Merry Christmas! So recently I have been obsessed with a certain Zac Efron as a Army man (The Lucky One Trailer ftw!). Anyways, I figured with the troops back, and with such a wonderful holiday- why not give this one shot a try! Also I got a lot of inspiration from the song Christmas Eve by Justin Bieber and Safe & Sound from Taylor Swift, so if you want to give those two a listen go ahead! anyways Happy Holidays and a rocking New Years!

- Lee

"I have never celebrated Christmas"

"I'm sure you have"

"Momma is never home on Christmas morning"

"I'm sure you have a tree and lights all around….Right?"

"Momma doesn't bother with those things. . . . Is okay though"

"No is not Bella. How about this, I promise you no matter what comes, snow or rain we will always have a Christmas together."

"Troy . . . you're seven, you can't drive to my house"

"So! I'll walk if I have to. I won't let you not live Christmas Bella. Not while I'm around."

"What if we are an ocean apart?"

"I'll be there for Christmas you can count on me, we will dance, open presents and sit by the fire and sing Christmas carols."

"You promise?"

"I promise!"

That single scene always played on her head around this time of year. She remembered sitting in his tree house, their cheeks turning slightly pink from the chilly weather. His mother had brought them double chocolate chip cookies and her special chocolate with a big marshmallow on top to start the Christmas feeling.

She remembered sitting in the corner and revealing to him she never really knew what a typical Christmas was. How her mother never bothered decorating the house, nor wrapped the gifts. How her eyes had never seen a fire place with hung stockings nor the mistletoes on each threshold.

She had felt embarrassed admitting such foolish thing knowing most people would just make fun of her. However, he had always proven her wrong. From a young age he had been so amazing to her; never really bothering with the whole "Girls have Cuties "stage.

Not bothering to hold in her laughter, she remembered his determined face that upcoming Christmas morning. He had gotten a small miniature tree – it barely even reached their knees- and some ornaments. He had hand-crafted some ornaments and bought her a gift. Making his mom drive him to her house he had given her, her first real Christmas. Keeping his promise they had decorated the tree, sang Christmas carols and attempted to even dance.

From that Christmas onwards, Troy Bolton had made sure that Gabriella Montez had a Christmas; A tradition that would never be broken until a few recent years ago.

Gabriella smiled to herself as she stood back to see her finished work. Courtesy of her new job she had moved to New York a few thousand miles away from her Albuquerque, New Mexico, her dear hometown.

Looking at the clock she cursed slightly realizing she would be late. Cleaning up fairly quickly she rushed to gather her jacket and keys, making her way through her apartment door.

"Going somewhere Miss. Montez?" she heard her doorman Geoffrey inquired, turning around smiling she nodded excitedly. "I just remembered I needed to buy some last minutes groceries before the store closes- Santa need's cookies" she giggled at her own joke. Hearing Geoffrey laugh as well, she hurried out the door and down the blocks to the nearby store.

Buttoning the buttons on the top of her jacket, she huffed at the chilly air that blew against her. It was supposed to be a white Christmas tomorrow according to weather caster, and in a city like New York that only meant one thing – avoiding the outside world for one whole day; unless you where one of those avid sledding fanatics.

As she arrived to the nearby grocery she smiled to a couple of her neighbors who were also rushing to gather up the necessaries. She giggled as she heard a four year old complain they needed to buy enough cookies for Santa. Picking up a packet of them herself she smiled softly remembering the many years that Troy and herself tried and failed to bake cookies.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Troy! I told you this was a bad idea, your mother will get home and this whole house will be down in flames" a sixteen year old Gabriella exclaimed trying to clear the smoke coming from the oven.

"Oh come on Brie! You'd think after four years of trying we would get it right this time" she heard Troy say from over the sink, his hand being slightly burnt from trying to hold the tray of cookies from out the oven. "Shit, I think I burnt away my fingerprints!"

