AN: Sorry for the wait, there really is no excuse. Except that I am ashamed that I write TG fanfics. Which sounds really bad but no one really knows about my love for Zanessa or my guilty pleasure that is HSM. How does that relate to the lateness of this chapter, well, you see, my sister was home for spring break last week (this is where the embarrassment kicks in) which meant little or no privacy to actually write. Then, it was my older brother's turn this week. Essentially, this chapter was written over the wee hours of the night, over the course of two weeks while everyone was asleep. Coupled with the fact that my muse took a little vacation herself, something she has been doing quite a lot lately, I had difficulty writing this chapter, especially since this is it. This chapter is what I was building up towards every since I posted the very first chapter of Running to a Stand Still. Funny thing is, it feels like the story didn't move forward but it did, if that makes any sense. I don't know if this will answer any questions you have, hopefully it answers some.

Oh, from the reviews, I know some of you were confused by a lot of things in the last chapter. Gabriella's rationale in doing what she did being one of the big confusing things for a lot of you and I wish I could try and explain it more eloquently but it is what it is. She's torn between following her heart and essentially following her duty and responsibility to her family. And obviously, she chose family over Troy. I could try and rewrite that last chapter to show more of her internal struggle but quite frankly, I feel like I'd confuse you guys more.

Btw, Zac Efron in SNL, effin' hilarious. I would have gotten this out sooner had I not been watching our dear boy showcase his comedic prowess.

I apologize for any grammatical mistakes and changes in tenses.

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Standard wedding script taken from renolovechapel. com, bigbeards. com/wedding and supremecourt. .

It seems madness and love, are in many ways, soul mates.

Pandemonium

She'd rehearsed it in her mind a hundred times. Repeated those two very simple words out loud when she was alone; a rarity these days, especially with the wedding right around the corner. She stood in front of the mirror, saying it over and over and over again. She wanted to be prepared. She needed to be prepared when she said it in front of the hundreds of guests that have been invited, a majority of them, she didn't even know. It was pretty simple really. The priest would ask a simple question. She then would respond with a simple answer.

I do.

Simple. Succinct. Two monosyllable words that even a young child can utter without any difficulty. I. Do. And yet, Gabriella struggled, finding it hard to say those words without having that nervous inflection in her voice.

"I do," she whispered what seemed like the hundredth time that night, with a hitch to her voice, as she stared at herself in front of her bathroom mirror. She smoothed over the fabric of her wedding dress, an elaborately done ball gown of softly folded tulle and organza, accentuated with a burgundy sash. A single tear rolled down her cheek and she hastily wiped it away, looking the other way from her reflection in the mirror.

She'd always envisioned how her wedding would turn out. But it's not like she already had a detailed and ornate view of how she wanted her wedding to be. She didn't have a scrapbook filled with magazine cutouts of wedding dresses or flower bouquet arrangements. But like every young girl, she had an idea, a vision of herself walking down the aisle. Specific details that always remained, even as she years passed by and her childhood faded away. She would be married at the church where her parents were wed, dressed in a simple white gown. She would be carrying a bouquet made with white and red calla lilies. Tulips, hyacinth and hydrangea - in shades of pink, deep burgundy and lavender would adorn the aisles. Her bridesmaids, Sharpay and Taylor, would be dressed in Venetian red - a color that they had always insisted complimented them both. A harp, something that has always reminded her of Medieval England, would start playing, signaling her entrance. The cathedral doors to St. Patrick's would open and she would walk out slowly, her parents at her side, towards her groom.

She got the church. And her parents were going to be there to give her away. Everything else, well, according to her soon-to-be mother-in-law, did not fit the vision she already had of her son's wedding. Margaret Rutherford Harrison was already deprived of planning her eldest son's wedding; she was not going to miss out on her youngest. Regardless of her or Julian's feelings on the matter, Margaret had the final say. And with Clyde looming over in the shadows, Gabriella let Margaret have the final say. A violin would be playing, not a harp. It was more classic, she said. A modest gown was not fitting for someone of their social stature, she argued when Gabriella opted for a simple and relaxed dress while they were at the bridal store. Instead of lilies, she got roses.

