-1Title: Action and Reaction

Rating: Teen

Summary: The hospital Jell-O should be the least of her troubles.

Notes: A lackluster chapter for sure, but it's setting up incredibly important scenes.

Warnings: A bit of sexual innuendo.

Disclaimer: I own it like I own Santa.

Chapter Five: Spirit

Ryan had been dead on when he'd claimed his parents wouldn't stick around long. Mr. and Mrs. Evans left hours after Sharpay came through her surgery. He was called back to his office to deal with an apparent conflict that required his presence. She left no longer then half an hour after him, claiming there were pressing matters elsewhere that required her full and undivided attention immediately. Ryan said his father could have easily had his associates take care of the problem, and his mother was off to her lady's bridge club meeting. But neither Troy nor Ryan minded their absence.

Sharpay was looking a bit pale when Troy settled into the chair next to her bed, but otherwise, she seemed to be recovering steadily. Her skin was much warmer then it had been earlier and it made holding her hand that much easier.

While Ryan left to grab something to eat, Troy talked to Sharpay's sleeping form. Finally clear from the drugs there was hope she could hear him, that his voice was penetrating her dream haze. So he told her how much she meant to him, and about how Ryan had faced his parents and defended her. Troy whispered to her that he'd take her away from the hospital the moment she woke up, and he'd have the biggest cappuccino she'd ever seen, waiting for him. That, he reasoned, was more of a motivation then anything else. Sharpay was a caffeine fiend, as far as Troy was concerned.

Bone weary and achy, Troy lost his battle. Ryan finally convinced him, nearly a full day after Sharpay had been settled after her surgery, to go get some rest. Ryan had gotten them a room in the hotel just blocks from the hospital. It was a brisk fifteen minute walk there and back, and Troy was reluctant to leave her, but Ryan's persistence was not to be taken lightly. Ryan could be downright scary when he had to be.

The shower felt better then he'd expected. Washing the grime off him he couldn't help but lean against the shower wall, close his eyes, and breathe deeply. The tension dripped from his body, muscles clenching tightly on their own accord. The water seemed to do more then just push away the filth. It was almost clearing his body of his worry. The warm water was having a significant calming effect, and with news of Sharpay's intended recovery, he could afford to relax.

He'd only meant to sleep for a few hours, at the very most. He was a college student, thusly he knew exactly how few hours of sleep one could function properly on. He figured if he pumped enough coffee in him, and let his body and mind rest just a bit, then he'd be good to go for at least the next twenty four hours. He's survived worse conditions during finals week at school.

There was light outside his window when he was roused from his dreamless sleep by the sounds of the busy city. He wiped at the moisture on his chin with the back of his hand. His eyes flew to the clock, and his suspicions were confirmed. He tumbled from the bed, searching chaotically for his shoes. In his rush it took a second sweep of the room to remember he'd kicked them off in the bathroom the night before.

He would kill Ryan, Troy convinced himself as he raced down the hotel's stairwell, and out onto the street. He stopped to get his bearings straight, unable to remember the direction of the hospital from the hotel's front doors. He cursed inwardly, taking off towards the McDonald's that he remembered was in the vicinity of the hospital.

The agreement he'd made with Ryan had been, at least by his understanding, simple. Troy agreed to go back to the hotel, shower and get a few hours of sleep. In return Ryan promised to call him just before midnight, because the doctors theorized that Sharpay could wake up any time soon. Well, it was closer to noon, then midnight, and if Ryan thought Sharpay had a set of lungs, the other male hadn't see anything yet. Troy was going to give him a lashing.

Troy was grumbling under his breath when he rounded the hallway, towards Sharpay's room. His knuckles cracked just slightly.

"Ryan Evans--" he began.

"They call this stuff Jell-O?"

Troy skidded to a stop at the familiar voice.

"I'm not eating this. Who knows what's in it. I want some real food."

He forced in a deep breath, then entered the room. "I don't think you're in a position to be picky, Shar."

The Jell-O cup fell from her hands when her eyes locked on his. Her arms opened wide and seconds later he was diving in, embracing her intimately. Her cheek pressed into his shoulder and he could feel the shakes running through her body. He rocked them gently.

"It's really bad," she justified, sniffing loudly.

He pulled back and framed her face with his trembling hands. "I love you," he whispered, afraid his voice would break completely. "I almost lost you."

She smiled warmly. "I'd never leave you."

He kissed her so passionately tears sprung to his face. Their tastes mixed and Troy couldn't help but ignore the need for fresh oxygen. For Sharpay's lips on his, he'd forego air.

She tugged back before he intended, and his hands fell from her face to curl over his wrists. He need to feel the strong pulse beneath the skin. He need to feel her.

"You taste," she said, leaning in to peck his lips. "Really bad, too."

"Hey!" He laughed, then covered her open mouth against his.

She giggled, her nose pressing against his. "Morning breath."

"You still kissed me."

"It must be love," she said in a singsong voice. "It could only be."

Ryan voiced, "Can I puke now?" He grunted loudly and nearly lost his balance as Sharpay's pillow came flying at his face and hit dead on. "Bossy-pants," he taunted.

With her arms thrown around Troy's neck, she nodded her head towards the wiggling Jell-O on her tray. "Maybe I'd have more sympathy if you weren't letting them poison me."

He snorted and crossed his arms. "But you see, this was always my master plan. I just needed to get my bossy, pretentious sister out of the way and then the spotlight would be all mine."

