Well, yall, this is it. Before I write, I just want to say 2 things. First of all, I left out a very important shout out to the one who's been my biggest supporter through this whole process (you know who you are!) in my AN for the last chapter. I was reading one of her stories at one point and sort of borrowed an idea of her's and included it in Zac and Vanessa's conversation in chapter 5, and completely forgot to give her the credit for it! I'm so sorry, friend! As I mentioned, you've been my biggest supporter and I thank you for all of your encouragement! Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone! This has been an amazing experience and I've enjoyed every minute of it! This final chapter is one that I've had a hard time getting motivated to write, probably because it's the end and I don't want it to end! But alas, all good things must come to an end, right? Without further adieu, here it is! The end of "Birthdays and First Dates"… Hope you enjoy and it's still not mine! Boo!!

Chapter 6

The two of them reluctantly left Vanessa's parents' house and made the fifteen minute drive to her own to retrieve the stuff that she would need for the few weeks she had left in Vancouver. The mood in the car was just a little tense. The two of them had not resolved their previous discussion in the manner that they had hoped and given the phone call that Vanessa received from her manager, they wouldn't get the chance to do so for awhile. She hated when they had heavy discussions like the one from earlier, and hated even more when one of them had to leave unexpectedly after having one of those heavy discussions. Even though they were not married, she still believed in the whole "don't go to bed upset; always resolve everything" that she's often witnessed her own parents trying to do during their late nights resolving their own issues. She's always admired her parents and the marriage they have and swore to herself when she was younger that one day, she'd have a marriage like theirs. She sneaked a glance at her boyfriend who was gripping the steering wheel with both hands. She didn't have to see his eyes behind his Ray Ban Aviators to know that he was staring out the windshield at the road in front of him, his eyes narrowed in concentration, a sure fire sign that he had a lot on his mind and didn't want to be bothered. She gave out a soft sigh and turned her head back around to look out the window on her side of the car.

Evan, why did you have to call when you did? she silently asked her manager.

Zac snuck a look over at his girlfriend, who had her gaze steady out the passenger side window. He knew without even looking her in her eyes that she was still slightly upset. Even after his explanation in her parents' backyard, she was still quiet. He knew from experience that when she's got something on her mind, she gets quiet and shuts down. He also knew from experience that when she gets like that, it's not easy to bring her back from wherever she's disappeared to.

"Van?" he tried, as he reached out and took her left hand in his right. She instinctively threaded their fingers together and slowly turned to face him.

"Hmm?"

"Don't do this," he pleaded.

"Don't do what?" she asked.

"Don't be like this. Don't shut me out. Talk to me, please."

She turned her head to look back out the window to where her attention previously was and gave a sigh. She subconsciously started rubbing her thumb across the back of his hand. He knew that when she did that, she was close to opening up. He waited patiently while she gathered her thoughts and moved their hands from the center console to rest on her thigh. She took her right hand and placed it on top of their joined hands. She slowly turned to look at his profile. When he felt her gaze on him, he turned to glance at her and gave her a small smile of encouragement.

"Please, Baby. Talk to me," he tried again.

"I'm okay," she told him, slowly, trying to get her thoughts straight as she talked. "I understand what you told me in the backyard at Mom and Dad's. I'm extremely grateful that you were honest with me. I just…" she trailed off, not sure what she wanted to say next.

"You just what?" he prompted.

"I'm not sure what I'm trying to say. I need a minute," she told him, moving her left hand from his and placing it so she could rub the back of his head. He slowly nodded his head, knowing that the two of them often have to pause during their serious conversations so the wrong things don't get said and feelings don't get hurt. They treasure their relationship far too much to speak before thinking and risk an unneeded argument. They decided long ago to make sure they had their words straight before speaking to keep that very thing from happening. After a long pause, Vanessa took a deep breath and continued.

"Okay, I think I'm ready," she said giving him another look. After making sure she had Zac's attention again, she continued. "I believe you when you say you're ready to get married. I mean, you admitted to me that you have a ring already. I don't think you'd have one if you weren't ready!" She paused as he gave a slight smirk and grinned in his direction. Her smile faded as she verbally admitted, for the first time to anyone, her next statement. "I'm just concerned, I guess."

"About what?" Zac asked her, confused.

"Like I said, you say you're ready and I believe you. With all my heart, I believe you. I just can't help but keep replaying your interview from last year over and over in my head."

