Disclaimer: I do not own Disney (if I did, Disney movies would be completely different), Highschool Musical, Ryan Evans, or Troy Bolton. Nor do I own the song "All is Well" though Michael W Smith and Clay Aiken sing it beautifully.

Warning: This story is SLASH, meaning that two of my main characters are both MALE. TroyxRyan. If you don't like it, don't read it. Simple as that. If you flame me, in an attempt to make me mad, it won't work. I never get mad, it's a waste of energy. So don't waste my time and yours.

Authors Note: Hey y'all I'm back. Here is the much anticipated sequel to Second Chances. No you don't need to read that one first, per say, but I think you would probably enjoy it if you did. Again, thanks to my fabulous editor FallingWithGrace, for without you both SC and AIW would not be as good they are. Also to OCP, she inspired me to finish Second Chances when I was stuck, and inspired the start of this one as well. Both of these guys are amazing writers, and you need to read their stuff (if you haven't already).

Enough rambling, I'm sure you just want to find out what's happening with Ryan, Riley and Troy. The first chapter is kind of a catch up, and let's you get a sense of Ryan's side of things. Again, I'm not great a first person point of view, so bear with it. So here you go! I hope you enjoy reading it, as much as I enjoyed writing it.

"All is well all is well
Angels and men rejoice
For tonight darkness fell
Into the dawn of loves light
Sing a-le
Sing alleluia
All is well all is well"

Chapter 1: Fears of the Future

I sat in my office staring out the window, trying to get rid of my doubts. I had quite a beautiful view of downtown Albuquerque and the park that was right across the road from my dad's accounting firm. I mean my accounting firm. I'm still amazed that my dad handed me the company eight months ago. But then again, my dad has changed a lot since high school. He no longer sees me as a disappointment, thanks to a few special people. But I'm getting ahead of myself; I suppose I should fill you in.

My name is Ryan Evans, and I came out in high school. None of my friends cared, and they treated me the same. My dad did not, he practically disowned me. It was hell at home, and school was my escape, especially since I could see a certain someone. Troy Bolton. No he wasn't my boyfriend. The drama kid does not go out with the captain of the basketball team. Not to mention my twin sister practically threw herself at him. That does not happen, except in my dreams. However on my eighteenth birthday one actually came true.

I had made a wish on the birthday cake for Sharpay and I as we both blew out the candles. It was a simple wish, one that I knew would never come true, but it was still my wish, as simple as it was.

Please let me know what it is like to kiss Troy.

I forgot the old proverb, be careful what you wish for. Later that night, I was by myself looking out the window on that stormy night, wondering what would happen to me in the future. To me, it didn't look too bright, and I wasn't happy about it. I was going to be all alone with no one looking out for me. I wouldn't have Chad the 'enforcer' as I loved to call him. He fought my battles for me. No one picked on me because of him, well except for him; he didn't like that my hats matched my outfits, he thought it was frightening.

Sharpay was all set for Broadway, and I didn't think I wanted to do that. As much as I loved drama, I couldn't imagine doing it for life. With all the characters I played, I was afraid I would forget the most important one, Ryan Evans. I was at a loss at what to do, and knowing I'd be doing it alone didn't help matters. All of these thoughts seemed to be hitting me all at once, and I could no longer hide all of my emotions. A few started sneaking out, and before I knew it more and more were falling.

That's when Troy caught me crying to myself. I tried to hide it, but well that didn't work, and Troy isn't stupid. Always the helpful one, Troy talked me through it, trying to be as consoling as he possibly could. Eventually though, he didn't know what else to say to me other than "It'll be okay Ry." He wrapped his arms around me, and continued to hold me as I cried. It was comforting, and soon my tears stopped. I looked up at him then, and thanked him for listening. He replied with "anytime". He stared at me after that for almost a minute and told me I was beautiful. It was then that I got that wish, and the only way to describe it was heaven. Pure and simple.

Troy broke the kiss first, and nodded at me in an agreement. I knew it was a one time thing, my wish, and it was enough. We went to bed after that and for the first time in a long while I had a good nights sleep. I knew that whatever came my way; I could handle…and handle them I did.

I decided to follow Sharpay to New York, but I wanted a fresh start. My new beginning led me to NYU. A gorgeous guy who smiled at me in front of the registration line led me to accounting. I know, I'm sad. He was in all of my classes and our first business assignment paired me with him and another girl. Since that project, Chris, Jaime and I became inseparable.

