Proposed Dedication.

When Troy's eyes finally snapped open to see the sunlight streaming into his new bedroom, he felt it again. The feeling of everything coming to an end. The feeling that his heart was slowing down. The feeling that drastic things were going to change. It happened every morning and Troy had spent endless hours at home or in his new office just staring out to space and trying to work out what it was. Was it not being near home? Was it him wishing he was working back in New York? Or was it because he was still wracked up with guilt over the whole Gabriella thing? Probably the latter.

For the sixth time that week he'd experienced the same dream. Over and over again, so much that he could tell while he was sleeping what was going to come next, and when exactly he was going to wake up. While he was in these dreams, he knew they weren't real, but the same thing happened and scared him each time.

The dreams were continuous. They went from the last dream he had, the one were he was on the beach with Gabriella. Instead this time, it was them who were fighting, not the other couple, and they would break up. The argument would be different each time, but every time she would leave. It was like they had swapped positions from real life. She left, and he didn't. But it still hurt all the same.

It was hard for Troy to believe that what had happened was 7 months ago. It felt like days or weeks had past, but really the months had dragged on, and Troy's mind being mulch they had merged into one long stretch. One unbearable stretch. Before he had saw Gabriella again, he'd made up his mind what he would do if they ever crossed paths. But that plan had gone out the window the moment he'd saw her. She made him feel things that he never thought he would be able to feel. All logic came and went when with her. It was amazing, but nerve-racking at the same time to be around her, never knowing what she was going to say or do. And that was one of the reasons why he loved her. There were others on that list. But that list was endless.

He threw off the covers, his pyjama clad body rising from the bed. Standing up, he stretched out his weary arms, throwing them to the ceiling and letting gravity bring them back down. He ran his hands messily through his bed hair, and walked through to the shower.

It was times like this, when the house was virtually silent and the mind let any thoughts pass through that Troy thought about Gabriella most. What was she doing right now? Where was she? Was she desperately mad at him? Did she still love him? And what had happened since he'd gone? His mind became a mess of questions which he had no answers to. But he knew she would feel the same way too. Every time he thought about what could have been, his heart clenched in pain. He winced, just thinking about it as he layered the soap all over his body, the water pounding down on his tanned skin. If he ever, ever saw her again, he'd run to her, hold her and never ever let go. If he had to use super glue to stick them together he would.

Turning off the shower, he stepped out, wrapping one of the fluffy white towels around his waist. He sighed, wiping the steam off the mirror and proceeded to clean his teeth and comb his hair with his fingertips. Then, he moved back to his room, got changed and headed downstairs to breakfast. He was still getting used to the new rented apartment he lived in with Jason. It was large, and very modern, but when he walked in every night it didn't feel like home. No, only New York was home. His bare feet stuck to the tiled flooring of the kitchen, as he walked to the fridge. Pulling it open, he groaned. No food. This definitely wasn't home. Turning around, he saw a note sitting on the table, with Jason's messy writing on it.

Troy,

Gone out to get breakfast.

Back soon.

Jason.

He crumpled the note into the palm of his hand and threw it across the room into the bin. Sitting down at the table, he let his eyes wander to the view, so calming. It was a sea view, with the beach right outside there window. From the living room there was a balcony, and if you stepped into it, the sea breeze swept you up, inhaling through you're nostrils, making you feel alive and energised. He sand was pure white, the continuous rain not turning the sand a murky brown, and the sea so clear. The waves were currently crashing against the rock pools, the sound settling Troy's messed up mind and worries. Then the door banged.

"I'm back." Jason called from the front door, and Troy could smell the freshly baked rolls he had bought from all the way down the hall. He smiled.

"Good. Bring on the food!" Right on time, Troy's stomach rumbled.

Jason walked in, smiling but it didn't reach his eyes. There were still bags, and Troy felt sorry for Jason, the love sick puppy. Sometimes Troy thought it was pathetic when he pined for her, other times he felt like he had brought this on. If he hadn't agreed to go, neither would Jason and they would still be back in New York, Jason having Kelsi by his side. Being in Chicago wasn't exactly helping Troy either.

Jason put the rolls on plates and Troy dug in, Jason sitting opposite him, staring out to the view, with no food at all. "Come on Jason, you have to eat."

Troy forced the plate at him, but Jason pushed it away. "Not hungry." was all he said, and he went back to the view. Troy sighed.

"Jason, I know you miss her, I can see that, but would Kelsi really want you to be starving?" He watched Jason consider, then grab one of the rolls. If you wanted Jason to do something, just mention Kelsi. It was a cheap shot, but it worked.

"I miss her." Jason suddenly mumbled, his gaze still on the crashing waves.

A mental image of Gabriella shot up in Troy's brain. "I miss Gabriella too."

The words connected in Jason's brain, and his eyes snapped to Troy. Crap.

"What did you say?" Jason had caught him. There was no way of going back now.

Troy bowed his head. "Nothing."

