2I told myself I wasn't gonna do it. Yet here I am, writing this for whoever wants to read it I guess. Maybe nobody. Oh well. I need to get these ideas out (I noticed this fandom lacks a few categories of fanfics so it's up to me) so this is for you, random person who decided to read this.
Also! I just finished season 2 so not everything will be accurate. This takes place in season 1.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.
Cody's P.O.V.
The pain in my arm almost equaled the pain in my heart. I cradled my injured limb closer, tucking it close to my chest. The blue violet hue combined with the sickening angle it was bent at was enough to make me lightheaded and nauseous. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying my best to block out the horrendous sight and the pain that went along with it. I took deep, shuddering breaths, letting a few tears drip down my cheeks.
"This is why Zack thinks you're weak. I'm such a crybaby," I thought. The events of my morning replayed themselves in my head, reminding me of those words that stung the most.
Flashback (3rd Person P.O.V.)
"Why do you have to always ruin everything?!" Zack yelled, raging with anger. Cody took a step back, fearful of his brother's fury. "We would've won if you weren't so weak! You ruined it for us!" Cody had missed the shot that would've won their basketball game earlier that day. He hadn't thrown it hard enough, causing the ball to fall back to the ground without even coming close to the net. Cody cringed, hanging his head. But then came the words that hurt the most.
"I wish you weren't my brother," Zack spat. "I can't believe I got stuck with you as my twin." Cody's jaw dropped. Zack stormed off, shoving Cody out of the way and locking their bedroom door behind him. The younger twin stumbled back, his lack of coordination and balance causing him to fall over. He sat there for a few minutes, dumbfounded. Cody's lower lip trembled, tears threatening to fall. He stood up quickly, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. He grabbed his skateboard and ran downstairs and out the door.
I skateboarded to the park, my vision slightly blurry from incoming tears. I sniffed, skating on the sidewalk-like paths that ran every which way through the park. I could barely see where I was going. Turning sharply to the left, I careened around a corner, going a little too fast. I hit a park bench, catapulting over the bench and landing roughly on my arm. I heard a sickening crack as I collided with the ground, my arm buckling beneath me. I immediately let out a scream of pain and fear. Nobody was outside. The 30 degree weather and forecast of snow was enough to persuade everyone to stay inside.
"Mom! Mom!" I yelled, but it was no use. She was inside rehearsing for her next performance, meaning she wouldn't hear my cries. I was seriously regretting my choices, as my lack of a coat was making everything worse. I shivered violently. I scooted across the ground to lean against a tree. It didn't do much, but it was blocking some of the wind. I examined my arm. It was definitely broken, snapped right in two. The bone was out of place, the sight of my arm was disgusting and looking at it alone made me feel like I was going to faint.
I shivered again, wrapping my good arm around my legs to pull them closer. It was cold, around 37 degrees out, and dropping by the minute. Cold enough to make this situation bad. I couldn't just walk back, standing up made me dizzy and I wouldn't get far enough before face planting into the frozen ground. I curled myself around my injured arm, wishing someone would find me.
Meanwhile...
3rd Person P.O.V.
"Zack? Cody? I'm back!" Carey yelled. She knocked on the closed door to the twins' room. "Boys? Can I come in?"
"Sure mom," Zack replied, unlocking the door. Carey came in, scanning the room.
"Zack, this room is a mess! Clean it up!" Carey thought for a moment, looking back into the room. "Where's your brother?"
"Why should I care," he scoffed. Carey narrowed her eyes, frowning at her older son.
"You should care because he's your brother." She paused. "What did you say to him?" Zack looked up at her, his anger rekindling.
"Why do you always blame me? He's the one who ran off."
"Zachary Martin! What did you say to Cody?" Carey was getting worried for her younger son. It wasn't like him not to leave a note or tell someone where he was going. Zack's anger lessened at her nervous tone. He looked down with guilt.
"I might've told him I didn't want to be his brother anymore..." He admitted.
"Why would you do that? You know Cody's... sensitive." Carey looked at her son, his head hung in shame. She sighed. "C'mon Zack. Let's go find your brother." Zack sprung to his feet.
"I'll go to the lobby and ask everyone if they've seen him," Zack decided.
"I'll come with you. He's definitely not in the suite." The pair took the elevator down to the lobby, asking if anyone had seen Cody. Esteban was the only one with any useful information.
"I think I saw the little blond people with a skating board. That was a couple hours ago though, so who knows?" He chuckled lightheartedly at himself. Zack and Carey headed out the door, trying to think of where Cody would go.
"Do you think he went to the park? I remember him saying something about how much he likes going there," Carey frowned. "If he's at the park he must be cold! I think I saw his jacket at the hotel."
"Mom? If Cody was cold wouldn't he just come home?" Zack asked, swallowing nervously. "Do you think something happened to him?" His voice sounded almost scared.
"Zack, honey, don't think like that. I'm sure he's fine." Carey wasn't too sure of her words. Zack had a point. She shook her head. He would be ok. Wouldn't he?
