Hello everybody! It's a snow day and I'm bored. So I'm gonna write the next chapter of Good Comes Last. I hope you guys like it. Um, also, I would really like to dedicate this chapter to my sister (twin), Smile. God, you guys don't know how much she has had to put up with. Also, really don't know if the Los Angeles Children Hospital exists.
Disclaimer: Don't worry, Disney, I'll give them back....I don't own High School Musical like you do...lucky ducks...I don't even own the No Air lyrics!


Good Comes Last

by Laugh, in laughnsmile96

Chapter Two: No Air


Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air
Can't live, can't breathe with no air
That's how I feel whenever you ain't there
Its No Air No Air
Got me out here and the water so deep
Tell me how you gonna be without me
If you ain't here i just can't breathe
Its No Air No Air

Jordan Sparks featuring Chris Brown, No Air

December 24, 2008, 10 AM

Gabriella stared at her apartment's ceiling. She felt abnormally great today, like somehow things are going to go really right or really wrong. Gabriella wanted to remember today, somehow. This kind of day was rare. Gabriella wanted to have fun and get the most out of today. So far, she was still in bed, the white sheets wrapped around her body. Her big bed was empty except for her, giving away her status. Gabriella was happily single. She didn't want to get into any relationships until her job was fully set. Right now, Gabriella Montez was an intern at the Los Angeles Children Hospital and completely enjoying it. She was a doctor specializing in Cancer for children.

Gabriella yawned at stretched out of her bed. Today was Christmas Eve and Gabriella still had to work, even though her boss said the contrary. Gabriella had no family except for her older brother Jesse Montez. The two were the best of siblings. Jesse always had her back and Gabriella was the one that made her smile. They had grown up in Vermont then moved Albuquerque for two years, then they came to California for college. Jesse had moved away to London for four years, from his third year in college, saying that he felt trapped and needed to go away for sometime. Gabriella, understanding immediately what he said, let him go. In that year, so many things had happened. Their mom, their only parent, was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Unfortunately, this was the second time Anya Montez was diagnosed, this time it was found too late. Jesse came back to California to find know one there. Once he finally contacted Gabriella she was in Albuquerque with their dying mother. Jesse rushed over there just in time for Anya's last words and funeral. Anya Montez died six months after she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.

Right now, it was three months since the tragic death in the Montez family's life. For now, the only family Jesse and Gabriella had were each other and the two were as happy as ever.

Gabriella looked out the window of her apartment. She was clad in her purple bunny pajamas and messy hair. California skies blessed the earth with rain drops today. Smiling, Gabriella turned around and set out for the bathroom.

20 minutes later, Gabriella came out of the large bathroom with a emerald green baby dolly top and dark blue skinny jeans. Turquoise fingerless gloves ran from her wrists to her elbow. Her hair was wrapped in a messy bun, with strands of hair lazily out and free. Needless to say, Gabriella looked stunning. She wrapped a long, white, knitted coat around her body and slipped on her knitted Uggs. Gabriella grabbed her bag, along with low calorie bar, and headed out of the door.

Since her car was currently being repaired, Gabriella took the shortest walk to the nearest Starbucks (don't own). Rain studded the city streets, immediately wetting the cement grounds. Temperatures were closer to freezing oddly in California. Gabriella shivered slightly before slapping on her signature smile and stepping into the doctor's favorite coffee store in town.

"Hey Gabi!" the male clerk behind Starbucks counter greeted. "How are doing today?"

"Good Morning Matt! I am great this morning, and you?" Gabriella smiled politely to her friend. This 26 year old man was a year older than Gabriella herself and was great friends with her. The two were in different shifts at the Los Angeles Children Hospital and as a side job Matt worked in Starbucks in the morning. Matt used to be Gabriella's partner for a year in medical college. Matt was a handsome looking man, black hair and perfectly tanned skin, distinguishably representing Taylor Lautner.

"I am fine, Gabs. So what would you like today?" he asked.

Gabriella pondered for awhile. She wanted something new yet classic. "Signature Hot Chocolate would be great, Matt...oh and a large chocolate chip cookie please" she slipped out a five dollar bill and paid her amount. "Going on break soon?" she asked. Matt nodded.

"Right now, girl"

Gabriella smiled brightly. "Great! Why don't you join me?" she chirped and took a seat in an empty table for two. Seconds later, Matt appeared without his green Starbucks apron on. He pulled back the chair and plopped himself down.

