Author's Note: Here it is... the chapter you've all been waiting for... CHAPTER 10! Sorry for the kind of long wait, but I wasn't even sure what was going to happen in this chapter until I sat down to write it. This chapter has another cliffhanger ending, (haha have to keep you reading, don't I?) but don't worry, a lot gets explained too. I really tried to make this worth your read so I hope you enjoy it! Also, few quick shout outs. To everybody: YOU GUYS BROKE THE REVIEW RECORD! It's official, the last chapter got five reviews, breaking the record! :) I'm actually pretty stoked about that. Sooo can we shoot for six on this chapter? That'd be awesome. Few other quick shout outs to: Endor Solo- Your reviews are great! Thanks so much! bubzchoc- You've reviewed on every single chapter of this story since chapter three! You're amazingly dedicated and pretty awesome too!:D I'm such a grammer freak: You were the first person to review this story. If you're still reading this story, review and let me know cause I'd be crazy excited if you were! And finally to all the rest of the people who ever reviewed: You guys are awesome as well! 3 Check out the AN at the bottom for another special shout out! Enjoy chapter 10!

Time seemed to freeze for a second as Gabriella and my dad stared at eachother. I held my breath, waiting for what seemed like years before I saw Gabriella's lips move. "Troy..." The word was almost a sigh, and the perfect hopelessness running through it made a shiver race down my spine.

"Dad... Gabriella found me. She brought me home. She was just trying to help, she didn't kno-" I stopped abruptly as I turned to look at my dad's face. The pure pain in his eyes made a lump form in my throat. I struggled to finish my thought. "She didn't know we were related. Really."

My dad looked down, shook his head, looking as if he was coming out of a fog. He turned to stare at me. "How do you know her?"

I hated the harshness in his voice. "She's my-my acting coach."

"Troy." Gabriella moved towards him, but he drew back, looking wary. She stopped, and for the first time I noticed the tears glistening in her eyes and sliding down her cheeks. I felt Nate take my hand. "Troy, I'm sorry. So sorry. I didn't realize-"

"Stop." He looked up at her for the first time since first seeing her, and held her gaze. "There's nothing you can say."

Something flashed in her eyes, not fear or pain or misery but something brighter, more dangerous. She grabbed my dad's arm as he moved to turn away. "Troy Bolton, you listen to me! You may not want to hear what I have to say, but I have everything to say. I've spent twenty years of my life building up things to say to you. Twenty years Troy! Twenty years of living with a broken heart. Twenty years of wishing I had it all to do over again. Twenty years of guessing what you'd say, what you'd do if you ever laid eyes on me again. Well now I know. You'd run away. Just like you would have twenty years ago if I had told you everything!" She stopped suddenly, the anger gone, the bright light in her eyes fading again. She spoke softly, tears pooling in her eyes once more. "I've loved you for twenty years of you being gone Troy. Don't tell me there's nothing I can say."

"Gabriella, I-" my dad stopped, his face filled with amazement, "You still love me?"

Gabriella sighed, then looked up at my dad, a tiny smile on her lips. "Troy... I never stopped."

"But then why...?" My dad's eyes widened. "What didn't you tell me back then Ella?" I looked up, thinking he was speaking to me, then realized he was still talking to Gabriella. He named me after her... I realized, my eyes filling with tears. He never forgot his first love.

Gabriella smiled sadly, then reached up and ran her hand through my dad's hair. "I wish I could tell you that Troy. But it's... complicated. I thought I was doing the right thing. Now," she glanced at Nate and I, and her smile reached out to me, "now... I don't know what to think." She stared down at the ground, then back up into my dad's face. "I'm sorry."

She pulled away, and turned to go, but my dad stopped her. "Where are you going?"

"I'm sorry Troy... but I don't know anything anymore. I'm confused and... and.. you were right. There's nothing I can say now."

"No." My dad pulled her back and into his arms. "You were right. And I may not understand a lot of what's going on right now, or what brought you here. But I do know two things for sure." He stared down at her and said, "I still love you too."

I heard Gabriella gasp. "Troy, you don't mean that. It's been so long. We've both changed and... and there are things you don't know."

"I don't care what I don't know. I do know I love you Gabriella Montez." He leaned down his head and kissed her. Nate tightened his hold on my hand.

After a minute Gabriella slowly pulled away. Breathlessly she said, "What was the other thing you knew for sure?"

My dad smiled. "That no matter how much you try to pull away, this time, I'm not letting you go without a fight. The fight I should have fought twenty years ago."

