A Forced Reunion

A/N: Thanks for all the awesome reviews! I got 58 for the last chapter which is so awesome! I'm so sorry for the long wait for this next chapter! I've been really busy and didn't really know how to do this chapter. I'm sorry if this chapter isn't that great or for any mistakes but it's now 2.20am here and I wanted to get this up. Please R&R! Thanks!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter 16 – We're Saying Goodnight Not Goodbye Uncle Ryan

A week had passed since Ryan's death and everyone was still in the same state of shock, anger, disbelief and just about every other emotion. They had been trying to keep their selves busy so that they wouldn't think about the funeral which would be taking place the following Friday. Ryan's funeral everyone knew was going to be the hardest test for all of them after his death. Right now it was Thursday evening and Troy had just come back home after having to go see his parents about some stuff to find Gabriella, who said she was going to just stay there, gone. After the past few days, Troy had been worried about Gabriella's state of mind since she had barely said two words to anyone. Troy dialled her cell and heard it vibrating on the table and sighed but jumped when he heard cell ring.

"Hey Zeke." Troy answered seeing Zeke's ID flashing on the screen.

"Hey man. I thought I would just let you know in case you are worried your wife is over here with us since she wanted to come see the girls." Zeke informed in as Troy sighed in relief.

"Thanks for letting me know. I'll see you tomorrow." Troy hung up and went to go shower.

Coming downstairs after showering, Troy saw a light on in the kitchen. Slowly approaching he saw Gabriella with her head down on the table.

"You ok?" Troy asked softly sitting on a chair next to his wife he lifted her head and nodded. "Want to talk about it?" Gabriella looked up at him before she got up making Troy think she was going to just walk out like she had done when she wanted to be alone but instead she sat on his lap as he wrapped his arms around her tightly as she leaned against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry for being the way I am at the minute." Troy smiled as he kissed her cheek.

"You don't need to apologize. You have had a big shock, we all have, and I know we all deal with things differently but I'm worried about you because I want you to just let me in a little." Troy told her as she sighed.

"I know you do. It's just, ever since I lost my mom the only person I could talk to was Ryan and when he was diagnosed I learnt to deal with everything on my own and to keep others out to protect them as much as me and I just find it so hard letting people in." Gabriella explained as Troy listened. "I want to let you in more but it's really hard."

"It's ok. I know it's hard for you but you have to let me help because you are going to make yourself ill by keeping all of this to yourself." Troy warned as she nodded.

"I'm sorry." Troy kissed her softly.

"Come on let's go to bed since tomorrow is going to be a long day." Gabriella nodded and stood up letting Troy take her hand and lead her upstairs.

Troy woke the next morning alone in bed which felt very weird having gotten so use to having Gabriella right next to him. Looking to his right, Troy saw his suit hanging on the door. Troy sighed as he sat up to go look for Gabriella. Troy, along with Chad, Zeke and Jason, was going to help carry Ryan's coffin. It was something Ryan had instructed to happen in a letter he left to Sharpay and his parents about how he wanted his funeral. After making his way downstairs, Troy walked out the back and saw Gabriella sitting by the pool letting her feet dangle over the edge.

Gabriella let her legs swing back and forth softly as she just watching the water ripple, wondering what it all meant, life. It seemed so pointless if it just ended like Ryan's had.
"He will be watching us somehow, you know that. He won't have left you fully just yet." A voice interrupted her thoughts as she turned to see Troy stood there still just in his boxers and a t-shirt. Gabriella patted the spot beside her gesturing for Troy to come and sit next to him as he did so before she rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her one arm across his torso.
"What are you doing out here?" Gabriella asked as Troy wrapped his arms around her.
"I thought you could use some support." Troy told her as she nodded. "You know if you really don't feel you can do this then you don't have to. No one would think any less of you." Troy assured her as she pulled away from him.

"No!" Gabriella snapped. "I let him down enough when he was alive because I couldn't help him get better. I can't let him down again." Gabriella stubbornly told Troy.

"Ok sorry." Troy said as Gabriella saw the hurt look in his eye and it broke her heart knowing she was pushing him away. She knew she had hurt him.
"I don't mean to take it out on you. I'm sorry." Gabriella apologized as Troy nodded.
"Come on we need to start getting ready since it's nearly time to go." Troy said getting up and walking back inside.

The funeral was going the way everyone expected it too and worse too with no one person having a dry eye and nobody was embarrassed by that. Troy held Gabriella's hand throughout the service, every now and then giving her a reassuring squeeze. Gabriella had been asked to speak at the service and when the time came for her to speak she could barely make it a few feet before she looked at Troy pleadingly. Troy instantly jumped up and took her hand in his as she tried to compose herself and walked up to the Alter.

