A/N: This chapter is quite 'full' as in there's lots of characters lots of action, lots of emotion. The beginning is important! Please remember. And the Jelsi part is, too. Remember those too parts! That's an order, not an option. Chaylor, you can ignore if you really want. That concentrates on Chad's character and his view of Gabriella. Don't own HSM

Chapter 25 – Now or Never

"I really think this song is coming on really good." Troy commented as he strummed the last few chords of the song. He set the guitar on the floor and reached for his notebook. He settled back against the pillows when he felt something fall onto his shoulder and he looked down to see Gabriella sleeping peacefully.

He chuckled and closed his notebook, setting it on the bedside table. He sat up and placed Gabriella's head on the pillows. He pulled the covers back and covered her with them. He brushed some curls from her forehead and he kissed the exposed skin. "I'm so sorry, Baby." He leaned up and grabbed his notebook and bag.

He stood there for what seemed like an eternity, but in reality, it was only a couple of minutes. She was so beautiful. And not his anymore. The worst part of the sight of Gabriella at that moment was the fact that she had tear tracks down her cheeks. Throughout the evening, Gabriella had tried to cover her tears but he had seen through it every time. And the worst part? He knew it was his fault.

Troy shook his head softly. He needed her to stay. Not just until they got back together – which they would – but forever. For her to stay in his life and so they could get married and have children. But, how? Drawing a blank, he walked towards her bedroom door before something caught his eyes. Something un-Earth-like. Something she couldn't leave without.

After a very brief moment of consideration and possible consequences - including Gabriella finding out and making sure they never see each other ever again – he swiped it off of her desk and stowed it in his jeans pocket. He softly shut her bedroom door and walked down the stairs.

He walked into the lounge and smiled kindly at Carlos and Salina. "I'm going to go. It's getting pretty late and Gabriella's asleep."

"How's the project coming?" Salina asked.

Troy nodded. "Good. Our relationship? About as good as a cat stranded in the ocean." He chuckled at their blank faces. "Bad. Anyway, like I said, I've got to go. Tell Brie, I said goodnight." He retreated into the hallway and left the house.

He slid into his truck and drove, barely thinking, towards Chad's house. The second he pulled up, he rushed out of the car, banging furiously on his best friend's front door. "Chad, open up!"

Jackson opened the door, yawning. "What's up?"

"Where's Chad?" Troy asked impatiently.

Chad walked into the hallway and frowned, walking towards Troy as Jackson retreated to the kitchen. "What's wrong?"

"You have to ask?" Troy mumbled. "But, that's not the point. I got a – Hi, Taylor." He interrupted himself as the African-American girl stepped into the hallway.

She smiled. "Hey, Troy. What's up?"

"May I borrow Chad for a second?" Troy asked quickly, already pulling Chad out of the front door.

"Okay?" Taylor replied unsurely, already turning around to make her way to the lounge.

Troy shut the front door and turned to Chad. "I got a way to get Gabriella to stay!"

Chad frowned. "What? I thought she had to go back because we know. It's a law there or something…"

"Yeah, well she can't go home if she doesn't have this." He produced the object from his pocket and Chad paled.

"Troy, you can't do that!" He protested.

Troy's face filled with anger. "Dude, I love her. She needs to stay."

"Why? I know you love her, the whole world does! But, that doesn't stop her from being who she is. It's upsetting, I know. I'm her best friend, practically her brother. But, do you know what Venus could do? Really? What if she finds out? What's your move then? Like I said to you at the start, I will stop being friends with her if that means protecting her!" He held a gaze with Troy before Troy bowed his head.

"I didn't know what to do." He mumbled.

"How about talking to her?" Chad suggested unemotionally before walking into his house, shutting the door in Troy's face.

Troy sighed. Sometimes Chad was an idiot…Sometimes he seemed like the deepest person alive.

Kelsi held her cell phone between her shoulder and ear as she rushed around her house, attempting, and failing, to eat cereal while packing her backpack. "Jase, I really think we should start calling each other at night not straight after we wake up!"

Jason chuckled on the other line. "Where's the fun in that?"

"You mean being late and getting detention?" She asked, placing her bowl and spoon in the sink.

"If we were alone in detention…" He trailed of suggestively.

"Jason!" She scolded, though there was a trace of amusement in her voice.

"I'm just saying." He said defensively and she could almost see him holding his hands up.

