This was written for DC World as a reward for reviewing every chapter of What Lies Ahead. The challenge was to write a story where something bad happens to Sharpay and Ryan's reaction to it. It's to be post-HSM and can include the reactions of the Wildcats.

So, without further adieu, Simple Request.

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"This is absolutely ridiculous," Sharpay muttered to herself as she sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Sometimes she really hated Los Angeles.

After graduating with honors from U of A, Sharpay Evans decided to try out Hollywood for a bit. Ryan was having somewhat decent success (though she would never admit that out loud) in New York and some annoying little voice in the back of her head told her to leave him be for now.

Besides, his wife was pregnant and she didn't need to be around just in case her sister-in-law popped early. There was no way she would be caught dead babysitting her brother's kid.

Besides, if she took the baby out and it looked enough like Ryan, people would assume it was hers. And she so didn't need that. Only two kinds of men try to hook up with single moms: single dads and losers. No thank you, she thought. I prefer men of my own choosing.

As someone beeped their horn behind her, she couldn't help but wonder why people were always so impatient in when stuck in traffic in big cities. L.A. was awful; Ryan said New York was pretty bad – he'd ridden a bicycle to and from work until Kelsi got pregnant – but was well used to navigating it by now; Taylor, who worked at a law firm in Boston, said it was pretty messy up there (especially in baseball season); and Zeke, her weekend getaway, claimed that Philadelphia was a mess most of the time too (not that she saw much of the City of Brotherly Love when she was out there).

Albuquerque was only bad – if it could be considered bad – during rush hour. Sometimes.

Her phone rang and she sighed in frustration, not bothering to check the screen, as she picked it up. "It's about damn time you called me back, Shelly!" she shouted to who she thought was her agent. "I've called you about thirty times about that audition you want me to do. There's no way I look old enough to play a teenager's mother!"

"Well," the voice on the other end chuckled, "I always told you if you frowned you'd get wrinkle lines …"

"Ryan!" the blonde girl exclaimed. "I didn't think it was you … isn't it, like, ten o'clock out there or something?"

"Yeah," Ryan replied. "But Kelsi says the baby's kicking and she can't sleep so we're taking a walk. She's on the phone with Gabriella trying to suss out what the issue could be. And as she was dialing I thought to myself, hey, I haven't talked to Shar in a while, wonder what she's doing."

"She's stuck in traffic," Sharpay replied with a scowl her brother couldn't see. "Again. How in the world do you get through it?"

"My bike," he said at the same time she said, "Your bike."

"Yeah," he continued with another chuckle. "Soon it won't be much of a problem though," he added with a hidden smile.

"Oh?" she asked absently and fluffed her hair when the car in her left lane moved up and a handsome man was now stranded next to her. "And why's that?"

"Well, with the baby and all …"

"Hold on, Ry. Excuse me!" she called out to the good-looking man in the silver Mustang. "Do you happen to know what the hold up is?"

"I'm pretty sure they're filming something up ahead and have the road blocked off."

"Damn," she muttered. "Ry, I have to go."

"But, Shar … I haven't …"

"It's been great talking to you," she assured him fakely.

"Shar, I'm trying to tell you …"

"Buh-bye!" she said cheerfully before disconnecting. "So, what do you do?" she asked Mr. Tall Tan and Handsome.

"I'm an actor," he smirked while striking as enticing of a pose as possible while stuck in traffic.

"Fabulous," she smiled and cutely wrinkled her nose. "I'm Sharpay …"

On the other side of the country, Ryan joined his wife on the small park bench across from their apartment building and put his arm around her.

"How's your sister?" she asked as soon as she disconnected with Gabriella.

"Same as always," her husband replied with a sigh. "Only interested in talking until her next flavor of the week pulls up. Then it's great talking to you and really, Ry, I miss you like crazy," he mocked in a high-pitched voice.

"She did not tell you she missed you like crazy," Kelsi laughed before wincing and rubbing a calming hand over her swollen belly.

"Baby's not happy?" he asked with a frown before mimicking her motions and rubbing his hand over the taut flesh of her stomach.

"She's restless," Kelsi sighed. "Gab thinks it could have been the orange juice. She said she had the same issue when she was pregnant with Hunter."

