Chapter 19
The fact that they were transporting a large number of people to London for the Christmas holiday for a double wedding, was what Troy would later describe as being a nightmare from the depths of hell, the morning of the weddings was what you would call hectic. They had been moved into separate rooms, which was for Troy and Ryan for that matter an issue, they had been sleeping in each others beds for over a year.
This had been their first night apart for a long time, Troy groaned as the door opened to his room Alex and his dad came into the room.
"You should be in the shower." Alex said to his brother.
"To happy sleeping." Troy said to him as he sat up. "We been here three thricking days, you decide to separate us last night." Troy growled tiredly.
"Not a good night sleep then." Jack said Troy sent him a death glare.
"Now this is the reason why I moved out." Troy snarled his brother and father laughed at him.
"That and you went to college." Jack said.
"A good point." Troy said to him. "This is the first night since we moved out to college that we have spent apart, in different beds." Troy said to him.
"Your annoyed that you didn't get any nooky." Alex said.
"Who said that just because we didn't sleep in the same room, we didn't get any last night Alex." Harry said.
"You wouldn't." Jack said to him.
"What no nooky the night before I marry the man I love, are you kidding. Who are you and what have you done with my dad." Troy asked Alex was laughing. "This coming from the one who, on the day of his wedding ran into the hotel lobby stark bollock naked proclaiming your love for mom. I've seen the pictures by the way, no point in trying to deny it." Troy said to him Jack stared horrified at the idea his son had seen that. "Or the fact that you saw mum in her wedding dress an hour before you were due to walk down the aisle." Troy stated his dad laughed.
"You and Ryan." Alex said with a smile.
"And for the record we did what you asked." Troy said to him as he walked into his bathroom shutting the door.
Hsmhsmhsm
Ryan a floor down from Troy was waking up to his sister shouting through the closed door, he groaned as he walked to the door he saw his parents and Sharpay standing there with Gabriella.
"Your late." Sharpay snarled at him.
"No I am early." Ryan said to him with a smile on his lips. "I'm allowed to be late for my wedding." he added.
"You're the groom." Sharpay snarled.
"For the record Sharpay, Troy is the groom." Ryan said. "I have like three hours before I have to be at the registry so I will see you all in a bit." Ryan said disappearing in to the bathroom slamming the door behind him.
Hsmhsmhsm
Troy walked out of the bathroom a half hour later in clean boxers and a t-shirt, "You look good even in your boxers." Chuckie said to him with a grin on his face.
"Is Ryan up yet?" Troy asked his friend.
"Called while you were in the shower." Chuckie said. "His a little nervous, but considering what is happening today I can understand why." Chuckie said Troy nodded his understanding.
"Are you hungry?" Jack asked his son
"Starving." Troy replied.
"Nervous?" Jack asked Troy stared at him with a look that said it all, are you a complete fricking idiot. "Stupid question." Jack said to him Troy nodded laughing as breakfast arrived. "Your brother an I were both the same." Jack said.
"I can remember Alex's wedding dad." Troy said to him with a smile as he slipped his pendant chain over his neck.
"Matt?" Jack asked his son who nodded. "His watching." Jack said Troy smiled just a little as he lifted the pendant to his lips in a touch kiss before letting it fall back to nestle above his heart. "You shave your chest?" Jack asked him.
"Trimmed it a little, it was getting irritating." Troy said to him Jack laughed. "How the hell is it that I end up being so damn hairy when the rest of the men in this family aren't." Troy asked his dad who laughed.
They sat quietly eating breakfast without a word to each other, it was a comfortable silence though. Troy's thoughts turned to Chad and Mikey, it didn't seem fair at all that his friend would not get long to spend with his boyfriend/husband. Troy didn't know whether it was a blessing that their would be such a distance between them, he knew that he loved Chad but he wasn't sure he could bare to watch his best friend wither away.
Their was a knock on the door to his room which Chuckie answered to reveal a nervous Chad standing in his suit.
