Authors Note: Okay, after way too much time (like 4 months) I've come to the conclusion that I suck. Not because it took me that long to write the chapter, (because it was done before I even posted the whole story) but because things got in my way (one being my own laziness) and I wasn't completely happy with how it ended but couldn't come up with anything better. But the point of it is there, and kinda cute even if it is short. Thanks to all my loyal readers, and reviewers. I love you all. Hopefully HSM2 will inspire me to write the sequel to this, so it is a trilogy like I wanted it too, because as of right now, I'm lost. LOL. IF you have any ideas, or want to see anything, I'm begging you, let me know. Otherwise, carry on, and welcome back to the world of the soon-to-be Evans family!

Chapter 5: Papa Christmas

I woke up with Troy's arm draped across my waist, and his face buried in my neck. Images of last night flash by in my mind, causing me to grin and hug him tight. I knew he enjoyed it too, because he was out like a light, and not a sound passed through his lips, unlike last night. I couldn't help it, I started chuckling thinking about how vocal Troy got last night.

"What are you laughing at?" Troy mumbled snuggling in closer to me.

"Just you, darlin'. Just you." I turned my head to the left and kissed his temple. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you too." He moved so that he was looking straight at me. "How long do you think we have before Riley bolts in here?" He kissed me. I laughed. We were not starting our morning like this again. Luckily there was a knock on our door.

"Come on in Peanut," I called as Troy groaned in complaint. Riley came in and launched herself on to the bed.

"Merry Christmas!" She made herself comfortable in my lap and then nudged Troy. "Troy, there are even more presents under the tree. Santa was here. Come on get up!"

"Don't wanna," he mumbled hiding his head underneath his pillow.

I looked at Riley, who tilted her head at me, almost as if she was saying "should we?" I looked over in Troy's direction, then back at Riley. I mouthed to her, "One, two, three, go." Immediately Riley and I started tickling Troy, who squirmed and laughed.

"Okay, okay, I'm up, I surrender. Consider the white flag waved." He said and sat up.

"Morning Troy," Riley said sweetly, acting as if nothing had happened.

"Morning Ry," he responded with a laugh. He never could get mad at her. I think she knew that too, and used it to her advantage.

"Okay Riley, Troy and I need showers, and you need to get dressed. Once you're done, go to the kitchen and wait for us. Do not, repeat not,"

"Not," Troy and Riley both said at the same time interrupting me. They burst into a fit of giggles. I swear I'm the only adult in the house.

"Okay, enough of that," I laughed. "As I was saying, do not touch anything in the living room, or the kitchen, and I will know if you did. Just wait for us at the island okay?" Riley nodded and took off for her room. She was definitely excited.

"So," Troy said immediately back into his previous plan. He moved on top of me. "Where were we?"

"Well, I was just about to have a shower," I stated getting up and leaving him on the bed. He crossed his arms and pouted in protest. I looked at him; he was giving me the puppy dog look. I sighed, it was Christmas after all. I smiled at him, "come on. We need to move fast, Riley can only be patient for so long." He bolted out of bed so fast, he was only a blur. I met him in the bathroom with a grin and shut the door.

We met Riley down stairs fifteen minutes later. True to my word, she hadn't left the island, although I could tell she was bored out of her mind.

"Okay Riley, while I make breakfast, Troy will do your hair, and then he will help you bring your stocking down from the mantle and you can open that." The smile that covered her face went from ear to ear.

Troy brushed her hair down, and tied a ribbon in it that matched her pretty red dress. The two of them went hand in hand to the living room, to grab her stocking. I could hear Riley gasp as she truly got a good look under the Christmas tree. There was no doubt in my mind that Troy was right down on the ground with her. I could hear Riley giggle as Troy brought her stocking and set her up at the kitchen table, so that I could watch her while still making breakfast.

Once breakfast was ready and Troy put on Riley's new Christmas CD to listen to, we sat down and ate. Well I ate; Riley and Troy just kind of pushed their food around wanting to get to the presents. After I finally got them to eat and the dishes were cleaned and put away, Troy and Riley bolted to the living room.

When I walked in I found Riley sitting on her hands and bouncing in anticipation on the floor, and Troy on the couch just watching her with a smile playing on his lips. I joined him and put my arm around his shoulders.

"Go ahead Riley, but one at a time okay?" She squealed her response and grabbed a box that was labeled to her. Of course it was also the biggest box under the tree. Hey, she's a smart girl, why are you surprised?

After she opened that one as Troy and I just watched in awe, she started rummaging under the tree again. She pulled out a few more for her, and piled them up, and then grabbed the few for Troy and I and brought them to us. She placed them on the table then went back to her own pile.

