Disclaimer: I do not own TSL or any of its characters. I also do not own Tears in Heaven.
Cody tossed and turned in bed, looking at the clock in frustration. It was a little after four in the morning and he had yet to catch a second of sleep. He had not slept well for the past couple of nights either. Finally after another half hour of tossing and turning he gave up.
He got out of bed, and headed out the the kitchen to get a glass of mile. He thought that would calm him down enough to get at least a few hours of needed sleep. As he opened the fridge, he heard a rustle from the living room.
"Cody" a voice asked.
"Yea, it's me." He said, walking to the side of the pullout sofa, allowing himself to be pulled down and under the covers.
"How are you holding out?" The voice asked Cody, while rubbing his back.
"I just miss him, dad, I ... I just can't believe that I will never see him again" Cody said, releasing the tears that had built up inside him the last couple of days.
Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?
Cody laid in the bed with his father for nearly and hour, not one of them getting any sort of sleep, they just relaxed in each others presence. Finally he decided that he had better get the day, that he had hoped will never come, over. Jumping out of the bed, he went into his room and grabbed a pair of shorts, and took off to the bathroom.
He came out to see his mom and dad, sitting at the table with coffee cups in front of them, neither looked like they had been touched. He went over and sat down on top of the table, not wanting to take up the last chair. They sat in silence for nearly and hour, before anyone made a move to get ready.
As Carey and Kurt got ready, Cody went into his room, opening his side of the closet and pulling out the black suit that was shoved all the way in the way back corner. He slowly got out all of the clothes that he would need, and got dressed. He then went out to the living room to see his dad, also dressed in a black suit, and his mom wearing a dress.
They slowly made sure they had everything, and once the did, they went out the door and too the elevator. When emerging in the Tipton lobby, they slowly passed through the sea of black and out the Tipton's front doors. A black Cadillac pulled up and all three of them got in, then the care drove away.
I must be strong
And carry on,
'Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven.
They arrived in front of the church minutes later. Slowly, they got out of the car and headed into the main chapel. It was in there where the magnitude of what was about to happen hit. In front of all of the pews, there was a single black casket. Cody, slowly made his way up to the front of the chapel, as his mother and father waited in the back. As Cody, drew closer, his speed decreased, eventually arriving at a slow crawl.
When he finally arrived at the casket, he could almost not bear to look inside of it. Even though he had seen his brother everyday of his entire life, he could not look at him. He leaned on the side of the casket and started to cry. It was then that his mom had come forth and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and took him to the pew in the very front. She then went back and stood next to Kurt.
All Cody could do was stare at all of the pictures that surrounded the casket. He noticed that he was in almost every single one, on vacation in Florida, at their fifth birthday party, at their old house. He continued to stare at the pictures, so focused on them that he did not even notice the people starting to file into the chapel. He once again fell into a quite cry.
Would you hold my hand
If I saw you in heaven?
Would you help me stand
If I saw you in heaven?
He continued to cry, until he felt a comforting arm around him once again. He turned in his seat to see a tear struck Maddie, sitting in the pew behind him, eyes as red as his. Adverting from her eyes he started to look around the church, to the mass of people that had gathered. Sitting in the row behind him were Maddie, Esteban, Mr. Moseby, Arwin and quite a few others from The Tipton. In the row behind that was in fact Mr. Tipton, London and who he thought was Mrs. Tipton. Along with a few of Zack's friends. In the rows behind that, was anyone who knew the family or Zack.
He was distracted as he saw his Grandparents walk down the aisle. They walked up in front of him and each gave him a big hug, then sat down to his immediate left. Soon the quiet murmur that had occupied the room died down as Carey and Kurt made their way up the aisle and the sat on either side of Cody. He then noticed a shorter man, in a black suit, carrying a bible, walk down the aisle and stood at the podium in front of the crowd.
I'll find my way
Through night and day,
'Cause I know I just can't stay
Here in heaven.
The man stared talking about the life of Zack. Cody was angry, this man was sitting in front of all these people, acting like he knew Zack, the the cold hard truth was that this man had never heard of Zack, and tomorrow he would of already forgot about him. He was soon taken out of his gaze as Carey un-wrapped her hand around his shoulders and stood up, making her way to the podium. Cody sat and looked at his mother, as her shaky voice echoed through the chapel. She eventually erupted into a ball of tears, then Kurt went up to finish what she was saying.
After her, a few more family and friends took their turns to go up and share memories about Zack. It was after them that the preacher asked if anyone else had any stories they wanted to share. Cody then looked over to his weeping mother, then to his father, and slowly stood up. As soon as he stood the room fell deathly silent as he made the small walk up to the podium.