"Troy I-" She stopped as he kissed her again.

As they pulled away I heard my dad whisper to her, "Don't overthink it... remember, like kindergarten."

Her smile told me she understood, even if I didn't. She relaxed and laid her head on his shoulder. We all stood like that for awhile, outside of my house in the dark, breathing in the quiet aftermath of the emotional storm we had just been through. Then I heard Nate whisper to me, "You were right. She was your dad's mystery girl." There was a short pause. "And I was wrong. It wasn't a long shot. It was a miracle."

I smiled in the darkness. "I knew."

I could barely see his returned smile. "I know you did."

The sound of a car horn jolted us all back to reality. I turned to see Michael, Aunt Taylor and Uncle Chad stop their car in front of our house. They saw me first.

"Ella!" Michael ran up to me and hugged me fiercly. "We thought you were lost!"

"I was." I smiled. "But I got a little help from a friend."

"What friend?" Uncle Chad hugged me too then peered at my dad. "Troy? Who's...?" I heard him gasp. "Gabriella?"

Gabriella pulled away from my dad, her face shining. "One and the same."

"I-I don't... don't... believe it..." Uncle Chad stammered.

Aunt Taylor stared back and forth between her and my dad. "Are you two... friendly again?" Her voice sounded disbelieving.
"Well... yes. I think so." My dad said casually, before pulling her towards him again and whirling her around as he kissed her. He set her back down and grinned. "You could say that."

There was a moment of complete silence. Them Michael's voice broke the silence. "Ummm is there something I'm missing?"

Nate, Gabriella, my dad and I all burst out laughing. My dad grinned again, looking younger than I had ever seen him look before. "Let's all go inside where we can see eachother again and I'll try to fill in all of the blanks. Though," he glanced over at me, "I think I'm missing a few things too." I smiled awkwardly at him.

As everyone walked inside I hung back a little bit, smiling. Tonight.. this day.. life recently had been so filled with every kind of surprise and twist. I couldn't help but wonder how many more were to come. Nate looked back at me. "You coming?"

"Yeah but Nate?" I looked at him, wondering how to say what was on my mind. "About earlier..."

He smiled. "It's okay Ella. You told me. You're not sure if it can even mean anything. But you know what? I don't even know that I care right now. Let's just not worry about it. If it happens... it happens."
I nodded and took a deep breath. "Thanks, but that's not what I was going to say."

He raised his eyebrows. "What were you going to say?"

"Well, I was thinking about going to the East High Alumni Reunion Dinner with my dad. I know he said he wasn't sure if he was going but I think he will, you know, now. So I was wondering if maybe you would... want to go with me?" I bit my lip, then hurried on, wanting to fill the awkward silence. "I mean it's fine if you don't want to. I'm pretty sure it's formal so you'd have to get all dressed up and that probably seems really lame to you and besides who wants to hang out with all my parents highschool friends anyway right? But somehow... I mean I guess I thought it would be cool... but uh... yeah... never mind." I blushed and started to hurry up the steps of my porch.

He caught my arm. "I'd love to go."

"Oh." I felt myself start to smile again. "Great!"

"But what about Stephen?"

"What about him?" I said, confused.

"Well, wouldn't you rather go with him?"

I laughed. "No."

He looked surprised. "Are you sure? Cause Ella you really don't have to do this. You don't have to pretend or make me feel better or anything."

I grinned. "Are you trying to talk me out of it?"

"No! I mean uh, no, it's just that, uh..." He paused then laughed. "You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"Hey!" I said, not answering his question. "If you don't want to go, just say so."

He smiled. "I guess I could fit it in to my calendar." He leaned closer to me and I was surprised to feel my knees going weak. Oh my gosh Ella, how more junior high can you get right now? I laughed at myself.

"Good." I said simply. "You do that."

I started to walk to the door but he stopped me. "Ella?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm going to do the play."

I smiled at him, even though I wasn't sure if he could see. "I'm glad." I opened the door and walked inside.

Uncle Chad quirked an eyebrow at us as we walked in. "What were you two doing out there on the porch?"

I laughed. "Talking, Uncle Chad. Talking."

"Oh really?" My dad teased. "And is that what you were doing when I first walked outside?"

I blushed. Nate looked embarrassed, then pleased.

Michael laughed. "How did you know that Uncle Troy? From what I just heard it sounded like you walked outside and the first thing you saw was Gabriella."

My dad laughed too. "I think it's a father thing Michael. You become very aware that you have a pretty young daughter around teenage boys sometimes."

