The Healing Process

AN: Hi everyone! Another update! I know, I know…it's about time, right? Just so you know, CPOV means Cody's POV. Happy reading!

ZPOV

I groan for about the 100th time in the last minute. My body is throbbing and my chest feels as if a cinderblock is sitting on it. I try to assess the extent of the damage created and groan once more as I try to move my body. Okay, I'm not going to do that again. As far as I can tell though, I don't seem to be losing a lot of blood.

What now?

I could sit here until some person drives by, who would call 911, but who knows how long that would take?

The only thing my pounding head can think of doing is calling someone for help. I glance to the passenger seat of the car, without turning my head, and spy my phone sitting innocently on the seat. Raising my right arm slowly, I carefully reach for the phone, making sure not to lean over too much. I wince when I grab the phone in my hand, feeling throbs of pain going up and down my arm.

I manage to press the speakerphone button before speed dialing the only one who could help me right now.

MPOV

The nerve of that man. I continue cursing Zack out in my head when I hear my phone ring.

"Speaking of the devil," I mutter once I look at the caller I.D. After the second ring, I decide to answer. "What?" I ask, sharply.

For a moment, all I hear is some rustling go on in the background. "Zack?" I ask, looking down at the phone to make sure it was indeed Zack that was calling me.

I'm about to hang-up, thinking that he misdialed me, when I faintly hear him say, "Maddie."

"Zack?" I ask anxiously, not liking the sound of his voice, "What's going on?"

"I…I n-need –" His speech is cut off by a loud groan.

I begin to panic, automatically assuming the worse and hoping that I'm wrong. "Zack, what's wrong?"

After a few more moments of silence, he responds, "I got…in an accident. Please…ugh Maddie…please."

"Oh my god." I mutter, clutching the counter near me for support. My heart starts racing and my head starts spinning as I try to grasp onto reality. When I finally can keep a handle of myself, for the most part, I say, "I'm calling 911. Where are you?"

"I'm on the road…near the bar. The one with…the big curve. I'm near the trees. Don't…don't call an ambulance." He manages to get out.

"What?" I screech, flabbergasted. "Why not? You need help, Zack!"

"The hospital would run some…blood test, that would show that…I've been drinking underage. I would get…kicked out of school…possible jail." He says, his voice growing fainter.

"God, Zack. That doesn't matter right now." I respond immediately. "You have to be safe."

Zack groans again before muttering, "I'm not seriously injured Maddie…I promise. Just…sore. Come get me…please."

"Of course," I reply, grabbing my keys and running out the door. "I'll be there in two minutes."

I speed down the curvy road, going 65 mph in a 30 mph zone, needing to get to Zack as soon as possible. After what feels like years, I approach the large turn in the road, expecting to see the worse. As I come around the bend, I spy a black car smashed against a tree.

Before my car can screech to a stop, I jump from my seat, sprinting to Zack's car. Upon arrival, I'm relieved beyond belief to see that most of the damage is to the front of the car and the passenger side.

With shaky hands, I open the driver door. When I look at Zack's face, I swear to God that my heart skips a few beats. He has a cut down the side of his face, probably from the broken windshield, the airbag is deflated on the steering wheel, and his eyes are clenched shut, while his hands are in strong fists. He looks so broken right then, and I don't know how to help him. All I know is that he needs to be okay. He just has to be.

"Zack?" I whisper, afraid of startling him.

His eyes immediately open, and for just a moment I see the happy, joyful Zack I've always known. But too quickly that image is gone, replaced by the pain that must be scorching his body right now.

"Maddie…I –" he starts, before I cut him off.

"Shh." I whisper soothingly, while I unbuckle his seatbelt very cautiously.

I check his body thoroughly for any open wounds or critical medical conditions. Seeing none, I reach under his bent knees and move his legs outside the car. He gasps when his feet touch the floor, and my heart spasms at the sound.

Next, I put my hands under his arms to try to hoist him up, while I say, "Grab onto me if you can." He clutches my shoulder with his left hand, while I get him into a standing position. "What hurts?" I ask with concern.

He grits his teeth as he replies, "Right…side of body."

With this information, I put his left arm around my shoulders and hook my fingers around a belt loop on his jeans near the center of his back, not wanting to touch his right side. After what seems like hours, we finally make it the passenger side of my car that I had yet to turn off. I open the door and carefully guide him to his seat, wincing when I hear his whimpers.

As soon as he is settled, I get into the driver's side of the car and begin to steer my way out of the side of the road. When I glance to Zack, I notice that his eyes are closed again. "I think we should go the hospital. This can't be safe."

Zack immediately opens his eyes wide and protests, "No! The long term effects…aren't worth it. Take me home. Please, Maddie."

I can't stand to see him in pain, and I would never forgive myself if he injures himself permanently…or worse, just because I agreed to not take him to the hospital. "No," I disagree. "No, your health is more important than some college. You need to see a doctor."

"I agree," he responds. "It's good that we know one then…isn't it?"

