Author's Note: First off, I have to say thank you to everyone who reviewed my first Suite Life fic, Two is Better Than One.
Your reviews inspired me to really delve into this fandom and I've decided to write a one shot collection based around the concept of what might have been.
If you're not interested in fics that are of a mature nature, this is not the collection for you. Other than that, all you need to know is the italic text is what could have happened between the characters and the regular text is present day.
Title: What Might Have Been
Summary: A collection of short stories and one shots based on what could have been with different Suite Life couples.
Rating: Mature
Note: Cody and Bailey are engaged when this story takes place. Most of the one shots will have the alternate reality broken up throughout the real life stuff, but this one worked out that the alternate reality is in just one big chunk.
The title of this story comes from the James Blunt song "You're beautiful" just like the lyrics at the beginning, which I think some up the concept of this one shot.
We Shared a Moment
Zack Martin/Bailey Pickett
We shared a moment that will last to the end
And I don't know what to do,
Cause I'll never be with you
"You're Beautiful" (James Blunt)
They would live in Waltham Fields just outside of Boston. And no matter what street or how much money they spent on their home, she would paint the door blue.
Not just any blue but University of Kansas Jayhawk blue.
And when she would go to the market, her pink lips upturned in that beaming smile as she made small talk, she would tell people in that overly excited tone of hers, "That's my small farmhouse just at the end of the road with the Jayhawk blue door."
She would paint the door in her beat up overalls with her hair in pigtails tied by the blue and red ribbons from her cheerleading days at KU and the caring elderly couple down the street would whisper about the bouncy farm girl and her PhD having fiancee that just moved in.
Cody would question the paint color, pointing out that it wouldn't match the old 18th century country look of the house, but he would let her do it anyway. He couldn't refuse his "Hay Bale."
Zack Martin shook his head at the thought. Who the hell was his twin kidding? Bailey would paint the door no matter what Cody said.
The elder Martin twin laughed at his mental picture of Bailey while she stood at the rickety steps that would lead to the modest farmhouse's porch.
The warm spring sunlight bounced off the gold tones of her wheat colored hair and highlighted her flawless alabaster skin as she took in the sight of the house, the wheels in her head spinning with ideas of how to fix up the place, no doubt.
"Ready to go in?" He heard the real estate agent ask Bailey.
Zack didn't pay attention when the woman introduced herself, he was too busy staring at the farm girl while she discreetly picked at her nails, tempting him without even knowing. Like she's done for years now.
He swallowed hard when Bailey turned her huge caramel eyes on him. Pink lips devoid of lipgloss or lipstick bloomed into that beaming smile and she asked, "We're ready, aren't we, Zack?"
Ignoring the fluttering of his heart at the use of the word we're, he sighed loudly, pretending to be put out. His handsome face wore the expression of boredom and as he trudged up the rickety steps, he groaned, "Shouldn't you be doing this girly stuff with Cody? You know your fiancee`? "
A sigh fell from her own lips and she spun on her heel. Her caramel eyes fixed him with the glare he knew well before softening quickly. Her long eyelashes fluttered, an innocence taking over the frustration her delicate features displayed seconds before.
"I would be doing this girly stuff with Cody, if Cody were here. But since he's not, you're the next best thing. After all, you are twins. But more importantly, you're my friend." She murmured, the sincerity in her voice making his stomach clench. "And your opinion means a lot to me and Cody."
Giggles poured from her perfect lips. "Besides since you'll be visiting all the time, we can't live in a house you hate, Zachary!"
Following her inside the door, he found it hard to ignore the way her signature scent wafted to his nose. He wasn't Cody so he didn't know what kind of flowery perfume she wore, he just knew he had to breathe it in.
As soon as they walked in, she gasped loudly much like she had years ago when Hannah Montana mentioned the corn cob sculpture she had sent her as a teen.
His lips curled into a smile at the sight she made; big caramel eyes wide and glimmering with excitement, petite body wound tightly like a spring because of happiness and bow lips twisted into an even bigger version of her usual beaming smile.
The rapid movement of her feet had her by his side in seconds. Then suddenly she was pulling him toward the staircase, making him stumble slightly as he was struggling to keep up while she took the stairs to at a time.
She skidded to a stop in front of the master bedroom, as if she instinctually knew where it would be. She dropped his hand and began spinning around like a little girl would do while she was pretending to be a fairy princess or whatever.
Although Zack had the distinct impression the down home beauty imagined herself as Annie Oakley or some famous smart scientist chick.
Leaning up against the door frame, he just watched her, crossing his arms lazily over his chest. "You're totally imagining some matching end tables and a rose covered duvet or whatever aren't you?"
"So what if I am?" She shot back, sticking out her tongue.
