Ally-617-luv-tv: Sorry, I've been extremely busy and I've written bits and pieces from chapters to come and forgot I had this one! Haha, yay! I have like all the Gilmore Girls seasons on DVD and I can't tell you how many times I've had to use the 'Gilmore-isms.' book! LOL I tried to use 'now' stuff so no one would get confused! LOL Thanks! I'm so glad you like it!

Lymaris: Thanks! I'm glad you like it!

Ghilliekitten: Yeah, I know! LOL I'm very unpredictable. :P. Thanks 4 reading!

Regards,

Britannia

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Title: My Favorite Mistake

Author: Britannia Eitwards

Summary: Madeline "Maddie" Fitzpatrick, and Lance the pool guy we're an item, then broke up, then London spread a rumor they got back together, which wasn't true, but Maddie's senior year she changed her mind about Lance, and later ended up with Natalie. She never told Lance Nat was his, she insisted she didn't know who it was. Eleven years later, after Maddie fled Boston, word of London's engagement, to someone surprising, sends Maddie and Natalie back to Boston for a week of wedding plans, reunions, and of course, insured Tipton chaos.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I don't own The Suite Life Of Zack and Cody, though I wish I did. The title comes from the song: 'My Favorite Mistake,' by Sheryl Crow. Title of chapter comes from U2's 'Beautiful Day'

"You're On the Road, But You've Got No Destination"

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"Five forty five, let's hit it!" Natalie suddenly announced.

"Alright, alright." Maddie said, putting on her sunglasses, although there was a heavy marine layer, and no sun quite yet. She grabbed her Louis Vuitton suitcase, and Natalie grabbed her Roxy one, and they both crashed out the door to their apartment. As Maddie was about to lock it behind them, they began their checklist:

"Mail stopped?" She asked Natalie.

"Yep."

"Paper stopped?"

"Yep."

"All food that could get rotten in the freezer, or eaten yesterday?"

"Yep."

"The cat's staying with Kristy?"
"Ye-…no! No! I forgot to give the cat to Kristy, oh my God, how could I have forgotten that? Oh no, I— "

She pauses, "Wait a minute, we don't have a cat!"

"I know I was just messing with you."

"That was just mean! I got all worried and everything,"

"I'm sorry, geeze,"

"I guess you're forgiven, come on, it's almost six, and I need more coffee."

"Please do not rush me, Madeline Margaret Genevieve Miranda Catherine Fitzpatrick is never rushed anywhere."

"Neither is Natalie Madeline Margaret Genevieve Miranda Catherine Fitzpatrick, but she's also not held back from coffee, so can we please hurry!"
"Yeah, yeah, fine."

Maddie locks up the door and puts the keys in her handbag and says to Natalie, "Well, we're off."

Natalie smiles and says as they're walking down the stairs to the lobby, "So, do think we'll see 'You Know Who' at the hotel?"

" 'You Know Who' who?"

"Mom, 'You Know Who' who!"

"No I don't know who who!"

"Yes you do!"

"Natalie, I swear to you, I don't know who who."

"You have to know who who, because if you didn't know who who then I would not be happy right now!"

"Child, you give me migraines." Maddie says semi joking, and attempting to hold her head, "Let's back up, is by any chance this who who the reason your name isn't Chlorine?"
"Yes! I knew you knew who who!"
"Nat…I honestly don't think it would help matters if we see who who, because he doesn't know about you, and I know you're going to want to tell him, but that's just it, you can't."

"Why…?"

"Because! He's going to want to know you and marry me, and I just can't handle that."
"Well, if you don't want him around why did you sleep with him?"

"Because, I wasn't thinking."

"So…it was a mistake…"

"In a matter of speaking. Nat, the action was a mistake, the product was not."

"But because of the action or now titled 'the mistake' you got me, so that makes me a mistake."

"No, Natalie, a mistake is something you could and would take back, and I would never take you back."

