Nocturnal Candor
By Jeune Ecrivain
Rating: T (brief mention of sexual situations)
Summary: Alternative Cailey reconciliation. After the debacle in Paris, Cody and Bailey secretly regret their break-up, though neither one will admit it to the other. When London gets fed up with Bailey's nightly weeping, she takes drastic measures to rectify the situation. AU after "Break-Up in Paris"
A/N: I know I haven't written anything for Disney Channel in ages, but I'm just on a "Suite Life" kick right now, and this plot bunny kept pestering me. Cody and Bailey are such an endearing couple!
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters owned by the Walt Disney Company. It is written with no intention of profit and with admiration/respect for Disney's work.

Cody Martin groaned as consciousness ambushed him for no apparent reason. He opened his tired eyes and winced at the bluish darkness surrounding him. Having had enough trouble drifting into a passable slumber only a couple of hours earlier, he was in no mood for random awakenings in the middle of the night. Nevertheless, an obnoxious knocking at his dormitory door suggested that it was not so random after all. Blinking several times, he forced himself to throw the covers off and rise into a sitting position. Another round of knocking, this time more insistent, elicited another groan as Cody attempted to rub the sleepiness from his eyes. He finally rose to his feet and trudged to the door, fully intent on telling whatever untimely pest lay behind it to go away. His bloodshot eyes widened, however, at the sight that greeted him on the other side. "London?"

Standing before him was London Tipton, the hotel heiress whose father owned the very cruise ship on which he lived. Cody had known her since middle school, and he considered her a friend, albeit a rather eccentric one. Her expression, with tight lips and a certain softness behind otherwise indignant eyes, seemed to blend annoyance with genuine concern. It was an unusual gaze for the admittedly spoiled debutante, but even more unusual was the bluntness and resolve in her voice when she promptly announced the reason for her visit: "You need to fix this."

"Huh?"

She gave him a pointed look and crossed her arms. "It's been five days! I need my beauty rest, but I can't meet my quota with Farmgirl crying herself to sleep every night!"

Any residual sleepiness dissipated at the mention of his ex-girlfriend Bailey Pickett, though the feelings that replaced it were no more pleasant. In short, mutual jealousies had turned what should have been an anniversary celebration into the scene of an impulsive break-up, and it had all happened ironically atop the Eiffel Tower. It was a comedy of errors that would've made Shakespeare proud, but Cody had never found anything comical about it. In the days since then, resentment had been steadily giving way to regret. Meanwhile, Bailey's feelings on the matter seemed subject to no such transformation, which had only provoked him to erect an equally steely façade. This is why he had some difficulty believing London's words. "London," he began with a heavy sigh, "I'm probably the last person she wants to talk to."

The wealthy brunette scoffed. "Please! It's not like no one else has tried to help her. I tried. Your roommate's super-skinny girlfriend tried. Even Tutweiler tried! Plus, she spent over an hour on the phone venting to her family, and even that didn't stop the waterworks."

Despite his lingering stubbornness, Cody's resentment shrunk a bit more as his regret was emboldened by London's words. Still, not wanting to feed the simultaneous glimmer of hope he felt, he was not quite ready to believe what she was telling him. "And you think I can do better? London, if she's that miserable, I'm pretty sure I'd just make it worse for the both of us! Even you must have noticed the angry looks we give each other at school. I doubt she'll be interested in anything I have to say."

London glared at him. "Of course I've noticed them, silly! What else would I pay attention to in school? But she's just being stubborn, like you. Besides, I don't really care what Bailey wants. This is about what she needs, and right now, she needs to at least know that you don't hate her so she can stop pretending to hate you and I can get a full night's rest. I know I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I don't need smarticle lipstick or gazebo perfume to figure that out!"

The notion of Bailey thinking that he hated her caught Cody off-guard even though he knew that he had no right to be surprised. After all, was that not more-or-less the very illusion he had strived to convey every time they crossed paths? "I could never hate her," he blurted.

The privileged fashionista rolled her eyes. "And people think I'm the airhead!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him out of his own bedroom before he even knew what was happening. "Telling me that doesn't solve anything. You need to tell her that!"

When did she grow a cerebrum? Cody finally managed to snap out of his daze only to see that she was guiding him towards the elevators. His eyes widened. "Right now?"

