Chapter 4: Bonding and Rebonding

After introducing her to many of the staff and going to lunch at a small cafe near the hotel, the Martin family took Angela up to their suite. She looked around in astonishment.

"This is amazing." Carey certainly agreed with that statement. For nearly ten years the only way that she had seen Angela was lying in a hospital bed with tubes running from her body every which way. Now that same girl who had taken care of her sons and become like a sister to them, and daughter to her, was standing there in their home gawking at the opulent furnishings. She had questions a plenty but asked the one that was burning in her the most.

"Why didn't we find out that you were awake? I was your guardian, they should have notified me the moment it happened." Angela looked at her in confusion.

"They said that they left a message with you." she replied with a shrug "maybe you just didn't get it. I had proven that I wasn't brain damaged or anything and since I was an adult they said I could go. Anyway, when I was released I remembered you telling me you were moving to Boston and here I am." Carey couldn't believe it. The message she had been waiting so long for just got lost in the shuffle! She would have an extensive talk with Moseby about this. She sighed.

"I am just so glad you are here." Carey said wrapping an arm around her.

"Please don't start us crying again." Angela said with a smile, resting her head on Carey's shoulder. Zack and Cody stole Angela away from their mother and she followed them to the room they shared and looked around. She had to laugh when she saw how it was almost perfectly divided with Cody's side neat and tidy and Zack's side looking like a tornado had gone through it. Then they sat on the beds as the boys told her all the adventures they had gone through at the Tipton while Carey excused herself because she had to go to work. After many hours of catching up and a late Mac and Cheese supper, the boys were yawning. Angela checked her watch which said 11:30.

"I need to get some sleep too. I've had the busiest day of all. Night guys." she got up from Cody's bed and turned to go to Carey's room where she was told she would stay when, with a grin, she turned around. "Love you."

Zack and Cody gave each other a knowing look, got up, and opened their arms wide.

"This much?" Cody asked. Angela's grin got even wider because she was so happy they remembered.

"This much." she said copying them. The twins stepped forward into Angela's arms and wrapped themselves around her waist. She pulled them to her chest and kissed them on their foreheads. Then she let them go to get ready for bed. When Carey arrived at 2:00AM, she poked her head in to the boys' room to find them both sound asleep with a smile she quietly shut their door and went to the other bedroom and carefully opened it as well. She looked at the miracle sleeping in her own bed and for what seemed like the millionth time, took a tissue from her purse and dabbed at her eyes. Then she went back into the living room area, settled herself on the couch, and fell into a deep sleep.

- - -

On Monday Zack and Cody, with much reluctance, had gone to school. Maddie's school was going through parent teacher conferences and therefore didn't have any classes so she had chosen to work for a little extra cash instead. Unfortunately Moseby had told her that the counter was already covered and he really didn't have any work for her that day. She really didn't feel like going back to the zoo next to Fenway Park that was her home so she decided to just hang out at the hotel instead. Maddie was soon regretting her decision since London was gone on a trip and the rest of the staff was making preparations for some dignitary or other to stay at the hotel so there was no one to talk to. She was sitting on the couch in the lobby reading a magazine when she sensed someone standing next to her. She looked up to find it was Angela.

"Hi, Angela." Maddie said brightly grateful for any distraction from her boredom.

"Hi, Maddie. What are you up to?" Angela asked returning a nearly identical grin. Maddie face fell a bit.

"Well, I was going to work a little today but the counter is already covered."

"Good." Angela said getting a surprised look from Maddie. "cause I was hoping we could go out and talk."

"Really?"

Angela sat down and her expression became a little sad. "I've missed out on so much of the boys' lives, and I know that you have been like a big sister to them. I just would really like to get to know who they become and I think that you're the one to help me do that." Maddie was touched. She looked into Angela's hopeful eyes and smiled.

"I'd love to." Maddie said warmly as she took Angela's hand. Rising the two young women walked out the door and hailed a cab. They did talk about the boys and a host of other subjects as they shopped in the store surrounding the Tipton. Finally they settled down at an outdoor cafe and Maddie was filling Angela in on the things the boys had forgotten last night.

"..and then there was Cody wearing a dress." Maddie said with a laugh. "At least he did get a kiss from her when she left." Angela snickered at the idea of Cody in a dress.

"That really doesn't surprise me. Cody was always quick to warm up to people. When I first visited the Martins the boys were already creeping around. Zack would stay back and hide a little while Cody basically climbed into my lap in like the first 30 seconds I was there." Maddie was surprised to hear this. As long as she had known the boys Cody had always been the shy one, while Zack was "the player". As they chatted, Maddie was surprised to find how easy it was talking to Angela. Even though the woman was nine years older, it felt to Maddie like talking to her own twin. Of course the physical resemblance did help with that. Angela looked at her watch.

"Whoops. I'd better get back before the boys send out the Marines for me." Angela stood up quickly and her vision swam for the briefest moment. She grabbed the table for support. Maddie was beside her in an instant to help support her.

"Are you, ok?" her voice filled with deep concern. Angela offered her teen twin a grateful smile.

"Yeah, must still have a little jet lag. Besides, we were up pretty late last night talking." Angela blinked a couple of times to get her vision straight. Maddie kept her hand on Angela's arm to steady her as she hailed a cab. By the time the had returned to the Tipton, Angela seemed to have fully recovered from the episode. When they entered to hotel they were greeted by Zack and Cody.

"So," Zack said "what have you two been talking about."

"You two." Angela replied with a grin putting her arms around the boys. They bid goodbye to Maddie and walked to the elevator. Once they were on Maddie let the smile she was wearing to fade into a concerned frown.

A/N So I've left you with a bit of a cliffhanger. All will become clear as soon as I can think of the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad you like it.

To Nixy Angel: Angela is not the twins' sister. She was their babysitter when they were very young and they bonded to her as if she was their sister. Much like they bonded to Maddie now.