"Your about three hours early Chad." Troy said to him.
"I just spoke to Mikey, his ready now." Chad said to him. "His mum and dad are here they flew in this morning." Chad said to him.
"Take you kit of dud and come here breakfast." Troy said to him Chuckie laughed. "Get your head out of the gutter Charlie." Troy said as Chad discarded his jacket on the bed and tie likewise went on the bed.
"That's better." Chad said to him.
"I bet." Jack said. "How you feeling?" he asked.
"Good thanks, its going to get worse I know that, so I am taking the good days before the end." Chad said Troy reached across the table and squeezed his friends hand.
"Don't you dare get depressed today, this is our big day." Troy said to his best friend who chuckled. "You got a lot more time than most people do, so take every day and make good of it." Troy said to him Chad tried to smile.
"So what is this I heard last night from Gabriella, that the two of you shared a kiss." Alex asked.
"Two actually, in full view of our partners, and with their permission." Chad said Troy nodded with a cheesy grin on his face. "Then to even it up a little I kissed Ryan, with Troy's permission of course and with Mikey's permission." Chad said to his friends brother.
"May I ask why?" Jack asked the two of them.
"Ending a crush, and completing a wish." Troy said to him.
"Excuse me?" Alex asked.
"I had a crush on Chad, long before I had a relationship with Ryan." Troy said to him.
"Where did Ryan kissing Chad come into that?" Jack asked.
"Chad crushed on Ryan." Troy said to him Jack couldn't help but laugh. "Ryan and I are pretty open minded to things, I don't mean we want to try swinging or something, but I trust Ryan implicitly, which is why I guess we are getting married today." Troy said to him Jack nodded at this comment.
"You and he have a special bond." Chad admitted.
"Yeah I think so." Troy said to him a small smile. "Its strange, I felt guilty at first because I had never felt as close to anyone as I do to Ryan since Matt. This year at college as allowed us to both move on, leaving the pain of the past behind me, Ryan on the other hand got to move out and away from Sharpay's shadow." Troy said to them.
Hsmhsmhsm
Troy walked through the lobby of the hotel, he knew that he would be the first person of the couples to leave the hotel, they were staggering it so that they could get the stretch limos in without holding up the streets around the registry's office.
Chuckie and Jason were in the limo with him, "Nervous?" Jason asked him.
"Yeah I am a little nervous." Troy said to him with a smile. "Thanks for giving up your holidays for this guys." Troy said to them.
"Your welcome dude, this really is the last time that we will all be together as a team." Jason said to him.
"How are you and Sharpay doing?" Troy asked.
"No where near getting married." Jason said to him. "She's quite jealous that Ryan and you are walking down the aisle before she can." Jason added Troy laughed.
"Yeah I got the feeling she did things first not Ryan." Troy said to him. "I get the feeling that Ryan checks over his shoulder before he does anything new." Troy said with a smile. "When we first started dating it felt a lot like that but now not so much." Troy added.
"I can't believe the news about Chad." Chuckie said to them all.
"None of us can, I think that's the point, I made an appointment to get checked out for everything when I get back to university. I was careful to examine myself anyway, but shit this just took us all by surprise and it doesn't seem to be all that fair." Troy said to him looking away.
The whole group of friends knew that this had hit the two of them very hard, when Troy had come to East high he was an outsider, it was a testament to Chad's efforts that he had not stayed that way for long. It made a sad kind of sense that the two of them were close, and that Troy was the one suffering the most with the news of their impending loss.
"Have you seen Ryan or Chad this morning?" Chuckie asked.
"No to Ryan, yes to Chad." Troy said to him. "Dad spoke to Ryan while I was in the shower this morning." Troy said to him.
"You look like your ready to do this." Jason said to him.
"Oh I am ready." Troy said to him. "Mum and dad don't know this but I am whisking the four of us off tonight." Troy said to his friends.
