Catching Up

By: Riley

Summary – A simple conversation can stir up old feelings and past memories.

Cody looked at his watch as he waited for the elevator to bring him down to the Tipton hotel lobby. It was the first time he was ever going to be late to class. Sure, it was partially his fault, he was the one that got into UMass, but decided to be a commuter. Though he didn't think of it at the time, deep down, he knew that it was going to be hard to completely leave Zack and live in a dorm room with someone else who didn't understand him and his quirks and mannerisms.

It was different being twin brothers rather than regular brothers. Regular brothers got on each other's nerves, but were used to being apart with their own friends and having their own interests and their own rooms. Their own lives. As they grew up, Cody was the one that wanted to hold onto being able t do most things with his brother, he was never much of a sports person, though he liked to watch it on TV as much as Zack did. Zack was the one that wanted to shed Cody from his side because of his conscious plight of popularity and getting girlfriends. It hurt Cody at first, but there was always going to be a time where twins had to go their separate ways. So when Cody didn't get into Yale and decided to attend UMass, he was a bit surprised to hear that Zack had decided not to go to college and, instead, got a job at a car dealership.

Cody was proud that his brother managed to get a job that he actually enjoyed and was good at, knowing that school was never his strong point. He proved that college wasn't for everyone and you weren't a failure if you didn't go. Sure, Cody teased him about it time and time again; he was the only one that was allowed to tease Zack about it. Anyone else would probably get…a good, stern talking to. Violence was never his strong suit either. With all that in mind, the idea of living somewhere without his brother scared him, so he and Zack decided to stay in the old hotel suite that they lived in with their mother. Carey had moved out to pursue a new job and Esteban, who was now the hotel manager, cut a deal with the two of them to stay in the hotel. Zack's job brought in most of the money, and Cody worked as a tutor on campus and put half of his earnings to their rent as well.

Things were different for them now, and it could only get better.

The elevator doors slid open and Cody stepped out into the hotel lobby, shifting his backpack up his back. The weight of the books was already starting to dig into his shoulders, causing him to briefly wonder why he wanted to take so many science classes in one semester. Pondering that thought, Cody's eyes roved across the lobby, taking in the familiar sites. After having been on the SS Tipton for so long, he never thought that he would be back there again; it was comforting and bizarre all at the same time. His eyes landed on a familiar head of raven hair and he smiled before heading over.

"Hey, Rhu!" He greeted.

Rhuben Jackson lifted her head and smiled warmly at Cody, the smile reaching her eyes so that it sparkled. She was happy to see him. "Hey Codes, how's it going?" She shifted papers and folders off of the couch that she was sitting on and placed it on the table in front of her. Cody walked over and sat down next to her, sliding his backpack down his arm and onto the ground.

"Not bad," Cody replied. "Just heading out." He ran a hand through his blond hair, shaking it out of his face. "What are you doing?" His eyes scanned the papers and he leaned forward to pick one up. Surprise registered on his face, his eyebrows darting up into his hairline. "College apps." His eyebrows lowered. "Uh, aren't you already in college?"

"Yeah, online," Rhuben said. She reached over and grabbed the paper out of Cody's hand, rolling her dark blue eyes when he wined and shook out his hand. Paper cut. "But I was starting to think of actually attending college."

"Out here?"

"Out here. Back home. I haven't decided." Rhuben shrugged. She smiled a little, looking down at her hands. "It's funny, Boston has become 'home' to me just as much as Australia has, though I tried my hardest not to let that happen."

"Oh yeah, I remember." Cody leaned back into the couch, crossing his arms over his chest. "When I first met you, you made sure that you didn't like Boston, you didn't want to be here, and you didn't want to be my friend." He chuckled to himself, tugging on his shoelaces. "Kinda weird to know that, later, we would start dating."

"Kinda," Rhuben agreed. She turned her head and gave him a cheeky smile. "Then you dumped me for my cousin."

Cody sucked in a breath through his teeth. He knew that was going to come up at some point. It was great that they could joke about it now, but back then he was afraid that he really did hurt her. He didn't break up with her because he didn't like her anymore that was beyond the truth. He probably didn't ever stop having feelings for her. But she kept too many things from him, too many secrets and after a while, he wasn't sure whenever she was being honest or if she was just feeding him a line to keep him away. What she went through for years, it was terrible he had seen some of it first hand, it scared him. It had to be scarier for her as she was living through it, though she always had a smile for him whenever she saw him and that made him feel good. Still, it hung over her like a dark cloud and it affected their relationship more than he thought it would and he felt that it wasn't fair for either of them until she came to terms with it.

"Good to know that you're not bitter about it," Cody said. He turned and looked at her, resting his arm on the back of the couch. "I didn't mean to-"

"I know what you meant," Rhuben interrupted. "And I don't know if I said it to you then, but thanks." Her eyebrows lowered into a serious expression. "At the time I didn't get that you were just trying to help me, but I get it now." She slapped her hand against the applications and forms in her hand. "Just like you helped me with science all the time."

Cody laughed. "Actually, I think that you helped me more than I helped you. Who was the one that figured out the part of the formula I was missing for my laser at the science fair?"

