Royal Hand of Fate
By: Dee ©2009

Chapter 48

Gabriella clicked on the save button on the screen and grinned at the personal message she put on the site Selena, Iyana, and Brandi still ran. It was now changed so the names reflected Prince Troy and Princess Gabriella instead of just Troy and Princess Gabriella but the name 'Troyella' still stuck. They had made the change one month ago to the day, which was the day Gabriella and Troy were first married, the day they both considered to be their real wedding day. "I can't believe that it has already been a month…"

"Time has flown by," agreed Emma, who was sitting on a chair nearby with Selena, Iyana, and Brandi standing nearby. "I must say that I've never seen you happier either."

"I think you are glowing even more than Emma," expressed Brandi. "That says a lot since my mom says pregnant women have a certain glow."

"Apparently, so do women in love," Iyana commented. "Maybe even when girls are in 'like' mode too since Selena has a bit of a glow to her too ever since her date with Luka the other night."

Gabriella gasped, upset at herself for forgetting to ask the shy girl all about the date. "Selena! Was it everything you had imagined? Did it go well?"

Selena beamed as she nodded. "Luka was a complete gentleman. We went to see a movie and then had ice-cream, sitting there for hours just talking."

"And when she says gentleman she means boring! Luka didn't even try to kiss her on the lips!" exclaimed Iyana.

Gabriella and Emma laughed while Selena rolled her eyes at her younger sister's exasperation over the lack of a liplock. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Luka understands what I've been through and knows that I am just not up for anything really fast."

"A true benefit of being friends first before dating and a genuine sign that the boy cares for you Selena," stated Emma, reassuring the oldest teenager present that there was nothing wrong with what happened or didn't happen.

"Anyway, thank you Gabriella for posting your personal message and some personal pictures from your Hawaiian wedding. Your supporters will love them," said Brandi, excited herself for having exclusives for the growing website. "We tagged them so they are clear and people can see the details but in a way that makes it hard for anyone to take them without our knowledge without it showing where they got the picture."

"In other words, trashy magazines can't reprint them without our permission, which we will never give them, or including our tags," Iyana translated.

Gabriella just smiled at the young girls. "Well thank you, I appreciate it."

Before Iyana could say the next thing on her mind, Chris burst through the center's front doors, searching for Gabriella and grinning when he spotted her. Within seconds, Gabriella was being spun around in Chris's arms. "Ella! The parts are ours!"

Gabriella squealed, hugging Chris tighter. "Are you serious?"

"Could I really kid about this?" returned Chris, putting Gabriella down. "Not likely!"

"Congratulations you two. Leads again?" questioned Emma, waddling towards them, a protective hand on her growing belly.

"Nope," Chris simply answered, confusing the other four present.

"Then what could be so great?" pushed back Brandi.

Seeing that Chris was too excited, Gabriella decided to explain. "We didn't go for the leads because we wanted a little less chaos right now. Besides, Rodger doesn't cast the same people for his leads in back to back seasons although we definitely may try again next season. Instead for now we showed our interest in support roles, as the parents of the male lead. It's something with less stage time but we have our own pas de deux."

"Umm, great?" offered Iyana, not really seeing the excitement since they weren't leads but she made to show her support anyway by hugging both Chris and Gabriella. "So this new ballet isn't going to be something that your own life dangerously echoes, is it?"

Gabriella blinked several times looking at the younger girl. "What do you mean Iyana?"

Iyana tilted her head, wondering if Gabriella really could have missed the parallelism between the ballet and what had recently happened to the princess. "Just that in the ballet, you married a man who you didn't love thinking that the one you did love, Chris, ran away and didn't love you when he was really killed."

As her mind wrapped itself around Iyana's words, memories of Gabriella's own tears as she performed that last part of the ballet especially as Troy entered her life again assaulted her, leaving Gabriella breathless. "That's right. I remember being so scared that it would come true, that I couldn't lose Troy. I haven't thought about those thoughts or feelings though since the ballet."

