Chapter 6

Troy pulled into his drive the Sunday after they left for New York, to say he was a new man would have been an overstatement but he was happier now than he had been when he left the weekend before, he had dropped of his friends at their homes. He walked into the house from the garage with a smile on his face.

"Honey did you have a good time?" his mum called to him from the living room as he entered with a bottle of milk to his mouth.

"Yeah we had a great time thanks, I went to the old house and saw a few people I haven't seen since we left." Troy said to her she smiled his dad looked at him worriedly. "Dad I'm fine seriously I needed to go there, I needed to go back to the house and make my peace you know." Troy said. "I saw Tom and Sean as well as some of my old school friends." Troy added to him with a smile.

"Glad to hear it." Jack said to him.

"We did some shopping in New York before we came home almost didn't get on the plane because of the luggage, I took it up before I came in here anyway. I went to see his bench as well." Troy said sitting down next to his dad leaning into him like he always did when he was younger he produced his phone pulling up the picture in question he showed his dad. "I invited Tom to stay with us over easter I had no idea how much I missed him until I saw him, I hope you don't mind." Troy said to his parents they both shared a look before Jack wrapped his arm around his son.

"Sounds like a great idea." Sarah said to him taking the phone of him to look at the picture. "I knew they had put one in the park where you guys used to play but wow." Sarah said Troy closed his eyes nodding his head.

It was a while later that he felt himself being shaken.

"Honey Ryan is on the phone." Sarah said to him he looked at his dad.

"I was just getting comfortable." Troy said to him his dad laughed.

"You made my arm fall asleep son your getting heavy from all that working out you do." Jack said as Troy took the phone from his mum.

"I'm not that much bigger dad." Troy said to him.

"Your more meat than you are fat son and that's a good thing the working out should be cut down upon though." Jack said to him.

"I will cut back." Troy said to him with a smile.

'Troy will you stop talking to your dad please, I am on the other end of this line." Ryan's voice said irritably down the line.

'Hey gorgeous sorry I was sleeping.' Troy said to him.

'In your living room?' Ryan asked.

'Yeah using my dad's arm as a pillow.' Troy replied Ryan laughed.

'Your poor dad, you said you'd call when you got in.' Ryan said.

'Sorry Ryan I was talking to mum and dad then I fell asleep on the sofa against my dad, it slipped my mind.' Troy said to him Ryan laughed.

'Its okay, you got home safely that's the main thing.' Ryan said to him Troy laughed.

'I just wanted to make sure you were okay.' Ryan said.

'I'm good tired but good, thanks for coming with me this week.' Troy said to him.

'I'm glad I came, I got to see some more of your past. You're an enigma to a lot of people, makes me love you even more.' Ryan said to him Troy laughed a lot at that.

'I'm not an enigma Ryan I'm a private person, I don't like people knowing to much about me.' Troy said to Ryan. 'Didn't damage your opinion of me did I?' he asked curiously.

'Only for the better, see you at school tomorrow.' Ryan said to him Troy smiled.

'Love you.' Troy said.

'Love you to goodnight." Ryan said to him ending the call.

"My son is truly in love." Sarah said Troy blushed. "Your not going to screw this one up right." she asked him teasingly.

"Your kidding right I love Ryan to pieces, I know his my man." Troy said she smiled.

"We know, his good for you, Troy I haven't seen you this happy since your brother died if he makes you happy then we have all that we can ask for from Ryan." Jack said to his son.

"I'm going to turn in we've been driving most of the day and I am exhausted." Troy said to his dad who laughed but hugged him good night Troy kissed his mum's cheek before heading up the stairs to his own bedroom.

Hsmhsmhsm

Troy arrived ahead of Ryan the next morning for school though he was surprised to find that Gabriella was in, her car was in the lot as he got out of his own car and headed inside to his locker, he found Gabi in the drama hall sitting by the piano. Crying, Troy's heart clinched at this and approached the stage Gabriella looked up at him.

"Gabs what happened?" Troy asked her softly.

"Zeke." Gabriella sobbed Troy wrapped an arm around her shoulder drawing her into a hug.

"What did he do?" Troy asked.

"His mum was killed in a car accident last week." Gabriella said. "He was badly hurt and in a coma." Gabriella sobbed Ryan walked in seeing him holding her tight Troy shook his head sadly.

"I'm going to take you home." Troy said to her she pulled back shaking her head.

"I need to stay busy." she said softly.

"Your sure?" Troy asked she nodded. "Is everything else okay." Troy asked.

"I think I'm pregnant." Gabriella said. "We had an accident his condom split." she said Ryan and Troy's eyes widened in shock.

"His going to wake up Gabi." Ryan said Gabriella looked up. "I heard most of what you said to each other, his going to be okay." Ryan said to her she smiled sadly.

