4 years later…

Troy watched Gabriella walk away from him as he leaned up against his truck, pride clear on his face among many other emotions as Troy saw Gabriella finally approach her destination, Tristan's grave. It was almost four and a half years to the day since Tristan took his own life but Troy never ceased to be amazed by his fiancé and her strength she had cultivated since then. His lips curved upwards as he thought of that new title Gabriella had recently acquired, fiancé.

It was the last home game for the Golden Bears of UC Berkeley, also known as Cal Berkeley, and the Haas Pavilion was more than filled with cheering fans, leaving Troy's stomach in knots but not in regards to the game's fate, which was already in progress, Berkeley currently ahead by twenty plus points. No, Troy was anxious about what he had planned for half-time. Luckily, he had the more than willing support and assistance from his coaches, who had all approved of what he was about to do in less than fifteen minutes, his head coach even volunteering to help.

Ironically, the game was also against Stanford, Gabriella's own college, so he knew for sure she would be there. Whether it was to be the Switzerland of the game or to give in and pick a side, he knew Gabriella wouldn't miss a rivalry game for the world. As if he was on autopilot, Troy caught the ball thrown to him just then, running down the court until he found two guys blocking him, using his peripheral vision to spy a wide open teammate. Faking left, Troy threw the basketball behind his back and grinned as he saw his teammate make a successful three pointer, widening the gap between the Bears and the Cardinals, mostly known as the Trees, even if it was unofficial. Troy usually chuckled thinking about Stanford's unofficial but popular mascot, having teased Gabriella countless times over that. He couldn't take the time to do that now though as the basketball was thrown back into play and he had to be quick on his feet to guard his designated player.

Before Troy knew it, the buzzer went off, signaling halftime. He jogged off the court, butterflies now fluttering around his stomach and beyond as he spied scattered familiar faces sitting around his girlfriend. 'Everyone is here but are you ready Bolton?'

Troy quickly wiped his face with his towel he had picked up from his spot on the sidelines before joining the rest of the team for a pep talk by the head coach. The coach had kept it brief, knowing his team was already pumped up for the last part of the game, but also since Troy had something special planned. When the team did their traditional chant and yell, they broke, allowing for Troy and the head coach to head out of the locker room, both quickly walking back towards the court, Troy hanging back at the double doors while the head coach went on ahead to grab a microphone.

A short few minutes later, Troy stepped through the doors as he heard his coach start speaking from the middle of the court. "As many of you know, we have a special senior graduating this year. He has treated Berkeley to many glimpses at his many talents, from the magic he treats us all to on this very basketball court to the great acting chops he has on the dramatic stage. Trust me folks, I don't think we've ever had someone as talented as this guy is with all his versatile talents. I would like to ask someone very special to him to come out here as she is the driving force behind the fierceness and passion we see in Troy Bolton on a daily basis and she is here to help me honor Troy today. Gabriella Montez? Will you please come out here?"

Whispers and murmurs filled the building as Gabriella emerged from where she was sitting near the court, Taylor and Sandra both sitting next to her. Taylor and Sandra had both come out that day, telling Gabriella that they missed her but also wanted to come for Troy's big ceremony where he'd be honored at half time. Gabriella hadn't thought much of it as both of her friends had done spontaneous things like this before since UCLA and USC both were about a six to seven hour drive, making it easier for the girls to see each other without having to buy expensive plane tickets.

"Hi Coach," she softly greeted the older man, making him smile even wider at the sweet young woman he had gotten to know over the years as Troy's main squeeze.

"Hi Gabriella. Will you take the microphone while I go get the presentation?" he asked, handing her the microphone before she could answer.

Gabriella nervously looked around her, feeling thousands of eyes on her, some scrutinizing, some curious, some just staring. She was so overwhelmed with the feeling of being out there on center court, in front of Stanford and Cal fans alike, that she didn't sense or see Troy, who was currently crossing the court to her, still dressed in his Cal uniform but with a dozen long stemmed red roses and a microphone in his hands.

"Brie," he murmured into the microphone, grinning as Gabriella nearly jumped at the sound of his voice so near, so amplified throughout the Haas Pavilion.

