I'm back again! Whew, I honestly think this is the fastest I've updated another chapter in any story! Haha. I was just super motivated from the last chapter - thank you so much for all your kind words and feedback, so appreciated! =)

Anyway, this chapter is pretty emotionally heavy, so I'm hoping I've gotten my point across and it doesn't sound totally corny or unrealistic. Lol. Also - I love Sharpay. =P Again, flashbacks are in italics. The 'XXXXX' doesn't mean anything, just a break in scene in the flashback itself. The timeline of this story is sorta all over the place and at some parts, it feels like I'm telling two stories at once, but hopefully it doesn't get too confusing. If there's anything you guys wanna ask me - go right ahead!

Read on and tell me what you think! =D

Also...I do not own High School Musical or any of the Wildcats. Obviously. =P

Chapter 10: Losing It

"That's it!" a frustrated cry rang out through the Danforth house on a late Monday afternoon, followed by a slam of the front door. Sharpay flung her purse onto the floor and stomped into the kitchen to find Taylor standing at the stove, her eyes wide with concern and shock.

"Whoa. What happened?" she asked, turning the heat down and sitting on the kitchen stool. Grabbing two bottles of water, she slid one across the counter to Sharpay, who was tapping her manicured nails against the marbled top.

"She's just pacing back and forth through the house, mumbling to herself! I try and get her to sit down, but all I ever hear are half-finished sentences!" she took a long sip and slammed the bottle back onto the counter, before flailing her arms around wildly. "It's all, 'Troy hurt us,' or 'Brian deserved it,' or 'We were so in love,' and it just goes back around, all the damn time! She's driving me crazy!"

"I assume you're talking about Gabriella?" Chad asked, walking into the kitchen and twirling his cell phone in one hand.

"How'd you know?" Taylor smirked, lifting her cheek to Chad's lips.

"She's gone off the deep end, you guys. I'm serious. I am this close to putting her in a straitjacket!" Sharpay fumed, twisting the ends of her blond hair around her fingers. "Either that, or I'm just going to lock her and Troy in a room together and see which one comes out alive," she muttered.

"Okay, maybe you've lost it," Taylor laughed. "She's just vulnerable right now, Shar. We all have to be patient,"

"I'm a fucking saint!"

"Language," Chad warned, chuckling.

"Just let Gabriella feel sad right now. They've got a lot of unfinished business to work out and a lot of history," Taylor pointed out. "How's Troy doing, anyway?"

"He's at a training session right now, but he hasn't said anything about Gabi," Chad answered.

"Tell him that his ex-girlfriend is being a bitch and a half," Sharpay grumbled. "I get that she's sad and all, but I just wish she'd talk, you know? Or…something. Just anything that doesn't make it seem like she's a zombie,"

"It's not easy for them, Shar. If you and Zeke went through everything they did, I'm sure you'd be the same," Taylor offered.

"Um, I would've said yes if Zeke asked me to marry him,"

"Whoa! Okay, uncalled for, Evans," Chad motioned a time-out with his hands. "We don't know the reasons why Gabi didn't say yes, we don't know the reasons why Troy even asked her in the first place. It's all in the past, anyway. I don't see why we have to bring it up,"

"Because the past doesn't stay in the past," Taylor said simply.

"I just wish they'd see how perfect they are for each other," Sharpay mused, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. "Things were a lot easier when they were in love, you know?"

"Everything is easier when you're in love," Chad smirked, kissing his fiancée on the lips, causing Sharpay to wrinkle her nose in disgust.

"Oh, save it for the bedroom!" she laughed. "I guess I always believed in Troy and Gabriella making it,"

"I think we all did, Shar," Taylor nodded.

"Well, at any rate, a few dramatic months should be interesting. Troy's mad at Gabi, Gabi's confused, you two have a wedding to plan, and I'm going to lose all my hair from stressing out," Sharpay huffed.

"Do you think we can do this?" Gabriella whispered softly, tucking her feet around Troy's ankles, as they lay in bed together. It was several hours after her revelation and they had spent a good amount of time crying and panicking, before settling into bed. It had been quiet, at first, as thoughts of the future and the unknown ran through both their heads.

"I don't know," he shrugged slightly, bringing her body closer to his. Troy was terrified. Scared at the prospect of being a father, afraid of what his parents would say, but most of all, frightened at the possibility that both their dreams could be taken away. He was so close to the NBA, he could feel it. And he knew that having a baby would definitely involve some rearranging.

"Troy, I don't…" she started, before taking a deep breath and pulling herself up to sit on her knees, facing him. "I didn't do this on purpose, I need you to know that," she bit her lip, looking down at her fingers. Troy's eyebrows rose in shock, before reaching for one of her hands and pressing a soft kiss to the inside of her wrist.

"Why would you think that I'd think that?" he asked, pulling her back down to him.

