Hello again! So here's another chapter of It Isn't Over. I really do love this story, but in true me-fashion, I haven't come up with a proper way to end it. I'm still thinking about it, so until then, here's Chapter 14! If you've read this far, I applaud you. =P

Last chapter we saw Troy and Gabriella make what I like to call a "non-decision." They're sort of in limbo, that fine line between friends and something more, which is understandable, given the history between the two. You find out a little bit more about that in this chapter, so read on and hopefully, you'll like it! =)

Chapter 14: Rainy Flashbacks

"So, what do you think?" Taylor asked, stretching out her arms and turning slowly. Sharpay squealed and clapped her hands together, setting down her glass of champagne and walking over to her friend. It was two weeks after Gabriella's second disappearance from her friends and since then, none of them had mentioned the scene in the kitchen. Troy and Gabriella, despite their talk on keeping things the way they were, somehow ended up avoiding each other and in that time, Taylor had decided to shop for wedding dresses.

"You look absolutely stunning! Tay, that dress fits like a glove!" Sharpay exclaimed, teary-eyed.

"It…it looks great, Tay," Gabriella muttered, stifling back a sob.

"Aw, you guys, don't cry!" waving her arms frantically, Taylor lifted the white fabric and stepped off the platform. "Do you think Chad will like it?"

"Oh, honey, forget what Chad likes or doesn't. You look gorgeous in that dress and he's going to die when he sees you," Sharpay said flippantly, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder. The girls chuckled and flopped down to sit on either side of Gabriella.

"What do you think, Gabi?" Taylor asked.

"It looks great," she replied, tears in her eyes. Seeing Taylor try on wedding dresses had been fun, until Gabriella saw her best friend try on the dress she knew was perfect. Suddenly, the memories of proposals, lost wedding plans, and everything that could've been flooded her mind and she couldn't breathe. Had it really only been five years since all that had happened? How could she be 25 and gone through so much heartache already?

"Gabi?" Taylor's comforting voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she blinked, looking up at her friend. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine…why?"

"You spaced out for a minute there," Sharpay said, inspecting her nails. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," she replied automatically.

"Is this the Troy thing?" Taylor asked. "You know, you never told us what really happened between you two last month,"

"I did tell you, Tay. Nothing happened," Gabriella sighed tiredly, leaning her head back.

"Then why are you being little miss moody 24/7?" Sharpay asked blatantly.

"Just let it go, will you?" Gabriella snapped. At the sight of her best friends' wide, surprised eyes, she sighed again. "I'm sorry, you guys. I'm just…on edge. I don't know," she shrugged, getting up from her seat and walked over to the racks of gorgeous, designer dresses.

"Is it Troy?" Taylor asked softly and cautiously. Gabriella turned, facing her friends again and almost lost it at the sight of them. Taylor, wearing a stunning dress that looked like the white fabric had been poured on her, and Sharpay, who was examining her nails anxiously, while darting averted gazes at her. Several months ago, Gabriella could've smiled along and hid her emotions, but ever since that night, the night Troy came to visit her and she cried in her room over their lost baby and engagement, she was struggling keeping her emotions undercover. It was as if Troy arriving back in her life had broken down all her defenses.

"It is and it isn't," Gabriella replied. "He and I are friends. He needs to focus on his basketball game right now and I need to focus on…something else,"

"Can I just ask you one question?" Sharpay asked. "Is Brian still in the picture?"

"God, Shar, I don't have a clue, okay?" Gabriella admitted, a defeated look in her eyes. She threw her hands up in frustration and groaned. "Brian wants me back," she whispered.

"Fucking idiot," Sharpay muttered under her breath.

"Is that what he talked to you about that night?" Taylor asked.

Gabriella nodded, wringing her hands together nervously. "He wants a life with me. The whole thing. Engagement ring, wedding, baby, family, house…all of it," she explained.

"No wonder you lost it,"

"Totally understandable," Sharpay nodded, picking up a champagne glass and handing it to the brunette, who downed it in one gulp. She tapped her fingers against the delicate glass, biting her lip.

"I don't want that with Brian. I don't want Brian at all," she murmured. The room was silent, save for the shuffling of a store clerk in the background, as the girls pondered Gabriella's current situation.

