A/N: I'm so sorry it's been so long since I updated for this but I started this chapter a while back and kept writing for 'with me through adversity' instead lol.

Don't own HSM x

Troy sat at the island, staring mindlessly at the bowl of fruit in front of him. He was dreading it. He truly was. Not only did he have to face his school after being in a relationship with a Knight, but now he couldn't simply think 'I'll go and see her tonight, that'll get me through the day' like he had been doing everyday since he'd asked her out. But, now, he couldn't do that. He had barely woken up in time this morning. If it wasn't for the fact that Kelsi had been the one knocking on his door, he honestly would have just slept the entire day.

Despite how Carl had given him permission to marry Gabriella, he doubted he would. He wanted Gabriella back, but why would he force her into something she didn't want? He didn't believe she didn't love him anymore. But, he knew she didn't break up with him because something had changed between them. Of course, something had changed between them but nothing had changed how they felt about each other. He knew she'd broken up with him because she wanted her family, which he could fully understand. He knew that Jack was still angry at him and now he wanted his dad back. His dad that taught him how to ride a bike, how to shoot a basket, how to drive…and how to treat a girl properly.

He let his head fall down onto the counter. He knew he was at risk. Now that Gabriella wasn't with him, it was very likely he was going to get depressed again. Even Blitzen could tell how dejected he was. It was because he needed cheering up that Troy had allowed Blitzen to sleep on his bed and not in his basket in the corner of his bedroom.

"Troy," Kelsi whispered as she stirred the cereal that Lucille had put in front of her son but he had blatantly ignored.

"I'm not in the mood," he muttered.

Kelsi looked across at Lucille who was washing some dishes. "Please eat something," she pleaded, resting a hand on his back. "For me."

Troy lifted his head and sighed. Blitzen trotted over sleepily and rested his head on his owner's leg. He smiled slightly at Blitzen and then turned to Kelsi. "Kels, school is going to kill me. And then, Knights will find me and they'll kill me, too. And the worst part is that I actually thought this would work out simply because we love each other. Maybe loving someone isn't enough in this world."

Kelsi frowned. She'd never seen him in love before and she'd originally thought it was a good thing. He'd been so happy and confident and even though she'd never met Gabriella, only the brief meeting when the relationship was revealed to everyone, she loved her like a sister simply because she made Troy happy. But, now that she'd broken up with him, from what Troy told her, for her family, she didn't know what to think. "Do you honestly believe that?"

He shrugged. "I didn't think I did but…I'm not sure anymore."

"It'll work out," she said softly.

"Kels, how can you believe that? The girl I've been in love with since I met her broke up with me after we made love. She's everything to me. But, let's face it: she deserves better. She deserves more than I can ever give her," he exclaimed. "I'm not hungry, I don't want to eat."

"Troy, stop being stupid," Kelsi warned. "I get it that you love her but, then, why don't you just talk to her. Just…talk."

"I wish people would stop saying that," he growled, "it's not as simple as going around to her house and sitting down and having dinner. Kels, she has her brothers and her parents and they'll always be more important. I'm okay with that. I wouldn't have it any other way. But, she sacrificed her happiness for me. How do I compete with that?"

Kelsi wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "Troy, look at me."

He lifted his head, her petite arms still around his torso. "What?"

"I don't think its Gabriella you need to convince. And from what you've said, it's not Carl, either. It's your dad and hers. Before you tackle Coach Montez, you need to talk to Jack," Kelsi advised.

"I agree," Lucille proclaimed as she dried her hands on a tea towel. "Just talk to him about it all."

"You didn't see the look he gave me when I said I'm not going to U of A," he mumbled.

"No," Lucille spoke slowly, "but I know my husband just like I know my son. I know that now that your father's back from your grandparents' and he's calmed down. Please talk to him."

Troy shrugged. "I guess. Kels, I'll drive to school. Chad won't pick me up."