"Jason, I'm serious. I can't cope on a morning. I'm not a morning person on a regular morning. But, when I have to take Tommy to school, on my way to school, call you while trying to get dressed, eat breakfast and pack my bag, all before school starts…It's horrible!" She cried, stuffing some compositions into her bag. "Tommy!" She yelled into the lounge and a small, ten year old boy walked sulkily into the kitchen.

Jason chuckled again. "Where are your parents?"

"I told you yesterday if you weren't staring dreamily at me and actually listening!" She retorted, slinging her bag onto her shoulder. "They've gone to Boston for a couple of days." She paused slightly before continuing and making her way to the front door with Tommy. "Jase?" She whispered quietly, stepping outside before locking the door behind her.

"Kels, what's wrong?" Jason asked hurriedly, his usual witty, flirtatious tone gone from his voice.

She smiled at his concern. "Why do I feel so bad?" She held Tommy's hand tightly in her own as she started walking down the sidewalk with him.

Jason was silent for a moment and she heard a click as he, presumably, turned the TV off. "Troy and Gabriella?" He asked knowingly.

"We're hypocrites! We're in exactly the same position as they are. You're a jock and I'm a drama geek. I don't remember agreeing to it, actually." She admitted quietly.

"I do. I was scared of Sharpay." Jason muttered. "I don't know what to do, Sweetie. I wish I did."

Kelsi sighed as Tommy's school came into view. "Me too."

Chad saw Troy at his locker and immediately spun on the spot, trying his best to avoid confrontation, and made his way to Taylor's locker instead. What Troy did was wrong. On Earth and Venus. And Venus probably had worse laws. Chad wrapped his arms around Taylor's waist from behind and sulkily rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Hello?" She tried, turning her head to face him but only inhaling a few wisps of hair, making her sneeze.

He groaned, preventing himself from yelling what had happened the previous night into her ear. "Hi." He mumbled before pressing his lips back together.

Taylor sighed, turning in his arms, frowning. "Have I done something wrong?"

Chad frowned, tightening his arms around her body. "What are you talking about?"

"Ever since last night, you've been acting weird. Are you having second thoughts about us?" She asked carefully.

"What?" Chad gasped. "No! No, no, no! Never, Taylor. I love you. You must surely know that." He pleaded desperately.

She nodded hesitantly. "Then what is it?"

Chad ran a hair through his mass of curls and sighed. "Look, Tay, you know how I'm really, really close to Gabriella?"

"Is this bad?" She asked quietly, backing out of his arms and leaning against the lockers.

"Yes. But, not the way you're thinking. Gabby is my friends and just my friend, I promise." He said softly. "But, Troy's planning something that I know will hurt her. And I don't know what to do. Gabby is already hurting and I'm so scared to say anything to her. That it'll only make it worse." He sighed, bowing his head.

Taylor kissed his cheek. "Maybe they'll both have cooled off. You said that they had worked on their project last night, right?"

Chad nodded. "I guess."

"Things will sort out. I promise." Said quietly, trying to convince herself more than Chad.

Gabriella cringed, biting back the pain as she slid to the floor, the five cheerleaders crowding around her. She coughed a spluttered, trying so very hard to breathe. "Please," She gasped, the taste of blood lingering in her mouth, "stop!"

"Why's that, Geeky Gabby? You think you're important because you had sex with Bolton?" Sharpay snarled. "Tough luck!" She snarled, slapping Gabriella hard around the face.

Gabriella cried out in pain and slumped forward over her legs. Where the heck was Troy? Sure, she was mad at him but he had begged to let her protect her and so where was he? Or Chad come to think of it! Or Jason or Ryan or even Zeke! Yeah! Zeke or any other person who had been kind to her would be fine if they could stop these cheerleaders from kicking her guts in!

"Well, you'll never have sex for as long as you live because-" Sharpay started, raising her fist.

Loud running, interrupted by a bang, became louder to Gabriella as her eyes blurred with tears. As she braced herself for the impact of Sharpay's fist, she suddenly heard a yelp of protest and she opened her eyes, rubbing them to get them into focus. As soon as she did, she saw the cheerleaders – Sharpay included – running away. She furrowed her brow, twisting her head left and right, holding her stomach and groaning.

"Gabriella, are you alright?" A worried, yet familiar voice asked gently.

Gabriella turned to the right to see Troy kneeling beside her. "Troy?" She asked weakly.

He nodded. "Don't move." He said softly, rubbing his thumb over her forehead. "Someone get the nurse!" He yelled before returning his attention to his ex-girlfriend. He needed to prove himself for her. He had never meant to hurt her. Now was his chance to prove it. Now or never…