Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.
A/N: Wow, that was a shocker. I'm glad you all liked it :D I still have a few shockers up my sleeve. Don't worry :D
Oh, and if you haven't read it, go read my new one-shot, Zero. It is amazingly depressing. Hehe
So, this chapter has Gabi's reply, and some other stuff.
Random Moment of the Chapter: Yay, O'Grady is on!
IMPORTANT: This chapter takes place a month after the last. It gives you Gabi's response, and what has happened. Troy is a little sicker now. It's Christmas. It also has one of the last light moments before it starts getting really dark. Also, I based the year on the idea that in the movie they were Juniors, so their Senior year is 2006-2007.
Gabriella sat by the fire in Troy's living room, gazing at his ring on her finger. The small stone glinted in the flickering firelight, sending sparkling reflections around the room. It looked so right there, so in place. She wished it were real. Sighing lightly, she remembered the day he had proposed.
FLASHBACK
"Will you marry me?"
Gabriella sat, shocked, gaping at Troy. "Wh-what?"
"Marry me, Gabi. It would fix everything."
"Troy, I-I don't-"
"Please, just say yes," Troy pleaded, taking her hands and looking intently into her eyes.
"Troy, I can't-I can't marry you," Gabriella said quietly, looking away.
Troy dropped her hands, but continued to stare at her.
"You can't marry me?" he repeated slowly.
"Troy, I love you. I just-this is too fast. I want to marry you. But not yet. Not now."
Troy looked away again, clearly upset.
"Troy, I'm sorry. But we're too young." Sighing, Gabriella looked at the ring on her finger. She pulled it off, handing it back to Troy. "I'm sorry."
"I guess you're right," Troy conceded, finally looking back at her. Gabriella smiled, relieved. Troy fingered the ring, before handing it back to her. "Keep it. It'll show that I still want to marry you, someday."
END FLASHBACK
"What are you thinking about?" Troy asked, walking into the room with two steaming mugs of hot cocoa, handing one to her as he sat next to her by the fire.
"Us," Gabriella replied, leaning against her boyfriend, smiling contentedly.
Troy wrapped an arm around her, letting her snuggle against him.
"What about us?"
"Just-us."
Troy smiled, kissing Gabriella's neck. She closed her eyes, her skin tingling at his touch. Suddenly Troy pulled back, coughing violently into his fist.
"Troy? Are you okay?"
Troy nodded, unable to respond as he tried to catch his breath.
"You sure?"
"I'm okay, Gabi," he said, drawing her closer to him as he shivered slightly.
She nodded, looking over his pale complexion. As of late, he had been growing weaker, the chemotherapy taking its toll. He was reduced to sitting on the bench at basketball games, watching as the Wildcats played the season. Thanks to Chad, they were undefeated so far.
Gabi took the blanket from the couch, wrapping it tightly around Troy. She tucked it in at his sides, kissing his forehead gently.
"I love you so much," she whispered, resting her head on his as he returned the sentiment.
"I love you, too."
"Troy, wake up, it's time to open presents!" Kellie's voice floated into Troy's consciousness from downstairs early Christmas morning, waking him from his sleep. Groaning, he rolled over slowly to look at the alarm clock.
"It's 6:00!" he called back, flipping back over and putting his pillow over his head.
"Troy! It's Christmas, come on!"
Troy moaned, pulling the pillow tighter against his head. Minutes later he heard his mom's footsteps on the stairs as she walked into his room.
"Come on, Troy, don't' ruin Christmas for us. We've done this since you were a little boy."
"Mom, I'm eighteen," Troy mumbled, closing his eyes as he ground his face into the pillow and pulled the blanket over his head.
"Alright, you know what I have to do?"
Troy shook his head in protest, crying out when his mom ripped the blanket from over his head, pulling the pillow with it.
"Come on, Troy, you can go back to bed later. Granny and Grandpa are coming over for bagels in an hour and a half."
