You're Not Him.

Gabriella felt the tiny particles of sand tickle in between her toes, making a giggle release from her mouth. The shoes she held by the ends of the strappy heels in her hands hung low, occasionally slapping gently across her legs, swaying softly in the breeze. Her long brown locks, which had fallen easily from being tied up long ago, were now resting on her shoulders, the wind whipping some strands into the air. The smile on her face was serene, her cheeks glowing in the sunlight. Beside her was Sharpay, dancing along, her feet kicking up more sand into the air as she laughed. One of her arms was locked around Gabriella's slightly larger waist. Her blonde hair rested down her spine and they continued walking, almost silently, for the peace was too perfect to try and break.

With one of her hands resting on her pregnant stomach, she sighed. The breeze on her face was calming and helped with the heat that was far too hot for her. Tying up her hair, she felt the soft breeze on her back of her neck, the coldness of it very welcome. Rubbing Sharpay's shoulder they continued walking, just enjoying each other's company.

"How's the baby?" Sharpay asked, one tender finger running across Gabriella's stomach.

Gabriella smiled up at her friend. "I think he or she is resting right now. Enjoying the warmth of the sun, don't you think?"

Sharpay smirked knowingly. "I bet you enjoy these times, right?"

One of Gabriella's eyebrows arched in a cute way. "What do you mean?"

"Well, what would you rather have: a sleeping baby? Or a I'm-going-to-move-about-so-much-you'll-hurt-for-life baby?" Sharpay asked, her head cocking to the side.

Gabriella laughed, her grip on Sharpay's waist tightening. "Oh Sharpay, you do make me laugh sometimes. But really? I have no idea. I love it when the little one sleeps. But then again, its nice of him or her to let me know that they are still there, you know?"

She nodded, patting Gabriella's stomach affectionately. "I know."

They walked on for a little while, basking in the sunshine of that day. The breeze continued to blow their direction, making Gabriella happy. After reaching the end of the stretch of beach, they dipped their toes in the sea, Gabriella sighing in contentment at the feeling. Her blown up ankles were hard enough to deal with; she didn't need tired and sore feet as well.

Going back to the sand, Gabriella's eyes wandered to the sky, thinking about how much she would love to paint this view. The sand; the sea; the hills Albuquerque were famous for. One day she would come back here, she promised herself.

And that's when she saw it.

His form on the top of the hills, one arm raised to his head, reflecting the glare of the sunlight, like he was looking intently for someone in the distance. His caramel locks twisted and turned with the sharp slams of the wind. It was a gentle breeze down on the beach, but it looked like an entirely different matter up there. Sharpay followed her gaping face and bulging eyes up the hills, gasping at the figure she saw.

And that's when she heard it.

He was calling to her. Calling her name. She could here it! The echo of his words. The words resembling her name. Those nine letters, strung together. G. A. B. R. I. E. L. L. A. How sweet they sounded from his lips, even when he was shouting. Shouting in pain. Hurt. Guilt. Filled with the passion of finding her. And she was going to go to him.

She went off, trying to run, but finding it nearly impossible from the size of her stomach, Sharpay running behind her. She was panting as she climbed up, as quickly as she could. Hills weren't easy to climb at the best of times. But being pregnant made it even harder. Her lungs burned, but with those last few steps she felt that sense of achievement, of reaching your goal.

Gabriella's Goal?

Troy Bolton.

The man who was standing merely a few metres away from her. The man who had fled during the night, for her to wake up to an empty house, an empty bed. The man she had been waiting helplessly for. The man she had only seen for the last 7 months in her dreams. The man she wanted; needed with her whole body. Her one and only love.

"TROY!" She called, unable to keep the grin off her face. She knew this was it. She'd finally found him, and she couldn't have been happier.

He mustn't have heard her, when he didn't turn around to see her. She called his name, again and again, begging with her eyes and tone that he would turn.

Yet he kept calling.

"Gabriella!" He voice would sound, and she was so close she could see his mouth move with every single syllable. To say she was confused, was an understatement.

She jumped up and down, waving her arms like a mad man, her pregnant belly leaping with her, all thoughts of her baby sleeping now gone. She kept jumping, yelling, with Sharpay standing beside her just looking on.

Yet he stayed still and kept calling.

She ran again in his direction, her breathing not really returned to it's normal rate. She touched his face; arms; hands; body, everywhere she could. She begged with him to get their eyes to connect, yet he didn't move. He just kept saying her name over and over.

She looked back to Sharpay, seeing her still standing the exact spot she'd left her in. She glared at her friend, unable to not dislike her for not helping. Running back to her friend, she called. "Sharpay! Help me!"

Her friend stared blankly back at her face, like she was looking directly through her body, onto the other side. Her mouth moved as she muttered, silently.

"What?" Gabriella moaned, unable to understand what was happening.

Sharpay spoke louder. "Gabriella! Open your eyes, sweetie!"

Gabriella fell to her knees, her stomach flopping with her, kicking and nearly wailing inside. The tears she hadn't cried over Troy and the whole thing now spilling over the edge. She was weak. She'd didn't know what to do. What was happening? She looked back and forward, from Sharpay and Troy, both who were acting incredibly strangely. It was like she wasn't even there.

"Gabriella! Come on!" Troy called into the distance.

Gabriella sobbed. "I'm right here!" She cried, her voice now hoarse and broken.