"You mean the one where I said that I wanted to wait until-"

"-until you're 40," she finished for him, moving her hand from the back of his head and pulling her right hand from his, joining them both together and placing them both back in her lap, lowering her head to look at her now far too interesting hands as a slight blush crept across her cheeks. As Zac brought the car to a stop at a red light, he had other thoughts and caught her chin in his right hand and turned her head back in his direction so she was looking at him again.

"You know my thoughts on that interview, Van. We talked about that before it was released. Those things were said just to get the press off my back about us and our future."

"I know, I just…" she paused, taking another deep breath. "I guess it's just me being a girl or something."

"I don't know what you mean by that, but I know enough to stay away from that topic."

She gave a small smile in his direction, moving her hand back to behind his head and playing with his hair. "It means that girls are always dreaming of the perfect proposal, the perfect engagement, the perfect wedding. You can't just tell me that you have a ring and a plan and then not tell me anything else about it! I'm going crazy here!"

Zac then reached behind his head, grabbed her hand, and brought it to his lips, placing a small kiss on the back of her hand. "That's part of the plan, Baby, to drive you crazy! I've got to keep you wondering and sweating it out!"

"It's mean, that's what it is," she told him, pulling her hand away and giving him a slight pout. "You do realize now that every time we're together, I'm going to be wondering 'Is this it? Is it happening tonight?'" He just chuckled. "What, you don't have a response?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

"That statement doesn't deserve a response. That's part of what will make the proposal perfect." Zac said, as he sneaked another glance at Vanessa just in time to see her stick her tongue out at him and he just laughed again.

"You're cocky, Efron. You're too cocky for your own good. You know that, right?"

"That's just part of my charm, Baby. That's why you love me," he told her, giving her a look as they approached another red light and came to a stop again.

"Among other things," she said, giving him a seductive look.

"Don't do that to me, Hudgens."

"Don't do what?"

"Don't give me that look. Not when I can't do anything about it." He pulled his hand out of hers and placed it on the steering wheel. With both of his hands in the 10 & 2 position, he was able to fully concentrate on the road in front of him and his driving abilities. When Vanessa noticed the strained look on his face, an idea popped in her head. She placed her left hand gently on the outside of his right leg, just above his knee and started rubbing up and down his thigh.

"But, Babe, you can always do something to get rid of this look," she said with an equally seductive edge to her voice, as she continued rubbing his leg with her hand, getting closer to the inside of his thigh and moving her hand further up. As her hand slowly moved closer to his crotch, she heard his breathing hitch in his throat and felt his whole body stiffen. This was always one of her favorite reactions from him and was the one way that she always knew he was close to ravishing her, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

I'd like to see you get yourself out of this one, Zachary, she thought to herself. He sneaked a look at her long enough to see the sexy smirk on her face that was always reserved for only their most private moments.

"Oh, no you don't, Hudgens. Not this time!" he warned her, grabbing her hand from near his crotch before it was too late to turn back. "Not when we're in the car and have witnesses nearby and I have nowhere to pull over!"

"Then I guess you'll just have to punish me later."

"You need to stop right now!" he warned her, pointing a finger in her direction.

"But why?" she asked with that sexy pout that she knew always turned him on.

"Because we're at the airport and I need to find somewhere to park!"

"We're here already?" she asked, not able to hide her disappointment.

"I'm afraid so, Sweetheart," he answered, placing another kiss on her knuckles before letting go of her hand so he could pull the car into the first empty parking space he saw.

The two of them got out of the car, with Zac going around to the trunk to get her suitcase out while she got her carry on from the floor of the back seat. Once they each had a piece of Vanessa's luggage, they began the walk to the door. On the way, they ran into a few members of the paparazzi, who immediately began snapping their pictures.

"Happy birthday, Vanessa!" one of them called out to her.

"Thank you," she responded with a smile and a slight wave of acknowledgement.

"Vanessa, are you going back to Vancouver? Are you going back with her, Zac?" another yelled out to the couple.

The two of them just looked at each other and smiled, giving the paparazzi the perfect picture of the most sought after couple on the "Hottest Couples Under 25" list in Hollywood. It wasn't often that the two gave the press the picture that was so desired, so on the rare opportunity that the press was able to get the perfect shot of them together, it was sure to make front page in some form or fashion.