"I guess, because you've got this amazing life coming at you. The NBA is calling, I know you feel it and so do I. Your dream is within reach and I don't want you to think this…situation…happened because I wanted to keep you to myself," Gabriella thought aloud.

"I don't think that, Gabi," he said. "You have dreams too and they're just as important as mine are," he murmured into her hair.

"I don't know what we're going to do," she sniffled and Troy felt her small frame shake with tears again. He grabbed her arm gently, turning her so that she faced him. Her cheeks were tear-stained and her eyes were red and puffy, but Troy kissed her on the lips and smiled comfortably at her.

"We're going to work this out, I promise. This baby…is going to have both of us," he laid a comforting hand on Gabriella's stomach. "This was bound to happen, Gabi. Sure, it's not the right timing and it's not at the most ideal points in our lives, but this baby was always going to come…it just came early," he chuckled lightly, causing Gabriella to smile. "I love you, you know that?"

"I love you too, Wildcat," she grinned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Three weeks later, Gabriella was unlocking the door to the apartment she shared with Sharpay. Twisting the key hurriedly, she stepped inside, relieved to find it quiet and empty. Her roommate was most likely at rehearsal, Gabriella decided, before rushing to her bedroom and collapsing on the bed. She lay there, willing the tears to come and letting relief, then guilt, and finally confusion settle over her. Pulling her body up and turning over on her stomach, she winced at the dull pain, and her eyes fell on the duffel bag she still hadn't unpacked from her trip to North Carolina. Her eyes then fell on a framed photograph of her and Troy, their foreheads touching, their hands intertwined and before Gabriella could stop herself, the tears came.

Her trip to North Carolina, although unexpected, was a turning point in their relationship. For the first time, Gabriella couldn't say with absolute certainty that Troy still loved her. She didn't feel like she deserved his love anymore, not when she had flown in and dropped the biggest news in the world on him. She had seen the way his eyes glazed over and she felt like a sudden threat to his future. As she saw way his brow furrowed over his crystal blue eyes, she knew, without a doubt, the same scenarios played out in both their thoughts. Or perhaps they were images of a life that would never be. Flashes of lost professional basketball games, wasted endorsement deals, and unsigned contracts. Bits and pieces of a slipping job at a high-profile law firm, replaced with baby bottles, cots, and late-night feedings. She was only 19 years old and they were both only sophomores in college. How could they possibly take care of a baby?

Troy had kissed her passionately on the lips and told her they would figure it out. But Gabriella, a pragmatic, rational, and incredibly meticulous thinker, had gone over all the possibilities and spent her flight home panicking and coming up with a plan of attack. The first step Troy and Gabriella both agreed on was getting to a doctor as soon as possible. With the two of them living in separate states, Gabriella had confided in Sharpay the minute she returned and they had gone to the first appointment together. The second step was figuring out when to tell their parents. Gabriella insisted on waiting until Troy was with her to break the news and just like that, the expectant couple and Sharpay were the only ones to know about the pregnancy. That was three weeks ago.

Gabriella flipped herself onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, wiping away the tears that stained her cheeks. She had started out her morning normally, she remembered, calling Troy to check in and hear his voice, before shuffling to class. But somewhere between attendance and the actual lecture starting, Gabriella experienced a sharp pain in her abdomen and was immediately horrified. She had excused herself and then spent the rest of the lecture in the bathroom, clutching her stomach in discomfort. Not even bothering to call Troy or Sharpay, she immediately dialed her obstetrician and made an appointment. And an hour and a half later, Dr. Patterson was informing Gabriella that she had lost the baby.

'Lost it…like they were my keys or something,' Gabriella thought bitterly. The truth was, there was a tiny bit of relief in the news – suddenly her future shaped itself back to its original plans and in her mind, she saw the law degree hanging proudly next to a huge trophy case in the living room of the house she shared with her husband named Troy. But a bigger part of her felt lost, empty, and angry. How cruel, to only realize she had unconsciously fallen in love with her and Troy's unborn baby after it had been taken away from her. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, before curling her legs up to her chest, her eyes fixated on a random point in the room. The doctor had said the baby wasn't fully formed yet, but it didn't matter to Gabriella. The loss of their baby, the life they had created, whether it was intentionally or unintentionally, suddenly felt like it was pressing itself down on her. Gabriella briefly wondered if it would be a fair trade – her life for the baby's – before she slipped into a complicated and worried sleep.

Gabriella combed through her silky tresses that night, counting silently in her head. When she was younger, someone told her that if she combed her hair 100 times before bed, it would be smooth and silky in the morning. As she had grown up, Gabriella realized it was a ridiculous myth, but the habit still lived on and she found it therapeutic. '99…100,' she set her brush down and looked at herself in the mirror. Despite her puffy eyes and paler-than-usual complexion, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"Hey," the voice was low, tentative, and familiar. Gabriella gave a little shriek and turned around to see Troy leaning against her doorframe. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he apologized, crossing the room to sit on her window seat.

