LAST TIME-

"We have to get her out of here," Kelsi responded, "soon."

Taylor was only able to get out a nod before she was jerked backwards, strong arms wrapping around her small shoulders. Kelsi let out a scream as Sharpay was knocked backwards, rolling helplessly away from the group. Taylor realized, as the arms tightened around her shoulders, that they had blindly run into a trap.

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Gabriella was standing in a void of nothingness. Probably somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness, she thought, her body freezing at the mental action. She could think, clearly, a painful haze didn't surround her mind. She froze, no pain, at all, anywhere. She let out a sigh of relief, her hand running through her still wet black hair.

She glanced down to her right knee, her jeans were still bloody, but she could bend and walk as if nothing had happened. Her ribs weren't complaining every time she breathed and her head didn't fell like scrambled eggs. She wasn't cold or hot, she was perfectly fine, no inconveniences at all. Her eyes furrowed together in confusion.

The rational side of her mind told her that her wish had come true. The pain had engulfed her so suddenly, so quick that she had not been prepared. It had rained down on her like fire from the sun. She would have given anything to stop it. Anything.

She was caught off guard when a blinding light struck her in the face, her hands flying up to shield her eyes. She took a step back, away from the light, and suddenly gagged. A quick but painful inferno had sparked from her chest, spreading until it reached every part of her body. She staggered back into the light as she sent a hand to her heart, and just as suddenly as it had come, the pain vanished.

She took a breath, letting her heartbeat returned to normal, as her mind searched the black void for an answer. Her mind came up with one conclusion. Light, good. Dark, bad. She rolled her eyes, mentally chastising herself. Her body took a step forward, following the straight line the light produced in front of her.

After just a couple of steps, her body came to a halt, her eyebrows furrowing. Something was wrong. The pain was gone, and she was thankful for that, but why? Why did she not feel it anymore? Her mind yelled at her to keep going, following the line of light had made her fell better, it had made her feel lighter.

She glanced back over her shoulder again, the constant darkness filling her vision. However odd it seemed, something was pulling her away from the light, the feeling radiating from her heart. Gabriella tilted her head in confusion, eyes squinting into the darkness. Something was there, an image, but she couldn't tell what it was. She turned around, taking a hesitant step forward, bracing for the pain. It came at full force, but she blocked it out, concentrating on the image as her eyes widened.

Familiar blue eyes were staring back at her, a lopsided smile appearing beneath them as hair grew overtop the eyes. A word, no, a name, formed in her mind as her knees sagged.

Troy.

Her right knees gave out as a scorching pain spread across her chest. She collapsed to her knees, tears coming to her eyes. Bongos sounded in her head as she felt the monstrous bruise reappear on the side of her face. She bit down on her lower lip, dragging herself to her feet. She half limped, half jumped into the darkness, the pain making her inhale sharply.

Troy. Taylor. Chad. Kelsi. Jason. Sharpay. Ryan.

She collapsed to the ground, positive that a Mac truck had just run over her. Stars burst in front of her eyes as breathing became as hard as before. She laid there, the darkness on all sides, as her situation finally made it into her head. She cursed her weakness; she had almost walked into death. Death being represented by the light, how ironic, she thought, not death, but heaven. She shook her head lightly; she was not ready to die.

She realized now, that her memories where what had brought her back, what had drawn her away from being forever unconscious. Her ties to the real world, her feelings were too strong, something even death itself couldn't concur. She took a shattered breath as the unstoppable pain returned to her body, her already tired mind almost blacking out again. She felt cold rain pound down on her already wet, back as the solid ground turned to mud beneath her.

Something sharp and high-pitched cut through her consciousness, the voice discovering a painful new octave. Gabriella was pretty sure that Kelsi was screaming her head off.

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Kelsi's voice was drowned out as a hand made it roughly over her mouth. She glanced wide-eyed to Taylor, her friend being dragged from behind by a man in black. Sharpay lay several feet away, shaking her had as she tried to get a hold of her self. Kelsi's eyes hardened as she bit down on the man's hand, tasting blood in her mouth.