"I hope so." she said.

"Have you taken a pregnancy test yet?" Troy asked her.

"No." Gabriella said to him.

"Will you keep it if you are?" Troy asked.

"I'm catholic Troy we don't do abortion." she said.

"Its going to be hard for you." Troy said to her.

"I'm worried about my mum more than my future." Gabriella said to him.

"Hey your mum loves you Gabriella she will be angry sure, but don't think that's she's going to kick you out just because you and Zeke had an accident." Troy said to her.

"But that accident is that I am pregnant and still in school something that happened to her she didn't want that for me." Gabriella said.

"Well we have to know whether your pregnant first, then we can deal with your mum if the need arises." Ryan said to her she smiled gratefully at him.

"Your right." Gabriella said.

"That's a first you know his blond right." Troy said with a wink as she giggled Ryan half heartedly glared at him but his smile showed that he understood what he was trying to do for Gabriella. "Ryan and I are here for you." Troy said to her softly she pulled back enough to kiss his cheek Troy let go of her and smiled.

"Thank you Troy, thanks Ryan." Gabriella said to them.

Hsmhsmhsm

Troy walked into the hospital that afternoon with Gabriella looking down the halls until they came across the room they were looking for Zeke's mum and dad were in the room, Troy knocked before they entered.

"Troy I'm sorry no one contacted any of you." Gloria said to her. "Gabriella, why don't you come sit next to him." Gloria said to her Troy pushed her gently forward.

"How is he?" Troy asked Sam Zeke's dad.

"His got some nasty breaks and a head injury, they say he should wake up but the longer his like this the less chance he has." Sam said Troy walked over to him and hugged him hard.

"I know that feeling of utter helplessness, his a fighter." Troy said to him Gabriella took Zeke's hand.

"Gloria is my eldest daughter the others are flying in." Sam said to him.

"We met a couple of years ago." Troy said to her she smiled.

"We certainly did, where is everyone else?" Gloria said.

"They didn't want to crowd you all right now." Gabriella said the woman smiled at her. "He has to wake up, I can't do this alone." she said to the woman.

"Honey what are you talking about." Gloria asked the girl softly.

"We had an accident." Gabriella said to her she gasped in understanding. "I did a pregnancy test before we arrived." Gabriella said to the woman.

"Your pregnant, the baby is Zeke's yes." Sam asked Troy groaned at the remark.

"Yes he was my first." Gabriella said Sam looked at Troy who shook his head.

"No I never slept with Gabriella, I have a very happy boyfriend." Troy said to him he nodded.

"Then we will help you get through this." Gloria said to her.

"Damn right we will." Sam said walking over to the girl and hugging her tightly. "His going to wake up, we have to have faith in that." Sam said to her she nodded closing her eyes.

"I should go I'm not good in hospitals." Troy said to them.

"Troy god I'm sorry I didn't even think of what this would be doing to you." Gabriella said.

"Its okay Gabs I wanted to come in and check on Zeke, you needed to talk to his dad as well so I was happy to drive you." Troy said to her.

"Son are you okay?" Sam asked.

"My twin was killed by a drunk driver, seeing one of my friends fighting for his life after a car accident… its not something I wish to experience." Troy said to the man.

"You've never said anything, you have a twin." Sam asked.

"He was eight when he was killed we were in the front yard of our house playing ball with a neighbour, he went out into the road to get our ball next thing we know he was hit by a car. I understand everything your going through sir, I'll come back to visit in a couple of days." Troy said to him Sam gaped at him for a moment before nodding.

"I'm sorry, I had no idea. This must be very hard for you." Sam said hugging him.

"Gabi take a couple of days of, trust me being in school won't help you." Troy said bending down to hug her he kissed her cheek. "Phone me if anything changes or you need to talk." Troy added she nodded.

Hsmhsmhsm

Jack wandered out to the out house where he could here music blaring Ryan was with him, "He went with Gabriella to see Zeke." Ryan said to him Jack nodded in understanding. "I knew it was a bad idea but he wouldn't listen, Zeke is his friend of course so I understood that." Ryan said as he opened the door to the out house Troy was currently topless working out some aggression on the punch bag in the middle of the room.

"Troy." Jack shout across to his son who looked up before turning of the music but he didn't stop punching the punch bag. "Son are you okay." Jack said grabbing his sons arms from behind Troy thought against his fathers hold.

"Get of me." Troy snarled.

"Troy I am your father you won't take that tone with me." Jack snapped at his son.

"That's great you pick and choose when you want to be a father, maybe you should tell that to Matt." Troy said his fury let loose on his father Jack looked stunned for a moment before he turned his son around Troy glared at him through the tears.