"Troy, take an apple. I want you to eat something," Lucille said sternly, throwing the fruit to her son.

He caught it sulkily and took a bite just give his mother and best friend piece of mind that he had actually eaten something. "Happy?"

Lucille nodded with satisfaction and walked over to kiss Troy's forehead. "Sweetheart, I know you're dreading today but you have to face them sooner or later. By the way, I'm not becoming a grandma anytime soon, right?"

Troy shook his head. "No, you're not. God, if I had gotten Gabriella pregnant…" He took a deep breath, running his hand over his face which looked unnaturally pale. He sighed, looking between his best friend and his mother. "I know everyone would've killed me for being so stupid. But, I wouldn't look at it as carelessness or as a mistake. I'd look at it as a miracle. You know, being a father, it's never occurred to me. And if I was a father to Gabriella's child, I'd be amazed. You know? I'd love to be a father one day, maybe to Brie's children. But, not yet. I promise."

Kelsi kissed his cheek and tugged on his arm. "Troy, that's great that you want to be a dad but I don't want to be late."

Troy sighed as they both slid off of the island stools. "I feel sick. It sounds crazy but Gabriella is like a drug. I need her and I feel ill without her. I don't feel sick like I did when I was depressed. It's different. I can't explain it. I just know that she affects me in so many ways. Today's going to be rough. I know. And I promise I'll talk to Dad. Come on, Kels."

Kelsi smiled up at him and took his hand. "Come on. The sooner we're there, the sooner your torture is over."

He nodded and kissed Lucille's cheek. "Love you, Mom." He picked his backpack up and swung it onto his shoulder.

"Love you, too, honey," she whispered.

Kelsi nodded politely at the woman who was practically her second mother. "Bye, Lucille."

The two teenagers headed out of the house together, Kelsi's petite hand grasping his in a comforting manner. "Thanks for coming this morning, Kels."

She shrugged as she climbed into his pickup truck and he climbed into the driver's side. "Well, you're my best friend and I need you in this life in some form or another. You called me last night and told me about Carl and everything. I knew you wouldn't wake up without me or Gabriella being here and I guessed I was the likely option."

Troy turned the key in the ignition and nodded glumly. "I suppose." He pulled out of the driveway and turned onto the street, heading towards East High. "You're my best friend, too. I've always needed you. Especially in our freshman year and now."

She sighed. "Troy, I'm not going anywhere. I promise. I mean, I'll probably get bullied and I might lose my friends and my boyfriend but, to hell with it. To hell with Jase if he thinks I'm turning my back on you."

Troy paused at a stoplight and smiled across at her. "Thanks. I'm sorry if you do lose him. I know you really loved him and I know he loves you, too."

"Yes, I know and, like you won't love another girl, I won't love another guy. But, I can't lose you. I won't let that happen," she whispered.

"Hey, if you won't let that happen, then I won't either. You're my little sis." He pulled the truck to a halt and turned to her. "Thank you. So much."

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I hope I'm the goddaughter of yours and Gabriella's children."

He bit his lip and turned away as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "Sorry, Kels. That spot's taken."

"By who?" she cried indignantly as she unstrapped herself and threw Troy's backpack to him.

"Hey!" he exclaimed in shock. "Sharpay asked first. I'm sorry but she scares me sometimes."

Kelsi suddenly giggled and they both climbed out of Troy's truck. They met in front of the hood and Kelsi was trying desperately to muffle her giggles. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"What's funny?" he asked, pulling his backpack onto his shoulder.

"Nothing," she squeaked, pulling her hat over her face.

He snatched the hat away and looked down at her, amusement ghosting over his face. "Kelsi Annette Nielson!"

"Don't do that, I hate it," she whined.

"You hate your name, you should hear Gabriella's. It's Gabriella," he paused to close his eyes in concentration, "Anna Maria – I remembered that part because her mother's called Maria – Juanita…something, something Montez." He opened his eyes and shrugged. "She hates her full name. So, what's funny?"