Zac grabbed her hand again and led her inside the airport and over to the ticket counter. As she was talking to the representative behind the counter, Zac wandered over to a near by bench and sat down, letting his mind wander back to their previous conversation about his planned proposal. He took out his phone and typed a quick text message to their mutual friend and his confidant, the one he had confided his whole plan to just a few short weeks prior, Ashley. Their High School Musical co-star smiled to herself when she read his message.

"I've got her right I want her. She suspects something, but not enough to be suspicious."

"That's good. Just the way she needs to be. Have you talked to Bart to finalize everything?" she typed back, referring to his on screen father, Bart Johnson, who owned a bed and breakfast in Utah. Zac had worked it out with Bart that he rent out the whole place in the near future for the perfect proposal to his beloved.

"Not yet. She got a call and has to go back to Vancouver today. Let me get her on the plane and I'll call you later. But remember our deal... one word of this to ANYONE and the dog gets it!"

Ashley gasped as she read his reference to her beloved Maltese-Poodle mix . "Okay, fine! I promise! Just leave Maui out of this!" she responded.

"Okay," he heard his girlfriend say. "Who were you texting?"

He looked up and noticed Vanessa standing in front of him with her boarding pass in her hands. She leaned down to pick up her carry on and held her hand out to him, which he took and allowed her to help him stand up.

"Corbin," he lied, referring to another of their High School Musical co-stars. "He wanted to maybe get together later and hang out. I told him about you having to go back and that I'd call him later." Note to self: call Corbin later and make sure he knows about my fib and will cover my ass if she calls him! he told himself, wrapping his arm protectively around Vanessa's shoulders. "Are you ready? Got everything you need?"

Vanessa gave him a look. "I don't believe you. I think you're up to something. I can always tell when you're lying, but I don't have time to worry about that now. Yeah, I'm ready. Lying to me on my birthday..." she said, giving him the cutest mean look she could without laughing at herself. "That's just wrong."

"You don't have to believe me. Just know that I love you and would do absolutely anything for you," he told her as he led her to the security check point.

"I know you would, Zac," she responded, suddenly turning serious. "I love you, too," she told him, giving a light peck on his lips, knowing that the paparazzi was still watching them, and she began walking away from the security check point and over towards the snack bar area. "We made good time and I still have about thirty minutes or so before I have to check in at the gate. I'm not ready to say good bye to you yet," she answered his unanswered question that was written all over his face. "Besides, I haven't eaten yet. Neither one of us has," she reminded him.

She walked up to the counter, ordered for both of them, and carried the food back to the table in the corner that he'd chosen. It seemed to be the most private, and he still wanted some moments of privacy before they left the snack bar and walked back into the path of the paparazzi, who he knew was just waiting on them to emerge. The two sat in a few moments of silence, eating their food, until suddenly, Vanessa let out a giggle. Zac just looked at his girlfriend in pure confusion.

"What's going on, Hudgens?" he dared to ask, as her giggles turned into a full out laugh. "Okay, now you're worrying me. What's so funny?" he demanded.

Vanessa held her finger to signal for him to give her a minute while she controlled her laughter. She reached up to wipe the wetness that had fallen from her eyes as a result of her laughing, and took a deep breath before looking at Zac and answering his question.

"You realize we're probably going to be on E! News in the very near future in their 'So true/ So false' segment, right?"

"Why?" he asked with his eyebrows scrunched together.

She just held up her left hand to reveal the blue topaz ring he had given her just a short while ago… sitting on her third ring finger. She raised her eyebrows waiting for realization to sink in in her still confused boyfriend's mind. When she noticed that Zac was not going to figure it out on his own, she finally spoke up.

"'Zac and Vanessa were spotted at LAX today, and she had a ring on a very important finger. That can only mean one thing, right?' At least, that's what I think they might be saying." She watched as his eyes grew wide and she knew he finally understood.

"Well, then put it on another finger!" he said, his voice raising an octave.

"Babe, I tried all ten of them. This is the only finger it will fit on."

Zac let out an exasperated sigh and returned to his sandwich. They sat in silence for another moment, before Zac spoke up.

"I guess it's safe to say that I do know your ring size after all," he joked. Vanessa just rolled her eyes and shook her head in disbelief, checking his watch to check the time.

"We need to hurry. I've got about ten minutes left and still am not certain which direction the gate is. I always get turned around here."

