It was 9:00am and they were going home. Troy wished they weren't, It was all his fault. Why did he have to go in and ruin it all. It was a cold clear morning, and Troy was wearing his duke sweatshirt, and a pair of jeans to keep warm. Once troy was done recollecting on how much he'd enjoyed coming out here, he pulled out of the campsite and toward home. He could see dark grey, ominous clouds out past the mountains and surmised they'd probably hit rain before nightfall. To get out of the campsite, drivers had to go past a ranger station, and a tollbooth. Troy Plastered a smile on his face, as he went by the ranger station, so that nothing was deemed suspicious. The ranger waved at him, Troy waved back. The tollbooth was another story. Troy had to pay the ranger and his wallet was in his bag. Troy had to get out hobble to the back of the car, pull out his bag, take out his wallet, and walk back to the drivers side of the car. Troy tried to look as not hurt as possible. The ranger appeared to be just a year or two older then Troy, and an avid basketball fan. The ranger noticed that he appeared to walk funny, but he did comment on Gabriella who was still asleep in the passenger side. The ranger appeared to think Gabby was gorgeous, and congratulated Troy, on a good score. For a moment Troy was almost insulted that she was just a "Good Score" and not being seen as an amazing mathematician, or a scholar, but on the other hand Troy wasn't like most guys. The two guys chatted for a few moments, and troy divulged that the reason she was still asleep and he was sore was due to the fact that he'd kept her awake all night with hours of the most amazing sex. The ranger gave Troy a big smile and patted him on the shoulder, Troy winced. He also gave troy a discount. "Good thing Gabby didn't hear that" Troy thought to himself, she probably would have smacked him. After passing both of these establishments, Troy was turned out onto the two lane road that took him down he mountain.
It was at this point that Troy had a new dilemma. Troy could barely drive with his right foot, the pain was too much for him to handle. He stopped an thought about it logically for a second. He could use his foot less by keeping his left foot on the break. He only had to use his break, going down the mountain so he used his left foot instead of his right. His legs were too long to allow him to use his left foot to drive, but it could operate the break. The pain was coming in waves, intense ones at that. Troy was driving really slowly to avoid putting too much pressure on his foot, but at the same time he knew he'd get pulled over if he didn't ramp up to speed. He would check on Gabby every couple of minutes and remember last night. Troy found himself becoming more, and more protective of Gabby after last night. To make sure she didn't get cold troy had the heater on at a medium level and had tucked her blanket in around her. After several hours it was time to merge from the two lane Wildcat road to the highway below. When Troy approached the highway he braced himself for the pain, and stepped on the gas pedal.
This brought a yelp of pain, and a very sickening, even grotesque popping sound from his foot. After a mile or two, Troy switched to cruise control. That allowed him to keep the speed he was driving at but not have to keep his foot on the pedal. Troy could not believe that he had really hurt his foot that badly. Troy was in denial that his foot was actually broken.
Every couple of minutes Troy's vision would cloud over, with these waves of pain. Troy Was strong enough to hold his concentration to driving, but the pressure that was building up in his foot was causing him to lose focus. At one point, Troy lost his vision for a few seconds and his car swerved over the meridian, just 20 or so feet from a semi Truck. Troy knew he had to do something, before he killed him and Gabby.
A few more miles and Troy had to pull over. Troy took an exit and found a rest stop called "Precipe Drop" lookout point, with some picnic tables that overlooked the valley. The pain meds had worn off and pain was the only thing he could feel. He leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes, his temple was throbbing, and his foot would seize up with waves of pain. His whole right leg was so weak, he felt he could barely move it. His foot was causing him such terrible pain, he could barely remember anything around him. He opened his door, and let the cool air rush in. He hadn't realized how hot it was getting in the car. He climbed out and half hobbled half dragged himself to the back of the car. By the time he got to the back of the car he was out of breath, and his vision was blurred, not to mention the entire right leg had gone weak, he could barely stand.. He opened the back of the car and sat on the fender allowing his feet to be off the ground. He then pulled out Gabby's bag and set it on the ground as he dug for his own. When Troy found his own bags he took another dose of pain meds, and pulled out a clean pair of socks. He grabbed his sport bottle, and headed over to wake Gabby up. He picked up her bag and dragged it along the side of the car, opened the door and tossed it into the back seat. He carefully pulled himself to the driver's side door and sat down to ease himself off his foot. He struggled into the back seat and opened Gabby's bag. He took out his favorite outfit of hers and set it on top in hopes that she'd wear it. He made himself a nook in the backseat, climbed in the front seat and then woke Gabby up. His watch read 11:55.
" Wake up Gabby" It's almost noon" Troy said in a loud whisper.
Gabby turned over and whispered " Good Morning " in a loving whisper, and turned over and opened her eyes fully. She let out a yelp and clutched the blanket closer to her pajamas in shock. Gabby looked around fully aware that she was sitting in her revealing pajamas at a rest stop in the mountain instead of in their tent. This bothered her. How much had she missed out on.
