Chapter 14

I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.

Wait...In this story, I actually created some of them, so I do own them.

Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.

And as for the ones I did create, who they are is up to me, so...

The rest of that day, Bailey did meet up with Cody for lunch and to study, but she was a lot quieter than usual. Now that she had had her realization, she didn't quite know what to say around him any longer. And Cody noticed this. He wanted to ask her if everything was okay, but he figured she would open up on her own time. So, he would just occasionally watch her to see if he could see if she was ready to talk. Bailey had seemed so chipper and upbeat in Boston and on the drive back, so he was getting kind of worried. So, finally, at dinner that night, he finally couldn't take it any longer and asked.

"Bails?"

Bailey looked up. "Yeah?"

"Is everything okay? You just seem subdued today..."

Bailey nodded. "I'm fine. I...ummm...I talked to my Mom when I got back. Seems my Grammy isn't feeling that well, and I'm worried about her." Internally, she sighed. She hated lying to him.

Cody was really concerned now. "Is she going to be okay? Is there anything I can do to help?"

Bailey smiled at him. "Yeah, I think she'll be fine. And I appreciate your concern, but we aren't doctors yet..."

Cody nodded. "Well, if there is anything I can do, let me know. I'm here for you. You know...my own grandmother passed away several years ago due to an illness. So, I know what that's like to worry. If you need someone to talk to, I'm here."

Bailey gave him a sad smile. "Thank you." She would love to talk to him, but she was afraid of what he would say. So, she decided to change the subject. "You think we'll be prepared for finals?"

Cody actually realized she was trying to change the subject, but he just didn't know what subject she was trying to avoid. "Yeah, I think so. I mean, if we follow our routine, we should be fine." He grinned. "If I may say, we've dominated with it so far."

"Yeah, we have. We make a pretty good team."

Cody smiled. "I agree."

That night, Bailey tossed and turned. Once she had admitted to herself what the truth was, she couldn't think of anything else. She kept thinking to herself that there had to be some way to make it work. But no matter what plan she came up with, she always found what she perceived to be a fatal flaw with the idea. In frustration, she groaned and wished it was the end of the next semester so they would both have distance from the end of their relationships. And that's when she sat up straight in her bed. Distance. That's what she needed. By May, enough time would have passed for her to be able to tell Cody how she felt about him. He would be long broken up with Barbara, and she would be long broken up with Moose by then too. In six months, she could finally go after what she wanted. And with that comforting thought, Bailey was able to finally get some rest.

But she wasn't the only one having trouble sleeping. Cody was tossing and turning too. He tried to sleep, but he kept thinking of everything Zack and his Mom had told him. Of course he knew Bailey was special. Only an idiot couldn't see that. And yes, she was gorgeous. But there was so much more to her than that. It was just like he told Barbara, she was sweet, kind, funny, intelligent, a much better kisser...Cody groaned. Was she ever a much better kisser! Never before in his life has he felt anything like those. It was like something had set him on fire. In the five years he dated Barbara, he had never come close to feeling anything like that. But Cody shook his head. He knew he shouldn't be thinking those thoughts. Bailey was still in a relationship and therefore off limits. Of course, he had to remind himself that she had talked about breaking up with Moose. But, she hadn't yet. And even if she did, would she laugh in his face if he told her...what? What would her tell her? That he...that he...Cody buried his face in his pillow and groaned. How would she react if he told her that he had fallen in love with her? That his mind was constantly filled with the memories of those kisses. The whenever he was around her, he felt completely alive. That she was the reason that breaking up with Barbara hadn't bothered him any. Cody shook his head. He couldn't do that. She only saw him as a friend, a safe harbor when she was so far away from home. If he loved her as much as he thought he did, he could never hurt her like that. Cody knew that he would have to accept that having her as his friend was better than not having her in his life at all. And he wasn't about to risk losing her from his life.

The next morning, they both met up with each other for breakfast as per their normal routine. This time, it was Bailey who was in much better spirits, but Cody was the one who was subdued. And this time, it was Bailey's turn to ask.

"Cody? Is everything alright?"

Cody looked up at her. "Oh...Yeah, fine. I was just thinking about...ummm..." Cody looked around for anything to use as a diversion. And that's when he saw it. "Oh, I was just thinking about the headline in today's school newspaper..."

Bailey grabbed the paper and looked at it. And her eyes went wide. "Oh my gosh!"

Cody looked at her again. He really should have read that headline.

Bailey just shook her head. "I can't believe this. A girl was attacked leaving the library last night. This is horrible."

Cody frowned. "Yeah...horrible."

"I'm glad we decided to study in your room instead...That could have been us."

