A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the super long update! With "Secretly In Love" out and preparations for auditions, time is slowly fading away and I've been neglecting this story. :-\ I'll try my hardest to get this going.

Anyway, the 21st chapter! Already surpassing Twin Twisted, this story is coming along swimmingly…I hope! I'll let you guys decide! Review and tell me what you think of it so far! :)

As for this chapter, this one should be interesting. Might be a little dark, though. You'll see what I mean. Enjoy!

Chapter 21: Unexpected Ends

Cody drove to the diner where Nick had been working, his mind racing with numerous things he wanted to say. He decided not to bring Zack along, as to avoid any physical altercations. Even though both hands were on the steering wheel, Cody making sure to keep them in the right positions, he could feel the note from the basket in his pocket. He knew that his feelings for Nick were long gone, but the note was nothing short of cryptic. It left Cody to wonder what he could have meant. He brought the car to a stop and stepped out into the parking lot, peering into the diner to see if Nick was on waiter duty. He pulled the small card out of his pocket and read it once more.

Cody,

This is for you. A small token of gratitude for showing me something I actually wanted in the past. Maybe someday we'll be reunited in a better place where we can live in a world without judgment. Goodbye.

Nick

"What the hell is that supposed to even mean?" Cody said in frustration, shoving the note back in his pocket. He walked through the double doors of the quaint looking diner and walked up to the counter, where a small, brunette woman stood.

"Welcome to Tiny's! How many people in your party?" The woman asked with a smile.

"Thanks. Actually, I was looking for Nick. He in today?" Cody asked. The girls face changed to a sudden unhappiness.

"Umm…See…About that…."

"What? What happened? Did he get fired or something?" Cody asked, growing nervous. The girl picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Look. Let me get you to the manager." She said, putting the phone to her ear. Cody couldn't quite put a finger on it, but there was something about the woman's tone of voice that made him shutter. A hand touched his shoulder. Cody turned around to see a rather large man with no hair standing beside him.

"You the manager? I'm looking for Nick."

"Yeah…Come outside with me for a sec, buddy." The obese man said, guiding him out of the diner. "Look, kid. There's somethin' I gotta tell ya."

"Look. I'm not interested in anything Nick is doing. I'm not like…his parent's messenger boy or anything. I just need to have a word with him." Cody asked, wanting to get this all over with.

"Well…That's not gonna happen. We found out that Nick…won't be coming back." The manager rubbed his bald head and sighed.

"Well that's…bad, I guess. But whatever. You know where he might be? I really need to talk to him."

"Look. Call this number. They'll be able to give you more information than I could. Alright?" The man handed Cody a small index card.

"Yeah…Sure. Alright. Thanks." Cody said, walking off to his car. He took a glance at the card to see a number and the name "Winston". "That's Nick's last name…Maybe this is his number?" Cody said to himself. He just hopped into his car and drove off, wondering why everyone had been acting so strangely.

Cody's hand shook as he began dialing the number on the index card. He had no idea what to expect, nor did he have any interest in finding out. He just wanted to settle the deal with Nick. The phone rang for what seemed like forever until a woman picked up the phone, her voice sounded as if she'd just stopped crying.

"Hello?" The woman said.

"Yeah, hi. My name is Cody Martin. I'm looking for Nick. His manager gave me this number. Told me to call." Cody said, trying to sound as proper as possible.

"Hi Cody…Look…I don't know how to tell you this…But Nick died in the hospital last night." The woman replied. Cody's stomach grew queasy after hearing the words the woman just spoke.

"What? That's impossible! He sent me this basket just yesterday!"

"He had that thing ordered the day before yesterday. Investigators checked everything he'd bought beforehand." Cody took a seat on his couch, his mind now jumbled.

"Investigators? What happened? How did he die?" Cody asked franticly.

"He…killed himself." The woman forced out. The moment the words rang in his ears, he nearly dropped the phone. All of a sudden, Nick's note wasn't so cryptic anymore. Cody didn't think that Nick's feelings for him were so drastic and deep that he'd actually take his own life over them. His stomach turned and he grew light headed, unable to make sense of the situation at hand. The shackles of guilt heavily begun binding him. A single tear drop rolled down Cody's cheek. "Cody? Are you there?"

"Yeah, yeah…Umm…Is there going to be a funeral service held?" Cody asked, trying his hardest not to break down.

"Oh…Yeah. I'll give you the information. Just one second, please." The woman said. Cody grabbed the pad and pen sitting on the coffee table. "Okay. It's going to be a three day ceremony. There's going to be a wake, a funeral, and the burial. The wake and funeral will take place at Leffert's Funeral Home in Woburn and the burial will take place at Saint John of Souls Cemetery." The woman said, Cody quickly jotting down the details. "The wake and funeral will begin at thee o'clock PM sharp, and we'll be going to the burial right from the funeral."

"Okay thanks…" Cody said, hanging the phone up. He slouched on the couch, his mind now a mess. The guilt that he had been directly responsible for Nick's demise ripped him apart on the inside. The fact that they had ended things on a sour note didn't exactly do wonders for him, either. He pulled the note from his pocket and stared at it, wondering if this all could have been avoided. Zack and Zane walked into the suite, bags in hand.

"Hey Codes. We're back from the mall! I got you a little something…You okay?" Zack asked, dropping the bags and sitting next to Cody.

"It's Nick…" Cody replied.

"Oh…What about him? Did you go talk to that creep and tell him to get over you?"

"DON'T TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT! HE WAS JUST STUCK ON ME!" Cody shouted, Zack flinching from Cody's sudden outburst.

"Is…there something you need to tell me Cody…?" Zack said nervously, wondering why Cody had gotten so sore over Nick in the little time he'd talked to him.

"He didn't deserve what he got, damn it! Not at ALL!" Cody shouted again, a tear rolling down his cheek.

"What are you talking about, Cody?"

"He's dead, Zack…He killed himself…" Cody choked out, more tears rolling from their ducts. Zack didn't know how to respond. Instead he took hold of Cody, holding him in his arms. "It's all my fault…All he did was like me…and I shunned him for it."

"Hey! Don't think that, okay? It's not your fault he decided to end his own life…This stuff happens…At least now he's in a better place…" Zack tried assuring Cody. He kissed him on his forehead. Cody just stood up and walked into their room. Zack sat on the couch, heartbroken from seeing his love so broken up. Zane took a seat next to him.

"He's pretty upset…" Zane said.

"I know…Not even I was able to cheer him up…"

"He'll be fine…I'm sure of it." Zane replied. Zack just slouched back on the couch, a twinge of worry upsetting his stomach.

A/N: Sorry if the chapter is a bit short! The next one should hopefully be a bit longer! Hope you enjoyed! Remember to review. :)