Hey people sorry I haven't written any thank you's in the last chapter, I have been so busy but that doesn't mean I appreciate your words any less I'm thinking to post 'Talk to Terri' next unless there are any votes for another story…
Happily Ever After
"All better?" Jack asked as they came inside and Troy rested his hand at the base of Gabi's spine.
"All better," she confirmed with a shy nod.
"Sorry you felt ill before our welcome dinner, we'll try again tomorrow, what do you say?"
Gabi swallowed. "I would be honoured, thank you." She answered when 'okay' would have sufficed.
"Hm, well I expect you need some rest still?" Jack guessed.
Troy cleared his throat. "I'm going to stay with Gabi tonight just in case the fever returns…"
"I'm sure it will," Jack teased and Troy blushed nearly as heavily as Gabi did.
"Thanks, dad," he complained before he led Gabi up the sweeping stairs to the guest room assigned to her.
"Oh, Troy…" His mother called as he opened the door and gestured Gabi inside first.
"Hey, mom," he greeted coolly.
"Is Gabi okay?"
"Yeah, all better," he assured.
"Can I say goodnight?" Julia asked and Troy sighed.
"We had a long trip back, Austin wouldn't stop talking…I think she just wants to rest now," Troy semi-lied to quicken the chances of lying beside Gabi in her bed.
"I understand," Julie nodded. "In the morning then, we'll catch up…"
"Good idea," he agreed and went inside Gabi's room, closing the door behind him with a sigh.
"Tense about something?"
He popped his eyes open to find Gabi in just her lacy underwear, leaning against the post of the bed.
"Did they turn you into a vixen in that hospital?"
"No!" she laughed. "I was just getting changed and you came in…
"I should knock," he conceded, turning away to walk to the dresser and he gripped his hands on the mahogany and looked down to his white knuckles.
"Come to bed," Gabi enveloped him from behind with a hug and he smiled, just a fraction.
"You drive me insane, woman," he sighed and turned to reveal himself to her. His haggard; tense, aroused self.
"This is my doing?" she feigned innocence.
"You went down on me in the back of a car and now you pretend you don't know how sexy that was?" he marveled.
"I didn't know what I was unleashing…"
"No, you sure didn't…" he growled and threw off his jacket. "But you do now…"
"Troy!" she giggled as his hands came up to grab her- any of her- like some perverted old man on the loose.
"I mean it, Gabi. You can run, but you can't hide…" he dodged around her room to capture her, failing every time as she just slightly missed his touch.
"I'm supposed to be resting," she chided with the most mischievous glint he'd ever seen as she crawled upon the bed on all fours and meowed at him.
"That's it…" he stated and unbuckled his jeans with shaky hands, kicking them off as he went after her and this time she didn't run. She didn't laugh and she didn't cower, she merely smiled up into his face as he grabbed her and flipped her onto her back where he could kiss her with the strength he felt flowing through his veins.
The strength that evidenced in his boxers and rubbed her softness.
"Troy," she whispered, running her hands down his shirted chest and then taking either side of the fabric to rip the small round fastenings apart from the material, showering them onto the wooden floor with little raining tatters.
"Good, god," he husked, closing his eyes and willing his body control as he felt the revolution hit his groin.
"Take them off," she demanded of his underwear and he merely obeyed her, too surprised at her sudden desire to argue otherwise, but doubt crept into his mind as she rid her bra and lay bare to his gaze, bar her panties.
"Is this what you want?" he wondered, breathless from their foreplay.
She nodded.
"Are you sure? You're still weak from the fever…"
"I'm okay," she assured. "All better."
"You were never this…" he groped for a word. "Uh…wanton…before," he pointed out.
"Wanton?" she repeated and he held his breath as he realized he may have just blown it. Instead of arguing, she merely smiled and ran her fingers into his hair. "I guess I am…"
"Look, don't get me wrong, I love that you're…wanton and everything," he cleared his throat; body to body with her and aching to fill her. "But are you sure you're ready for this?"
"Ready for what?" her eyes glimmered teasingly.