And instead of Troy, she was walking towards Julian.

Time and time again, she'd heard the saying 'Life wasn't easy, life wasn't fair'. She knew it was true. But never, in her entire existence, could she actually apply the said adage to her life. Until now. Nothing could be more true that than statement at this point in her life.

She was getting married tomorrow. But not to the man she loved. She supposed she should be grateful that she was marrying a man who loved her, a man who will make her happy. She supposed that she should be thankful that her family's company would be safe and that her father won't have to deal with another financial breakdown that nearly gave him a fatal heart attack years ago. She supposed that she should feel lucky, compared to others, her problem wasn't life threatening. Others had bigger problems than hers. What was a broken heart compared to poverty or war. She guessed she should feel happy - or at least some other positive emotion that any bride felt. She was, after all, getting married tomorrow. But as she stared at her reflection, she allowed herself one moment. Just one brief moment to feel sorry for her miserable self.

"That's one hell of a dress."

Gabriella whirled around, her brown eyes widening in shock while one hand pressed over her now rapidly beating heart. "Sharpay", she exclaimed, upon seeing her friend, "I didn't hear you come in."

Her blonde-haired friend smiled and dangled a set of keys. "Got a copy of your key when you first moved here, remember?"

Gabriella didn't bother responding; she was more focused on calming her heart at the fright Sharpay gave her.

"I never would have pegged you for someone wearing a Cinderella-esque gown," the young actress commented, coming to stand by her side and touching the side of her wedding gown.

"It's a beautiful dress," she replied, looking at mirror again.

Sharpay arched a brow. "I didn't say it wasn't. It just doesn't scream you."

Again, she didn't bother responding. They both knew that whatever she may say next would be a lie. Instead, she asked, "What brings you by," she paused and glanced at the clock, "at 11:36 at night?"

"You're getting married tomorrow," Sharpay answered.

"Thus the wedding gown and veil."

A smile slowly broke over the blonde woman's face at her friend's answer. "No bachelorette party huh?"

"What fun would it be if it was just Chelsea and me?"

Sharpay remained silent.

Studying her friend's solemn face, the brunette asked, even though she already knew the answer, "You and Taylor aren't coming to the wedding, are you? Chad? Zeke? Ryan?"

She titled her head, her gaze fixed on Gabriella. She didn't say anything for awhile. Then she shook her head.

Gabriella gave a tiny smile. "It was stupid of me to ask. I mean, you guys are mad that I'm doing this. For hurting him. You guys were pretty vocal about it too."

"We're not mad, Gabi. Just incredibly confused," came Sharpay's response. "This wedding is just so sudden. I know that your dad arranged this with his dad but didn't you say that the engagement is not set in stone? You and Julian weren't even planning on accepting this bullshit engagement and then, bam, out of nowhere, you're engaged, for real, to Julian. It just doesn't make much sense."

"It's not complicated with him," she stated, the lie coming out easier as time passed by. At this point, she was starting to believe it herself. "I need to marry him."

An eyebrow arched. "Funny choice of wording there."

Gabriella shrugged her shoulders. Avoiding her friend's gaze, she asked, "Is he…" and paused and sighed. "Is he… is he okay?"

"Yeah," came Sharpay's immediate reply. "But then again, it's Troy. He can be pretty good at hiding his feelings."

She turned away from her and discreetly wiped away a tear. "It's getting late. I should um, get some sleep." Once she had composed herself, she looked back at Sharpay and continued, "After all, I am getting married tomorrow."

"You sure you want to do this?"

Drawing in a breath, she held Sharpay's gaze. After a moment, she smiled and said, "I'll walk you out."

