It's Always Been You and Me

Chapter 2: The Sunset Dances to a New Dream

August 17, 2006

8:30 AM-7:00 PM

Boston, Massachusetts

As he walked into the class, Zack had to admit that it had been a heavenly few days. He confessed, if only to himself, that he had fallen head over heels for Gwen (Alex). Cody had noticed Zack's good mood and quickly figured out the reason for it. Cody concluded that Zack was besotted with Gwen mostly because she looked like his old friend and former flame, Alex Russo, who Zack and Cody had tearfully parted with after leaving the city of their birth, NYC. Zack hated when Cody was correct. Even Jessica and Janice agreed: 'Cody may be a smarmy swot sometimes, but even you can't deny that he's correct.' The two girls remarked in unison.

Zack eagerly waited for Gwen to turn up, but she never did. Zack whispered to Janice: 'Where do you think Gwen is?' Janice responded: 'Who's Gwen?' Zack responded: 'Our classmate.' Jessica chimed in: 'There's no in our class with that name. Are you sure you didn't hit your head too hard while skateboarding again, Zack?' Zack, inwardly stunned, smiled falsely, attempting to hide his shock: 'I'm alright, Jessica. Thanks for asking.' Jessica responded: 'You're welcome.' She and Janice went back to giggling about someone called Mason Greyback after that. Zack shot a quizzical look at Cody. He just shrugged his shoulders in response. 

Before returning home, Zack asked his teacher where Gwen was. She just looked blankly at him and deadpanned, 'There is no one in this school with that name. Now, go home, Zack, you have a lot of work to complete.' Zack bid his class teacher goodbye, and once out of her earshot, turned to Cody and said: 'Do you see what's happening? Something's going on!' Cody calmly nodded and sagely quipped: 'Everything is not what it seems.' The twins quietly boarded the bus and by the time they were back at the Tipton they calmly decided to continue investigating.

When they reached Room No. 2330 (their home) and knocked, their mother opened the door and hugged them. She then took Zack and Cody, sat them down on their couch and said, 'I'm about to give you something and I want you to promise me you won't freak out.' Zack and Cody, wondering about what could make their mother look so scared, chorused, 'We promise, Mom.' Carey Martin took out the two envelopes from her pocket, handed them to her twins and silently sat down in her chair, waiting for the volcanic explosion she knew would naturally follow.

When Zack and Cody saw the familiar handwriting, their mother's worst fears about their reactions came true: A stunned Cody bombarded his mother with many questions, while a shellshocked Zack burst into incoherent, hysteric tears. Carey, answering one of Cody's questions, said, 'I didn't see who dropped it off. When I opened the door, the envelopes were just lying there.' Zack wiped away his tears, and opened the envelope with a trembling hand, his twin following suit a few seconds later.

Alex's letter to Zack was answered all his unanswered questions that had been phrased in his many unanswered letters to her. She told him that her family, Harper, and all of his old friends missed him, although nowhere as much as she missed him and that her feelings for him had only intensified. She confessed that for the first few months after he moved, she had cried herself to sleep and suffered from nightmares. She invited him and his family to come on summer holiday to Waverly Place and apologized for not responding to his many unwritten letters and said that she had something that she needed to tell him.

Alex's letter to Cody answered his many unanswered questions too. She told him that no one in the family knew she was writing to them, that her parents would send a letter to them soon, and that Justin and Harper missed him and talking science with him a lot. She then dropped her bombshell that she had used magic (Cody reread the word to make sure he wasn't mistaken and then pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming) to transform herself into Gwen and disguise her brother and father to fool them as she had wanted to see Zack alone once again. She begged him not to tell Zack, saying she would tell him herself when they returned to Waverly Place for winter vacation.

Zack and Cody looked at each other in shock and then at their mother. Carey revealed an envelope she had received from Theresa and Jerry Russo, saying how much they missed the Martins and inquiring about how Carey was doing after she and the twins moved to Boston following Carey's divorce from Kurt. It ended with them inviting her and the twins to Waverly Place for winter vacation, saying how much they looked forward to seeing them again and that they hoped that they would take up the invitation.

Zack and Cody smiled widely as Carey internally reflected that they hadn't looked this happy since they moved to Boston. She asked them, 'Do you want to go to New York City on vacation?' The twins vigorously nodded their agreement. 'Then we're going to New York, New York.' The twins happily jumped off the couch and bearhugged their mother. After a few minutes of hugging, Carey gently pushed them away and said, 'Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a letter to write to the Russos, taking up their generous offer.'

Zack and Cody both kissed their mother on her cheeks and ran away happily to their room. Cody immediately dug up the Science equipment that Justin and Harper had gifted him as a going-away present while Zack sat in front of the window, fiddling the promise ring Alex had given him before they moved away. He felt a lot of emotions: fear (wondering whether the twin of his ring was still worn by its owner on her left ring finger), anticipation and excitement (wanting and hoping to see the Russos again as soon as possible) and hope (about knowing he'd be with Alex again). He quietly watched the Boston sunset as it left the sky alight and in a series of different colours, reflecting that the sunset looked like it was dancing to a new tune and a new dream.