Chapter 20 – Plans Are Set

Carey walked into the suite with a smile on her face. Kurt, Zack and Maddie turned toward her and instantly understood what that smile meant. She had been given the news that Cody was alive.

"Oh Kurt thank goodness you're here too," Carey stated grinning from ear to ear. "Cody survived; he never got on the plane. He's safe Kurt, our baby is safe."

"Carey…"

"Didn't you hear what I just said?" Carey half shouted not being able to control her joy. "He survived."

"I know and I'm thrilled that he wasn't on the plane, but…"

"What do you mean, but?" she asked becoming exasperated. "Why is everyone so quiet?"

"Carey sit down," he asked her gently. "This may take a while to explain. Maddie care to begin?" he demanded.

"Carey just know that I never meant for it to get this far."

"Never meant for what to get this far?" Carey stated confused as Maddie shared a look with Kurt and her son. "Would someone please tell me what's going on? Because seriously I don't think my heart can take any more surprises today."

The young girl began to recount her story and with each new statement, Carey's temper began to rise a bit higher until it finally peaked and she stood up in a rage. She wasn't sure if it was the roller coaster of emotions she had been forced to ride today, or if it was the severity of what she had just heard. But before she realized what she was doing, she grabbed Maddie by the shoulders and pulled her up into a standing position. And before anyone could stop her she slapped her hard across the face sending the young girl flying across the floor.

Rushing over to her she pulled her up by her hair and slid her across the room like she would a trash bag, while Kurt and Zack stood watching in complete shock.

"Get the hell out of my home!" Carey shouted causing them to wake up from their stupor.

"Carey stop!" Kurt shouted taking his ex-wife by the arm.

"Give me one good reason?"

"We need her help to find Cody."

Charlie was sitting under a tree taking in the scenery and drawing in one of his many sketch pads. Drawing things and people around him had always had a soothing affect on him. His worries always seemed to slip away when his hand hit a page or the edge of a canvas.

He loved his brother but sometimes it was hard for him to understand why he did certain things. So he would slip away and start to draw. That way he could close his eyes to what really went on around him. Yet it never really worked, he knew what was happening, he may be a bit slow do to his mental disabilities but he wasn't stupid.

And Mason had always made sure that people understood that distinction, because if they didn't, they weren't around the next day. It was one of the most important things he loved about his older brother, how fiercely loyal and protective he was toward him. And for that simple fact he could forgive him anything.

"Whatcha doing?" Mason asked sitting down beside him.

"Drawing that tree over there," Charlie smiled and took the sandwich and chips Mason handed him.

Setting a rootbeer down in front of each of them, he smiled as he was given a peek of the half finished product. Mason for all his faults and psychotic tendencies really had a soft spot when it came to Charlie and his drawings.

"Hey Mason," he began. "When are we going away?"

"Charlie I told you, when we have enough money."

"When will that be?" the younger brother asked. "I've been saving can't we go with the money I have."

Mason smiled over at his brother, remembering the football shaped piggy banks he'd given him one year for Christmas. His brother had been filling them up for the past few years with various coins he found out an about on the roads they frequented.

"That will help, but it's still not enough," he told him and noticed the sadness in his face. "Don't worry, one day it will be. We'll put our money together and we'll leave this town forever."

"I can't wait," he replied. "Mason do you think they'll like me in Hawaii?"

"They'd have to real dumb not too."

Charlie smiled and took a bite of his sandwich. "Do you think it will be hard to learn how to swim and scuba dive?"

"It shouldn't be that hard. I mean I can swim a little and it can't be that different with fins on."

The boys sat quietly for a minute more when Charlie thought of another question. "Do islands sink?"

Mason almost laughed but restrained himself when he saw the seriousness in his brother's face. "No they don't sink."

"Why not?" he curiously asked.

"Because islands are basically the top of mountains, we can't see the rest because it's under the water," Mason explained.

"Oh…" he said still confused.

"Don't worry little bro, Hawaii won't sink anytime soon," he stated.

"You promise?"

"I promise," he stated throwing an arm around his little brothers shoulders. "Now finish your sandwich."

"Mason?"

"Yes Charlie."

"Why doesn't Maddie like me?" he questioned.

"It's not you, it's me. We don't see eye to eye on a lot of things."

"But why?"

"Don't worry about it," he smiled. "Just eat your sandwich so you can finish your drawing. I'm dying to see how it comes out."

"But…"

"Charlie don't worry so much, just leave Maddie to me, okay?"

"Okay," Charlie smiled as the two brothers finished their lunch in silence.

"We need to call the police," Carey told them when she'd finally calmed down and was able to think rationally.

"We can't," Maddie said. "I know Mason, I know where he is. Please, first let me try things my way?"

"No," Carey stated without pause.