Keeping a firm grip on his forearm, London cast a resolute glance over her shoulder at him. "Yep. I can't have a weepy farmgirl cramping my beauty sleep. Besides, she's actually one of my only real friends, even though she has about as much fashion sense as I do book-smarts, so it'd just be easier on me if she wasn't miserable all the time."

He could feel his resolve weakening as the elevators came into view. He sorely missed Bailey and wished her to be an integral part of his life again in whatever capacity she could after what had happened in Paris. Still, the prospect of facing her and the painful memories of that night was as intimidating as it was tempting, so he continued to protest. "London, I can't just barge into a girl's dorm in the middle of the night!

"You're not barging in. I'm inviting you!"

He face-palmed himself with his free hand. "It doesn't matter. Nighttime co-ed visits aren't allowed. It's in the Seven Seas High handbook!"

"Well, my daddy owns this boat, and I say we're making an exception!" London declared. "If Moseby has anything to say about it, I'll remind him there's an awful lot of goats in the Andes that could use a new herder."

They reached the elevator, and she wasted no time in pressing the gold-plated circular button besides one of them. Given the late hour, the lack of traffic caused the polished marble doors to open all too soon for him. "Fine," he said as he jerked his arm free and voluntarily entered the elevator. "But don't blame me if this little chit-chat blows up in our faces."

Mere seconds later, the doors opened onto the girls' deck, and Cody followed London in resigned silence, wishing he had more time to plan what he was going to say. He swallowed and exhaled as London swung her bedroom door open and gestured with her head to step inside. He was greeted with the sight of Bailey's auburn hair peeking out from under her comforter, the contours of which suggested something approaching the fetal position. Meanwhile, London followed him into the room and strode up to his ex-girlfriend's bedside.

"London?" sounded a soft, tired voice. "What are you doing?"

"There's someone here who wants to talk to you."

Cody balked at the brunette's words, but she shot him a stern look which challenged him to deny them. Meanwhile, Bailey rose from the bed in confusion only to freeze as her eyes fell on him. His throat tightened at the sight of her. Her eyes were as bloodshot as his own, and her cheeks were flushed.

"What the feathers!" she threw the covers off and leapt to her feet.

"It wasn't my idea," Cody stuttered. "London seems to think we need to talk. I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't take 'no' for an answer."

Bailey groaned and rubbed her eyes. "London, this isn't any of your business. Besides, do you know what kind of trouble you could get us into for dragging a boy up to the girls' deck in the middle of the night?"

The heiress would hear none of it. "First of all, it is my business when your nightly weepies interfere with my beauty sleep. Secondly, I doubt Moseby will be too hard on the two smartest students on the boat. Even if he tries anything, I can always remind him that my goat-herding offer still stands."

"London, that's blackmail!"

"Ooh! Mailman! Good one, Farmgirl! I think they're just as poor as goat herders!" London clapped to herself before turning to leave. "I'm staying in the penthouse cabin tonight so you two can have it out."

"But I don't think we have much to say to each other," protested a stunned Bailey.

"Trust me, you do," London insisted with uncanny conviction as she paused at the door. "Happy chatting!"

Before any further protests could be sputtered, the perky brunette was gone. Cody stuffed his hands into the pockets of his pajama pants as Bailey rolled her eyes. He studied the floor for an awkward moment before finally breaking the silence. "So...London tells me you've been having trouble sleeping," he intoned.

Bailey crossed her arms and shook her head. "Yeah, well, she's wrong. I'm fine."

He ventured a direct look at her. Even with unkempt hair and not even the minimal make-up she usually wore, her beauty was undeniable. "You sure 'bout that?"

She sniffed despite herself, inwardly cursing London for bringing Cody there without even warning her so she could better steel herself. "Yeah. I'm a big girl, Cody. I'm not going to have a meltdown just because we broke up."

Cody's jaw tightened at her use of the word "just," and he stared at her for a long moment before turning towards the door. "Whatever. I don't know why I bothered." His hand had barely grazed the doorknob when the sound of a single sob penetrated the air. He froze, and every last ounce of his resentment dissolved, surrendering completely to deep regret. He released another heavy sigh and turned to let his gaze meet hers. She stood there, leaning on London's desk for support with one hand still clasped over her mouth in a failed attempt to repress her cry. Her moist eyes left no more room for denial. She was hurting as much as he was, and the realization brought the beginnings of tears to his own eyes.