"Hush little baby, don't say a word," Ryan began singing in a sweet, soft voice. "Papa's gonna buy you a mocking bird … and if that mocking bird doesn't sing, Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring …"

Kelsi smiled as her husband sang to their two-months-away-daughter and the baby settled immediately. "She's going to be her Daddy's girl," the brunette whispered.

"Just like her mother," Ryan laughed as he took his wife's hand and led her home. "You need to get some rest. "Taylor Swift is coming into the studio to record and you need to be ready in case something happens with the composition."

"Right," Kelsi yawned as he led her into their half-packed apartment.

"Go get into bed," he whispered. "I'll make sure everything's locked and turned off and whatever else. And I'll take Roscoe out one more time."

"Mmm. I love you," she whispered as she pecked her husband on the lips and shuffled into the bedroom.

Ryan shut the windows down low – Kelsi hated being too cold at night – and looked down to their basset hound, Roscoe. "One more time?" The dog tilted his head at Ryan and let out a small woof. "Okay. And don't give me that look, you know the cops are out. Your mommy would kill me if I got a ticket," he added as he grabbed the leash. He sighed when the dog looked up at him with a sorrowful expression. "Well I guess I'll bring it with me and if someone says something we'll go from there. Deal?"

"Ryan? Are you negotiating with Roscoe again?"

"Uh," he said, slightly flustered. "N-no! Chad called and I was talking to him …"

"Right," his wife replied from the bedroom. "But that means you and I will have a serious conversation when you get home about putting leashes on our friends."

"Damnit," he muttered. "Let's go."

Twenty minutes (and a firm warning) later, Ryan and Roscoe re-entered the apartment. "You're not sleeping on the bed tonight," he told the dog seriously. "It's just me and Kelsi."

"Ryan …" the sleepy voice of his wife called.

"Coming, Kels," he replied. "Go sleep in your own bed," he whispered to the dog with a pointed finger before heading to the bedroom he shared with Kelsi and shutting the door.

"Leave it open a crack," Kelsi mumbled from under the covers. "Roscoe might want to come in."

Ryan stared at her, mouth agape, before muttering angrily to himself and cracking open the door for his wife's dog. Roscoe darted (as fast as a basset hound can dart) into the room and climbed his (stupid) stairs and cuddled right next to Kelsi.

"Hey, boy," she whispered, her voice thick with sleep. "Make sure you leave room for daddy."

"Right," Ryan mumbled before stripping to his boxers and climbing into bed. "How generous."

--

Ryan was startled awake by his ringing phone. "Who? What?" he asked muzzily.

"Ry? Get the phone," his wife mumbled.

Ryan yawned, ran a hand over his face, then reached onto his night stand and grabbed the phone. "Hello?" he asked thickly.

"Yes, is this Ryan Evans?" the voice on the other end asked.

"Yeah," he replied. "Listen, it's …" he squinted at his bedside clock. "It's three a.m. Can this wait?"

"Do you know someone by the name of Sharpay Evans?"

"She's my sister," he sighed. "Has she gotten herself arrested or something?"

"Mr. Evans, this is Sergeant Richard Davis. Your sister was brutally beaten and raped. Her voice box is shattered and all she keeps doing is indicating to call you. How fast can you get to West Hollywood Hospital?"

Ryan was up and out of bed in less than a second. "I'll get on the phone with the airlines. I have to fly in from New York. I can be there in a little more than three hours. I'll be sending a family representative, his name is Troy Bolton. Tell him everything when he gets there. He'll be coming in from San Francisco. Have someone at the airport to collect him and his family. And keep me updated on any changes. You have my number."

Ryan disconnected and shook Kelsi lightly to try and wake her up. "Kelsi, baby, get up. I have to go. Something's happened to Shar."

"What is it?" she asked as she sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes.

"She was attacked. Raped and beaten. She can't talk. She just kept indicating to call me. I have to get out there."

"I want to come too," she said as she struggled to get out of bed.

"Kelsi …"

"You tried to shut me out when your dad had a heart attack, Ryan Evans. Don't you dare try to do it now. Sharpay's my sister too."