"It's the thought of you being scared of Sharpay Evans," she giggled, grabbing her hat and hitting him with it.

"You know who she is?" he asked quietly as she placed her hat on her head.

She nodded. "I've been in the community theatre since I was six years old, Troy. First, I was in the chorus or extras. Now, I actually compose them, you know that. She's in the theatre, too, except she's always the lead. She's really talented. We're fairly good friends. I say 'fairly'. I mean it's mostly little kids or college kids so we were alright to talk to each other," she explained.

He nodded with understanding. "I get that. Are you ready?"

She shrugged. "Doesn't bother me. The only way the school will hate me is if I'm still friends with you. The question is: are you ready?"

He stuffed his car keys into his pocket and nodded. "As I'll ever be." They started towards the entrance of East High and pushed through the glass doors that were propped open. As always, the bulletin boards stood proud, advertising all of the clubs and extracurricular activities. Students were gathered around them, signing up and debating whether to be a cheerleader or a fashion designer.

They all stopped. And turned. And glared. Troy gulped and turned to Kelsi. He felt like they were in an alternative universe. Usually, he was the confident one, comforting Kelsi when she was nervous about tests or on the opening night of a musical. But, now, a look of determination appeared on Kelsi's face, something that would make Troy laugh because of Kelsi's height. However, he didn't. He couldn't laugh. The threatening glares he was receiving was overpowering all of his senses.

"Stop it!" Kelsi yelled. Everyone turned away. If it wasn't that she was usually shy and her sudden anger was way out of character, the school would still be glaring at Troy.

"Thanks, Kels," Troy whispered.

She grabbed his hand and shrugged. "It's fine. Come on." She pulled him through the crowded hallway and stopped at his locker.

He pulled his locker open and pulled his drama and math books from his bag. He threw his bag to the back of his locker and slammed it shut. "This is horrible. I've always been the 'Golden Boy' and I can't say I liked it. Getting stalked by girls is anything but good. But, I didn't want the whole school to hate. Now, Gabriella hates me, too."

"I'm sure she doesn't. I think that you should let this whole thing calm down and then try to talk to her. I'll bet that she wasn't thinking straight. Troy, think about it. She's one of the best known girls in Albuquerque just because she's a Montez and her dad's the Knights' coach and her brothers have been Knight legends. They all found out about you and her on a fluke. She'll be all confused and messed up and she won't be thinking straight. From what you've told me, her family is really important to her. The trust they had for her will have been broken. She'll want that back. Just give it time," Kelsi explained softly, leaning against the lockers. "You know how I risked so much today, sticking by you and all? That's because you're near enough my brother. If I lose Jase, okay. You're way more important."

Troy smiled slightly. "I get. Family's important. It just never occurred to me that she would give up so easily."

"Maybe she didn't," Kelsi spoke thoughtfully, her fingers tapping rhythmically against her folders in her arms.

"What do you mean? She broke it off with me. She said she never wanted to see me again!" he exclaimed.

She rolled her eyes. "Stop whining, okay? I get it that you love her and I think it's great and she sounds wonderful but if she means so much to you, go and fight for her."

"I can't," he muttered, looking at his feet.

"You're Troy Bolton, of course you can," she said in exasperation.

"But, her dad scares me. Don't give me that look! You didn't see the look he gave me when he found out we did it in his house. It was like he wanted to burn me at the stake and do a dance ritual." Troy shuddered.

"Dance ritual? Really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You know what I mean," he swatted at her arm teasingly.

"We have visitors," she commented, looking behind Troy.

Troy turned to find Chad, Jason and Taylor heading towards them. He took a deep breath and sighed when they were in front of him. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Taylor asked unsurely.

"Can we talk to you, please?" Chad asked quietly.

