A/N I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! I ONLY OWN THIS PLOT! WhooHOO Two updates in two weeks! This is sadly the last chapter, but I am planning a sequel so keep an eye out for that. Song used in this chapter is "Everyday" from High School Musical 2 I DO NOT OWN IT!

The Final Jam came quickly after that. Everyone was really excited. Troy and Gabriella were backstage with the rest of the Wildcats getting ready for their turn. They went right after Mitchie and her friends.

"I wish we were going first," Troy said. "Mitchie and the girls are a tough act to follow."

"I know." Gabriella nodded.

"You ok?" Troy asked.

"Just nervous."

"Hey, win or lose we're going to be great and have lots of fun, right?"

"Yeah."

Troy smiled and went over to her. "Just remember if you get scared look at me, right at me."

Gabriella nodded.

Troy kissed her forehead. "You're going to do great, you always do."

Gabriella nodded and smiled. "I'm just happy they let Kelsi play the piano."

"Wow, I feel the love." Troy teased.

Gabriella giggled. "I love you, you know that."

"I know. I'm just teasing you. I needed to see that beautiful smile."

They shared a kiss.

"Next up we have Gabriella Montez and the Wildcats."

"You ready?" Troy asked putting his hand out.

"Yeah, let's do this." Gabriella smiled.

They walked out onto the stage as everyone clapped for them. Gabriella saw all the wildcats family and Troy parents.

As she was handed a microphone, she looked further out into the audience, and her heart stopped. She gasped and stumbled back, falling onto her bottom.

"Gabriella, what is it, what's wrong?" Troy asked frantically.

Gabriella pointed outward, and Troy followed her finger. Axel was standing in the back by the entrance.

Gabriella started panting and shaking. "Troy…I can't…I can't…"

"Ignore him, he won't do anything to you with all these people here. Show him how good you are."

Gabriella shook her head, panting hard.

"Shhh, breathe, breathe." Troy cooed. "I'm right here; you're safe. Remember just look at me, right at me, right?"

Gabriella locked eyes with Troy and slowly started to calm down.

"That's my girl, keep looking at me, right at me."

Gabriella calmed down.

"Are you ready to sing, just keep your eyes on me. Ignore everyone else. It's just you and I, like the first time we sang together, remember?"

Gabriella nodded and carefully stood up. She kept her eyes locked on his. Troy signaled to Kelsi and the music started. Troy turned to the audience but kept Gabriella's hand tightly in his.

[Troy]

Once in a lifetime

Means there's no second chance

So I believe that you and me

Should grab it while we can

Troy looked to Gabriella, and he could tell she was still nervous. He smiled and nodded encouragingly to her. He smiled widely when she started to sing.

[Gabriella]

Make it last forever

And never give it back

[Troy]

It's our turn, and I'm loving' where we're at

[Both]

Because this moment's really all we have

[Troy]

Everyday

Of our lives,

[Gabriella]

Wanna find you there, wanna hold on tight

[Troy]

Gonna run

[Both]

While we're young

And keep the faith

[Troy]

Everyday

[Both]

From right now,

Gonna use our voices and scream out loud

[Gabriella]

Take my hand;

[Troy]

Together we

Will celebrate,

[Gabriella]

Celebrate.

[Both]

Oh, everyday.

Gabriella smiled finally getting lost in the music and Troy's eyes and looked to face the audience to sing and even dance a little making Troy smile.

[Gabriella]

They say that you should follow

[Troy]

And chase down what you dream,

[Gabriella]

But if you get lost and lose yourself

[Troy]

What does is really mean?

[Gabriella]

No matter where we're going,

[Troy]

It starts from where we are.

[Gabriella]

There's more to life when we listen to our hearts

[Both]

And because of you, I've got the strength to start

Troy poked Garbriella's nose making her smile and giggle softly as they sang and skipped across the stage hand in hand singing happily.

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

Everyday

Of our lives,

[Gabriella]

Wanna find you there, wanna hold on tight

[Both]

Gonna run

While we're young

And keep the faith.