Emma placed a comforting hand on Gabriella's shoulder. "Well this time life did not imitate art, and that is the good thing. You've managed to keep your royal title but most importantly are now married to the man you are in love with and everyone is alive. Raul may be on trial as we speak but I really don't see any way of him getting out of serving time after all he has done, with all the witnesses and evidence now against him."

"I think that's one of the only reasons why I feel comfortable these days besides having the heavier security team around all the time, even at a distance and having it be Paul when they need to be immediately nearby. I still have flashbacks to Riley and what happened at times, even at the most inopportune times when we are intimate, but Troy luckily understands and knows how to handle them and me when I have them now," confessed Gabriella. "Just like those flashbacks from Riley though, I think the fear for Troy's life and then my own will linger for some time but I've learned to deal."

Emma rubbed her pregnant belly absentmindedly when she said, "You are most likely right. The threats on your lives and your being raped are both traumatic and it's tough to let all that go completely over time, as you have already learned, but you've done well Gabriella, as has Selena. You both are very strong in spirit and in mindset, which helps the most in situations like this for recovery, even if it is not complete. It also helps that you have people who truly understand what you are going through and unconditionally love and care for you."

Gabriella and Selena shared a look for several moments, Selena voicing one of their silent thoughts. "I think, no I know, we both feel blessed for all of our family and friends who are always there, but especially Gabriella's husband and my own crush because in case of… rape… it's harder to be close to a guy like that. So far, they both seem to care so much for us and are so understanding. In some ways, I kind of feel bad for them."

"For Troy and Luka? Why? It's not like they were raped," returned Brandi, mystified by the older girl's words.

"They may not have been but even being friends with someone who has been can be tough. Feeling helpless like you can't do anything for them, just being able to listen, to allow the person to cry endlessly on you, I can only imagine how tough that must be, especially right after it happens," Gabriella replied, thinking back to all her memories of not only the rape but the aftermath, how many times she freaked out at the slightest provocation. "Even when you think you're strong enough, sometimes you aren't and sometimes only that one special touch or voice can give you that comfort if you are lucky enough to have that person in your life."

Taylor managed to get in front of Gabriella before she could make it all the way down the stairs. "What is it now?" asked a frustrated Gabriella. "I just want to go downstairs. Why are you and Tessa making such a big deal out of this?"

Taylor looked to Tessa for help before she looked back to Gabriella and said, "Well, you may not be ready for what's down here," expressed Taylor. "It's still a, err, crime scene."

Gabriella paled at these words, forgetting that there would still be a mess that couldn't be cleaned up until all the investigation was done. "A crime scene," muttered Gabriella. 'Is that the terminology for what happened to me yesterday? Rape, crime scene? My God…'

Taylor panicked as Gabriella crumpled onto the step above where she was standing on, sobbing uncontrollably. Taylor quickly gathered Gabriella into her arms, rocking her back and forth, while Tessa ran to answer the door after the doorbell rang at the same time. She peeked through the peephole and was relieved to see Troy and Chad on the other side.

"Thank God Troy, she needs you," greeted Tessa, grabbing Troy's right arm and dragging him inside to the bottom of the stairs, not even acknowledging Chad.

Troy immediately rushed over to sit on the other side of Gabriella on the step, carefully taking her sobbing body from Taylor, who also looked relieved to see the teenage boy. "Shh, it's going to be all right Brie, I'm right here," soothed Troy, closing his eyes against the emotions that surfaced again, the same ones he felt every time he had held her like this yesterday at the hospital. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you again, I promise, I promise on my life."

"Troy, I'm so scared," confessed Gabriella, crying more into Troy's neck, not caring she was letting her emotions win again. "I'm so, so scared."