"Troy?" she asked, nerves now rattled not from fear but from nervous anticipation. "Shouldn't I be giving you flowers?"

"Oh come on now, you don't think I'm so special to be recognized out of all the guys do you?" teased Troy, beaming with pride as he saw her nod, knowing Gabriella really did think he was that special to get that amount of attention. "No, tonight isn't about me, it's about you, about us."

"What are you talking about Troy?" questioned Gabriella, dropping the microphone to her side as Troy got closer to her, stopping when he was only two feet away.

Troy handed Gabriella the roses, which she gladly took, taking the time to smell the roses before she remembered where she was and what was curiously going on. "Well those are for you, clearly, but I have something else too for you."

Before Gabriella could reply with anything else, a collective gasp was heard throughout the arena as Troy dropped down on his right knee before his long time girlfriend, looking at the court he had played countless times on for a few moments, gathering his courage, before his deep blue eyes met her shining brown orbs. "Oh my God," he heard her whisper, giving him the confidence boost he needed.

With a steady hand, Troy reached out and took the microphone out of Gabriella's left hand, laying it down next to him before taking her left hand in his right. With one last deep breath, Troy took a blind running leap over the chasm of uncertainty, hoping he would land on the other side safely and with the woman of his dreams.

"Brie, you have been absolutely amazing these last years since we've been in college, both to yourself but also to me, resulting in a stronger us. Even with that hesitant semester long break we took in our junior year, I can't imagine us being anywhere else right now besides with each other. I have to say though that you always seem to know best, knowing what is right for you, for me, for us because that break not only made me realize how very much in love with you I have become without even realizing how deep I have gotten, it also made me and everyone who loves you see how strong of a woman you have become since high school, proving that you are your own entity. I'm just glad that your independent side let me back in, to share in the last full year with you, adding to our rich and definitely diverse history. Years ago, as we stood in Chad's kitchen back in Albuquerque, you told me that I was your last true love, the one that meant more than any others. I'm here to repeat that back to you, that you are my last true love and also quite possibly my first too. Gabriella, will you save me from my ramblings in front of thousands of people and please agree to be my best friend for the rest of our lives, to be my wife? Will you marry me?" When there was no immediate answer, Troy began to panic, seeing the silent tears gather in her eyes. "Brie? Oh God, you didn't want this did you? Is it too soon?"

Then a tiny giggle escaped her lips, immediately soothing Troy's nerves as she placed a finger over Troy's lips, silencing him. "Wildcat, I'm in love with you too, more than I ever imagined I could be. I'd be a fool to let you go again. I want to continue to be your best friend for the rest of our lives and to have you as my husband too. Yes Troy, I would love to marry you!"

They both grinned at each other, Troy instantly getting up and swooping Gabriella up into his arms, spinning her around as she lightly laughed before he put her back down on her feet, Troy's lips immediately connecting with hers among the loud round of applause being showered on them. Knowing he forgot something, Troy dug into the pocket of his basketball shorts and pulled out the simple but elegant engagement ring he had picked out weeks before while Gabriella was busy studying. Gabriella stared in awe of the princess cut ½ carat diamond centered on the yellow gold band, knowing that Troy knew her so well to know she would rather have a simple engagement ring. She gladly offered her hand to him, allowing Troy to slowly slide the ring onto her finger, kissing her once more before a group of people surrounded them.

Gabriella looked around as they broke their kiss, grinning as she spied her mother and Troy's parents immediately, followed shortly by seeing Chad, Kelsi, Ryan, and Ian. Taylor and Sandra had also come down from where they had been sitting. "Oh my God, you so had this all planned!" accused Gabriella, a smile playing on her lips as she received congratulatory hugs from everyone.

"Guilty, but come now Brie, I couldn't propose in some spur of the moment way could I? Well maybe I could have but you saw even planed I still stumbled," returned Troy, pumping fists with Chad before getting a handshake from his dad.