"But you'd take back sleeping with him, which, in turn, created me, so if you took that back, you take me back too,"
"No, look, Natalie, that may have not been the best decision, especially considering the timing, I had just finished high school, hadn't turned eighteen yet, and I was pregnant. So, no, it wasn't a wise decision, and maybe sometimes I think of it as a mistake, but it's my favorite mistake. And Natalie Madeline Margaret Genevieve Miranda Catherine Fitzpatrick, don't ever for one second think that I think of you as a mistake. You are the best, most important, perfect thing in my life. And even when I look back on all the crappy things that have happened and all the things I screwed up, I look at you and see the one thing I did right. You're the one thing in my life that is always sweet, good, kind, caring, and one hell of a best friend, and without you, I wouldn't have any reason to get up in the morning. So yes, if meaning I may have had a tad to drink that night and was a little upset about not acing the Geography test, turned to a friend, and ended up with you is a bad thing, then oh well. Six hours of labor, all the stigma, my family not speaking to me for six years, and getting every horrible comment and stare from passing people I've never even met before, were all worth it. I ended up with the most perfect girl on the planet, and I never thought I could be this happy in the whole situation, living alone…just us. But honestly, Nat, this is the happiest I've ever been." Maddie of course was tearing up, and crying, and so was Natalie.

"I'm sorry." Natalie says crying on her mother's shoulder as they hug mid landing of the staircase.

"No," Maddie whispers, "You have nothing to be sorry for," she strokes her daughter's blonde hair.

"Yes I do," Natalie says, "I thought you didn't even like Dad…but I should've assumed…I mean…" she starts crying harder, "I'm sorry."

"Natalie, shhh…you have nothing to be sorry for, I've never told you the whole story before. Truthfully because I'm a bit embarrassed by it. You've know me all your life, right?"

Natalie nods.

"And you know I never make decisions without analyzing everything first, right?"

Natalie nods again.

"So, y'know, I felt like this was the one time I didn't, and look what happened. But then I think…well, she is the best thing that ever happened to you, so maybe taking risks aren't so terrible and foolhardy after all…"

"I'm also sorry I said you thought I was a mistake."
"Nat, you don't need to apologize, believe me, I forgive you."

"But…even if I thought it…I shouldn't've said it. I mean, come on, we spend like all our time together…but you did say my conception was a mistake…"

"Natalie, the whole subject is a bit sensitive, but…the person and timing could have been better, that's all I'll say."

Natalie shakes her head with a laugh, "So is Dad like the only guy you ever…"

Before Natalie can finish her sentence, Maddie's nodding.

"Huh…" Natalie says.

"Yeah, it's sad, I know. But every time I meet someone and they ask about me and I say I have an eleven year old, they say, 'How old are you again,' and I reply with, 'twenty-nine,' they say, 'Oh, look at the time! I have to be going,' and leave." Maddie says.

"Really?"

"Yes, but hey, then I come home and we talk about how the guy's zipper was down all through dinner. And I rather have that then whatever petty relationship I'd get with the guy who can't accept my eleven year old daughter."

"Insightful,"

"Thanks."

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Nat."

They smile at each other, then link arms, and proceed to take their suitcases outside to get a cab.

"We're never gonna get a cab at six A.M.," Maddie says.

"Mom, let me handle it." Natalie says as she notices a man with a horse and carriage parked by the pretzel stand.

"Hey! Excuse me, Sir!" Natalie says.

"Yeah?" he answers.

"My mom and I need to get to like the border of Pasadena, pronto,"

"Oh, alright, I need work, no one ever needs carriage rides before eight, and that's when my shift is off, I almost never get paid!" he was an older man, he had white hair, and a white moustache. He was short in stature, but still not quite as short as Natalie, in fact, she had yet to meet someone that didn't have a form of dwarfism, that wasn't shorter than she was. Standing at four foot three barefoot, and four foot six in her favorite pair of Mudd shoes, she, as you can tell, is a very petite person.

Maddie, on the other hand, was about the same height, standing at only five foot three, she is a tad on the short side herself.

"Thank-you, sir." Natalie said, "Hey Mom!" she calls to Maddie.

Maddie took both her and Nat's suitcases, and wheeled them over.

"This gentleman is taking us to the border of Pasadena, so a cab there can take us to L.A.X.," Natalie declares

"Really? Sir, are you sure?" Maddie says.

