Time slithered slowly away from the cold Christmas day. When Cody and bailey had left the Tipton to go to the park, Mr. Moseby and Miss Tutweiller just happened to come back from the park. Hours ticked away as everyone had plans until the dinner later that night. Everyone had plans….well except for one dismal Zachary Martin. He had had enough of his childish pranks that drove his friends and his brother farther away from him because he was too immature for them to handle. Zack knew what he had to do and actually turn over a new leave before the current year was over starting with the dinner. As Cody and Bailey were at the park relaxing and unwinding from the day's drama from before, Zack was planning to make things better for when he saw his brother and friend come back from wherever they were because honestly, he didn't have a clue where they were.

Five o'clock arrived and the clock struck on the hour when Cody and Bailey came back just in time to get ready for the dinner that night. Before everyone had made their separate ways in the morning, Cody offered to cook the Christmas dinner and Carey offered to invite everyone else to come join them in the suite. When Cody offered to cook the dinner, Bailey offered to help him and no one objected to the youngest members of the group cooking the meal. After things were settled since then, Cody and Bailey have been talking about what they would cook for the dinner as they strolled through the park. Zack saw Cody and Bailey walk up to the elevators to go up to the suite to prepare for dinner. He could clearly see that Bailey had one of her arms looped around one of Cody's arms but couldn't register which side to which person as they were basically blurs of bodies moving into an elevator.

Without a thought in his mind, Zack went up to the elevators to apologize for his wrong doing to Cody and Bailey. Fortunately for him, it didn't take very long to get up to the 23rd floor and approach the suite. But he didn't go in as he heard playful banter emitting from inside the room indicating that Cody and Bailey had already started to prepare for making dinner and that they sounded perfectly content with just the two of them in there. Zack dejectedly decided to not bother Cody and Bailey and go back down to the lobby. He didn't feel that he would be welcomed in their presence even if he was going to apologize to them. He knew that the best way to show that he was sorry and the he did care was by not talking to them and to apologize to them either right before or right after dinner. With a good plan set in his head, Zack left and went back to the lobby to do whatever he pleased as long as it didn't get him into trouble.

Two hours passed by and Cody and Bailey were finally done cooking dinner. They agreed that they would Carey know that it was okay to invite everyone else to the suite together. Before they informed Carey about dinner being ready, Cody and Bailey also agreed to wash up and get ready before meeting each other to go down to the lobby. Once Cody and Bailey were all washed up and ready, they looped arms and went down to the lobby. When they got there, they immediately bumped into Carey and informed her on dinner. She simply smiled at the couple and got everyone else's attention. Everyone paid attention to Carey and soon after they went into two groups of five people up the elevators to the suite on the 23rd floor. When all of them entered, they were impressed. Everybody helped each other get a spot to seat down and all was going well. Some of them gave miniature speeches to show their gratitude for the holiday as they were surrounded by loved ones that they could share the happiness with. Once everyone was able to say at least one thing that they were grateful for, everyone dug into to delicious food that Cody and Bailey prepared.

The food that was set on a long table that Cody had gotten before he and Bailey had started to cook. There was a plenty of food to go around. There was a mixed greens salad, linguine pasta with a marinara sauce and oysters and some olive stuffed bread. Everyone happily enjoyed their dinner together. Over the course of the meal, everybody talked amongst themselves. At one point there was a combined conversation with Esteban, Arwin, Carey and Miss Tutweiller. During the conversation everyone else put in their two cents of the conversation except for Zack but most of the time they just listened. By the time everyone was done with dinner; Cody, Bailey, and Maddie helped clearing the dishes. Carey asked anyone if they wanted coffee or tea. Some of the members of the group raised their hands for coffee while others raised their hands for tea. It was a 50/50 for coffee and tea. Carey got started on brewing coffee while Mr. Moseby offered to boil water for tea. Luckily, Cody, Bailey and Maddie were done washing the dishes when Carey and Mr. Moseby were entering the small space of the kitchenette.

