I'm Right Here by Rose Haze

Disclaimer: I do not own "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody". If I did the last few episodes would have been much different… That's all I'm saying : )

Author's Note: Well, it has been almost two months since I last updated. Here are a few of my reasons (aka excuses) for neglecting my loving readers: 1. I was in a musical which took up a lot more of my time than I thought it would (but it's over now). 2. I have been doing a lot of writing that involve characters that I created myself instead of stealing them from Disney shows. 3. I was annoyed at fan fiction dot net for telling me that I'm not allowed to respond to the reviewers in the chapters. 4. I'm lazy.
There are a few other things that I need to address in this note. One being, I do not like the show anymore. This is half because of the actors and half because of the writers. At this point, the characters should be much more developed, but it seems like they are even more one-dimensional than they were when the show first started.
Something else that I want to point out is that in my story Kurt is very different from the Kurt that was on the show. For one thing, he's a lawyer, not a musician. And obviously, he and Carey don't get a long. It has been years, not months, since he's seen his family.
There's more that I want to say, but I'm not going to because I know y'all came here to read the story, not listen to my rant. So, in closing, I want to apologize for taking so long to update. I promise, promise, promise that I won't take this long next time! Chapter Twelve will be up within a week… ish. Lol, enjoy the chapter and please review.

Chapter Eleven

Unshed Tears

"For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness"- Unknown

Carey, Kurt, Samantha, and Zack sat in a small room on the second floor of the hospital. They were crowded around a long, rectangular table. The lights were dimmed and nobody was saying anything. They were waiting for Dr. Harrison.

Zack scowled across the table. His father and Samantha were holding each other's hands. Zack couldn't figure out why exactly that bothered him. He couldn't figure out why anything (or everything for that matter) was bothering him. But the only time that he felt even close to content was when he was sitting with Cody. He didn't mind when other people sat there with them as long as they kept quiet. It upset him that they were able to talk to his brother when he couldn't. He didn't understand how the adults were able to talk to someone who possibly couldn't even here them. His parents were both able to have lengthy one sided conversations with him. And Samantha, who didn't even know Cody, was able to chat up a storm. While on the other hand, Zack—Cody's twin brother—couldn't say anything at all. Every time he tried to speak to Cody his throat would get tight and tears would fill his eyes. And Zack promised himself that he wouldn't cry.

The door opened and light flooded the room. Dr. Burke walked in with Dr. Harrison following closely behind her.

"Good afternoon," she chirped, "how is everybody doing today?"

The four of them looked up and didn't even bother to fake a smile.

The two doctors sat down at the front of the table.

"Alright then," Dr. Harrison said as he opened his portfolio, "we discussed the option of operating on Cody's lung to get him off the respirator."

"Won't you have to do that anyways?" Samantha asked, "I mean once he wakes up he can't just walk around with a respirator attached to him."

"If he can even walk at all," Zack muttered. He didn't even bother to add the possibility of Cody not waking up. He didn't want to waste any more time on something that Samantha said.

'Why is she even here anyway?' he wondered silently.

"Yes," Dr. Harrison said, ignoring Zack's retort, "and I would recommend that we start the surgery as soon as possible, maybe even within the next few hours. The sooner that Cody is able to breathe on his own, the better.

"So what are we waiting for?" Kurt asked.

"Well," said Mrs. Burke, "Ms. Martin hasn't signed the release form."

All eyes were on Carey.

"Carey, what's this all about?" Kurt asked, "Why are you so against this?"

"What are the risks?" Carey asked, Dr. Harrison.

"The risks of the surgery or the risks of not having it?"

"Well I meant the risks of the surgery," Carey admitted, "But now that you mention it, what happens if he doesn't have it?"

"The risks of the surgery are very standard," Dr. Burke told her, "Things can go wrong. But the risks of not having the surgery far outweigh—"

"If Cody doesn't have this surgery any number of complications could arise," said Dr. Harrison, "he could develop a lung infection for starters. The ventilator is putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on his circulatory system. And not being able to breathe on his on will seriously handicap him in the recovery process."

