A/N A story inspired by the thought of a million what ifs. I wanted to incoporate Cody's insecurities, a beating, Drew and an emotional Zack. I hope you enjoy this story and be nice please! This is my first multi-chapter Suite Life story.

Forget Me Not

One

Don't flinch

Two

Don't beg

Three

Don't scream

Biting my lip so hard the skin gave way to the rush of coppery blood I cringed as the blood drowned my tongue. Coughing and spitting red from my mouth the boys around me sneered and kicked me in the shin for the third time to watch my leg twitch. Don't flinch. Don't beg. Don't scream. Those were the rules I had to live by every time I was used as their punching bag. But durout the years they've been picking on me it had never gotten this bad. They never tried to kill me before. They never even beat me. A kick to my knee brought me out of my fantasies of long ago. Don't flinch. Don't beg. Don't scream. One of the shorter boys sniggered nefariously as he grabbed my bruised arm and twisted it behind my back. My mouth opened in a silent scream. I groaned loudly in an attempt to express the white hot blinding pain my entire body was suffering. The leader of the group scowled and grabbing violently at my collar hauled me up and smashed me against the brick wall. Arching my back in pain I wished I could howl to the slowly fading sun. "What did we tell you about making noise bitch?" he glowered in my face and breathed hard on my neck.

I shook my head shakily and tried not to scream at the bruise being stretched by that movement. Tears poured out of my abused eyes. I didn't even try to wipe them away. Grime and mud covered my face with my tears running light tracks all over my cheeks. Blood caked my lip and I was tossed into the scarlet puddle below. I didn't know where all that blood came from, nor did I particularly care. It was all came from the same place. Me. Just as the broken bones and the bruises and scars and the cuts all came from them. The Drew Crew. Stifling my cries they pounded on me. Kicking and punching wherever they pleased. Forcing me to say things I would never have said otherwise. "Now repeat after me, I am a fag nerd whore that nobody likes. Not even my own mother loves me." Drew slapped my face in order to rouse me from my teetering consciousness.

Blearily I shook my head pleadingly. No. No. They were going to hurt me now. As expected, I received a strong kick in my hip. Exploding from the pain all around me I repeated the phrase in a choppy whisper of my voice. "I'm a fag nerd that no one likes, not even my own mother." I coughed up more blood.

Drew looked down at me like I was some sort of disease. "I feel sorry for your brother. He has to put up with you every day of his life." He shook his head sympathetically. "That's why you're here you know. Your precious Zacky told us to get rid of you. He said he loved to do it himself but his mom would know. And we couldn't have our best buddy grounded could we? No, besides, it's so much more fun doing it ourselves anyway."

I shook my head, not knowing where I got the strength. No. No. No. Zack wouldn't do that. Zack loved me. He was my brother. My big brother. My twin. He loved me…didn't he? I tried to remember the last brotherly thing he'd done for me and drew up a blank. My eyes widened in fear and sadness. No. It wasn't true! Zack would never tell the Drew Crew to get rid of me. Drew laughed mockingly. "Don't believe me huh geek? Think about it. Why would he want to be your brother? Out of all the twins he could have gotten he got stuck with you. A nerdy, geeky, loser with no sense in anything other than books. Who cries for his mommy when we beat him up and sleeps with a thirteen year old blankie. You're pathetic. Absolutely and utterly pathetic. Who would want to be your brother? Especially when Zack could be popular if it wasn't for you. You cramp his style, didn't you know that?" he sneered down at me and kicked me for good measure.

"No. You're wrong." I bravely whispered.

They couldn't be right. They just couldn't. I know Zack and I were different, but it was those differences that made us brothers. But…but when had Zack ever shown that he had cared about me? He had never said he cared. What if he didn't? "Please, you embarrass him to hell. He even said so himself. In the change room, the day your shorts fell off climbing the rope? He said you were the most embarrassing brother anyone could ever have. He said you were pathetic and that he wished he was an only child. He wished he could forget about you." He glowered at me wickedly.

I winced and curled into a ball. Deep in my heart I knew Drew was right. Zack didn't care about me. If he did, he would have come and saved me by now. He didn't care about me. No one cared about me. No one cared about me…suddenly, I couldn't take it anymore. I burst into fast and frantic tears. Sobbing and heaving I felt all the liquid in my body extricate itself for my tears. I bawled and howled in agony and pain. Zack hated me. Zack didn't want me. Zack wanted to kill me. Zack. Zack. Zack. Zack. Bawling like I've never bawled before I must have scared the Drew Crew away because the next thing I knew I was alone in the familiar alley where my blood had stained the ground.

Zack hated me. He said he wished he could forget you…wished he was an only child…you're pathetic…no one loves me…told us to get rid of you…wish he could forget about you…All I ever wanted was to make Zack happy. And if what he wanted was for me to disappear, for him to be an only child then he'll get that. I wouldn't exist to him anymore.

Uncurling myself I painfully stood up and step by step rounded the corner to the Tipton. I could do it; I could make it to my room. I had to. Hoping no one noticed the blood and the dirt and I slipped into the familiar lobby and tried to walk as fast as possible to the elevator. Each step felt like I was walking on sharp knives tipped with a white hot flame. I wanted to cry again, but first, I had to get to the suite. Finally making it to the elevator I collapsed onto the wall and weakly pressed the up button. Gasping for breath I waited there for what seemed like an eternity. Finally the ding of the elevator pierced the fogginess in my mind and I tumbled into the open doors. Pressing the 23 button I leaned on the railing and took deep, calming breaths. Since there was no sharp spasm when I breathed, I figured that no ribs were broken, that was a relief. I could attend to everything but broken bones. Hopefully nothing was too bad. Doors opening I clutched to the wall as I made my way to our suite. Turning the doorknob I stepped in cautiously. Mom was in the kitchen, her back turned to me and Zack- my heart jumped in my throat. He looked so innocent and picturesque. His eyes were glued to the TV and he was munching on popcorn, eyes wide from whatever action flick he was watching. I fought to keep the tears at bay. He doesn't want me, I reminded myself. He doesn't love you. The thought tore at my soul and my knees wobbled in the effort to keep me a loft. Holding my breath to keep from screaming I sprinted to the bathroom trying to ignore the screaming of my body. Slamming the door shut I blasted the water in the bathtub and sobbed. Everything hurt. The blazing ache in all my muscles, my bones, my everything, wouldn't let me rest. Stripping of my blood soaked clothes I dropped into the tub and let the warm water soothe my aggrieved body. Moaning I lay my head against the back of the tub and lay there for a few minutes.

Getting the energy from somewhere or other, I picked up the bar of soap and scrubbed myself clean, careful not aggravate the angry wounds threatening to burst open. Tears still streaming down my face I finally scrubbed myself clean and drained all the water. Wrapping a towel around myself I decided against it and let it drop to the floor. A mosaic of cuts, bruises, scars and tears decorated my body. I was a painting with only black and blue being the sole colours. Choking back a sob I picked up the towel and achingly stepped out. Everyone was in the exact same positions as before. Figures.

In my bedroom I put on new, fresh clothes and lay gently on my bed. It was only six o'clock, but I was exhausted. Eyes fluttering from sleep deprivation, I fell asleep to the sound of Zack's voice running through my head. I wish I could forget about you.

A/N and there was my first chapter. Hopefully filled with suspense and a sense of Cody! At least, that's what I was going for. Tell me whatcha think :)