackled her to the side. The car continued down the sidewalk, hitting Jackie's legs to make her spin before clipping the brick building and taking off down the road.

Gabriella sat between Emma and Ivonne, across from Sharpay, Lea, and Tiara, with her arms crossed over her chest and a blank gaze aimed at the linoleum floor. She felt like a passenger in her body, like a stranger dropped into this foreign existence. Jackie was in surgery for leg injury from a hit and run. How could this have happened? What exactly happened?

She closed her eyes and tried to remember. Ivonne and her were talking about something, but she couldn't remember what. Maybe they weren't talking at all. It was all such a blur, but she knew then there was panic. She remembered her heart thudding against her ribcage so fast it could have exploded, and she remembered Sharpay's bulging, terrified eyes as Ivonne and she pushed her aside. Then Jackie's screams, so piercing and so very afraid. There was an ambulance and huddles of curious stares around them. She couldn't remember when she stopped feeling, but she knew now that she couldn't anymore.

Another hour passed before a nurse stepped into the waiting room and waved them through. She took the group up to Jackie's room where she laid on a hospital bed with her leg elevated in a thick white cast.

Sharpay cried, "Oh my God." She approached her bedside and held her hand. "Jackie, I'm so sorry."

Emma rested her hand on Sharpay's shoulder and said, "No one blames you, Sharpay."

Lea said, "It's just this world, messed up beyond repair."

The door behind them opened and the men filed in. Gabriella recognized Troy's hand when it reached around her back. He whispered in her ear, "Is it true?" Gabriella didn't respond and wasn't bothered to ask for clarification.

Enzo asked everyone, "What happened?"

Lea said, "It was terrorist attack!"

Emma argued, "It was an accident. There was too much water in the street. They hydroplaned and went up on the sidewalk."

"It wasn't an accident," Troy said. "It was a gang."

Gabriella asked, "How would you know that?" The room was silent with all the men looking at one another. Ronaldo jerked his head toward the door and they stepped into the hallway, leaving the girls alone in the room.

Ivonne asked, "Gang?" Sharpay sighed and dropped her head into her hands. Ivonne noticed and said, "Spit it out, Sharpay. What do you know?"

Sharpay averted her gaze to the floor and said, "There had been a few robberies in the neighborhood."

Emma argued, "You told me Positano is safe!"

"It is. We have a security system now."

Tiara commented, "Well that didn't seem to do us any good today."

Gabriella asked, "But why is a gang targeting you?"

"I have no idea."

Ronaldo reentered with the others following behind him. They lined the other side of Jackie's hospital bed across from the women. Ronaldo said with a finality to his tone, "We're going home."

Tiara exclaimed, "I'm not going anywhere with you people! This is madness! I could have died. We all could have died."

Ronaldo dismissed her concerns, "Don't be so overdramatic."

Tiara said, "It's not overdramatic when there's an unborn child among us."

The room fell into a tense silence and Gabriella felt slammed into her body from the air again. She wanted to reach back and strangle Tiara but concealed her anger and seethed from within instead.

Ivonne lied, "Me. I'm pregnant."

"That's a lie." Tiara said, "It's Sharpay. She told us yesterday."

Gabriella looked over to Sharpay as she turned around to confront Tiara, her face unlike anything she'd ever seen on her before. Her complexion was overcome with red, her eyes watered, and her lip quivered. She was saddened, angered, betrayed. She spoke in a lower voice, "Get out, Tiara."

Tiara said, "He deserved to know."

Sharpay barked, "I said get out!"

Gabriella heard the door open and shut and looked back to the stunned men across the bed. Ronaldo asked, "You're pregnant?"

"We need to talk." Sharpay led Ronaldo out into the hallway. Gabriella went to follow when Sharpay said to her and Ivonne, "Alone."

The door shut between them and Ivonne asked, "Well what now?"

Gabriella shrugged and suggested, "I saw a giftshop on the way in."

They made their way down to the first floor in silence. Gabriella thought they should be contriving another plan, but also thought Ivonne might be growing fatigued of their efforts and the Sharpay talk. They stepped inside the little shop and past the get-well cards to a display case. Gabriella pressed her nose against the glass as she looked closely at the little knick-knacks.

