The Big Three - Oh! Chapter Thirty! Hope you enjoy it. And thanks for the reviews!

The next morning, Gina Montez was being prepped for surgery at ten. She still wore the tacky hospital gown, but had her hair pulled together in a bun. She smiled at her husband and daughter as she was wheeled into surgery.

"Gabriella and Troy watched as she disappeared through heavy metal doors. Mr. Montez turned to Gabriella.

"Why don't you and Troy get out of here for awhile? I'll call your cell when she's out. I don't think you can see her right away anyways. It'll be a long wait."

Gabriella nodded and took Troy's hand.

"Sure. Call us if anything comes up."

Mr. Montez nodded and watched as his daughter and her boyfriend left the hospital. He sat down in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs and waited.

♪

Troy and Gabriella sat in a booth, eating their ice cream cones. Troy finished off his vanilla cone as Gabriella worked on her second scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough.

"You're boring, you know?"

Troy swallowed the last of his cone and looked at Gabriella, a confused expression on his face.

"What?"

"Vanilla. Who gets a plain vanilla cone? That's boring."

Troy chuckled and motioned to Gabriella's cone.

"Maybe I should have some of yours if mine was so boring."

Gabriella quickly moved her cone out of Troy's reach.

"Too bad! You finished yours already!"

Troy leaned over the table and took a bite of her ice cream.

"Troy!"

He gave her an innocent look.

"What?"

Gabriella rolled her eyes. She felt a vibration in her pocket and pulled out her phone.

"Hello?"

Gabriella passed the rest of her cone to Troy, who happily accepted it.

"I'm at the ice cream shop with Troy."

Troy gave her a questioning look and she held up a finger, indicating that she'd tell him in a minute. Troy watched as her expression turned fearful.

"We'll be there in a second."

Gabriella hung up and stood, grabbing her jacket.

"We gotta go."

Troy followed suit and went out the shop door, hearing the jingle of the little bell above it. Troy opened his truck door for Gabriella and went around to his. He started the truck and pulled out of the little parking space.

"Where are we going?"

"The hospital."

Gabriella's eyes focussed straight ahead, fear and worry evident on her face. Troy drove towards the hospital, glancing over at his silent girlfriend. He reached over and took her hand. He gave it a squeeze, causing her to look at him. He flashed her a comforting smile.

"It'll be okay, Gabi."

Gabriella nodded and gave him a small smile back. Her gaze returned to the road ahead.

"She's gotta be okay."

Once Troy pulled into the hospital parking lot, Gabriella didn't even wait for Troy to open her door. She ran through the parked cars, leaving Troy to catch up to her.

"Wait up, Gabi!"

Troy locked his truck and ran in the hospital, finding Gabriella holding the elevator door open.

"Hurry, Troy!"

"I'm coming."

Troy and Gabriella reached Mrs. Montez's floor and ran into her room. Gabriella ran up to her father and he wrapped his arms around her. Gabriella looked over to her mother's bed and gasped when she saw her pale faced mother hooked up to many different machines. Mr. Montez set Gabriella down into one of the chairs and sat in front of her.

"Gabriella, they ran into some complications during the surgery. She lost too much blood and part of her brain doesn't function properly. They tried everything they could."

Gabriella shook her head wildly as tears poured down her face.

"No! She's fine!"

Greg shook his head, his own eyes moist.

"We have to let her go, Gabriella. She's suffered long enough."

"She's not gone! They can still save her!"

Gabriella jumped out of the chair and collapsed beside her mother's still form.

"Wake up, Mama! You're fine! You can't die before me!"

Mr. Montez pulled his daughter into a tight embrace, trying to stop her thrashing.

"Gabriella! Stop! You have to let her go!"

Gabriella stopped moving at her father's raised voice. She collapsed into her father's arms as she sobbed.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this. I was supposed to be the first to go."

Troy watched from the door, feeling his heart wretch at the site of his girlfriend in so much pain. Dr. Abbott had come in with a nurse, hearing all the commotion. The elderly nurse watched the scene with tears in her eyes. She looked up at Dr. Abbott and saw his face was emotionless.

Greg looked over at the door at the door and noticed everyone there. He slowly stood, pulling Gabriella up with him. Dr. Abbott walked further into the room and placed a hand on Greg's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Mr. and Ms. Montez, but we have to let her go soon. Would you like to say your goodbyes?"

Greg nodded and led Gabriella to the bed. Gabriella turned from her father's arms to face her mother. Gabriella took one of Gina's hands, surprised by how cold it already was. Gabriella sobbed as she held on tightly.

"I love you, Mama. I'll never forget you. Rest in peace."

Gabriella placed a kiss on her mother's pale cheek. She quickly turned away and ran out of the room. She passed Troy on her way out the door but didn't acknowledge his presence. She ran down the white halls, not hearing her father shout after her.

"Gabriella!"

Troy ran out after her.

"I'll go with her."

Mr. Montez nodded and turned to his wife, his eyes shining with tears. He took a hold of one of her cold hands and said his goodbyes.

"...I'll try my best with her... But it won't be the same without you here. I'm going to miss you..."

Dr. Abbott and Nurse Rose waited patiently as Mr. Montez said goodbye to his wife forever. When he finished, Greg leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on his wife's forehead.

"I'll always love you, Gina Montez."

Greg stepped backward and nodded to the doctor. Dr. Abbott flicked a switch on one of the machined. The heart machine beeped for a few seconds and the line went flat.

"Time of death: 3:27 pm."

♪

I cried when I reread this. Okay, so I didn't cry, but I was sniffling. That's as close to crying as I get, so it's a big deal! Anywayz, many people are asking about a sequel. I'm not sure. I don't think there can be one. I've started writing another story, though. It's One Tree Hill for all who like that show. It's going to be a Naley fic. Thank you so much for all the support. It might take a few days to get the next chapter up. I have four 8.5 hour shifts in a row. Joy! Please review.

Jay