"Aren't you going to open yours?" She asked after she had already opened two more and noticed that we hadn't touched ours.

"We're watching you Riley; we'll open ours when you're done." Troy stated snuggling in closer to me. That answer seemed to suffice Riley as she continued opening hers. I looked over at Troy; I think he had tears in his eyes.

"You okay darlin'?" I whispered. He nodded.

"I'm perfect," he kissed me to solidify his point.

Riley finally got to the last present, it was from Troy. Once it revealed a stack of books, she yelled in delight and ran over to hug him.

"Thanks Troy."

"Anytime honey, we'll read one of them tonight okay?" He said. He placed her in his lap.

She nodded her head vigorously, and moved to hug me too. "Thanks Daddy." I smiled as she resumed her spot in Troy's lap.

"You're welcome Peanut."

"Now it's your turn."

"Yeah Ryan, you go first." I was not going to object seeing as it fit into my plan perfectly.

I opened the first one that was from Riley. It was a new tie with her favorite Disney character on it, Tigger. As I thanked her, I could see the pride that was practically glowing from her. If I'm not mistaken, she had bought it with her own money. The next one was from both Riley and Troy. I tore the paper quickly, and turned over the square object to reveal a picture frame with a picture of Riley and Troy in it. Troy was sitting down smiling at the camera with his arms behind him and Riley on his back piggy back style. She had her arms wrapped securely around Troy's neck and she was peaking over his shoulder. Both of them had smiles on their faces that reached their ears.

"It's for your desk at work. Riley and I got it done professionally after school one day."

"It's perfect," I said as a tear ran down my cheek. I leaned over and kissed him, then pulled Riley into my lap and hugged her. "Thank you."

"You've got one more Daddy. Come on, open it!" Riley said fidgeting. I laughed as I reached over for it. It was from Troy, and I opened it to reveal the brand new Burberry watch I had wanted for awhile. I quickly took it out and replaced my old one with it on my wrist. It even fit perfectly, which meant he had to have gotten it sized. I looked over at him questioningly.

"Remember last week when you couldn't find your Calvin Klein one? Yeah, um, I kinda borrowed it without asking. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry Troy. I love it, but you can't afford this. It's too much, really."

"Nonsense. I've seen the way you look at it when we pass by in the mall. Honestly, I had to get it for you. And I know you, so I've thrown away the receipt so you can't take it back." He smiled at me, quite proud of his accomplishment. He obviously put in a lot of thought towards it. I sighed, giving up.

"I love you."

"I know."

"Your turn Troy," Riley stated pulling at my hand so that she could look at the new watch. He grinned like he was five, and grabbed the one from Riley. He ripped it open, and smiled at the new basket ball. "It's so we can play one on one."

"Thanks Ry." He said as he spun it on his finger. Riley had never seen that trick before.

"Cool! Can you teach me that?" She said in awe.

"Sure, once we're done here, we'll go and test it out, and I'll show you."

"Yay!" She was bouncing in my lap, just thinking about it.

The other one he pulled was from both Riley and I. He un-wrapped it and opened the box, only to find another one inside of it. He narrowed his eyes at me in annoyance. He pulled it out and un-wrapped that one too, which revealed another very thin, wrapped package. He threw another dirty look at me.

"Hey it was totally Riley's idea." I said with my hands up. He looked at Riley as she nodded her head and grinned. His look softened into a smile. "It's the last one, I promise."

He opened it and found a travel portfolio. He looked at me with a look of confusion.

"Go on."

"Holy crap!" Troy yelled, pulling out the three tickets for the Lakers playoff game. "You two are the greatest! Oh oh I love you guys." I just laughed at his antics. "This has been the greatest Christmas ever."

"Um, Troy," He looked at me. "You're not done yet." He looked at the table, noticing there wasn't anything left. He gave me a look of concern.

"Ryan honey, are you feeling okay? There isn't any more."

"That's what you think." I sat up a little and pulled an envelope out of my back pocket. "We're just getting started." I handed it to him. He quickly opened it and read what was in it, the confusion setting back onto his face.

"What the heck does this mean?"

"Well read it aloud," I simply said.

"To find the rest, you must be the best. It always starts here, shared by three. Find the cake, and you can eat it too."

"It's a riddle Troy." Riley laughed.

He just smiled at her and re-read the note. I could just see him contemplating where to go. It took him a minute before he said, "the kitchen." Riley and I followed him. He headed straight to the island where the glass cake plate was. He frowned when he opened it.

"It's not there."

"Read it again honey." He threw me a look. I knew he didn't like this, but in the end he would forgive me…or hate me, one of the two.

"To find the rest, you must be the best. It always starts here, shared by three. What is shared by three? What three things share the kitchen?"

