Cody stepped out of the cab, handing the driver a couple of five-dollar bills and walking away. Kettlecorn looked exactly how Bailey had described it.

He looked around at the small shops, the church, the town hall, everything. He spotted someone walking down the sidewalk, and went over to her.

"Sorry to bother you, but do you know where I could find the Picketts?"

It was a teenage girl, with long shaggy black hair. She looked at him skeptically. "Why do you need to know, can I ask?"

"Bailey is a good friend of mine from school."

"Oh." The girl smiled. "Well then, Bailey and her friend took her brother, Nate, to the Town Hall. They're probably still there now."

"Ok. Thank you."

As she was walking way, she turned back to him. "You know, you bear an uncanny resemblance to that hot boyfriend of hers! Laters!"

She walked off. Cody growled to himself and started towards the Town Hall. He had to forget that Bailey had ditched him. The important thing was to get Zack to come home to Boston, or at least tell him he was forgiven.

Cody quietly stepped through the open door. There was some meeting thingy going on. Everyone was sitting in chairs, looking at some sort of stage at the top of the room.

Cody made his way along the wall towards where he saw Zack and Bailey. He was about to reach them when a loud voice interrupted the speech.

"Alright, nobody move!"

Cody turned to the door. There was a man there. He looked completely insane to Cody before he even saw the shotgun in his hand.

Cody watched in horror as he aimed at Bailey, a mad smile on his face. Cody's eyes wandered to Zack, and he knew what his brother was thinking.

Everything happened at the same time . . . the shot went off, Zack leapt in front of Bailey, Cody screamed Zack's name and Zack got distracted at the last second, then let out a scream of pain.

Bailey landed on the floor with Zack on top of her, grimacing as blood gushed from a hole in his arm.

Cody didn't think; all he knew was that someone had just tried to kill one of his friends, and they'd hurt his brother. No one hurt Zack and got away with it. He grabbed hold of a chair and swung it at the man, who was now aiming at a small child, who was crying and screaming in fear.

The chair hit the side of the man's head with a crack that made Cody's stomach lurch. He fell to the ground, dropping the gun.

Cody didn't waste another second. In an instant, he was next to Zack.

Zack's face was ghostly white, and he was breathing heavily. His head was resting on Bailey's lap, and she was whispering to him gently, reassuringly, lovingly.

Bailey stared at Cody in amazement. "Cody, how did you get here?"

"No time to explain; we've got to bandage Zack's arm with something. He'll bleed to death if we don't."

Bailey grabbed a discarded shawl off the floor and handed it to him. He ripped a long, wide strip off it and rolled the sleeve of Zack's shirt up. He wound the homemade bandage around the wound tightly. He did it a few times, then tied a knot in it.

Zack was unconscious at this point. His blood was all over the floor.

Cody heard sirens outside, but his echoing thoughts mostly shut them out.

Hang on Zack. Don't leave me.

Zack lay on Bailey's bed, a couple of hours later. The surgeons from the ambulance had properly treated his injury. He'd been out of it most of the time, and when he wasn't, he was dizzy and completely unaware of who was around him. They'd taken him back to Bailey's house. Now they were waiting.

"Cody," Bailey said quietly. "Why did you come here?"

Cody looked at the floor. "I wanted Zack to know I forgive him. And to get him to come home."

"So you got the letter?"

Cody nodded. "How do you know about that?"

"The one you got obviously wasn't the first try. I found a draft of the one you got in my shoe."

"How did that get there?"

"I dunno. The cat probably did it. Cody, I'm sorry too. I know I hurt you, and Zack."

"What do you mean?"

"Knowing he was hurting you almost tore him apart. He couldn't get to sleep at night, and when he did, he had nightmares . . . some days he just avoided me completely, or wouldn't talk to me."

"Oh . . . " Cody was relieved that Zack chose that moment to wake up, because he was lost for words.

He gave a faint moan, and his eyes opened a little. "Bailey . . . " he moaned, clutching his arm.

"It's ok, Zack. And . . . there's someone else here." Bailey nodded at Cody, who cleared his throat and spoke up. "Hey, Zack."

"Cody!" Suddenly Zack looked more awake than before, and he was slowly sitting up, staring at Cody.

"I . . . uh . . . I didn't expect to see you here."

Cody smiled. He looked at Bailey. "Bailey, do you mind if I talk to my brother, alone?"

Bailey shook her head and left the room.

Cody turned to Zack. "I forgive you Zack. And I want you to come back to Boston with me. That's why I'm here."

Zack's face fell. "I don't know, Codester. You might forgive me, but the others . . .?"

"They don't know! And they don't have to find out. Please, Zack."

Zack frowned. "I could, but . . . Bailey, I just . . . "

"I'll come and visit." Bailey had just re-entered the room. "You should go back. You belong in Boston, in the city. You're not a country guy. I'm a country girl."

Zack sighed. "Fine. You both got me. I'll come back."

Carey wrapped her arms around her eldest son, grinning. "Zack, I'm so glad you're home! I really missed you."

"I missed you too, Mom."

Cody grinned at Zack over Carey's shoulder. Together again. And this time, nothing could split them up.

Was it good? Did you like it? I hope so. Review!

Luv ya all! :))