Brief Encounter

Summary: Can anything good come from a mix-up?

Disclaimer: High School Musical and all of its characters belong to Disney. I just have them on secondment. I don't own Ghostbusters nor any of the characters therein either.

A/N: Thanks to Stacey for helping me with this chapter. Are we excited? Too right we are, filming started today. Hip, Hip Hooray! We're all in this together.

"The same way I explain the finger marks on my shoulders," he retorted with a smirk. Gabriella blushed then giggled again.

Little Nugget

On the way back to town, Troy was famished and pulled in at 'their' pizzeria. Gabriella looked at him.

"What! I've built up an appetite, is all," explained Troy with a smirk. Gabriella giggled.

Gabriella smirked when Troy demolished a full 12inch pizza and half of hers too. She cocked her head to one side and looked him over.

"What?" he asked looking at her questioningly.

"Just thinking…Maybe we should stop?" Gabriella said hesitantly.

"You mean…break-up?" gulped Troy looking at her shock written all over his face.

"No silly, as if I could ever do that," reassured Gabriella with a smile leaning over to kiss him before sitting back in her seat to contemplate him again.

"I was just thinking maybe we should stop having sex," she suggested.

"No fucking way!" stormed Troy frowning at her, "I'd die Gabi. I've been to heaven and I like the view," beseeched Troy taking her suggestion seriously.

"I do too but…" she started to say.

"Why would you suggest such a thing?" Troy interrupted her. Gabriella smiled mischievously, a glint in her eyes.

"Well…you could end up," she paused to tease him.

"What?" Troy jumped in again exasperation in his voice.

"Looking like Mister Stay Puft," she finished with a giggle. Troy looked at her like she'd snapped her cap.

"From Ghostbusters Troy," Gabriella explained in a tone she reserved for kids, laughing as recognition finally hit him.

"You little minx. You had me going there. Be warned I will get my own back," Troy promised with a menacing smile slipping his hand under the table and rubbing her crotch. Gabriella yelped at the instant sensation that shot through her body. Troy looked suitably satisfied with her reaction as he leaned back in his chair a knowing smile playing around his lips.

"Anyway Montez, it's not gonna happen," he gloated confidently leaning towards her.

"Oh, and why's that Bolton?" Gabriella asked lifting a questing eyebrow.

"Two reasons…" teased Troy playing her at her own game.

"And they are?" Gabriella played along with him.

"One," he started, counting on a finger, "it's a well known fact that sex burns lots of calories so I have no worries there," Troy smirked at her.

"Okay, I'll give you that one although I'll check that out with Taylor first," she conceded the point.

"Two," he held up a second finger, leaned in close so that his breath wafted against her ear making her shiver in anticipation, "you like it too much," he whispered in her ear. Gabriella blushed to the roots of her hair knowing how right he was.

They were getting back in the car when Troy remembered he had to ask Gabriella something.

"Erm, Gabi you like shopping right?" Troy asked as he buckled up his seatbelt. Gabriella glanced at him and nodded.

"You know I do," she answered with a giggle. "Why?"

"Will you help me find something for my dad's birthday?" Troy pleaded. Gabriella smiled at him pleased that he had asked her to help with something so personal.

"Of course I will Troy. When is it?" Gabriella said. Troy let out a sigh.

"Er…Sunday," he replied hesitantly.

"Sunday! Like three days away Sunday," she exclaimed.

"Well yeah, is that a problem?" Troy looked at her worriedly.

"Jeez Troy, that doesn't give us a lot of time. I've got a meeting with Caroline tomorrow and a meeting with Ryan on Saturday morning and you've got a game on Saturday too so how are we going to find the time to find something?" Gabriella rattled off all the commitments they had with work over the coming couple of days.

"Can we do it?" Troy pleaded.

