"Bliss"

Disclaimer: I don not own HSM

Bliss isn't too far away unless you push it away.

"If you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn't have opened for anyone else."
-Joseph Campbell

If you want to be loved, show that you can love.

Ignorance is bliss.

Do what makes you happy. Be with who makes you smile. Laugh as much as you breathe. Love as long as you live

"This...is, okay, weird," Miley breathed as soon as Officer Shawn explained the whole story and then departed from the four. Troy nodded and closed the door. "Why would your father kill Bret?" They turned to face Gabriella who was currently in a stunned silence, gnawing on her bottom lip. "Gabriella? You know that everything is going to be okay, right?"

"I should feel relieved," Gabriella said quietly. "But I can't bring myself to come to that. I...feel bad if I do. I mean, he's dead." Gabriella looked at them. Sharpay nodded. "Yes, but it's okay to be happy, I suppose. He tried to kill you and I bet he wouldn't have stopped."

"Do you think that's why Phil killed him?" Miley questioned. "Because he wants Gabriella to be safe?"

Gabriella snorted cynically. "He has a funny way of showing that he wants me to be safe. He tried to kill my boyfriend," she said quietly. "And I bet he was aiming for me next."

"Or maybe he really does want you to be safe," Miley said softly. Gabriella turned away and walked to the couch. She sat down silently on it and brought her feet up so she was positioned in a fetal position. She just...it wasn't that easy. It couldn't be. How could it? After everything Phil and Bret did...it just didn't seem as simple as it's being played out. There had to be more to it and she was determined to find out what.

Troy came and sat down next to her, concern written on his face. "Brie?"

"It just isn't that easy," she said. "There has to be more...there...I don't know what."

"It's over now," Troy told her. "Everything is fine now."

Gabriella swallowed and looked at the door. She sat there for minutes, but it seemed like hours, until she finally muttered, "He's not dead."

"The police said he was," Troy said. "Why do you think that?"

"I can just feel it," Gabriella admitted. "It's too hard to believe. He can't be dead."

"Gabriella, honey, how about I make you some tea," Sharpay suggested. "Troy can take you to bed and—"

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" Gabriella interrupted sharply. "I know I'm right. He's not dead. My father won't just give up like that. Not after everything that has happened." The three all looked at each other wearily, avoiding Gabriella's gaze. Not being able to take the dense silence, Gabriella stood and marched off to her room. They were about to follow her, but she turned around, her voice sharp. "Since you don't believe me, I'll talk to the only person who will. My mom." Distressed and weary, Gabriella stalked off and closed her room behind her loudly. She leaned against the cool wood and leaned her head back, her eyes fluttering closed as well. She concentrated hard on her mother's face and soon, after five minutes, whisked up a picture of her, smiling. She could almost hear her uttering the words "Quien bien te quiere te hará llorar" which meant: Those who loved you the most will make you cry.

And right now, she stood with her eyes closed, imagining her mom whispering palate words and crying. She didn't know why she was crying, she just was. And she didn't like it. Not one bit. Gabriella reached up and wiped angrily at the tears. She didn't want to cry. She was strong. Sucking in a deep breath, Gabriella walked over to her bed. She sat down on it and took out a small picture from under her pillow. It was of her mom on her wedding day. She had shredded off Phil from the picture and what was left of him was his black sleeve-colored arm. Gabriella took another deep breath before whispering softly, "Mom," she started feebly. "things have been really, really, really whacked up lately. I know you probably know because you're always looking down at me. And since you've been looking down on me, you've probably been looking down at the rest of the world as well. Does that mean Bret is really dead and Phil killed him? Or is he really, truly dead?"

Silence buzzed in her ear until a rock crashed into her window. Little shards of glass scattered on the floor and Gabriella quickly got up, bending to pick up the rock. On it was a folded up piece of paper tapped to it. Gabriella unfolded it and read it carefully.

Dear Gabriella,

We're coming for you.

And that was it. Gabriella let out shaky breaths and she laid the small scrap of paper on her bed. Feeling faint, Gabriella leaned against the dresser and took deep, calming breaths. It was obviously a sign.