"Cody? Cooooooddddddddyyyyyyyyy?" Zack called. They walked down the paths in the park, watching their breath puff as the temperature continued to drop. "Cody?" Much to their surprise, a faint voice yelled back in return.
"Cody? Is that you? Where are you?" Carey listened carefully for the quiet voice. "C'mon Zack, this way!" They ran down the path, seeing an abandoned skateboard lodged under a park bench. They scanned the area, spotting a small huddled figure leaning against a big tree. "Cody!" The pair ran over to him, looking over the shivering boy with worried faces.
"Hey mom, hey Zack." Cody's voice sounded like he was straining. He closed his eyes, smiling weakly. "You found me."
"Cody! Hey, hey, don't you do this to me. Wake up!" Cody's eyes fluttered. He looked exhausted, yet relieved. Carey offered him a hand, which Cody slowly reached out for. He stood up, swaying slightly, holding his hand up to a small bump on his head.
"Uh, mom?" Zack pointed at Cody's limp arm, jutting out at the wrong angle and mottled with bruises and some dried blood. Carey looked at him with confusion, but shifted her glance to Cody's arm. She squeaked, covering her mouth. Her eyes were wide with horror. Cody swayed dangerously, his eyes rolling back into his head as he fell forward. Zack caught him just in time. He took charge, trying to snap Carey out of it while also supporting his younger twin best he could.
"Zack, I need you to run back to the hotel and call 911. I'll be there with Cody right behind you." Zack nodded, grabbing the skateboard and heading back to the hotel. Carey picked up her youngest son bridal style, shaking her head with disbelief. "Oh, Cody," she cried. "What happened?" She walked briskly back to the hotel, carrying the dead weight of her son. He was cold to the touch, which made Carey even more fearful.
"There's an ambulance on its way. Should be here within 10 minutes," Zack informed. Carey went into the lobby and lay Cody down on one of the couches.
"Thank you, Zack." He stared at his twin, at his paler-than-normal skin and his absolute mess of an arm.
"Will he be ok?" Zack asked quietly, not lifting his eyes off his injured brother.
"I..." Carey sighed. She didn't want to lie to him. "I don't know." Just then London Tipton strutted out of the elevator, showing off her newest outfit.
"Oh, hey Zack." She glanced at Cody, still unconscious. "Hey Cody." She continued walking on her path, heading out the door. "Ugh, what is that noise?!" She squealed, covering her ears. Carey perked up, hearing the faint siren gradually get louder.
"Zack, the ambulance is here! Stay with your brother, I'll go explain the situation." Zack nodded in confirmation. He sat on the couch Cody was laying on, being careful of his arm. He gently brushed his twin's shaggy bangs from his forehead, frowning at the sweat beading on his contorted face. Zack pet Cody's head, accidentally hitting the bump on his head. Cody groaned, pain clearly etched into his expression. Zack cringed, pulling his hand away.
"Why do I always have to hurt you?" Zack wondered, staring at his little brother's grimace. Suddenly, a bunch of people dressed in white ran in, carrying a stretcher and yelling words Zack couldn't comprehend. He watched as they loaded Cody onto the stretcher, bringing him outside to the ambulance. Zack and Carey both headed toward the back doors of the vehicle, where Cody was being carried to.
"Sorry, we can only have one person stay with him."
"C'mon, there has to be a way both of us can come! I'm his mother, and this is his twin brother, you gotta let us both go!" Carey begged. The paramedic had sympathy in her eyes, eventually agreeing. "Thank you so much." The pair got into the back with Cody, watching sadly as nurses swarmed around him, assessing the damage.
"Displaced arm, low grade hypothermia," a nurse listed off. "Bones need to be set, and body temperature needs to be raised to at least 97 degrees." Zack gulped. The rest of the ride was silent, other than the quiet chatter of the paramedics. When they got to the hospital, Zack and Carey were sent to the waiting room while Cody was wheeled away. After a few minutes, a doctor came out to speak with the pair.
"Cody is in room 308. He's still unconscious, but his temperature is rising to a more manageable degree. You can visit him now if you'd like. When he wakes up, press the call button so we can set his arm." Zack leapt to his feet, going straight to Cody.
"Thank you," Carey smiled, following her oldest son. Zack was already sitting by Cody's side, holding his uninjured hand. Carey watched Cody's heart monitor, the steady beeping easing her fear. His temperature was still low, 96.2 degrees, but he seemed much less pale than he was before. She nodded off, exhausted from all the worrying she did.
Zack was watching Cody intently. Whenever Cody's breath hitched, Zack froze, admittedly scared of what could happen. He brushed his thumb across Cody's hand in comfort, feeling the newfound warmth in his revived twin. He sighed, trying to ignore the rumble in his stomach. He was hungry, but Cody came first. He always did, even if he didn't always show it. Zack sniffed, holding back tears. He had been so mean to his little brother, treating him terribly even though what happened at the game wasn't really his fault at all. A single tear dripped down Zack's cheek.