"Hi everyone. I'm not really very good at this so bare with me." Gabriella spoke shakily as Troy kept his arms wrapped around her as she looked at everyone. "Most of you knew Ryan but not everyone knew him well. He was a very reserved person and didn't like letting people in. He found it easier to hide things and put of a front. I guess that's what made him such a great actor." A few laughs were heard as Gabriella continued tearfully. "Deep down he really cared about a lot of people and he loved those closest to him more than anything and always wished they could have been there for him every time he walked onto a stage because he loved making everyone happy. I'm lucky enough to have been one of those people who he let in and once you were in, you knew you were stuck there forever because everyone should have a Ryan Evans in their life because he was one of those people who would be there for you no matter what. I know we didn't have long together here on Earth but I think I speak for all of us when I say, Ryan we are so lucky to have known you and we all love you and we're going to miss you so much. I love you. Thank you." Gabriella let Troy guide her back to their seats as the priest continued. Everyone knew nothing else needed to be said because everyone could understand. Chad gave Gabriella a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder from his position behind her. Troy soon felt Gabriella crying into his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close while he to let his tears flow down his face. Looking back at Chad and Jason, Troy knew not even the bravest of men could be brave in front of everyone else.

The rest of the service went by pretty quickly but to Troy the one thing he kept thinking of was about what Gabriella said. Love. Love is what had made his life worthwhile and he knew no matter how short the life, Love was the reason to live for anyone.

After the burial where more tears were shed, the gang and Kayla and Sofia were all still at the graveside while most others had already moved on to the wake which was being held at Sharpay and Zeke's where their parents would take care of everything till the others went back. Sharpay and everyone watched as Sofia and Kayla bent down and started talking quietly between themselves.

"Hey Uncle Ryan." Sofia started.

"It's Sofia and Kayla if you didn't know." Kayla continued and let Sofia take over again.

"Mommy and everyone else are really upset because they keep telling us we have to say goodbye to you Uncle Ryan." Sofia stopped as Kayla spoke and all the others listened on, tears strolling down their faces.

"Well we decided we're not going to say goodbye to you Uncle Ryan." Kayla stopped as she nodded at Sofia.

"We're saying goodnight not goodbye." The two finished together. "We love you Uncle Ryan." The two blew a kiss to the sky and blew them as they held each other's hand and stood up as they all made their way back.

The gang had been mixing with several friends and family members of Ryan's when Sharpay gathered them all in the basement downstairs where they could have some privacy.

"Ok what's going on?" Taylor asked as Gabriella shrugged while Sharpay grabbed something and put it in her bag.

"Ryan has some things he wants us to do to be able to leave us in peace." Sharpay started. "We have to go to a beach (Ok I have no idea whether there are any kind of beaches in Albuquerque but for the sake of the story just go with it)." Gabriella rolled her eyes knowing how typical it was of Ryan to leave them things to do even though he had gone.

An hour later, they all arrived at the beach. Everyone sat in couples as they waited for Sharpay or Zeke to tell them what exactly was going on.

"Ryan wants us to get rid of any pain or sorrow we have by writing it down about what we will all miss about him and putting it in a bottle and throwing it out to sea." Sharpay explained as she handed them all pieces of paper with a pen and Sharpay holding onto the bottle. "We have to make a list of the four things we will miss most about him." Everyone nodded as they thought about what to write.

Gabriella looked around and saw the others writing as she walked away from them and though carefully about what to write. Sliding down to sit on some rocks Gabriella brought her pen to the paper and started writing.

Friendship

Relationship advice (you were really good at that)

Our mad shopping sprees in New York

You over all. I'm going miss you.

Gabriella folded her piece of paper up before heading back over to join the others who looked at her. The others stood up as Gabriella reconnected hers and Troy's hand as they moved closer to the water but not before slipping their shoes off. After slipping all their pieces of paper into the bottle, Sharpay offered the bottle to Gabriella who smiled and took it from Sharpay. Walking into the water, Gabriella threw the bottle as far into the distance as she could as she watched it slowly float away in the current as she retreated back to the others where they all sat down and watched the sunset.

"We were really lucky you know to have known Ryan." Kelsi spoke up from her position against Jason as everyone nodded.

"We have to do what he wanted us to do now." Sharpay started. "We have to move on in our lives and be happy. None of us will ever forget him but we have to move on from this." Sharpay explained as everyone agreed but knew it would be tough.

After watching the sunset and feeling the cool breeze start to appear, Troy suggested they all make their way back. Bidding each other farewell and promising to see each other tomorrow, each couple made their way to their own car.

Gabriella went straight upstairs while Troy locked up since she was practically falling asleep from the exhausting day they had had. When Troy got up there, he stripped down and climbed into bed next to her but was surprised when he found himself in a deep kiss. Shocked slightly Troy pulled away confused. Gabriella giggles seeing the confused look on his face.

"I'm doing what Ryan wanted us to do. I'm moving on with my life and I'm showing you just how sorry I am for acting the way I have been." Gabriella explained as Troy smiled and kissed her softly before she deepened it again. The two spent the rest of the night talking about Ryan and everything before making love long into the night.

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. It was really hard for me to do. This story is coming to a close, about 3 more chapters and then an epilogue most likely. Please review! Thanks!

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