"Can you fly when you're almost eight months pregnant?" he asked unsurely, though he began throwing some of her own clothes in a suitcase as well.

"Let them try and stop me," the (not so) small composer said as she picked up the phone and dialed out. "Yes," she said after a few moments. "I need two tickets – well, and a dog ticket – EWR to LAX. Now. Yes. Fine. Charge it to Ryan Evans. Yes. Yes." She looked over at her husband. "We have fifty minutes to get to Newark."

"We can do it," he responded. "No one will be in the tunnel at this hour." He paused. "We're bringing Roscoe?"

"Dogs are incredibly helpful after traumatic events," his wife said haughtily. "Get his leash and his carrier. I'll meet you downstairs. I have to pee," she informed him as she grabbed a pair of sweats and walked into the bathroom. "Get a cab that won't mind taking Roscoe too!"

"Right," Ryan said absently before dialing Troy.

"Hello?" a sweet voice picked up.

"Gabby. It's Ryan."

"Hey. Is everything okay?" she asked.

"No. Something's happened to Shar. I don't have time to get into it but I need you and Troy to get on a plane to LA now. Put it on my frequent flyers account. Charge it to me. Just get down there. Kels and I are heading to the airport now."

"Ryan, what happened?"

"I don't know the whole story … c'mon, Roscoe, let's go … but the officer told me she was beaten and raped. This person shattered her voice box so she can't talk. She wanted them to call me."

"Oh my gosh!" she gasped.

"We don't have time to waste, Gabby," he said more harshly than he wanted to. "Please just get to her. Kels and I will be there as soon as possible."

"We're on our way," she told him.

"Thank you," he sighed. "I told them Troy was a representative of the family."

"Okay. We'll see you in a few hours."

"Text me if anything happens. I don't care what they say to me. Okay?"

"Okay," Gabby whispered. "I'll get Hunter ready to go and have Troy call the airlines."

"Thank you. I'll see you soon. Just … please look after her for me," he whispered.

"We will. And Ryan?"

"Yeah?"

"We love you."

"I love you guys too," he said before he disconnected and hailed a cab who was, thankfully, willing to take the dog.

"Where to?"

"As soon as my wife gets here, Newark Liberty. As fast as you can."

"You got it," the guy said as Ryan helped Kelsi into the car and shut the door.

--

"I'm Troy Bolton," the harried young man said as he approached the front desk at West Hollywood Hospital. "I'm here with my wife to see Sharpay Evans. I'm a representative of the Evans family."

"Yes, sir. Miss Evans is currently being moved into ICU," the older woman informed him. "How old is your son?"

"He's nearly two," Troy replied. "But he's fast asleep. He won't be a problem."

The woman nodded her head. "Go on up to the seventh floor and have a seat in the family room. There're concessions available there."

"Thank you," Gabriella said softly. "Is there anything you can tell us?"

"The doctor will be with you shortly, Mrs. Bolton. I don't have any information other than her room."

"Thank you," Troy said as he shifted Hunter to his other shoulder and grabbed Gabriella's hand. "Let's get up there."

"Should we call anyone else?" she asked as the elevator doors closed.

"I think Ryan's probably taken care of that. I'm sure he's already called his parents. They might be here before they are if they can get the jet up and running quickly. Vance needed a vacation so they headed to Hawaii."

"Right. Okay," she said as she took a deep breath. "Sharpay's going to be okay, right?" she asked as she looked up into his eyes.

"I don't know," he responded quietly, seriously. "I sure hope so though," he continued as they moved from the elevator and towards the family room. Troy settled Hunter on a couch and laid his coat over the small boy before checking in with the nurse. "We're here as representatives of the Evans family. For Sharpay."

The young girl nodded and informed him that Dr. Morreau would be with them shortly.

"What now?" Gabriella asked as her husband sat beside her and took her hand.

"Now we wait," he said quietly.

--

"How is she?" Ryan asked immediately as he and Kelsi barged into the family room outside the ICU. Roscoe trotted along behind them, having been certified as a therapy dog prior to his adoption. Kelsi had never been so happy to have rescued him than before tonight.