"So" Gabriella started while stirring her warm drink. "How's life? I haven't seen you in -what?- a week?" Matt laughed.

"Yeah" he took a sip of his own drink. "Life's been great. Ash is coming over today night" Matt said referring to his girlfriend, Ashley Young. Gabriella's eyes brightened at the mention of her. Ash was one of Gabriella's great friends, like many other people. Gabriella and her were Middle School best friends when the Gabriella was living in Vermont but then Gabriella moved away. A couple of years later, Ash said that she was coming to visit her in July of 2006. It was then, when Gabriella introduced Matt and Ashley. The next month, Ashley and Matt announced that they officially going out.

"Oh my gosh! I haven't heard from Ashley in such a long time!" Gabriella squealed. She jumped her seat and took another sip of her hot chocolate. Matt laughed at her enthusiastic self. Gabriella calmed down. "Have you popped the question yet?" Gabriella asked curiously.

Matt flushed slightly. "Yeah" he slipped a hand her his pocket. "Check it out," Matt took out a red velvet box. Gabriella gasped and smiled. He opened the box.

"Oh Matt! It's beautiful she's going to love it!" Matt smiled at her assurance. The ring was silver with a diamond and ruby mistletoe symbolizing an engagement in the holiday times. "I want to propose to her for tomorrow morning when we are opening presents" Matt said softly.

Gabriella grinned. Quickly, she took a look at the wrist watch on Matt's wrist. She gasped.

"I have to go, Matt!" she got up and quickly placed a kiss on his cheek. "Good luck! She'll be yours in no time. I expect to hear everything from you on Monday!" With that, Gabriella ran out of the room, the sound of bells echoing throughout the whole coffee shop as she opened the door, throwing the empty cup away. Matt chuckled at shook his head at Gabriella. Silly girl.

Gabriella rushed around the corner and entered her hospital. The Los Angeles Children Hospital.

"Hey Donna!" Gabriella greeted at to the front desk clerk.

"Gabi! You are on service today?! No Christmas break?" the old lady inquired.

Gabriella laughed as she checked in. "Nope! But Jesse and I are going to be off tomorrow," she added as she walked towards the silver elevators. She pressed the up button twice, knowing that it was broken and need special attention. The elevator doors slid open to an empty portable room with mirror walls. Gabriella stepped inside and pressed the floor six button and as soon as the doors closed the elevator launched off stopping at floor 3 temporarily. The doors open to reveal a slick, African American woman.

"Taylor!" Gabriella yelped. As soon as they were inside, the besties, shared a loving hug. Gabriella and Taylor were stuck with each other throughout everything from East High. She ,too, was without anyone related to her in this world except for her two sisters, one older and one younger, both two years away from Taylor. This is one reason why Gabriella and Taylor had such great a great friendship in their hands.

"Family not meeting over the holidays?" Gabriella asked, still holding hands with Taylor.

"They are coming over today night! I am taking extra hours because I want some extra days for break to spend with Bella and Hannah" Taylor informed referring to her sisters. "And you?"

"Jesse and I are going to spend some time together today night and most of tomorrow" Gabriella said sweetly. "Later tomorrow, we are going to go to Sharpay's annual Christmas party" the girls squealed.

"Me too!"

The elevator doors slid open and Gabriella and Taylor stepped into Floor 6, one of the floors reserved only for Cancer patients. Gabriella walked into the Co-ed locker room to change into the formal doctors uniform. Once out of the locker room, Gabriella said good bye to Taylor, promising that she would meet her during lunch at Olive Garden, and headed to her first little guy.

Gabriella opened the door to Room 409 and stepped inside. She washed her hands before coming into her boy's view. "Hey there ,Jayden" Gabriella greeted her son.

Yes, seven year old Jayden Montez was Gabriella's son. The little boy was conceived on a one night stand, at Sharpay's high school graduation party in the last room, of the second floor in the Evans family mansion, when her boyfriend was Dylan Sagar. Two weeks after the party, Gabriella moved to California for her college study at Stanford University. Another three weeks later, Gabriella found out she was pregnant. Jesse was away in London when Jayden was born and Gabriella never got around to telling him the big news. At age five, Jayden was diagnosed with Leukemia. Every since since then, Jayden lived in the hospital. Doctors were so surprised he could live that long with the killing disease.

Gabriella grinned when the little boy looked up and his eyes brightened when he saw Gabriella. "Mommy!" he yelped in ecstasy.

"How are you today, baby?" Gabriella bent down and gave Jayden a wet kiss on his hairless head.