"I haven't gotten a single souvenir so far this trip," Ivonne said. She came to Gabriella's side and plucked a glass sea turtle on the end of a keychain from the rack.

Gabriella said, "That's cute."

"I swam with sea turtles once when I was a kid. I hoped I'd see another on this trip."

Gabriella felt a pull behind her eyes before they filled with tears. Her lip quivered and she realized she was about to cry. Ivonne wasn't the only one who hadn't gotten what she hoped for. This trip was supposed to be easy. Ronaldo was supposed to be perfect, and Sharpay was supposed to have fun showing her the city, and maybe there could have been a wedding and a happily ever after…but now she couldn't remember why she agreed to go on the trip in the first place, or what she expected to get out of it. She only knew that this was not it at all.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ivonne asked.

Gabriella felt a warm tear run down her cheek and quickly wiped it away. She said in a shaking voice, "Nobody got what they wanted."

"It isn't over yet," Ivonne tried to console her.

"I want it to be. God, I just want to go home." She threw her head back and blinked her tears away.

Ivonne grabbed another identical sea turtle key chain and gave the cashier her money. She handed one to Gabriella and said, "We'll see the sea turtles again one day. Maybe not this trip."

Gabriella smiled finally. She said, "Beautiful. Thank you, Ivonne."

The two walked back up to Jackie's room where the all of the men and only Sharpay remained.

"Where's Emma and Lea?"

Sharpay sighed. "We're traveling to the vineyard. They chose not to come."

Gabriella asked, "Why?"

Ronaldo answered, "It's safe out there."

Ivonne questioned, "Safe from whom? Who is targeting us?"

Troy explained, "Terrorists, like Emma said."

Gabriella said, "But you said it was gangs."

Troy said impatiently, "I was mistaken. Not the first time, won't be the last." She hated his tone, like she was supposed to believe every word he said without question.

Sharpay said to Ivonne and Gabriella, "If you want to leave, I don't blame you. I can call a cab to take you to the train station."

Gabriella shared a look with Ivonne. Neither of them had what they wanted, and now was their opportunity to leave for good. But something stopped her from taking the opportunity. She remembered that at its core, this trip was an exchange of service. Sharpay was going to cover Gabriella's court costs to get the money Karen Collins owed her, and Gabriella was supposed to help Sharpay decide whether or not to marry Ronaldo. That was their agreement. Things might be far more complicated and dangerous than she anticipated, but she gave Sharpay her word. And what kind of friend would she be if she didn't keep her word?

"We're coming with you," Gabriella said decidedly.

The group traveled North in three cars, two filled with Ronaldo's relatives, and one with Ronaldo driving, Troy sitting passenger, and the women stuffed together in the back seat. The fog was so thick and ominous, they couldn't see more than a few yards down the road. Gabriella looked out her window to the pasture fences and tall, unkept plants lining the gravel. It took a moment for her to hear the sniffles coming from Sharpay, who was ducking her face down and wiping away tears. Gabriella wanted to say something, anything, but she had no idea what Ronaldo told her or how to comfort her now. Ivonne reached for Sharpay's hand and Gabriella stared at the back of Ronaldo's head, wondering what he could have said to get her to agree to stay with him.

They pulled up to a four-car garage and Gabriella squinted through the fog to see the rest of the house on the vineyard. It was far bigger than the one in Positano by a couple of stories. There was a balcony above the front door and massive windows covered with orange shutters. She stepped outside and felt Troy's hand gently encase her wrist. "Ella," he said, shutting the door behind him, "wait. I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier. It was nothing you did. I was stressed and I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I'm sorry."

As much as Gabriella hated his tone, she had to recognize that he was admitting his fault and did seem to genuinely feel sorry. "I forgive you."

He smiled and rubbed his hand up her arm before pulling her into a hug. "Let's get you both inside. There are bigger rooms here, but not as many. It looks like we're going to have to share." Troy pecked her cheek, but Gabriella struggled to feel any way about it. Really, she had all her mind focused on Sharpay.