"Oh, yes, it's no problem."

"Alright. Riding in style, nice job, Nat."

"Thanks." she says as they sit together in the horse drawn carriage.

As the horse starts to pull the carriage along, they look around at Pasadena, it looks very ghost town-ish. Only a few people and cars out and about.

"I don't think I've ever seen Pasadena from a carriage before…" Maddie says.

"I know! I feel like we're in Jersey Girl!" Natalie exclaims excitedly.

They chit-chat about Boston, London, the wedding, and the twins the whole way there, which a few Pop Culture comparisons thrown in, but no conversation is complete without those.

The carriage ride was a bit lengthy, but worth it because they got to see the city they call home from a different light entirely. When they finally reached their destination, which was a bit of city looking area with cabs everywhere, Natalie and Maddie paid the driver, and headed off to get a cab.

"What's Christmas in Boston like?" Natalie asks dragging her suitcase along.

"Just like it is here…" Maddie says like, "Duh."

"No, like, does it snow?"

"Sometimes…"

"Is it magical?"

"It can be…"

"I was conceived around Christmas, right?"

"Yeah…" Maddie says like, 'Don't remind me'

"Did Dad like Christmas?"

"I don't think I ever asked him…he was more of a fan of summer holidays."

"Huh…like you?"

"Yes, like me."

"Wow. Did he like Boston?"
"Um-hum. But it was always his dream to live in California, because he loves water so much."

"Ohhhh."

They stop at a street corner, and attempt to hail a taxi, surprisingly, it doesn't take long.

"Yay! We got one!" Natalie exclaims, grabbing her suitcase and yanking it into the cab with her.

"L.A.X., please." Maddie says.

"You got it." The driver, who looks like he took a bath in grease, says.

He takes a look at the two similar looking blondes in the rear-view mirror, and says, "So where are you two headed off so early?"

"Boston." Maddie says.

"Ah. Great city. Lovely at Christmas." he says.

Natalie smiles at Maddie smugly. Maddie shakes her head as she rolls her eyes.

"Be sure you look at The Tipton, let me tell you, that's one heck of a hotel."

"Don't I know it. I worked there when I was younger and a friend of mine's father owns it."

"No kiddin'? That's awesome!"

"Yeah,"

"So, why'dja move out here?"

"Because…I got a job offer."

"Huh…" he says.

He and Maddie chatted about that for a majority of the ride to the airport, Natalie wishing the entire time that they had gotten a different cab.

Finally arriving at the airport was like deliverance for Natalie, but Maddie wouldn't have minded talking for a little longer, Natalie practically had to drag her out of the cab.

"Mom, we have a schedule, as in the plane will take off even if we're not on it."
"I know, I'm coming." she says to Natalie. Then turns to the driver, slips him a fifty and says, "It was a pleasure talking to you."

"Same here, good luck on your trip."

"Thanks," she says.

When they're out of the cab, and it drives off, Natalie's staring at Maddie.

"What?" she says.

"Oh my GOD, Mom! You were so flirting with the cab driver!"
"I was not,"

"Yes you were!"

"Honey, it's been a long time— "

"Ew! Oh my flipping God, Mom! You're thinking about d— "

"Watch what euphemism you choose to use, young lady."
"Young lady? Young lady! Mom, you've never called me that ONCE in my entire life! Is it because I was asking about Dad?"

"No."

"Yes, it is! You hate the thought of me wanting to know him, so you went weird on me and wanted to get wiggy with the cab driver!"

"Natalie! I don't feel like that, honest. It's just, talking about him makes me feel like I know he's moved on, and I haven't."

"Mom, he doesn't know about me. If he moved on, it makes sense! Not so much for you, on the other end, but come on."

"Natalie, I don't want to fight with you, let's just put this on hold until we get on the plane, and then you can pull a Menendez."

"Fine." Natalie picks up her suitcase and pulls it ahead of Maddie.

They don't feel like talking to one another, but as they drag their suitcases into the food area, they can tell, this is going to be a long flight.

A/N: Next chapter, VERY soon, I promise, promise, promise this time!

Regards,

Britannia