"Yeah, we can do it," confirmed Gabriella, "but it better be now, the mall is open until 9pm fortunately." Three hours later Troy called a halt to the shopping excursion pleading exhaustion as he pulled her into Coffee Bean for a much needed rest. Gabriella had walked him from one side of the mall to the other and then back again and his feet were killing him. They'd bought the latest in fishing reels according to the guy in the sports shop and Gabriella insisted on buying him a new Pringle golf jumper in bright turquoise that Troy was still doubtful his dad would even wear. Troy carried the coffees over to where Gabriella was sitting, sinking into the chair with a sigh.

"Remind me not to shop with you again," he groaned rubbing his ankle, "it kills me to say it but I think you're worse than Sharpay and she takes some beating." Gabriella pouted and punched him on his arm.

"Hey I'm not that bad surely?" Gabriella muttered. Troy rolled his eyes but kept silent and sipped his coffee. Gabriella poked her tongue at him and giggled.

"Thanks for helping me out Gabi, I couldn't have done it without you," Troy replied truthfully a few minutes later, he knew he was a hopeless shopper and always left it until the last minute. "So, would you come with me on Sunday, they only live in Palm Springs," suggested Troy hopefully.

"I can't Troy, I have to work on the launch party all Sunday. Stuart is letting us in Equinox to do sound checks and I have to go over technical issues Ryan." She said regretfully. "Maybe next time you visit." Troy sighed in disappointment he really wanted his parents to meet this wonderful woman who was starting to mean the world to him.

After dropping Gabriella outside her apartment block Troy drove home, parked the car and carried his purchases up to his apartment.

"Hey dude, where did you disappear to?" Chad shouted from the sofa on which he was sprawled.

"I had to buy something for dad's birthday," moaned Troy putting the gifts on the sideboard.

"What! Jeez Troy it's taken you like eight hours. Where did you go, New York?" Chad uttered in astonishment, looking up from his watch.

"Ha! Ha! Funny Chad," muttered Troy as he walked into his bedroom, stripping off his clothes before going into his bathroom for a shower. Feeling refreshed some ten minutes later, Troy donned a pair of shorts and walked through the lounge on the way to the kitchen.

"Chad, want a beer?" Troy shouted as he passed through.

"Yeah, please," Chad's voice floated after him as he entered the kitchen. He reached into the fridge and took out two bottles of Budweiser, flipping off the tops with the bottle opener before carrying them back through to the lounge. He handed one over to Chad and sat down on the other side of the sofa.

"So where's the lovely Taylor tonight?" Troy asked with a smirk.

"She has to be in work at six in the morning," muttered a disgruntled Chad.

"Shame," Troy replied with a smirk. Chad glared at him.

"Whoa! What happened to you?" Chad asked in concern.

"Uh?" Troy uttered looking at him in puzzlement.

"You're back man, it looks painful," noted Chad moving closer to inspect Troy's shoulders. Troy blushed realising what he was referring to.

"Er, it's nothing," stuttered Troy shrugging his shoulders in dismissal.

"It doesn't look like nothing to me. Are they what I think they are?" Chad looked disbelievingly at Troy. Troy just glared at him, took a deep slug on his beer and said nothing hoping he'd drop it. "They are aren't they?" Chad said gleefully a beaming smile splitting his face as he went to touch his shoulder. Troy stood up quickly.

"Aw shit! She's gonna kill me," groaned Troy silently.

"You're holding out on me Bolton, I thought we were brothers?" Chad said trying to guilt-trip him.

"Not that old thing again," taunted Troy with a smirk, "brother does not mean keeper Chad," he pointed out rolling his eyes at him.

"Fine," huffed Chad and Troy breathed out a sigh of relief but Chad hadn't finished. "You must let me know where you shop," Chad commented with a smirk, Troy looked puzzled. "Looks like you got some excellent after sales service on your shopping trip."

"Fuck off Chad," growled Troy blushing furiously as he stormed off to his bedroom.

"I will say one thing," Chad shouted after him, "she's a wildcat." Troy's response was to slam his door.

Taylor and Gabriella sat curled up on either side of their settee, both dressed in their nightwear, Gabriella had the foresight to put on her dressing gown over her strappy ribbed top. They were watching City of Angels on DVD once more, tears rolling down Gabriella's cheeks. Taylor glanced over at her, smirked and passed her a tissue.