"For…this. Us. Making love…" he added awkwardly.
Her lips curled up and she kissed him- a kiss that left no doubt in his mind as to what she wanted. She was no longer a girl kissing him- or a princess. She was no longer hung up about her dad, or his mom, or anything that usually tempered her passion.
She kissed him like a woman- long, strong and proud and she pressed her breasts up for his touch, receiving it and vocalizing her pleasure at that fact and he could only watch in awe as they rode their high wave together; surfing down the edges with steady unease.
"This means everything to me," he whispered, wondering if this being his first time would mean he would ruin everything and make it awful for her.
"Stop talking and make love to me, cadet," she kissed him again, tenderly to soften her demand.
"Yes, ma'am," he murmured back and jerked his hips to thrust inside her, something he had planned to do very gently and ended up failing on.
"Sorry…sorry," he winced, checking her face and seeing only awe.
She moaned in pleasure and bucked for more.
"Easy, princess," he begged in a whisper, feeling her taking him deep inside to a place he had never been. "This is…"
He kissed her lips hard and fast as his body took over; giving himself to her in long, deep strokes that he hoped to god she was enjoying because he didn't think he could stop right now if he tried.
He closed his eyes and shook the sweat away from his brow, opening them to watch her, his breathing tight and forced as his body begged to be set free from its pleasured prison while he tried his hardest to make this sweet for her.
Gabi sighed and gasped with each thrust he gave, taking him into her giving body and wanting to give even more as they climbed this pleasure mountain together, both new to these sensations, both sharing something they previously had not.
So what, she was going to wait for marriage and forgo this sweet, pleasurable pain, she mused? She wouldn't give this moment up for anything. She could have caught something a lot more fatal than 'Jungle Fever' and it spurred her to remember what was important to her. Troy. He was all that really mattered right now and this was all that mattered.
This exquisite, unique sharing of their bodies and more than that, of their souls as they both reached their pinnacles and collapsed together, sated, exhausted and more in love than ever.
Troy fought for breath as Gabi's smaller, softer body cushioned his. "Oh god…oh god…" he panted, dipping his forehead to hers then opening his eyes to try and focus against the orgasm that blinded him.
"It's okay, it's okay," Gabi repeated as she stroked his back.
"Did I…Did I hurt you?" he panicked, finally focusing on her sweat-dampened face, her smile telling, her eyes bright with satisfaction and soft with pleasure.
"No, Troy," she murmured, kissing his jaw.
"Wait…" he sighed out and tried to relieve her of his weight, rolling to one side and throwing an arm over his eyes at the same moment he reached his other arm to pull her close.
"What is it?" she whispered, draping against his side beautifully. So much so, he removed his arm to kiss her hair.
"I didn't use anything," he whispered back, annoyed that the moment had gotten away from them both and he hadn't protected her.
"I have birth control pills," she answered quickly to relieve his worry.
"Oh," he said, surprised, then relaxed a bit. "Oh."
She giggled. "Are you disappointed?"
"No…no…just…for a second there I imagined a little Troy running around and it wasn't such a bad image…" he admitted.
"Maybe in a few years," she conceded.
"You mean you can spend that long with me?" he quipped, pulling her tight into a cuddle.
"I think so," she nuzzled against him with equal comfort.
"You think so, huh?" he burrowed his lips into her hair.
"It all depends…" she fingered her necklace a little as they embraced.
"On what?"
"On if you ever end this stupid courtship and buy me a ring!" she teased and propped against his chest to smile into his face.
He draped her hair back and gave a little smile. "What if I really did buy a ring?" he asked.
Gabi bit into her lower lip. "For show?" she asked, breathlessly.
"No, for real," he posed.
"Troy," she blinked.
"What would you do?" he asked again.
"I would…" she held her breath and met his eyes, wondering if he was for real. The nervous shimmer behind his blue eyes told her he was. "I would…"
"I was hoping there might be a 'yes' in there somewhere," he mused.
"Yes to what, Troy? What are you asking me?" she begged.