"Why do you care all of a sudden, anyways?" she finally asked, her voice weak with the abandonment of all pretense.

He swallowed again. "I never stopped caring, Bails. I know I've put on a good show, but the truth is, my nights haven't exactly been peaceful either. If I'd known it was the same for you, I never would've carried on like I did."

A sigh of relief escaped Bailey's lips, and her arms fell to her sides. "Me neither," she admitted after a loaded pause. "I had no idea you still felt anything but contempt for me. That's why I pretended not to care. I guess I just...didn't want to give you the satisfaction, you know?"

"Same here." Cody let out a bitter chuckle. "I suppose our mind games didn't make breaking up any easier."

"Agreed. I think we were both being stubborn." She nodded and let her eyes meet his. "But I'm willing to swallow my pride if you are."

He replied with an emphatic nod of his own. "Absolutely. It's a deal."

"I'm glad." Bailey bit her lip before continuing. "Since we're finally being honest, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

She paused to gather her thoughts. "Looking back, I realize Jean Luc may have actually been flirting with me. But on my part, I really was just looking for a shoulder to cry on after I jumped to conclusions about you and London. Any romantic inclinations there were all his." She spoke slowly to avoid sounding accusatory. "So why couldn't you trust me when I tried to tell you he wasn't a threat?"

Cody mirrored her lip-biting from moments before. It was a fair question, and he had certainly had enough restless nights to contemplate exactly how that night had gone so horribly wrong. "Part of it was probably because I'd worked so hard to make our anniversary perfect, and having it blow up in my face just made me a little irritable. But I think it was mostly because what I saw, or at least thought I saw, was just suspicious enough that it didn't occur to me that there might be another explanation. Because I was already too upset to think straight, you know? It wasn't that I didn't trust you, really. It's just that, at the time, the evidence seemed so incontrovertible."

"Like what I saw between you and London," Bailey realized aloud. "It just looked so convincing..." She frowned. "Still, Jean Luc and I weren't even trying to fake anything romantic, or at least I wasn't. You and London were actually practicing a date."

Cody nodded in remorse, now feeling even more stupid. "And I should've understood that. It probably did look even worse than what I saw you and Jean Luc doing. I'm sorry I didn't see that. Honestly, though, even if I had come to my senses, I probably still wouldn't have been able to help being just a little bit leery of him as a long-term threat."

She looked puzzled. "Long-term? What do you mean?"

"Well, let's face it, Bailey. You're clearly out of my league. I would've considered myself lucky to have a girlfriend at all. But to have one as intelligent, kind, down-to-earth, and beautiful as you..." Distracted by his efforts to express himself adequately, he failed to notice her blushing. "It's not like I automatically thought you'd go behind my back with Jean Luc. I know you're not that kind of person. But he did seem just charming enough to get you to spend more time with him. And I figured if you spent enough time with him, you might've eventually decided he really was the better match for you. Then, you'd break up with me in order to be with him. And as much as that would've hurt, I couldn't really blame you, 'cause you'd just be following your heart, you know?" He paused again. "I guess seeing him comfort you just brought those fears out from the back of my mind and made it even harder to be rational."

Bailey shook her head in awe, now understanding him better than ever. "You really don't get it, do you?" she almost whispered.

"Get what?"

"What a rare breed of guy you are." She pursed her lips and took a step towards him. "First of all, I would've had to practically move to Paris before he could spend enough time with me to even have a chance of challenging my feelings for you, and even then, I seriously doubt he ever would. But more importantly, you have got to stop selling yourself short!" She semi-consciously took his hands in hers. "Cody, besides the obvious stuff like being smart and caring, you're also honest, attentive, and respectful. You paid more attention to my feelings before we were even dating than many boyfriends ever do for their girlfriends, and you didn't stop once you'd already won me over! And even when we've disagreed, I could always sense that you still respected me. Plus, you never once pressured me to consummate our relationship before we were both ready, and trust me, I've heard horror stories about how impatient some guys can be! And believe it or not, you're not that hard on the eyes either. Not by a long shot. In fact, there were moments when I felt like you were the one out of my league!"