"Do you want Troy?" Sharpay said, her voice dropping to an almost whisper. Gabriella turned to look at her, a mix of confusion, pain, and sadness etched across her face. She knew who and what she didn't want, but couldn't decide if Troy fit into that category. Their distanced conversations and length of physical space between them was difficult to accept, but there was a time when they were close – Gabriella couldn't let herself forget that, she wouldn't. And for some reason, she couldn't stop thinking about what could've been. Ever since their conversation that didn't lead to anything, Gabriella's mind had been stuck in the past, thinking about what her life would be like if she had said yes or if she hadn't lost the baby.

It was a cold morning in North Carolina and as Gabriella padded down the stairs sleepily, she noticed a light flurry of snow outside the window. Grabbing the large, wool blanket from the couch, she wrapped it around herself tightly, before making her way into the kitchen and starting up the coffee machine. 'It's beautiful outside. What a perfect Christmas,' she smiled to herself. Several weeks ago, Gabriella's mother had told her she'd be going on an Italy tour – something she and Mr. Montez always wanted to do once. At the same time, Troy's parents told him they'd be visiting his aunt in Thailand. With no family to attend to and a lonely holiday ahead, Linda Montez and the Boltons (minus Troy) had splurged on a last-minute plane ticket for Gabriella to spend Christmas in North Carolina. It had been perfect, from the minute she stepped off the plane and into her boyfriend's arms. On all accounts, they had moved on from the miscarriage and their lives were finally beginning to take shape – with Troy a sure bet for the next NBA draft and Gabriella securing a top internship spot at an entertainment law firm in LA. But even though their relationship had fallen back into the same familiarity, she couldn't help but feel the burden and weight of their loss, it would always be with her. While Troy went to practice and trained his frustration away, Gabriella couldn't hide behind law books and case files – the pain was too much and there were times she'd often catch herself holding her stomach, only to remember that there was nothing there anymore. Troy was always there for her, she was grateful for that, but he couldn't understand how much she missed being pregnant, even if it was only for several weeks.

"You're up," a lazy, sleepy voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she whirled around to see her boyfriend leaning against the door frame. Dressed in a pair of basketball shorts and a wife-beater, he ran a hand through his hair, messing it up even more, before taking the mug of coffee Gabriella offered him. "Why?" he murmured, wrapping a strong arm around her waist and pulling her in close.

"I couldn't sleep. It's pretty outside," she pouted, giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Not as pretty as you," he said smoothly, causing Gabriella to chuckle. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"Mmm, let's just hang out here. You know, stare at the Christmas tree before I nag you to put it away,"

"I'm not doing that until after New Years, you crazy," he grinned, tucking a strand of Gabriella's hair behind her ear. "Speaking of New Years, you'll still be around, right?"

"Unless you plan on being an ass and kicking me out…then yes, I'll be around," she chuckled, running her fingers through his hair, messing it up even more.

"Seriously, you're never leaving, right?" he smiled up at her and although Gabriella knew it was a joke, there was a determination in his eyes that made her heart skip a beat. As if he wasn't just asking whether she'd be around until New Years, but whether she'd be around for forever. The thought made her feel as if her body split in two – a part of her wanted to leap into his arms, kiss him senseless, and be with him for the rest of her life, while another part wanted to step away and run from the seriousness of their relationship. She forced herself to look into his blue eyes and sighed.

"Only until I have to get on that plane back to LA," she said softly, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in close.

