I decided since I'm getting ready to write the Taylor and Carol wedding fic I should bookend their very first fic, "Advice," with the stories of what happened before and after Taylor called Chad. After you read this one you can re-read "Advice" or jump straight into "This Is Enough" which is its direct sequel. And look forward to the currently unnamed wedding fic coming soon!

Taylor McKessie wasn't the type of person to put all of her eggs in one basket. She'd known she was going to get into Yale but she'd applied to other schools just in case. She intended to be President one day but she would work her way up through the lower levels of government. And when she had dated Chad Danforth, she had anticipated their break-up.

Unfortunately, she hadn't prepared her heart a second time. When she'd met CJ James she had fallen quickly and completely. They'd met their freshman year and moved in together at the end of sophomore year. Their summer apart was excruciating, which was worrying to Taylor, who had never planned on getting that attached to anyone. But there was no denying it now, she was infatuated, and it was terminal.

She wondered if Gabriella had felt this way about Troy, and felt bad for trivializing those feelings in the past.

When she returned to CJ a few weeks before the fall semester began, she felt like she was returning to the man she was going to marry.

She was only half wrong.

CJ appeared to be a mix of relieved and anxious to see Taylor. That wasn't the only thing that seemed different though. CJ's hair was growing out, and his nails were clipped and cleaned, with a glint of a sparkly clear polish. Taylor didn't mind if her man liked a manicure and doubted that was the source of CJ's anxiety.

"Hon? You okay?" Taylor asked.

CJ wrapped her up in a big hug. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too. Maybe next summer you can come home with me." CJ didn't have the best relationship with his own parents, who were obstinate and old-fashioned.

"That sounds lovely." CJ sounded a little strained. "But, T… We really need to talk."

Taylor's stomach dropped.

"Is something wrong? Are we breaking up?"

"What? No! Taylor, I love you more than anything in this world. But something happened this summer that you really need to know about."

Taylor steeled herself for the worst possible scenario.

"Okay. You know you can tell me anything, C."

CJ smiled weakly, "I know. Thank you."

Then CJ took a deep breath and changed everything for both of them forever.

"Taylor, I'm a trans woman. Over the summer I started transitioning because, well, I couldn't hide it anymore. I couldn't keep pretending. My real name is Carol, and I know this might change things between us. But you deserved to know the truth."

Taylor had thought that her partner might have cheated on her. She had never expected that her partner was a woman.

"Oh."

"I still love you, T, but if you don't feel the same now I'll understand. I can't change who I am but if you ask me to leave, I'll leave."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Taylor finally asked since these things didn't happen overnight.

"I've wanted to tell you for a long time, but I was so repressed and ashamed. The first time I ever even questioned my identity my parents shouted me right back into the closet. During freshman year I started seeing a therapist and she helped me work through my fears about facing the truth."

Taylor saw that fear in Carol's eyes now and, though she was feeling shaky herself, felt compelled to take that fear away.

"Thank you for telling me, Carol. I don't want you to feel like you have to hide things, especially from me."

Carol beamed when Taylor used her name.

"Thank you for listening. I don't want to put any pressure on you, if you need time and space to think about where you want to go from here, let me know."

"Is it okay if I need a little time? You don't have to leave, though. This is your home too."

"I'll sleep on the couch for now, then. And I'll answer any questions you have."

"I'm sure I'll have questions. For now, though, I think I want to go unpack and think about things."

"Take all the time you need."

The room felt slightly altered, there were Carol's albums (she was a metalhead), unaltered, and their shared book collection, as well as a smattering of candles that Taylor didn't remember buying. But the real differences were tucked away in the closet. CJ's clothes were gone, replaced by Carol's clothes. It was like a snapshot into this whole other person that Taylor now had the chance to get to know.

Should she go for it? Could she have something with Carol? Did she want to? Her head was spinning, and she was unsure of what to do. So, with no other ideas, she made a call, hoping to reach the one person who might be able to help.