Everyday

[Troy]

From right now,

Gonna use our voices and scream out loud

[Gabriella]

Take my hand;

Together we

Will celebrate,

[Gabriella]

Oh, everyday

[Troy]

We're taking it back,

We're doing it here

Together!

[Gabriella]

It's better like that,

And stronger now

Than ever!

[Both]

We're not gonna lose.

'Cause we get to choose.

That's how it's gonna be!

[Troy]

Everyday

Of our lives,

[Gabriella]

Wanna find you there, wanna hold on tight.

[Troy]

Gonna run

While we're young

[Both]

And keep the faith

Keep the faith!

Gabriella smiled widely as the Wildcats joined them on stage and sang with them.

Everyday

Of our lives,

Wanna find you there, wanna hold on tight.

Gonna run

While we're young

And keep the faith

Everyday

From right now,

Gonna use our voices and scream out loud

Take my hand;

Together we

Will celebrate,

Everyday!

As the song came to a close everyone clapped and cheered, and they all bowed. Gabriella looked, and Axel was gone. She smiled even wider at that. She and the other rushed off the stage so the next person could go.

After all the singers had gone, Brown went on stage to announce the winner.

"And the winner is… Gabriella Montez and the Wildcats.

Everyone screamed, clapped, and cheered for them and Gabriella was super excited. Coming to this camp had turned out being a lot of fun, and she was super happy her mom forced her to go. She couldn't wait to tell her mother all about it on the ride home.

After a lot of congratulations and goodbyes, people started to head home. It was Brown and the other employee's job to make sure all the kids went home with the right parents or guardian.

Gabriella sat on a bench by the pickup lot with her suitcase and stuff by her legs. Troy was helping Connie carry some heavy stuff into her van.

"All right, we're all set. Now, Gabriella, I want to talk to you about something." Connie said kneeling down in front of her. "We haven't moved yet, in fact, there is a lot we need to do before we can move. So I've talked it over with your friend Taylor's mom, and she said you're welcome to stay with her until we get there if you want. You can also come home with us and make the move. The choice is yours."

"So…how would that work then, my mom would drop me off there on the way home?" Gabriella asked.

Everyone looked to each other.

"Honey…"

"I know she isn't here yet, but she'll be here. She's just running late. She's always late." Gabriella continued.

"Brie, you…I thought Troy told you…" Jack started.

"I did." Troy sighed. "She's in denial."

"No, I just think maybe Chad heard wrong," Gabriella said.

Troy knelt down in front of her. "What do you think is going to happen once your mom gets here?"

"We're all going home. Then she'll drop me off at Taylor's, and I'll stay there until Mitchie and her family are ready and then I'll move in with them."

"You think your mom is just going to willingly you drop you off knowing she'll never see you again?" Chad asked.

"Why not? She did it when she dropped me off here. According to you guys she dropped me off and planned for me to go home with Axel, but since that is no longer happening, she has to come back here and get me."

"Gabriella, Baby….your mom…she isn't coming," Troy said as gently as he possibly could.

"Yeah she is, she's just late. She'll be here."

Everyone sighed. "Anyone got any idea?" Jack asked.

"We could force her into the car and just take her home," Chad suggested.

"She'd put up too big a fight," Troy said as he went over to where his parents and the others were.

"We might just have to wait it out," Connie said. "We let her sit there and wait and see for herself that her mother isn't coming."

Troy sighed. "There has to be something else we can do, anything?"

"We can keep trying to convince her to accept the truth. That's all we can do." Connie said.

Troy looked to Gabriella she had a huge smile on her face, and he could tell she was so excited and in such a great mood.

"Let me try, something," Mitchie said. She walked over and sat down next to Gabriella. "Hey. Do you know where we're sitting?"

"Um…on a bench," Gabriella asked.

Mitchie laughed. "No, I mean…we are right by where we first met after your mom, dropped you off."

"Oh yeah, I remember."

"You were really scared and shy, now look at you." Mitchie smiled.

Gabriella smiled wider. "That's because of Troy. If he hadn't of come I don't think I'd be as confident as I am now."

"You were pretty upset when you first got here," Mitchie said.