It had been a whirlwind of shopping, sightseeing, and late nights, but as Gabriella stepped into the California apartment she shared with Sharpay, she realized she wouldn't have traded it for the world. It had been nice to play house with Troy for a few weeks, but now that she was back home, she welcomed the distance. They were in two separate parts of the country, working towards two separate goals, but the miscarriage was like a wakeup call for Gabriella. She had been given another chance at reaching her dreams, just days after watching them all float away, and she was determined to make the most of it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Pulling off her boots and tossing them by her bedroom door, she crossed the room to turn on her computer, before heading back downstairs to get a glass of water. Sharpay was still on vacation with her family in the Bahamas, while Taylor and Chad were visiting their families in Albuquerque, and Gabriella was more than happy to have the apartment to herself. Opting instead for a bottle of wine, she poured some of the dark red liquid into a wine glass and leaned against the kitchen counter, taking a quiet moment to breathe in and steady herself. It hadn't been an easy flight. She had spent the four hours debating whether or not slowing things down with Troy was a good idea. She knew what Sharpay would say – "That's crazy, you guys had a freaking baby together, why don't you just move in or get married already?" But for Gabriella, that was the crazy part. She couldn't see herself settling down – not just with Troy, but with anybody. She was young and in love, but did that mean she had to commit to something as big as marriage? Her thoughts ran and she was taking her third sip of wine when she heard the doorbell ring. Setting down her glass, she walked cautiously towards the door and opened it slowly, revealing a familiar face – the very same one she had said goodbye to in North Carolina a few hours ago.

"Troy? What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice a mix of confusion and happy surprise, as she stepped back to let him in. Disheveled, out of breath, and flushed, Troy Bolton looked as if he had just run a marathon. He dropped his bags, ran a hand through his hair, grabbed Gabriella by the arms and kissed her on the lips. Her defense melted and she immediately fit herself into his body, unconsciously slinking her leg around his.

"Hey," he finally said, pulling away after a couple of seconds. She stared up at him, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"What are you doing here?" she repeated, smoothing out her hair and bringing a finger to her bruised lips, before taking his hand and steering them into the kitchen. A part of her wanted to continue that kiss and lose herself in the moment, but something in his eyes distracted her, even made her a little scared. Her mind raced with questions as she robotically poured him a glass of wine. She leaned against the counter casually, but stiffened when she saw him making his way towards her. There was something about his gaze that was too intense, something about the way he carried himself that was too…sure.

"After you left, I realized something. I realized I hate it," he said, clutching her hands in his tightly and gazing into her eyes a little too intensely. She shifted uncomfortably and bit her lip, before he continued. "You and me, we've been solid from the very start. And after losing the baby, we've gotten closer, haven't we?" he searched her face for an answer and she nodded numbly.

"Troy, I'm…" she started, but he waved his hand dismissively.

"No, I need to get this out in the open," he shook his head with a resolute and determined expression across his face. "I was watching your plane take off when it hit me – this is our future. With me in the NBA and you in law, we're going to be flying back and forth all the time, trying to see each other whenever we can, trying to make it work. And I'm okay with that, I'm going to look forward to that because I know we can make it. And those reunions are going to be fun as hell. But I don't want just that for us – I want more," he said meaningfully, grazing Gabriella's cheek with his fingers.

"What do you mean?"

"I want us. Forever. For always," he added, wrapping his arms around her waist. Gabriella's heart skipped a beat and she shivered. It wasn't unheard of for Troy to be romantic, but the moments were usually followed with a quick kiss and his famous, knee-melting chuckle. Somehow, she knew this was different.

"We are for always," Gabriella insisted.

"I don't…I'm not saying I want you to be wherever I am or vice versa. But I want us…Gabi, they'll always say we're too young. But your mom's put you on the fast track since pre-school and my dad's had me shooting free throws since I was two. We grew up before we had to and we've handled it pretty well, I like to think, but now…I want to grow old with you," he said sincerely, looking down at her.

"Are you…Troy, what are you trying to say?" she asked, her voice shaky and a pitch higher than normal. She saw him reach into his pocket and get down on one knee, before holding a small, black, velvet box up to her. "Oh my…"

"Gabriella Montez, will you marry me?" his voice was even, assured, and confident, his eyes never blinking and unwavering. She heard the soft click of the velvet box opening and her eyes looked down, seeing a gorgeous, princess cut diamond ring. Troy held on to her hand tightly and for a second, Gabriella was thankful for it, because the minute the words had left his mouth, she felt as if the world had been tipped on its axis and she was falling. A million thoughts ran through her mind at once and as if on reflex and before she knew what was going on, she ripped her hand away from Troy's. Quickly turning her head away from the pained look that stretched across his face, she stepped back and felt the cold, hard marble of the kitchen counter against her spine.

