It's Always Been You and Me

Chapter 6: A Flashback (Or Is It?)

July 28, 2006

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Zack nervously stood before the room to the Presidential Penthouse Suite. It had been a while since he had last met Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana in person. All of the friends they had in common had cut off all contact with him after his parents' divorce. The split had been amicable, but the tabloids whipped up a lot of fake news and created a living hell that led to their parents' band rapidly losing fans. In the end, Carey Martin had been forced to take the job as a cabaret singer at the Boston Tipton after years of being a rockstar along with her husband, Kurt Martin, and their band. Carey had left the band, and Kurt and the other members toiled tirelessly to no avail as the band kept losing fans. 

Zack had a hard time adjusting to this sudden and stark change. One day, he was famous for being the child of famous parents, while the next, he became an overnight caricature in tabloids, newspapers and a punchline in television and comedy shows. Cody had escaped all of the mockery, perhaps because he valued his privacy so much and refused to answer any questions or give any interviews. Zack's media-friendly approach had backfired spectacularly, he ruefully reflected. All his famous former friends still talked to Cody but ignored Zack. Hannah and her family and friends: Robby Ray Stewart, Jackson Stewart, Oliver Oken and Lily Truscott had been staunch allies throughout the whole media circus and were the only ones who talked to him daily. Hannah had been distracted when she had first ran into Zack again but later invited him for a full conversation in the Penthouse Suite. 

He knocked on the door. "Come in!" called a familiar girl's voice in a slight Tennessee twang that Zack knew became prominent when she was angry, sad or shocked. He opened the door and was engulfed in a bearhug that knocked him to the ground. He broke apart, grinning after she kissed him on both cheeks. She smiled at him and said, "It's so good to finally see you again, Zack, especially considering it'll be for more than 2 minutes." Zack looked at her and said, "I missed you so much, Miley. It's good to finally see you again." The smile widened, "I missed you too. Besides, there's someone here who wants to say hello." Miley said.

Robby Ray Stewart pulled Zack up and bearhugged him. Zack had missed the man: his singing talent, brilliant songwriting, sage advice, relentless optimistic appreciation and steadfast support. The Stewarts were family to him, and he was to them. "It's good to see you, Zack. Where's Cody?" said Robby Ray asked in that warm Tennessee accent. Zack responded, "He doesn't know I'm here. He was sleeping when I snuck out of the room. Plus, Dad's in Idaho and Mom's shooting a Tipton commercial in Hollywood." Robby Ray couldn't stifle his smile. The kid reminded him so much of how he himself had been in his teenage years that he could almost never scold him. Plus, he was a great friend to all three of them: Miley, Jackson and Robby. He regularly exchanged letters with Lily Truscott and Oliver Oken and had maintained a strong familial bond with them. "I see you haven't changed, Zack. I missed this mischief, as did Miley. I'll go and make us some of my famous Loco Hot Cocoa. You look like you really could use some."

"Thanks, Mr. Stewart." Zack called out to his retreating back. Miley then pulled off her blonde Hannah wig and pulled him onto the couch and said, "Now, Zack, we have a lot to catch up on. Tell me what happened since you moved here, and I moved to Malibu. Don't spare any detail, however small." Zack then spent the next two hours telling Miley and Robby Ray about everything that had happened since his parents' divorce while enjoying Robby Ray's famous Loco Hot Cocoa. At the end of his tale, both Miley and Robby Ray realized just how much he was struggling to adjust to the change of scenery. "You poor thing!" The Stewarts exclaimed in unison, before asking why he had come to their room so late when he had an invitation to visit anytime he wanted. Zack's response was, "I couldn't sleep. I had a nightmare and then began feeling lonely."

That was it for both Miley and Robby Ray Stewart. They both insisted he stay with them for the night and visit anytime he wanted to. He thanked them after which, Robby Ray insisted they both get to sleep. Miley asked her father whether Zack could sleep in her room and share the massive king-sized bed, to which Robby agreed. This was one boy he would readily trust with his life. Even though he was a New Yorker, Robby Ray had long since known that Zack had all the traits of a fine southern gentlemen. However, he still reminded Zack that he was only one room away before he bid them both goodnight and went to his room. Miley and Zack then spent the next hour talking about all that had happened to Miley since she had moved to Malibu. They then eventually fell asleep in each other's arms, just after midnight.

January 13, 2008

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Zachary Martin awoke with a start. He looked at the alarm clock. It was 8:00 AM on a Sunday in Boston, so it would be 5:00 AM in Malibu. Cody had already woken up. He remembered the dream he had; the memories of the day Miley visited the Tipton and remembered that he had sent her a card congratulating her on winning her latest award, The Silver Boot, a little over a month earlier. He glanced at a picture of himself and the Stewarts and another of himself and Miley. "I've got to call her." he said to himself. "In a few hours' time." he finished. He pulled the covers back over himself and went back to sleep.

January 13, 2008

New York City, New York, United States

Alexandra Russo woke up, literally, on the wrong side of the bed. She had tried to go into Zack's dream using the Dream Helmet, but she had fallen into a playback of him relieving his favorite memories with Miley Stewart. She had tried not to be jealous but had failed as she saw the looks the two constantly gave each other. She hoped beyond reason that Miley wasn't in love with Zack, but realized deep down that she was. "Why does fate keep playing with us?" she angrily muttered. 

She looked at herself in the mirror. She should not have gotten up this early, but she had. Her hair was a rat's nest and she had deep, dark circles under her eyes. She hated how bad her nightmares made her look. Her heart roared in jealous anger as she remembered the images from her dreams. She and Zack would always be together, she had decided long ago, and she would do everything in her power to ensure that.