"I'm asking you if you really want to marry me, Gabi." He admitted. "No more pretend, no more facades or dressing in ugly dresses…just me and you, travelling the world…committed…together," he described.
"Is this the proposal?" she remarked. "Because you really suck at it…"
"Hey," he rolled toward her as she rolled away and he pinned her down gently with his weight. "Will you marry me?"
Gabi smiled softly at his question. "I guess so," she beamed as he rolled his eyes, but she took his cheeks with her hands and kissed his mouth. "Yes, Troy."
"Yes?" he lifted his brows, surprised himself.
"Yes!" she giggled.
"I need to get that ring…"
"Uh-huh," she nodded as he rolled to sit up. "Where are you going?"
"To get a ring…" he repeated as if she should know that already.
"Now?"
"Yep," he slung on a polo top and stepped into clean briefs followed by jeans.
"Troy, the ring can wait," Gabi whined, rolling on the bed. "Come back to bed."
"Nope, I'm going to do this properly. I'm going to buy a ring, ask your father's permission and get down on one knee…"
"Troy, I already said yes…" she reminded him. "If you're going to wait for my father's permission then you may as well forget it…"
He smiled at her patiently. "I still have to ask."
"Fine," she sighed and knelt up, crawling across to the edge of the bed where she grasped for his shirt and pulled him closer. "But can it wait until tomorrow?"
/
"That bloody helicopter is back…" Joseph cussed as he lay his knife down with a clatter against his plate.
Thomas looked at him in surprise.
"What are you gaping at, man?" Joseph huffed and headed for the door behind Hugo, about to receive the visitors they both knew only too well.
"Sir, Prince Troy and Princess Gabi are requesting your company…" Hugo announced the obvious.
"Best let them in then," Joseph allowed gruffly, but secretly chagrined at Gabi's departure and now her return.
"Sir," Troy nodded.
"Father," Gabi swallowed.
"It's good to see you," Joseph allowed.
"I'm going to call Evelia," Gabi stated quietly and she followed Thomas through the house while Troy stood in the hall with her father.
"You best come into the study," Joseph decided as he watched Gabi walk away and he pre-empted what was happening here.
/
"I know what you're going to say," Joseph sat in his leather chair and waited for Troy to sit in the wooden one opposite his desk.
"I expect you do," Troy arched a brow.
"You want to ask for my daughter's hand in marriage…" Joseph guessed.
Troy pursed his lips, a little surprised at Joseph's intelligence. "Yes, sir."
"So, tell me, Troy Bolton, Prince of Massachusetts, what kind of life can you offer my daughter?" Joseph asked the question he asked all of the suitors who came here.
Troy licked his lips, knowing the right answer would be something along the lines of 'the life of a princess, of course', but actually, he'd be lying. Because Gabi was to be his equal, his partner, his best friend and confidante and he didn't want to treat her like a spoiled princess at all. He wanted to love her with all of his heart and tell her when she was being a pain…
"One full of love," he answered honestly, bringing Joseph's skeptical gaze up.
"No-one ever said that before," he admitted sourly, standing and asking Troy to stand too. He circled the boy as he stroked his bearded chin and then came to stop before him.
"I was just being honest," Troy defended.
"And what of my daughter? She is to be treated like the Princess she is?"
"With all due respect, sir, I do not wish to marry a spoiled princess. I wish to marry a woman who is my equal at the very least; if not more…"
Joseph chuckled. "You will have a spoiled princess if you marry Gabi…"
"Then so be it," Troy assured, knowing deep down that Gabi was not really as spoiled as she made out to be.
"You'll take her?" Joseph checked. "As she is?"
"As she is, sir."
"Troubled and wayward and out at all hours dancing?" he asked.
"Yes, sir…"
"And you'll provide for her?"
"Of course."
"What about children?"
"What about them, sir?" Troy frowned.
"Do you want them?"
Troy smirked at that question, having answered it earlier with Gabi in bed. "I do."
"So where's the ring?" Joseph demanded and Troy took out the small velvet box from his pocket.
He'd barely had time to shop, barely had time to choose the ring but he had already seen it; when he was choosing the tiger's eye gift for her in the jewellery shop.