Chad, Taylor, and Tessa watched the couple from the bottom of the stairs while Stephen and Annette watched from the top, all five realizing how much Gabriella truly was really damaged and torn apart by what happened in this very house less than twenty-four hours ago, despite Gabriella's protests otherwise. What was clear to them too was how Troy was the soothing balm that Gabriella needed the most at this time, the way that he could comfort her and make her feel safe again on a completely different level than anyone else could, even Annette, who had always been able to be there for Gabriella before.

Before Gabriella began to fall asleep some time after her last tears were spilled, still wrapped in Troy's arms on the stairs, she heard the four words she needed to hear to have the first almost peaceful sleep she had in the past day: "I love you Brie."

Emma heard the catch in Gabriella's voice and recognized that Gabriella really was reflecting on her own history, years ago when Gabriella's struggle was more than real and had threatened to swallow Gabriella alive. 'She's right though. If not for Troy, I don't know if she would have made it as well as she did. Gabriella had all the support and love from her parents and her best friends but for some reason, like everything else, that bond she shares with Troy was her lifeline and her strength, just as it has proven to be these days.'

Iyana only nodded her head in agreement with both Selena and Gabriella, along with Emma. Memories of hearing Selena scream in her sleep all those nights after and still occasionally sent shivers down the younger girl's spine, grateful that it had been seldom these days. "It is tough to stand by and just watch, feeling helpless, but it feels that much better when you help that person get stronger and see her true value and beauty once again. Thank you Gabriella and you too Emma for helping Selena so much. I really was worried about her before you both came into our lives."

"But you helped me too Iyana, a lot, more than Mother or Father could have," added Selena, happily hugging her sister who threw her arms around Selena's waist.

Gabriella just smiled back, enjoying the moment, her eyes flickering to Chris's, who seemed content to just be in the background, enjoying this special moment. "I think everyone who is in a person's life is a true blessing no matter the relation as we each bring a different something to each other's lives, even the hardships that teach us things."

This made Chris chuckle. "Better run for cover girls. Ella is getting not only sentimental but philosophical."

"Whatever Christopher! Just because I actually use my brain when I talk," teased Gabriella, squealing as Chris made a dive for her, tickling her sides before she managed to run away, running around the center a few times before finally tiring her dance partner out just before Gabriella surrendered.

While catching her breath, Gabriella glanced down at her watch and grimaced as she realized she was going to be late. She headed back to where the three teenagers were laughing at her and Chris with Emma just smiling, rolling her eyes as Chris dragged himself over and plopped down on an overstuffed chair. "Ella… never… make me… chase… you… again."

"Geez Chris, I think we need to start training again if that little run did you in this badly. How are we going to keep up with the leads with you acting all senior citizen on me after just a short run?" joked Gabriella, gathering up her stuff before she slung her bag over her shoulder. "What do you say to putting runs back on the schedule starting tomorrow morning?"

Chris let out a loud groan that caused Brandi, Iyana, Selena, and even Emma to laugh again. "TORTURER! Why don't you just put me in the torture chamber?"

Gabriella scoffed. "Is running with me that bad? Still, I think it can be arranged if you want, but I think some nice running for a few miles to start isn't that bad to prefer the dungeon especially with all the rats and spiders and stuff down there."

"Eww," let out Iyana and Brandi both, scrunching up their noses.

"Fine, 6 AM it is. The stuff I do for you," complained Chris, groaning at the thought of being up before sunset.

"You'll thank me when you aren't dying out there before the end of the first pas de deux," Gabriella answered. "Well, I have to run. Running late already actually."

Emma just gave Gabriella a knowing look as they hugged before Gabriella said good-bye to the girls and then Chris, who walked her out, both surprised to see only Martin and Henry waiting for Gabriella outside of the teen center. She waved at them and smiled at their cameras before they both lowered them. "Where's the crazy mass that I don't miss at all?"

Martin laughed. "The entourage of paparazzi you mean? All at the courthouse where Raul's trial is going on. Guess you're stuck with us."