"But he just had a surgery yesterday!" cried Carey, "with every surgery there are risks and he's already so weak."

"Ms. Martin, these risks are not the ones you should be choosing to avoid," Dr. Burke insisted, "Without this surgery you are severely pushing back Cody's chances of survival."

Carey took in what everyone was saying to her, "I'll sign," she whispered.

Dr. Burke pulled a form out of the portfolio and slid it across the table to Carey. Carey read over the contents than signed her name.

Dr. Harrison glanced at his watch, "It's just after four," he announced, "We'll start prepping him at five o'clock. You can stay with him until then."

The doctors said goodbye than left the room.

"I guess we should be getting up there, then," said Kurt.

He and Samantha stood up.

"You guys go ahead," said Carey, "Zack and I will be up in a few minutes."

Zack took that as his cue to stay put. Obviously his mother wanted to talk to him about something. And she started to once Samantha and Kurt were out of the room.

"These past twenty four hours haven't exactly been pleasant, have they?" she asked.

Zack guiltily shook his head, vaguely wishing that the past twenty four hours didn't even happen. Or maybe that the past twenty four hours and forty-five minutes didn't happen—that Cody had never gotten hit. But Zack was old enough to know that wishes didn't come true.

"I'm sorry that we haven't been getting along, honey," she said, "I know we'd both be able to get through this better if only we could talk to each other without making each other mad."

Zack nodded in agreement. He knew that he was hurting his mother by pulling away from her—just like he had been hurting Cody in recent weeks. But he couldn't help it—maybe it was just his teenage rebellion. He thought about how on TV teenagers would blame everything on hormones. He always thought that was a stupid cliché, but now that he was almost a teenager himself he realized that it was probably true.

"I'm sorry too," he said quietly.

Carey hugged him, "I love you, Zack," she said as tears filled her eyes, "you and Cody are everything to me."

"I love you too," he whispered, trying once again not to cry.

Together they left the room and headed upstairs. Neither one of them said anything until they were in the elevator.

"Zack," said Carey, "I know you're trying to be optimistic, and that's good, but I want to make sure that you stay focused on the reality of the situation."

The remorse that Zack had been feeling towards his mother vanished as soon as that sentence escaped from her mouth.

"What are you talking about?" he asked irritably.

"I just want you to be aware that this," she choked back a sob, "this could be the last time we see Cody."

And just like that, the angry hormones took over, "WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS? DO YOU NOT THINK THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT?"

"Zack," she whispered, reaching out to hug him.

He pulled away, "Just leave me alone."

The elevator stopped on the eighth floor and they got out. They walked to Cody's room.

Kurt and Samantha were already there. They were telling Cody about the weather.

'How thrilling,' Zack thought sarcastically.

"Your mom and your brother are here," Samantha said sweetly as she pushed his hair back.

Carey came forward and gave Cody a kiss, "Hi, honey," she said.

Zack, however, hung back at the foot of the bed and waited for everyone to leave so he could be alone for Cody.

But they didn't leave. For the next forty minutes they stood there staying stupid phrases such as, "We're here for you," and "we love you," and "stay strong."

With each passing minute, Zack grew resentful of the adults. They were hogging all of the time to themselves. Didn't they realize that he wanted to be alone with Cody? As time stretched on, Zack became impatient and sort of anxious. The doctors would be there soon and it looked like Zack wouldn't get to be alone with Cody at all….

And sure enough, Dr. Harrison soon led a team of doctors into Cody's room. One of the nurses began to usher Carey, Kurt, Samantha, and Zack out.

Zack stared helplessly at Cody. He felt defeated. He missed his chance to be alone with him before the operation. And that's when it hit him: there was a chance that Cody would die during the surgery. If he did, Zack would have to live with the fact that he never said goodbye—he'd never be able to forgive himself for that.

"Wait!"
Everyone looked at Zack.

