Newwwww chapter! Yay. Hope you guys like it. Thanks to all of you who reviewed last chapter. Its great to know you enjoy reading this. x

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Suite Life characters.

By Your Charm

The new Tipton was beautiful. Cody and Maddie looked around the lobby with an expression of a mix between shock and amusement. Maddie gasped again and let go of his hand. Cody followed her to wherever she was walking although he had to admit that his hand felt a bit … lonely.

(Flashback)
A couple of days after Maddie's seventeenth birthday, Cody found her sitting outside of the Tipton with a depressed look.

"Maddie, are you alright?" the thirteen-year-old asked.

She kept her gaze on a piece of gum on the sidewalk and replied in a fake sugarcoated voice, "Yes of course! Of course, I'm fine."

"…You don't seem fine."

"Have you ever wanted someone so bad and once they were yours, you found out they only did it for pity?" she suddenly asked, looking at him with watery eyes.

Cody thought automatically of his first love, Rebecca. She had later wrote to him telling him that he wasn't what he was looking for…that she met a new kid that apparently made her feel more appreciated than he did.

"I can imagine," Cody managed to say.

Maddie shook her head, "He told his friends that I wasn't what he was looking for. Is there something wrong with me?"

"No!" he said, grabbing her hand out of instinct, "Maddie, if he couldn't see what a beautiful girl you are, inside and out, he's dumb. I can beat him up if you want."

She laughed, wiped her tears and pat him lightly on the head, "No, its okay. He's the captain of the wrestling team, but thanks for the offer.

They suddenly heard Mr. Moesby's voice from inside the hotel, "Where is Madeline? Her shift started five minutes ago!"

"I've got to go," she said and finished wiping her tears, "Thanks, Cody."

"Anytime."

She smiled and went inside the hotel to do her job. Cody kept a slight smile on his face, but it faded when he realized how empty his hand felt.
(End Flashback)

He didn't realize where they were going since his mind was preoccupied with memories until he heard Maddie say something completely random.

"I'd like a bag of skittles, please," she asked.

Cody gave her a confused look and than looked around to find that they walked to the candy counter.

"Can I have some crispy M&M's?" he asked, embarrassed at his quick slip of confusion.

The girl gave them the candy with a perky smile and they both sat down in the lobby. Maddie's sad smile barely matched the perkiness of the candy counter girl.

"What's wrong?" Cody asked, instinctively sitting closer to her.

"I wonder if she likes being there," Maddie said.

"Did you?"

"I had a pair of twins to keep me company, didn't I?"

"And an heiress."

"And an Esteban."

Cody laughed, "And an Esteban … we were a crazy bunch, weren't we?"

Maddie nodded and finished her skittles," Look at us, ruining our appetite."

"Did you want to eat here?"

"Of course! I didn't walk two miles just for some skittles."

Cody laughed again and helped her off the couch. They walked to the restaurant located in the hotel and requested a table for two. It was only six o'clock, but the walk had taken a lot out of them. He pulled out a chair for her and sat down across the table with a smile. She looked nice.

"Why are you smiling?" she asked suspiciously.

Cody shook his head and stared dumbly at his menu. He felt foolish. He was a grown man unable to compliment a woman without feeling foolish. And to make things worse, this woman was a girl he grew up with. He had to admit that he hadn't felt that way in a long time.

The waiter came and introduced himself in a polite manner and asked if they were ready to order.

"I'll have cordon bleu and a glass of red wine, please," she asked the waiter and glanced at Cody.

"I'll have the sirloin steak and a glass of water," he said and handed his menu up to the man.

Maddie smirked at him.

"What?" he asked her in confusion.

"What a manly choice," she said and kicked his shoe lightly.

Cody laughed at her light tap, "What are we? Twelve?"

(Flashback)
Carey decided to take Maddie and London out to dinner with the family for her birthday. Of course, Zack sat next to Maddie, who sat next to London. Cody and Carey sat across from them. Cody sat there humming when he accidentally kicked Maddie under the table, stopping his humming immediately. Maddie looked across the table at him.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly.

Maddie smiled at him and somewhat tapped her foot lightly at the side of his shoe, "No, its fine."

Zack looked aggravated and said aloud, "Can we stop playing footsie and order our food?"

Carey and London looked at Zack in confusion while Cody and Maddie made eye contact, smiling at each other before looking back at their menus.
(End Flashback)

"No, we're not twelve … but I wish we were," Maddie said, looking around.

He smiled at her and nodded a polite 'thank you' to the waiter who brought them their dinner. She smiled back and then began to eat her food. He watched her for a second as she cut out a bite-sized piece and put it into her mouth with a satisfied expression left along her lips. It was then that he realized he was staring at her and he began cutting his own food. They were hungry enough to stay quiet for the first few minutes and savor the food they ate. After all, the food was expensive and what was the point if they didn't savor it? The conversation was light as they finished their food, leaving them stuffed and happy.

"That was delicious," Maddie said, folding her napkin back on the table.

Cody nodded, "Of course it was. It's the Tipton."

They both laughed and walked out of the restaurant after Cody paid for their food. They stood in the lobby for a few seconds, since neither of them knew what to do next. He looked out of the glass doors and saw that it was dark outside already.

"What do you want to do next?" he asked her.

She looked at him and shrugged her shoulders in an adorable manner, "Not sure."

"Should we call it a night and walk home now?" he asked.

Maddie looked around the Tipton and shrugged once again, "Alright… It'll take a while, though."

"I know," he said as he subconsciously gave her one of his heart-melting smiles.

They walked out of the Tipton Hotel and both of them shivered from the sudden burst of cold wind.

"Is it supposed to rain again tonight?" he asked her, trying not to smile at how fast her nose turned pink.

Maddie shrugged, "Probably. Lets walk and try to catch a cab then. It'll be impossible over here by the hotel."

The two of them set off onto the sidewalk, walking casually side by side. The wind continued to blow as they both shivered continuously. Unsure of what to do, Cody took his chances and put his arm around her shoulder in an attempt to keep her warm … And an attempt to, well, have his arm around her. She smiled at him and somewhat leaned into him. He figured that their closeness was only because of the weather … But that only made him wish that the weather was always like this when she was with him.

"Maybe we should call a cab," Maddie suggested, looking up at him.

He shrugged and didn't resent that idea because of how windy it was, "I think we should, too."

He called a cab and opened the door for her. Once they were both in, she sat close to him and he wanted to put his arm around her again but didn't have the excuse of the weather. However, when the cab driver made a sharp turn, she slid closer and he moved his arm around her and tapped her shoulder lightly.

"Whoa there," he said with a laugh.

"Sorry!" Maddie said and covered her face in embarrassment.

Cody laughed at her and moved her hands down, "For what? Sliding?"

"Mhmm," she nodded her head.

He laughed again and moved around so that she could easily lean against him, "Don't be."

They stayed in that position until they got to her apartment where he decided that he would just walk to his flat after walking Maddie to her room.

"I had a great time," she said, looking for her keys.

"Same here," Cody replied with a smile.

Once she found them, she opened her door and looked back at him, "We should do this again."

"What do you say about next Saturday?"

"I say it sounds like a plan."

"Alright, then I'll see you then. G'night," he told her and waved, sticking his hands into his pockets as he began walking home.

A feeling of giddiness struck Cody as he walked home and he couldn't help but smile. It had been a while since he felt this way. It had been a long while.

Soooo? Review & tell me what you think. New chapter will probably next weekend since school is pretty hectic.

- Lina.