Después de la lluvia sale el sol. Which meant: After the rain, the sun shines. Her mom would pull Gabriella's hair behind her ear and whisper those words softly in her ear. But it seemed as if after the rain has fell for today, it would still rain. And rain, and rain and rain until a thunderstorm rolled in and killed her.

Gabriella stood straight up and walked to the window, leaning out of it. No one was there, but she knew she was being watched. Swallowing, gabriella lowered herself back on her bed. Then she just thought. She didn't think of the thought that she could come to die after almost dying several times, but she did think of happy stuff. Her mom, Troy, Sharpay, Bella, Miley—everything and everyone that made her want to live everyday to its fullest.

Bliss...

"She's been up there for two hours," Miley said softly. "We should go and check on her."

"I will," Troy said. Miley and Sharpay went to protest, but Troy beat them to it. "Please, guys. You can soothe her with words, but I can soothe her with love. Just for a bit and then I'll see if I can send her down here."

"Fine," Sharpay grumbled. "We'll keep you to that promise." Troy nodded before turning and dashing up the steps. He gently opened the door to their room and gasped. Shattered glass was showering the floor and Gabriella was on the bed, looking lost in thought. Troy was immediately by her side, bringing her into his arms. Gabriella, snapping out of her thoughts, wrapped her arms tightly around Troy and held him tight to her. "Gabriella—"

"Shh," Gabriella murmured. "Una acción buena enseña más que mil palabras—actions speak louder than words. And right now, I just want to be held, Troy. I want to be held by you."

Troy kissed her temple. "Okay, I'll hold you." So they sat there, Gabriella practically in his lap as he rocked them both. He moved them so they were laying down and they stayed like that for a while, staring into each others eyes and holding one another. "I love you," Gabriella whispered.

"I love you, too," Troy said back.

Gabriella bit her lip. "Enough to strip me of my innocence?" Troy's eyes bulged. They hadn't talked too much of sex. It just hadn't been brought up. But he wanted to make love to her so badly. And with her saying that made it even harder to restrain. But he had to. Sharpay and Miley were here and she was vulnerable. He wasn't going to take advantage of her like that. Never. "Gabriella—"

"Before you protest, Troy," Gabriella said. "I'm fine with it." She sat up and looked down at him. "I want you to hold me in your arms and make love with me. Frankly, I don't care whether Sharpay and Miley is down stairs. I want you, Troy. So badly. And I don't think I can resist any longer." Troy stared at her for a moment before wrapping his hand behind her neck. He brought her down on him so their lips can fuse together.

Gabriella lifted a leg over his waist and slid on him, propping her elbows on either side of his head to keep support. Butterflies were fluttering in her stomach as explicit pictures flashed in her mind about her and Troy having sex. Troy's hands whispered across her skin, leaving and inferno trail, she shivered and brought him closer to her. "I love you," Troy murmured against her lips. Gabriella raked her nails down his chest. "I love you, too," she murmured as well. Soon their hands were roaming, their tongues probing and their hips bucking.

And then they folded into each other, making passionate, sweet love until they fell asleep.

Bliss...

"Just for a bit," Sharpay mimicked. "He's been up there forever. Let's go."

"What if they're in the middle of something?" Miley asked reluctantly. "I may dislike my brother, but I love him and respect his privacy." Sharpay only rolled her eyes and dragged her up the steps. They opened the door to Troy and Gabriella's room and both let gasps escape their lips. "Holy," Sharpay breathed.

"Shit," Miley said after. "They had sex?" She wasn't mortified that they had had sex, they loved each other and she was okay with that. But they had actually done it while her and Sharpay were only down stairs. "While we were in the house? That's...that's...ew!"

Troy groaned from the bed and pulled Gabriella tighter against him. Gabriella's eyes fluttered open and she smiled. She nuzzled her nose against Troy's slight stubble and laughed softly when his face twitched. "Mmm," she hummed. "Troy?"

