Wow. You guys are all awesome! Thanks for the reviews, and keep it up - I hope that you continue to read this story.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Suite Life on Deck in any way, shape, or form, and I probably never will.

Maya left the Neptune Lounge after saying goodbye and walked back to her cabin at around midnight. She had been to a party and was looking forward to a nice long rest. As soon as she opened the door, a scream was torn from her lips.

Zack was dangling from the wall, hung with a set of ropes and hooks. Blood pooled on the floor and more dark red liquid trickled from his hands and legs where stakes were cruelly driven in.
Drawn by an invisible force, Maya's hand reached up and touched Zack's neck, knowing she would find a steady pulse that signaled that he was still alive.

Instead, she found silence.

Maya she tried to scream, do something, anything. Zack couldn't be dead. Not after all this time. . .

Suddenly, she was yanked from the room by an invisible hand and thrown onto the ground. When she looked up, it looked like she was in a small town.

As Maya's gaze traveled up, she choked in horror. There, on a wooden post, was Zack, with iron manacles chaining his wrists to the stake. While she watched, two hooded black figures appeared from nowhere and blocked her view for a moment.

When they were gone, the stake was on fire.

Maya couldn't hold back a shriek of terror. Here was Zack, cruel tongues of flame licking at his legs, making their way up his body, consuming him inch by inch. Although there was no sound, Zack's mouth was open in a soundless scream of sheer torture.

Wordlessly, she begged someone to come, to relieve Zack of this torturous pain that he must be feeling. Being burned alive. . .there was no worse way to die.

Maya felt like sobbing, but she too couldn't make any sound. She clumsily made her way over, but by then, the fire had obliterated Zack. . .

She was thrown from one place to another, reliving Zack's last moments countless times. How many times had she watched Zack being beheaded. . .

Zack getting shot, a hail of bullets tearing him apart. . .

Zack, bleeding to death out in the rain. . .

Zack, getting clubbed mercilessly, smears of blood on the floor. . .

Maya woke up in a cold sweat, her mouth open in a soundless wail of sheer agony, the sheets twisted and half on the floor. Not fully awake yet, she stumbled from her room, blindly opening the door, rushing headlong along the hallway.

Anyone who might have seen her at that moment would have thought she was raving mad. Her eyes were the eyes of an animal fleeing from a hunter – wild, terrified, insane with fear.

Maya made a headlong rush at light speed for Zack's door, not even knowing what she was doing. The entrance was unlocked and she burst in. Somewhere, in the corner of her mind, she knew that Marcus was rooming with Woody tonight.

Even in the pitch-black darkness, she somehow found Zack's bed, hoping, praying that Zack was alive, even though there was no way he could've survived all that torture.

Zack was a huddled lump on the bed. Maya shook him hard, hoping that he would wake up, snap out of it, but knowing that he never would. . .

She collapsed from exhaustion and relief as his eyes opened slowly, bleary from being woken up so suddenly. "Maya, that you?" he murmured. "What are you-" He stopped as he realized that Maya was curled up next to him, trembling hard.

Zack was confused, but wrapped his arms around her in a comforting hug, only pausing to move he hair out of her face, which was tear-stained and had terror written all over it. "It's okay, Maya, it's okay. Shh, Maya, it's okay, you're okay, I'm here," he crooned softly, trying to soothe her.

Maya buried her face in his chest, now fully aware about what had happened and what was happening, but she didn't care at this point, still shaking.

Zack stroked her hair comfortingly, murmuring soft words to her, attempting to calm her down. Slowly, gradually, her breathing became steady and regular, her limbs relaxing, still curled up next to him.

Although Zack had no idea what had happened, he knew that it must have been terrible for a hardened New York girl to break down like that. He struggled to stay up and think about what had caused it, but sleep was overtaking him. He snuggled back into the pillow, one arm still wrapped soothingly around Maya, and fell asleep.

Maya's eyes opened slowly as her brain registered that it was morning. As she sat up, she also realized the fact that she was in Zack's bed, and his arm was wrapped around her.

Her first thought was that Zack had somehow taken her from her room and, being the slight pervert that he was, decided to sleep with her. Then, the memories from the previous traumatizing night came flooding back to her, and she half-groaned in embarrassment.