Rhuben smirked at him. "Who was theo ne that blew up Barbara's volcano and lost the first place prize?"

Cody rolled his eyes. "Do you always have to bring that up?"

"Yes, nong!" Rhuben pushed her purple strand of hair out of her face. "Just like I have to bring up me and Riles dressing you up like a girl to get together with that one girl-"

"Rebecca," Cody broke in.

"Right." Rhuben cracked her knuckles. "And when we helped you play hooky so you could meet Matisse. And when you dyed your hair bright red. And when-"

"And when you kissed me for the first time when I went away to math camp," Cody teased. He smiled when a light blush moved over Rhuben's cheeks as she fell silent. It was a comfortable silence; nothing hanging over their heads, no awkward undertones. There had been many times where they would arrange to study together and would just enjoy each other's company in silence. "You must have missed me like crazy."

"No, I just got annoyed of only having Zack around," Rhuben swiftly corrected him. "I'd rather listen to nails on a chalkboard or my cat screeching than be around him that long." The two laughed. Her face relaxed into a serene expression and Cody took the time to study her.

Having known her since they were both *eleven years old, he could honestly say that she grew up to be very beautiful. When he first met her, she instantly got his attention with her black hair, blue eyes, and mysteriousness. There were times where she looked glad to see him around and others where it was obvious she didn't want him within two feet of her. He knew now it was nothing personal, but back then it made him wonder what was going on, causing him to think about her more than he thought he would. She opened up to him pretty quickly, but there was a part of him that was very guarded and still pushed him away. She was a mystery to him and it was a mystery that he tried hard to solve.

Cody wiped his hands off on the sides of his jeans; they were suddenly filled with sweat. He looked away when Rhuben turned a questioning glance at him, feeling his face starting to turn red. Why did Mom have to give me her fair skin? He raised his hand and scratched the back of his neck, trying to hide his face. "So, yea, if you want help on these college applications, I'd be glad to help you out. It'll be like old times, when we did papers and stuff together."

"Only difference being that Zack won't be goofing off, Riles wont' be yelling at him for goofing off, and we don't have to constantly roll our eyes at Zack's pathetic attempt of flirting with her," Rhuben pointed out, causing the two to laugh again. "I'd like that," she murmured. "Thanks."

"You're welcome!" Cody got to his feet. He started to walk away from the couch, but stopped, turning back towards Rhuben. She tilted her head back and looked at him curiously, giving direct eye contact. Cody had to look away; he always had to look away first under her intense gaze. He hated how she was always able to do that, to be able to look right through him and know what was bothering him even before he had to say anything.

"Weren't you headed somewhere?" Rhuben tucked her hair behind her ear, her eyes moving over to his backpack.

Cody paused before smiling at her. "It wasn't important." He stood up, holding out his hand. "C'mon, I'll help you finish those applications and we can get something to eat and…catch up."

Rhuben gazed at him for a long moment. Her face void of any emotion, she gathered her things together and stood up as well. She looked down at his hand for a long moment before hesitantly reaching out and sliding hers into his. Cody surprised her by stepped forward and giving her a kiss on the corner of her mouth. Rhuben's eyebrows furrowed together as e pulled back, his eyes shining.

"I wanted to do that for a while," he explained. "I just wasn't sure if you wanted me to."

Rhuben smacked him on the arm with her papers. "You mean that you were too chicken to make a move, like you always were!" She stuck her tongue out at him as they headed out of the Tipton lobby, smiling at Norman the doorman as they went.

"So I'm shy, excuse me!" Cody laughed.

"You weren't shy with Rebecca," Rhuben teased.

"I knew that you were jealous of her!"

"Keep dreaming."

Trading disparaging remarks back and forth, Cody led her to a café that he frequented while he was out studying. The time that they had spent apart, where they had grown up, just made it so that he had a new mystery to solve. And if his times in the Tipton hotel and the SS Tipton didn't show it, he loved to solve mysteries.

THE END

A/N: I haven't done a CodyxRhuben one-shot or story or have anything between the two of them romantically in a LONG time (though now I have an idea for one). And it was just as popular as the CodyxCrystal pairing was. I got an idea for a SLOZAC/SLOD one-shot recently and thought that it would be good as this pairing. Haven't decided if the pairing is named Colla or Rhudy yet. I like both. Haha.

This may not be my best one-shot, I haven't written Cody and Rhuben together in a while, but I did my best. I always liked how we had it that with Rhuben and Cody we had Rhuben be open with the fact that she did like Cody (often taking his side against Zack, defending him whenever he needed it, getting help from him in science or whatever) and thought that while we developed her personality more in this fandom as well as others, to keep that idea.

As with the one-shot Confessions this mentioned/referred to things that happened in my (now deleted) episode collection Grow Up. It's deleted off of FFN but I have it saved on my computer in its entirety because I like to look back at it from time to time. *I don't remember if we had them meet at the very beginning of suite life, where they were eleven (I really think we did) or a bit later at, like, thirteen or so.

That being said, I have a CodyxCrystal one-shot coming up soon. These two one-shots can fit anywhere you want it to, it can be part of a element story or it can be one without their powers, it doesn't really matter. Sorry, long author's note.

I hope you guys enjoyed it.

Cheers,

-Riles