This is the last chapter- it comes so quick!
Thanks for the comments I'm glad you liked the last chapter I was so nervous about posting an action scene because I had never written one like it before :/ So thanks for the vote of confidence!
I have 2 stories to post which are detailed on my profile, let me know which you would prefer to read next otherwise I will pick one ;)
Love you all :D
Epilogue
They were never more than a few feet apart, that was well known around East High now.
If their fingers weren't inter-laced, the rumours began about why this might be.
And so Gabi walked down the school hall with her hand safely tucked into Troy's, her large eyes peeking up at him at her side.
Her red and green check kilt sat above her knees, teamed with buckled biker boots and a black t-shirt, inadvertently matching his dark hoodie and jeans.
"I feel you watching me…" He smiled slowly, looking down on her.
"I was just checking." She explained.
"Checking what?" He wondered.
"That you were still good looking." She teased with a purse of her lips that brought a chuckle from him.
He would never believe two months had passed since the day he had almost lost her.
"And what's the consensus?" He wondered drily, stopping in the hallway, facing her and linking their other hands, then reaching up to brush her face gently.
"You got cuter." She decided with a lip press, her hidden smile released.
He lifted his brows. "I did?" He was surprised.
"I think you deserve a kiss for that." She added, stretching to do just that, relishing the feel of his lips on hers, never tiring of the passion he evoked within her.
He squinted ever so slightly as they parted. "I think I deserve a lot more kisses…" He led, grinning as he tilted his head for more.
"Stop with the PDA!" Chad called from behind them, breaking them apart as they faced him and Taylor.
"Hey, Tay." Gabi hugged her friend as Troy and Chad clasped hands.
"So, are you going to audition tonight?" Taylor asked blatantly and Gabi widened her eyes at her, knowing she was deliberately notifying Troy of this information.
"Audition?" He questioned on cue. "For what?" He asked next.
Gabi sighed, turning to him. "For the school News Team. The fashion and gossip presenter has left and they're auditioning." She shrugged.
"That sounds perfect!" Troy enthused.
"Gabi, you'd be amazing." Chad added knowingly.
"But why the big secret?" Troy wondered.
Gabi shrugged. "Because I thought maybe you wouldn't want me to do TV again- even if it was just at school."
Chad and Taylor looked at each other.
"I gotta get my books…" Chad coughed, flicking a look to Taylor.
"And I have my books with his…" She added randomly, cursing herself for saying that.
"Ok, see ya guys." Troy said distractedly, his blue gaze pinning Gabi to the spot.
"I'm sorry; I didn't know how to tell you." She admitted.
"Why would you think I wouldn't want you to?" He tilted his head with concern, making his fringe drop into his eyes which he flicked away.
"Because I thought maybe you might fall out of love with me…if you thought I was changing…if I wasn't the girl you fell in love with originally. I mean you liked Gabriella when I was Lauren then I was Gabriella but not the TV star and I figured if you thought I was Gabriella the TV star then you…" She babbled, her hands rolling in animated explanation.
He paused her with a finger to her lips.
"You are way too complicated for me to ever understand." He teased with an amused frown. "But I could never fall out of love with you." He added.
Her brown eyes were still unsure so he hugged her tightly.
"Gabi, I don't care what you wear, what colour your hair is this week, whether you go on TV or just hang out at the game. You have my ring, that means you have me. No matter what." He assured.
Gabi lifted her face from his chest, smiling from ear to ear.
"I'll make sure I mention you at least once every week if I get the job!" She promised brightly.
He laughed at this, taking her hand as they walked to form room.
"And how do you propose to do that on a fashion article?" He wondered.
"Easy- 'This is Gabriella Montez, reporting for School TV, this week's fashion? Boyfriend clothes! Check out my outfit- all stolen from my very own boyfriend Troy Bolton.'" She narrated.
"Just make sure you do have my clothes on if you say that. I don't need any more ribbing from the team." He mused.
"Hey!" She protested as he sprawled in his seat and she sat on his thigh, training his fringe from his eye. "Don't be mean to me." She pouted.
"This is exactly what I'm talking about." He teased, his hands curling around her waist even as he said it. "PDA- it's not cool for a guy to be seen like this."
"Is it cool for a guy not to get any kisses for the rest of the day?" She wondered lightly, getting up, strutting to the back of the class and taking her seat.
He opened his mouth in mock indignation, eyeing her as she smiled wanly back, silently triumphant.
The teacher entered the classroom, leaving him unable to win her over and he faced the front begrudgingly.
After register, the class filed out again and he caught her hand as she passed out of the door and he leaned up against the locker outside.
"Hey…" he said softly.
"Oh, now you want to hold hands…" She teased.
"I was kidding." He allowed, bending to kiss her.
"Your friends, Troy?" She reminded him right before his lips met hers.
"Don't know what they're missing out on when I get to do this…" He grinned, kissing her gently, feeling her fingers venture into his hair.
She pulled away, her face showing her confusion as she came back to earth.
"I guess that was a good answer." She hedged, heading off for her next class as he chuckled behind her, jogging off for his own class.
