RECAP:

She finally reached her door and pulled out her key, thinking how drastically changed her life was now from where it had been ten years ago, when a voice shattered those thoughts and proved that her world would be changed once again.

"Kelsi? Is it really you?"

She turned and dropped her keys in surprise, "Troy? Troy Bolton?"

"It is you! Oh man, Kelsi, I can't believe it!" Troy smiled hugely and engulfed her in a hug, lifting her off the ground in excitement, "It's so great to see you!"

When he finally set her down Kelsi was able to sputter out with an awkward smile, "Yeah, it's...it's great to see you too, um...wow. Troy Bolton. How did-how did you find me?"

He shook his head and crossed his arms with a smile, "Let me tell you, it wasn't easy, you are one hard person to find playmaker, but I have my ways." She was going to press him more but he suddenly bent down and picked up her keys, "But to get right to the chase, do you mind if we talk, I've got loads to tell you."

He smiled brilliantly once again at her and she sighed, the protest dying in her throat, "Sure," She paused to look at her door, "Um, please, come in." She opened her door and took a deep breath as he entered with a smile, taking in her apartment as he walked through the hall. "Make yourself comfortable, would you like any tea?" He agreed and she nodded, watching him wander into the living room as she quickly filled her kettle with hot water and set it on the stove.

Once she had prepared the tea and set it on the coffee table she noticed that he was looking at the pictures on her mantle and winced as he came to stop at the one in the middle, the one of the day Riley was born. "You have a little girl?" He asked incredulously turning to see her sigh and nod.

"A lot has changed since the last we saw each other Troy. A whole lot."

"Apparently." He sighed, "Wow. She looks just like you Kels. What's her name?"

Kelsi only smiled, "It's Riley. Riley Melody Nielsen."

He took a seat beside her and she handed him his tea, feeling incredibly uncomfortable with having Troy Bolton suddenly come back into her life but he only smiled at her encouragingly and said, "We missed you at the reunion. Surprised you couldn't make it." And at this she rubbed the back of her neck bashfully.

"Yeah, um...I had work. I wanted to, it just...wasn't possible."

He nodded and again chose not to push her instead asking, "Well what else is new Kels? Tell me everything." She was hesitant at first, but she and Troy had always been able to talk and it seemed that the years apart hadn't changed that.

Soon the awkwardness of their initial meeting slowly began to melt away as they eased into a conversation about the years each other had missed. He didn't ask about Riley's father, only listened as Kelsi went on and on about her daughter from how she felt when she was born to how she still adored her now. She told him that Riley was already learning the piano with exceptional enthusiasm and was even singing with much promise which only yielded a "Just like her mother," from Troy and a blush from Kelsi.

She then told him how she had done well to associate herself with the broadway world, after being Terry McManis' assistant she went on to accompany many broadway and off-broadway shows, even being hired by some recording artists as a lyricist. She was currently the pianist for the Chorus Line orchestra and also served as the Assistant Musical Director, but at this Troy raised a questioning brow, "I thought Paige Aker was the accompanist for Chorus Line?"

"What?" Kelsi said, startled at his response, "How did you know that?" But Troy only chuckled,

"I've had my own brush with broadway, I know a few things." Kelsi was thoroughly surprised but none the less nodded.

"Wow. Well then yeah, you're right. She is, but you're looking at her."

Now it was Troy's turn to look startled, "You're Paige Aker? You changed your name? Why?"

Kelsi laughed, "It's just a stage name...or...more of a backstage name. It was a career move really, because I found that being just plain Kelsi Nielsen I was shy and reserved. I never went after what I wanted and just continued to play in the background, so I changed my name and gave myself the opportunity to be someone else; to be the kind of person who pushes for success. Overall, it worked." It wasn't the whole truth, but it was all that Troy needed to know.

He whistled and shook his head, "That's amazing Kels. Paige Aker is a pretty well-known name in music, but don't you wish it was your name? You're real name?"

She shrugged, "It is my real name." And at Troy's questioning glance she sighed.

"Paige, is my middle name while M. stands for Melody which is Riley's middle name. And Aker...well..." She chuckled, "I chose it because all together it's P.M. Aker..."

She waited for it to dawn on him watching as a grin slowly came to his face and he laughed outloud, "Playmaker. Nice Kels."

She laughed, "It is all your fault you know. That name never did leave me."