"Troy if you would of paid attention in class you would of learn that one minimal burn won't burn of your finger prints. Besides they grow back" she chuckled taking his finger and inspecting it. "You just need to bandage it up, it'll be fine. Be a man Bolton" she joked turning around to close the now smoke free oven.

Feeling two arms wrap around her waist she giggled softly. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, tell you what- why don't we go to the store get some cookies and from now on we can buy them from a bakery or something" she heard his voice echo into her ear, along with his lips kissing the top of her head.

"That … has to be the smartest thing you have ever said"

Gabriella shook her head, trying not to let the memories over flow her. She needed to stay happy, after all Christmas was all about joy.

Paying for the things she bought, she walked out of the store heading back home. She watched the small amount of people walking past her. Family's passing by, couples holding hands, and the stores owners sighing in relief, closing their stores to go home to their love ones.

She used to be one of those peoples, she used to have her boyfriends and her family- but all of that was left when she moved to New York. In all truth, although she wanted a boyfriend to cuddle with and kiss, she was happy to spend her Christmas cuddled with her book.

Entering her building entrance she smiled once again at Geoffrey. "Miss. Montez, right after you walked out this young gentleman came in asking for you. I figured you were aware so I let him up" she heard him exclaimed.

Her yes shocking at the news she rushed to the elevator, looking in her bag to her phone- ready to call 911 for whatever robbery was about to occur. What kind of doorman would let in a stranger, never less to an apartment that a single woman lives in?

Running from the elevator to her apartment door she frowned as she saw no one. Her door was close and locked just as she had left it- no sign of forced entry. She looked around waiting for any kind of movement or show of someone ready to attack her. Her shoulders tensing up at the suspense she was currently in.

"You know, I never did like the idea of you living on your own in such a big city" she heard a whisper behind her. She closed her eyes as she jumped up in fright; along the way she dropped her groceries and turned around ready to attack whoever was behind her. However, her hands never came in contact with the person for their hand stopped hers before it touched its face.

"Open your eyes Brie" she heard the now distinct male voice. Doing as she was ordered she opened her eyes, her sight meeting a pair of very blue pupils. She gasped in surprise. The guy in front of her was at least one foot and a half taller than her. His hair was that of a buzz cut and the muscles his clothes seemed to show almost seemed to be inhumane.

He wasn't supposed to be here. Hell last time she heard of him was about two months ago. He told her they were sending him to a secret location-one he couldn't tell her about. He wasn't supposed to be there, but he was. He was right in front of her.

"It can't be, you, you're not supposed to – you're here? ….what?" the words that escaped her mouth pretty much made no sense to her, and she was sure it made no sense to him. She just kept her eyes glued on his; still trying to puzzle everything that was going on.

"It's over brie. I'm home now." And even though those words made no more sense to her than what she had spoken earlier, she wrapped her arms around him tightly. Her Troy was here, the Troy Bolton that had promised her every Christmas would be spent together was there, and he was alive- in one complete piece.

Feeling his arms wrap around his, she sighed in relief feeling the tension from earlier leave her body. She breathed in his smell, he still smelt like airplane but besides that she could still pick up the faint familiar scent that she was so used to as a child.

"We better get inside brie"

"I like it this way better"

She heard a chuckle. He slowly pulled her away from him and lifted the entrance mat to reveal her spare keys. Opening her door, he placed it back where it was along the way picking up her discarded groceries. "You know, the keys under the mat and the cookies- are so predictable. You haven't changed at all" He joked, looking back at her.

"Really, not even two minutes in and you're already making fun of me" she pouted, as she hanged her coat in the rack near the door, seeing him do the same. With that layer removed she could really see how his body had been maturely developed. The abs that girls thought were heaven back in high school, seemed pretty much amateur with what was visible through his clothed body- she couldn't bear to imagine it all bare. Her best friend seemed to have physically changed into a point of almost no recognition and that thought alone made her blush.