Gabriella and Aunt Taylor walked back in the room then, wiping their eyes with Kleenex. "I just can't believe it." Aunt Taylor said, laughing and crying at the same moment. "After all this time, finally coming back home. And still being... you!" She hugged her. "Gabriella, I've missed you so much."

Gabriella hugged back. "I've missed you too Tay. More than you'll ever know."
Aunt Taylor sat down, pulling Gabriella down with her too. "I want to know everything! How has your life been?"

Gabriella smiled quietly. "Mostly it's been really good."

"Mostly?" My dad moved closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders. "Why only mostly?"

"Well... about six years ago I found out I had breast cancer."

I heard my dad gasp, saw his arm tighten around her shoulders, but he said nothing.
Aunt Taylor said, "Oh Gabby... that must have been so hard."

She smiled sadly. "It was. But..." she pulled out her car keys and showed everyone a tiny pink ribbon on her key chain. "I'm a survivor. I made it through. It's all gone now, and my doctors say I'm perfectly healthy."

Uncle Chad nodded. "You always were a survivor Gabby."

Gabriella smiled. "It was amazing of course, getting better I mean, but doctor's bills are expensive. I had been out of work for a long time when I was sick and I didn't have much of an income to begin with."

I saw my dad frown over her head at Uncle Chad. Aunt Taylor raised her eyebrows. I glanced at Nate and realized he had picked up on this subtle question in the air, but didn't know what it was anymore than I did.

Gabriella continued, "Anyway, I got into a lot of debt... but I'm working it off, slowly but surely. My insurance covered a little, and that was good. But anyway, I came back to Albequerque to get a new start. I never imagined that you'd still be here." She glanced at my dad. "I thought you'd be off touring the world with the best playing basketball teams by now."

My dad ducked his head. "No... after we- after it ended, I wasn't doing so good on the court. The coach gave me a break because he honestly thought I had potential. But one night my buddies and I..." his eyes flickered to Chad who stared down at the ground, "we got drunk. I was driving and lost control of the wheel. We hit a tree. A couple of the guys were pretty banged up, but I had gotten the worst of the impact. I injured my leg so badly that I had to go through months in the hospital and later in physical therapy. Even after all that it still wasn't as good as it used to be obviously. Not good enough to play professionally anyway."

Gabriella's eyes widened. "Troy... I... I had no idea. I'm so sorry."

My dad smiled. "It's alright. While I was in physical therapy I met a nurse named Helen." He smiled at me. "I married her a year later."

Gabriella nodded. I wondered if she'd feel sad, thinking about my dad with another woman, but her smiled appeared to be genuine.
"Anyway, after that, my goals changed. We wanted to have a family. After college I brought her back here. We got this house. We had a beautiful baby girl named Ella." He smiled at me again. "Then after she died I was concentrating hard on raising Ella alone. Parenting's no joke." Gabriella nodded then stopped abruptly. My dad continued, "Anyway I started coaching basketball down at East High. Took my dad's place after he and Mom moved down to Florida for retirement. And since then... life's been good."

Gabriella smiled. "I think raising a daughter to be the person I know Ella is is better than winning a hundred basketball trophies."

Troy smiled at her and then at me. "I think so too."

I grinned. "Yeah, what's having a trophy to having a real live angel in your house?" Michael groaned and I shoved him playfully as the others laughed.

Aunt Taylor brought the conversation back around to Gabriella. "So Gabby, did you ever get married?"

Gabriella smiled. "No, I didn't. I'm afraid I left my heart in someone else's hands."

Dad pulled her close to him. Gabriella took a deep breath. "But, there is something I need to tell you all. Right now, before anything gets more complicated."

"What?" Uncle Chad looked concerned.

"I have a son." She said the rest in a rush. "He's nineteen and his name is Alex."

I jumped even as the room fell completely silent. A nineteen year old boy named Alex? There's no way...

I was brought back to the present by my dad's pained voice. "Whose child is he?"

Gabriella took another deep breath and looked my father straight in the eye. "Troy, he's yours."

AN: Woah. How many of you saw that coming? I hope not everybody cause I tried really really really hard not to even hint that Alex was Gabriella's son (and Troy's!) until this chapter. And that's where the special shout out comes in. Now that the secrets out I'd like to give a shout out to Callie1121 who reviewed on chapter seven and said she had a "hunch" that Alex was Gabriella's son. You were right, good job! :) Thanks for reading!