"Troy…" Jack said hurt. "I know your angry about what happened to Zeke and his mum but I won't take that from you." Jack added Troy slumped forward against his father in defeat a sob escaping his lips Jack prepared for the onslaught of emotion held his son Ryan looked on helpless as his boyfriend cried into his fathers shoulder.

"I'm sorry papa seeing him…" Troy sobbed. "I keep seeing Matt in the road after he was hit." Troy sobbed his heart out Ryan placed a hand on his back about the only thing he could do for his boyfriend at the moment Troy however found his hand with his own entwining their fingers.

"Its okay, kiddo I understand your still going to be punished no mustang for a week." Jack said Troy laughed wetly.

"Not much of a punishment." Troy said with a giggle. "You just saying that because you love my car." Troy said to him his father laughed. "I didn't think seeing him would affect me the way it did." Troy said to his dad and Ryan.

"Your friend is in a hospital after having been involved in a car accident that killed his mum and hurt him badly, if anything was going to bring up bad memories that would be it." Ryan said to him with a smile. "Gabriella phoned me to tell me that you had left and that she was worried about you." Ryan said to him.

"I was fine when I left it was only after I was driving home that I lost it." Troy said to him.

"Sounds about right." Ryan said to him. "Your mum said dinner is ready for you." Ryan said to the brunette.

"You mean us." Jack said to him.

"I…" Ryan started Troy laughed.

"Your stuck with us, mum feels like she has to feed you all the time when you're here." Troy said to him. "I'll be up in a minute dad." Troy said turning to the punch bag and radio.

"Make sure that you are." Jack said to him as he left the two of them alone in the out house.

"Thanks Ryan." Troy said drawing the blond to him so he could wrap his arms around the blond. "I love you." Troy said to him.

"Your welcome and I love you to." Ryan said to him as Troy slipped his hands down the boys jeans to feel his bum. "Troy." Moaned Ryan as Troy kissed him on the lips working kissing his way down the blonds neck nibbling causing the blond to moan. "Troy…" gasped out.

"I need you." Troy said to him as he unbuttoned the blonds jeans. "Now." Troy said to him for added effect.

"Troy." Jack said walking back into the out house causing both teens to blush. "Shit… you two would you please sort yourselves out and get up to the house." Jack said laughing as he turned to leave.

"Fuck… we are so busted." Troy said to Ryan who hid his face on Troy's shoulder. "We need to go up to the house." Troy said to him as he pulled the blonds jeans back up and closing them off pulling the zipper up. "We'll have to finish this later." Troy said.

Hsmhsmhsm

Jack walked into the kitchen shaking his still bright red face, "Honey is everything okay down there." Sarah asked him.

"They'll be up in a moment." Jack said.

"You walked in on them getting a little heated?" she asked he nodded. "I do believe that if had been a couple of minutes later they would have been doing something that would have stayed with me till the day I died." Jack said to her his wife laughed as the two blushing boys walked into the kitchen.

"Honey." Sarah said trying not to smile.

"Sorry dad." Troy mumbled.

"Its okay kid, well no its not my eyes may never recover from the image of you two getting it on seriously. I should learn to knock first before entering a room." Jack said Troy smirked.

"I have been telling you that for years." Troy said his dad who swatted the back of his head.

"Lets eat dinner, we can talk about this later." Sarah said to them.

"Mum there is nothing to talk about." Troy said.

"Bar the fact that you had your hands in Ryan's jeans you mean." Jack said.

"But I was doing nothing more at the time, if you had come in a little while later you would have walked in on something." Troy said to his dad who growled. "Is daddy feeling like a protective lion." he mocked playfully.

"Troy he just caught us doing the naughty please don't annoy him, he'll kill me." Ryan moaned Jack laughed.

"He would have killed you already if he was going to do that." Troy said as they tucked into dinner, "Mum your mad at us?" Troy asked her.

"I'm pretty shocked that you decided to have it on in the weights room." she said to him.

"We didn't decide it just happened." Troy said to her she goggled at him.

"This is why we insisted that you have protection in your room." Jack said to him Troy giggled. "If we had come back up here you would have known what we were going to do." Troy said to him Jack laughed. "I'd rather not have you know what we are doing in my room when that happens." Troy said his parents laughed.

Hsmhsmhsm

Troy woke up the next morning to his phone ringing on his bedside table Troy looked at the clock it was five to six, Troy looked at the caller number before answering the call.

'Troy its Sam.' Sam said.

'Hey Sam is everything okay?' Troy asked.

'I'm sorry Troy, Zeke died in theatre a little while ago he had complications they just weren't able to stop the bleeding.' Sam said to him Troy sat in silence for a moment. 'Troy are you there?' Sam asked him.

