A/N: Thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

FIFTEEN MONTHS PREVIOUSLY

"I don't know how I'm gonna do it, man, I don't know how I'm gonna pass."

"Cody, dude, you ace everything."

"Not everything. I almost failed English Lit."

"Except for that, apparently."

Cody rolled his eyes as he and his dorm mate Tapeworm turned the knob to try and get into their room. Cody tried the door, but it stuck firmly. "It's locked," he said in disbelief.

"Why would he lock it?" Tapeworm asked, referring to their friend Jason who had sworn to take the entire evening off for studying for finals.

Cody shrugged and pulled out his key. Opening the door he stepped in first, fully expecting to be met by two messy bunks, papers scattered intermixed with last week's socks and the familiar smell of the cologne Tapeworm wore on dates with the girls of Harvard.

What he saw instead made his eyes bug out and he gagged as he pulled the door shut and took a staggering step backward, emitting a strangled cry.

"What is it?" Tapeworm asked in confusion, frowning as he looked from Cody to the door. "Cody? Are you okay?" he grasped his friends shoulder before reaching out for the door. Cody was leaning against the wall, face drained of color and gasping great gulps of air. He cried out suddenly.

"No!" he shouted, shaking. "Don't-don't go in!"

Tapeworm turned wildly back to him before he swung the door wide and open. "Holy sh…" he brought his hands up to cover his mouth and shook his head slowly, backing away from the door.

There, in the doorway, was Jason. Dead.

An empty bottle of pills was still in his left hand.

PRESENT DAY

"Are you going to kiss me?"

Cody raised a brow slightly as Allison, who sat in front of him, giggled softly. He was close to her, their faces mere inches apart. It was noon and they had just finished a lunch together.

"It's only our third date-," he began to protest, but at her sweet smile he forgot his hesitations and leaned closer until their lips meant, one hand moving up to cup her cheek. His heart began to beat a furious tattoo against his ribcage and he could feel her long lashes against his cheek.

They broke apart and smiled at each other until she averted her gaze down and settled back onto her chair, smoothing out her napkin and taking sip of ice water. Cody found himself blushing slightly and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Technically it's our fourth," Allison said after a minute.

Cody looked up at her bashfully. "What?"

She laughed a little and he stuffed more of his sandwich into his mouth.

"Our fourth date," she clarified.

"Oh," he said, nodding slightly. "Well, I wasn't counting the time we gave that little girl a band aid,"

"I thought that was very romantic." Allison joked and he laughed with her until a pager beeped shrilly. Both interns checked their belt clips and it ended up being Cody as he winced apologetically.

"It's Dr. Walker," he said. "I should really-,"

"-No, no, go ahead," said Allison, waving him off as she picked at more of the lettuce in her salad. "We should actually get back soon. It's almost a quarter after."

Cody sighed internally (he loved spending time with her) but nodded. "Okay," he said. "Let me just take this and then we can start heading back."

He kissed her again to say goodbye as the elevator stopped at her floor, and then couldn't get himself to stop smiling as he rode it up to the ER. Straightening his tie and white coat he waltzed out of the elevator with spirits dangerously high for someone who had just been called in to help with an emergency.

He walked up to Judy at the front desk, still wearing a small grin. "Go to lunch yet?" he asked her heartily.

She laughed shortly, sarcastically. "Honey, I haven't left this desk in twenty six years." He raised a brow and grabbed a file out of the organizer with his name on it.

"The weather's bad, anyway," he said, not scanning the papers as he headed towards Exam Room Four. He nodded politely at the passing staff members and cheerfully knocked twice on the door before swinging it widely. As he took in the patients in the room his jaw dropped and his heart skipped a violent beat.

In the bed was Jonathon, the chair again occupied by Greg. Cody took a hesitant step inside, brow furrowed and an alien feeling of trepidation gripping his insides as his stomach squirmed uncomfortably.

"Cody," said Dr. Walker from the chart at the edge of the bed. He walked over and steered his young charge out of the room and into the hall, closing the door. Cody's face was paler than usual and he stared up at his mentor with an expression akin to that of shock.

"What-what happened?" he asked breathlessly. It had been months since he'd last seen the kid, but they'd had a long heart to heart about bullying and fitting in and how much it sucked to be the one everyone hated…

Dr. Walker sighed deeply. "He overdosed," he said. "On pain medication."