The spontaneous celebration ended though soon after as the head coach came back over and told Troy that there was still a game to be played, despite how happy he was for the both of them. Troy just nodded his head, blushing as he let the game completely slip his mind. Before he allowed Gabriella to go though, Troy walked to the sidelines with her to allow for the cheerleaders to do one routine before the game started again, wrapping his arms around her waist and planting a soft kiss on her lips. "You know, as my soon to be wife, you are obligated to root for your soon to be husband and his team."

Gabriella rolled her eyes, laughing at how quickly Troy could go from romantic soul to jock. "Like I would have it any other way. Besides, my Wildcat trumps a Bear or a Tree any day."

Troy let out a hearty laugh at this, kissing her one last time before reluctantly letting her go, running to join his team back on Cal's sideline, feeling like he could conquer the world just then, knowing Gabriella would always be by his side.

'And we did do well that night and of course during March Madness too,' thought Troy, thinking back to the new title UC Berkeley held thanks to the men's basketball team. A week after Troy's college basketball career was officially over, Troy was still flying high on the feelings he experienced during that whole experience, knowing now how amazing Chad had felt when his team had won his sophomore year. 'But he was missing of course the feeling of knowing he was engaged to the most amazing woman on this planet.'

"Hi Tristan, it's me, Ella," Gabriella greeted the tombstone, running her right hand lightly over the top. "I know it's been way too long since I was last here, I know it was your funeral, but I felt like this trip down to L.A. was the right time. There isn't a day I don't think of you, think of how much fun you'd be having at some large university that would help you excel in football as well as in your education. A large part of me knows you had your reasons and hopes you are happy now, resting, without the pain and torture you must have felt. The other part? It wishes you had stayed to share in all of these experiences with me. If we had those great moments already in high school, I have no doubt it could have only gotten better in college."

Gabriella bent down and placed the collection of carnations she had picked up with Troy at the florist an hour ago, knowing Tristan wouldn't like anything too girly associated with him. When she stood back up, Gabriella placed her hand again on the tombstone, closing her eyes as she concentrated on recalling every detail of Tristan's face, from his sparkly green eyes to his dazzling smile, knowing that as much as she did think of Tristan that his memory had faded with time but was never forgotten, just as she never forgot about the night Troy found her cutting, saving her then and a few night after in the bathtub, cementing his place in her life. Gabriella glanced down at her bare arm that was visible where her short sleeved sweater ended, seeing only two real scars, the last two she ever made from cutting.

As she thought back to that dark patch in her history, Gabriella was startled by the brief but definite warming on her chest, reaching up and grabbing onto Tristan's class ring that still hung around her neck, looking at it curiously as she still felt some faint warmth. Her eyes widened as she felt another presence with her despite her seeing only Troy several yards away back at the truck. "Tristan?" she whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

No answer was given but Gabriella knew it was him, that simple but caring vibe she got that enveloped her completely for a few moments before it disappeared, leaving her slightly cold despite the warm wind that was gently breezing by her. Gabriella smiled, seeing that Tristan really was still with her, especially here, confirming what Gabriella had realized long ago, that he would never truly be gone so long as Gabriella allowed him to continue to live in her heart, feeling more so blessed that Troy understood. 'Troy…' she thought as she looked back again, seeing his cobalt eyes simply observing her.

Turning back around, Gabriella closed her eyes again, saying her gratitude and good-byes to Tristan one last time before kissing the fingertips of her left hand and placing it on the tombstone. Without another thought, Gabriella turned and walked back the way she came, joining Troy back at the truck in less than a few minutes. When she finally approached Troy, he simply opened his arms to her and allowed Gabriella to step into his waiting embrace, letting his comfort and love seep into her soul, warming her body as well. No words were spoken, none were needed for they both knew how important this was for Gabriella, especially for her doing this on her own.

After helping Gabriella into the truck, Troy jumped behind the wheel and took off, leaving the graveyard behind them. He knew that they were scheduled to attend a party Ian was having at his house later that night but knew they had hours to play with so he detoured from that route to drive to the coast, parking along the highway at one of the many spots cars were allowed to be parked. It was times like these that Troy was glad Gabriella trusted him so much, not even questioning where Troy was taking her at any moment in the span of the last forty five minutes or so, simply accepting that Troy had something in mind that she didn't know about. Troy grinned at Gabriella as he got out, helping her out, before leading her to the bed of his truck, putting the tailgate down so he could easily lift Gabriella up, hopping up besides her moments later.

