AN: Hey, guys! SkyChasm here, reporting for duty! Yes, it really is me (for those of you who are familiar with my works). This is actually hsmgal142's story; I'm only the co-writer - a really bad one at that for letting this story get delayed so much. Anyway, we just want to say, thank you for all those people who read this story and for being patient enough to put up with the delays. It was mostly my fault… ehehe… so the reason why it was delayed so much was that I, Angela, moved to a new place so I lost the internet for two weeks. And every time Abbey sends the file to me, it gets corrupted or it just doesn't work. I think my computer hates me.

So, anyway, we hope you guys understand our situation! This novel of an author's note is going to end now and I'll let you read the story. Enjoy!

"Don't worry Gabby, it'll be okay." Troy comforted as he rubbed his thumb over the top of her hand.

She sighed. "I hope so."

With Chad, Taylor, and Sharpay

"I hope they're okay." Taylor said.

"Yeah, me too. I just can't help but think that it's partially my fault he took Jen and all of this jazz happened. If I just didn't go along with it and try to talk him out of it, none of this would have happened." Sharpay confessed, her eyes welling up with tears.

Taylor patted her shoulder. "Hon, it's not your fault. It's just he is, well, a bit crazy for doing what he did. I'm sure he'll think about everything and get over Gabriella."

"I don't think he will. Whenever Ryan wants something, he really wants it. And if he wants Gabby, he'll do anything to get her." Sharpay disagreed.

"Speaking of Ryan, look who just pulled up." Chad said, looking through the window. The girls walked up to the window and saw Ryan's car in the driveway and him getting out. And they noticed that something was in his pocket.

"What's he doing here? And what's in his pocket?" Taylor asked.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling that we're about to find out." Chad said. Just then, Ryan opened the door without being invited in and walked into the living room.

"Hey guys, what's up? Have any of you seen the Bolton's anywhere? I needed to talk to them about something." He said.

"What makes you think we're going to tell you?" Chad snapped.

"This." He said and pulled a gun out of his pocket and pointed it at Taylor. "If you don't tell me where they are, I'll shoot your wife."

The couple's faces drained all its color, their eyes darting toward the small but lethal contraption in the blonde boy's hand as they clung onto each other for dear life, Chad stepping up in front of Taylor and raising his hand in defense.

"Hold on there, man," He said. "Why are you doing this? Man, you weren't like this before… what happened?"

Ryan smirked. "What happened?" He menaced. "Bolton happened. Yep. That summer held so many memories. He didn't care about Gabriella; he hurt her! And while he was so absorbed in all the fame he'd been getting, I was there for her! And yet, he chose that--"

"Whoa, hold on there… who Gabby loves is her choice, not yours. I mean, if you really like her, why don't you just be happy for her? Instead of standing here, acting like a total lunatic and endangering everybody's lives!" Chad put in.

"You know, Chad… you have a point," Ryan inclined, looking to his side and bringing his hand down. With that simple gesture, Chad and Taylor breathed sighs of relief and waited for his next move, thinking that he'd finally come to his senses, apologize, and move on. But they were wrong. Dead wrong.

"But that's not enough," With one swift move, Ryan launched himself behind Taylor and locked her neck around his arm, pushing his gun on her temple.

Taylor tried her hardest to get free from his grasp as she choked on air but found it utterly hard as he kept tightening his grip on her with each false move she makes. "Now tell me where they are and nobody gets hurt."

Chad, not knowing what to do, inwardly panicked and blurted out, "They're on their way to San Diego in Gabriella's Mom's house!" As soon as those words came out of his mouth, his hand flew to his mouth as Ryan smirked and let go of Taylor. Dropping to the ground, Taylor gasped for breath and grasped her neck, simultaneously choking on air.

"Ryan, please… don't--" Sharpay tried, only to be pushed harshly to the ground.

A door was heard slamming throughout the household as Chad ran over to his wife and picked her up, rubbing her back. "Tay, you okay?"

With one more gasp, Taylor raised her head and glared at her husband. "What the hell were you thinking?!" She wailed.

"I-I-Well, I don't know! I didn't know what to do! He was going to kill you! It just… slipped out!"

"Slipped out?! Who knows what's going to happen to Troy, Gabriella and Jen once he finds them?!"

Sharpay stood up from the ground and helped Taylor off the ground, saying, "We can do this later. Right now, we gotta get to San Diego; and fast."

WITH TROY, GABRIELLA AND JEN

"When is this going to end?" Jen asked from out of the blue as Troy pulled out in the Montez driveway.

Getting out of the car, Gabriella walked over to the backseat and helped her daughter out. "Soon enough, Jen. Don't worry. It'll end soon. Okay?" She attempted a smile, pushing a stray lock of her hair beneath her ears.

With a sigh, Jen nodded. "Okay…"

Troy smiled at the sight of his wife and daughter before turning to the front door and ringing the doorbell. The door opened and out came Gabriella's mother, smiling at them. Her smile soon dropped when she took notice of the distressed look on their faces and the numerous bruises on Jen's part.

"Oh, my Lord… I expected something bad but… not like this… hurry, get inside." She said, opening the door wider for them to come in.

A few minutes later, the Bolton family – minus Jen – who was sitting inside the house, letting her bruises heal - and Gabriella's mom were sitting in the picnic table in the Montez backyard, silence clouding over the whole situation until Maria decided to break the ice.

"Well, I'm going to get you something to eat," She said. "Are you sure you don't want to come inside?"

"No, Mom, we'll be fine here. We could use some fresh air. Thanks anyway." Gabriella smiled as they watched Maria disappear through the door.

As soon as she was out of sight, Troy sighed, running a hand through his sandy-brown hair. "Man… this is so messed up…"

"I know…" Gabriella's soft voice sounded. "I'm sorry, Troy…"

Hearing his wife's sudden apology, Troy lifted his head to look at her as his eyes immediately filled with worry, seeing tears building up in her eyes. He stood up and took the spot next to her, wrapping his arms around her small frame as she leaned into his touch and let the tears flow down her delicate face.

"Hey, hey… what are you saying sorry for?"

"This is all my fault…" Gabriella cried. "Ryan's only doing this because of me! And now, you and Jen and everybody else are a part of this, too! You don't deserve any of this!"

"No, no, don't say that. This isn't your fault. Okay?" Troy told her, lifting her chin up to look into her chocolate brown orbs. "I mean… who knew the guy would go as far as this just to get what he wants? Talk about spoiled…" He said, trying to lighten up the mood.

"But…"

"No, buts. I love you and our daughter and there's nothing that lunatic can do to change that. Okay?"

And for the first time since their lives were turned upside down, Gabriella smiled. A real smile. "Okay… I love you too, Troy… thank you…" She snuggled closer to him as he planted a soft kiss on her head.

But… their little moment was ruined when a familiarly menacing voice rang through their ears…

"Aww… isn't that sweet?"

WITH CHAD, TAYLOR AND SHARPAY

"Where are we?!" Taylor demanded at the driving blonde. "We have to get there now!"

"Well it's not my fault traffic in San Diego totally sucks!" Sharpay replied, keeping her eyes on the road. "Anyway, we're almost there, so don't worry."

"Yeah… they're gonna be fine, Tay. I know them." Chad reassured her, all the while reassuring himself.

Minutes later, they arrived in front of the Montez household and spotted Troy's car resting in the driveway. They ran up to the porch and was about to ring the doorbell when they heard an ear-splitting gunshot ring through the entire neighbourhood.

Their faces paled, trying their best not to expect the worse as they followed the origin of the sound and walked around the back. Their heads poked through the trees as their eyes widened and they gasped at the sight in front of them…