Alone

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

Disclaimer: Same as it always has been. Same as it always will be. For now and forever, I do not own the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Sometimes, dreams don't come true.


-- Zack's POV --

Life has always been hard for me. Sure, it looks easy, just relaxing and getting your brother into schemes with you. But it's been hard. Especially since Mom and Kurt got married. Everything has just been going wrong.

Has there ever been someone in your life that was biologically your family, but never seemed like it? Whether they lived with you or not. Kurt -- Dad -- he was family, bioligically and legally. But he wasn't truly my father. A true father wouldn't beat their kid, a father wouldn't try to kill their child. The thing I hate most about it, however, is how Maddie's the only one who will believe me. My own brother, my own twin wouldn't even believe me! Do you know how much that hurt me?

We were sitting on the couch, watching one of our favorite television shows. Well, Cody was. I was staring at the screen, hearing it and seeing it but not paying attention to it at all. None of the words or actions truly registered in my brain. I was thinking, thinking about all of this. The abuse, the pain, the hurt... All of it, when I felt Cody shaking me.

I snapped my head in his direction. "What?" I questioned.

Cody swallowed, then asked me, "What's wrong?" He knew I was about to say 'Nothing,' I suppose, so he turned off the tv, looking at me intently.

"Kurt, I mean, Dad --" I was cut off by Kurt entering the room.

"Stupid kid, still alive... I would've killed 'im had that girl not got in the way," he muttered, not noticing me and Cody sitting in there. I cleared my throat, smiling victoriously. "Hey, Code, why don't you go play some games in the game room while your brother and I talk about that tv show I was just quoting?" Cody nodded and took the three dollars in quarters from Kurt and rushing out of the room. Cody was so naive.

Kurt grabbed me by the throat and my smile faded. He whispered in a cold, malicious voice that was full of victory and hatred, "You say anything, and I mean anything, to this about your brother and you're dead. Got it?" I nodded best I could as he dropped me to the ground, slapping me hard. Then grabbing the sword from under the couch, Kurt smirked. I backed away. He dropped the sword. I sighed in relief.

Then he pulled me, dragged me, into the bathroom. I struggled to get out of his grasp, but I... but I failed. It was then, five minutes later, when Kurt had gotten the electric razor and was about to shave my hair off my head when Cody entered the room, saying, "The game room is closed today..."


A/N: I know, I know -- SUPER short. But I felt like I needed some more Zack in here.