"Why do you watch this when it makes you cry every time?" asked an amused Taylor as Gabriella glared at her through watery eyes.

"It's such a lovely film Tay and that song is beautiful," replied Gabriella huskily emotion blocking her throat. The phone rang and Gabriella being the nearest stretched her arm out to answer it.

"555-78989," she reamed off.

"Hey Gabriella? Is Taylor there?" Chad asked cheerfully.

"Yeah sure," croaked Gabriella passing the phone to Taylor and mouthing 'lover boy'. Taylor blushed as she snatched the receiver off her friend.

"Hey Chad," greeted Taylor happily.

"What's wrong with Gabriella? She sounds upset," asked Chad concern in his voice.

"She's fine, we're just watching City of Angels and she blubbers every time," replied Taylor with a giggle. Gabriella glared at her as Chad laughed at the other end of the phone.

"I've got a little nugget for you," Chad teasingly said.

"Not so little Chad, from what I remember," Taylor shot back throatily. Gabriella rolled her eyes at Taylor as Chad laughed again blushing madly.

"No, not that Tay but thanks for the compliment," chuckled Chad, "remind me to reward you later."

"Oh I will," promised Taylor with a giggle. "So what nugget are we talking about?" Gabriella's eyes nearly popped out of her head her brain working furiously.

"Troy's getting it," said Chad cryptically. Taylor frowned.

"Troy is getting what?" Taylor asked a puzzled look on her face. Gabriella didn't dare look at Taylor for fear of giving away her shocked expression.

"Oh god! They've found out. No of course they haven't, don't be so stupid," she thought franticly, talking to herself.

"S.E.X, and hot sex at that," replied Chad in glee.

"NO!" Taylor gasped quickly looking at Gabriella who sat there like a stone statue not daring to breath or even blink.

"I need to get out of here," she thought standing up, miming drink to Taylor with her hand, who nodded in reply, Gabriella made her escape, moving rapidly towards the kitchen breathing deeply once she reached the sanctuary. Her mind worked overtime as she mechanically filled the coffee pot and switched it on. She walked up and down the small space, her thoughts a jumbled mess.

"Troy's getting what? A new car? No it can't be a new car, he'd have told me. Taylor sounded shocked so it must be something major. The boot? Oh god! He's getting transferred and I'll never see him again," she chewed her bottom lip with worry as she walked up and down the kitchen waiting for the coffee to brew. She tried listening to Taylor's side of the conversation but she could only hear muffled talking.

"How do you know?" Taylor asked Chad as her eyes followed Gabriella out of the room.

"He's marked," Chad replied with a chuckle.

"What! He's got a hickey?" Taylor asked amusement lacing her voice.

"Nah, at least I don't think so," Chad answered doubtfully.

"What has he got?" she demanded impatiently.

"Well there's deep grooves on his shoulders that look remarkably like fingernails to me."

"Really," Taylor laughed delighted to have something on Troy remembering how he'd ribbed her last week. "Thanks Chad you've made my night."

"Glad I could make you happy Tay," chuckled Chad

"Oh you do Chad, believe me you do," Taylor whispered huskily. Chad preened on the other end of the phone.

"So do you know who?" Taylor questioned inquisitively.

"No. He stormed off to bed but now I'm on to him I'll be watching like a hawk. He's got to make a slip sometime," Chad said confidently. Gabriella came back in carrying two steaming cups of coffee trying to look nonchalant when her insides were in turmoil.

"Yes he's bound to. Keep me posted Chad," ordered Taylor, "I'll see you tomorrow, night sugar." Taylor put down the receiver and looked over at Gabriella who raised her eyebrow questioningly.

"So what's wrong with Troy," she asked casually.

Taylor picked up her cup and blew over the rim trying to cool it before taking a sip, taunting Gabriella with her eyes.

"Nothing apparently although I think you've missed the boat Gabi," Taylor commiserated.

"How do you mean?" Gabriella queried frowning.

"Seems Troy is dipping his oar in a different ocean."