Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or places created by the High School Musical franchise or by Disney!

Chapter 60 - Epilogue Part II

"Ryan, what is it?" she asked, eyeing the paper heart inside the box.

"Just open it," replied Ryan with a grin.

Gabriella reached down and fingered the heart shaped folded paper. She carefully unfolded it and read it:

Meet me up on the rooftop in five minutes.

Ryan saw the confused look on her face and smiled. He pulled her into a big hug while he whispered, "Just follow what the note says and I promise you won't be disappointed."

He pulled away then and vanished into the crowd that was still staring at Gabriella. Soon, Taylor, Kelsi, Martha, and even Sharpay were by Gabriella's side. "What did he give you?" asked Taylor, mystified by what just happened.

Gabriella silently handed over the note and all four girls eagerly read it. "That's it?" asked Kelsi.

"So curious," commented Martha. "I wonder what it means."

"Obviously, it is a surprise, otherwise there wouldn't be so much mystery," stated Sharpay. "You are going to go right, Gabriella?"

Gabriella looked at her friends and bit her lip. Taylor recognized the nervous gesture right away. "Come on, Gabriella. You owe it to him to at least see what's going on, as mysterious as it is."

She nodded her agreement. "You are right. I guess I better start making my way up there."

"We want details when you get back!" called out Sharpay as Gabriella left the gym to walk towards the rooftop.

'Why would Ryan want me to meet him up in Troy's old spot, well the spot I used to share with him?' wondered Gabriella as she walked through the halls of her old high school and found the familiar staircase. She noticed little candles on every other step that flickered a little as she walked by them. Gabriella was getting increasingly more curious as she started hearing soft music from above.

When she finally reached the top, Gabriella lost her breath as she saw how the science club's nursery on the roof was transformed for the evening. There were strings of icicle lights hanging around the overhang that twinkled like the stars above and additional little candles that lined the railing. Near the bench she and Troy usually sat on was a small table that held two champagne glasses and a bottle of champagne in a bucket with ice. There were also two long tapered candles on either side of the ice bucket.

"Do you like it?" asked a familiar voice, startling and surprising Gabriella.

She whirled around and gasped as she saw Troy, dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and red tie, standing at the top of the stairs, a bouquet of long stemmed red roses in his hands. "Troy? I thought you were on some promotional basketball tour or something like that. I've lost track after all the different things you've put aside for the Celtics."

He smiled a little at her as he slowly approached her. "No, not this time around. I knew that this reunion meant something to you, even though you claim to detest the very idea of it, so I wanted to make sure I was here. And I don't know how many times I can say that I am sorry for being so absentminded about everything lately, but I am. I have a confession to make to you though."

Gabriella accepted the roses from him, feeling familiar sparks as their fingers brushed against each other. She smelled them quickly before she placed them on the bench that was next to her. "What is it?" she asked, giving Troy her full attention.

"All those times I disappeared in the past month, supposedly doing stuff for the Celtics, well I lied to you. I was really busy arranging things for tonight," explained Troy. "I hated lying to you, especially when it meant we had the huge fight we did before you left for Albuquerque, but I really wanted tonight to be a surprise."

"The surprise that you came?" asked Gabriella, unsure of where he was going.

"No, this," said Troy before he dropped down to his right knee, giving Gabriella a flashback to when Ryan did the same thing moments before but knowing that this time, with Troy doing it, this was real.

Troy slowly drew the black velvet box out of his pocket and took in a deep breath to calm his nerves. He carefully opened the top to reveal a stunning canary diamond cut in a heart shape, elevated slightly above the white gold band that also had four square cut, colorless diamonds set inside the band on each side of the main canary diamond. Troy grinned as he heard Gabriella's gasp and finally ventured a look at her face, which was one full of surprise, happiness, and love.

"Gabriella Montez, you have stuck by me for over six and a half years now, give or take a few months here and there, and you have made my life the better for it. From the moment we sang together back at that ski lodge to today, you have given me the silent strength that is you to be a better man, to push myself to the limits, and to go after my dreams, the right way. We have gone through a lot together, quite a bit even here in these halls of East High, but we've survived all of it to be where we are now, a couple that is wiser and stronger for it all. I know we have had our problems, just as every other couple has, but we've shown our real character to fight through it – the distance, the distractions, and the time. Gabriella, you are single handedly the most amazing woman I have ever had the pleasure to know. You complete me in ways that no one else can while touching my very heart and soul with as little as a smile from you. Through the good times and the bad, you have always been my better half, Gabriella, the one that can calm me with just a touch of the hand, the one that makes me feel so loved and cared for by just one look from you and your gorgeous brown eyes.