Sharpay's eyebrows arched. "Do you think she's waking up?" She heard her best friend and roommate mumble.

Her hands were thrown into the air in frustration. "I'm not sleeping! I'm awake, and I'm right here. I'm right here." The tears streamed now.

Sharpay kept talking, but her voice started to rapidly fade as Gabriella's eyes bunched together, screwed up tightly, turning white. All she could see was white. Not Troy. Or Sharpay. Just white.

And the last thing she heard before she woke up was…

"There we go Jay, her eyes are opening."

When her eyes fluttered open, the bright white lights stung her eyes, so she couldn't see where she was. Blinking, she tried to sit up, but her head ached and her back hurt, so she closed her eyes while she moaned, thumping back down into the covers of her bed.

Wait?

She opened her eyes again, the light adjusting, and she looked around the room. It was unfamiliar. She'd never seen this place before. White walls. White lights. The only colour came from the small jug of flowers at the edge of the bed, with a white pillow case and white covers in which she lay on. And the two people at the edge of her bed. Sharpay. And Jay.

"We're so glad you're awake." Sharpay sighed as Gabriella looked at her groggily. The bags under her eyes didn't suit her. She looked tired. Gabriella's gaze returned to the room trying to work out where she was. After another look, it all became real. She was in hospital.

She snapped her head back to them, wincing at the pain it caused. "Why am I in hospital? What happened?' She quickly touched her stomach, her eyes closed but sighing in relief when she realised the big bump was still there. When she opened her eyes again, the shock and worry was still evident. 'Did anything happen to the baby?"

Jay squeezed her fragile hand, the one without the needles and wires connecting her to various machines. "You collapsed. In the restaurant. One minute we were talking, the next - BAM! Faint." His quick manner didn't help the way she felt. She closed her eyes once more, trying to accept that what she had just experienced was a dream. A terrible, unreal dream. And that hurt. Because she truly believed she had met Troy again. Now it seemed, it was Jay who was Troy in the dream. Troy's body; Troy's voice; but Jay's thoughts, words and actions coming through him. How strange.

Then she remembered what had happened. All the images flew to her at once. Talking to her neighbour; meeting Chad; talking about Troy; going to the restaurant; talking with Jay; the proposal. She opened her eyes and gasped.

"You…" She started, but couldn't finish. Sharpay was confused. Clearly, she hadn't been told by Jay the real reason she had been able to faint. Although she couldn't blame him for actually fainting - it was a hot day.

She watched as Jay realised what she was saying and nodded his head, bowing so that he couldn't look at her in the eyes. He felt guilty, and now so did she.

She looked to Sharpay. "Can you… can you give us a minute?" Her eyes were pleading, and even though Sharpay had no idea what was going on, she nodded still utterly confused, and Gabriella heard her chair screech against the laminate flooring, making Gabriella wince. Then the door closed.

She turned to Jay. "How long have I been out?" She really didn't want to talk about what happened, even though that was the reason she'd sent Sharpay out of the room, and the subject was inevitable. Jay released her hand from his strong hold, and sat back in the chair.

"About 5 hours. The nurses are keeping a good check on you, because of the baby, you know." Gabriella nodded to his answer and she looked out of the window, anything except him.

Jay leaned forward. "Gabriella, we need to --"

"--I know we do. Just, just give me a minute." Gabriella interrupted, then silenced him. The silence wasn't comfortable - far from it - but needed. She closed her eyes, something she had done a lot of since she woke, and tried to figure out her feelings. Jay had offered her the world. Everything that she wanted, maybe needed, Jay had said he'd give her. He was one of the sweetest, most kind guys she'd ever met. Any girl would be lucky to have him, and he wanted her. She should be honoured. He had always been careful around her, comforting during the pregnancy, which was great in a father figure. He'd make a great father for any baby. But somehow, she just couldn't bring herself to think about him being her childs father. That was someone else's job.

She turned to him, with his expectant face locked on hers. The tears started coming then, because she knew what she was about to throw away. Her chance at happiness. Possibly the only chance she'd ever get.

Her mouth opened. "Jay,' She shook her head, 'I can't…"

He held up his hand. "I don't need to hear any more. I think, deep down, I knew your answer anyway. It was never in your eyes that you felt something for me. But I guess I just wanted to know for sure." He took her hand in his and squeezed it, a look of commitment in his eyes. "Gabriella, if you ever, ever need any help. I'm here, okay? Don't be a stranger. And don't make things awkward now, I certainly won't. Let's just continue like nothing happened." He finished, but the look of pain in his eyes wasn't hard to notice.

"I'm so sorry, Jay." She murmured, looking down at her swollen stomach.

Jay nodded, smiling grimly. "It's okay. But, can I ask why?"

She looked up at him. "You're not him."

And that was all she needed to say. She knew it was true.

She'd have no-one, if she couldn't have Troy.

A/N; Wow, aren't you lucky people, huh? I'm updating pretty quickly, because I knew you were all dying to hear what had happened, and I'm pretty sure I've made a lot of people happy with her not saying 'yes' to Jay. But, I'm sorry if you thought that whatever was happening at the start of the chapter was real - that was pretty mean, but intended. I wanted her to have that dream. And if any of you think that the drama has finished - think again!

I'm gonna try and update soon, which will keep you all happy.

Since I'm keeping you happy, will you keep me happy?

REVIEW!