"Oh, Ryan," Gabriella said as she stood and wrapped her arms around him.

"The doctors say she's doing well. No internal bleeding, no brain or spinal swelling. She's bruised and had some residual blood left in her hair but she's awake."

Ryan quickly kissed his wife, checked in, and left for Sharpay's room. He tried to prepare himself for what he was going to see.

"Hey," he whispered as he saw his sister's eyes widen when he walked into the room. "I would ask how you're doing but that would be stupid."

She shot him a look that really required no words.

"I know," he said softly as he sat beside her on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

Another similar look.

"You're going to have to cooperate if we're going to get through this, Shar. I know you're hurting and you're embarrassed, but I'm your brother and you need me right now. Mom and Dad will be flying in later today. Kelsi and Roscoe – yes, she insisted on bringing him – are out with Troy and Gabriella …"

She made another face.

"They were closest and I couldn't bear the thought of you sitting in here alone. Which one spent more time sitting in here with you?" He could tell by the look on her face that it was Gabriella. "Please tell me she didn't spend most of her time in here crying."

Sharpay rolled her eyes and shook her head in the negative. She was about to try and talk when her throat seared in pain and she made a pouting face before using her hand to mimic the way Gabriella just talked her ear off.

"Did she say anything interesting?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood a bit before he started with the hard questions.

She used her hands to simulate a pregnant belly.

"She's pregnant again?" Ryan asked in shock. Just last week Troy told him they were going to wait until Hunter was out of his Terrible Twos before trying again.

She shook her head in the negative before holding up her hands about five inches from the sides of her ears.

"Chad's pregnant?" he burst out. At her look, he rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean. His … girlfriend?" Sharpay shrugged. "Planned?" She shook her head again. "Is she trying to trap him in a relationship? I mean, the way he was talking to me it sounded as if he was waiting for Maddie to get back from England …" She touched her finger to her nose and nodded once. "So she's just a girl Chad picked up because he and Maddie agreed to break while she was in England for a year and, of course, he couldn't not sleep with her and now she's pregnant?" She touched her nose again. "Are we sure she's just not saying she is to try and get a ring out of it? She's an attention seeker, I'd imagine. There are lots of women like that who would stoop so low to get an NBA player in trouble. And I can't imagine Taylor would let him run off like that. She actually likes Maddie."

Sharpay gave him another look and rolled her eyes. It was incredibly frustrating being unable to talk; it was more frustrating that being stuck in traffic, she thought. She wasn't in much pain – aside from her throat – and she was just itching to talk to someone. She'd always been very vocal and now she found herself unable to say anything. She was ready to rip her hair out after only about five hours.

"Tell me who it was," Ryan implored. She shot him another look. "Can you write, at least?" She held up her broken left hand. "Have I ever heard of him?" he asked with a sigh. She shook her head. "Did you know him well?" She shook her head again. "How long have you known him?" She sighed, looked a little sheepish, and help up one finger. "Just today?" Another nod. "And you were going to sleep with him?" Ryan nearly screeched.

Sharpay started shaking her head violently. She wasn't planning on sleeping with him. She wasn't like that and it kind of hurt that Ryan thought that. But it looked bad, she knew, so she had to work extra hard to try and explain it to him. She chewed on her bottom lip before inspiration struck.

She snapped the fingers on her right hand at him before sitting up more fully in the bed. She swung her hair out of the way and looked into his eyes.

"Charades?" he asked. "Should I get the others, just in case you do some crazy girl thing that I don't understand?" She made a face and he excused himself to get Kelsi and Gabriella. When he came back with the two women, he was a little shocked to see his sister reach for his wife and hold her hand. The two stared at each other for a few moments, some kind of silent conversation happening, before Kelsi nodded and moved to Ryan. "You and I are going to have a nice conversation about you jumping to really unflattering conclusions, Mr. Evans."

"How in the world did …"

"Never mind that," she responded before settling in front of her husband and wrapping his arms around her so she could lean back against him. "Go ahead, Shar."

Sharpay ignored the pain in her throat and took a deep breath before beginning her story, finally truly thankful for her acting ability. She deliberately ignored the fact that she may never be able to act on stage again.