"I know that I don't deserve you, not even a little bit, but for some crazy reason, you seem to have chosen me out of all the guys you have encountered through the years to share in your life, and I would love to continue to do so as we continue to mature and grow up, enjoying life now as adults instead of teenagers as we were when we first met. Our future may not be a perfect fairy tale, but I dedicate my whole being to making you as deliriously happy as I possibly can. You, Gabriella, are my top priority, above basketball and all those other things you sometimes suspect take precedence but don't. No, you, Gabriella, alone are the reason I live and breathe, the reason why I came back all those years ago when I was in that coma senior year, the only reason why I even have a hope that my life in the future will be bright with promise. Gabriella Montez, what I am trying to ask is, will you marry me, my angel, and make me the happiest man in the universe? Will you do me this honor of becoming my wife?"

Gabriella gazed lovingly at the man who had kneeled before her on one knee moments before, the boy who she fell in love with all those years ago, immediately forgetting all the anger that she felt only minutes before as a leftover to the fight they had before she left Boston. A fight, she now realized, that was over him vanishing from the city for periods of time, forgetting dates they arranged, not for basketball or someone else as she suspected, but for her, so that Troy could propose in one of the most romantic ways he could have. She brushed away a few happy tears that escaped and nodded her head. "Yes, Troy Bolton, I will marry you. I love you with all of my heart," answered Gabriella, immediately being swept up in Troy's arms, hearing Troy let out a relieved sigh.

"I love you with all of my being, Gabriella. Thank you," murmured Troy before he kissed her tenderly. He pulled away momentarily to slip the ring from the box and onto Gabriella's ring finger on her left hand, admiring the vision of the ring finally being there, as he had imagined it for weeks, ever since he picked it up from the jeweler in New York Ryan had recommended to him.

After a more passionate kiss and while Troy opened the bottle of champagne, Gabriella asked, "So you've been gone all these past weeks at those random intervals to arrange all this?"

"Yup. I went to New York City to visit Ryan to enlist his help and to pick out your ring at a place he recommended that are known for their amazing work. I came here to Albuquerque a few times to prepare tonight and to also ask your mother for permission and to talk to my own parents about it," revealed Troy.

"My mother knows?" questioned Gabriella.

"She does and she gave her blessing on tonight and on our future being husband and wife," answered Troy with a smile. "You know, your mom can be intimidating when she wants to be."

Gabriella laughed. "You don't have to tell me about that. I am her daughter after all. My God, Troy, you really have put so much time and effort into all of this and I am so sorry that I ever doubted you. I really should have learned from my lessons taught to me through the past years together to trust you more and I feel so ashamed that I overlooked all that when I was blinded by your constant absentmindedness and mysterious nature."

"Apology accepted but please don't say any more. I understand the way you saw things for the past month or so and I would have been just as confused and as concerned as you have been. I did all this for you, that's how much you mean to me, Gabriella, don't you know that by now? I wanted to make sure I did everything correctly, down to the letter, because there will be no other time I get to propose to you. Tonight was it," responded Troy.

She accepted the champagne glass from him finally and held it up as she took the initiative and said the toast. "Here's to our bright, beautiful, happy, and amazingly love filled future, as well as in recognition of our past that helped us build the foundation for the next step in life we have just committed to making together, marriage."

They clinked their glasses together and sipped the champagne, savoring the moment and riding the high that was created as a result of all their shared love while they leaned into each other's embrace. Gabriella thought back to a memory of another surprise from Troy in their senior year of college.

Gabriella and the MIT team that she captained just finished the lightweight women's crew competition in the Head of the Charles competition and were celebrating their victory of coming in first when she spotted him. "TROY?"

He grinned as he stepped further out of the crowd that surrounded the winning team and embraced Gabriella tightly. "Congratulations, angel! You and your team were amazing! I can't believe you have that loud of a voice out there, Gabriella!"

Gabriella laughed in delight. "You should have told me you were coming!"

"I didn't want to distract you. You guys really kicked butt out there, I have to tell you. Now if only we could harness your crew skills into basketball, we could get you into the WNBA without a problem," teased Troy.