Ronaldo called out in Italian from inside the garage and Troy said, "I got to go. I'll see you later tonight, okay?"

"Of course." Gabriella kissed him on the lips before joining Ivonne inside, who was pouring herself a glass of water at the sink. Gabriella leaned against the counter beside her and asked, "What's the plan?"

Ivonne turned the faucet off and gave her an incredulous look. "Me? You're the one who volunteered us to come! I thought you had something figured out."

"I have nothing."

Ivonne sighed and shook her head in disappointment. "Gabriella, you can't always be here to protect her. What if she decides to stay with him, are you just going to move in with them? We have to leave someday, and I'd like that day to come before another car tries hit us."

"I'll leave when Sharpay finally wakes up. This place isn't safe, especially with a baby on the way."

"I'm starting to think that's not an option. I'm telling you, Gabriella, she will never leave him."

"Unless…" Gabriella gripped the granite counter for stability as she experienced a great epiphany. "Oh my God, that's it!"

"What's it?"

"We need to prove Maddalena's conspiracy."

"Wait, what?"

"If we get proof that Ronaldo is drug smuggler, he'll go to prison. She'll be free from him."

"Gee, that sounds really familiar. Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, when we disproved it!"

"We didn't disprove anything. We just said there wasn't proof of it. We're at the vineyard. If there's a smuggling operation going on, wouldn't you think a massive house in the middle of nowhere would be the perfect place to hide your headquarters?"

"Gabriella, this is madness!"

"Then help me disprove it."

Ivonne shook her head and decided, "If proving the obvious is what finally gets you to give up on this crazy conspiracy, fine! Sign me up."

Together, Gabriella and Ivonne searched the entire second floor, every bedroom and bathroom, the closets and wardrobes. They decided to split up on the fourth floor to search faster and met up on the balcony overlooking the foyer. "Anything?" Gabriella asked Ivonne.

"Sorry, no drugs here."

Gabriella shushed her and said, "Keep your voice down."

Ivonne rolled her eyes. "Are you satisfied now?"

Gabriella gripped the railing and looked down the center of the spiral staircase. "I just want to know she's going to be okay."

"She's stronger than you give her credit."

"I hope you're right. Let's go," Gabriella led Ivonne down the staircase to the very bottom.

Sharpay marched in from the living room and yelled, "Where the hell have you two been?"

Ivonne answered, "Exploring."

Gabriella said, "Yeah, someone didn't give us a house tour."

"I was sleeping off my nausea from the car ride. You've really been exploring the house for hours?" Sharpay shook away the thought and switched subjects. "Listen, we called a cab for you both."

Ivonne asked, "Why?"

"Ronaldo didn't want me to extend the trip to the vineyard. He thinks it's best you both go home. I'm sorry it's sooner than expected, but the vacation is over."

Gabriella argued, "We only just got here!"

"Circumstances changed. Don't think I'm being unappreciative. I can't believe I finally got you to come out here for me. Thank you, Gabriella. I'll make sure you get your money from that family."

Gabriella couldn't care about the money right now. She asked, "You'll be okay, right?"

"We talked everything out. We're going to try counseling, and he'll take anger management courses." She rubbed her abdomen and smiled. "The happy family I dreamed of still could happen."

Gabriella carefully said, "Sharpay, the last thing I want to do is ruin your dreams, but you need to recognize when they danger your safety."

"Gabriella, please. I don't want you to leave on a negative note. Thank you for coming. You're an amazing friend." She reached around her and gave her a hug, then went to Ivonne to do the same. Gabriella struggled to stay quiet, but didn't want to ruin their goodbye, either.

Sharpay lit up again and said, "Oh! I almost forgot!" She rushed over to the key rack on the wall and grabbed one. "Step aside." Gabriella and Ivonne backed away for Sharpay to pull the rug aside and expose a trap door.

Ivonne asked, "What is that?"

"The wine cellar. Ronaldo doesn't like showing it off, but we have hundreds of bottles we'll never drink. He won't notice if two disappeared. Go grab yourselves one." She twisted the key and hoisted the trap door up, exposing a ladder to the dark bottom. "The light is on the wall to the left when you get down there."