Troy wasn't expecting that. He'd been expecting a punch or yells or something. He wasn't expecting his best friend to rid himself of his bustle and bravado. Chad looked like someone who'd…lost his best friend and wanted him back. That's exactly what Troy had feared. He knew that Kelsi was by his side his friendship with Kelsi was very different to the friendship he had with Chad. In fact, he needed all of his friends for different reasons. "Sure," he managed to get out.

He quickly glanced at Kelsi who shrugged but they followed their friends all the same. They entered the gym, a place that Gabriella was familiar with. Chad, Jason and Taylor turned to him. "You okay?" Chad asked.

Troy shrugged. "I guess."

"How'd you meet?" Taylor asked quietly.

"You mean Gabriella?" he asked as he headed over to the bleachers, sitting down. His friends sat beside him, Kelsi on one side, Taylor on the other. Chad sat next to Taylor and Jason sat next to Kelsi. "I took Blitzen to the park. He was driving me insane. He had so much energy. My mom let me take him to the park. This was when I was grounded. And we were playing with a Frisbee. Blitzen ran off. You know how he gets distracted. I followed him and we found Daisy, Gabriella's German shepherd. She was whining. It turned Gabriella was in the lake. But, she can't swim. I just dove in and brought her out. All I remember thinking was how she was so gorgeous. I saved her life that day.

"I didn't know she was a Montez until we were at the hospital. She was complaining of some pain in her head so I took her to the hospital where her mom works. We met each other a couple of times after that. One of them, I took her to see Romeo and Juliet at the Glitz in Santa Fe. On that night, I asked her to be my girlfriend." He looked over at the other side of the gym, a smile pulling at his lips. "We were sat in my truck, a little way down from her house. She'd pulled on some jeans, a hoody and a baseball cap in case she got caught sneaking in. She looked so beautiful. When she said yes, I felt amazing. She was mine. No one else's.

"But, then, you guys were bugging me. You kept saying how I was never around and I got ticked off. So, I was an idiot and poured paint over her. She broke up with me. But, a week later, she actually took me back. I gave her a locket. It's got my number on the back. That was the first time I told her I love her. And when she said it back…I felt so peaceful because we were together. I had her and I told her I'd never let her go," his voice wavered as tears blurred his vision, "but I did. After everyone found out, she broke up with me. So, guys, you don't have to worry. I'm not marrying a Knight. No matter how much I want to," he mumbled.

"Hold up," Jason exclaimed. "You want to marry her?"

Troy shrugged. "Yeah. I do. I want to wake up every morning and find her there, sleeping beside me. I want to be able to introduce her as 'this is my wife, Gabriella'. But, I can't. She's leaving after the championship and I can't see her coming back."

"Where's she going?" Taylor asked softly.

"Stanford. She got to go there for three weeks for early orientation. It was alright when we were together. I was alright with it. I'd count the days until she'd come back so we could have a summer together. But now? I don't know. I mean, even when there's less than an hour between us, while I'm at Berkley, I won't be able to see her because she won't want to."

"Wait," Chad interrupted, "you're going to Berkley? Since when? What happened to U of A?"

Troy sighed, running a hand through his already dishevelled hair. "Chad, U of A is great but not for me. I'm sorry. I know we talked about since we were little kids but it's not what I want. I want to study theatre, too. Berkeley has a great theatre and basketball programme. I'm going there this fall."

"You accepted to be with her, didn't you?" Taylor asked quietly.

Troy nodded. "Kind of. She was part of the reason. The other reason? I need to get out of here. This stupid feud is ridiculous. That's the whole reason Gabriella broke up with me."

"Does Berkeley play?" Chad whispered.

Troy looked to his friend and nodded. "Yeah. We're kicking some Redhawks in November."

"Game on, hoops." Chad grinned at him.

"Are you guys okay? I mean, I dated a Knight! I was expecting you guys to yell at me or something." Troy looked between his friends

Jason laughed. "Troy, we're your friends. As in, friends first, Wildcats second."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Troy asked.

Kelsi sighed. "Yes, they're fine."