Sharpay didn't point out that Gabriella never really answered her question. And for that, the brunette was thankful.

Opening the front door, Sharpay took her hand and squeezed it. "He loves you."

"Julian," she blinked up at her, feigning ignorance, "I know."

Sharpay dropped her hand and stated, "I wasn't talking about him and you know it." Seeing the pained expression on Gabriella's face, she stepped forward and gave her a hug. "I'll try and come tomorrow."

"Thank you," she whispered, trying to stop another onslaught of tears from falling.

Gabriella couldn't exactly see Sharpay's face but she heard the knowing tone in her voice when she said, "Everything will work out in the end, you'll see. Troy will find a way."

She knew she didn't deserve him, after everything that has happened. She didn't deserve Troy coming after her. But she would be lying if she said that what Sharpay said wasn't the best thing she's heard in days.

~.~.~

"Are you ready?"

She would never forget the first time.

It only lasted for a second. It was brief. Short. And she was pretty sure that he didn't even remember it. But she did. They were fourteen. It was the first time they got their hands on alcohol, the strong kind. They snuck out during one of her parent's party, bringing with them a bottle of tequila. Or was it vodka? Not that it mattered in the end, they got wasted either way. She didn't remember who made the first move. But she did remember when their lips touched for a mere second. It was over before it really began. Thinking back on it now, it wasn't really a kiss, at least in the truest definition of the word. More like two lips meeting for the barest of a second because, in her drunken stupor, she fell on top of him. Afterwards was a blur.

"Gabriella?"

She would never forget the first time.

Like their first 'kiss', it only lasted for a second. It was brief. Short. And again, she was pretty sure he didn't even remember it. But she did. They were fifteen. It was New Year's; she remembered because of the beautiful fireworks. They left the Evan's New Year's party early, opting to spend the final minutes of the year '98 by themselves. They were sitting on her bed, their backs against the headboard, only a few inches separating them. He was complaining about the new girl he was dating. Trish, was her name, if she remembered it correctly. She was way too clingy, he grumbled. She then argued that most of the girls he'd recently dated were all the same. Clingy. Blonde. Ditzy. She teased him that he sure knew how to pick em'. He laughed, his voice dropping an octave and taking on a husky quality. She doesn't remember what exactly he said afterward but his phone, located by the bedside table on her side, started ringing. He leaned over her, casually touching her arm for support and grabbing his phone. It was the first time she felt chills run down her spine.

"Honey?"

And she would definitely never forget the first time.

This time, it didn't last for a second. It wasn't brief nor short. And she was pretty sure he never realized it. They were seventeen. It was the summer before their senior year and she was spending it in New Haven with her family. Her very first boyfriend of a year and one month broke up with her over the phone. She was heartbroken and alone. But despite the hurt, she didn't cry. She didn't know how he got wind of it. But only hours after being a single woman again, he showed up at her grandparent's doorstep. At the mere sight of him, she finally broke down. He carried her up to her bedroom. They ended up tangled in her bed, with him awkwardly petting her hair and mumbling gibberish to comfort her. He was a teenage boy who knew nothing about comforting teenage girls but the odd mixture of awkward hugs and nonsense words made her feel better. And as she pressed her face closer into his the crook of his neck, his arms securely around her, she found herself succumbing to sleep. She was pretty sure that he thought she was already asleep when he said it. But before she fully succumbed, she heard him whisper, "He never really deserved you" before giving her a kiss on the forehead. It was the first time she realized that she was falling in love with her best friend.

"Gabriella," Maria Montez called out again, bringing her out of her stupor, "are you okay honey?"

Blinking in confusion, she turned and saw concern on her mother's face. Behind Maria stood her father with a similar expression on his face. She then went about placating them.

Content that her daughter was indeed fine, Maria smiled gently and extended a bouquet of roses to her. "Ready?"

She smiled in return. "Yeah. Can you just give me a moment?"