"Yea well, you know you missed me" Troy joked. He looked back at her and realized how true his words hit. Not only did she miss him, but he missed her terribly. Every time he received her letters, it was like a piece of heaven sent to him. It was scary- being out there, but with her words of comfort he had made it through. And that was all that mattered, that and being there at that second.

"I did" was her simple reply before she made her way into his arms, her arms wrapping tightly around his waist. He hugged her back smiling softly. If it were to be possible, he'd say she had shrunken, she was so much shorter than what he remembered. Running his fingers through her hair he let the content of being there, take over.

"Are you really staying?" Gabriella asked, looking up at him.

"If you allow me to-"

"Troy, you don't even have to ask. You know my home is your home." She interrupted him. "Besides, you have a promise to keep"

Kissing her forehead he took her hand and led her to the couch where he sat them both down. "23 years and I've broken that promise 3 times in a row. I wasn't letting this year be the same."

She simply nodded. Gabriella knew he had beaten himself multiple times over breaking their promise. Just like she knew she had tried to convince him he couldn't have known better. She leaned over and kissed his cheek smiling. "The important thing is that you're here now Troy." She grinned. "And now that you are here, I can properly give you, your gift" she jumped of the couch excitedly, going over to the recently decorated Christmas tree and selecting a small gift wrapped box from underneath.

Troy shook his head, count Gabriella to always have a gift for him, even when she thought he wouldn't be there. He smiled as she placed the gift in his hands. It felt a little heavy for its size. He shook it making her laugh. "Umm, what could you possibly have given me?" he teased.

"Open and you'll see"

He debated whether to open it or not. He placed the gift next to him and smiled at her. "If I remember correctly our tradition involved eating cookies and watching a comedy movie, then opening presents"

She giggled at his statement. Even after all these years, the Bolton- Montez tradition still lived. Gabriella squealed as she stood up "well we do need to change into our PJ's"

And in less than five minutes Troy and Gabriella found themselves in their PJ's- well in Troy's case shirtless and with sweatpants- and cuddling in the couch, Ferris Bueller's Day off starting on TV.

"I still can't believe this" Gabriella's voice echoed through the room a couple of minutes late. "I thought I'd have to wait forever to see you, sometimes I thought I wouldn't get to see you at all" her hand gently tracing patterns on his chest as her thought choked up a bit.

"Brie nothing would stop me from being here with you. Maybe it would have been another 2 years, but I would have come back to you. That's a promise I know I'll never break" His comfort words gently whispered into her ear.

As she kept on tracing patters, her fingers went from a smooth surface to a rather dented almost shriveled one. Looking at where her hand had touched she found herself looking at a scar of some sort. "How- how did this happen?"

His hand covered hers, her eyes now traveling to his face where she saw his eyes close. "Car explosion nearby, one of the metals went through the uniform and got stuck there." His eyes reopened again. "It's a hideous scare for the hideous things I have been through" the bitterness in his voice not being missed by her.

"No."

He looked up at her, her statement confusing him.

"It's a beautiful scar, for a guy who risked his life for others. It only makes you more amazing. Besides I think it makes you seem manlier" she said, freeing her hand from his and tracing the scar again. This time it was him who laughed a bit.

"I guess we aren't paying that much attention the movie huh?"

She shook her head. "I rather just watch you" she blushed at her own words.

"well New York has certainly made you blunt" he joked earning a slap to his chest.

"why don't you just open your present" she proclaimed eagerly as she leaned over and got the discarded present from the coffee table.

With those words said, he quickly opened the box to see a dog tag- one similar to the one that the army provided him with-their names engraved into it. "I figured it would be cool for you to have a piece of home close to you. But I guess now that you're here, it's of no use." He looked over at her, her sweet face turning a light shade of pink.

He cupped her cheek, his thumb gracing her cheeks. "You always know exactly what to give me. No matter where I am brie, war or not, I always want to have you near me. You're the best thing in my life" he whispered as their foreheads slowly touched. "Thank you" he mumbled.

They stayed in that position for a while, his thumb catching the two tears that fall from her eyes. It was hard on them both.