"Ugghh," Cody groaned, his eyes fluttering open. He looked dazed at first, his eyes eventually settling themselves on Zack. The older twin quickly wiped away his tears, hoping Cody wouldn't notice. No such luck.
"Zack... were you... crying?" Cody said hoarsely, looking at his twin with amusement.
"What?! No... shut up." Cody giggled softly at Zack's frustration. Zack stood up suddenly, confusing Cody until he pressed the small red button on the wall. The older twin looked back, a new expression on his face. It was a combination of concern and happiness. "How do you feel?"
"Not great. My arm... " Cody trailed off, staring uncomfortably at his broken arm. "I'm kinda cold too. Even with all these blankets and... a heating pad?"
"Yeah doofus, you got hypo... hypo..."
"Hypothermia?" Cody finished, his eyes wide. "I didn't think I was that cold." Zack looked off into the distance, confusion written all over his face.
"Cody Martin?" A doctor questioned, standing in the doorway.
"Oh, that's me," Cody replied, smiling at her.
"I've come to set your arm." Cody's smile dropped. He glanced nervously between his arm and the doctor.
"Umm... are you sure you have to do that now?" The doctor gave him a sympathetic smile. She approached his bed, standing next to his injured limb.
"Yes, I'm sure. It has to be done or else your arm won't heal correctly." Zack grabbed Cody's hand reassuringly, nodding at his twin. Cody shivered with fright.
"O-ok," Cody stuttered. The doctor gently placed her hands on Cody's broken arm, causing him to inhale sharply at the sudden pain. He squeezed his eyes shut, face wrinkling.
"Hey, Codester," Zack attempted to comfort his little brother. "It's going to be ok. It'll be over quickly, and won't hurt as much afterwards." Cody opened his eyes, looking at Zack uneasily. But he couldn't find any trace of a fib. Zack actually seemed... sincere, which was odd. He took a deep breath, nodding at the doctor, signaling his readiness.
She gripped his arm tighter, causing Cody to tear up and bite his lip nervously. Then a loud cracking noise was heard, followed by Cody's screams almost immediately. He sat up so fast, the tears flowing freely now. Carey woke up at Cody's screams of pain, jumping to her feet. She watched her younger son writhe and scream at the agony he was feeling.
"Cody! Honey, are you ok?" Carey asked. Cody stopped screaming, closing his eyes and falling backwards into the pillows, breathing heavily. His skin was pale as a ghost. Cody held his injured arm next to his chest protectively, taking heaving breaths as he tried to calm himself down.
"Yeah," he said breathlessly, eyes still squeezed shut. "I'm ok." Cody was doing his best not to make a scene, especially in front of his brother, but it was harder than he thought. He wiped away the tears on his cheeks, opening his eyes to see two concerned faces staring down at him.
"Code, you sure you're good?" Zack eyed his twin with suspicion and, although he would never admit it, worry. Cody had taken plenty of hits in his 12 years, but this was the worst one, hands down.
"I'm sure. It doesn't hurt as much anymore," Cody replied, looking into Zack's eyes. The older twin turned his head away from Cody, refusing to make eye contact. Cody looked down sadly, his brother's sudden rejection reminding him of why he was here in the first place. Carey noticed the interaction, stepping in.
"I think you boys need to talk. I'll give you some time to think about what happened. I'll be in the cafeteria if you need me." Carey left, closing the door on the two boys.
It was Cody who spoke up first. "It's not your fault, you know." Zack turned to look at his brother cautiously.
"Whaddya mean it's not my fault? I was the one who said all those mean things to you." Cody flinched slightly at the hurtful memory.
"And it hurt. But I was the one who decided to skateboard in the park," He added, as an afterthought, "without a helmet on."
"Codester-"
"Zack, it's not your fault. I promise I'm not mad at you." The older twin smiled, relieved that Cody didn't hate him. He crushed his brother in a hug, avoiding his arm. "Zack... hurts... " He pulled away immediately.
"Are you ok?" Zack asked worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm just a bit sore from, y'know, colliding with the ground," he smiled. Zack mirrored Cody's smile, quite literally.
"Well! Good to see you two happy again!" Carey exclaimed, elated to see the matching grins.
"Me too," the twins answered in unison. The three of them laughed, glad they were all safe and sound. Cody yawned.
"Why don't we let your brother get some sleep?" Carey suggested, gently steering Zack towards the door. Cody nodded, exhausted from his long day. Zack ducked under Carey's arm, headed back to Cody's side.
"Mind if I sleep in your bed with you?" Zack questioned. Cody nodded, shifting over to make room. Zack climbed onto the bed, getting himself comfortable. Carey smiled as the boys fell asleep. They were so peaceful, Cody snuggled into Zack's side while the older twin's arm lay over Cody protectively. Carey snapped a photo of her sons sleeping soundly. She turned off the lights, closing the door to let them sleep quietly. But Zack wasn't asleep yet.
"I'll never hurt you again, Codester. I promise."
Bad ending, I know... I'm trying
I've got like 15 random one shot ideas I'm working on at once so if you like this there's gonna be plenty more shortly (or whenever I have the motivation to write them)