"I don't remember inviting you in," she said, fingering the hem of her old East High sweater.

"The door wasn't locked and I was calling, but nobody answered," he looked around her bedroom – oh, God, he was in her bedroom – and chuckled. "Doesn't look like you've changed decorating habits," he gestured towards the light purple walls and stuffed animals that cluttered the armchair.

"I guess," she shrugged. Gabriella stole a glance at Troy and she saw he was nervous. His eyes darted all around the room and he ran a hand against the back of his neck – a surefire sign that he was hesitant about asking something. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted…to apologize," he breathed out. Gabriella's eyebrows shot up, as he began walking towards her. With her heart beating wildly, she dragged her eyes up the length of his body, taking in the dark jeans that slung loosely on hips and the crisp, white, button-up shirt that hugged his torso in all the right places. His hair was damp, several strands clinging to his forehead, and she guessed he had come straight from practice.

"For what?"

"For the way I acted. For the way I've been acting ever since I got back,"

"Troy, I…"

"No, I'm going to talk and you're going to listen for a while, okay?" his blue eyes gazed into hers and she found herself nodding silently. "When I came back, I think a part of me wanted to pick things up again, as if things had never changed between us. But I went about everything wrongly," he shook his head at himself and decided to sit on the floor, his back leaning against her bed.

"Troy…" she started, moving to sit next to him.

"When I asked you out for drinks, when we ran into each other at the coffeehouse…that was out of line. And then I found out about Brian. I could tell you weren't happy, but you were right – it's your life and I have to accept that I'm not a part of it anymore," he shrugged sadly. "Although I still really, really hate that guy," he added, chuckling to himself.

"Understandable,"

"Anyway, I just thought we'd be able to start all over, you know? But I don't think…I don't know if we can," Troy locked eyes with his ex-girlfriend and a sharp pain passed through his heart. Was it possible that he was really giving it all up now? That he was going down without a fight? He had wanted the world with Gabriella; he wanted the big house, the family, and the perfect life. But it had all come crashing down with a simple rejection.

"Troy, I need you to understand something," Gabriella said, her voice cracking with tears.

"What is it?"

"I didn't say no because I wasn't in love with you. God, I was so in love with you, you know that?" she smiled. "Even after you nearly gave my mom a heart attack, climbing up the trellis for the first time and making her think you were some kidnapper," she giggled.

"Gabi…"

"I said no because I wasn't ready. We weren't ready," she turned to face him, her eyes brimming with tears. Reaching up to touch his cheek, he leaned in to her hand and they both smiled sadly at each other.

"But I didn't think saying no then meant I'd be saying no forever,"

"Gabriella Montez!" Sharpay cried, slamming the door behind her and poking her head into the living room. Seeing that nobody was there, she checked the kitchen, before removing her heels and tossing them carelessly onto the floor.

"I just had dinner with Chad and Taylor and considering they're in their blissfully-engaged state of mind, I honestly believe you owe me some time out of your incoherent babbling to actually talk to me!" she shouted, checking the backyard and study room.

"It's not that late, you can't be sleeping or something!" she yelled. Placing both hands on her hips, Sharpay looked around townhouse suspiciously, before deciding to open the front door again to check where her roommate could be. Her heart jumped into her throat when she noticed a familiar, black Range Rover parked further down the road. She squinted and her mouth dropped in shock when she saw the Staples Center VIP sticker on the dashboard. Shutting the door behind her once more, Sharpay took her time up the stairs and saw Gabriella's door closed shut.

"Gabi?" she whispered softly, letting the door fall open, revealing a sight that made Sharpay's heart stop. There, lying down on the bed was her roommate, clearly fast asleep. She was curled up in a comfortable position, her hands tucked underneath her head, clad in a pair of shorts and an old East High sweater. But what Sharpay saw was Troy dressed only in his jeans, his head bent at the nape of her roommate's neck, his breathing even and steady, and his arms wrapped tightly around Gabriella's waist. Smiling softly to herself, Sharpay closed the door quietly and proceeded to throw her hands in the air, performing a victory dance all the way to her bedroom.

Do you see why I love Sharpay? Haha. Okay, well, there it is! Pretty heavy and emotional stuff to deal with, hopefully I did it okay...

Troy and Gabi finally have a talk, but I hope you realized that there's no real final conclusion to their relationship at this point. Sharpay's all excited, because remember, she just wants her best friend to have that fairytale love. And we find out what happened to Troy and Gabriella's baby - they've lost it. =(

To all those people who have stuck with this story from the very beginning - thank you so much! Please review on the new chapter and I can't wait for you guys to read the rest (once I write it! =P). To new readers - welcome! Feel free to press that little button below this lengthy A/N and give me some feedback! I hope you're enjoying the story so far!

Xoxo. =)