"What are you going to do?" Taylor asked. "To get her back, I mean?"

Troy shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think I can. I mean, I want to, obviously, but I'd have to talk to her dad. You guys only know him as the Knights' coach. I know him as Gabriella's dad and he's scary. Besides, before I even think about attempting to get her back, I promised my mom and Kelsi I'd talk to my dad."

"Are we invited to your wedding?" Chad asked.

Troy laughed as they bumped knuckles, knowing they were as good as they ever were. "Of course."

"Is she any good?" Jason asked absently.

"Excuse me!" Kelsi exclaimed. "Girlfriend right here."

"I'm curious," he told her, holding a hand up before turning back to Troy. "I'm not telling you that."

"Hmmmm…" Chad said thoughtfully. "I'll have to ask those Knights again. Remember that time that Montez wasn't involved and one of them said she was good in bed?" he asked Jason.

Troy leapt to his feet and swivelled to them. "What?" he cried. "They can't know that!"

"Why?" Chad asked suspiciously.

"Because," he started as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "I was her first. They were obviously lying and they don't know that she's absolutely excellent in bed, thank you very much."

Kelsi and Taylor looked at each other. "I'm sure she'll be thrilled you just told us that she's excellent in bed," Taylor commented.

Troy blushed softly. "Oh well. Just don't tell anyone. So, are we okay?"

"Well, we'll have to think about that," Chad start sarcastically as they all stood up and hugged Troy.

"Thanks guys," Troy said as they pulled back. "I need you guys now. The whole school is going to hate me."

* * *

Troy walked through the boys' changing room, ignoring the comments that the football team were sending him. So far, he had managed to explain everything to the basketball team. They had been unconvinced before Chad had threatened that wouldn't live to see the championship unless they backed Troy up. Now, Troy had their support. He shook the thoughts from his head and knocked on the open door of Jack's office.

Jack lifted his head from reading the newspaper and eating his lunch and saw his son standing nervously in the doorway. "Troy?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Can I come in?"

"Of course you can," Jack closed his newspaper and set it aside on the desk separating him from his son. "So, what's up?"

"I want to talk to you about the weekend," he started as he sat down in the chair opposite Jack.

Jack nodded slowly. "Okay…"

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to lie to you but, I knew how you'd react and I wasn't willing to expose Gabriella to that kind of humiliation and pain. You know, I felt so happy and peaceful when I was with her. I wanted to tell you. I wanted you to know that I'd fallen in love with the most amazing girl in the world. But, I couldn't let you find out. I didn't know what you'd do to me or her.

"And I suppose I owe you an apology for Berkeley, too," he mumbled. "I'm sorry. You kept pushing and pushing me to go to U of A but it was so annoying. I wanted to go but the more you pushed me into it, the more I wanted to leave. I didn't know how to tell you. All this time, I've wanted you to be proud of me and I don't know. I thought you wouldn't be," he mumbled, staring at his lap.

"You truly love her, don't you?" Jack asked quietly.

Troy lifted his head and nodded. "It scared me at first. I mean, I had butterflies around her, I couldn't stop thinking about her and the cold showers!" He blushed deeply at what he had just said. "And the way I felt around her. I mean, all my life I've been Troy the basketball boy. It wasn't just to do with you. It was everyone else in Albuquerque, too. But, around her, I was anyone I want to be."

Jack smiled across at his only child. "Makes me think of your mom."

"You felt like that?" Troy asked.

Jack nodded. "Sure I did. Since the day I met her in kindergarten."

"You've felt like this for that long?" Troy gasped.

Jack nodded. "I felt it yesterday, and today, and I know I'll feel it tomorrow. But, I never get tired of it. So, what about Berkeley? Why'd you want to go?"