"I'm fine, mommy" he the little boy innocently said. The nurses and some of the doctors have been giving Jay a fine resource of education. He was now in second grade, just like the other seven year old's outside the hospital. Jayden even knew that he had a certain kind of Cancer called Leukemia, but the boy didn't know that his life was in danger of ending too soon.

Gabriella sat down in a stool next to the boy's bed and watched as Jayden picked at his food. Gabriella smiled as he scrunched his nose up and spooned his mouth with a handful of gunk.

"I hate hospital food" he stated once the macaroni and cheese was safely in his stomach. Gabriella giggled. "Did you get the cookie you promised because I was a good boy to Nurse Mackenzie?" Gabriella nodded and slipped the crisp cookie out of her pocket. She handed it to Jayden.

"Not all of it yet, okay. That's too much for a little boy like you!" she cooed. Jayden nodded and pulled the cookie abpart, making the melted chocolate chips stretch. He set the other half down on a tray and ripped the second half into two again. Jayden unfolded his skinny arm towards Gabriella and offered her apart of his cookie.

"Have some" Gabriella bent her head forward and took a large bite out of his cookie, leaving a little bit left for her son. Jayden shrugged and stuffed the rest of it in his mouth. Neither, the boy or Gabriella heard the room door open.

"Gabs, you know your going to have to tell Jesse sometime" Taylor walked into the room already dressed her hospital attire.

"I know, I know" Gabriella admitted. "It's just every time I get around to the subject, I just can't tell him,". Taylor sat down on the other side of Jayden.

"Hey there little Jays" she greeted.

"Hi Aunt Taylor! Do you want part of my cookie?" Jayden offered, again. Taylor scrunched her nose and shook her head.

"No thank you, too many calories" Gabriella laughed at her best friend. The trio talked for awhile until it was time for Jayden's radiation session. Gabriella lifted her son off of his bed and helped him balance himself to stand up.

The two walked across the hospital's hallway headed for the radiation room. Once inside, Gabriella helped Jayden get on the bed under the huge machine. For the next hour or so, Gabriella worked on treating Jayden, thoroughly. The woman found her self starting to cry, knowing that her son does not have so much time in his life. When the treatment was finally over Gabriella led Jayden back to his room.

"Tired, sweetie?" she asked. Jayden nodded and yawned. Gabriella lifted the boy off of his feet and carried him the rest of the way to his room. When the two finally entered Jay's room, Gabriella laid Jayden down to find him already sleeping. She smiled, bent down and placed another wet kiss on his lips.

"I love you, Jayden" she declared turned around and headed out the door.

From the back of the room came a muffled: "I love you, too, mommy"


Once out the door of Room 409, Gabriella changed back into her cloths, check out downstairs with Donna and then headed out the door to the girl's favorite restaurant; Olive Garden. Going there was rare but the best friend trio would always grab a chance to go, at least once a month. This time, Sharpay said that the bill was on her. Gabriella met Taylor outside the hospital in the Doctor's reserved parking lot.

"Hungry?" Taylor asked once the two had seated themselves in Taylor's Toyota Prius. Gabriella nodded vigorously.

"Starving!" Taylor drove out of the hospital area and headed towards Sharpay's house.

Sharpay Baylor, formally known as Sharpay Evans is still at her crazy state yet she had developed a never ending friendship with Taylor and Gabriella over their college years. She came out with a fashion designing company called, Moon River, once she had graduated out of designing college. Zeke Baylor, who is now a professional chef, and Sharpay had been dating ever since the two had gotten out of high school. In the middle of the summer of 2007, Zeke took Sharpay out to a exquisite restaurant and when they came back Sharpay had a shiny ring on her finger. Two months later, the two were married and happily moved in with each other. Sharpay and Zeke both ran successful businesses and lived in a spectacular house on First Drive in Los Angeles.

Taylor pulled her phone out and dialed her best friends number. "Sharpay!" she squealed.

"Tay, I'm coming out!"

Almost instantly after Sharpay had uttered the last syllable of her sentence, pink furry boots stepped out of the garage door of her house. Sharpay was dazzling. No surprises there. Her blond hair was up in a simple pony tail with strands of it framing her face. She wore skinny jeans under a white dress shirt with a black sequined vest over it. Silver bangels hung at her wrists and a long hoopy necklace dangled down, around her neck to right underneath her breasts.

Gabriella smiled at the girl, this was not out of the ordinary. Sharpay slid into the back seat of the car and clicked her seat belt on.