"Oh, God, do not wake him up!" Sharpay screeched. "He's naked!" Gabriella nearly jumped off the bed. She looked up at the two girls at her door, startled. Then she pulled the cover up to cover her bare chest. "What are you guys doing here?" She made sure to have Troy's body covered, too. Miley and Sharpay, finding her panic amusing, smirked. "Oh, you know, the usual," Miley said sarcastically. "Walking in on our best friend and her boyfriend, my brother, having sex."

"That is so not usual," Gabriella said, her cheeks flaming. "Get out, please. I'd rather talked while I have clothes on."

"Don't have to say it twice," Sharpay said, snickering. The girls tottered out of the room, closing the door loudly behind them. The noise startled Troy awake. He looked up at Gabriella, confused. "What was that?"

"Shar and Miley just walked in on us," Gabriella informed him. "Come on, we have to get dressed." Gabriella started moving out of the bed.

"I don't feel like getting up," Troy whined, pulling her down onto his chest. Gabriella giggled. "I just had amazing sex with my sexy girlfriend and I rather spend the day lounging in bed with her."

Gabriella smiled. "Sounds like you and your sexy girlfriend had some fun."

Troy smirked. "Oh, we did."

"I don't think she'd be really happy that we're in bed together though, naked," Gabriella teased.

"Actually," Troy argued. "I think she'd be quite fond with it." Troy pulled her fully on him and Gabriella squealed as he attacked her sides with his wiggling fingers. Gabriella laughed breathlessly as Troy continued his assault on her terrible sides. It was only when the knock on the door made them stop. Gabriella sat up on Troy's torso and waited for the voice. "You guys better be getting dressed," came Miley's voice.

Troy rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, we are, Miles. Just hang on."

Miley sighed. "Sure. Whatever."

Gabriella looked down at Troy and giggled. She slid off of him and grabbed a towel. "I'll be in the shower, okay?" Troy nodded. Gabriella closed herself in the bathroom and he pulled on his boxers. While he was pulling them, on though, he remembered the crashed window, A rock was in the middle of the flor as well. Troy picked up, confusion deep within him. Did someone throw this rock in here?

Troy picked up a piece of paper on the edge of the bed. His eyes went wide as he read it. "Who..?" Troy's questioned died on his tongue when he heard a scream and a crash from the bathroom. He let the paper float to the floor before dashing into the bathroom. Gabriella was in the back of the shower, trembling and tightly pulled into a fetal position. Troy crouched beside her and wrapped his arms around her cold body. "Gabriella? What's wrong? What happened?" Gabriella shook her head and sobs continued to roll and tumble.

Troy moved to sit in front of her. He grasped her shoulders. "Gabriella, look up at me. Right at me." Gabriella lifted her head and looked at him through glassy eyes. "You've got to tell me what's wrong, okay? What happened? Did you fall?" Miley and Sharpay dashed into the room after her said that. "We heard a scream," Miley said. "What happened?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," Troy said. "Now, Gabriella, breathe, okay? Slow, even breaths. Like this." Troy filled his lungs with air and Gabriella caught on with him. They did it for several minutes before Gabriella coughed. "I saw him," she whispered. "He...he was at the window, staring at me. When I scream it was like he vanished." When she saw their doubtful faces, her eyes went wide. "You've got to believe me! I saw him, I did! He was right there. He...he's still alive. And he wants to kill me. He threw a rock at my window saying he'll get me. You have to believe me." Gabriella's eyes were wide, hoping that they'd understand. Miley and Sharpay only looked away, doubt still etched deeply onto their faces. But Troy pulled Gabriella in a hug, rocking her slowly back in forth. Gabriella cried on his shoulder as she clung to him. "Don't let them kill me, Troy," she whispered. "Please."

"Never," Troy breathed. "I'll never let them hurt you."

Gabriella looked at him. She seriously looked like a lost, scared child. "Promise?"

Troy nodded. "I promise."

So what do you think? I think it's pretty obvious of the answer that Bret is either alive of dead. Please review! I'd appreciate it! Thanks!

Thanks!-Brittany