"Yeah, sorry to disappoint," joked Henry, both he and Martin well aware of how uncomfortable Gabriella got around the throngs of photographers and videographers that had been around her still. "Did you get that portrait from your first wedding Martin and I left for you at the palace? We didn't want to risk giving it to you in front of the paparazzi."

"You talk like you aren't one of them," Chris teased, getting a hard slap from Gabriella on the chest for it. "Hey! I was totally joking and they know it."

"That's just insulting," said Gabriella before turning her attention back on Martin and Henry. "I did get it and Troy and I love it. Between the portrait of us with all of our friends that you took Henry and the one that Martin took of us, both sets of parents, and my grandparents, we honestly thought those would be the best pictures from our wedding but you proved us wrong. Who took the beautiful one that was delivered this morning of just me and Troy?"

Martin blushed, showing that he was the one. "It was me, but Henry and I really spent time flipping through all the pictures we both took choosing the right one. You and your family paid for our services and the pictures and albums you wanted but we wanted to give you and Prince Troy a gift on your one month anniversary from both us and our families. The least we can do for all the honor you and your family have given us."

Gabriella smiled as she hugged first Martin and then Henry. "Well we really appreciate you both and the thoughtfulness of the portrait. I'll make sure it gets hung up in our sitting room in our suite and I will for sure always think of you both and your families when I see it. Thank you."

When Gabriella's cell phone rang, Gabriella gave both men an apologetic look before answering, cringing as she realized she was even more late at picking up the cookie and fruit arrangement she had ordered last week for today. "That was the place I'm picking Troy's surprise from. I better get going. Thank you both again so much."

With that, Chris and Gabriella left Martin and Henry, who left to go on their own individual assignments, while Chris walked Gabriella safely to her car, saluting one of the security team members he saw lurking nearby after Gabriella got in before Chris headed back inside to help setting up some things for Claudia.

- - -

Tomas and Troy finished running the team's last set of suicides at the same time, ahead of the rest of the team, both panting as they went to get their water bottles nearby before drinking deeply but not too much. Finding his towel in his gym bag, Troy wiped his face with it and his neck before dropping it on top of his bag. He jerked his head to the right and back to fling some of his sweaty locks off his forehead before he went back to the sidelines to cheer on some of his teammates who were still doing suicides. Troy was soon joined by Tomas and some of the faster runners, keeping it up until the last person was over the line, hearing the whistle get blown by Roberto, who was grinning at his team now gathered on the side.

"Team's best time for suicides. I'm impressed," Roberto remarked, giving them each a meaningful look. "There's a reason why the Knights have the best record in the Euroleague and it has nothing to do with me, the head coach, but each of you. You really put your heart, mind, and energy into this and…"

Roberto's speech though was soon interrupted as there were collective gasps from the men on the team, causing Troy and Tomas to look at them puzzled, following their gaze to the door in the opposite corner, a grin growing on Troy's face as he spied the source of the commotion. "Coach?"

"Go," replied Roberto with a smile, knowing better than to try to keep Troy away from his wife.

Troy didn't have to be told twice. He sprinted across the gym, ignoring the obnoxious yells directed at him from his teammates before stopping in front of Gabriella, wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her deeply, mindful not to knock the arrangement of cookies and fresh fruit, some dipped in what looked like chocolate, out of her hands. "Hi Brie."

"Hi Wildcat," answered Gabriella, giggling as she saw some of the basketball players Troy played with making not so G rated gestures behind Troy's back when he wasn't looking their way, easy to do as Troy only had eyes for Gabriella at the moment. "Happy one month anniversary!"

"Aww, these are in celebration of it? That's so sweet," commented Troy, using his right hand to take the arrangement from his wife. "You know though the guys are going to gobble this up before I can get it out of here."

Gabriella nodded. "I figured as much. You have more surprises later."

"Ah, just a distraction huh? Very nice," Troy replied, kissing Gabriella on the forehead.