"Lets go, girls" Sharpay chirped. The car roared to life and backed out of the driveway."So how's Jayden?" Sharpay asked. Of course, Sharpay dug her way into the secret as well and couldn't keep the treasure for Zeke either.

"He's fine" Gabriella said softly. "I don't know how long he is gonna survive, though" Sadness filled her voice as her heart ached.

"It's okay, honey. Jayden is a fighter. He'll get through this" Sharpay shared her sympathy. Before Jayden was diagnosed, Sharpay and Zeke had frequent visits from him, so they knew him very well.

Half an hour later, the girls were enjoying a Italian lunch at Olive Garden.


December 25, 2008, Midnight: 12:00 AM

Gabriella sighed as her extra hours were finally covered as the clock struck 12 am. She stood up from her stool in Room 409 and walked over to Jayden's bed. His sleeping figure was just adorable, it would be so hard to believe for any normal person to guess that the seven year old was diagnosed with a deadly form of Cancer. She caressed his cheek before giving him a peck on the nose and cheek. Gabriella smiled at him and murmured an "I love you" to him. She silently walked out of the white room into the silent, slightly dimmed hospital. Gabriella looked around for Mackenzie, the nurse that was supposed to be with Jayden the rest of the night. She exhaled deeply in disappointment, Mackenzie wasn't here. Gabriella pulled out her phone and dialed her friend's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Mac, it's Gabriella here. Are you in the hospital right now?" Gabriella spoke softly so she wouldn't wake up neighboring children.

"Yeah, sorry I'm late. I was actually transferred to Building 5 from one in the afternoon to 11:45. Timothy just went to sleep after a big fit, I am stuck here until I finish cleaning up"

Gabriella smiled. Mac was always so dedicated to her work. "Okay, I'll wait! Do you need any help?"

"No, it's fine, I am just about done."

"Kay, bye!"

As soon as there was another 'goodbye' at the other end of the line Gabriella hung up and navigated her phone to her contacts. She ransacked the 'J' section to find "Jesse". She pressed the number to call him.

"Hey Gabi!"

"Jesse, sorry I'm late. Mac isn't here yet so I have to take care of my kids over time"

"Okay, it's fine, afterwords just come over to the bar and we can go home together. I have another late drinker"

"Aw, tough night last night, Jesse-booh?" Gabriella cooed.

He moaned on the other line. "The same late drinker! He comes every night. Last night I had to drop the man home at 2 am!"

Gabriella laughed. "Hey, it's okay! We can sleep late tomorrow and the day after, don't worry!" Jesse chuckled and said his goodbye.

"Bye Love you"

"Love you, too"


After the phone call with Jesse

"Love you, too" Jesse slipped his phone back into his pocket and watched as Troy took a long sip from his mug.

"Girlfriend?" Troy asked in a octave higher than his normal voice. Jesse shook his head. "Wife?" he shook his head again. Troy hiccuped.

"Little sister" Jesse corrected and continued cleaning the counter. Troy nodded and poured himself another glass of beer. The bartender mentally added another dollar to Troy's bill. This was Troy's almost hundredth day he had been here. Every night for the past three months. Jesse shook his head in shame and put the dirty, wet rag away.

"Troy, its Christmas Eve. Don't you have a team to be with?" Jesse complained to an intoxicated Troy. "Why are you in a bar, now?"

Troy made eye contact with Jesse making him stare into his drunken eyes. "Why are you?" it sounded more like statement than a question. Jesse chuckled and stared at this man, leaning his back on the tall fridge and crossing his legs.

28 year old, Jesse knew he should do something. Judging by last night's conversation, Jesse wanted to really get to know this Troy Bolton and become friends with him. After that, he wanted to take him to a doctor and discuss. Something was really wrong with Troy. No one Jesse had ever seen came to bar this frequent, got severely drunk, went home and survived. Jesse considered introducing Troy to Gabriella, his sister. His eyes brightened and mind sprang on. That's it! Gabriella would help him, surely she would. A grin spread across Jesse's face.

"Troy?" A pair of blue eyes locked with Jesse's. "Have you" he paused. This was Troy Bolton he was talking to and Jesse didn't think it would be the best to anger him. "Have you ever considered going to a psychologist, to...discuss your problems?" There he said it. Happy?