They shared a romantic kiss, right there on the side of the Charles river and among all the changing leaves of October from the trees, enjoying that special moment where Troy was able to support Gabriella in a sport she loved instead of the other way around for once. Kelsi and Taylor also appeared shortly after, along with Ryan, who had all made sure to come out to support their close and best friend

After Gabriella helped her team carry the equipment back over to their site and load everything up, she returned back to her friends and to her boyfriend for one last congratulatory round and a hug before following her team back to the MIT dock. Once they were able to take care of unloading everything there, the team went out for a dinner at Vinny T's near the Pru and opened it up to friends and family who were in town so everyone could be together. Gabriella excitedly called Troy, who was still with Ryan, Taylor, and Kelsi, and gave them the whereabouts of the dinner. The four showed up just a few minutes after the crew team got there and joined in on the large, family style dinner they all shared together, adding another memorable night to Gabriella's and everyone else's memory.

"Why are you giggling?" asked Troy, a smile still on his lips.

"Oh, I was thinking back to the time you surprised me at Head of the Charles and how you and Ryan both were so bummed you got tomato sauce on your shirts that night at dinner," explained Gabriella.

Troy grinned at the memory. "I still say you were amazing that day, and every other time I was able to watch you."

"Thank you for coming out to those meets. That meant a lot to me."

"Just as you coming out for the games you could manage meant a lot to me too through the years."

The two smiled at each other, brown eyes locking with blue eyes, as they leaned towards each other and shared a passionate kiss as their embrace around each other grew tighter. When they finally pulled apart, Troy noted that Gabriella had this adorable little smile on her lips that hadn't slipped away since he proposed. "Come on, we should get back downstairs. Let me clean this up real quick and drop it in the rental car and we'll go back in."

Gabriella nodded her agreement and helped Troy blow out all the candles and pack up everything in the bag he stashed aside. She picked up the roses and looked towards the lights, wondering how they would get them down. "Don't worry about those, those are my donation to the current science club for still maintaining the nursery up here," said Troy as he grabbed Gabriella's hand in his and led her down the stairs, most likely for the last time.

After they deposited everything in Troy's rental car, they walked back towards East High and the gym, one arm each wrapped around the other, but not before Troy sent a message off to Ryan without Gabriella noticing. When they reached the doors of the gym, Troy stopped them and turned so they were facing each other. "Are you ready for all the attention and all the excitement from our friends?"

"You mean none of them know?"

"Only Chad and Ryan," replied Troy. "I wanted only a few to know so you wouldn't get a clue in as to what would happen tonight."

"Well, I can tell you that you succeeded. I never would have thought of this," confessed Gabriella. "God, the girls are going to go nuts."

Troy nodded his agreement. "You ready?"

"Sure," she said, leaning up for a last kiss before Troy opened the door and held it open for her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me proudly be the first to introduce the future, not quite there yet, Mr. and Mrs. Troy Bolton, previously known as East High Class of 2008's cutest couple!" announced Ryan from up on the stage as soon as he saw the door close behind Troy.

Gabriella shot Ryan a look that let him know she would be talking to him later but turned her attention back on her boyfriend, well now fiancé, who was grinning back at her. "You sly guy, you."

"Hey, had to do it," answered Troy before he leaned down and kissed her.

They heard applause all around them and both blushed at all of the attention. The DJ started playing a slow song, one of their favorites to dance to, so Troy pulled Gabriella out onto the dance floor, swaying to the music with her in his arms. The group of friends held back, letting the two newly engaged enjoy their moment, as were the rest of the alumni of their class. Gabriella eventually ventured a look around and noticed that everyone was staring at them and had effectively put Troy and Gabriella in the center of a huge circle, very reminiscent of the type of attention a Prom King and Queen would have.

"Troy, everyone is staring," murmured Gabriella.

"So? Let them. They're just jealous because I have the most wonderful, talented, and beautiful woman here with me on the dance floor," returned Troy with another stunning grin.

She just shook her head in return. "What am I going to do with you, Wildcat?"

"Love me with all your heart and soul. That should be a good start," supplied Troy.

The song ended and there was another round of applause as Troy bowed and Gabriella curtsied.

"Now that we have established our commitment of our Cutest Couple, let's get this party started!" yelled Ryan into the microphone before heading down to where Troy and Gabriella were headed, where all their other close friends were.