"It's so beautiful out here," murmured Gabriella, breaking the comfortable silence they shared, snuggling a little more into Troy's side while his arm instinctively tightened around her shoulders. "Southern California is so different from the Bay Area, it's crazy."

"They do say that California has one of the most diverse climates and sceneries in the US within a single state," agreed Troy, watching the waves yards below and away from them come in and out, crashing against the rocky coast.

Gabriella just nodded her head, letting it lie still again on Troy's left shoulder as she silently watched the sun continue to set, painting the sky different shades of pink, red, and orange. "I'm glad you thought of this Troy, it's so special, romantic."

"Well, you know, I can think of these things every once in a while," countered Troy, kissing Gabriella's forehead tenderly. "You know what I was thinking about while you were visiting Tristan?"

"How hungry you were?" joked Gabriella, picking her head up off his shoulder so she could look at Troy's face, laughing as Troy pulled a face. "No? I'm amazed."

"Haha," got out Troy, tickling Gabriella's sides a little before sobering. "I was actually thinking about how great it feels to have a college basketball champion title under my belt now but more so how amazing it feels to know that I get to keep you, to love you with every breath in my body until the day I die and even then. Sometimes I look back to high school and wonder how I managed to be so stupid back in senior year, thinking that you had left me and almost screwing everything up in the process between us. I really think we had a helping hand in getting back together though."

Gabriella tilted her head to the side, wondering what Troy was getting at. "What exactly are you talking about Troy? Do you think Tristan helped us from beyond the grave?"

"Well no, not him, at least I don't think. I feel more like it was Destiny and her grand plan for us to realize early on how much we mean to each other before the chaos of college separation and everything occurred," answered Troy, seeing the contemplative look on Gabriella's face. "Maybe I'm just wacked out."

They both laughed at this while Gabriella said, "No, I don't think you are because I tend to agree, I feel that way too. It's almost as if we went through some trial, Destiny's true test of faith, and passed albeit not with flying colors but well enough. I don't think either of us have ever lost faith in each other ever since then and I'm so grateful for that because you really have been my strength in the darkest times of my life, when I thought I had none."

"And yet you did," replied Troy, using his scarred right hand to brush back some loose tendrils of Gabriella's dark hair. "But you'll never have to face anything alone again, not while I'm around. I love you Gabriella, soon to be Mrs. Troy Bolton."

"I love you too Wildcat, soon to be Mr. Gabriella Montez," answered Gabriella, smiling impishly at him as her words fully registered in Troy's mind, making him chuckle. "You know, I have to say thank you again for being so sweet and understanding about my need to go to Tristan's grave today, for letting me to continue wearing his class ring. Not many guys I know would. I've seen so many fights among couples for even less."

"Well then all those guys are stupid and it's not like you are unreasonable with things like today, with wearing that ring. You don't allow Tristan's ghost to haunt us, overshadowing us, and that I think is the key. Tristan will always be remembered by both of us but definitely more so by you and so long as he keeps living on in your heart, I accept that because he's now part of you," returned Troy, leaning his cheek into her palm as Gabriella ran a hand along his cheekbone.

"I know that bit is true, about Tristan still living on in my heart but you need to remember, you will always possess my heart and also my soul that I freely gave you all those years ago, and that says so much more. You really are my missing half," stated Gabriella, smiling as Troy kissed her open palm after he turned his face into her hand.

"As you are mine," Troy murmured, closing the gap between their lips and kissing Gabriella deeply, tenderly, lovingly, pulling away moments later only to allow their foreheads to rest against each other, blue and brown orbs meeting in a chemistry filled gaze.

As the sun finished setting in front of them moments later, Troy and Gabriella had eyes only for each other, knowing deep in their hearts, in their souls, that while Destiny definitely had a lot of say in their lives, they knew that their being together was the ultimate plan Destiny had for them, and for that they would always be grateful for, for all eternity.