It turned out that Chris was the captain of the basketball team, which reminded me of Troy and caused me to smile. It also turned out that Chris asked me on a date. I think Jaime was more excited than me.

In second year, Chris and I began dating and Jaime and I shared an apartment. Life was perfect. Except for two things, Chris made me learn how to play basketball in exchange for me dragging him to all of Sharpay's musicals, which really wasn't that bad, and Jaime had one jerk of a boyfriend. I say these two things were bad only because with Chris, I was a fast learner and soon became better at it than him. He didn't like that, and he ended it. Jaime's Sir Jerk-a-lot boyfriend finally made his great escape at the end of the year, for some loser cheerleader but not with out leaving his mark. Jaime was pregnant.

Jaime panicked for weeks, until she realized that I wasn't leaving her side. I helped her with everything. I made sure we were always partners for projects so that if one night she was tired, I could do the work for her. We made an amazing team. Our reward was a beautiful Riley Jaymes in January. God that baby was perfect. She looked so much like Jaime, with her dark hair and blue eyes. I was so proud of her; after all she was my namesake. I dragged her and Jaime home with me on spring break.

Riley was my angel, she made everything easier. When I took my girls home, my entire family smothered them, including my dad. I will never forget that while my mom was holding Riley and talking to Jaime and Sharpay, my dad came up behind me, and clapped me on the back, and said "I'm proud of you son." I almost cried. Until I realized that my dad really liked Jaime, and had the idea that I was going to marry her. Denial is not a pretty thing. Once I got him alone in his office, I told him that me marrying Jaime wouldn't happen. Unfortunately he just gave me a look, and left the room to tend to his "granddaughter".

Over summer break Jaime started sleeping a lot more than she ever did in the past. She could hardly get up in the night to tend to Riley, which really worried me. Jaime denied that anything was wrong for awhile thinking she was just getting a cold or something. In September nothing had changed, except that Jaime seemed to be getting worse. I made Jaime go to the doctor's on one of our days off from school. The doctor kept her over night, but I couldn't stay with her, even though I wanted too. I had to take care of Riley. One night turned into two, then three, and as quick as it came finals were completed and Jaime still hadn't left the hospital. It became a routine. I would drop Riley off at our schools daycare system, go to class, pick Riley up, and then we'd go straight to the hospital until visiting hours were over, then do it all over again.

Jaime had cancer, life-threatening cancer, and there wasn't anything we could do. I was going to lose my best friend, and Riley was going to lose her Momma. Jaime knew she wasn't going to leave her bed, and one day while she was playing with Riley, Riley sputtered out the word "dada". I was at a loss for words as Jaime smiled.

"That's right Riley," she said weakly. She pointed at me, "There's Daddy." I was shocked. I was always just Ryan, when we referred to me with Riley; there was never any parental link to me. I always just assumed it would be that way forever. I cried as I picked Riley up and sat on the edge of Jaime's bed. Jaime's hand finding mine comforted me. "I want you to be her daddy, Ry. She needs someone, and you've never ever let either one of us down. You're her father Ryan, and when I'm gone, I will be at peace knowing Riley has you in her life."

After that, both of us broke down crying. My world was in my lap, my two beautiful girls, and soon there would only be one. Jaime and I made it official the last week in December; I became Riley's adoptive father. And a week later, I became a single parent.

When I graduated, my dad offered me a starting position in his accounting firm. He wanted me to learn from the ground up. I moved in with my parents until I could afford a place of my own. My mother watched Riley while I worked, and spoiled her rotten. It was a good thing really. My dad got over the fact that I was gay, I think in part because of Riley, he had his granddaughter, that he could see everyday. It didn't hurt that I had the same degree that he had, only from a different school.

I worked my tail off, and by the time Riley was three, I was just under my dad. I had also built a small house out in the country for Riley and me. I was tired of living in a huge house, where if I needed to find someone, I had to page them. I was not raising Riley that way. It was a simple home with a huge yard for Riley to play in, and then some. I made sure I was home in time for Riley to come home from school everyday, and during the summers I worked from home. We only had each other, and I tried as hard as I could to do everything for her. Nothing changed until Riley was in the second grade.