Tomas enjoyed watching Gabriella and Troy talk quietly with each other, their body language conveying exactly how close they were now, even more so than before they were married, and it meant a lot that Tomas had the honor of seeing a lot of it happen in the past few months. 'Sure it's not the history that someone like Chad has but they still have gone through some major milestones since Troy and I have been friends.'

"God he's a fucking lucky bastard," murmured a teammate nearby. "Flexible contract and also being married to that hot body? Damn!"

"Bet she's amazing in bed. I've had a crush on her since I got to Copanvy a few years ago," admitted another.

"You and everyone else! Damn Bolton for being the perfect guy for her. I could have been him!" exclaimed another teammate.

Roberto rolled his eyes as he heard all this. "You wish Smith! Princess Gabriella has better taste than you. As for Troy's flexible contract, he has the same type as you do, even being a codified prince now. He's still required to be at all practices and at all games."

"Not to mention he plays for the fun of it and not the money. Do you really think he needs the money from playing in the Euroleague now? We're just lucky his royal family is allowing him to continue," volunteered Tomas, smirking as he still saw the looks of jealousy on most of the other men's faces. "Sure he is married to a beautiful woman but Troy isn't without merit either."

"Tomas is right. I think Troy has earned a lot of what he has now, both professionally and also with Princess Gabriella. It's not like she would have chosen the guy if he wasn't worthy. If you gave any credit to anything out there written about their past, it sounds like a lot happened between them," added another teammate, Richard Conrad, who had recently begun to hang out with Tomas and Troy outside of practices, games, and team events and who seemed pretty genuine as far as being a friend to the both of them.

"KISS UP!" called out a few teammates before the group burst into laughter, quieting as Troy walked back over to them with his arm still wrapped around Gabriella's waist.

Troy instantly felt the undercurrent of what was going on and shook his head. "If all the teasing is done, I thought I'd offer this basket Brie brought for me to share with all you but not until after practice. Coach will kill us for being stupid enough to scarf all this down only to cramp up later in practice."

Roberto gave Troy an approving smile. "Couldn't have said that better myself. Nice to see you as always Princess Gabriella."

"Gabriella, please, and thank you," answered Gabriella, returning the coach's smile before she hugged Tomas in greeting, feeling the several pairs of eyes on her body as she did that. "How many of them are staring?"

Tomas looked around after Gabriella's whispered question and glared at the others, making some of them look away in guilt, especially as Troy looked at them too. "Not many now. Troy took care of them without having to lift a finger."

Gabriella giggled as she pulled away, turning around to face the rest of the team. "You all have been doing phenomenal. I just have to say that from myself and my family. We always enjoy watching the team play."

Troy smirked as he saw blushes appear on some of the cheeks of the men who had previously been checking out his wife. "Coach, is it okay if Gabriella stays for the rest of practice?"

Roberto thought about it for a few moments before agreeing. "I don't see why not. She is after all at every one of our games. This won't be much different since it's scrimmage time. Troy and Richard, go pick your teams."

With a nod, Troy quickly gathered Gabriella in his arms, kissing her tenderly on the lips before running off to do as the coach ordered. Gabriella and Roberto talked while the team was dividing up but Gabriella was pretty much left on her own for the rest of the practice, free to watch how the team interacted when playing against each other, knowing how to anticipate each other's moves more so than against real opponents of other teams. Still though, each player shined with their skills, making it obvious to even Gabriella, who wasn't as into basketball as Chris or her father despite her husband being a fanatic about the sport, how talented the entire team was.

Admittedly, Gabriella's eyes often followed one particular player whose dazzling cerulean eyes met hers from time to time before focusing on the game at hand again. She even laughed a few times as she heard Troy being called "Prince Troy" in mocking and joking voices by his teammates who were temporarily his opponents, thinking back to the first day of practice Troy had with the Knights after their wedding. Gabriella recalled the frustration Troy had over everyone calling him prince and treating him differently but Gabriella had reassured him that it would all work out once they were used to him being royalty and realized that Troy wasn't any different just because he had a title in front of his first name.