He cleared his throat, holding back the tears that wanted to spill from his eyes. He looked around at the chapel, then cleared his throat again. Then he started speaking.
"I remember Zack and I, last summer..". he began, as tears backed up into his eyes. "We were at the park and.. and... and.." That was all he could manage before the tears broke lose and he lost control. With the help from his father and Mr. Moseby, he was able to find his seat next to his mother, who was in almost as many tears.
Time can bring you down,
Time can bend your knees.
Time can break your heart,
Have you begging please, begging please.
After Cody sat back down the paster went up and said one last prayer, then he dismissed himself politely. Cody, Carey and Zack then stood up and went up to stand next to the casket. Row by row, starting with the back, everyone came forward and payed their respects to Zack. Some would come up and just look, other would lean down and kiss him on the forehead, some just walked by, nodding their heads as they did so. Then they would come to Cody and his parents, they would give each other hugs as the line went passed. Cody, not moving much, just stood there as friends and family members would hug him.
The chapel was almost cleared out, expect for the first two pews. Slowly, the second row got up, and made their way forward. Esteban was first, with tears flowing heavily, he leaned over the casket and reached into his pocket, pulling out a white rose. Carefully he set it on Zack's chest and walked away quietly, giving the family hugs as he passes. Arwin was next, after giving his respect, and placing his white rose down, he quietly walked away, giving Carey and Cody a hug, and a handshake that quickly developed into a hug to Kurt.
Maddie and Mr. Moseby came up at the same time, Maddie clutching onto his arm for support. She slowly leaned over and gave Zack a kiss on the forehead. Pulling out a white rose from her purse, she set it down with the rest. Mr. Moseby then set his flower down, and they both turned away with unstoppable tears. After each one giving each of the family members a long hug, they left the chapel.
Carey and Kurt, were next, along with Carey's parents. Carey threw he hands around Zack and wept, as Kurt and her father tried to soothe her. Finally after about 5 minutes, they each pulled out a red rose, and one by one, they laid them with the rest. They made their way away from the casket, then turning to look at Cody. After he gave them a slight nod, they took one more look at Zack, and then they left, Carey with unimaginable amount of tears.
Beyond the door,
There's peace I'm sure,
And I know there'll be no more
Tears in heaven.
Cody made his way up to the side of his brothers casket, looking down at how peaceful he looked. Cody could not find any words to say, so he thought about all of the memories that they have had, ones that he will never forget. He remembered all of the times that his brother stuck up for him, either against the school bullies or older kids at the park. He remembered all of the times they stayed up late at night, talking about girls, or what they were going to do for the future. He remembered the promise they made when they were eight, the one that said that no matter what, they will always be together.
Cody couldn't hold his tears anymore, he let them go, throwing himself on his brother for comfort. He was trying his best to get a hold of himself, not wanting to seem like a wimp in front of his brother. Finally after gaining some composure, he lifted himself up, and looked at Zack.
"Look what they did to you." He told his brother. "You don't even look like yourself." He then reached into the casket and loosened Zack's tie, and undid his top button. Taking his hand he messed Zack's hair up a bit and looked at what now was his brother.
Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?
All Cody could do was look at his brother and remember the good times that they used to have. Finally, it came to him, that it was time that they had to part ways, at least for now. Cody slowly took his right hand and made his way to his neck, pulling a sliver necklace out from his shirt. On the end of that Necklace there was a silver cross.
He then reached in his pocket and pulled out an identical necklace. Admiring it in the dim light he pressed it up to his lips. Slowly he reached around Zack's head and put it on, positioning the cross over the center of his chest, he laid it into place.
"Now we will never be apart." Cody said, holding up his cross.
He slowly leaned down and gave his brother a kiss on the forehead.
I must be strong
And carry on,
'Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven.
"I love you Zack..." Cody stated. "And I will NEVER forget you or anything that you have ever done for me. Any of the times that you were there to comfort me, the times that you where there when I hurt myself. You were there my entire life, and I never got the chance to thank you, so I'm doing it now. Thank You Zack" Cody then wiped a tear from his eye. "I love you, and we will meet again, and be able to live again as brothers, maybe not in the next life, or the one after that, but we will."
He reached into his pocket and withdrew a blue rose. Kissing the rose he set it on top of the other. He stood back and said one last prayer holing his cross tightly. Cody then reached up and grabbed the lid of the casket, taking one last look at his brother, he closed the lid and headed out to comfort his mother.
AN- Wipes tears If you didn't know, the song was Tears In Heaven, by the great Eric Clapton. I hope you enjoyed!
People are asking me how Zack died, I left that out purposefully. So you have to think of you own way of that happened.
Thanks to Sol Invictus, who, as always, fixed my dumb errors and all that good stuff.