And now she would have a ring to match- a yellow diamond no less.
"It's yellow…" Joseph squinted at the small stone and flustered.
"It's a yellow diamond sir, very rare. Like Gabi." He added for brownie points.
Joseph looked him in the eye. "And what has changed within you, Bolton?" The older man wondered. "Were you not riding on a motorcycle and drinking but two months ago?"
Troy nodded. "And now I have Gabi."
"That's all it takes to resolve you of your rampant teens? My girl?"
"That's all," Troy stood firm and lifted his chin just a notch.
"You'd be a fine husband for any girl," Joseph sighed and Troy wondered if he had hit the pass mark.
"Is that a yes, then?" he pushed and Joseph sighed again.
"If you must take my little girl away from me, then I'd rather it be for love than anything else…" he conceded.
"Then why let those other guys come in here?" Troy struggled to understand and Joseph's answer mirrored the ideas of his own parents.
"To keep her here." He admitted, sighing shamefully out.
"I'm not trying to take her away from you…" Troy offered. "I brought her back, didn't I?"
Joseph smirked. "Yes, son, you did. You have my permission. Now we best go and tell her so she starts talking to me again…"
/
"Gabi…" Joseph marched across the hallway to the lounge where he found his youngest; biting her lower lip nervously, her eyes wide with worry as she looked up.
Joseph swallowed and paused, wanting to embrace her but knowing he had to give the news, first.
"Yes, father?" she looked up, then stood.
"This boy…this man," he amended. "This man has asked for your hand in marriage."
Gabi swallowed. "Yes, father."
"Do you love him?"
The question surprised her; for she wasn't expecting it.
"Yes, I do," she assured quietly, looking at Troy who stood behind her father, smartly presented.
"And you will take good care of him?"
"As a wife should," she nodded.
"And you promise to visit us as often as you can?" he added, emotional tears gleaning his eyes.
"Why of course…Father-"
"I have given my permission." Joseph stated, cutting her off and Gabi gasped, her eyes lighting as she ran to him and hugged him quickly.
"Father," she said again, more emotionally as tears tracked down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Gabi, for ever trying to force you to marry someone you didn't love…" Joseph apologized as he pulled back and looked at his daughter who was in tears.
"It's okay, father. I can forgive you as you forgave me for my mistakes…"
"I've spoken to your young man here and I am sure he will make you happy."
Gabi nodded and looked to Troy over her father's shoulder, meeting his gaze. "Or drive me insane."
Joseph chuckled and looked round. "I suppose I should leave you to propose…"
Troy smiled a little. "No rush," he assured.
Joseph kissed Gabi's cheek. "I love you, my youngest baby. Do not leave me straight away…"
"We'll see what happens," she replied diplomatically, not wanting to make a promise she couldn't keep. The plan was to go travelling as soon as the engagement was celebrated and announced.
"See you at dinner," he kissed her temple and shook Troy's hand before leaving and Troy watched with a confused frown.
"I think he likes me…"
"What did you say in there?" she wondered, equally bemused.
He shrugged. "Just that I love you and I'd take care of you…"
"Well it worked!" she beamed and he quickly smiled, too, brushing her tears away with his thumbs.
"Go figure…" he commented and she swallowed as the moment became serious.
"Gabi…" he began, nervously clearing his throat.
"Troy, really, you don't have to do this…" she begged and he stepped back, going onto one knee gallantly.
"Gabriella Montez…" he tried again, taking her hand and taking a breath in.
"Troy…"
"Will you do me the grand honour of being my wife?" he asked as royally as he could manage; which made her want to giggle excitedly but she held it down with another swallow.
Gabi remembered their meeting; the times they had shared in the jungle. She remembered the days after they had come back where her father; and then his mother had tried to block their romance.
She remembered how they had thrown caution to the wind and made love in her guest bedroom, every moment of that night as special as this moment right now, where he asked for her lifetime commitment.
And it didn't feel anything like those other times she had been 'proposed to' although being suited to someone was hardly the same giddying experience, she measured.