"Did you just stick your tongue out at me?" He asked, laughing slightly. "Cause that's so mature, Bay."
Her caramel eyes widened and he could see the fictitious light bulb above her head go off. Her teeth sunk into the plump flesh of her bottom lip, her voice filled with realization as she murmured, "You're the only one who calls me Bay."
An uneasy chuckle fell from the blonde young man's lips. His clear blue eyes were locked on her caramel, making his heart beat faster like always.
Swallowing, he couldn't think of anything else to say but, "You're the only one who calls me Zachary."
"Huh." She said distractedly, still staring at him with those eyes that burned his skin.
The unintentional staring contest was broken, when she quickly brushed past him and down the hall where the guest bedroom was.
"Zack!" She yelled, breaking him from his zombie esque state. "Yeah, yeah I'm coming!" He yelled back, once again pretending to be off put as he made his way to the guest bedroom.
"Just look at this closet!" Bailey screeched as she backed up against it dramatically. "It's huge!" She yelped in excitement, extending her arms out flat against the wall.
Zack just leaned against the doorway, arms folded over his chest just like he did when she was in the master bedroom, watching her.
"Don't give me that funny look, mister." She ordered sternly as she took a step toward him.
"What look?" He asked, clear blue eyes darting in every direction. "And just what's so funny about this so called look anyway, missy?"
"Don't play possum with me. Cause I can sniff out when someone's playing possum with me, like you can sniff out the cow patties from Kettle Pot all the way to Kettle Corn. You know the funny look I'm talking about." She said, taking one step closer.
"Bay, look ..."
"The look, Zachary." Bailey said, suddenly becoming serious.
It was like she had entered some de-age machine that was set for two years ago and was standing outside the front of the Tipton Hotel with him as the rain pounded down, completely soaking the both of them.
Then he felt her grab his hand and he was brought back to reality. His breath was caught in his throat as he studied her, her delicate features more serious than he'd ever seen them. Her caramel eyes were different too, the look inside as she watched him was intense, almost smoldering.
He could feel his stomach drop as she finally closed the gap between them. Her flowery smell engulfed him, making his heart pound and his chest tight.
"Are you going to say something now?" Bailey whispered, bow shaped lips trembling.
The implication of the word now wasn't lost on Zack. He had his chance to say something when they were caught in that storm outside the front of the Tipton, but kept his mouth shut.
He and Cody had one rule when it came to chicks and it was bros before hoes. He couldn't make a move on Bailey then, even though they were taking a break, and he couldn't make a move on her now. Not while they were standing in the house she and his brother were going to live in forever.
And definitely not while she was wearing her engagement ring.
But none of that changed the fact, that he didn't know what to say. That he couldn't answer her.
All he could do was wondered how this day had turned into this? All he was supposed to do was look at houses with his brother's beautiful, smart, funny, endearing fiancee` who he had felt something for long before their almost moment in the rain two years ago...So how did they end up here?
Here … This moment … Where things were going to be made or things were going to be broken?
How?
Zack wasn't sure what came over him as he stood there in the doorway staring at her petite frame. Her silky golden toned wheat colored hair poured down her alabaster shoulders in bouncy ringlet curls, her outfit was perfect for the spring day the butter yellow of her seer sucker sundress highlighting everything beautiful about her.
He swallowed hard and reached out to touch the smooth skin of her arm, tenderly and he felt her shudder underneath his fingers.
"You never said anything before." She whispered.
He thought he heard her voice choke up, but he wasn't sure. She pulled away from him, wrapping her arms around her stomach and turning away from him.
"Bay," He started, hesitant about what he should divulge to her. "Bailey." He said, his tone more firm while taking a step toward her, placing both hands on her shoulders.
"You should have said something, anything." The fire she hid behind her sweet farm girl image burst forth. "We could have had a chance to be something … I ...I could have loved you, Zack." She whispered as she turned around to meet his eyes.
His clear blue eyes – normally always twinkling with a scheme (even now) – were filled with intensity and confusion as they stared back at her.
"Now it's too late." She whimpered pitifully, tears spilling down her cheeks. With a shaky hand, he wiped them away and she closed her eyes, savoring his touch as she leaned her face into the warmth of his palm.
"It might not be too late." He told her, a boldness coming over him as he brought his head down lower to hers.
"Zack, don't do this." She begged him, but still she turned her lips toward his.
"Bailey, just once let me have you. Just once..."
For the first time Zack "Babe Magnet" Martin was unsure of how a girl would react to his kiss. His lips were tentative as they touched Bailey's instead of commanding and smooth.
He pulled back for a moment to look at her. Her eyes were closed tight, telling him silently that she refused to look at him. Her lips parted, making the perfect picture, as she took a deep breath and he couldn't resist moving in once again.