Briefly, Cody let the thought of Bailey being the one who had been attacked enter his mind. But, quickly, he blocked that thought. He didn't want to even think about the possibility. And he knew he had to do something to make sure that it never became one.

"Bails, if you are ever on campus late at night, call me and I will come escort you back to the dorm."

Bailey smiled at him. "That's very sweet of you, but I'll be fine. I can take care of myself."

Cody sighed. "I know you can, but if you won't do it for you, would you do it for my peace of mind? If something happened to you..."

Bailey just smiled. It warmed her all over to see his concern for her. And if something this minor would make him feel better, then of course she would do it. "Alright, Cody. If I'm out late, I'll call you."

Cody smiled back. "Thank you. Speaking of late though, we better hurry or we will be too."

That week was to be the final week of classes at Yale, and the week after was designated a 'reading week' with finals starting that Saturday. Cody and Bailey completed their classes in the same matter they had been all semester - fully prepared. Of course, that brought with it the completion of their labs, and that left them only four classes they had to study for finals. That weekend, they holed themselves up in Cody's room studying for their biology final. Monday was to be a break as they each studied for their one class they didn't share, but Tuesday brought them back together to study organic chemistry. And they decided to use the library so each would have a hard writing surface.

Close to midnight, they had finished studying for the night and were heading out of the library. As they did, Cody checked his backpack.

"Dang it!"

Bailey smiled and turned to him. "What?"

Cody sighed. "I think I left my scientific calculator back where we were studying. Wait right here, I'll be right back!"

Cody ran back inside the library as Bailey just shook her head and laughed. She walked over to a bench and sat down to wait on him. Well, that was her plan...until she felt something poke into her back.

"You scream, and you die! Just stand up and keep walking until I tell you to stop..."

Bailey swallowed, but she did as she was told. She began walking not daring to even turn around. She was scared to death as all kinds of thoughts ran through her mind. Would she ever see her family again? What was this guy going to do to her? And would she ever get to tell Cody how she felt about him? But her thoughts we interrupted when she no longer felt the object pressed against her back.

She turned and saw who she believed to be her attacker rubbing his eyes and screaming out in pain. And there in front of her was Cody holding some small object in his hands.

"Cody!"

Briefly, Cody glanced at over at her. "Are you alright, Bails?"

Bailey nodded. "Yeah...thanks to you!"

"Run back to the library and try to get security out here ASAP!"

Bailey nodded and ran as fast as she could back into the library. Immediately, she saw a library security guard and ran up to him. She quickly told him what happened and implored him to follow her. Fortunately, he did and was on his walkie talkie as he ran behind her. And when she got back, she found Cody sitting on the guy's back trying to hold him down.

The security guard pulled Cody off before he took custody of the man himself. And before long, a campus police car pulled up with its lights flashing. The officers quickly cuffed the man, Mirandized him and then got Cody and Bailey's statements.

"So, you saw him marching Miss Pickett here away and you knew something was up?"

Cody nodded. "Yes, sir. We had both saw the article in the paper, and I feared it was the same guy."

The officer nodded. "So, did you get him with mace?"

Cody shook his head. "No, bear repellant. Once I read the article, I started carrying it around with me just in case."

The officer turned to Bailey. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Bailey nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Cody showed up before he could do anything."

"Alright, well, we'll take things from here. We have your statement and a number to contact you at. Do you have someone to walk you back to your dorm?"

Cody spoke up. "I'm going to, sir."

The officer nodded. "Good." He smiled at Cody. "Good work tonight. That was a very brave thing you did trying to save your girlfriend."

Cody was about to correct him when Bailey spoke up. "Yes, it was. Come on, Cody. Lets go home."

Cody just nodded and followed Bailey.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. You showed up not too long after he began marching me away."

Cody reached into his pocket. "Here, you carry this on you from now on."

Bailey took the small can and paused. "Why did you have bear repellant anyways?"

Cody shrugged. "You never know when it will come in handy."

Bailey just laughed. "If you say so. All things considered, I'm glad you did have it on you."

Finally, they got back to Vanderbilt Hall, but Cody actually walked her all the way up to her room. Outside her door, Bailey turned to him.

"Thank you again. I owe you...well...I owe you my life."

Cody shrugged. "I'm just glad I was there. I would never have forgiven myself if anything had happened to you."

"Its over now, and I'm fine. Thanks to you." She smiled. "Just don't forget your white horse next time"

Cody smiled back. "From now on, we study in my room."

Bailey smiled back at him. "Deal..." She paused and then just did it. She leaned in and gave Cody a peck on the lips.

"Thank you again, Cody. Goodnight."

Bailey slipped into her room, and Cody just stood there putting his hand up to his lips.

"So worth it..."

To be Continued...