'Yeah I'm here.' Troy said into the phone.

'I'll call when we have the details of the funeral sorted out.' Sam said.

'Thanks Sam, I'm sorry about Zeke I know what your going through.' Troy said.

'Thank you Troy I have to go inform Gabriella.' Sam said Troy said his goodbyes before putting the phone down, he text Ryan telling him to call Troy straight away before taking his house phone down the stairs.

"Honey your up earlier than I expected you to be." Sarah said.

"Sam just called." Troy said sitting down on a chair in the kitchen.

"Is Zeke awake?" Jack asked tentatively.

"He died in surgery." Troy said his father stunned into silence. "His telling Gabriella at the moment." Troy said to them.

Troy's phone rang.

'Troy you called it sounded urgent.' Ryan said rushed down the voice.

'Zeke's dad called a little while ago.' Troy said Ryan heard the tone in his voice as he gasped. 'Zeke just died Ryan, I'm not sure I am going into school today." Troy said to his boyfriend.

'You need to come into school Troy its what he would have wanted.' Ryan said. 'Are the guys going to be told before the school is.' he asked Troy looked at his dad who was already picking up the house phone.

'Dads making the calls now.' Troy said to his boyfriend.

"You want me to come pick you up.' Ryan asked him.

'Yes please, I don't feel up to driving myself today.' Troy said.

'I'll be their in an hour.' Ryan said.

Hsmhsmhsm

The school was in shock as they entered the front doors, Troy shook his head sadly as they approached the rest of the team who didn't seem to know what to say or for that matter how to say it. Gabriella unsurprisingly wasn't there when they arrived and Troy suspected that she wouldn't be there that day her boyfriend had just died she was pregnant what more was there that she could put up with right now he didn't know and he didn't want to know or think about it.

"Troy, did Sam call to tell you?" Chad asked.

"I think I was the first person he called, though I have no idea why he called me first." Troy said to his friend as they hugged. "I know dad wants us to not train today, but I say we should just get on with it." Troy said to him with a smile the rest of the group looked at each other. "He would have wanted us to get on with it." Troy said his mind wandering to other things.

Sharpay entered into the home room with Jason.

"Troy, Gabriella is in the parking lot." she said Troy nodded rising to his feet heading out of the room he had a few minutes before class began, he found Gabriella at her locker.

"Gabs you should be at home." Troy said to her softly.

"I don't want to be on my own mum is at work." Gabriella said. "How is everyone coping?" he asked.

"Better than you by the looks of things." Troy said to her she smiled.

"I guess I know what you feel like first hand now." Gabriella said to him Troy smiled.

"It will get better, your have bad days." Troy said to her taking her hand as she closed the locker and headed back to class. "Have you told your mum?" he asked.

"I told her after the phone call, she was shocked and angry but said we'd get through it." Gabriella said to Troy who nodded.

"Have you told Sam?" he asked.

"I'm going to Zeke's tonight to talk to him. I wanted to tell him in person you know." Gabriella said to him.

"Probably best." Troy said as they entered home room Darbus didn't say a word to them as Troy took his seat next to Ryan.

"As most of you know Zeke Brown died this morning from injuries he suffered in a car accident, as a result the class has been given a day off. We will see you all after the weekend." Darbus said Troy stood up with the rest of his friends before heading out of the room hand in hand with Ryan.

"Did you have any idea that they were going to do that." Troy asked.

"No, I don't feel like learning today anyway." Ryan said to him.

Troy looked at the doors to the gym, "I want to take a look at what they have put up there." Troy said to him with a sad smile.

They walked up the hall way finally coming to a stop in front of the doors, people had set up a small area next to the doors which Troy was sure was going to not be enough for the job. Troy smiled at the team photo in front of them.

"Damn we look young in that." Troy said to Ryan.

"That was the first year." Ryan said to him Troy laughed.

"Here it was I think I had just turned fifteen when that was taken, we lost to west high that year." Troy said to him Ryan nodded.

"How you doing?" he asked.

"I'm doing fine at the moment, but I don't think its really set in you know." Troy said to Ryan who nodded.

"Its not set in yet for me." Ryan said to him Troy wrapped an arm around his boyfriends shoulders.

"Lets get out off here." Troy said to him Ryan nodded as they headed to their lockers to pick their stuff up Chad caught up with them at the car park.

"Hey guys." Chad said to them.

"Hey Chad we were just getting out of here." Ryan said to him.

"Yeah I was just going to say that we should all do something." Chad said to him.

"Tell the guys to meet us at my house." Ryan said to him.

"Why yours?" Troy asked.

"Well I think your dad might want to have some peace and quiet." Ryan said Troy nodded in understanding.