"Now, I got you a present." She heard him say as he stood up and searched his duffle bag for a badly wrapped present. Scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment he offered it to her "Now you know why I always let you or mom do the gift wrapping"

She took the gift from his hands laughing at his words, and set it on the table. She looked at his face which showed a questioning look. "Troy, in all truth: no present could ever, ever, compete with you being here. You're my present"

And that's when he understood, their distance was greater than anything they had ever gone through. When he fell asleep his eyes close at the sight of her. When he woke up, his desire was for her. His tears of pain were only the remembrance that he might not make it through and be there for her; All of his actions since he had been seven, where for her.

He was the one that wanted to be the one to be able to give her, her Christmas wishes. He wanted her to be his present. He wanted every Christmas to be like their current Christmas eve. His present being her, and her beautiful brown locks and chocolate pools for eyes.

"Remember when we were 16 Troy. Remember that Christmas?"

She whispered, her eyes closing that the memory. That was her day. The day she realized their friendship was special. That Christmas was the time she realized just how much he meant to her.

She knew he remembered. That was the night they had decided to give their innocence to each other. That was the day that Christmas had turn into valentines. They had stayed up all night talking, and showing each other what their friends had talked about consistently. No awkwardness was present; they had given each other everything.

"Troy?"

"Yes Bella?" he whispered back as his hand ran through her hair; their bodies sweaty from their previous acts. Act's that he was sure he would never forget in a life time.

"Are things going to be different from now on? Is our friendship ruined?" his heart shattered at her words. She was a fragile girl, her heart was almost build of glass- he knew this much for he was the one who protected that heart from all the jackasses at school.

He wasn't going to let anything change between them. He couldn't afford to lose his Bella. She was the one that knew all about him, the one that made his day better. She was the girl that made him stay sound.

"Bella, I'll never let you go. Nothing's ever going to change between us. I promise you everything will be alright. No one is ever going to hurt you or us." He softly whispered into the dark as he squeezed her body into his.

Gabriella cuddled into him, tracing patterns into his chest. "Thank you Troy"

"for what?"

"For always keeping my heart safe and sound" and with that she fell asleep. And that was the day that Troy Bolton had fallen for his best friend. The day his life no longer became about him, but about her. And although it hurt him to safe lock his feelings, he knew it was for the better.

"Best Christmas eve of my life" he mumbled

She stood up and looked out to the white city bellow. Their friendship was inhumane to everyone else. Most didn't understand the amount of trust and comfort that they were able to provided. Personal space didn't really exist between the two. They have been each other's first kiss, each others first sexual partner, and yet no feelings where ever admitted. It was as if, an unsaid bond was placed between the two.

"Troy?"

He looked up at her.

"Be my Christmas eve… again."

Silence took the room as her words echoed through the living room.

" I know that you said nothing would change what we've been through, but I just. The second you got onto that plane, it was the second I realized that I fell for you hard Troy Bolton. I have been fighting with myself for three years, convincing myself that when I saw you again I would go back to just loving you in a best friend kind of way. But I didn't. The second I saw you, my heart fell hard. I don't want to go the rest of my life pretending to not love you, and make stupid mistakes because I wasn't brave enough to tell you. So even if something changes between us, and you walk out the door right now- at least I know that you knew how I felt."

The tear that slowly dropped from her golden chocolate eye was enough for him to rush to her side. They had had enough space as it was; they had had enough years to hide their feelings. Her words had hit home to his heart.

Her words, had given him the best present anyone could have ever given him. And although some part of him hurt to realize that her feelings hadn't developed until fairly recently, it was still returned and that was all that mattered.

Turning her around, her hugged her tightly "Brie" he mumbled against her ear as he whipped away her tear.

"Yes?"

"I thought I've always been your Christmas Eve"

And so they their lips met in a river of deep love and romance. Their bodies intermingling making a body heat that made the cold jealous. And that's how Christmas was greeted, with love. With a new tradition.