And she couldn't ever have imagined meeting someone she wanted to marry who was also a Royal; but here it had happened and in the best way possible because she knew that under Austin's formal façade he still owned that Bolton charm and she had hope that her and Troy could share the same kind of secret humour and affection that his brother clearly did.
So while he knelt and nervously waited for her answer, his tongue licking over his upper lip, she considered herself to be very lucky indeed. Two short weeks in the jungle from hell had brought her a lifetime of contentment.
"I guess you'll do," she finally grinned, shrieking as he stood and grasped her around the waist to spin her.
"You can never just say 'yes' can you?" he accused softly before his lips came down on hers to seal their engagement.
Gabi ran her fingers into his hair and smiled. "I would be honoured to be your wife," she added.
He pursed his lips and looked sideways. "Now you're just being facetious…" he said as he put her down.
"I am not," she arched her brow sulkily.
"Uh-huh," he still held her close and grinned into her face with his happiness.
Her fingers continued to stroke his hair. "I love you very much, Troy Bolton." She assured.
His smile almost undid her, his blue eyes lazily half-closing. "I love you too, future Mrs. Bolton…"
Their kissing continued for a long time after.
/
Ecuador didn't hold them for long. The two young intrepid explorers ventured out into the world to experience the life and cultures of others as they both yearned to.
It was on a balmy night in Cape Town that Gabi found herself testing the niggling worry that she had carried around for the last few days.
Last few weeks, even. Three weeks to be precise. Three weeks since her last period was due.
Oh, god, she swallowed down the fear that rose in her throat. Please don't let me be pregnant.
Not only would it put this amazing trip to a possibly early end; but it would change everything between her and Troy and that was what she feared the most.
They had only been engaged for two months, barely had time to enjoy each other and had only just got into their worldwide sabbatical; but she knew somehow that being pregnant would change all that.
She was too young, she worried. Barely an adult herself and yet somewhere deep down, she secretly hoped her worry was real and that her body was hiding Troy's child deep within. It would be their ultimate sign of love, the fruit of their love-making and she knew she wouldn't be able to give a child up should she be expecting one; no matter how young or frightened she felt.
"Come on, come on," she lay the white stick on the top of the toilet seat and hurried the result along. Troy would wonder where she had got to.
So used to spending every minute in each other's company, they missed each other should one of them drift away for long.
It surprised her that they hadn't fed of each other yet, demanding time to themselves individually, but she smiled softly as she remembered the only time they had ever rowed from being in close confines then resulted in a making up session each would never forget.
So he would notice, she mused as she pursed her lips. And she would need an excuse to cover her absence.
Bad stomach? Headache? Felt sick?
Any of those reasons would do, she sighed as she closed her eyes and prayed upwards that her lack of period was due to their travelling lifestyle rather than her other theory.
Oh, shit.
She opened her eyes to a thick red line, indicating she was really pregnant. Really, really.
Shit.
Now how was she going to tell Troy? He loved travelling. She loved travelling with him. Their year-long plan would be cut down to six months, easily. And then there was Troy. He wouldn't want her to be flying and backpacking and being active during a pregnancy, she could see it now…
Not that she minded being cared for, but she was young enough to want her own identity and not be snowed under looking after a child.
How did this happen? She sucked her teeth and thought hard. They'd been so careful. Mostly because they wanted to enjoy this carefree time and not let on to their parents they were bending the catholic rule of no sex before marriage.
In fact they had talked about marrying in India with just the two of them and whichever two witnesses they could conjure up but she wondered if they would still get to do that now. Eloping sounded so exciting but suddenly the romance of travelling washed away to hit her hard with reality.
She was carrying Troy's baby. Probably because of that stupid night they shared their first time together and she assumed her pill had covered them when in actual fact, her visit to the hospital meant she had missed a dose and seemingly left her body vulnerable.
Oh, god. This was all her own fault, she sighed. This horrible, messy, complication was of her own doing, he might never forgive her, he might-
"Gabi?" Troy's concerned voice sounded through the door accompanied by a light knock. "Are you okay in there?"