Troy was shocked by the question but went along with it, wanting to be completely honest with his father from now on. "Berkeley? Wow. I mean, one reason I accepted is simple: less than an hour to Gabriella who is at Stanford. But, now that we've broken up, that reason doesn't really matter anymore. Berkeley is in California, for one thing. I love Albuquerque but I'm sick and tired of people seeing me in the street and asking me how the Wildcats are or what the latest fight with Knights was like. I want to go somewhere where people don't know and I can build myself up from scratch. And the theatre programme is almost as good as Juilliard."

"Where?" Jack asked, interrupting his son's passionate speech.

"A performing arts school in New York. I considered it but I want to play basketball, just not all of the time," he explained. "Dad, Berkeley is…wow. It's a really great school. I know I'll have to pay tuition with no scholarship and everything, but it's amazing and I'm really excited about it."

Jack smiled sadly to himself as Troy continued explaining the theatre and basketball programmes at Berkeley. What kind of father had he been? Raising Troy to hate Knights and the Montez family because of a feud he had never thought to end. He'd just taken it for granted that it was the way it would always be. It'd never occurred to him that his was a man, now. A man that had done everything to get his dream and a woman he was in love with. When did he grow up? Why did he miss it?

Oh, yeah. He'd been so focussed for Troy to show Knights who was boss.

"I'm sorry," Jack blurted.

Troy stopped mid-sentence, looking at his father in shock. "Excuse me? Why are you apologising?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. But, I know I owe you one. Troy, you're my only son and you mean the world to me. I remember when you were three years old. It was the middle of summer and your mom was sat on the bench out the back yard with some lemonade. We were playing basketball together. You stole the ball from me and I picked you up and you made your first basket that day. The problem is that that's the Troy I keep seeing. I keep seeing the son that would come up to me and ask me to help him build a sandcastle when we were on vacation. I keep seeing the son that would want me to put him in a Wildcat uniform that was way too big for him so that he could be like his daddy. I didn't realise you grew up so much."

"Dad," Troy grumbled, hating it when Jack mentioned the Wildcat uniform incident from when he was six.

"No, Troy," Jack said sternly. "But, you're a man now and you make your own decisions. About your future career and your future wife."

Troy's eyes grew wide. "I haven't proposed to her!"

"Do you want to marry her?" Jack asked, eyeing his son.

"Dad!"

"You do, just ask her." Jack looked across at his son.

"Dad, she broke up with me," he muttered, any sign of relief or happiness gone.

"What?" Jack exclaimed.

Troy slouched in his seat. "Dad, you know how you've been at Grandma's and Grandpa's? You know, to cool off? I was sleeping in my room. I mean, you grounded me so, I had to stay in my room. Gabriella climbed onto my balcony and woke me up. We did some things together and then she took me to this cabin place in Sharpay's back yard. We made love there. Don't say anything, let me finish. The following morning, she broke up with me. Don't think she was using me or whatever. She wasn't. But, it still hurt."

"So, what are you going to do?" Jack asked quietly.

A few tears slipped down his cheeks and he buried his face into his hands. "I don't know," he released in a whimper he'd be very embarrassed about if it wasn't because of Gabriella.

Jack got to his feet and walked around his desk to crouch down next to Troy. "Troy," he said softly, "I can't say I'm terribly happy that you want a Montez or about the things you did with her – I'm not going to be a grandpa soon, am I?"

Troy lifted his head and glared weakly at his father. "I'm eighteen! I know how to be safe and we were, I promise."

"Good." Jack breathed a sigh of relief. "But, if you love her, why don't you fight?"

Troy shrugged and wiped his cheeks. "I don't know what to do. I want her so bad. I knew there wasn't a chance I'd get depressed with her because…I was with her! But now? What's the point?"

"Troy, don't get like this, please," Jack pleaded. "I don't want to see you like this!"

"I can't help it," he muttered. "She gave me something to live for. She was like…this ray of light and hope that gave me something to live for. I mean, Dad, life is great and I'm not suicidal but you have to understand that my life isn't basketball anymore. She's everything to me."

Jack wrapped his arms around his son and sighed. "I'm so sorry."