Gazing warmly at her, Nicholas stepped forward and squeezed her hand. "Take all the time you need. We'll be outside."

Gabriella turned the moment the door closed. Eyes closed, she took a deep breath. Opening her eyes, she gave herself another long glance at the mirror before her. Her dress was immaculate. Her makeup and hair beautifully done. She plastered a smile on her face and with one last look at the mirror, she grabbed the veil, put it down over her face and sighed. In her mind, the mantra kept repeating, 'You can do this. You can do this.'

Without so much as a knock, Samantha, New York's renowned wedding planner that clyde insisted they hire, peered in, "Everything okay in here, Gabriella? The wedding is about to start and everyone is waiting."

As if on cue, the beginnings of Mendelssohn's Wedding March began to play.

"Ready?" Samantha asked.

Gabriella nodded and grabbed her wedding bouquet on her way out of the bridal suite in the church.

Her last thought, before the doors to St. Patrick's cathedral doors opened was, 'she would never forget'.

~.~.~

"Family and friends, we are gathered here this afternoon to join Julian Ryan Rutherford and Gabriella Elizabeth Montez in the celebration of their marriage," the priest, a stout man in his early sixties that reminded her of her math professor, began the ceremony. "Marriage is the commitment to life - and to the best that two people can find and bring out in each other. In marriage, we give ourselves freely and generously into the hands of the one we love, and in doing so, each of us receives the love and trust of the other as our most precious gift."

Gabriella always thought it would take longer. Or at least feel longer when she walked down the aisle. But one second, she was standing before the cathedral doors and the next, she was in the front, standing by Julian and staring at the priest.

"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, love does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek its own, love is not provoked, does not take into account wrong suffering. Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. It is in the spirit of this love that you both have come here to exchange these vows. Julian, do you, declare in the presence of your guests, that you take Gabriella to be your lawfully wedded wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and stand by her in sickness and in health, and be faithful only unto her so long as you both shall live? If so, answer, I will."

From the corner of her eye, she spotted a flash of pink right next to Jack and Diane Bolton. Internally, she smiled. Sharpay came. What seemed like a distance, she heard Julian respond, "I will".

"Gabriella, do you…"

She swallowed and tried to calm herself. The priest continued on but she could barely hear him. She could see his lips moving, but she couldn't her anything.

"… both shall live? If so, answer, I will."

She paused and without realizing it, she found herself looking at Clyde. He was frowning and he mouthed something she didn't understand. But the look in his eye was enough for her to repeat, "I will."

The priest, taking her hand, placed it over Julian's. He smiled and squeezed her hand comfortingly.

The old man proceeded to recite more of the vows. As expected, the groom repeated. And then, it was her turn again.

"Gabriella, repeat after me. I take you, Julian, to be my husband…"

"I take you, Julian, to be my husband."

"… and these things I promise you from this day forward…"

"…and these things I promise you from this day forward."

She repeated after the priest; word per word as she promised to be faithful to him, to care for him and most importantly, to love him until death do they part. In the back of her head, she felt relieved that they were sticking to traditional vows. It allowed her to just repeat whatever the hell the priest said and not worry about pretending that whatever vows she would have made were truthful and sincere.

"The rings…" the priest called out. Julian's youngest cousin clumsily came up the steps leading up to the altar. But before he could reach their side, the doors to the church slammed open, the crash reverberating throughout.

Everyone turned around.

But for Gabriella, the crash didn't register at first. She was still looking ahead, waiting for the priest to continue. With one hand in the Bible and the other up in the air, the priest paused and sighed before closing the sacred book. But she didn't notice that either. She did, however, notice the silence.

She turned. And saw him. He looked haggard. As if he ran the entire way to get to the church. His clothes were disheveled. And his usually combed hair was in disarray.

"Troy?", she asked breathlessly.

Short of breath, he barely managed to reply. "Don't."