CPOV

I wince as London places the ice pack against my jaw. London frowns and rubs my hand soothingly.

"Are you okay?" she asks, worry etched in her face.

I smile sadly and say, "I'll live."

"You were so badass today. Tough Cody is definitely a turn on." London says with a mischievous look in her eyes. I'll remember that for later, I tell myself mentally.

"Please," I scoff. "You were more badass then me. All I did was get punched."

"If you insist," London sighs, letting the subject drop. London appears to be thinking hard before saying, "What is wrong with those two? They're one of the most in love couples that I know…but they never seem to be able to make it work. Why won't they cut all the bullshit and live happily ever after?"

I sigh unhappily before saying, "Because real life sucks. And Zack is too immature to deal with life." I add, still bitter about the punch to my face he gave me. As much as I hate to admit it, he can really pack a punch.

"Well, Maddie is too dramatic for her own good also." London adds.

"They could really learn a thing or two from us." I say with a smile, before leaning in and giving London a passionate kiss, which she eagerly accepts.

Just as things are about to get really heated, my phone decides to ring. I look down at the screen and see that it's Maddie calling. That's weird; she usually doesn't call me. I'm about to brush it off as revenge for all the times I've interrupted Zack and her, but something doesn't feel right. London groans in frustration as I open the phone to talk.

"Hello?" I ask, even though I know who's on the other line.

"Cody, it's me. Maddie." She says, sounding frantic and jumbled up. "You need to come over. Now."

"What? Why?" I ask in a whiny voice, staring longingly at London.

"Zack," she replies. "He got into a…car accident. I know you're not a doctor, but please just check up on him. I'm worried about him and I need to know he's okay."

I forgot how to speak for a moment, trying to process this news. It seems like only ten minutes ago Zack was giving me his left hook, and now he's…hurt. Fuck, that can't be the last memory he has of me.

As soon as my sense has returned to me, I yell, "Well, why don't you bring him to the hospital? Damn it, he needs a certified doctor to look at him. How badly is he hurt? Call 911!"

I begin hyperventilating as I think of my only sibling, my twin…dying.

"Calm down," Maddie says, not sounding calm at all herself. "He's not critically injured. He refuses to go to the hospital because of some stupid blood tests or something. You know how stubborn he is. So just come over. Now, please. Please hurry."

"I'll be over in ten." I reply, hanging up the phone and looking at my confused girlfriend, before grabbing her hand and sprinting out the door.

ZPOV

I cringe as another ice pack is applied to my head.

"Jesus Maddie, what are you trying to do? Freeze me to death?" I ask sarcastically.

She doesn't seem to appreciate the joke though, glaring at me while making sure the icepack isn't going to slip.

Right now, I'm lying on the couch in the apartment that I was kicked out of…how long ago was it? I frown, hating the feeling of being confused.

"What's wrong?" Maddie asks, immediately noticing my discomfort.

"Nothing," I mutter sadly. "I'm fine."

"This doesn't look very fine to me." Maddie says softly, while lightly caressing my face.

"You scared the shit out of me." She admits. I raise my eyebrows in surprise; Maddie rarely curses. "You can't do that to me ever again, Zack. I can't…live without you."

I laugh humorlessly, "You didn't seem to think that way when you kicked me out."

Maddie looks sad at that reminder, and I instantly regret recapping on that moment. I hate seeing her sad, especially if I'm the one causing it.

"I'm sorry." I apologize. "I'm not really thinking right now. Don't listen to what I'm saying. My head's…confuzzled."

Maddie smirks sadly at me before saying, "Don't apologize. You're right. There were a lot of things we both could have done differently…but….let's not go into that now. You need to rest."

"I'm fine," I groan, this time from frustration.

Maddie rolls her eyes and goes back to the soothing caresses to my face. I sigh happily, leaning into her touch and looking at her lovingly. She's staring back at me, just inches away. I feel a sudden urge to close that distance. Since I can't lean in to her, I put my left hand behind her head and slowly pull her towards me.

Her breath hitches as our lips are about to reconnect finally. When I can practically feel her lips against mine, a loud and fast knocking ruins the moment.

I almost scream in frustration and anger, wanting whoever is on the other side of that door to go away forever…and never come back.

Maddie gets up from her kneeling position on the floor to answer the door. I hear some muttering and some shuffling, and before I know it, I see my twin brother standing in front of me.

"What's up bro?" I ask, hating the pitying look he's giving me right now.

"What's up bro?" he asks incredulously, running a hand through his hair. "How the fuck did this happen?"

Well, I guess being hurt makes the people around me curse a whole lot more.

Cody sits on a nearby coffee table and London joins him, while Maddie resumes her kneeling position next to me. I think she unconsciously grabs my hand, but it has the calming effect it has always had nonetheless.

"After I left the bar," I begin, not looking forward to telling the story. "I started driving. I didn't feel very drunk, honestly. Then…a deer jumped in front of my car. I tried to avoid it…and ended up smashing into a tree."

I close my eyes tightly when I remember the sound of the metal scraping and the glass breaking during the collision.