Giving her another smile Troy wrapped an arm around her and said, "What can I say? I knew you'd be big Kels, I just knew it."

She blushed again and shook her head, "I suppose so, but I still have a long way to go. So, how about you? You mentioned something about a brush with Broadway?"

At this Troy only smiled and told her how he had graduated from Berkley with a degree in theater and business. He had considered following a basketball career but ultimately opted out finding the call of the stage far more pertinent. Instead he found himself touring on stage nationally in productions such as Grease, Hairspray, and Wicked, even doing some voice overs for different animated movies and was happy with what he was doing. He wasn't really pushed to be incredibly famous or incredibly great, just happy with the work he got and knowing that if ever he made it big, it would happen in time.

"Looks like you're doing well Troy, but tell me, why are you really here?" Kelsi asked, leaning back into her couch with her arms folded in seriousness.

Troy only smiled, "Can't a guy just find a long lost friend that he hasn't seen in years?" Kelsi only chuckled and pushed him playfully, "No. Now come on Troy, what's going on?"

He sighed and nodded, "Alright, well, I was actually looking for you because I need a favor."

Kelsi raised her brow and laughed, "You went to a lot of trouble for a favor Troy Bolton, you didn't kill someone and need me to hide the body did you? Because I don't do that."

Troy laughed as well, "No, no, I...well...I asked Gabriella to marry me."

Kelsi's eyes widened and she couldn't help but squeal, "Oh Troy that's fabulous! I knew it would happen some day, if anyone would end up together it had to be you two. That's why I wrote all those songs for you guys, I just knew it--"

"Yeah," Troy laughed, "Yeah, it's crazy amazing to me too and you did know it that's why," He pulled an envelope from his coat pocket and handed it to her, "I wanted to give you this invitation," He handed her the envelope and she couldn't help but smile at the embossed lettering, "We're getting married in Albuquerque at the church my parents were married in, but it wouldn't be a complete wedding if I didn't ask..."

Troy trailed off causing Kelsi to look up confused, "Ask what?"

Troy laughed and took a deep breath, "Ask you to play and sing 'You are the Music in Me' when Gabriella comes down the aisle?"

She couldn't help it, she had to coo, "Aw, Troy that is so sweet, but, couldn't you just hire someone to do that?"

He nodded, "Yeah I could, but we really want you there at the wedding and it would mean the world to Gabriella if you were the one to play. She...well...really we want you there, we want the whole gang to be there."

Kelsi stiffened and looked up at her old friend, "The whole gang?"

Troy nodded but that only made Kelsi more hesitant, "Troy, I don't know, It's been so long and a lot has changed, I don't think--"

"Please Kels," He pushed further, "I just want Gabriella to have everything she could ever want on this day, please help me."

She sighed, "Troy--"

"Please?"

Kelsi sighed and looked down at the invitation, "Okay, okay. I'll do it. But if we're going to do this, we're going to do this right."

Troy grinned widely, "Whatever you want Kels, I owe you the world right now! Gabriella is going to be so surprised!"

Kelsi could only nod and hug him back as he engulfed her in a grateful grip sighing, "Yeah...I bet she won't be the only one."

She was still in shock over the whole situation, but after mulling over the events of the evening she came to the conclusion that she was going to kill him.

"You sold me out Zeke Baylor! How could you?"

Zeke turned to see his friend Kelsi enter in through the back of the restaurant where he worked and tried to play it cool turning back to his dough claiming, "I have no idea what you're talking about." But Kelsi stood her ground as she came to stop beside the pastry chef and glared.

"Don't lie to me Zeke! I know it was you who led Troy Bolton straight to me, you are the only person who could have done it."

Zeke turned to Kelsi and sighed, "No, I didn't tell anyone that I knew where to find you or that we've been in contact for the past four years, I swear."

She only narrowed her gaze and stared him down, "Then how did he find me? How did Troy-flippin-Bolton find me?" Zeke was silent, he knew that Kelsi was upset but just continued to work on his prep for the next morning until she grunted in frustration, "Zeke!"

"Okay," He sighed, "I didn't tell him where you lived, I simply said that I had heard your name come up in a conversation I had with a customer, which is true, and that this customer said something about you working for the Broadway Company. So, knowing Troy, driven by his love for Gabriella must have tracked you down that way."

Kelsi shook her head, "You could have kept it to yourself."