" Troy Bolton" What have you done?" she asked almost angrily. She looked out the window at the picturesque scenery.
" You said you wanted to go.. " You know... first thing in the morning." Said Troy trying to sound loving, and compassionate, so she didn't ream him out for not having woken her sooner. The pain was getting to Troy, he was trying to think about something else but the pain was really persistent. Troy's vision was a little blurry, but the pain meds were starting to take effect. He could still feel the pain, the meds just took the bite out . Troy made a small movement, to turn toward Gabby and tried not to say anything although gabby could tell from his body language that he was in pain. Gabby looked up into his beautiful brown eyes and could tell something was getting to him. When she looked at him, Troy sat up straighter and didn't want to be seen as weak." But.. Sweetheart, you didn't have to do that for"... she started to say but was cut off when she noticed he was sitting in the driver's seat. " you're driving with your hurt foot?" she questioned in disbelief.
" I've done a lot of stuff with my hurt foot" Troy commented...through his deep breathing. 'You know, pack up, carry you to the car, take down the tent"... just the thought brought a wince from Troy. He rested his head against the headrest and closed his eyes for a moment allowing a wave of pain to overtake him. Gabby watched him with a sense of disregard. How could she have let this happen?
The look on Gabby's face said it all. Her mouth was drawn into a perfect "Oh! " and her eyes were glazed over. She struggled with this thought for a few seconds. She leaned over and laid her head against Troy's shoulder, he kissed her lightly on the forehead. They sat like this for a moment. Although Troy's head was spinning, It felt better to have Gabby's head on his shoulder.
" are you sure you're okay?...Gabby asked after a moment of silence.
" No... I'm in more pain then I've ever been in before... Troy said, after a painfully long minute. Gabby looked up at him, and slowly let out a sigh. " we're going to the hospital" " I can't let you go home like this..." The two of them sat in silence for a minute. Troy needed to lie down, he was feeling like he was about to pass out. " I can't make it much further without a nap" Troy said aloud. This was a turning point. From this point on, Troy could no longer lie to Gabby. Gabby knew Troy wanted to be manly, but had spoken the truth, and not a lie.
" Can I get dressed now?" Gabby asked with a hint of humor. " no" said troy. A small smile playing on his lips.
" why not?" gabby asked doing her best impression of their schoolmate Sharpey's puppy dog eye look. Troy took one look at gabby and started to laugh, his laughter turned into winces of pain, when he moved. He could feel his chest tightening up, but he didn't want to alarm Gabby. When he finally caught his breath, he stroked the top of her head.⌠ maybe I don't want you to get dressed because I think you're pajamas are cute" troy said in a loving manner." what do you think about that? He asked.
" well... These pajamas are sacred." Gabby said thoughtfully. "Every time I sleep in them I'll remember our first time together, and my mother doesn't have to know."
Troy leaned down and their lips met. Gabby passionately kissed him back. Gabby's hands played with the waist band of Troy's jeans, and Troy's hands explored under Gabby's pajama tank top. Troy stopped feeling pain, when he was wrapped in Gabby's embrace. He didn't want to end the pleasure, it was helping keep the pain at bay. When the make out session ended, Troy let Gabby get dressed. Troy's head was spinning now, way too much pain, and pleasure. Troy was now really out of it, and his vital signs were starting to slow. He was getting really drowsy, and needed to put his head down, before he really passed out.
Gabby crawled in the back of the car, and got dressed in a matter of minutes. She wasn't shy around Troy anymore, but just for modesty Troy got out and went around the back of the car. Troy had picked out a great outfit for her, and once in it she looked fabulous. Once fully dressed she traded seats with Troy. Troy stretched out in his little nook in the back and proceeded to lie down, the pain was getting too intense. It was like a sensation of sharp pins and needles were being pressed into him. Troy's face was starting to show pain, even though he was trying desperately to keep it at bay. He did not want to look weak in front of his girlfriend. Troy asked Gabriella to go get ice from the machine in the rest stop, and she agreed. The pain was overtaking him quickly. He laid his head back on the pillow Gabby put there, and pretended he was alright for Gabby's sake, he even made an effort to smile at her as she walked away. Troy tried to keep himself awake but the pain meds were dragging him under. The last thing he remembered was Gabby walking away. Just as he was about to pass out his thoughts went to Gabby, and he wordlessly called out her name. Within minutes Troy had passed out from sheer pain.
Gabby went into mother mode, before they left the rest stop area. Troy had asked for ice for his foot, so Gabby went to find some. Gabby took out their cooler, and fished out the bag they had brought fruit salad in. As she walked toward the bathrooms she smiled at Troy and he smiled back. She took the plastic bag over to the bathrooms at the rest stop area, and washed it out. Once clean she filled it with ice from the ice machine inside the little overhang. All an all Gabby was gone for a few minutes, maybe 10 minutes. The sky had darkened and the road lights turned on.