The small noise caused Zack's eyes to open slowly, taking in the fact that there was Maya on his bed. "Oh, mornin' Maya," he said brightly.

"Hey," she said, attempting a smile. "What's up?" she offered lamely.

"The ceiling," Zack replied, cracking a stupid joke, then took a deep breath. "About what happened last night-"

"Don't," she interrupted softly. "It's okay.
"Alright," said Zack in a low voice. He decided to switch the subject. "You know what time it is?"
Maya took a peek at her watch. "Eight in the morning."
"Ugh," Zack groaned. "That's as close to dawn as I'll ever get." He flopped back down onto the pillow, burying his head in it.

"School starts at nine," reprimanded Maya. "You should at least get ready."
Zack relented. "Fine. But only for you."
A faint blush stained Maya's cheeks, but she turned away. "I'm gonna go change."
"What?" Zack instantly perked up, fully awake and alert.

Maya gave him a death glare. "You think about taking one little peek and I'll see you in the infirmary."

"Y-yes, my mistress," Zack said fearfully, taking a couple quick bows. As Maya disappeared into the bathroom, he decided to take a change of clothes himself.

Maya returned, wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and an artfully tie-dyed t-shirt, which had various shades of blue spiraling out in an explosion from the middle.

With a start, Zack realized that she had donned the beautiful necklace that he had given her yesterday. The blue gem gleamed in the morning sunlight, with the three dolphins throwing of prisms of color in every direction.

As she stepped out into the open, Maya looked up and an expression of utter surprise crossed her face. Why?

Because Zack hadn't put on a shirt yet.

When Zack finally processed this information, he realized that he had about five seconds before that surprise turned to bewilderment, and then anger. He held up his hands in surrender. "Look, Maya, when you were changing I just wanted to change clothes too and I really didn't mean anything so please don't kill me!"

Maya burst into laughter at Zack's terrified expression. "I wasn't going to say anything, stupid," she said, sitting down on the bed.

Zack nodded mutely, rendered speechless for the moment, and quickly slipped on a polo shirt. "Well, thank god that I had my pants on."
"And that was the first thought that popped into your mind?" Maya scoffed, but a smile was still on her lips.

"Ah. . ." Zack decided to switch to another topic before this conversation got seriously awkward. "Let's just get to the Sky Deck so we can have some waffles."
"Great!" she said happily. "I love waffles." She slipped on a pair of athletic sneakers and opened the door. "Let's go."
When they arrived, they grabbed some food from the buffet bar to the right and chose a seat next to the side of the ship.
"It's nice out here," Maya murmured. "The weather is nice and cool, the ocean smells refreshing, and there's a great view of the sea."
"It is nice," Zack agreed, and went back to tucking into some bacon. He didn't notice that Maya had an exasperated look on her face.

As he finished the last bite, he spotted Cody coming over. "Hey, Codes."
"Hey, Zack," Cody greeted. "Hello, Maya." He started to walk past them, but then realized something. "Maya?!"
"Ye-es?" Maya said quizzically.

"Ah, excuse me for a sec, Maya," he said hurriedly. "Zack! Get-your-butt-over-here!"

"Sorry," Zack quickly apologized, but was then dragged away harshly by the arm.
"What?" he hissed. "Everything was going smoothly until you and your dorky pants showed up!"
'They're Italian-made canvas-" Cody began, until Zack smacked him on the arm.

"Spit it out quickly, bro," Zack snapped.

"So, did you do anything with Maya last night?" Cody said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"No," Zack denied. "Actually, depends on what you mean by 'anything'."

Cody raised an eyebrow. "You know what I mean by 'anything.'"
"Cody?"
"Yeah?"
"Shut up."
"Okay. But congrats on getting a girlfriend, Zack. I know that she was special for you."
Zack could tell that this compliment was genuine, so he let a smile break through on his face. "Thanks, Cody."

"Yeah, sure." Cody walked away to join Bailey on the other side of the deck.

"Sorry about that," Zack said apologetically. "Now, where were we?"
"You," Maya said emphatically, annoyance in her voice, "were eating my bacon."

. . .Bet you weren't expecting the angst, huh? I'm in a "torture" mood today XD. And LOL on the bacon part.

Also, please check out my other story, "Adventures at Jubilife High".

Shirtless Zack wants you to review. :3