After receiving congratulations from different people, Troy and Gabriella finally made it to hear a mini chorus of:

"How could you not tell me?"

"I can't believe you are finally engaged!"

"When is the big day?"

"I want to see the ring!"

"How did he propose?"

"Did you suspect anything?"

"I thought you were with Ryan."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, everyone calm down," said Troy. "No, Gabriella is not with Ryan, but Ryan was very instrumental in helping me out tonight, making sure he was Gabriella's date for the night especially after she and I had a bit of a fallout before she came. As you can see, everything is fine now and she knows that my vanishing act was to set up everything for tonight. In case you are wondering, Ryan has a great girlfriend back in New York that he has been dating seriously for a month, who he so graciously left behind to help me here tonight."

"You'll all meet her sometime in the future if we work out that long," stated Ryan.

"So the fight is why Gabriella hasn't wanted to talk about you all night?" asked Sharpay.

"That and the tension that has been going on and built up to that fight for the past month. I've been pretty emotional about the subject of Troy and our relationship ever since I felt that we were on possible uneven ground again sometime this past month," answered Gabriella. "I never dreamed he was off arranging things to propose to me, including asking my mom for her permission and blessing."

The girls aahhed at this before they reached out and grabbed Gabriella's left hand so they could admire the ring Troy picked out.

"Just as I called it, the girls are all aflutter about this latest romantic gesture of yours," commented Chad, who chuckled at the sounds of admiration the girls were making over the engagement ring.

"Leave my fiancé alone, Chad! Just because you don't have the same romantic bone in your body that he does or his great taste in jewelry is no reason to tease him," stated Gabriella, smiling at Troy, who gave her a grateful look for saving him from further teasing.

"Hmm, fiancé. That sounds really weird," noted Jason. "Guess though it'll be husband soon enough, huh? Any time frame on the big day?"

Gabriella and Troy exchanged a look before he said, "Maybe within the next year or two, whatever time is necessary for Gabriella to feel that she had enough time to prepare. I've waited this long, I can wait another year or two."

"And this is why I love you so much. You just get me without even trying," replied Gabriella.

Zeke coughed. "Yeah, now maybe, but do you not remember all the scrapes he got himself into even going into college because he didn't have the slightest clue how to read you at times?"

"That's true," agreed Ryan. "Like the time you were in the doghouse for making fun of her Halloween costume via email after she sent you a picture thinking it was a joke when she was really serious? I think she dressed up as a bum and you made fun of her, thinking Gabriella was just playing with you."

Troy chuckled at the memory. "Yeah, well, I don't confess to being the smartest guy in those years."

"But you could today since you managed to capture one of the most amazing girls in the world tonight, to have by your side for the rest of your life," replied Ryan.

Troy grinned. "Very good point!"

"Hey, at least Ryan is good for something," joked Chad before Taylor smacked him on the back of the head, making the whole group burst into laughter.

"Glad some things never change," got out Martha in between laughs.

After another hour of just hanging out together, mingling with other East High Class of 2008 members, the group grew a bit restless as the reunion started to die down.

"Hey, I have a great idea! Why don't we do an impromptu party at the our family's estate tonight? Spend more time together there? It's a no brainer this party will be dead in less than half an hour," said Sharpay. "I'm sure Daddy wouldn't mind."

A general agreement was exchanged except for two people. "Sorry guys, I have a second part to the night for myself and Gabriella. You'll just have to party without us," said Troy with an apologetic smile. "We will be there for brunch at our favorite diner tomorrow morning, promise."

Everyone, including Ryan and Chad, gave him and Gabriella curious looks as none of them had a clue as to what Troy's plans for the rest of the night included. Gabriella eyed Troy but realized, whatever it was, he wasn't about to let her know until it was time, that determined look being on his face.

Gabriella hugged everyone good-bye, as did Troy, before they went off on their separate way, Gabriella being clueless as to where they were headed. After some time in the car, Gabriella broke the silence. "Aren't you going to give me a small hint?"

"Nope," answered Troy, determined not to look at her to avoid cracking.

In just a few moments more time though, Troy pulled the rental car up to the valet area of the hotel Gabriella, Ryan, Taylor, and Kelsi had just checked into earlier on in the morning, that same day. "The hotel?" she questioned.