"I'm done," he said as he stood up and gathered his trash. Vanessa handed him hers, too, and stood up with him.

"It looks like the gate is this way," she told Zac, placing her carry on bag on the surveyor belt of the security check point, signaling to the guard to set it off to the side as it came through so she could tell Zac good bye. Zac pulled her off the side and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him.

"I'm going to miss you," he whispered in her ear.

Vanessa stood on her tip toes to reach his ear the best that she could, and whispered against his neck, which was as high as she could get, "I'm going to miss you, too. So very much," she told him, as she placed a kiss on the spot of his neck where her lips reached. She felt him shiver, an automatic response his body always gave when he felt her warm breath on his skin.

"You'd better just give me a kiss and leave, before I take you into that bathroom and take my time with you so that I can make sure you miss your flight."

"I wouldn't complain if that were to happen," she admitted.

"Neither would I, but Director Zack wouldn't be happy."

"I know," she said with a sigh. "I've got a contract. I need to go and finish. I mean, I've been there this long, I may as well see it through to the end, right? What kind of signal would that send if straight laced Gabriella didn't follow through on a commitment?"

"Yeah, you're almost finished. Just another couple of weeks or so and then you'll be home for good."

"Right back with you."

"Right where you belong," he said. He leaned down and brought his lips close to hers, quickly looking around before connecting. Their lips molded together and began to move in synch, the culmination of years of practice. Just as his tongue slipped out and began to trace along her lips, silently begging for entrance, the two heard the familiar sound of cameras going off. "Damn it," he swore quietly, lowering his head to rest on her shoulder as she laughed quietly.

"It's okay that they got a picture or two of us kissing. We know what really goes on behind closed doors," she told him while running her fingers through his hair.

"You've got to stop teasing me like that, Hudgens. Especially when we're in public."

"Well, I'm just doing what I can to make it all last until I come home."

"The only way it will last is if we were at home right now," he whispered in her ear. "You'd better get to your gate. You don't want to miss your flight," he said out loud for whoever may be eavesdropping.

"I love you," she told him.

"I love you, too," he said, giving her one last kiss. "Go. Your flight's waiting."

Zac stood there watching as Vanessa passed through security, picked up her carry on bag, and gave him one last wave. He lifted his hand to wave back just as she blew him a kiss. He made a show of catching it and placed his hand over his heart, as he puckered his lips to kiss the air and blew it in her direction. The two held up their right fists with their thumb, index finger, and pinkie pointed up, "I love you" in sign language. They each kissed their fists and waved them in the air towards each other as Vanessa disappeared around the corner. He immediately pulled out his phone and quickly punched in a text to Vanessa.

"I forgot to tell you to call me when you land. I love you!"

Vanessa felt her hone buzz in her pocket, so she pulled it out and saw the envelope signaling a text. She quickly responded after reading what Zac had sent her.

"You don't have to tell me to call. I already know that! Talk to you soon. I love you, too! Oh, and keep me updated on the info you get from Stella about her date…"

Zac waited until he got her response before he texted Corbin.

"Hey, man. Just in case Van calls you, back me up. You called me and we're hanging out this afternoon. I'll explain later."

"Um, okay. Sure. I can't wait to hear this one!" was the reply from his afro- haired friend. Zac gave a chuckle before he found Ashley's number in his phone book and hit send.

"Hey, Ash, it's me. Van's on her way to the gate and I can talk now. Let me fill you in on my plan…" he told her, as he turned to start the walk back to the car, already missing Vanessa. It was going to be a long few weeks. At least he had Stella and her dating endeavors to keep him busy. He was, if nothing else, an intimidating older brother and planned on using that particular trait to his advantage while Vanessa was gone. He also had a lot of plans to finalize before she came home…

Well, my dear readers, this so ends my first foray into the world of FanFiction! Thank you again for the support and all the reviews. I've loved reading everyone of them! This particular chapter is a little longer then I intended, but I had a hard time bringing it to an end. I like to think that I left it with a slight cliffy and open for the possibility of a sequel. Never fear! I already have one in my mind! It may take a little time because I like to have several chapters written before posting anything, so just be patient with me! Remember, I do have a 3 year old and being a Mommy is my top priority. This is just something I do for fun. But never fear, I will return! May God bless you in 2010! Till next time...