--
"Why are they taking so long?" Troy's agitated toe tapped insistently against the shiny floor as he waited with Taylor for the result of Gabi's audition. She'd been in there for ages!
"Chill, Troy. It's not like she's having a baby or something." She rolled her eyes and his face became even more panic-stricken if that were possible.
Taylor placed a hand on his knee to stop the annoying noise his foot was making.
"Sorry…" He apologized, getting up, twisting in apparent agony as his hands went into his hair.
The sound of the door squelching open brought both their gazes sharply to the exiting body.
Gabi's dark hair appeared, tied messily in a bun as she showcased her punky black t-shirt dress with black heeled boots.
Troy felt his heart stop beating as his breath caught.
"Well?" He asked softly.
She beamed then, hugely. "I got it!" She confirmed, launching into his waiting arms as he laughed happily, the pressure of the last moment releasing as he twirled her in the corridor outside the hall.
"Troy!" Taylor complained and he let her down so Taylor could hug her.
He quickly took her back against his body though, wrapping his arms around her from behind as she spoke to Taylor about the fashion ideas she had pitched.
"I'm going to do a fashion show!" She said excitedly. "I want you both to model in it…I'm going to get people to help with hair and make-up…" She was talking in hyper-speed and Troy made a face as most of what she said went over his head.
"I am so happy for you!" Taylor beamed. "Let's celebrate!" She suggested.
"Troy?" She checked over her shoulder.
"Oh, sure, count me in." He approved as they left East High behind.
--
It had to be her favourite place. After the excitement of winning the presenting job, the stress of the last two months since the shooting incident and the confusion she had endured in her transition from Gabriella of Gabriella's World, to Gabi of East High.
Sitting in Troy's lap in his huge armchair as his arms cradled her to his chest, had to be her favourite place in the whole world.
"I'm sorry I haven't been able to…" She paused, struggling for words. She hadn't made love with him since the night of the shooting.
"Shh." He husked, his hands starting a gentle comforting brush of her arm and back.
Every now and then his fingers worked up and tickled her neck gently.
"I still love you." She added worriedly.
"I know. And I still love you." He returned, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the bliss of holding Gabi in his lap, protecting her, enjoying her closeness.
Her small shapely legs were dangling across his thigh, into the groove between his legs and he shifted, tightening his hold, re-affirming his feelings for her.
"Mmm." He murmured blissfully as she twisted and encompassed his neck with her arms.
Then he felt her lips press there, her tongue ever so lightly flicking against his skin, at his throat.
She moved backwards, her hands finding the hem of his hoodie, pulling it upwards as he lifted his arms obediently, gently frowning, but silent as she ran her hands back down his vested torso, experimenting almost with the sensation.
She lifted that off too, now faced with his bare chest, his defined tummy and those strong, heavy arms she loved so much.
Her hands were slow, tentative as they traced the definition she found in his biceps and he lifted his arm for her to explore, patiently watching her as she traced his muscles.
Her eyes met his, checking for his reaction and he looked right back at her, accepting her need to do this.
It was almost like she was afraid of him. Of what he could do with his powerful body. He understood that she was scared. That night, they all had been. And it made sense that she needed time to get over the fear, time to adjust to being in a physical relationship again. And she needed to be able to test him like this. He could prove his gentility to her in many ways and he knew he shouldn't have to, but he felt like he owed her that much.
He knew she trusted him, that deep down, he would only ever protect her and defend her.
But right now she must be finding it hard to trust any male. Even him.
Her hands were now keenly running down the hard abs of his stomach, resting at his jeans band where he flicked his eyes up, his curly lashes preceding the blueness of his eyes.
"Go ahead." He encouraged as she nervously licked her lips.
"I…" She frowned.
"You don't need to say anything," he murmured quickly. "Just…" He groped for the right thing to say. "I understand." He finished, hoping this would sufficiently explain what he was trying to convey.
She gently unhooked the button of his jeans, shifting in his lap as she ran down the raspy zipper, scooting from his lap to pull the garment off, ankles first.
When she stood, she stripped off her own t-shirt dress, climbing back into his lap in her underwear, straddling him as she splayed her hands against his chest now.
"It frightens me, Troy." She admitted then, her fingertips shaking as she let the images take over her mind for a short moment. "Every time I close my eyes, or feel a flash of desire; it takes me back to that day. It was so intense." She explained.
He reached for her, curling his fingers gently around her upper arms, his thumbs brushing the soft skin tenderly to comfort her.
"I know, Gabi. I still get them, too." He assured.
"But not like this, not when you want to make love." She argued.
"No, maybe I don't. But I'm not you, Gabi. I understand it's gonna affect us all differently." He added.
"I want to do this, my body is telling me I'm ready" She begged of herself.
"But not your mind?" He asked gently, brushing his thumb over her cheek.
She shook her head sadly.
"Then just relax." He shrugged, leaning up to kiss her forehead gently.