Of course Gabriella had been right and a week later, Troy was in high spirits again, having come to terms with the teasing and grateful that things became normal again on the basketball court, even if there were more photographers around. Gabriella had secretly been keeping tabs on the situation too via Tomas, who was happy to keep her updated, especially telling her that it seemed that most of the jealousy had run its course through the teammates and was now over, except for times like today clearly.

When Roberto blew his whistle for the last time, Troy collapsed on the bench next to Gabriella and leaned his sweaty body against her side making Gabriella scrunch her face up. "Troy! You're all sweaty!"

"You didn't seem to mind last night," teased Troy, his voice quiet and husky while he winked at her.

Gabriella shoved his shoulder, feeling the sweat cling to her palm. "Ugh, you have been playing with dirty minds today all right. Go get dressed so we can get out of here."

Chuckling, Troy did as he was told, kissing Gabriella on the tip of her nose before he went to gather his stuff, change, and then follow Gabriella back to the palace.

After both got cleaned up and dressed, Gabriella and Troy went horseback riding on the palace grounds and then veered off them, Gabriella just following Troy's lead. A while after the horses had started a climb up the side of a hill, Troy pulled his horse and Gabriella's to a stop, sliding off before helping Gabriella down, allowing his hands to linger on Gabriella's sides, both of their eyes sparking with the familiar desire they always had around each other these days. Instead of giving in to his urge to abort his plan in favor of following his natural instinct, Troy kissed Gabriella lightly on her closed eyelids and then on her forehead before getting to work at tying the horses up, grabbing the supplies he had snuck into his saddlebags.

Gabriella watched as Troy spread out an oversized blue and white blanket on the ground nearby before he set out what looked like food, a few candles and a lantern along with a portable DVD player. The backdrop of the slowly setting sun with Troy now slowly walking toward her with his earth shattering grin took Gabriella's breath away, smiling into the tender kiss they shared before Troy took her hands in his before leading her toward the blanket.

Troy first had Gabriella sit down before he sat down next to her, careful not to crush any of the items he had smuggled along. He pulled out a book of matches and lit the candles, knowing that they would be draped in darkness soon enough as the sun continued to set. "We have our special sundaes waiting back at the palace, which I couldn't smuggle and not have melt all over the saddlebags, but I thought we'd have a special and quirky meal to celebrate our first month of being married."

Gabriella's lips curled upwards as she thought of the very sundae they had created on whim back in high school that had just stuck for them. "I'm sure whatever you have ready for dinner is wonderful."

"We'll see about that," replied Troy, working first on popping the cork of the champagne bottle before pouring them each a glass, having bottles of water nearby too as he knew Gabriella wasn't a real drinker. "Happy Anniversary Gabriella. To our first month as husband and wife and many more to come. I love you."

"I love you too and happy one month," answered Gabriella, clinking her raised glass against his own before they both took sips. "This was very sweet Troy."

Troy shrugged. "Never enough to spoil you though," he teased. "So we have appetizers in mini peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches cut in heart shapes. Don't laugh, Pip made me let her help and cut them with a cookie cutter before I realized what she was doing. For the main course, we have cold pasta with blackened chicken, and then for our dessert here, we have chocolate covered strawberries."

"Mmm, sounds divine," Gabriella returned, smiling more at all the thought Troy had put into this. "Some of my favorite dishes and yours. However did you know?"

"Gee, I don't know," countered Troy, happily meeting Gabriella's lips in another soft kiss that gave way to something more before they pulled back as Troy's stomach growled. "Guess we better eat."