Troy grinned as he got out of the car and handed the valet the keys, picking up the bags from earlier on in the night before he gave her something. She looked down and saw it was an envelope with a red heart on it with a number in the middle, 1014. He smirked a little when he saw her recognizing the significance of the number 14 but didn't say anything further. "Meet me up there after you get your bags from your room with the girls."

Gabriella gazed up at him for a few moments before she nodded his head, wondering what he was about. They went up the elevator together but Gabriella got off on the third floor while Troy continued up to his destination on the tenth floor, the top floor.

It wasn't until Gabriella put her cosmetic bag into her duffle and zipped up her little suitcase that it dawned on her what could be going on seven floors above her. 'Could he really be setting up for a true "special night", one we will remember even more so after I go up there?'

Knowing there was only one way to find out, Gabriella took in a deep breath to settle her nerves and then went back out to the elevator to wait for one to take her up, realizing how nervous she really was now that tonight was the night. Surprisingly though, as she stepped onto the elevator and pushed the number 10, Gabriella realized as nervous as she was, she felt with her entire being that tonight would be the perfect night to celebrate their love by sharing in their first times together. When the elevator doors opened, Gabriella stepped into the hallway and noticed the doors in this hallway were separated a lot more than the ones on the floor her original room was on. 'Suites maybe?'

On her right, she saw 1014 on an engraved plate on the middle of one of the two doors that led to the room. After a deep breath, laughing at herself softly as she realized her hands were shaking, she opened the envelope in her hands that Troy had given her and pulled out the key to the room. Gabriella slid the key into the electronic lock and saw the green light, biting her lip a little as she pushed the door open to a scene she was unprepared for, more so than the sight that greeted her back at East High on the rooftop.

There, in the living room of the suite, were what seemed like at least one hundred tea lights strategically placed around the room, softly lighting the room that would have been dark since all the lights were off. On the floor were red rose petals scattered about while there was a coffee table in the middle with the long stemmed roses from earlier on in the night in a vase. There was another bucket with a bottle of champagne and two champagne glasses next to it. Next to those were some small picture frames, which under closer inspection, proved to hold pictures of Gabriella and Troy through the past years, starting from the Winter Musicale in high school to a picture of them at the first NBA game she watched him play in as a Celtic. Gabriella fingered the one of her and Troy on New Year's Eve from just this past year when they went to Paris to celebrate and enjoyed their New Year's kiss this time in front of a sparkling Eiffel Tower.

"You can put your bag down, you know," murmured Troy as he smiled at her, coming out of what she assumed was the bedroom. He went over to her and took her duffel bag and her suitcase from her grasp, kissing her softly before he put them into the bedroom. Before he returned to her, he turned on the stereo in the entertainment center, above the blank TV, and pressed play as soft R&B music and lyrics started to slowly drift through the room.

Gabriella smiled at him, knowing now more than ever, that Troy Bolton was the man for her and that should he have it planned, she would be ready to make love to him for the first time. She watched as Troy took his time walking back over to her, a sweet yet admittedly sexy smile gracing his lips, until he stood right in front of her. "Dance with me?"

She nodded her head as she wrapped her arms around his neck as she felt his muscular arms, which had developed quite a bit since high school, wrap around her waist, pulling Gabriella much closer to Troy. Gabriella leaned her head down onto his chest and enjoyed the sensation of being this close to him, in this romantic atmosphere, letting herself just listen as his heart beat, soothing her nerves that still lingered.

A few songs had passed before either of them moved besides slowly swaying to the song. Troy gently pulled away from Gabriella to gaze down into her brown eyes, searching for the answer he suspected would be there. Sensing the question in his blue eyes, Gabriella nodded her head slightly, showing him that they were on the same page about tonight being the night.

Troy grinned as he carefully leaned down and captured her lips with his, pulling her body flush with his again, deepening the kiss as she opened her mouth to him. Slowly, ever so slowly, he moved them into the general direction of the bedroom, breaking the kiss only to open the door to the bedroom that was filled with more candles, this time the small candles similar to those he used on the rooftop. Gabriella paused at the doorframe, memorizing the way the candles flickered as Troy walked ahead of her into the room, the shadows they cast on the wall, and the way their light made Troy look that much more appealing, especially with that shy smile he had on his face at the moment. She looked towards the bed and smiled as she saw there were red rose petals scattered across the king's comforter, with a dozen white roses resting at the head of the bed with the pillows.