"Fine, fine, I'm getting up," Troy said grumpily, swinging his legs out of the bed and standing. The second his mom left the room, he flopped back down, drawing the blanket back around him.
"Not funny, Troy," his mom called through the door.
Later on, Troy and Gabriella sat together at the table as Troy's extended family talked and laughed around them. Christmas at the Bolton's was always a festive affair, involving cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, sometimes even neighbors. The doorbell rang, interrupting the conversations for a moment.
"I've got it!" Troy's mom called out, placing a third basket of hot crescent rolls on the table. A minute later a man and woman walked in, laden with wrapped Christmas presents.
"Who is that?" Gabriella asked quietly, leaning in to hear Troy's response.
"My aunt Chrissy and Uncle Mike," Troy whispered back, trying to shrink down as they came toward him.
"Troy!" Chrissy cried out, hugging him tightly. All the attention was starting to annoy Troy, being that every relative had treated him like a delicate figure.
"Hey, Aunt Chrissy," Troy said, shaking hands with his uncle. "Uncle Mike. This is Gabriella Montez, my girlfriend."
Gabriella shook hands with both, smiling broadly.
"Alright, we figured that, with the chemo and all, and you losing your hair, you could use something for protection from the weather," Chrissy said, handing Troy his present. He unwrapped it, holding it up for Gabriella to see.
"Another hat," he said, tossing the knit cap onto his steadily growing pile. He had amassed quite a collection, every shape, size, and color imaginable.
Gabriella laughed, as did Troy's aunt and uncle. The happiness in the room was a stark contrast to Troy's latest moods, and he liked it.
"Happy New Year's Eve," Troy whispered as he came up behind Gabriella, covering her eyes with his hands. She laughed, pulling them away as she turned to face him.
"Are you ready to go?" she asked, kissing him happily.
"I guess. Do we really have to go?"
"Troy, it's Sharpay and Ryan's eighteenth birthday party. Of course we have to go."
"Alright," Troy said, kissing her back.
Gabriella disentangled herself from his arms, opening the door to her car. She got in the driver's seat as Troy got in the passenger. Half an hour later, they arrived at the country club that the party was at, and walked in together.
"Oh my, God, Gabi, you look amazing!" Taylor cried when she saw her friend, hugging her quickly.
"You look great, too," Gabriella returned the compliment, as they walked into the party with Chad and Taylor.
"I'm gonna go sit down for a minute," Troy whispered in Gabriella's ear, kissing her lightly before walking over to the nearest table.
"Are you alright?" Gabriella asked, concerned.
"Fine, just a little lightheaded."
"Are you sure?"
"Gabi, don't worry about me. I'll be fine in a moment."
"Well, if you're sure, I think I'm gonna go say hi to Sharpay."
"Go. Gabi, trust me, I'm fine."
Three hours later, they were ready to count down to the new year. Troy and Gabriella were standing together, watching the TV that was showing the New Year's Eve party in New York.
"It's almost 2007!" someone cried out, causing everyone to laugh.
"10-9-8-7-6," the crowd chanted. Gabriella squealed excitedly, holding Troy closer. He smiled half-heartedly.
"5-4-3-2-1! Happy New Year!"
Gabriella kissed Troy happily, throwing her arms around his neck.
"Happy New Year!" she cried, kissing him again.
"Yeah," Troy muttered, putting a hand to his head.
"Troy?" Gabriella asked, her emotions crashing in a span of a few seconds. "Troy!"
Troy's hands dropped from Gabriella's shoulders as he slumped to the ground, unconscious.
A/N: I can't stop the cliffhangers. Sorry :D
I know the marriage thing probably disappointed a few of you, but if anyone watched One Tree Hill, I didn't want a Nathan/Haley disaster to deal with. So, that's how it went down.
Reviews greatly appreciated, as always!
Coming in Chapter 16: What is wrong with Troy? Oh my goodness!