By the time Gabby got back to the car, Troy was in a state of shock, Gabby could tell by looking at him. He had his eyes closed, and was shaking as convulsively, which is never a good sign. Gabby stood and stared absent mindedly for a second. Her worst fears were being realized. Her boyfriend of one year might actually die in her car. Gabby went into Medic mode.
" Troy"... "Troy can you hear me?" she called out to him. No response. Gabby was seriously trying to recall everything she'd ever learned in things like junior lifeguards, and CPR training. She knew convulsions were bad, she just didn't know how to treat them.
Gabby figured maybe the shaking was from the cold, so instinctively she reached in and shook him lightly to see if he'd wake up. He didn't. Gabby now seriously worried, stretched her hand out and felt his forehead. She thought he might be too cold, but his skin was hot and sticky to the touch. His skin felt rubbery like it wasn't attached anymore, and it felt as though someone was pumping boiled water through his veins. This should not be happening Gabby thought to herself. Why Troy?
She opened the door nearest his head and kneeled on the step rail before him at eye level. Gabby leaned in to make sure he was breathing. She then ran her hand along his neck to feel his pulse and counted beats to her watch to make sure he was alright. She found his pulse to be slow, and worried that if it slowed down too much, she'd need to do CPR. She noticed that Troy was also breathing in an awkward fast manner, and he'd nearly hyperventilate if she didn't do something quick. Gabby opened the door nearest his feet and stepped up into the vehicle, she leaned over him, in a loving manner and pressed her hands lightly to his sternum, She proceeded to mirror shorter deeper breaths by pressing down on his sternum lightly. After a while Troy's breathing became more regular, such that it followed hers, and was less sporadic, and his shaking became less intense. Gabby looked around the parking lot but there was nobody around to help her.
It was then that she noticed Troy was perspiring beyond a normal person, his sweatshirt was soaked through completely. Gabby went around to the other door, and she used her elbows to lift Troy enough to get a hold of the bottom of his sweatshirt. Gabby was then able to pull the sweatshirt off awkwardly. She tried to touch his burning body as little as possible, for fear of hurting him. Gabby then proceeded to pull off his t-shirt, which was nothing more then a puddle, and proceed to use his water bottle to cool him down. Gabby then opened both doors so that air flow was constant and turned on the car's air conditioning.
Gabby had taken first aid training, a long time ago, and needed some refreshers but knew how to handle this. Having checked the symptoms thoroughly, she placed the bag of ice on his foot, and kept it in place by tying her scarf around it. When Troy was breathing somewhat normally, Gabby knew he needed fluids, so she used her sweatshirt, coupled with her knees to prop Troy up enough so she could pour water down his throat. Gabby started squirting small amounts into his mouth, and Troy would swallow on command when encouraged.Troy, coughed and sputtered and excess water would leak out of his mouth. This was very concerning to gabby, she had to get medical attention quickly. Again Gabby checked for car near here but there were none.
She opened the passenger side door, and popped open the dashboard compartment. The first aid kit was sitting right on top. Gabby opened it up. On top was an instruction sheet. She read the first page over carefully, then turned to the right page, and read on. The package suggested cold compress for his head and limbs, and raising his feet over his heart level, the package also said that this kind of condition could result in death if not treated soon. Gabby did exactly as instructed. She propped his hurt foot up on a pillow above his heart, and filled three more bags with ice, and put one under his armpit up against the side of his ribs wrapped in his sports towel and one on his midsection wrapped in her t-shirt, the third she placed on his head, wrapped in her pajama bottoms.
Gabby wasn't sure what the right move would be, but decided instead of calling an ambulance here, she should drive him to town herself. She knew his family didn't have the fee for the ambulance, and it might be really awkward if they pulled up and found him like this, in her car.
Gabby made sure he was as comfortable as he could be in his state, and placed his water bottle near him for easy access. She replaced her bag in the trunk, and put the blanket over Troy so he didn't catch a chill, and carefully replaced the soaked pillow, with a dry one from the back. She examined his foot one more time, finding it to be the course of infection, before she rewrapped the splint, with more ice. She rolled up both back windows and had the air conditioning on full blast. She put on her winter coat to keep from being cold herself, and hopped in the drivers seat. She pulled out of the rest stop and back onto the highway. It took a few minutes to get back onto the right highways, and find the right direction. Normally Troy would have been in the front seat guiding her along with the directions. Now troy was fighting for his life, and she was driving alone. Gabby checked the map and found they were still 4 hours from the nearest town. Gabby knew, that Troy might very well die before she got there. Gabby knew what she had to do. Calm, sensible Gabby was about to make the biggest leap in her life. Impulsively she stepped on the gas.