Cody and Bailey travelled over to the couch and were shortly joined by Maddie and London. Zack noticed that he was at the table with Esteban, Arwin and Miss Tutweiller. He felt so awkward being so young in age as compared to his companions of the night. He turned his head to behind his back and saw his friends chatting away on the couch without him. He felt really crumby and almost felt excluded. Zack knew that Cody probably knew exclusion too well. He decided that it would be no better time than to ask for forgiveness from Cody and Bailey. Zack got up from his seat and walked over to the couch. When he arrived, Cody noticed him first. As a natural reaction, Bailey noticed him and then her action was followed by Maddie and eventually London. Cody and Bailey gave Zack slightly displeased expressions while Maddie and London gave him looks that showed that they were waiting for him to speak up. He breathed in a shallow and tense breath and locked eyes with his brother and his brother's girlfriend. He made sure that he directed his words only at Cody and Bailey.

"Um, look, Cody and Bailey, I want to tell you something but I need to tell you two in private. Could you two please come with me outside the suite?"

Cody and Bailey briefly looked over at each other with a mixture of confusion and disbelief. They then turned back to Zack. Bailey calmly spoke up to advocate for Cody.

"Okay, Zack. We'll come with you if it's so important to you."

"Thanks. Come on we need to talk."

Unwillingly, Cody stood up from the couch and helped Bailey up because he wanted to. He knew that whatever happened between him and Zack that he could always count on her support for him and to keep him sane. He really needed her and to show his appreciation for her, he helped when she didn't need help. The intelligent couple walked side by side behind Zack as they made a short trek through the room to go outside the suite for a little bit. When they placed themselves far enough from the door, Cody and Bailey looked at Zack.

"Well, did you want to talk to us for?"

"Well, as you know, Bailey, I attempted to prank you two but failed."

"And what's your point now?"

"I'm glad you asked that, Cody. I'm here to apologize for my wrong doing towards the two of you. I'm really, really sorry and it just kills me that my brother and one of my good friends could possibly hate me for the rest of my life."

Cody and Bailey's expressions softened a bit but still pretty stone faced towards Zack.

"Go on", Cody encouraged.

"Well, I realized that losing people as special as you two are to be wouldn't be worth pulling a prank that could possibly hurt you guys. It's not worth having you two mad at me for the rest of our lives. And it's definitely not worth losing you two as people that I can depend on if I'm unable to take you two more seriously when something really important to you has gone bad or has been taken away from you."

"And…."

Cody's voice had become softer than before.

"And since I know how you two mean to each other, I vow, if I can help it to be supportive of your relationship and to help protect your relationship if there was ever a person who was trying to sabotage it or try to steal one of two away from the other. Cody, Bailey, you two are a package like a two for one deal. No one could ever pick one and not the other. I'll be happy to help you two out when you need help because I owe you two a lot of favors. You've been there for me and I need to be there for you. So with that said, will you guys forgive me?"

Cody and Bailey gave each other a quick glance that basically said that they would forgive him. They turn their attention back to Zack and form small smiles on their faces. In union, they spoke to him with great sincerity.

"We forgive you, Zack."

Zack cracked a smile and jumped for joy. He tackled them both with a big bear hug while hugging them both at the same time.

"Thank you guys so much. Don't worry about me anymore. I'll be a better person"

"Good to hear that Zack", Cody chuckled.

"I think we should get back inside before we miss out on deserts and after dinner drinks."

"Bailey's right. Come on, Zack, we still have the rest of the night."

"Sure thing, Cody."

The trio of friends went back inside the suite to finish off their Christmas dinner festivities for the night. Time slipped on by as everyone were finishing drinking their drinks and eating gingerbread cookies while talking. The time suddenly came where the group had to disperse into smaller groups to call it for a night. However, Bailey opted to stay behind and help the Martin family with clean up. Afterwards, Cody saw Bailey out by giving her a goodnight's kiss. Everything was cleaned up and Zack and Carey were in their pjs and ready to go to bed. Cody followed his family's example and got ready for bed. He thought of how in such a short time that Christmas came and now it's gone and that Bailey will have to leave soon. He'll only have a few hours left with her so he had to make it count. When Cody came into his and Zack's bedroom, he saw that Zack was knocked out on his bed with his arms and legs sprawled out. Cody stifled a laugh as he looked at his brother. He turned off the light and climbed into bed. He grabbed a picture frame with him and Bailey in it and kissed it were Bailey's face would be. He then put the picture frame down. He then looked at another picture frame with him and Zack in it. He smiled at it and fell asleep.