"Where did this happen?" Cody asks, concerned.

For some reason, talking about the accident gets my pulse racing. Perhaps it's from the shock of the whole incident or the memories of the pain, but I want more than anything to change the topic of conversation.

"Can you look at him please?" Maddie questions Cody, saving me from a possible embarrassing breakdown in front of Cody and London. If it was just Maddie and I, I wouldn't care about it as much, but I have an image to uphold. I shoot Maddie a thankful look and she just smiles sadly at me.

Cody sighs and kneels down next to Maddie. He goes into doctor mode, examining me quickly and thoroughly, while questioning me about what hurt the most.

"Well," Cody says, running a hand through his hair again. "I think the muscles in your right arm are sore from the…impact. And I'm pretty sure your right ankle is sprained…though I don't know because x-rays can only be done at the hospital."

I roll my eyes at his emphasis and say, "What do I need to do, doc?"

"Ice, ice, and ice." He replies. "And elevate your ankle. That's all that can really be done right now. When you go to the hospital, which you will when the alcohol is out of your system, they can give you a more definite and detailed answer."

"Oh, trust me. We're going first thing tomorrow." Maddie responds, giving me a stern look when I try to protest.

"One more thing," Cody adds. "I'm pretty sure you have a concussion. I'm not sure how severe it is, but you must be careful. I'm serious. Maddie, don't let him sleep and keep him talking. If his headache gets worse, take him to the hospital, okay?."

I glare at him, not liking how he's talking as if I'm not present, but Maddie ignores me and agrees to do as Cody asked.

When Cody seems satisfied that he's done all he can do, he leans down and gives me a kiss on the cheek before whispering in my ear, "I'm sorry about before."

"Me too." I say back, hugging with my good arm.

London gives me a light hug as well, before she leaves with her boyfriend. When they are gone, I give Maddie a mischievous look before saying, "So…where were we?"

Maddie smirks at me and gets close to me. I feel my pulse start to quicken when she leans down, but am soon disappointed when she kisses my chin instead of my pursed lips.

"We'll talk tomorrow, Zack. Right now though, I need to keep you awake until morning." She murmurs.

"Well," I respond. "I have a few ideas of how you could do that."

Maddie rolls her eyes for the millionth time today before saying, "I'm going to load you up with a ton of sweets and make you watch action movies till sunrise. But first, let's get you off this uncomfortable couch and into our bed."

As she helps me up, I can help but smile widely at the mention of our bed. Maybe this accident was a wake-up call for us. We have to live each day like it's our last, and I plan on doing just that. With Maddie.

AN: Hey guys! Merry Christmas! Sorry for the delayed update! I just wasn't very motivated to write this past week. I can't wait for the next couple of chapters though. I think you'll like them. Anyway, what did you think about Zack's accident? Should he and Maddie jump back into their relationship, or should they take things slowly? I love to hear your thoughts! Only four chapters left before the story is over.

Once again, thank you so much for the reviews! I really appreciate them. I hope to post another chapter for you all before I start school again, since you guys are so great.

To my anonymous reviewers:

Redsoxdude1992: Thanks for both or your reviews! I was really impressed when you related what you thought about Zack to what Zack said in a previous chapter. I like those connections, lol. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter!

Bails: Hey, thank you for the review! I know I didn't post quickly at all, but I would still appreciate a loud review, haha! Zack is the kind of character that you love and hate at the same time. I think that London agrees with you about Zack and Maddie being fools in love. I hope this chapter gives you a little peace, though. Happy holidays!

Zaddie lovers: Thanks a ton for the review! Brad's letter to Zack will be revealed later. I couldn't fit it in this chapter. I agree that Maddie feels bad for what she said to Zack. I would love to write another sequel. I probably will, but I'm not positive yet. It all depends on what you guys want.

Gabgaws: Thanks for the review! Sorry, I know this wasn't a quick update, but I hope you liked the chapter!

Zaddie: Thank you for the review. I will try to update faster, haha.

Maddie is Zack's Sweet thang: Haha, I love your penname. I agree that the last chapter was really sad, but I hope this one kind of made up for it.

The Dude: Thank you for the review! I can pretty much guarantee that Maddie's feelings for Brad left when he pulled the trigger. Being in a relationship isn't easy, especially with these two, haha. Happy holidays!

Zaddie Forever: Thanks for the review! I agree that Maddie and Zack belong with each other. I will make it my New Year's resolution to update faster, lol.

dying to know: I hope you liked this update!

The Rock: Thank you so much for the review! I love it when I have readers who have also read You Never Cease To Amaze Me. That story brings back great memories to me. You'll have to wait and see if they get married in this story, sorry. I don't want to spoil the story!

the unknown: Hey, thanks for the review! I agree that it would have been interesting to see everyone's reactions to Zack if he died, especially considering how horrible their last encounters were with him. I felt kind of bad for Zack to. Max's reaction to the accident will be coming up soon! Thanks for reading!

Stay tuned everyone!