Disclaimer: I don't own Suite Life or its characters but I am the proud owner of the non-existent Chewy-Gooey Bars. Try one at a candy counter near you!

Secrets, Promises and Something worth Fighting For

Zack stood there in awe. His heart raced and he could not believe what he saw. He stared at Maddie. She wept hysterically and blood surrounded her. It wasn't a lot and she wasn't in danger but it was too much blood for a young girl to shed.

Zack rushed toward her. He didn't know how to handle this type of situation. Maddie clutched onto the piece of glass which was now stained in blood. Zack tried to grab it out of her hand but wasn't able to, for Maddie held onto it so tight.

"Maddie let go!" he cried.

She refused to release but her grip did loosen. Zack managed to snatch the glass out of her hand and dispose of it but in the process he cut the palm of his hand. He hissed in pain. He shook his hand out in attempt to shake out the discomfort. Zack could not concentrate on his pain at the moment. He had to be strong… strong for Maddie.

Zack took several pieces of paper towel and ran them under the faucet's cold water. With the first piece he cleaned away the blood that surrounded her wound, and the little blood that had dripped onto the floor. He pressed the second piece onto her wound. It stung.

"Maddie, I'm going to take care of this. You'll be good as new in no time. I'm gonna make it all better," he said making an effort to comfort her. She heard him and his words but she didn't dare respond. She couldn't, she couldn't even move. Her crying had calmed down slightly but she couldn't help but breathe heavily as she continued to shed tears.

When Maddie's injury was clean, Zack reached for a bandage and began to wrap her upper leg. The side of his palm brushed up against her silky-smooth skin several times. How could anyone, herself nonetheless, want to damage something that magnificent? He tried to be as precise as possible but the final product was a bit sloppy. It had to do for now.

Zack rolled down the light-charcoal colored sweatpants on her left leg. It was creased and stained red but that wasn't an issue at the moment. Zack helped Maddie up and walked her over to the couch. Zack wished more than anything that he could carry her. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel an ounce of pain or struggle.

Zack sat on the couch and allowed Maddie to cuddle up next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and within minutes his t-shirt was damp with tears but he didn't mind. She was still trying to stabilize her breathing. He put his arm around her and began to caress her sleek, glossy, golden hair.

"Everything is going to be alright, I'm here and you can tell me anything," he whispered to her.

Maddie sat in silence. Her puffy eyes began to reduce in redness and she almost felt calm but by no means was she okay, not even a little.

"I don't need anyone! I don't need anyone's help! I can handle things all by myself! Alone!" she whimpered after a few silent minutes.

"I know you can…" Zack responded in a whisper, "…but you don't have to."

A few moments later Carey opened the front door and walked into the suite. Maddie sat up quickly and was able to piece herself together to look somewhat normal. It was pretty easy for Maddie, she had been doing it all her life… pretending to be normal. Everyday she was forced to put on a mask, a mask that proposed that everything was okay and that her life couldn't be more perfect.

"Zack, how are you up here already?" Carey asked him.

Maddie wished with all her heart that Carey could see through her mask. She really instilled trust in Carey and deep down inside Maddie knew she needed help. She knew she had to talk to someone and let this horrible feeling flood out of her. But Carey, like all parents, was oblivious. Maddie had come to notice that about parents, no matter how much they loved you or no matter how much the said they cared, they were still so oblivious to their children's reality. They could notice that you didn't eat all your vegetables or that you didn't brush your teeth, but when you were truly in pain, no parent could see it. Maybe that was because they didn't want to.

"I was feeling sick and the nurse sent me home early," he responded.

"I see," she said with uncertainty, "and what in the world happened to your hand?" she asked starring at his hand which he managed to shabbily wrap up in bandages as well.

"I fell in the school yard and my hand landed on a piece of glass… right before I threw up," he continued to lie with a straight face.

"Oh sweetheart," she said sympathetically, "maybe we need to take you to the hospital to get it checked out. We need to prevent it from infection,"

"No, please mom. It's fine. I cleaned it up real well and I took care of it. It just needs to heal." Zack began to panic.

"Okay honey, but are you going to come join us to the baseball game? Cody is waiting downstairs in the lobby."

"No. I don't think so mom. I'm not feeling too well. I think I'll just hang around here."

"Fine by me. Maddie can you watch him so he doesn't get into any more mischief today?" Carey asked her politely.