His jaw went slack. "Really?"

Bailey's voice softened. "Really."

It was now Cody's turn to shake his head in awe. Then he chuckled, this time with an element of genuine humor. "The whole fiasco in Paris seems to be getting stupider and stupider the more we talk about it."

He was rewarded with a small smile, the first one directed at him in far too long. "Over-thinking things certainly didn't help. Seriously, we could've had our anniversary at McDonald's and I would've been happy as long as we were together."

His face fell as he realized the point was now moot. He had let his fear of losing Bailey turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. He had never felt like a bigger idiot. "I'm sorry, Bails. I'm so sorry," he said, his voice breaking while his eyes shone with sincerity. "I've never regretted anything more than I regret that night."

Bailey felt her eyes moistening all over again. "I'm sorry too," she almost whispered. "I've never regretted anything more either."

Cody nodded and noticed their intertwined hands for the first time. With a final sigh, he asked, "So what do you say? Can we at least be friends again?"

"Friends," she repeated. Her lip gave the slightest quiver of disappointment before her knowing eyes narrowed. "Is that what you want?"

She realized the irony of her words even as she uttered them, and Cody recognized it instantly as well. Six days ago, she had used those very words in response to his impulsive and spiteful suggestion that they break up, and his subsequent silence had sealed their fate. In a sense, she was putting him back in that moment and challenging him to do it right this time. He looked into her eyes once more and spoke, his voice deep with determination. "No. I want more." With a barely audible gulp, he continued. "If friendship is all you can give right now after the way I've treated you, I will do my best to understand and respect that. But the fact is, I'm still in love with you. I'll always love you."

Bailey's eyes glistened, but the determination behind them mirrored his. This was one of those times when the young man before her seemed simply too noble for his own good. Her hands snaked up his torso until her thumbs could stroke his cheeks. "Respect this," she said before leaning into him and pressing her lips to his.

As if compensating for five days of deprivation, the kiss escalated in a mere couple of seconds into the most passionate they had ever shared. Bailey let out a soft moan as she parted her lips to deepen the kiss, a move which Cody gladly reciprocated. Their lips continued to interlock hungrily until at last the teens separated to catch their breath, each resting his/her forehead on the other's.

"Wow!" Cody panted. "Best. Kiss. Ever."

"Best one yet, anyway,'" Bailey said between pants of her own. "By the way, just in case you haven't figured it out, I still love you too, and I always will"

He grinned. "I'm never letting you go again."

She smiled back before growing serious. She withdrew slightly from his arms to look at him properly. "Let's just promise each other that next time we're feeling jealous or insecure, we'll talk it out before it snowballs out of control."

"Deal." Sealing it with another warm and lingering kiss, Cody groaned in realization that he would have to leave. "I should probably go," he said, avoiding her eyes in order to preserve his feeble self-discipline. "Good night." Managing a smile, he barely noticed her thoughtful expression as he forced himself to turn away. Then, a slight tug on his arm reminded him that she still held one of his hands in hers, and she had apparently decided to keep it that way. This woman is going to be the death of me.

"Cody,..." The hope in her voice broke what was left of his resolve, and he turned to face her again, surrendering to her irresistible gaze. "Will you stay with me tonight? I mean, just to sleep?" She let out a sheepish giggle at his raised eyebrows. "I know it sounds crazy, not to mention risky. It's just that...I want to be sure the second I wake up that this wasn't a dream."

The notion that this could all be a dream had not occurred to him until she mentioned it, but now, the possibility was too real to ignore. Already tempted to his limits, he replied with a warm smile. "Sure. I couldn't say 'No' even if I wanted to."

Bailey smiled back and pulled Cody into a firm yet cozy hug that lingered for a over a minute before they finally parted. Then they both stepped towards her bed. "I'm going to back up my alarm a bit so you have time to sneak back to your room before anyone's likely to notice," she whispered, to which he nodded in agreement as he pulled back the comforter and kneeled onto the mattress. Resetting her clock and borrowing London's pillow with quiet efficiency, she then settled into the bed herself and drew the comforter over both of them. Facing each other, they finally fell into a contented slumber.