"Your not staying for Christmas?" Chuckie said to him.
"No, I had the plane flown in last night." Troy said to his friends who laughed. "Chad is going to love this." Troy said to him Zeke laughed. "You guys can come if you wish, of course you can but tonight we are leaving on a jet plane." Troy said to them.
"I think that I might just take you up on that." Chuckie said to him. "His my best friend to, and I find it hard to think that today might be the last day I see him." Chuckie said.
"Your bags are packed or they will be by tonight." Troy said to them they all nodded.
"So where are you taking us?" Chuckie asked.
"Snow boarding in New Zealand." Troy said to him Chuckie laughed. "Chad is going to love falling on his ass." Troy added Jason burst out laughing. "We can party on the plane, I have alcohol and everything on the plane for that." Troy said to them Zeke whooped. "For the next few days I want to take his mind of things." Troy said to them they all agreed to that.
Hsmhsmhsm
It was a small affair at the ceremony, just their friends and family, well as small as can be, Troy's eyes never left Ryan's the entire time, the rings that they gave each other and the vows that they said were just second nature. Ryan smiled at him when they went to take their seats so that Chad and Mikey could say there's, "Just so you know I love you." Troy said in his ear Ryan smiled as they kissed before returning to watch the ceremony.
When it was done the four of them stood at the front of the stage area allowing their friends and family to take their photo's an official photographer doing the same thing, Troy smiled as his went to get his nephew Lucas from his brother, "Sorry big man but I am stealing my nephew." Troy said to him as he walked back to Ryan. "Smile Luc." he said as Ryan came up beside him.
"Now that is cheating." Chad said laughing.
"Yeah well you know we should have photos of just the two couples on their own as well." Troy said to him Chad nodded in agreement as Lucas Pulled on Troy's nose. "Hey you little tyrant leave my nose alone." Troy said swatting his hand away playfully causing the people in the room to laugh. "You bite me Luc and me and you are going to have a falling out." Troy said to him the babies mouth twitched. "How is it I get the devil for a nephew and godson?" Troy asked Ryan who was trying not to laugh, watching the two of them interact was fascinating.
They moved out onto the steps of the registry office, it was lightly snowing and one limo was now waiting for the couples, the photos went on for a while and Lucas seemed to be loving it.
"Okay big man I have to give you back to your dad, I'll see you soon." Troy said to him kissing his nephew's nose Lucas giggled as he handed him back to Alex.
"You and I are talking back at the party about your plans." Alex said Troy laughed before climbing with Chad Ryan and Mikey in the limo.
"What plans?" Ryan asked.
"Some of us are escaping this evening." Troy said to him once they were on the move.
"Where are you taking me?" Ryan asked.
"We all, as in all of our friends I think are heading for New Zealand. I flew the plane in last night." Troy said to him. "So Chad you ever wanted to snow board or just ski?" Troy asked him Chad nodded laughing.
"Good, assuming I don't kill my brother for spoiling the surprise, the wheels go up at nine tonight." Troy said to him Chad laughed.
"How much is it going to cost?" Mikey asked.
"Not a penny, the plane is the families. Its going to cost me a fair bit of money but you guys not a penny." Troy said to him Mikey stared. "Your looking at a fairly wealthy millionaire." Troy said to him Ryan snorted.
"Is that what we are calling it now." Ryan said to him Troy's eyes crinkled up as he laughed.
"Okay my brother and boyfriend like to remind me that I am not fairly rich, I am filthy rich he still won't let me do a Scrouge McDuck though." Troy said to Mikey who chuckled.
"You like duck tales." Mikey said with a grin.
"I love Disney full stop." Troy said to him. "We can get royally ratted on the plane." he said to him.
"I like that plan." Ryan said.
"My parents have a log cabin if you can call it a cabin." Troy said to him.
"How big?" Chad asked.
"As big as nana's in Australia." Troy said to him.