"You mean like a doctor" Troy hiccuped and nodded. "Chad took me" Jesse instantly remembered the name from the Lakers team. "Chad's my best friend! He took me today because he said that I was too glum and my eyes were too dark. He said that after what happened yesterday I am in a serious condition," Jesse's eyebrows met in confusion. Jesse knew that if Troy was even in a little bit of sense, Troy would have said nothing but he was drunk and of course he wouldn't remember telling anyone anything , tomorrow morning, right? Jesse forced himself to ask.

"Troy, what happened yesterday?" Troy took a sip of his beer.

"I went into the water," Jesse's breath hitched and his mouth dropped open slightly. His stomach twisted and turned inside his body. Into the water like; suicide? "A life guard pulled me out," Troy looked down. "Damn lifeguard. He probably thought that it was an accident"

"And Chad took you to the doctor today?" Jesse's mind raced.

Troy nodded in agreement again. "Doc said that it was good that the Lifegaurd rescued me and Chad came to the doctor with me. That stupid Doctor diagnosed me with Minor Neurotic Depression. How dare that doctor; no one makes desicions for me without my consent! He gave me this, said I should take it after every meal." Troy reached into his jacket and pulled out a orange, transparent bottle filled to the brim with treatment pills. Jesse's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Troy with depression? No way. Jesse clenched his jaw, trying not to let his anger pour.

"And this Chad fellow" he said. Troy's eyes brightened and he threw his hands in the air when he heard that name.

"Chad!" he yelped in delight.

"Do you have his number?" Jesse inquired.

"Of course I do! Here!" Troy pulled his phone out and placed it Jesse's hand. "Talk to him!" Jesse grinned and fumbled with the iPhone a little bit until he got to contacts: Chad. He pressed the screen and and then put the phone to his ear.

Troy what are you doing up at one in the morning? Chad's voice was groggy.

"Hey Chad!" Jesse said and quickly walked away from Troy , to the other end of the empty bar.

"Who the hell is this?"

"I realize you are best friends with Troy Bolton"

"Yeah..." Chad was annoyed.

"I'm Jesse Montez from the Trinity Bar and we really need to talk"

"What?!"

"Look Chad, Troy is in no state of driving home right now so if you can come and pick him up we can talk"

"Okay, fine, I'll be there soon" With that the two hung up. Jesse, slightly relieved, walked back to the place where Troy was seated but Troy was already gone. All of a sudden, he came up out of no where and snatched his phone out of Jesse's hands.

"I'll take that, thank you!" Troy's breath smelled badly of alcohol. Before Jesse could stop him, Troy was out the door of the bar.

"Wait! Troy!" Jesse called and ran out of the bar after him, but once he got out their Troy was gone, along with his car.


Gabriella finally stepped out of the Los Angeles Children Hospital at one in the morning, while it was pouring down rain. Mackenzie had taken longer than expected to come over here from Building 5. Gabriella enjoyed it anyway, being with her son is what she liked most. She sighed and started walked through the freezing empty streets. Sometimes her brother just didn't know that Los Angeles streets could be dangerous at night, so he sends her on a walk to Trinity Bar. Gabriella shrugged her shoulders and hoped for the best.

The twenty-six year old girl walked slowly thinking about everything she had been through in her day today. Overall, it seemed very close to perfect. She smiled as she reminisced upon everything. From waking up, to meeting Matt at Starbucks, meeting Taylor in the elevator, spending time with Jayden, having lunch with her pals and talking to her brother. Scratch that- her day had been perfect!


Troy sped down the streets of Los Angeles , his adrenaline rushing like the wind. He had no control over what he was doing letting the toxic liquid he had feuled up with be in charge.


Gabriella stepped onto the wet roads, feeling the slight change in elevation as she stepped onto the white lines on the road. Gabriella smiled as she came to firm statement. I love my life...


All of a sudden, a beautiful lady came into Troy's view but the rain came down blurring the wind-shield. Troy swerved the car, not even having a single clue of where he was going to end up.


Gabriella gasped as a car came whirling in her direction. The headlights blinded her eyes, causing her to close them. Gabriella tried to move out of the way in time.


Troy hit his breaks as a black blur formed on the wet, rainy window, he was looking through. The car screeched and spun. The pressure on the break increased dramatically. Troy's heart raced as he hit a body. His thoughts disappeared and for minute there , Troy could hear nothing.


Gabriella went flying. The impact of the car was huge on her petite body. She went up four feet in the air and then came down with a sharp thud. Death pulled at Gabriella as she slid away from the Mercedes Benz. Gabriella's head hit the rough, hard curb. Suddenly, Gabriella let go of consciousness and plunged into darkness.