"Sure, no problem," Maddie responded trying to say as little as possible to prevent from bursting into tears. But both Maddie and Zack knew that it would be the complete opposite. It would be he who watched over her.

"Bye guys!" Carey called as she walked out of the suite.

The second the door closed Maddie collapsed once again and laid her head on Zack's shoulder for a second time. The room was quite.

Zack continued to comfort her. He stroked her shoulder and upper arm. Maddie could faintly feel his touch but that thrilled her. It was like a sign. If she could feel his touch maybe, just maybe he could understand her and the pain she was in.

Zack took his fingers, placed them under her chin and delicately raised her face up to his level.

"Maddie we need to talk," he began calmly.

With that Maddie turned her head away from Zack. She was frustrated but she was scared even more.

"Maddie please! I can help. We can fix everything. It'll all be okay," Zack almost pleaded.

"HOW ZACK! HOW DO YOU KNOW EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OKAY? HUH?" she couldn't help the tears that rolled down her cheeks over and over, "how can you fix my screwed up life? You can't! I've been trying to do that forever!"

"Maddie, just please tell me what going on, what's wrong?"

"My life… is what's wrong. My um… uh… everything is just so screwed up," She didn't know how to let it all out.

"…please… continue. I'm here to listen Maddie."

"My parents… they um… they fight… a lot. In fact they're headed for a divorce as we speak,"

"Maddie it's not that bad and its nothing worth hurting yourself over, my parents are divorced and things couldn't be better now," Zack tried to make her feel better but he didn't know the half of it.

"No it's not just that! They take everything out on me! Why aren't I home? Why can't I take care of things? I'm really trying Zack. You have to believe me. I'm trying to keep everyone happy and everything under control, I really am. But everything is becoming so hard and now even the simplest things are slipping through my fingers. My dad doesn't give a damn about anything, especially me. And even though I know my mom cares, she really does try… she's just so broken up. She keeps reminding me how things are tough for her right now and I'm trying to pick up the pieces, but…"

She began to sob harder than ever.

"But what about me Zack? Who's here to take care of me while I take care of everything else! No one will ever care for me but me! No one cares enough to see how my life is this messed up. No one wants to look close enough. I feel like I'm in this alternate universe where I'm nothing but a shadow," she was shaking uncontrollably. "I start to ask myself if I'm even alive. And throughout all this I continue to wonder… when will I be something that's worth fighting for?"

This threw Zack into shock. He didn't quite know how to handle himself. He took a deep breath and sucked everything in. And even if it was just once in his life, he was going to be a man… the man Maddie needed.

"Maddie you need to listen to me," he peacefully began, "Life is tough and it's not something that's always easy to deal with…"

"Zack I really don't need a lecture right now."

"…but you always have someone. And I can promise you that you'll always have me. Maddie, I think you're perfect, I've always thought you were,"

"Yeah right… 'So perfect'" she interrupted him. He gently brought his index finger up to her lips to silence her.

"You're so smart, you know how handle everything so gracefully. You always know what to say and when and how to say it. And you're just so pretty… beautiful."

Zack looked at Maddie. Her hair shimmered, her lips were so plump, and the result of her tears accented her eyes and made them sort of glow.

His fingers caressed the side of her face. He carefully brought her face up to his. He couldn't help but press his lips against hers. Maddie didn't resist. What started out as small peck unfolded into a series of tender kisses. Zack's experience was beyond his years. She faced him and his hands were now on her back supporting her. The space between their bodies grew in warmth.

Zack wasn't sure about the timing. He has been waiting for this very moment for years but Maddie's current condition made it hard for Zack to enjoy it as much. After a few minutes Zack pulled away.

"Maddie, what are we going to do about your 'injury'?" he asked her, destroying any mood they may have had.

"Oh Zack! You can't tell anyone! You can't tell a soul, do you hear me? I'm begging you," she pleaded.

"Fine. Okay, I wont but please don't do it ever again. It's so completely beneath you and you don't deserve any more hurt,"

Maddie only nodded.

Zack continued to fondle Maddie and soon they both fell asleep cuddling each other. In her last moments conscious she realized that she would never feel as safe as she did now… in Zack's arms.

A/N: Hope you all enjoyed it took me quite a while to write and even longer to post because my internet account got cut. And for all of you who asked, I hope it is now clear that this is a Zack/Maddie (I love the pairing!) but the story is more about Maddie and her "complications" than it is about her relationship with Zack. Review please and expect about 3 more chaps!