"That's the only way you'd get it, that's for sure."

Ryan shook his head, smile tugging at the edges of his mouth. He asked Troy, "And I was worried about her? The Grim Reaper would run away from her, screaming."

Troy hoisted himself up on Sharpay's bed, careful that she'd just recently undergone surgery. He folded himself into her side, relishing in her soothing body heat. He hated to ask, but he had to. "What happened?"

Her face fell blank, her eyes jumping between her boyfriend and brother. "I remember getting in my car," she said slowly, remembering the events for the first time. "I was running late. My cell phone was dead and I was afraid I was going to miss you at home," she said to Troy. "I was speeding."

Grinding down on his teeth, Troy attempted to joke, "That's nothing new."

She smiled faintly, appreciating his attempt. "I was speeding, but I didn't hit anyone." She was adamant, face set with determination. "I swear I didn't."

From across the room Ryan nodded. "I know."

Troy frowned, wondering how.

"I overhead the doctors. They'd just talked to the police. You were speeding Sharpay, but it isn't what caused to accident."

"What was?" She asked, breathing in the familiarity that was Troy.

"There was a woman, driving her kids to soccer practice. She was running late, not paying attention. Witnesses say she was turned around in her seat, yelling at her kids. She didn't see her light change to red."

Gasping sharply, Sharpay clutched onto Troy's cotton jacket. "Is she alright? Are the kids okay?"

The silence spoke volumes.

Gulping harshly, Sharpay asked, "When can I get out of here?"

"They want to keep you around for about a week, to make sure everything goes well with your recovery." His eyes crinkled in amusement when he heard Sharpay protest loudly. "But I explained to them you wouldn't stand for that."

"So?"

Ryan sighed dramatically. "Two days, minimum."

Sharpay cheered and kissed Troy soundly.

"We'll all regret it," Ryan said sourly. "Bad idea."

With Sharpay's head tucked soundly under his chin, Troy smiled wide and goofy at Ryan. "I don't mind. The sooner she gets out of here, the better."

Sharpay stuck her tongue out at her twin good-naturedly. "That's why I like him better then you."

"Hurrah."

Almost forty eight hours later Sharpay was seated on the edge of her bed, fully clothed in a simple, pink outfit Ryan had picked up for her hours before. Kneeling on the ground in front of her, Troy scolded, "Stop wiggling." He grabbed for her socked foot, shoe in one hand. "I can't get your shoe on. Stop for a second."

"The straps aren't at all that difficult," she said pointedly, gesturing to her left. "Cross at the top, not at the second, then again at the forth. Slip the laces around the third and then at the bottom. Tie a bow and you're done."

Troy scoffed at her, then caught her right foot. "Simple for you, maybe, but I've never worn anything you can't tie in three seconds." He grumbled silently as he tried to recall the steps to properly lacing the shoe. Of course Ryan had picked up Sharpay's favorite shoes, but they were also the hardest to tie. He'd seen her do it dozens of times, mesmerized each and every occasion, but he'd never picked up on the procedure. He wondered why he couldn't just lace the shoe normally.

"Just give me the shoe," she commanded, hand held out.

"And risk you ripping your stitches? Firstly, I won't let you cause yourself pain, and second, the doctors won't let you leave today if you do." Her hand dropped and he declared victory. "So stop wriggling and lets get out of here, before you parents show up."

"They won't," she assured. "I called to tell them not to."

Ryan arrived moments later with a wheel chair, stating it was nonnegotiable. She settled in with hardly a fuss, in more pain then she cared to let her male companions know. She simply wanted to get home and settle down to snuggle with her favorite person.

They were waiting for the elevator to take them down to the lobby when out of the corner of his eye, Troy caught the rigid form of Gabriella. She was half in a doorway, half out, arms tucked across her stomach. When she waved to him he nodded respectfully, turning Sharpay's wheel chair just enough so she didn't run the risk of seeing Gabriella.

"Those sheets were positively horrible," Sharpay said, her hands moving adamantly. "Can you believe how long I laid on them? What was the thread count, fifty?"

"You survived, Sharpay," Ryan said, frowning when he saw Gabriella.

"I'm lucky I didn't break out in hives."

Troy leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her golden hair. "You're alive, Shar, that's what I care about. Okay?"

The elevator pinged softly and he pushed her forward, throwing a look back over his shoulder. He saw Gabriella again, only this time she was moving forward, moving towards them. Ryan sensed Troy's apprehension to the coming confrontation and quickly pressed the button to close the doors.

"What's the rush?" Sharpay asked, peering up at her brother.

Troy and Ryan shared a brief look, a silent promise to talk at a later time flowing between them.

"I thought you wanted to get out of here as quick as possible?"

They were crossing the lobby floor moments later, on their way out to a cab.

"Did you know?" Ryan as Troy quietly as Sharpay settled into her seat in the cab. "Did you know Gabriella Montez was at the hospital?"

Troy gave a sharp nod and slid into the cab, throwing an arm around Sharpay's shoulders.

They crammed together in the back, pressed against each other in way that had Sharpay half on top of Troy and Ryan pinched between the door and Troy.

"She's gonna be trouble," Ryan said, pressing his forehead against the window glass. "Mark my words."

"Who's trouble?" Sharpay asked, head resting on Troy's shoulder.

"No one," the athletic man to his girlfriend, kissing her again. "No one." Sadly, he couldn't quite believe himself.