"Shit dude your family doesn't do anything small." Chad said to him Troy laughed nodding.
"We brought it but we don't use it." Troy said to him.
"You brought a house without ever living in it?" Mikey asked.
"My parents stayed there, for their fifteenth wedding anniversary." Troy said to him. "I stayed with Alex in Germany that fortnight, they married during the summer so I staid on base with my brother and his girlfriend at the time who is now his wife." Troy said to Mikey.
They came to a stop back at the hotel, "Just enjoy it Mikey." Troy said to him with a smile. "This night is our night." he added.
"I intend to." Mikey said.
"Mikey." Troy said as the others went into the hotel the boy stopped. "When he goes, you won't be on your own, I know what it is like to lose someone I love as well don't forget, you're a part of the family now whether you like it or not." Troy said Mikey smiled as Troy drew him into a hug. "Don't try to be strong for him, let him know how your feeling." Troy said Mikey nodded.
"This isn't fair." Mikey said to him.
"What ever in this world is?" Troy asked him Mikey laughed at this but he knew what he was being told. "You get to spend the remaining months of his life with him, you got a hell of a lot more time than most people do so make use of it. Take lots of photo's and make every hour count." Troy said.
"Will you come when its time?" Mikey said.
"I've thought about that a lot you know, I will be there though. I owe him that much don't you think." Troy asked Mikey laughed. "Happy thoughts, we just got married. Tonight we celebrate, the next few days we have a lot of fun. When we come home we make good of the time we have left with Chad, life is way to short and a hell of a lot more painful to live than we think it is as kids." Troy said to him. "Its stupid but a bit of me wishes that it was me, a bit of me the bit that is selfish wants to see my twin again." Troy said to him.
"Yes it is, but your twin died before you had a chance to grow up with him so its allowed I think." Mikey said to him.
"They'll be wondering where we got to." Troy said. "Your not alone, when he goes if you don't stay in contact I will hurt you." Troy said as they walked into the hotel to the large ball room on the ground floor.
"Where have you two been?" Ryan asked.
"Just having a little chat." Troy said to him.
"About?" Chad asked.
"The future." Troy said to Chad who nodded. "I was just explaining that if we lose contact I was going to kill him." Troy said Chad smiled sadly but Troy pulled him into a bone crunching hug. "His going to be well looked after by all of us Chad, you don't have to worry about that." Troy said to his best friend he felt the nod against his head. "You can rest easy he won't have to go through any of this alone none of our friends or his is going to let that happen." Troy said to Chad who pulled back and smiled.
"So Troy, you want to tell me why you ordered the plane to England?" Sarah asked as his mum and dad came up to them.
"I'm taking us all out to New Zealand to use the cabin, by us all I mean our friends." Troy said to his mum she laughed.
"We had all your presents sent to the plane." Jack said. "I have never missed my sons birthday." Jack said with a smile.
"Its just something I want to do, I've spent every Christmas since we came to Albuquerque with Chad, I want to make this one special." Troy said to his dad who nodded. "If you guys want to come we wouldn't stop you." Troy added.
"This isn't a honey moon." Ryan said to his in laws.
"You don't mind?" Alex asked.
"Its about family this one." Chad said to him. "I invited mom." Chad said. "Dad didn't even bother to answer the call when he heard I was getting married." Chad said softly.
"This might be a problem but to hell with it." Troy said to his parents who laughed.
"You have a big private jet space isn't an issue there." Chad said.
"At the house it may be." Troy said to him Chad laughed at this understanding the point. "Hey Lexi." Troy said to his cousin.
"Troy." Alexis said hugging him.
"Thanks for coming." Troy said to him. "Your coming with us tonight." Troy said to him.
"Damn straight." Alexis said to him.
"Not so straight in this house." Troy said to him the group laughed. "I have some serious alcohol on the plane we can celebrate some more when we are on the plane." Troy said to him. "I'll almost be out off my teens on the plane." he added.
