Hello! This has been a very good run, but I have to inform you that this is the last chapter. Tear, tear. Anyway, if you have any questions, I'll answer them in the last chapter in this story. It will be labeled: A/N, so look out for that. If I get way too many questions, I might make another chapter, that's only if theres like...many questions...hundreds.

Chapter 10 – Before It's Too Late...Again

Jack sat on the couch in Troy's room, tears falling steadily down his face as the nurse made the bed and fixed everything up for the next patient to occupy the room. She sighed, shaking her head at the man, offering a look of sympathy. She didn't know what happened in this room, all she knew was she had to make the bed.

When she walked out, Jack looked out the window at the sky, which was a bright blue color. This reminded him of Troy, his eyes. He smiled and laughed a little until he noticed a figure in the doorway.

"Dad, ready to go. Mom's got the car," Troy said. Noticing his father's state, he rolled his eyes. "People are going to think someone died in here if you don't stop with the waterworks!"

"I'm just happy," Jack said standing up. "It's been a year since I've taken you home, the real you, not Topher."

Troy smiled. "I still don't remember-"

"And you know what," Jack told him. "I don't care. You can remember as little or as much as you can and we'll all love you more than you ever could dream."

Troy put a hand over his heart. "Touching," he said, making fun of his father.

"Hey! Watch it," Jack said.

"Mom's not even as bad as you. She hasn't shed a tear."

"That's because she wasted them all a year ago." Jack shut his eyes and shook his head. "I can't believe they took you. They hated me, they hated everyone, but me in particular in high school."

"Why?" Troy asked.

Jack patted the seat on the couch next to him and Troy sat down. "You see Troy, Jackson's my step cousin. We were both really popular in middle school and freshman year, then Jackson made a really stupid decision in sophomore year."

"What did he do?"

"Turned to drugs, go in with the wrong group of friends. Then he got disowned. He hated that I stayed the goody two shoes and didn't crack under pressure like he did. He and Liz, they made a good group. They tortured people, never once have I seen him smile since he met her."

Troy nodded. "But why did he take me?"

"I don't know," Jack said. "He's a sick person. Both of them are. Maybe he wanted to take you to get to me. I really don't know. But enough about this," he told Troy, changing the subject. "Let's get you out of here."

"Yeah," Troy said, watching Jack walk out the door. "Let's get out of here."

The last police car had just pulled away when a man poked his head through the leaves behind the bridge. He growled much like a dog before examining his injuries. They weren't bad, he was lucky, only a few cuts and scrapes. Liz hadn't been so lucky.

He walked to the edge of the road and stuck his thumb out. Before long, a man pulled over. "Where you headed?"

"Away from here," Jackson said as the man drove down the road. "As far as you'll take me."

"So Troy, now that there's no psychopaths out to get you, what are you going to do," Zeke asked. Troy, Zeke, Jason, Chad, Ryan, Taylor, Sharpay and Gabriella were sitting outside the school on the lawn. It was about a month before the end of school and they were just sitting there, having fun.

Troy thought for a minute before putting his hands behind his head and sighing dramatically. "Nothing," he said. "Absolutely nothing." He paused before smiling, just thinking of something. "And then I think I'll play some basketball."

The group laughed at his answer and Chad gave him a high five. "Ugh," Sharpay said playfully. "Is that all you boys think about?"

"No," Chad said. "I think about food and Taylor and bask-soon," he said quickly covering that he was about to say basketball. "Bassoons, and Taylor."

"And I bake," Zeke said excitedly.

"Creme brulee," Jason, Chad and Troy said in unison before erupting in a fit of laughter.

"Are you making fun of me," Zeke asked, trying to sound offended, but it wasn't working.

"No," Jason said, still laughing. "We love that you bake."

"Let's have a sleep over," Sharpay shouted to the girls.

Chad and Troy's mouths opened to form a "O" shape. "Do we get to have manicures," Chad asked as if he was a girl who was overexcited.

"I want pink!" Troy yelled in the same manner.

Gabriella, Taylor and Sharpay laughed. "Troy, I don't think pink's your color," Gabriella said. "But I'll paint your nails blue," she joked.

Troy and Chad looked over in horror that the girls thought they wanted their nails done and immediately started making plans for that night. "So party at my house," Chad yelled getting up from his seat on the grass. "Guys only!"

Ryan, Zeke and Jason chased after Chad who was running toward his house. The girls giggled and stood, Taylor and Sharpay walking in the opposite direction, leaving Troy and Gabriella.

"So," Troy said.

"So," Gabriella copied.

"In the hospital, there's something that I realized that I needed to tell you before it's too late...again." Troy took a deep breath, but words wouldn't form.

"Troy," she said. "What is it?"

Troy leaned down and kissed her briefly on the lips. "So, what do you say to that?"

"I say, I liked it," she told him honestly.

"Troy!" Chad called. "Hurry up man!"

Troy groaned and Gabriella giggled. "I got to go," he told her regretfully. "But you want to do something this weekend?"

She smiled. "Can I paint your nails?"

Troy broke out in laughter before he nodded his head. "If you really want to."

Gabriella raised an eyebrow before running to Sharpay and Taylor. Troy watched her retreating back and smiled. Liz and Jackson were gone and his life was back to normal. "Hey Disappearing Boy! We're going to leave without you!"

"Hold your horses Chad," Troy yelled, turning toward his friend. "I'll be there when I get there."

So, how'd you like it? Tell me what you think! I say goodbye until the A/N.

Review!