The doorbell sounded almost different as she sat and worked on her latest piece for the Albuquerque Times Newspaper. She read over the last line of it, for a third time, before she stood from her spot at a small desk in the corner of her apartment, "Coming," she shouted out as she toddled to the heavy white door and undid the chain and then turned the lock.
"May I help you, sir?" she asked the familiar looking gentleman in a gray pin stripe suit at her door.
The man studied her for a moment before finally speaking, "You wouldn't so happen to be Gabriella Montez, would you, ma'am?"
"Yes sir, I am."
"Do you have a few minutes?" he shook the light brown hair that was falling in his eyes to the left side of his head and watched her.
"What can I do for you?" she questioned him softly, looking into his oceanic blue, crystal eyes. Unintentionally, she compared them to Troy Bolton's exact ones.
"My name is Louis Bolton," he extended a strong arm with a hand forward and waited for her response.
Slowly she took the offer and shook his hand softly, "you're Troy's brother."
"Biological brother, but after taking off with my girlfriend and leaving him alone with our parents," Louis started sadly and sighed heavily, "I don't think he'd consider me a brother anymore."
"Do you want some coffee?" Gabriella held her door open wider for him to come in and he accepted the offer.
"I brought something for you," Louis talked as they sat down at her small glass top kitchen table and he took out a book, "here."
"Mistakes?"
"Who's the author?"
Gabriella gasped as she read the name at the bottom of the hard cover, "Troy Bolton."
"You might want to read it," Louis gently took the book from her and turned to a specific page, urging her to read where he pointed.
"I think my heart stopped when I met her. I think it stopped every time we touched." She read out loud to herself and Louis, her voice trembling, he was talking about her, "But the thing is, it stopped when she left and it hasn't started again since. Jenna wasn't the only person to die from my mistakes. I have to think though, if hadn't have killed Jenna and gone to jail, I would probably still be an alcoholic, I might not have met Elle. Even though I screwed up with Elle, I'm still glad I had the chance to love her like I do."
"New York Best Seller," Louis smiled slightly, "he also dedicated it to the memory of your aunt."
"Oh my God," tears suddenly poured from her eyes and Louis walked around the table to wrap his arms around her.
"You still love him," he stated.
"How could I not?"
"Uncle Troy!" two little voices called simultaneously as Troy stepped out of his sleek black Jetta.
"Hey munchkins," he waved as he walked around to the other side of the car and opened the door for a heavily pregnant Gabriella and helped her out.
"Auntie Gabi!" the little girl cried happily and latched onto her leg.
Troy patted ten-year-old Christopher on the head and bent down to little six-year-old Courtney, "C'mere," he held his arms out for the small girl and she came to him, wrapping her chubby baby arms around his neck as he lifted her up.
"How are you sweetheart?" Gabriella held onto the little girl's hand with one of her own and wrapped the other arm around young Christopher, "and you young man?"
"Auntie Gabi, I want to show you my dolls!" Courtney tried to switch from Troy to Gabriella but Troy held on tighter.
"Court, you know Gabi can't hold you for a while," he poked her nose softly and she nodded an apology.
"Troy will you play ball with me and dad?" Chris asked politely as Louis opened the front door for all four to come in.
"Of course, if you're old dad is up for it." Troy chuckled as his brother gave them a shocked look.
"You're on," he told them.
"Gabriella!" Louis' wife entered from in the kitchen and hugged her soon-to-be sister-in-law.
"Vicky!" Gabriella hugged back, "how are you?"
"Fantastic!" she grinned and looked down at the large baby bump protruding from Gabriella's stomach, "and how is little Becca Mae?"
"She is doing great," Gabriella beamed at the mentioned baby girl she was carrying.
Troy wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of the bump, "she'll be a daddy's girl and she'll love basketball."
"Troy," Gabriella gave him 'the look.'
"And she'll be amazingly smart and love her mother just as much as her father," Troy finished up with a grin and kissed Gabriella on the lips.
"That's better," Gabriella smiled widely as they were invited into the dining room to start their meal together.
Jenna followed them in and watched the scene play out. The children would politely pass the food while Troy jokingly flung things at his brother and Gabriella would tell him to stop and he'd listen. However, moments later, Louis would fling something back and it would start all over again. Chris and Courtney would laugh at the immature adults and join in while Gabriella and Vicky covered their face in embarrassment but eventually joined the laughter. About halfway through the dinner, Jenna watched her niece reach under the table and grab her fiancé's hand, pulling it over to her and setting it on her large belly. As far as Jenna was concerned, this wasn't the same man that took her life. He had changed and he was forgiven by everyone he hurt, even her. If the family in front of her could see her then, they would see the damage that was caused by the accident. Cuts and bruises covered her body, melted skin could be seen from the top of her head where no hair covered the blistering red third degree burns that ran down the right side of her face and neck, under her shirt.. Her right eye was plastered shut and she was covered in pure white clothing. There was a permanent frown on her face, no matter her emotion, she couldn't change it. Jenna watched as Troy's hand moved in big circles to cover as much surface area as was possible on Gabriella's stomach and she watched the two share a big smile before taking a deep breath and grinning as best she could before turning away.
She started to walk and as she did, the room faded away from her and the cuts and bruises that shrouded her body on earth began to disappear while her right eye blinked rapidly and she started to get her perfect vision back. Normal skin replaced bunches of hot, red, bubbling kind and dark brown hair grew down the sides of her face. A face that looked so much like her niece's own Latina features. She found herself smiling widely as soon as she could feel her face again and the thoughts of her new world took over the ones of the old. Very suddenly she found herself standing in a pure white world with gold covering the streets and the pillars of buildings. Precious stones filled the walls of the city and covered much of the buildings. People everywhere were singing joyously. There was a room there for everyone and everyone there was happy.
"I told you they would be happy together," a very unique, deep voice rumbled.
"I know. You are always right. I just wanted to see it," Jenna replied back, smiling widely, "Thank you, Father."
"Of course my daughter," the man in bright white robes gave her the most important smile in the universe and held an arm out for her and they walked into the city together.
And thats the end guys... It kind of made me cry a little bit... Let me know what you think of it.
Thanks to the people that added their loved ones to our list!
Alan Klien, Latanya and her husband, Mandy, Harry, Jessica, Beth Anne Hoyme, David, Alex, Emily B, Ahmer, Danielle Roa, and Lucille.