"Yeah. I know."

"You were upset because your mom just dumped you here, and you felt abandon."

"Why are you telling me this? I remember what happen I was there." Gabriella said.

"You've been trying all Summer to try and reach her and call her and text her and she's been ignoring you."

"Yeah, so?"

"Why would a women like that come back and pick you up," Mitchie asked.

"She got busy with work, and couldn't respond that's all. But she's coming I know she is."

Mitchie sighed and stood up and went back over to the group. "My mom is right, we might just have to wait this out with her. She'll figure it out."

"No." Troy shook his head. "She won't. She'll wait there for days." Troy went over to Gabriella and knelt down in front of her. "Hey, Beautiful."

"Hi. Was this the best summer, ever or what?"

"It was pretty awesome." Troy smiled. "But I am also excited to get home."

"Me too. I can't wait to tell my mom about all the fun I had."

"Well, how about you call her from the car, and you ride home with me," Troy said.

Gabriella shook her head. "You guys go ahead I'll catch up once my mom gets here."

Troy sighed. "Brie, do you remember what I told you a few weeks ago. We were all hanging out by the water, and I got a call from my dad and then you and I went away to talk?"

Gabriella didn't respond, but Troy could see it in her pained facial expression she remembered.

"I don't know, so much happen this summer," Gabriella said.

Troy knew he was slowly breaking through the denial wall she had up.

"Think harder, remember I told you that what I was going to say would hurt us both?"

"Nope. I don't know what you're talking about." Gabriella wouldn't look him in the eyes.

"Baby, look at me," Troy said gently. Gabriella looked at him, so he continued. "I know you remember." He whispered. "I can see it in your eyes."

Gabriella quickly looked away. "Stop. Troy, please stop."

"Baby, your mom isn't coming. You can either go home with one of the Wildcats or the Torress family." Troy said.

Gabriella shook her head. "She's coming. She has to come. She's my mother she can't just abandon me."

"But she already did."

"No, no, no," Gabriella said as tears formed in her eyes.

"Baby, I'm sorry…"

"No!" Gabriella screamed. She shoved Troy and stood up and walked away from him.

Troy caught his balance and stood up. He went over to Gabriella and hugged her from behind. "Baby, you have no idea how much this is hurting me. But you have to understand, you have to accept the fact that your mother isn't coming back."

Gabriella didn't speak she just turned in his arms and buried her face into his shoulder. Then she let her wall break and started to cry.

Troy hugged her tighter and just let her cry.

After a few minutes, she stopped but didn't move.

"Let's go home," Troy said softly. He went to pull back, but she whimpered and clung tighter to him. He hugged her back just as tight. "What do you want to do, Sweetie, tell me and I'll make it happen."

She spoke softly and muffled into his shoulder, but Troy understood. He kissed her head and nodded. "Ok, then that's what we will do." He lifted her legs and carried her bridal style back over to the others.

"Gabriella wants to ride home with me, and she wants to stay with me until you are ready for her at the new house," Troy explained.

"Is this true, Gabriella," Jack asked.

Gabriella nodded.

"Well, it's not ideal." Connie started. "Jack, Lucille, how do you feel about this?"

Gabriella clung tighter to Troy and whimpered.

"We trust our son. We also know Gabriella well enough to know they wouldn't be doing anything…physical." Jack said. "It's fine with us if Gabriella stays. But you're her guardian, so it's up to you."

"Connie, please. Look at her, she's not letting go of me." Troy said.

Connie sighed but nodded. "Fine, but no funny business."

"I promise."

Everyone got into their cars and headed for the long journey home. They had had an amazing summer. But the hard part was now going to be getting Gabriella through the loss of her mother and helping her accept her new family.

A/N so that's the end. But like I said I'm planning the sequel. Gabriella will have face her mother again and Axel may or may not be making another appearance. Also, Gabriella will have to learn to trust her new family. SO keep an eye out for my new story. So, thoughts on this chapter? What do you think? Leave me your thoughts in a review. Song used in this chapter is "Everyday" from High School Musical 2 I DO NOT OWN IT!

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