"What were you thinking?" she whispered harshly, an unfamiliar anger bubbling up inside her. Troy stood up and snapped the box shut, the sound echoing throughout the apartment. Suddenly, it was like the warmth rushed out of the kitchen and Gabriella felt a detached, unforgivable cold surround her. Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach and all that rose was anger and disappointment. 'How can he possibly think that getting engaged – that getting married – is the next step for us?' she thought lividly.

"Gabi, I'm serious about this," Troy said, his voice quiet, but determined.

"Great, well, I'm not," she shot back through gritted teeth. "How could you possibly think this was a good idea?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because we've been dating since high school? Maybe because we had a baby together?" he pointed out. Gabriella noticed his voice wavering and felt a sick satisfaction in hearing it.

"I lost the baby, Troy. Not you,"

"You don't think it had any effect on me at all?" his voice was rising and Gabriella sat back and watched him. "You don't get to feel that loss all on your own. I loved it just as much as you did. You don't think I cried when we lost it? I had plans too!"

"No, you got to keep all your plans, Troy! Your basketball career, the fame, the fortune – you got to keep all of it! You never saw your dreams get taken away from you and you don't know what it's like to be given a second chance to reach it again!" she cried, hot tears springing to her eyes.

"Damnit, Gabriella!" he shouted, slamming his fist onto the counter. She flinched and her knuckles turned white from gripping the counter behind her. Gabriella had seen Troy angry plenty of times – when his dad got on his case a little too hard or when he didn't play well – but seeing him angry and disappointed was frightening. "Do you think I didn't see my dreams go down the drain? When you told me you were pregnant, I would've given it all up, did you know that?"

"I just don't see how you can think getting married is the next step!" she cried.

"Then why don't you tell me what the next step is? Since you're so obviously clued in," he shot back sarcastically. Gabriella wiped away the tears that were falling and she heard the faint rumble of thunder in the distance.

"I can't…I need space," she whispered softly, toying with her necklace.

"Space?"

"Troy, I love you. I do. I just want you to think about this, rationally. We're not ready to get married. We weren't ready for a baby. I want to get my life back on track; I want to do well in law. You need to focus on basketball. We're in two separate places, two separate parts of the country. If anything…we should be taking a break," she added the last part in one short breath, searching her boyfriend's face for an expression. Troy stared at her blankly and Gabriella swore she felt her heart breaking – his gaze was cold and harsh.

"A break?" he muttered in disbelief. The look on his face was so pained that Gabriella began moving towards him, her hand reaching out for his, before he backed away from her, as if she was poison.

"Why…why do you want us to get married, Troy?"

"Because! Because it's the right thing to do, damnit!" he cried. "Because we had a baby! Because we're older! Because everybody expects us to!" Troy was livid, shoving the ring box back into his pocket and pacing the kitchen, running a hand through his hair in frustration. There was a silent pause, before Gabriella spoke, her voice quiet and sad.

"None of those reasons were, 'because I love you,'" she pointed out. Troy locked eyes with her, trying to steady his frantic breathing. She felt the distance between them, felt the separation and loss, and as much as Gabriella wanted to say yes to his proposal – it seemed easy, right, and logical – she wouldn't say yes for the wrong reasons.

"We're done," Troy spat out, turning on his heel, grabbing his bags, and slamming the front door behind him.

The rain pounded on the window pane and out of the corner of his eye, Troy saw a threatening flash of lightning. It was warm inside, though, he made sure of it the minute he saw big, fat raindrops dot his car windows. Holed up in his living room, Troy had lit as many candles as he could find, found a six-pack of beer, and was now playing a mindless round of Angry Birds on his iPad. He heard his phone vibrate against the coffee table suddenly and reached over to grab it, swiping at the touch screen and lifting it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Bolton, I don't know what you did to her that night, but whatever it was, you have to fix it!" a demanding, high-pitched voice came through the receiver and Troy held the phone away from his ear, a smirk playing at his lips.

"Hi, Sharpay,"

"Don't you try and be nice to me!" she cried. "I'm serious, Troy. Gabi isn't the same anymore and you need to work your charm to get her back,"

"Shar, what's this all about?" he asked tiredly, sitting up and leaning against the back of his couch.