Gabriella only laughed, taking a bite of her first heart shaped PB&J sandwich, enjoying the peacefulness all around them as they continued to eat and share a nice, easy conversation. When both were done with the pasta and chicken, Troy got up to tuck away all the dishes and glasses they had used, settling back down on the blanket but this time behind Gabriella, sliding his legs on either side of her body, keeping his knees bent while he brought her back to his chest. Gabriella happily snuggled into his embrace, staring out at the now dark sky, savoring the feeling of being in Troy's arms and staring up at the twinkling stars.

After a while, Troy decided it was time to play the DVD that Tessa and Taylor had sent to his attention, instructing him to watch only with Gabriella on their one month. He almost chuckled as he remembered reading the threat Tessa made in her P.S. at the end of the note but smothered it as he reached over for a chocolate covered strawberry and fed it to Gabriella, leaning forward and to the side to capture here lips with his for the briefest of moments, enjoying the taste of the fresh strawberries on her lips mixed with the sweetness of the chocolate. Next, Troy went after the portable DVD player and snagged it, bringing it back to rest in his hands in front of Gabriella.

"Troy, maybe we can watch whatever that is laying down?" asked Gabriella, thinking how uncomfortable Troy may get holding that little player up for an extended amount of time. "I don't know how long the DVD is that you want us to watch is, I'm sure it's great, but I don't want you getting pained by holding your arms out too long."

Troy smiled at her genuine concern. "Sounds good to me. Gives me a reason to lay down with you anyway."

Gabriella rolled her eyes as they shifted positions, moving the remaining chocolate covered strawberries off to the side before they both laid down on their stomachs, Troy putting the portable player in front of them. Troy placed his left arm over Gabriella's back, curling his hand around Gabriella's side under her top, feeling the sparks that always went off whenever their skin touched each other.

"So what is this?" questioned Gabriella as Troy used his right hand to turn on the player and hit play.

"Something from Tessa and Taylor. Beyond that, I don't know," replied Troy honestly, settling down as soft music started playing once the DVD got to the main menu with a picture of Troy and Gabriella from Taylor and Chad's wedding as the background.

Both got their suspicions of what it was but had it confirmed moments later when a video clip started playing with Tessa, Taylor, Chad, Chucky, Sharpay, Ryan, Amy, Kelsi, Martha, Jason, and Zeke all gathered together on what looked like the same beach Gabriella and Troy had gotten married on.

"Bet you're surprised!" called out Zeke with a grin.

"And if you aren't, you've been spying on us," accused Sharpay with her signature narrowed brown eyes.

"But most likely you are because this is a project that Taylor and Tessa started long ago," added Martha.

"A project they kept secret until this trip out here to Hawaii to see you two lovebirds finally get married!" exclaimed Amy with a grin. "Good job by the way little cousin. Gabriella is so a keeper."

Troy chuckled while Gabriella giggled a little at this.

"Troy and Gabriella, you've gone through quite a lot. A lot we have seen but we're sure there's even more," stated Ryan, looking right into the camera.

"You had a lot of ups and downs, separation by time and distance, but you have prevailed and yesterday, your wedding day, is only one example of the wonderful things that can happen when one puts their heart and mind into something," stated Kelsi, a dreamy smile on her face.

Jason was up next. "I've always been the slowest of this group but it didn't take me long to realize Troy that you were completely taken by this wonderful girl you met over winter break, despite her going to a rival school."

"And Gaby, it didn't take me long either to know that the silly boy you were stuck on who you had met in Colorado before your move to Albuquerque and then freaked out over when I called his cell phone at the mall that day was the one for you," admitted Tessa.

"You have been an inspiration to all of us and a blessing in our lives," added Chucky.

Chad chuckled before he said, "Gabs and Troy, what we are all trying to say is Happy One Month Anniversary, even though we are making this the day after you got married. We haven't seen any sign of you today, which I guess is natural considering it is your honeymoon and you're probably… OWW!"