One smart aleck shouted, "We haven't reached that part yet, mister."

"You can't marry him, Gabi." he said louder this time, "Don't marry him." He staggered forth and tried to calmly walk towards her.

She said nothing as she watched him walk towards her. The crowd, even Clyde, sat still, waiting.

"Don't." He repeated. She took a step back.

"I love you." With each step he took, he repeated those three words over and over again.

Beside her, she saw Julian, smirking in the direction of someone. She saw Sharpay smiling, and right next to her, Jack's and Diane's mouths were agape. Of the side of the enormous cathedral, she could see several men in dark suits as they came over running over to him. She saw everything. From the stunned look on her parent's face to the confused look on the ring bearer's face as he stood there, not knowing what to do next. She saw everything, but not Troy as he came right up to her. It wasn't until he was mere inches away from here did she notice. And she never anticipated what he did next. Right there, in front of her and everyone in St. Patrick's, he took her trembling hands, she didn't even know that she dropped her bouquet at some point, and kissed her. She was oblivious to the gasp that resonated in the cathedral. She was oblivious to the Clyde's face getting red in anger. Nor Julian mouthing something to Sharpay, who frowned in return. And just like that first night they had together, it was just him and her.

Breaking the kiss, he repeated, "Don't marry him."

"Troy, why are you doing this?" she whispered, tears burning her eyes.

"I love you," he replied as if those three words were enough to explain everything, as if those three words were enough to fix it. "Marry me."

Her beautiful hazel brown eyes glistened and shook her head before stepping away. Away from him. The entire church stopped breathing, awaiting her response.

"Marry me," he repeated loudly but she could hear doubt linger in his voice while he waited for her response.

Tears were rolling down her cheeks and she was biting her lip.

"Marry me." His whispered words sounded loudly in the stillness of the church. "Marry me because I love you. Marry me because I could never live without you."

Everything inside her scream, "Yes". More than anything, she wanted to say "Yes".

Clyde stood up at this point and advanced towards them, she noticed. The reality of her situation came back full force. Her head twisted slightly and then she spoke, pure anguish and despair laden in her words. "I can't."

She doesn't remember much of whatever happened next. All hell broke lose. Julian's father, along with his bodyguards, came charging up to Troy, escorting him out of the cathedral. He offered no resistance. Clyde, ready to punch Troy, was immediately stopped by Jack Bolton, who charged right up to them. Her own father came running up to the two, trying to break up the fight. The priest, overwhelmed by the chaos and mayhem inside such a sacred place, fainted. Her mother came rushing up to the now fallen priest. And from there, everything just went downhill. Every guest was in uproar, all simultaneously talking and moving around.

Frozen in her spot, Gabriella closed her eyes, wishing that she would soon wake up from this nightmare.

"Not exactly the wedding of your dreams, huh?", Julian commented at her side.

In a caustic tone, she replied, "Ya think? Nothing about this sham of a wedding is ever part of my dream wedding." The moment the words left her mouth, she wished she could take it back. "Julian," she began, intending to apologize for her harsh words.

But instead of seeing a pained expression on his face, he was smiling at her. Brightly. "Finally, the sarcastic Gabriella I know comes back. For awhile there, I thought you'd turned into this submissive woman who is willing to be at my, well, really, it's my father's beck and call. I was worried for a while..."

Realization dawned on her. "You knew about the blackmail?" she incredulously asked.

"I can explain, Gabi."

The resounding sound of her hand hitting his cheek was Julian's only answer.

I'm hoping no one saw that coming. And if you're confused, no, the wedding didn't exactly continue after that whole shebacle. I hope this was worth the wait, because dear gawd, writing this was a biyatch. I'm not completely happy with this chapter but when am I ever?

I can see the finish line from here. I'm hoping that by the end of April I can get this done and focus on Missing Pieces. Then again, I said the same thing back in March. So, cross your fingers.

Reviews are much appreciated.