Troy Bolton came back in the form of Riley's teacher, and she absolutely adored him. I started hanging around him again like old times. Which ended up becoming a bad thing, I was falling hard for him again. Sights of him with Riley were enough to make me melt. With Riley, I couldn't jump into a relationship; I didn't want her to get too attached to someone to have it taken away from her again. Unfortunately, that was impossible to avoid. Troy had a special way with her, which made her love him even more.

It was then that my dad decided to retire, and hand over the company for good. I didn't think it would be a big deal, seeing as I was mostly doing the same stuff already, but I started missing things. Sharpay had to come and knock some sense in to me to make me realize that I was missing the simple things that I tried so hard to make sure I was there for. I was getting so caught up at the office, that I would work late and miss dinner with Riley and Sharpay, and I could never leave the office early enough on Fridays to pick her up from school. The final straw was when I not only missed Riley's audition, but forgot about it altogether.

I made some serious adjustments in the company so I could keep my promises with Riley. I hired someone in place of my old job, and hired an assistant to make sure I would leave the office in time for dinner and tie up any lose ends along the way. Once I had everything else organized, I focused on the task at hand. Troy. Even amongst all the extra work, that man never left my thoughts.

Troy was everything I wasn't when I was too preoccupied with work. I will never be able to thank him for that. It was because of him that Riley had someone to rely on when she couldn't rely on me. He was still Riley's teacher though, so there wasn't anything I could do about it, even if I wanted too.

And I really did want too. The worst thing was when Riley had her performance at the end of the year. She wanted Troy to come with us and celebrate, and I did as well, but knew it was going to be hard. Thankfully Troy saved me on that one, and made up some excuse for him not being able to go. He also saved me on the last day of school when Riley didn't want to leave. Truthfully I didn't either, but I just couldn't do it. I was too mesmerized by Troy and Riley together, that I couldn't say a word.

It wasn't until two weeks into summer that I finally confessed everything to Troy. I couldn't let him say a word only because if he did I was certain that I would chicken out. When I was done with my rant of a confession, Troy simply kissed me. It was all the answer we needed.

Troy and I started seeing each other a lot over the summer holidays, him being off because of the school year, and I started working from home again. The two of us became really close really fast. Troy was great and he fit into our family perfectly. Riley loved having Troy around. Especially when Troy would play basket-ball with her while I worked, and when he read her a story at night.

By the time September came around, Troy was pretty much living with Riley and I, he still had his apartment, but he never went there unless he needed to pick up something for school. Not to mention we were head over heels in love with each other, stealing kisses at any opportunity. Every morning we would have breakfast together, then Troy would take Riley to school and I would head to work, meeting up for dinner again. Everything just clicked.

We are not a perfect couple, not even close. Troy and I have a few disagreements now and then, but other than a few scuffles that are worked out within hours, things are pretty good. Riley doesn't have any trouble at school either. Once she walks in the front doors of the school, Troy becomes Mr. Bolton again, until the final bell rings and she meets him in his classroom. Then he becomes her Troy again, picking her up and walking out laughing together. Sometimes they even surprise me here at the office.

They're both getting super excited now that it is almost Christmas. Riley is forever trying to figure out what the presents are under the tree, and Troy is not helping when he gets down on the floor, and tries to guess along with her. There is, however, one present that those two will never find under the tree until it is Christmas day. The most important present for the two of them I keep here in my office, and it's the one that is causing all of my worries.

I quit my window gazing in order to open the bottom drawer to my desk. I pulled out the little black velvet box, and twirled it in my fingers. How in God's name was I going to pull this off? Was seven months too short of a time to even think about marriage, let alone be engaged? Would Troy even say yes? How would Riley react to everything? These thoughts have been plaguing my mind since I bought the ring.

"Quit being stupid Ryan, stop thinking with your head." Margie, my assistant interrupted my thoughts. This was definitely not the first time she caught me staring at this box. She was a sweet old lady, who always knew everything that was going on in the office. She also knew a lot about what was going on in my personal life. She reminded me of those sweet little ladies at church who got their noses into everything, but you can't help but love. "He's going to say yes, and the three of you will become this perfect happy family, like you already are."

"I know Margie; I'm just paranoid, as you say," I grinned. She nodded at me, and handed me some papers. "Put it away, you have a conference call in five minutes, and by the time you're done that, Troy and Riley should be here."

"Thanks Margie," I said, shaking the thoughts out of my head and getting down to business.

-DisneyKid