"How'd you know tonight would be it?" asked Gabriella, looking at Troy, who had a pleased look on his face.

"Well I had hoped it would be," answered Troy, taking her once again in his arms as she approached him. "But, do you remember what I said back during senior ball in high school? That when it was the right time, we both would know it without even having to talk about it? I felt tonight would be it, and I think, unless I read you incorrectly, that you would agree."

She slowly nodded her head in agreement. "I do," Gabriella replied with a small smile. "I'm nervous though. I hate to say that and ruin the moment but I am."

"Don't be. There are no expectations here, no previous experiences for either of us to compare this to, not that either of us would though. Tonight is just about you and me, nothing else, no one else. Making love to you tonight is a celebration of you and me, our love, and our future we will be spending together, nothing more and certainly nothing less."

"How you have gotten so smooth with words through the years, I'll never know," murmured Gabriella before she raised herself up to meet his lips in a soft kiss.

"Lots of practice wooing the girl who will be the woman in my future, my wife within the next few years," replied Troy before he continued to kiss Gabriella, gently backing her up to the edge of the bed.

They took their time there on the bed, slowly undressing each other between kisses and soft caresses until there was nothing that separated their bodies. Together, their eyes never leaving each other's, Gabriella and Troy made love for the first time, after all the time they had spent together, and knew that tonight really was the right moment for them both.

Wrapped in Troy's embrace with Gabriella facing Troy, she smiled at him. 'God, she looks so adorably sweet like that,' he thought as he returned hers with his own smile as they just studied each other, knowing that tonight really was the perfect night for so many reasons. He reached out and brushed some of her dark hair back and leaned forward to kiss her forehead tenderly, then her cheeks, her eyelids, and then finally her lips. "That was simply amazing, Gabriella. I love you so very much."

"I love you too, Troy, with everything I have," returned Gabriella, feeling a bit sore but more blissfully in love than she had ever felt before. "Thank you for everything you did tonight. You truly did make everything so magical and romantic."

"It was all worth it to see that smile on your face and that ring on your finger," he replied, picking up her left hand in his and kissing the back of it before he looked again at the way the ring perfectly sat on her ring finger. "I'd say I was the luckiest guy in the world, but that would be a lie."

"What do you mean?" asked Gabriella, a confused look on her face.

He smiled at her confusion before he kissed her again, feeling like he couldn't kiss her enough. "I mean that, if nothing else, I have learned that after everything that has happened, eventually, luck does run out, but that's when you make your own luck and fight for what you really want, fight for your dreams, and fight for the one you love. That's something I keep thinking about even today, but was something I focused on especially when I worked so hard senior year to get you back after all the stupid things I did. Despite all the hardships and heartache, seeing you, lying here in my arms, smiling up at me, your eyes reflecting all the love we share together, this is worth it all, Gabriella, to have you in my life forever."

Hearing the huskiness of his voice as he spoke, she looked into his blue eyes that had darkened with both passion and love over the last few minutes and knew that Troy was right. Luck may be on their side now, but they each had worked so hard to get what luck didn't give them freely. 'No, we both have struggled and fought so hard for this, maybe this is why it feels so good, so right,' she thought before she leaned over and kissed Troy again, enjoying the sensations of being so close to him.

After kissing for a few more moments, both Troy and Gabriella pulled away, both feeling sleep pull at them. He rolled onto his back so that he could pull Gabriella to lay half on top of him, cuddled into his side, with her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat. Taking in a deep breath and letting it out, Troy just enjoyed this moment and the feelings of having everything being perfectly aligned in his life for once. 'This is it, this is what the fighting has all been about and man, is it so worth it,' he thought before he smiled down at the future Mrs. Troy Bolton. Troy studied her closed eyes and her face that looked so peaceful now, truly angelic, and pulled the sheets and blanket up and over them so neither would get cold during the rest of the evening.

"Gabriella?" he softly asked, not getting a response, confirming his thoughts that she had already fallen asleep, her breath evenly going in and out of her body and her left hand relaxed on his chest, the engagement ring glimmering in the candlelight. "Sweet dreams, Gabriella. I love you."

Troy lovingly kissed the top of her head before resting his own back on the pillows behind him. He finally allowed sleep to take over and was rewarded with dreams which his heart guided, most about the happy future he would share with the woman, who was now asleep in his arms, that he loved more than life itself.