"Yes," she called out, swallowing as her voice threatened to break. "Give me a minute…"
She quickly stuffed the test into her cargo trouser pocket and opened the door with a flourish.
Troy startled from his position close to the door and stepped back while she closed the door behind her.
"Are you sure?" he squinted, checking her over with his eyes.
"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" she asked lightly, her throat tight with her lies.
"Because you were gone for ages…"
"Ten minutes is hardly ages," she chided, avoiding his eyes.
"I love you," he said and she had come to recognize that this was his test. If he ever thought she was having doubts, or wanted to know what she was really feeling, he would tell her this and he would judge her emotional state on her response. It worked every time. And it would have worked this time had she not been distracted by her thoughts.
"I love you, too," she replied without thinking.
"What?" he asked, suspiciously as she brushed by him.
"I love you, too," she repeated, then winced as she realized her mistake. She should have insulted him or asked him what his name was again, that's what he expected.
"Ok now I know something is up…" he followed her out onto the veranda of the ranch they were staying in; quickly shadowing her at the railing where she gripped on and stared out. His body behind hers protected her; and his lips trailed down her neck to remind her of his desire for her.
"Troy, not now," she sighed, leaning away.
He lifted his brows. "Why, what's wrong?"
Gabi took a deep breath in and wondered what lie she could create. Then she considered the truth. And then she weighed up which would hurt him more.
She twisted so that she faced him and she bit into her lower lip.
"I found something out," she began hesitantly and he waited patiently for her to continue.
"Okay…"
"In the bathroom, I…I took a test because I had an idea that you know…" she cleared her throat. "I haven't had a period since we left." She added bluntly.
Troy's lips had already begun curving. "Are you...?" his eyes glimmered with the possibility of what she would say.
"Don't look so happy about it," she grumbled as he spoiled her news and he took an excited breath in and then whooshed it out, wrapping his arms around her waist to lift her.
"Say the words, Gabi," he begged, all smiles.
"I'm pregnant, okay?" she said flatly. "I'm pregnant…"
His smile faded along with the light in his eyes as he stared at her. "You're not happy about it?" he murmured, even more concerned than when he had knocked on the bathroom door for her.
She shrugged one shoulder up. "Not especially…"
"Why? God, Gabi, why on earth not? This is amazing! I feel like a little kid at Christmas!" he enthused, framing her face.
"Exactly. We're kids ourselves…this isn't exactly planned and-"
"Wait a second…did this happen the night we…" he trailed off, squinting in suspicion.
"First made love?" she supplied. "I think so."
"Oh, wow," his grin couldn't be tamed anymore even though he tried his hardest to look solemn out of respect for her concern.
"Our trip would be cut short," she began her reasons for worrying and not enjoying this moment like she should be.
"Who cares?" he struck back.
"You might always resent that you didn't get to see everything…"
"Gabi, you're carrying my child. Who cares about the Taj Mahal?" he bemused.
"What about us, then? We're not even married…"
"We'll go tomorrow," he stated.
"Troy…"
"What? What else?" he encouraged and she knew he would have an answer for any niggling doubt in her mind.
He licked his lips and watched her dark lashes fall to her cheeks and this time he frowned.
"You don't think I'll love you just as much?" he asked, hurt.
"You might feel differently…you might want to wrap me up and over-protect me…" her eyes lifted to his and he wished to god he could ease her fears but on that point, he knew he had no chance.
"You bet your sweet life I will," he grinned and wrapped her up in his arms just as she suspected. "But that's not new…"
"Troy," she called his attention. "I'm afraid of losing who I am. Of losing this…"
"You won't." He said flatly. "I'm not going anywhere."
She sighed and swallowed, a smile glittering her lips for the first time.
"Then we're doing this?" she asked tentatively.
"If you want to," he put the emphasis on this being her choice.
"I want to," she assured. "I just needed some reassurance."
Troy touched his forehead to hers. "I love you, Gabi. I can't wait to have a baby with you."
"I love you too," she replied and then smiled mischievously. "Princey."
THE END.