"Oh yeah your twenty in a few hours." Mikey said to him.
"Yeap Christmas day is just hours away, Nineteen I feel so old." Troy said his friends and parents laughed.
Hsmhsmhsm
The group got on the plane that night in high spirits, Troy looked at his sleeping blond husband snoring lightly.
"Hey Gabriella, you get him down?" Troy asked her she nodded.
"Your mum and dad are sitting with him, they insisted that I should join the party in here." Gabriella said to him. "I spoke to Chad earlier, how are you coping?" she asked him Troy laughed.
"I'm doing okay, its set in that his not going to be around for much longer, how about you?" Troy asked Gabriella.
"I'm doing okay, I like everyone else can't believe that its happening." Gabriella said to him.
"As soon as he told me what it was I was checking myself that night, you don't even think about it until someone else has it happen to you." Troy said to her she nodded. "I need a drink, if I start getting depressed on the night of my birthday I may just have to crash the plane." Troy said to her she laughed at this. "I missed you, I still miss my best friend." Troy said to her she nodded.
"I know how you feel." Gabriella said as Chad handed him a can of fosters.
"Ryan got drunk and I am still sober, that's just not right you know, I am the birthday boy after all and the married man." Troy said as he stroked the hair out of his husbands face. "Your going to regret this in the morning baby." Troy said to his sleeping his husband Gabriella laughed.
"So how does it feel to be married?" Gabriella asked.
"Pretty good you know, I was thinking of us as a married couple long before we actually tied the knot." Troy said to her she nodded as he took a gulp of his drink. "You got anyone in your life yet?" Troy asked her.
"Maybe…" Gabriella said.
"Your dating, what's his name?" Troy asked with a smile on his face.
"Liam, his cute." Gabriella said worriedly.
"Hey look Zeke was special, and god knows we all miss him, but if the last few days have taught me something its that life is to short to live on what could have beens and regrets." Troy said to her she nodded. "Let me ask you two questions. Does he make you happy and does he treat my godson well?" Troy asked she laughed her.
"Yes and yes." Gabriella said.
"Next time you visit you should bring him with you, if I had known you had a boyfriend I would have told you to invite him to and we could have picked him up on the journey to London somehow." Troy said to her she blushed. "You can't be intimidated by the gay ex boyfriend who's marrying his boyfriend if you're a straight boy." Troy said she laughed.
"I will, your coming to LA for Zeke's christening next summer right." Gabriella asked him.
"You think I'm not going to be there to watch Zeke Jr get christened. I'll be there, by the summer I am going to need some sun." Troy said to her she laughed.
"How's the house?" Gabriella asked.
"Its great, I don't think I am going to be rid of Chuckie he wants to stay in Cambridge after graduation if he isn't picked up by a team that is, so I may rent it to him or just give him the damn thing." Troy said to her.
"Are you still going to Australia?" Gabriella asked.
"Yeah that's still the plan though we are open to suggestions." Troy said to her she laughed. "You want another drink?" Troy asked her she nodded.
"Same again." Gabriella said to him.
Troy walked down the cabin to the galley to pick out two more drinks, Troy was stopped by Chad on the way back to his seat most of the guys had turned their seats around like you could do on these damn things so they could talk.
"Come join us." Chad said.
"Gal get your butt down here would you." Troy said down the aisle as his friend looked at him. "So for a couple of you this is your first time on a luxury plane, you like it?" Troy asked them.
"How much does this cost to take us all the way to New Zealand?" Mikey asked.
"A lot, we have to stop over somewhere to refuel that's about half way through the flight." Troy said to him with a smile on his face.
"Your rich?" Mikey asked.
"I didn't rent this." Troy said to him. "I don't own it, my grandparents do technically but we can all use it." Troy added.
"This is the family jet but it doesn't have your family name on it." Mikey said to him Troy laughed.
"The rich don't necessarily always like to plaster their name on everything they own." Troy said to him Mikey laughed.