The weather reflected the Earth's mood today. Rain poured angrily over the streets of Boston, leaving the usually calm nights screaming with thunder. Ten seconds, another angry clap. Then thirteen, and another.

Zack lay in bed, counting seconds until the storm began to wither away in the early hours of the morning. Four thirty-seven and zero hours of sleep. Normally, sleeping would be his first priority, yet his sleeping habits were as abnormal as the weather in early December.

It wasn't even like he was tired. Zack's eyes remained open and eager, and his energy was just as present as it was the day before. He simply could not sleep. Sitting up in bed, he rubbed his sleepless eyes as another bolt of lightning reflected off the window. Aggravated, Zack stumbled out of bed, stepping across an array of dirty clothes. He pulled the blinds over the window, leaving the storm out of view. In the still darkness, he could hear his brother's steady breathing, harmonizing with the rainfall. He envied Cody for many things, yet sleep was never one of them.

Zack felt his way back to his bed and fell beneath the covers once again, for the third time tonight, and forced his eyes closed.

"Can you keep a secret?"

A voice; familiar.

"Well, can you? Can you promise not to tell? Don't tell mom, or I'll hurt you…"

Water. Lots and lots of water. Cody was knee deep in water, standing amongst an ominous sea of blackened oceans. He didn't move, yet the tide didn't stop for his hesitation.

"Promise me, Cody."

Another wave. Stronger this time, crashing up against his chest, knocking him backwards. His hands hit the bottom of the ground as he caught himself, and then began to sink.

"You better not tell, or you might disappear."

'Disappear?' Cody thought. 'You haven't even spoken yet…' His body began to get consumed by the water. The water, which seemed alive.

Closer and closer, Zack's presence began to loom over Cody's weakened body. He ran a cold hand though his baby brother's hair, and leaned his head close to his.

"You better keep your mouth shut, or I might go too…"

Awake. Cody's eyes dazed open, taking in the room around him. He sat up, stretching his arms and letting out a big yawn. Rubbing his eyes, he looked over at the clock on the nightstand. Nine fifty two was a reasonable time to wake up on a Sunday morning.

Cody rolled out of bed and brought his blankets together neatly in attempt to bring some order to the distorted bedroom. He looked over to Zack, sleeping calmly, as usual. He tiptoed to the door quietly and placed his hand on the doorknob as something hit him. '…What did I dream about last night?' He thought as vague memories flooded back to him. He couldn't remember completely, but he could remember a sea of darkness. Shrugging it off, he left the room.

"Good morning, Cody!" Carey called from across the room, picking up loose dishes and silverware and placing them in the dishwasher.

"Good morning mom." Cody sat down at the kitchen table, giving a disapproving look to the empty plate in front of him.

"Sorry there's no breakfast, I'm about to head out and I'm going to be late. There are some waffles in the freezer." Carey dried her hands on a paper towel quickly before pacing to the closet for her coat.

"Where are you going so early?" Cody said as he stood up to make his own breakfast.

"Church. I'll be back in a few hours, I need to run some errands afterwards as well." She buttoned her jacket and grabbed the umbrella off its stand.

Cody stared at her blankly. "…Church?"

"Yeah. I figured since it's the new month, I should go apologize for being so sinful over the past thirty days." Cody raised an eyebrow. "I agree, November was not pretty." Carey opened the door. "I'll be back in a bit!"

"But…we're not even…-!" The front door cut him off. "…Catholic." Cody shook his head, then proceeded to hunt down the Eggos.

"Cody?" Zack's voice echoed far off into the distance. He had thought he heard something, like waves crashing against the shore. But he couldn't see it, or his brother.

But he knew he was there.

He couldn't feel the water, but he knew it was there as well. He knew the water was there beneath him, and he was floating.

"Help!" Zack heard the voice again. And this time, he heard splashing. He listened as he could feel his little brother's scream echo in his bones. He listened as the scream became enveloped underwater.

Zack jolted up in bed with a gasp. What just happened? He looked at the time, twelve o'clock on the dot. It was late, even for him. Then he glanced to Cody's bed, and grew nervous when he wasn't lying within it. Although, Cody would never sleep this late. "He must be in the living room…" Zack thought aloud as he fumbled out of bed towards the door.

"Morning, Zack! Or should I say good afternoon?" Cody took his eyes off the television screen as Zack walked in front of him. He stared at his little brother for a good five seconds before Cody began to get a bit creeped out.

"Uh…? Can I help you?" Cody set down the game controller, he was losing anyways.

Zack shrugged. 'He's not drowning…' "Is it still raining?"

"A bit, but it slowed down a lot since yesterday."

"Where's mom?"

"Church."

"…Church?"

"Yeah, I have no idea." Cody turned the television off. "So, what do you want to do today?"

Zack ignored Cody's question and walked towards the window, staring below at the streets. People shifted swiftly by, umbrellas in hand and destination in mind. Zack pressed his forehead against the cool glass. "Yanno, I think I'm gonna just take it easy today."

Cody stood beside him, looking down at the city as well. "Kind of like you do every day…?" Zack's solemn expression twisted into a light smile as he playfully punched his brother's shoulder.

"Yeah, kinda like that." Zack stepped away from the window and took his usual seat on the sofa.

Cody watched his brother as he turned the television back on and brainlessly flipped through the channels. "I'm surprised, usually when you wake up your first thought is 'food.'"

"I'm not really that hungry." Zack stopped browsing on the weather channel. He turned up the volume and fixed his eyes on the tall man with the black hair and the funny looking suit. His serious expression emphasized the foul announcement he had.

"We will be experiencing some heavy rainfall after this short period of sunshine, which should last till later in the evening tonight. Heavy storms should last though the night and into tomorrow, at a temperature of about 40-50 degrees, leaning more towards the cold side in the Boston area…"

"At least it won't be raining all day today." Cody stated. Zack still focused his eyes on the man, almost mesmerized.

"Hey Cody…Do you think that's a wig?"

"…What?"

"His hair looks awfully fake…"

Cody rolled his eyes. "Sure Zack, sure."