Jason's hands slammed down on the table, the plate shaking, and Troy's head snapped up. Jason's eyes were furious, yet calm at the same time. He'd never saw Jason get so worked up. "Listen Troy,' Jason's voice made Troy's ears prick up. He was meant to listen. Jason continued. 'What happened with Gabriella? Everything seemed to be going well, and the next day you refuse to talk about it. It's messed up and you know it. We used to tell each other everything, Troy. I might help you."

Troy flushed and realised that he hadn't been the best friend to Jason he should have been. Jason had been trying to help, trying to get him to open up when he'd asked about Gabriella, but instead Troy just pushed the questions away. It was time to let it all out.

For a few minutes, he retold to whole thing to Jason. He watched as Jason's eyes went wide, his mouth opening and closing, not sure of what to say. Then he decided.

"You screwed up, Troy."

Troy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know."

Jason shook his head. "Totally messed up!"

Troy glared at his friend. "Well done, Jason. You've pointed out the obvious!,' He watched as Jason cringed, 'That didn't really help, mate."

Jason stood up, walking around to his chair. He patted Troy on the back. "Well, that's something you need to sort out Troy. From the looks of it, you love her. So make it better before it gets worse."

Troy turned around. "But how do I do that?"

"You call her." Jason looked at Troy incredulously.

Troy's eyes fell. "I don't have her number."

"But that's the first thing you do! Seriously Troy!" And Jason left the room, Troy feeling no better, only being reassured that he was stupid.

Utterly stupid.

And he needed to fix this.

But couldn't.

Because he didn't know where Gabriella was.

Over the other side of America, a seven month pregnant Gabriella, stood still. She looked at Jay's worn face, sensing that something was deeply wrong. Looking around, there was no-one but Jay in sight. He couldn't have sent them all for a lunch break. So where were they?

"Jay? Where is everyone?" Her voice cracked and she realised she was scared.

Jay's face raised and he used his hand to beckon her over to the table. She moved her feet, them sticking to the ground and slowly she got the table, her pregnant belly moving slowly with her. She collapsed onto the chair beside him, the table squashing into her stomach. She shuffled backwards, and felt now at ease.

"What's wrong Jay?" She watched him look at her, and for the first time she saw his tired eyes.

He laid a hand on hers, the warmth making Gabriella shift almost uncomfortably. "Nothing's wrong." His smooth mouth moved to the words, making them sound believable, but Gabriella still wasn't convinced.

Gabriella's other hand pointed around the room. "Then why is no-one here?"

Jay replied, "I sent them away. They'd worked hard enough anyway. I wanted to talk to you, privately, without them here."

Gabriella's mind went into overdrive. She hadn't been late that many times. She tried to calculate, but the numbers turned into mush, just like everything else these days. Being pregnant wasn't easy on the brain. She often found herself confused.

She pulled her hand away, locking them on her lap. "So, whats up?"

Jay sat back on his chair, sensing that Gabriella needed at bit more space. "Gabriella, you must know that I think we are very close. I would do anything for you, and the baby. I want you to know that if you ever needed any help, you could come to me."

Gabriella smiled. "Yes, you've been very helpful to me over the years. You're a great friend, really Jay. But what's the problem. Please don't fire me!"

She watched Jay laugh, his rough hand slamming off the table in amusement. "No, I'm not firing you Gabriella. There really isn't any point. You're off on maternity leave soon, and I couldn't get a better waitress if I tried."

Gabriella felt relieved. Then Jay leaned closer. "Gabriella, have you any idea how I… I feel for you?"

This hit her like a tonne of bricks. That was unexpected. She didn't know what to say, but she knew her mouth was opening and losing like a fish, so Jay continued. "Ever since I first met you, I've felt something for you. You are amazing. A great person, and for the years I've known you, the way I feel about you has only grown. I've offered to take you out to dinner, date you even, but you think I'm just joking. I'm not. I--" Gabriella stuck her hand in front of Jay's face, silencing him.

"Jay, I'm a pregnant woman with heaving hormones and you choose to tell me this now! You couldn't have gotten the timing of this more wrong. Please, my head is enough of a mess right now!" Gabriella exclaimed.

He looked down at the table. "But Gabriella, I needed for you to know. I want to take care of you, and you're child. I want to be there for you, hold you're hand and help you get though this."

And there it was.

Everything Gabriella had wanted for herself and her baby.

Laid out in front of her.

So why couldn't she take it?

She stood up abruptly. Her head felt suddenly dizzy but she continued to the door anyway, her heavy and tired body moving towards the exit. "I can't deal with this right now Jay."

"Marry me, Gabriella, Marry me, please." Jay's voice echoed.

She turned to him and saw in his eyes the love, compassion and need that he felt for her. Down on his knee, ring in shaking hand. He had offered to help her, give her everything she'd wanted. Her head started spinning, the walls moving.

Jay's voice entered her head once more. "Please Gabriella, just say yes."

And then, suddenly, everything went black.

A/N; Bet you didn't see that coming, huh? So, Gabriella hasn't given a proper answer, she's fainted. So what will happen? And how will Troy try and fix things with Gabriella? Find out soon.

I wanna say a huge thank you to all the reviewers. You are amazing, so thank you for taking out your time to review this story. Wanna do it again?

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