She smiled as the man howled in pain and let her go. She turned and placed a powerful kick between his legs, the man shifting forward, his eyes wide. She brought her knee up and connected with his face, hearing the cartilage snap in his nose as it broke under the impact. Blood covered his face as he fell backwards, hitting the ground with a squishy thud. Her vision turned yellow as Sharpay appearing beside her, delivering a solid kick to the unconscious man's side.

A loud grunt from the other side of the clearing made the two teens turn. They found the other man on the ground close to where Gabriella lay, Taylor crawling away on all fours. Before the two could advance forward, the man was on his feet, charging forward.

His body flew forward as he tripped, crashing to the ground. His eyes grew angry when he found Gabriella's hand clamped onto his ankle, her dark chocolate eyes set in determination. Taylor was on top of the man before he could retaliate, kicking at his face. He drew his legs into his stomach, the blows making him grunt in pain. He finally fell unconscious as one of Taylor's strong kicks found his unprotected face.

Kelsi ran to her friend's side as she collapsed next to Gabriella for the second time. Taylor was crying, not as hard as before, but the pain was evident in her face. Kelsi gripped her shoulder reassuringly, taking one of Gabriella's hands. She was breathing irregularly, her eyes half open like before. They seemed to focus in and out, something that showed she was not going to stay conscious for much longer.

"Gabriella," Kelsi spoke strong, trying to get her friend to focus on her voice, "I need you to breath for me, try getting control of your breathing."

The chocolate eyes found hers as Gabriella's head nodded in understanding. Her breaths became slower, but they were more controlled, she was fighting to buying time for them.

"Where are the others!?" Sharpay roared, sending one hand to her jaw and the other to Gabriella's free hand. Kelsi nodded in agreement and frustration, they needed to get Gabriella out of here.

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Troy heard it before he felt it. Chad bellowing a challenge to Chase, then, something swept past his face, making him flinch away. His blue eyes blinked, his vision clearing a little more. He found Chad and Jason wrestling with Chase Barker, the thick tree branch knocked away for the moment. HE felt a hand on his shoulder and found Ryan standing next to him.

"You ok?" he asked, eyes full of concern.

Troy nodded as he slumped backwards, the soaked ground meeting his back. His left hand fell across his right elbow, feeling the shattered joint. He gritted his teeth as Ryan's hand followed, hearing the sharp intake of breath from his friend. The hairs on his arms stood up as he heard Chad's painful scream, his body jerking upward.

Chad was rolling away as Jason was flung from Chases back, the older man overpowering the two teens. Before Troy could act, Ryan sprinted from his side. Chase swung at the charging Ryan, who ducked and rolled, coming to his knees next to the forgotten tree branch. Before Chase could turn, Ryan swung the solid object across his shoulder blades, the branch braking in half as it connected. Troy was about twenty feet away but he still heard the man's shoulder blade's break under the force of the blow.

Chase Barker didn't even scream. His eyes fell closed as he slumped forward, face planting into the mud. Troy watched as Ryan threw the broken branch away in disgust, turning to face the recovering Chad and Jason.

A wave of pain surged through his arm, making him collapse backwards again. Tears came to his eyes as his friends made it to his side. Hands were pulling his up, gripping him under the arms. He was helped back towards the clearing, towards Gabriella. Tears fell from his eyes at the thought. He didn't want to go back there. He opened his eyes when he heard Taylor's concerned voice.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed from her position on the ground, "Is he ok?"

"I think so," Chad replied, "his arms pretty screwed up."

"Jesus," Ryan's pained voice sounded from the far end of the group, "Is she ok?"

Troy looked to Taylor, his heart stopping. He choked as chocolate eyes he never thought he would see again found his. The same sad, but accomplished smile crossed her face; mirroring the one she had showed him seconds before Chase Barker had kicked at her. He returned it as her head inclined only slightly. She gave him a 'see-you-later' look as her eyes slowly closed. She went slack in Taylor's arms, making the friend panic.

He inclined his head too, the world swimming in front of his blurry eyes, darkness consuming him. The fighting was done; he was surrounded by friends, he had survived.

It was over, but at what cost?