Chapter 24-Letters

-Zack's POV-

Tipton walls.

Tipton beds.

Tipton furniture,

I was back.

After all this time I was back at the Tipton.

I shifted in bed and brushed something soft. I turned my head and saw Jeremiah curled against Cody, who was hugging him close to his body. I took a double take and realized that Jeremiah's hair was blond. I turned my head so I was staring at the ceiling. I expected to hear my mom calling at us to get up. But I forgot that we would never see her or hear her again. Sighing, I sat up in bed and looked around the room. Everything was the same as it was before, as if nothing had disturbed the balance.

"You all right?"

I looked and saw that both Cody and Jeremiah were looking at me with curiosity in their eyes. I forced a smile as I leaned back and turned on my side so I was staring at them both. I reached out a hand and they gripped my hand.

"Eventually I will be, since you guys are here with me, I will heal a lot faster." I sighed and added, "I'm not in the mood for school today, do you just want to stay home?"

"Yeah," Jeremiah said softly as he clutched something in his arms. I never realized that he had a stuffed animal with him. It was a stuffed huskie dog. It was in pretty bad shape: dirty, limbs torn, pulled out fur.

"I'll go call the school," Cody said as he got out of the bed and walked out of the room/ Jeremiah propped his head up on his elbow and asked, "How'd you know where I was? In the warehouse. How did you know I was in trouble?"

"A brother just knows these things." I responded as I ruffled his hair and slid out of bed. He crawled out after me and we walked out of our room and sat down on the couch. It was unbelievably quiet in the suite, besides Cody talking on the telephone. He hung up and dropped down next to Jeremiah. We just sat there with each other, surrounded by silence. It ended up bugging me after five minutes. A knock on the door came to my rescue. I got off the couch and opened the door to see, "

"Maddie!" I cried out. It was Maddie. The love of my life. How I missed her so.

"Hi Zack," she said as she smiled slightly. "It's good to see you again. I'm sorry about what happened."

"Don't be," I said as I pulled the door shut behind myself. "Our mom died doing what she was supposed to be doing, protecting us. It was just her time to go."

"Oh Zack, how can you be so calm about this?"

"I just can."

Maddie smiled at me and I smiled back. But my smile only reached halfway when she bent over and pressed her lips against mine. I closed my eyes and softly kissed her back. I never wanted to break from the sweet embrace, but I knew I had to eventually; Cody would start to wonder what had happened to me. But it felt so right. As Maddie pulled away I made a whimpering sound which only caused her to giggle.

"Stay strong Zack." She said as she gave my hand a squeeze and walked off. I walked back into the suite with a smile on my face. Cody and Jeremiah exchanged disgusted looks but I dismissed it. Maddie, the girl I have been crushing on ever since I met her, is officially my girlfriend! Life can't be any better than this! Nothing can bring me down.

-Cody's POV-

"Code, you'll have to talk to us sooner or later," Max said to me later that day. I was sitting on the couch staring at the blank TV screen. Tapeworm and Crystal were with her. They've been trying to get me to talk for the last half hour but I didn't want to open my mouth in case I burst out crying. I couldn't cry any more. I didn't want to cry any more. I didn't want to feel any more pain.

"Cody. Talk to us," Crystal told me gently.

"…I miss…everything," I whispered.

"What do you mean?" Tapeworm asked.

"Everything that used to be. I miss it. My mom, my dad, my old life. Everything of the past." I paused and looked at Jeremiah who was sitting at the kitchen table. "Don't get me wrong, Jeremiah, I love having you here and I love you as a brother. I just wish my old life was back…but with you in it."

"I know what you mean, Codes," he responded as he kept his head bent, writing on a piece of paper.

"What are you doing?" Max asked as she turned to him.

"Nothing. Just writing. I'm behind in my school work," he responded. "By the way, where's Zack?"

"Probably with Maddie," I responded as I rolled my eyes. "I swear, he thinks she's his girlfriend or something."

"He has to aim his sights lower," Max said bitterly. "MUCH lower."

Tapeworm and I looked at each other, and looked back at her. "Max…are you jealous?"

"NO!" She spat as her face turned red.

"Yes you are. Your face is turning red. You like him! My guess was ever since that basketball game when you kissed him. Admit it! Admit it!" I pressed as I prodded her in the side.

"Cody, stop it! I swear I'll hurt you!"

"You're avoiding the question, Maxiiiiine!"

"Cody!"

I tackled Max to the ground and started to tickle her as she tried to get away, but she was laughing too hard. She held her sides as tears streamed down her face. Finally she gasped, "Fine. Fine. I'll spill. Just stop tickling me!" I grinned triumphantly as I helped her to her feet.

"We're waiting!" Crystal said in a sing-song voice.

"Oh…go kiss a Martin!" Max snapped.

"Ok."

Crystal got up, went over to the kitchen table, and kissed Jeremiah on the cheek. As his face turned red, he turned around and gave her a hug as she ruffled his hair. A surge of pain went through my body as I glanced up at the ceiling. 'What did you expect? Crystal to kiss me? Yeah, I guess I wished it. I mean, I do like her a lot…and I think she likes me.' My eyes widened once I felt something incredibly soft touch my lips. Blinking, I realized what it was and closed my eyes as I kissed Crystal back. Time stood still for me as I was locked in an embrace with the most beautiful girl I have ever met. She pulled back with a twinkle in her eye and dropped down on the couch next to me as I gave her a goofy smile. Tapeworm and Max exchanged a high-five and grinned triumphantly.

Only my friends can help heal my heart.

Not all the way.

But close.

-Jeremiah's POV-

I put down the pencil and started to fold up the piece of paper quietly. I slipped it in an envelope and stuck it under the vase that was on the table in front of me. I got off my chair and went to the door to get the mail. A stack of envelopes were on the ground and one looked familiar.

It was from Sarah.

With shaky hands I ripped opened the envelope and stared to read it. I sighed in frustration and jumped onto Cody's lap.

"It's a letter from Sarah. But I can't read the big words yet. What does it say?" I asked.

Cody took the letter from my grasp and started to read it silently. His eyes widened and then they had a look of anger hidden behind them. He ripped the letter to shreds and held me in his arms as if she was going to come busting through the window.

"She won't get me Cody," I said as I slid off his lap and made my way into my room. "I'll make sure of it."

Throughout the day I stayed by Cody's side as he went around talking to everyone in the Tipton. Mr. Moseby even gave us free tokens for the arcade room and we have a special reserved table at the Tipton restaurant that we can use any time we wanted! I detached myself from Cody when he and Zack were watching a movie on TV. I grabbed my bag and slipped out of the room without them knowing. I left the Tipton and headed to the bus stop. Once I got on the driver asked, "Where to?"

"Any place far away from here," I responded as I sat down.

-Normal POV-

"That was a good movie," Zack said as he stretched on the couch.

"I'll go check on Jeremiah," Cody said as he got up off of the couch and entered their room. He came back out seconds later shouting, "HE'S GONE!"

"What!?" Zack shrieked as he ran to his brother's side.

"He's not here! Where could he have gone? He could be hurt! He could be-what's this?"

He picked up an envelope and opened it as Zack read the letter over his shoulder.

Zack and Cody,

If you're reading this than I'm probably miles away. I only did this to keep you guys safe Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll see you in a couple of years I guess.

Jeremiah

"He ran away…to protect us," Cody said softly as he put down the letter.

"Don't worry Cody," Zack said as he hugged his brother.

"How can you say that to me?"

"Because I know, and you know, that he'll be back soon."