Gabriella climbed down first and felt along the wall for a light. Ivonne joined her and she finally flipped it on, illuminated row after row of wine racks and more surrounding them on the walls.

"Holy shit! This place is awesome!" Ivonne excitedly ran to the center of the cellar. "Oh my God!"

Gabriella slowly walked along the row against the wall, reading each date when she noticed something particular about the shelf. "Ivonne," she said, and began removing the bottles from a spot on the right end of the shelf.

Ivonne came over and asked, "Gabriella, what are you doing? She said take one."

"Look at how this bookcase is positioned. It juts out like it's on a hinge. It's a door, I know it. There has to be a hidden handle somewhere back there."

"Stop it, Gabriella. You're starting to scare me. You need to let this conspiracy go!"

"Oh my God," Gabriella froze. "I feel it."

Ivonne said fearfully, "You're full of shit."

Gabriella twisted the metal handle she had in her grasp and pulled the whole shelf open.

Ivonne stepped back and nearly fumbled the wine bottle in her hand. "There's no way."

Gabriella rushed inside and felt for the switch. The fluorescent lights above slowly flickered on and showed long rows of shelves packed with soil. Ivonne said, "An underground warehouse. I can't believe it! Is his diabolical plan to build the world's biggest secret garden?"

"I don't think it's soil." Gabriella ran up to the end of a shelf and ripped the bottom corner. A white powder poured onto the concrete floor.

Ivonne cupped her mouth and said, "Oh my God. Maddalena was right. What now?"

"Well, we have to call the police."

"Maddalena said they won't investigate."

"We'll tell them we've been kidnapped. Then they'll have to come and see it all."

Ivonne removed her phone from her back pocket and said, "Wait…I don't have service. We have to go back upstairs."

"Okay. We'll go together." Gabriella turned around when Ivonne grabbed her wrist.

Ivonne said, "Wait…Gabriella, are you sure about this? I mean, you need to realize that Troy is going to prison with them. He's just as guilty."

Gabriella didn't hesitate when she said, "I know…but my friend is in danger."

Ivonne and Gabriella went upstairs emptyhanded and Sharpay asked, "Didn't you want anything?"

Ivonne took out her phone again and said, "I need to call my mom." She glanced at Gabriella briefly before stepping out the front door.

"Sharpay, there's something you need to see."

The fog still hadn't lifted, so the blue and red lights had a fuzzy glow around them. Gabriella and Ivonne watched everything from the porch. All the men were lying face down on the gravel with their hands cuffed behind their heads. A pile of soil-marked bags grew as the police emptied it from the house. Sharpay was speaking with some police officers in the lawn. Gabriella felt again that this was a scene she had no business belonging to. It was all so surreal.

Two officers grabbed Troy's arms and helped him stand up. They each kept their grips on him and escorted him to the back of police van. The officers went back and repeated the process with each of the other men before driving off down the country road and disappearing into the fog. Sharpay joined Gabriella and Ivonne and watched the pile of soil grow and grow.

Ivonne asked, "What now?"

"The officers consider this a crime scene, so we'll need to go back to the house in Positano. You can gather your things and I'll call a cab to take you both to the train station."

Ivonne asked, "What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You can't stay here, Sharpay."

Gabriella said, "Ivonne's right. It's time you went home. Your brother was worried sick about you. He was in Positano."

"Really?"

Ivonne nodded and said, "He's the reason we heard out Maddalena." She said regretfully, "I was so stupid I didn't believe her then."

"You both did the right thing." Sharpay leaned against Gabriella and wrapped her arm around her. "I don't know what I'd do without friends like you." Gabriella felt the familiar pull behind her eyes and looked up to the sky. She looked at a little huddle of stars where the fog was finally beginning to dissipate and let the tears stream down her face.

AN: Please let me know what you thought of this chapter!

Oh my God, there's only ONE more left to go! I'll try to get the final chapter out soon. It's going to be hard with my vacation next weekend and a test immediately after that, but I'll try to get it out in a reasonable timeframe. It's going to be very important you read to the end and I don't want to make you all wait too long.