Alone

Summary: Kurt and Carey have remarried. But, two months after the marriage, Kurt starts to abuse Zack. Not Cody, not Carey -- Zack. And only Maddie will listen to him. Zack x Maddie

Disclaimer: I said that I didn't own the Suite Life of Zack and Cody last chapter, is that correct? Okay then. That's good. 'Cause I still don't own it. Probably never will, either.


-- Zack's POV --

"I need proof," came Maddie's voice, after a moment of silence. This angered me even more. I knew it, I just knew it! I knew she wouldn't understand, that she wouldn't take my word for it. And yet, I still tried. I tried to tell her.

"Need any more proof than my face?" She said nothing, so I pulled up my shirt, showing numerous bruises and a few scars on my stomach. "Only one is from a car crash." I said slowly, thenI turned around, letting her see my back, which had many scars all over it. As I turned back to face her, I added, "Only three of those weren't from my father." A deep pause followed, then I lifted up my long sleeves that I was wearing in the middle of summer, so that nobody would see my cuts. Upon the arm were bruises, cuts, scabs, and scars. I did the other arm as well, and the same thing showed, just fewer and in different places. The same with my legs, just a lot fewer than my arms.

"Z - Zack, your dad... He wouldn't do this... I mean,he's so nice, and..." Maddie stammered, and I saw the fear on her face and shook my head.

"Then who did this, Maddie? What the hell do you think did all of this to me, because I certainly didn't do it myself. What kind of idiot would I be?" I took a short pause here, thinking of what to say. But I yelled at her again, before I could stop myself and say what I was originally going to. "I knew it, Maddie. I knew it, dammit! I knew you wouldn't believe me. I was an idiot for even telling you. You think that you know everything that goes on around here, you think that you know everyone so well -- you don't. Nobody else here knows the true Kurt Martin. Only I do. And I'd suggest that you face those facts."

I turned on my heel and was about to walk away when I felt Maddie's hand on my shoulder. I sighed, not wanting to talk to her anymore. I mean, come on -- who would? But I figured that it was the least I could do. And once I heard those words that she said, I was quite glad that I did give her the chance to speak. "I believe you, Zack," is what she had said. She, for one, believed me. But did it really make a difference?

Then I remembered Dad's words: 'Tell anyone about our little session and I'll kill you. I'll kill you with my own two hands.' 'M-Maddie?" I asked, fear evident in my voice as I fell onto the couch, staring at the wall. "Don't tell Kurt. Don't tell him that I told you."

"Why not? We have to call the police or something, Zack. We can't just sit back and let him do this to you. He's changed you, can't you see that? You're not the same anymore, Zack, and everyone knows. You just aren't the Zack we know anymore." I knew she was right, but I wasn't going to die because I told her. But one day, maybe I would die, whether Kurt -- Dad -- knew if I had told her or not. Maybe he'd just get so out of hand with it. Kurt was like that.

"No." I swallowed, then explained, "he said that if I told anyone, he'd kill me. With his own two hands. That means... He'd make me suffer. Punch me, kick me, whatever, until I was dead. And with Kurt... He'd do it. He wouldn't hold back. Love, tenderness, compassion, mercy, regret... Those words, they mean nothing to him. Sure, he pretends to love Mom and Cody -- but does he really? He's said so many bad things about them to me. So many bad things.''

"It's okay," Maddie assured me, pulling me into a tight hug. I rested my chin on her shoulder, glad to have someone to lean on for once. Someone who believed me. Someone who understood, or at least tried to. Someone to help me through.


A/N: I didn't leave you with a cliffy that time, so thank me for that. I'll try adding one to the next chapter, though. -evil maniac laughter-