Carrie pulled up outside the Tipton hotel and Zack and Maddie slid out of the back seat.

"Maddie" Carrie called out of the window of the car. "Could you make sure Zack gets to the suite alright? I've got to park the car and speak to Mosby about my set tomorrow"

"Mom I am not a baby!"

Maddie smiled. "Sure Carrie no problem" She took Zack's arm and marched him into the hotel and up to the elevators.

"I'm too old for a babysitter" Zack mumbled. "Especilly one who's my date for the evening"

They both stepped onto the elevator and Zack pushed the button for his floor.

"I had a great time Zack" Maddie said turning to look at him. "Thank you again for the flowers they were lovely"

Zack sighed. "Oh Maddie, I wanted this evening to be perfect for you but your right, I am just a kid"

"What do you mean?"

"I couldn't afford to take you anywhere decent so we had to go to the movies, I couldn't get you there in style like you deserve rather than in the back seat of a car with my mom as the driver. Even my flowers were pitiful" He slumped back against the wall of the elevator.

"I just said they were lovely" Maddie replied as the elevator doors opened and they arrived at Zacks front door.

"Exactly Maddie, they were lovely, not beautiful, not amazing, not breathtaking, just boringly old lovely" He kicked the floor as he opened the door.

Maddie stepped into the suite behind Zack and closed the door. "I like lovely" she whispered as he flung himself down on the couch with his arms crossed. She crossed the room and sat next to him. "You didn't think the date went all that well then?" she asked.

"Not exactly how I had pictured it" He sat up.

"The night's not over" She smiled. "How did the end part of our date go in your head?"

Zack thought hard. "I would drop you off at your door" He began. "It would be dark but the moon would be out and you would say how beautiful it was and then id say how much more beautiful you were" He licked his lips deep in thought. "Then you would say that it was the best date you ever had and that I was the sweetest guy you'd ever gone out with and how sorry you were that you turned me down in the past. I'd stop you and tell you it didn't matter because what mattered was the here and now, and that we were together and that I loved you" Zack looked up into Maddie's eyes. "and then I'd kiss you"

"Zack" Maddie spoke just barely a whisper. "That was the best date I've ever had, and you're the sweetest guy I've ever gone out with"

"Maddie don't…"

"Zack I'm so sorry I turned you down in the past, that I never realised just how truly special…"

He grabbed hold of her wrist. "Maddie stop, you have nothing to be sorry for. It doesn't matter. What matters is that we're here now and we're together and that i…"

She waited lips dry, barely able to breathe in case she missed it.

Zack swallowed. "I love you Maddie, I really do"

His hand moved to her face and cupped her cheek, he moved closer to her on the couch. She knew what was coming and she was scared and excited all at the same time.

She moved her hand to his side and leaned in closer to him. Slowly her eyes closed, she could feel him coming nearer, she could smell his scent. Smelled like something his dad would wear, he had probably gotten it from…

She was unable to continue her train of thought as Zack's lips came crashing into hers. They were soft and Maddie was lost in his world as he hungrily kissed her with more passion that she could have imagined.

She leaned into him, enjoying the new sensations that he was bringing out in her. "Oh Zack" She whispered into his mouth as they briefly paused for breath before he consumed her once again. She moved her hands underneath his jacket to his shirt desperate to feel closer to him. She felt his hands sliding down to her side and waist as he leaned against her.

Zack could barely believe what he was doing. The taste of her strawberry lipgloss and her beautiful scent intoxicated him and he longed for more. He moved his hands down to her waist and leaned towards her lying her down on the couch as he moved beside her. He knew that this wouldn't go any further tonight but after three years of having to hold back his body was taking control, and in any case, he noted when at last his brain kicked in, she wasn't stopping him.

Zack wasn't acting much like a kid anymore, Maddie noticed as Zack lay her down and slide up besides her moving his hands up her waist and holding her closely. His hands were firm against her and she felt safe and comfortable with him. She moved her hands up to his hair and ran her hands through it.

Zack stopped kissing her and just looked into her eyes. He couldn't believe his luck, he was actually kissing Maddie! She was here, lying in his arms, on his couch, in his home and it was real. Maddie almost giggled as Zack stared at her and ruffled his hair from embarresment.

"Your amazing Maddie" Zack whispered as his eyes took her in. He desperately wanted to remember this for as long as possible.

Maddie blushed. "Only in your eyes"

"I wish that I could make everyone see how great you are" Zack said, holding onto her hand and watching as he moved his thumb over hers, "but then you'd meet some fantastically rich, intelligent guy and he'd take you away from me" He looked up at her. "and then I don't know what I'd do"

"Zack, no matter where I go in the future, you'll always be s part of my life"

"Just not in the way I'd like huh?" Zack looked down and shrugged, fighting back the urge to cry. Even when she was in his arms Maddie was slipping away from him.

"I don't know, it's so…"

In the distance Maddie heard the sound of elevator doors pinging open and shot up suddenly much to Zack's dismay.

"The elevator, your mom's…" She didn't have time to finish her sentence before Carey walked into the room depositing her purse on the table and talking about her work for the next evening. Maddie and Zack just had time to slide away from each other as she was talking.

"Sorry that took so long Maddie, would you like me to walk you home?"

"No it's fine Carey, really"

"Yeah I can walk Maddie home" Zack jumped up and ran to the door to hold it open.

"Zack, bed, you've got school tomorrow, I'm sure Maddie can find her way home without your help"

"But.."

"It's okay Zack, your moms right"

"See that's what I like to hear, moms right" Carrey said moving through the apartment and picking up things to put in the bin. "Come on Zack, say goodnight to Maddie" She said walking into the boys room.

Zack turned back to Maddie. "Maddie i…"

He was silenced by Maddie pulling him closer to her by his jacket and kissing him hard on the lips. He breathed out heavily as she let him go.

"Mmm, good night Zack" She trailed her hand down his front and smiled, turning to the elevators.

"Night Maddie" He watched as she boarded the elevator and the doors closed.