--
Lucy saw that Troy's door was ajar and caught a glimpse of her son, in his underwear with his girlfriend in a similarly undressed state, both cuddling and sleeping in blissful union.
It alarmed her slightly that they would probably be having sex in her home but she smiled at the tender picture they painted together and she sighed, pulling up his door with a soft click.
"Mm…" Troy lifted his head at the quiet noise, looking around and not finding the source.
He absent mindedly stroked Gabi's curls as he came round from their impromptu nap, smiling at the feel of her light weight against his body.
Gabi stirred too and looked at him with sleepy brown eyes. She rose from his lap where his arms opened and his face showed his surprise.
She held out her hand, leading him toward his bed, climbing up onto it.
"Be gentle?" She questioned.
His blue eyes met hers, serious and concerned.
"We don't have to rush this." He insisted.
"I want to; I just…want to go slow." She explained.
He nodded. "Want to go on top, you're in control then?" He asked openly, brushing her arm as they sat together on the bed.
She reached over and kissed him, kneeling up to brace his face with her hands and he caught her naked waist in his careful hands, brushing his thumbs up her warm skin.
Gabi didn't know how she felt about being in control. She was happy for him to, but she could see he was trying so hard to make her happy and she wondered if maybe this might be the answer to her problem.
She let her hands explore him, his muscled torso, and his strong shoulders.
She kissed him, licked him, and tickled him. And he slowly, tenderly touched her, too, like this was their first time all over again and he didn't want to push too hard, go too fast.
She knew how much he wanted her. She felt it in his hot heat against her body as they rolled on his bed. It didn't frighten her. He didn't frighten her. She smiled, lying back where he lay at her side.
He had rid her underwear as he had suckled her sensitive peaks, touched so delicately between her thighs and now she felt ready for him, for the heat and weight his body would cast upon hers.
"Can you…" she twisted her lips, tugging him to show she wanted him between her thighs.
He lifted his brows. "Are you sure?" He questioned and she nodded.
"I know you." She said gently, brushing his hair as he settled there, after ridding his boxers and applying a condom.
"Gabi, we can wait. Please don't feel like we have to do this…" He begged, kissing her jaw.
"I want to." She repeated.
He dropped a kiss to each of her nipples, letting his tongue swirl against the puckered skin, bringing her need hot and flashing now.
She clutched at him and he slowly filled her, testing her reaction by looking at her face intently as he moved.
Her sigh was soft, pleasured and she closed her eyes as a wave of overwhelming desire rolled across her.
And so he carefully, tenderly moved against her. He'd never had to hold back like this, he'd never experienced such a slow, sweet build up of that inimitable release. Yet here she was, accepting his gentle strokes, his worshipping body as he reminded them both how it felt to be connected so intimately.
He heard his name casting quietly from her lips as she neared her peak and he couldn't resist watching her with wide open eyes as she enjoyed him, making his heart beat painfully at the love he felt for her.
He would have waited for the rest of his life to have this moment, he mused. The one where she smiled so joyfully, where her eyes screwed shut and her body arched for the ultimate sensation and then they collapsed together, bringing his favorite part of their togetherness.
Holding her.
He dropped a kiss to her temple as she cuddled into his body.
"I'm glad you decided to stay with your mom." She sighed, her small arms claiming his waist.
"Because…" He squinted across her hair.
"Because you're closer." She explained, knowing his dad lived a little further out of town.
He chuckled. "It's not that far to my dad's." He protested.
"I like that you stayed with your mom." She added.
He nodded.
"Me too. She cares about you." He added, knowing his dad didn't really have much interest in his relationship with 'the girl from New York' as he had called her.
"And I care about you." She said cutely, lifting her face to smile at him.
"Well, you are my dream girl…" He teased, letting her kiss him.
"And you are definitely my dream boy." She smiled smugly, rolling up on the bed.
"Hey, where are you going?" He complained. "I was enjoying that…"
She grinned, hopping up to grab her bag, shyly covering her naked self with his hoodie before heading back to him, her hand closed into a fist, concealing something inside.
"Open your hand." She said and he flicked his eyes to hers, smiling bemusedly.
He held out his hand, sitting up.
She laid a small item there and he peeked at it, recognizing it with lifted brows.
"This is your love bracelet from the show?" He guessed at the small red threaded band.
She nodded.
"I kept it. I made it and wore it, ready to give it to whoever had my heart and then they wrote it into the show for my character…in her quest to find the right guy…" She explained, although he already knew.
"But you never gave it away…" He frowned, awed.
"I know." She said softly, meeting his eyes, pointedly telling him that he had her heart.
"Oh, Gabi…" He sighed, pulling her into a hug.
"Let me tie it." She murmured, pulling away and securing it for him. "Now everyone will know I'm in love with you." She said shyly.
He grinned at her, his beam huge and unhidden. "I'm in love with you, too."
They cuddled together again, their strong feelings enveloping them both into a warm cocoon as they continued to talk, their wounds healing somewhat as they embraced.
That night might be carried with them forever, but right now it seemed that the memories could fade and their lives could be lived again, peacefully, together.
--