"Mom, please if this works she'll be able to lead us right to him."

"Carey, as much as I hate this, I have to agree," Kurt reasoned. "If this will help get Cody home sooner, than we have to try it."

Carey looked from her ex-husband to her oldest son and finally after some hesitation finally relinquished. She knew they had a point but she wished she didn't have to put her son's life in the hands of the girl who tried her best to destroy it in the first place. Maddie had betrayed her families trust and that was something she wasn't going to forgive any time soon.

"Alright, we do it your way," she told them. "But we call the shots."

"I understand," the young girl meekly replied.

"You will have two hours from the time you call this Charlie…"

"Okay…"

"Let me finish," Carey shouted. "You will bring him here and we will have lunch. You will have your time to convince him to help us. If he doesn't call his brother within that time, then you will take us too him. We will than call the police. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Maddie replied. "Will you tell them about my involvement in the mugging?"

"When my son is safely wrapped in my arms we'll talk, until then, I won't answer that."

Kurt stood up and handed her, her purse. She pulled out her cell phone and began to dial Charlie's number.

Charlie looked down at his phone as it buzzed in his hand. Mason had just left to do whatever Mason was going to do, which left him alone with his drawings once more. So when he noticed the caller id, he wasn't happy. What would Mason think if he were to go behind his back and talk to her?

Charlie reluctantly hit send and answered the call. "Hi Maddie," he said hoping his brother wouldn't become mad at him.

"Charlie, it's been awhile buddy."

"I don't think I should be talking to you, if Mason found out…"

"Charlie I thought we were friends?" she asked. "I thought it would be fun to take my cousin to lunch."

"My brother is mad at you, he says that you don't eye to eye," he stated. "What does that mean?"

"It means that he doesn't think we should be friends."

"He doesn't?" Charlie said a bit confused.

"Do you want to be friends Charlie, because I do," Maddie told him.

"I thought you didn't like me?"

"What, of course I do. You're my cousin remember, I could never not like you," she said. "Now come on one lunch and then if you don't want to be friends anymore, I won't bother you again. Is that okay?"

"I don't know…"

"Charlie?"

"I should ask Mason if it's okay," he said.

"No don't do that," she exclaimed a little to force fully.

"Why not?"

"Because, well because he doesn't like me. And doesn't want us to be friends remember. He won't let you come," she told him convincingly. "Unless you don't want to be my friend?"

"I do want to be your friend."

"Then how about meeting me at the little coffee shop next to the Tipton?" she said. "I get off my shift in ten minutes."

Charlie was still a bit leery of what to do, but she said she wanted to be friends. Maybe he could convince her to become friends with Mason too, "Okay, I'll be there Maddie."

"Perfect, see you then."

Charlie stared at his phone for a bit still unsure if he should call his brother. He wanted the three of them to be friends, but Mason did say never to leave without telling him where he was going. Flipping it open once more, he hit the speed dial and waited for him to answer his phone.

"It's done," Maddie said after she'd hung up.

"And you're sure it's going to work?" Zack asked echoing everyone else's thoughts.

"I'm positive, this kid is an idiot. Cody will be home by bedtime."

"He better be," Kurt practically growled. "Zack come with me."

Zack followed his father out into the hall, and when the door was closed, and they knew they were out of earshot, he began. "This is going to be dangerous so I want you to stay home to man the phone."

"No."

"Zack, I'm not asking."

"Dad they've got Cody and I can't just sit around and wait for the phone to ring. I'm going too," the younger boy stated as he turned toward the door. Feeling a hand on his arm he turned around again.

"I know about you and your brother."

"Dad…"

"You're mother filled me in," Kurt sighed. "I want you to be honest with me," he began as he prepared himself to ask one of the hardest questions he'd ever had too. "Are you in love with your twin brother?"

"Yes."

"Have you slept together?"

"Dad, I'm sure mom has…"

"I know what she told me, I want to hear it from you."

"Yes."

"You do realize what you are doing is wrong?"

"So I've been told," he sighed. "But that doesn't change the fact that it doesn't feel wrong."

"Zack, you can't be together. Not like that."

"Dad I made a promise to myself, that if Cody survived, I'd never let him go again. I'm going to keep that promise. You can't have him because he belongs with me."

"I'm taking him on tour with me," Kurt told his son.

"Then I guess you better take us both."

"You're not going to bend on this, are you?"

"I can't live without him, I won't," he replied. "I realized that the minute I turned on that television set and heard that announcement. And if I have to fight you for him, I will. But either we both stay or we both go. That's your choice."

The door opened before Kurt could respond and Carey and Maddie walked into the hallway. No one had to say a word; the determined looks upon the faces of the four individuals said it all. It was going to be another very long day.

AN: Another chapter so soon…I must be on a roll. LOL! Anyway, enjoy, please read and review. :)