Zeke sighed and sat beside her, "You're right, I could have, but come on Kels, it's for his wedding, what was I supposed to do? Besides, don't you want to go?"

She scowled, "That's beside the point."

Zeke groaned, "Then what is the point Kelsi? It's been years. They were bound to find you sooner or later, especially with your new position as Musical Director for Legally Blonde."

At this she looked up, "How did you know about that?"

Zeke rubbed the back of his neck tiredly and laughed, "Terry mentioned it when he came in yesterday."

Kelsi groaned again, "I should have known he'd say something to you. He always says something to you."

Zeke chuckled at this, "What else is new? My muffins tend to be forthcoming. Plus, it must be meant to be since Terry is the only one who would refuse to use Paige Aker when signing you on for work."

Kelsi nodded, "Stupid Terry and his need to enforce the fact that he knew me before P.M. Aker." Her friend could only chuckle as she threw a death glare at him. If looks could kill she was burying Zeke Baylor.

Zeke had moved to New York when he transferred from U of A to the Culinary Institute of America. He graduated with a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts and gotten a job at a well-known cafe called La Petit Café. This same cafe was one that Terry McManis and his assistant at the time, Kelsi Nielsen, visited often and it was then that Kelsi was face to face with one of the friends she had successfully kept at bay for almost a year.

It was also on the fateful day that Terry had chosen to give the pastry chef compliments, solidifying Zeke as his favorite person, that Kelsi had brought Riley with her. Suffice to say, when Zeke had shown up to thank Terry for his kind words and seen Kelsi with, at the time, a two and a half year old daughter, there was no point in lying anymore. But it turned out to be beneficial having a familiar face around.

Kelsi and Zeke grew closer as friends and her only condition was that Zeke not to mention her or Riley to any of the gang if they asked. He was the only one other than Daniel, Peter, and her parents who knew that Ryan was the father and he understood the importance of secrecy to her, but apparently he didn't find keeping her secret necessary anymore.

"Couldn't you have at least warned me?" She sighed and Zeke looked at her apologetically.

"I was afraid you would hide." He admitted, "But it won't be that bad Kels." He assured her, "You'll just be there for a day, maybe two, and then you'll come back, what can change in that amount of time?"

She scoffed, "A lot. Trust me."

But Zeke only offered her a cookie and smiled, "It'll be fine. I promise. I'll be the one picking you up from the airport since I have to fly in a few days early to start on the cake and we'll come back together; you don't have to mention Riley if you don't want to."

She nibbled on her cookie nervously and sighed, "But what if he's there Zeke? What do I say to him?"

Zeke sighed and shook his head, "Look, this wedding isn't about Ryan Evans. It's about two of our oldest friends starting their life together. If you see him and he wants to talk then you'll make that decision then, but try and focus on the wedding. It's Troy and Gabriella's day to figure out their lives together, not yours and Ryan's."

Kelsi nodded, "You're right. You're absolutely right. You're right. But..." She leaned on Zeke's shoulder and sighed, "I'm scared to see them all again. Especially him."

Zeke only nodded and patted her hand encouragingly, "It's okay Kels. I'll be there the whole time, I promise." She didn't look convinced and Zeke finally relented and leaned forward, "Okay, what can I do to make it up to you?"

Slowly a grin came to her face and Zeke's expression faltered slightly in fear, recognizing the look on her face as she cryptically replied, "Oh I have something in mind." As she pulled out sheet music she could visibly see Zeke regretting his offer to make anything up at all and found some sort of satisfaction in that.

AN: So, just to explain some things from the last chapter, I know the whole Daniel thing seemed a little out there, but...for some reason that was what came out and I didn't have the heart to change it. In my mind Daniel was gay and that was it. I thought about writing that he slept with another girl and that he was equally guilty about that but...it just didn't sit right with me. Eh. Sorry, I don't know if that makes any sense, but it's the truth.

Anyway, I'm thankful for the reviews and know that this chapter is a BOAT-LOAD shorter than the last, but again the first chapter's length was a necessity as was this one's. I'm going to try and be steady with these updates, but just bear with me okay? I've only got a few chapters really set, but with every day my writing style changes just a little bit and with every time I look at this story, inspiration might just call for me to scrap a whole chapter...*sigh* it's happened before which leads to inconsistent updates. =P So sorry in advance.

haha. To move on, I hope you like this chapter and please REVIEW! =]

--scribbling wordsmith--