"Accidenta-,"

"-No," said the seasoned doctor and Cody's heart dropped. A part of him had, for a moment, blamed it all on a mistake. Obviously he'd been the one mistaken. "We're calling it a suicide attempt."

Cody ran a hand through his blonde hair and blew out his breath. "Um," he started, voice thick. "You've started treatment, then?"

Dr. Walker nodded and scanned the chart. "We have. We expect him to make a full recovery, however psych wants to keep him here under a watch for a few days."

"Right," said Cody quietly, nodding and scratching his elbow. "You want me to check vitals or-,"

"Sandra can do that," said the doctor, referring to a nurse. "No, I was actually hoping for a repeat of the favor I asked you a few months ago."

Cody swallowed thickly. "You mean talk to him again?" At the veteran's nod Cody shook his head slightly. "Dr. Walker, I'd be glad to, but obviously last time it made no difference-,"

"-Jonathon attempted to kill himself shortly after finding out that his mother had died in a car accident. His brother Gregory tells me that Jonathon had been on his way to their mother's house to show her the award he won. It was only after your talk with him that he agreed to enter an art contest through his high school-,"

"-Yeah," said Cody solemnly. "He paints."

Dr. Walker nodded seriously. "I'd say it made a great deal of a difference." he said gravely before clicking his ballpoint pen and scribbling something down on a slip of paper he then handed to a desk receptionist.

Cody sighed. "Has he woken up yet?"

Dr. Walker shook his head. "Not yet, no."

Cody nodded and walked over to the door. "I can take it from here, doc," he said, smiling a little as the older doctor laughed slightly. Cody pushed the door open and closed it behind him, walking over to the x-rays and glancing over at them.

"You're that intern," said a voice behind him. Cody turned and nodded at Greg who sat in the chair, eyes red-rimmed. "I never got the chance to say thank you."

"Oh," said Cody, shrugging. "You're welcome. It was no problem. I've, uh, I've been him."

"Ever tried to kill yourself?"

Cody paused and ran another hand through his hair as he slowly turned to face the college student. "I had a friend who actually succeeded," he said lowly, taking a seat on the other end of the bed. Greg folded his arms over his chest, dark eyes glittering slightly. "I was the one who found him," Cody continued.

Greg sniffed and wiped a hand across his eyes. "I didn't find him," he said, voice wavering dangerously. "I was out looking at…at coffins for my-my mom." He cleared his throat. "Jonathon was at home. My girlfriend was going to surprise him and take him out for ice cream."

Cody sighed softly. "I'm sorry," he said. "That must've been really hard."

"You have a brother, right?"
Cody nodded. "A twin brother."

Greg sucked in a sharp breath. "And did he-did he protect you. At school?"

"From the bullies?" Greg nodded. Cody rubbed at one his eyes, suddenly feeling exhausted. "Yeah, he did." he said.

Greg bit at his lower lip. "I would, too," he said. "But then I graduated and he started coming home with bruises and black eyes and…" He trailed off with a loose shrug. "I didn't ask because I didn't want to-to hurt his pride." His tone turned angry. "His stupid Godforsaken pride. And now look what happened."

"It's not your fault," said Cody reassuringly. "I see a lot of suicides. Everyone blames themselves. I know it sounds insensitive, but what's done is done. Jonathon was lucky; He's got another chance."

"So do I," said Greg solemnly, taking his brother's still hand and gripping it tightly. Cody smiled wisely and rose from the seat, setting down the chart on a little countertop.

Let me know when he wakes up," he said quietly.

He was just packing up his things up and preparing to leave for home when he felt an arm around his waist. Turning he smiled at Allison. "Are you off?" he asked her.

"Yes,"

He grasped her hand and smiled shyly. "Do you want to go to dinner with me?" He felt like he was back in middle school; trying to get enough nerve to just ask the girl out, and then being overcome with embarrassment.

"I'd love to," she answered and he breathed in quiet relief. "Hard day?" she asked as they walked out to their cars together.

"The usual." He said. "I'm beginning to get a hang of this whole doctor thing, I think, though."

"'Bout time!" Allison said and Cody laughed. "Cody Martin is no longer getting attached to his patients like he used to?"
Cody shrugged and sighed. "I'm working on that," he said.

"Well," said Allison as he stopped at his car. "You have plenty of time."

"That's what I'm hoping," he answered, leaning in to kiss her once again.

And waiting on his answering machine when he got home and had let Buster out was another message from Zack in New York City. Cody would have listened to it, but he didn't want to be late for his date.

To Be Continued

Please review!