"Uh, wait," he repeated, "I—can I…" his voice trailed off.

"What is it, Zack?" asked Carey.

"I—I need to be alone with him… I didn't get a chance to be with him."

"Zack, you were here with him this whole time," said Kurt.

"I know," he said, "but…" he didn't know how to explain himself, but his parents and Samantha and the doctors were all staring at him, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"Can he have a few minutes to be alone with Cody?" asked Carey, coming to his rescue.

Dr. Harrison nodded in understanding, "only a few minutes though," he said, "we need to start prepping him for the surgery."

Everyone left.

Zack walked over to Cody and picked up his limp hand.

"Hey, buddy," he said, "It's me. I'm here now. Uh, the doctors are going to try to make you better, okay?"

He stupidly waited for a reply that never came, "Okay. I'll be waiting for you right here so don't—don't leave me."

Zack felt tears clog his throat.

"Everything's going to be fine," he said defiantly, "And… if it's not fine… I just need you to know that I love you."

Tears began to fall but he stubbornly wiped them away.

He kissed Cody's forehead and let his lips linger there for a few seconds, "I can't lose you, Cody."

Zack felt a hand rest upon his shoulder. He looked up and saw Dr. Harrison standing there. He quickly walked out of the room without saying anything else.

His parents and Samantha were sitting on the bench across the hall. Zack leaned against the wall next to Cody's door and closed his eyes. After about five minutes, the door opened and the doctors wheeled Cody away.

Kurt stood up, "We should go down to the waiting room," he said.

Zack watched as Cody disappeared down the hall. He felt a pang of fear in his chest, and he got the urge to cry. But holding the tears back was becoming harder and harder every time.

"Oh, Zack," said Carey, who seemed to have noticed what was going on, "come here."

He threw his arms around her and let her hold him like she did the day before, after Dr. Harrison told them about Cody. And like the day before, Zack refused to let himself cry.

Carey rubbed his back and kissed his hair. She soothingly whispered, "Its okay, its okay, its okay," over and over again as if it were a lullaby.

After a few minutes, Zack began to calm down. He pulled away slightly, staying close enough so that his mom kept her comforting arms around his shoulders.

"I'm sorry about what happened in the elevator," he told her.

She kissed his forehead and nodded, "I know, baby."

The four of them walked down to the waiting room. They sat there for a half hour, until Mrs. King arrived with mashed potatoes, gravy, and fudge brownies—their dinner. They took it into the hospital cafeteria so they could use the microwaves to heat it up. They invited Mrs. King to join them. As the five of them ate, they talked about normal things—everything except for Cody.

---

The doctors finished prepping Cody for the operation.

---

Zack finished his mashed potatoes and took a bite of his brownie.

---

Dr. Ryan began to spread an orange liquid on Cody's chest.

---

"So how are you doing in school, Zack?" asked Kurt.

"Fine," he lied.

---

Dr. Harrison injected a needle in the back of Cody's hand. The anesthesia began to drip through his veins.

---

Zack finished his desert and took a sip of water. He rubbed the back of his hand which began to hurt.

---

Dr. Ryan took the scalpel and sliced Cody's chest open so they could begin the surgery.

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A blinding pain seared through Zack's head and he yelled out in anguish.

---

The doctors began to repair Cody's damaged lung.

---

"Zack! What's wrong?" Carey asked, leaping up from her seat.

Zack clenched his teeth. His hands flew to his forehead. The pain was completely unbearable—even worse than the day before. He felt like his forehead was being sliced open with a serrated knife.

His parents, Samantha, Mrs. King, and some of the hospital staff began to crowd round him. He felt claustrophobic… and dizzy… and… as if he were… falling…

For the second time in two days, Zack fainted.

TBC...

I also want to add thatI'll be responding to everyone who signs in to review, but I still love everyone who reviewed anonymously. I sent out reponses to everyone who reviewed chapter ten earlier today. I'm sorry if I missed anyone. And once again, I'm sorry this took me so long to put up!