Riley looked around the kitchen. "There are three of us Troy. Right now we share the kitchen, is that it?" She looked at him wondering if she was right. Riley didn't know about any of this, so she was just as confused as Troy.

"It could be. But the cake thing was wrong. It's not your Daddy's cake plate." He smiled as he scooped her up. "So what do the three of us start in the kitchen that involves some sort of cake?" He started pacing back and forth. I grabbed a seat at the table, and smiled as I watched the two of them scratch their heads in thought. "We eat in the kitchen, all three of us, usually breakfast and dinner."

"We made breakfast yesterday Troy."

"That we did Riley. Maybe that's it, but cakes. There were no cakes yesterday."

"Pancakes!" Riley squealed, throwing her arms in the air.

"That can't be it Riley." He said as he sat down beside me at the kitchen table, placing Riley in his lap. I couldn't help but start chuckling, and I couldn't hide it from Troy. Riley was better at this than he was.

"Humor her Troy." He threw me a look of defeat.

He walked over to the cupboard with Riley following his every step, and pulled out the box of pancake mix. He laughed. "Nice job Riley." He gave her a high five, and pulled off the second envelope. "Did your Daddy tell you the answer?"

"She doesn't know Troy, she's just smart."

"Good, Riley your hired. You can help me solve the next one."

"Okay Troy. Can I read the new clue?" You could see the excitement clearly written on her face.

"Of course," He handed her the paper.

"The many greats on harmonious rings, find the Rain, without falling asleep. Huh? Troy this one is worse."

"Well, the last one had different pieces so let's work it out line by line." Troy squatted down to her level, and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned into him as he started breaking down the clue. "Many greats on harmonious rings, huh, harmonious greats are singers, and singers have CD's, which are rings in shape." I just smiled at him as he helped Riley figure it out, the teacher side of Troy coming out in full force.

"So it's a CD?" Riley asked.

"Yes, but which one? Find the Rain, so that must be the one I need to find, and sleep must have to do with where I find it."

Out of nowhere Troy bolted from the kitchen. Riley and I just looked at each other, and ran to follow him. Troy was catching on to how I write. We found him in our bedroom scouring our CD rack.

"Aha! Found it," he declared holding our Singin' in the Rain soundtrack. I wrapped my arms around him.

"This isn't so bad now is it?" I asked him kissing his neck.

"Not if you do that every time I find the answer." He turned around in my arms and kissed me squarely on the lips. "Or we could skip the clues, you could just give me my present, and then we could spend our time on other things."

I kissed him back. "No chance."

He grumbled a bit, and then read the next clue. "Sing me a tale as I drift to never land; tie the knot to find my spot. Okay this is easier; never land is a dream land, dream means sleep, a tale is read to get there. Riley, we're going to your room." Riley and I chased after him.

"Now which one is it? Riley you have over two hundred books, how are we gonna find it?"

Riley wasn't paying any attention to Troy. "That's where my pink hair tie went. Troy can you get that down?" Riley wasn't looking in her bookshelf, she was looking at the top of her dresser. One of her books had her hair tie tied around it, keeping it closed.

"Sure honey." As he pulled the book down, a paper fell to the floor. I leaned against the doorframe, watching as the two of them sat on the ground to read the next clue. "This better be the last one."

"Almost Troy," I said as I smiled at him from the doorway.

He nodded at me as he read the next clue. "I'm one to Sharpay, perhaps Riley will have her own someday. It's not in the Denali, but instead where it sleeps. I have no idea what that first part means. The second part, I'm assuming is the garage." He got up and grabbed my hand as we went to the garage. To my luck, he didn't run this time.

When he switched the light on, he turned and looked at me. "Are you insane?" I picked Riley up on my hip as Troy stood stationary on the top step.

"No," I laughed. Riley was to in shock to say much except "wow" repeatedly.

"Ryan, I can't take that. We can't afford it. You're nuts. I swear you're nuts." He had his hands on the sides of his head and he was shaking it back and forth. I stepped beside him and slid my free arm around his waist. "Honey, I don't need it, I have my own."

"No you don't, I told the repair guy to get rid of it. Yours was too old. Now just go check it out." I pushed him gently towards the shiny new black SUV. Riley squirmed down to go check it out too. He walked around the truck in awe. As much as he was complaining, I knew he truly loved it.

"What does that have to do with the first part of the clue?" Riley asked scratching her head. Troy popped his head up over the hood.

"Yeah, how does the first part link to this?" He asked dramatically pointing at the SUV.

"Simple. What am I to Sharpay?"

"Her brother."

"Yes but I'm her what brother?" Troy threw me a look of confusion.

"Her only brother?" Troy was not quite following.

"Well yeah, but I'm also her baby brother."