"We went wedding dress shopping with Taylor today,"

"Fascinating,"

"Let me talk!" she scolded him. "I know she's sad and stuck in the past about how the two of you could've had it all, but you're both starting to sound like a broken Adele record! You have two options to put us all out of our misery here. One, you get back together with Gabriella and make both of yourselves the happiest you'll ever be, so that the next time we go wedding dress shopping, it'll be for a Bolton-Montez wedding," Sharpay spat out.

"What's my other option?" Troy winced.

"You both move on. Without each other," she said coldly.

"Shar…"

"No, I know, things are 'complicated' with you two. It'll always be complicated, don't you get that? Just…think about it," Sharpay sighed and hung up, leaving Troy dumbstruck. Setting his unfinished bottle on the coffee table, he raced up the stairs and into the master bedroom. The pounding of raindrops against his window matched the pounding of his heart, as he rummaged through an old box he pulled out of his closet. Shifting through old papers, several defunct cameras, and picture albums, his hand suddenly hit a familiar, velvet box. Pulling it out of the mess, he clutched it in his fist tightly, before making his way back down the stairs into his living room. With the candles burning brightly, Troy sat himself on the couch, turning the small box over and over again in his fingers, afraid to unleash its memories. He remembered walking into the jewelry store and spending hours picking out the perfect ring for his girlfriend. He had been excited, nervous, but most of all, he was confident she would say yes.

Leaning back into the couch cushions, Troy tossed the ring box up into the air and caught it, fingering the velvet fabric softly. He had been hurt and angry and disappointed, and he had never forgiven himself for ending things with Gabriella the way he did. After he had stormed out of the apartment, they didn't talk for a month, until Troy, in a fit of blind rage over losing his third basketball game since the breakup, had packed up everything she had ever left at his place and shipped it over to California. A few weeks later, he had gotten a similar box. 'And then it was over,' he thought bitterly to himself, running a hand through his hair. He opened the ring box and felt the memories of rejection and cruel irony wash over him, surrounded by an image of a beautiful diamond ring. Troy and Gabriella were a complicated story – they always would be. But if he could go back in time, he wouldn't have stormed out of that apartment so quickly. And he definitely wouldn't have ignored Gabriella. And he certainly wouldn't have suggested she go back to Brian. Suddenly feeling frustrated and annoyed with himself, Troy closed the ring box with a definitive snap and tossed it against the couch cushions. Hanging his head in his hands, Troy's mind ran wild with thoughts of Gabriella, of their lost baby, of their could-be wedding and just like that, he understood. He understood her pain and understood why she was still carrying the weight of their history – because he couldn't let it go either. He had tried to repress the memories, hiding behind his basketball career and falling into relationships that would never amount to anything serious. And it had worked for a while, until cosmic fate landed him in Los Angeles and back in Gabriella's life. Troy knew Sharpay was right – they were at a crossroads and had two options. The only problem was, he didn't know what he wanted.

"This is ridiculous," he said out loud, slamming his fist against a cushion. He was distracted by a quick flash of lightning, before the doorbell rang, nearly causing him to fall out of his seat. Stashing the ring box, he walked towards the front door and pulled it open.

This time, Gabriella wasn't drunk. She was sober, clear-headed, and positively scared. Her hair clung to her forehead and she was drenched from the rain, but when Troy pulled open the front door, she offered him a soft smile. His eyes widened at the sight of her, before nodding, as if he knew she was going to end up on his doorstep all along.

"It's cold," she muttered, clutching her arms and shivering, never once breaking eye contact. A pause followed and all that could be heard was the sound of the rain, pattering away around them, until each took one step towards each other. Troy's hair immediately flattened with the water and Gabriella reached up to push it back. He grasped her wrist gently and they locked gazes, their eyes speaking volumes of what they could never say. And as the rain pounded against the pavement and another split-second of lightning flashed somewhere nearby, their lips found each other and didn't stop until he picked her up and carried her inside the house.

There it is! I hope you guys liked it. I was a little nervous writing about the proposal, but I think it had to be written, it's sort of the one thing that nobody ever talks about and it needed to be said.

But dun dun dun! Gabriella & Troy are at it again. These two, no matter how much distance they try to put between them, just keep coming back. =) I love it. Haha.

Anyway, thanks for reading & please review, I'd really appreciate it!

Xoxo.