Both Troy and Gabriella burst out into laughter as Taylor and Sharpay both smacked Chad, immediately shutting him up. Taylor took over the conclusion from there. "What my darling husband was trying to say was Happy Anniversary, even if it is a month. We all know that you will celebrate many more years together and other milestones together including one day ruling Copanvy together. Enjoy these clips and pictures that Tessa and I put together for you. The original plan in high school was to give this to you as a wedding gift, yes we always knew you'd make it one way or another, and it was admittedly stalled during the years between then and now but we revived it and made it even better. We even put the finishing touches after today for you since we had zero notice that yesterday was your wedding but we forgive you. We love you both and be happy today!"

There was a loud shout of "Aloha!" from the group before their images faded as a love ballad came on, starting the photo slideshow of pictures of Troy and Gabriella together and apart with their friends during their high school years. There were pictures of Gabriella on Troy's back, of them snuggled together studying, Gabriella and Troy sharing their favorite shared sundae, and even a few of the night Gabriella had to be dressed up in toilet paper. Both gasped though as the photos faded out with the music to give way to a shakily shot video of Troy singing "This I Promise You" by N'Sync to Gabriella out on the back patio of the mansion as he slipped the promise ring on her finger.

"How did they get that?" wondered Gabriella.

Troy just shook his head while he grinned. "This is Tessa and Taylor we are talking about. Who knows."

Gabriella only let out a little laugh before her attention was focused again on the screen that gave way to pictures of Troy and Gabriella more recently, from the festivities surrounding Taylor and Chad's wedding, images of them together at various places around Copanvy including the teen center, and some from their time back in Albuquerque. When the clip of Troy's proposal aired, Gabriella had to blink back tears of happiness as she relived that night, hearing Troy's voice singing Nick Lachey's "Fall In Love Again" before he got down on one knee and proposed. Her eyes flashed to the ring now properly on her left hand with the wedding band in front of it, knowing Troy too was living in the memory too as she felt his lips in her hair while his hand squeezed her side.

The next sets of pictures centered around their wedding day in Hawaii, followed by a video of the ceremony and some of the reception including both Tessa's and Chad's speeches. The last ten minutes were dedicated to pictures of the wedding in Copanvy with some short footage of them getting ready respectively and ending with pictures of Troy and Gabriella together, panning from high school to the most recent picture that Taylor and Tessa could get their hands on when they finished the DVD, picking out what looked like favorites.

When the screen returned back to the root menu, Troy wordlessly gathered Gabriella into his arms as he rolled onto his back, mindful of the candles nearby. They laid there together, both living in their memories of the past with the stars twinkling above them, Troy's hand playing with Gabriella's curls while Gabriella contentedly listened to Troy's breathing and his constant heartbeat.

"That was so beautiful," murmured Gabriella finally, breaking the comfortable silence.

"It was. We'll have to make sure to thank them tomorrow," agreed Troy. "That was a lot of work, especially way back in high school when even you and I weren't sure what to make of our relationship."

Gabriella nodded. "They may have been protective of me but those two especially always had faith in you and me. The DVD really was so sweet and so thought out. I still can't believe they caught some of that, especially the night of the promise ring."

"They even caught my shaking voice singing that night," chuckled Troy, thinking back to how nervous he had been then, comparing it to his nerves the night he proposed.

"Was it? I didn't even notice. I think I was and am still just so moved that you chose to sing to me and to give me that promise ring that night. You lived up to your promise in the end too," stated Gabriella, pushing herself up a little to look Troy in the eyes. "I've always loved you Wildcat but I really mean it when I say I'm heads over heels in love with you today and forever Troy. Nothing can ever change that."

"And nothing can ever change how I feel about you, how much I am in love with you Gabriella," vowed Troy, brushing back some of the hair that spilled over Gabriella's shoulders. "I love you Brie with every beat of my heart."

They smiled at each other before they shared in a loving set of kisses before settling back down to enjoy this wonderful moment in their lives, one of the best yet, at least so far.

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