"This explains why Riley might have one some day. I'm still not linking it to the truck."

"Okay, maybe the clue wasn't as clear as I wanted it to be. I have a Yukon Denali; this is the baby brother to it, an Envoy Denali." Troy smiled.

"I like that," he smiled at me for a second, then his look turned serious as he pointed at me. "You're still nuts though." He still kept circling the car admiring it, the smile coming back as he got a good look at his truck. When he got to the front he stood still, and then threw me a dirty look. "You have got to be kidding me." I smiled at him as he went to the windshield and pulled off another envelope.

"To find the piece to make it secure; go back to where this all started. Make them all agree and link them to me." A look of uncertainty flashed across his face, he went to the door and pulled on it. I saw him sigh, relieved. "Good it's locked, now I don't have to kill you. I just have to find the keys." I just smiled at him as he came back up the steps. "You're nuts, but I love you." He kissed me then went back into the house, with Riley and me in tow.

He went back to the living room, and looked around before he stopped to stare at the tree. He finally spotted his target and reached for the shiny keys at the top of the tree. I went up behind him, and slipped my arms around his waist. I smiled as he leaned against me, relaxing. I nuzzled his neck, and slid my hands up to his, and promptly slipped the keys right out of his hand. He turned around and looked at me.

"Uh, Ryan? Why'd you take the keys?"

"You haven't finished the riddle," I answered hiding the keys behind my back. "Make them all agree and link them to me."

"Make what all agree, the clues?"

"Sort of. What did you grab from the kitchen, from our room and Riley's?"

"Pancake mix, Singin' in the Rain, and a book with Riley's hair tie on it."

"Okay, now link them together." He just looked at me confused. He walked over to where Riley was on the couch and sat beside her. I followed him and sat on the coffee table facing him. I decided to give him a hint. "They all have one thing in common. What's that one thing?"

"That you're nuts?" He asked with a grin. I laughed at him; at least he could find the humor, even if he was clueless. "I don't know Ry; I'm not good at this stuff."

"Yes you are, it just takes time," I said as I put my hand on his knee.

"They're all something we do with Riley?" He questioned. He looked to Riley and smiled.

"Yes, you're getting there. They are things we do with Riley, we do them a lot, and they always stay the same."

"They're traditions."

"Exactly! That's exactly it." I kissed him, and handed him the keys, but didn't let go. He smiled at me as he pulled them a bit, trying to get them out of my grasp. Even though he didn't pull very hard I made it look like he did, and slid off the table and onto the floor on my knee.

"Are you okay Ryan? I didn't mean to pull you off the table I was just playing and I-" I placed my finger on his lips to silence him, then grabbed his hand. It was then that he got a good look at me, a smile on my lips, one hand holding his, and on one knee.

"Troy, I'm fine. I'm more than fine. I'm perfect, in fact. It's all because of you. You make my day brighter, and easier, and I love you. You take such good care of Riley and me. We both love you with all our heart." We both turned to look at Riley who was smiling and nodding her head dramatically. I could see Troy's smile reach his ears as he looked at my daughter. He just melted with her in sight.

"Troy, all the clues led to traditions that we have as a family. Traditions, that mean the world to me, and I hope we can make many more together." I pulled the car keys out of his hand again and held them up so he could get a good look at them, and the ring that was attached to them. Once he noticed it, his eyes went wide. "Will you marry me?"

He didn't move, he just kept focusing on the ring, his mouth started to form words but no sound came out. I turned my head a bit, cautiously. "Uh Troy, honey, are you okay?" He still didn't make a sound, but leaned forward and kissed me. It was reminiscent of when I asked him out. "I take it that's a-"

"Yes. Yes Ryan, I will marry you." I smiled at him and he launched himself onto my lap. I hugged him, slipped off the ring from his car keys and placed it on his finger with a kiss. I was so excited, he had actually said yes. I could hear Margie in my head saying "I told you so." I couldn't help myself. I had to kiss him again. "I love you."

"I love you too," he said with tears coming down his cheeks.

"Does this mean Santa got me what I wanted?" Riley asked a little confused at why we were crying.

"Yes sweetheart. I asked Troy to marry me, which means he will become my husband and your-"

"Papa!" Riley screamed. She launched herself into his arms as Troy stood up to catch her. I could see that the two of them were holding on to each other for dear life, and that Riley had her face buried in his neck. I stood behind them and wrapped my arms around both of them. Troy turned so he was facing me; he looked at me straight in the eye, as tears ran down his face, "Yes Riley, I'm going to be your Papa." I could see the pride emanating from them. It was the only thing he wanted this Christmas, and his wish came true. It was our first of many Christmas's together, and for our little family, all was well.

Fin

-DisneyKid