"Please, no." She murmured, not nearly as forceful as she wanted herself to be.
The forcefulness she wanted to come from her words came from her lips as she met Zack's with the same fierceness that he met hers. She tangled her hands in his hair, his warm hands gripping her back, caressing her as their tongues dueled for control.
Zack dropped his head down to Bailey's neck, sucking, kissing softly as he moved his way down the dip between her neck and shoulder.
"Zack..." She moaned, tossing her head back as she felt his tongue along with his slightly rough hands moving underneath the back of her dress. Her moan only encouraged him and his hands as they moved over her body and she felt herself start to lose control.
"I've wanted you for a long time." He whispered against her neck, leaning down as he brought his hands up under the skirt of her dress.
"I've always wondered ..." She breathed out, eyes rolling into the back of her head. "What it would be like to be with you." She admitted before meeting his lips again.
Zack's kisses were so intoxicating, she didn't even realize his hands had pushed her simple cotton panties to the side and that his fingers were grazing the soaking light curls that coved her sex, until she felt one of his fingers plunge inside of her.
Her mouth opened wide against his in an elongated moan of his name "Zaaackkkk," while her body went completely slack in his arms.
"No, no. You can't. It's wrong." The jumbled words were spoken with no sincerity and she knew that, but at least she could say she tried when she was alone after this was all over.
"Yes, Bailey, yes." He told her. It wasn't long before he had to hold her against his body, as she gripped onto his shoulders, his hair, anything for support. He silenced her moans with his mouth, the intensity raging between them, something they had never felt before.
Zack pulled down the straps of Bailey's dress with his free hand as he felt her getting closer. He pushed the right cup of her bra down and attached his mouth to her hardened peach colored nipple, suckling and nipping, which caused her to throw her head back and pull on his shaggy locks.
"That's it, Bailey." He encouraged her and that was all she needed to get her release, coming hard and fast around his fingers. He watched, unable to tear his eyes away from the beauty in front of him, as she panted through her orgasm, moaning his name incoherently when she started to come down from her high.
"I've wanted to do that for like ever," He confessed to her, placing warm kisses all over her face. "I've wanted to make you all happy and that other girly stuff. Where you giggle and smile kinda goofy at me."
She wiped at her eyes where the tears had started once more and just smiled at him. "I can't smile kinda goofy at you, if you don't say anything. So are you going to say something now?"
"Are you going to say something now?" Bailey asked again.
Thoughts raced through Zack's mind, but his decision was made long before Bailey decided to call him out on their moment in the rain as Cody's face flashed into his head.
They weren't the perfect pair of twins who got along 24/7 and they had their share of fights, but what brothers didn't fight every once in a while?
He thought about Cody's six month plan to get Bailey back when they were all on the S.S. Tipton as teenagers and how he wore that goofy grin on his face for a month when she had only kissed his cheek. Then he remembered how hard he had tried to win that scavenger hunt for Hannah Montana tickets and how he had re-created the Kettle Corn Corn Cob festival so she wouldn't be homesick anymore.
And of course how he had paced and agonized in his college apartment over asking Bailey to marry him, wanting the proposal to be absolutely perfect for his "Hay Bale."
"I'm not gonna say anything now. Just like I didn't say anything then. And you know why? Cause I … I"
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Zack took a deep breath before continuing. His voice was softer but the loyalty to Cody resonated through every syllable he spoke. "I love you and Cody too much to mess everything up. You smile all goofy at him, your foot still pops when you kiss and stuff … And he … You mean everything to him, Bailey. You're his Hay Bale...." He said, letting his words trail off.
He saw her drop her head and twist her engagement ring around her finger. Her tears started to fall faster and harder and before he knew it, his arms were wrapped around her as she sobbed into his shirt.
She composed herself, her body no longer shaking and she pulled herself out of his arms, placing her tiny, smooth hand against his cheek.
"You're my favorite goof ball, slacker..." Her voice was lodged in her throat for a moment. "Great guy all wrapped into one, you know."
Standing on her toes, Bailey placed a chaste kiss against Zack's lips. Before he could even blink, she was out of the closet and almost half way out the door of the guest bedroom.
Calling out his name, "Zack," she stayed facing the hallway, unable to turn around and face him.
"What is it, Bay?" He asked, noticing her small frame still hadn't completely stopped shaking.
"I love you and Cody too."
End Note: There it is my first installment of the What Might Have Been series. If you have any ideas or couples you'd like to see explored, just pm me and I'll see what the Muse who I call Scarlett can cook up.
Hopefully Zack and Bailey's characterization isn't too off. I'm new to this fandom and I want to make sure I've got the characters down, so if I don't, feel free to say so.
I love me some constructive criticism as long as it's done in a polite way. On that note, please review. I really do appreciate them and take what you have to say to heart.