Chapter 24: Epilogue

The bed felt empty. At least, that was Zack's first thought as his eyes peeled open to the kohl black of his bedroom. He propped himself up and ran a hand along the other side of the mattress, frowning, then slipped out of the covers and into the living room. He found her there, sitting on the worn sofa they had bought used from E-Bay for fifty dollars.

"Max?" he called, edging slowly into the room. She stirred at his voice, watching him approach from the corner of an eye. Her hair fell around her face; her slender body shivered from the chill of the room, she wore only a thin silken nightgown, and her feet were bare.

Zack paused and his heart dropped when he saw the pack Max clutched in her lap. It had been a year and half since the Martins had brought her in from the streets, three months since the two had moved into the apartment – finally, their own place – but she still kept that tattered bag filled with essentials always – always – by the doorway.

...promises are made to be broken.

It left a hollowness inside his chest. He spent nights wondering, after every fight, after every let down, every disappointment, as stress ran high and decisions, commitments, had to be made, if – when – she would break that promise.

It pounded in the back of Zack's mind, that incessant question: When would Max run?

"The bad dreams, again?"

Max stiffened her shoulders, her fingers toying with the frayed straps of her pack. Zack slipped onto the coffee table – a present from his mother – in front of her but he made no other moves; just watching, waiting.

"No, not the dreams." She swallowed hard, lay her hands over the pack, "I was thinking about my father...and my mother. You know, before..."

Zack nodded, remained silent.

"You know...back then, I used to think that that was how things were always going to be. My dad, my mom, me. Then my dad got sick." She sighed. "I thought I could separate myself from it...that I could lock the bad things away from the good."

"Didn't work."

"I didn't mean to push you away, Zack," Max whispered, finally meeting his eyes, her own brimming with unshed tears, "When we were kids I wanted to keep you separate from all the bad things. I wanted to keep one thing untainted...but then it all just started to consume me and..."

"It's alright, Max. It's in the past."

"No, it's not," she argued and ran a finger under her eyes to swipe away the dampness there, "I feel like I'm still running."

Zack felt a cinch on his heart. They had been through this so many times; her claustrophobia, her inability to sleep on a bed, her packrat habits – he found food stashed in the strangest places, every little thing she had to relearn about living indoors. He took a deep breath. Told himself, they had made it through all those rough patches before and with very little scars.

"Well, we talked with my mom about you going to speak to that therapist and I know you said you didn't want to..."

Max shook her head emphatically, plucking at the bag again.

"Then what, Max? I'm not..." Zack leaned forward, propped an elbow on his knee and buried his face in a palm, "You know that I'm not very good at this."

"I was thinking..." she sniffled loudly, combed the hair out of her face, "That maybe it was time...time to get rid of this bag."

Zack perked up, straightening considerably, at that statement. It was the glimmer of hope he'd been waiting and yearning for since that first break-down the week after she'd moved in to the Tipton suite.

"You don't have to." Even though the words had spilled from his lips, he didn't understand what was meant by them. He wanted the pack gone, he hated it. Why would he give her this out?

"I know that it bothers you." Max confessed.

"And I know that it makes you feel better."

Max lowered her face, chestnut tendrils silting forward to shadow her features.

"It used to," she said, "Whenever I felt that urge inside me, that anxious ticking, like a bomb ready to explode, I knew this bag was there. I could pick it up, put it on, and be gone." Zack tried to keep his face stoney, to hide the emotions her words stirred within him. "I knew it was there and that was enough to stop the tick."

"Does it...not help anymore?"

"No."

Zack slumped forward, defeated. Max put the pack aside and cupped her hands on his neck. Their faces were close, her words bristling his nose.

"Because the ticking is gone."

He looked up at her through blond strands, soft green settling on doe brown.

"I think I've finally found my home." She smiled, "It's with you, Zack."

"I love you," he told her, heartrendingly earnest.

She leaned forward, their lips touching, and murmured, "I love you, too."

He deepened the kiss, a gentle caressing of mouths, honest and without expectation and when they parted, he rested his forehead to hers.

"Come back to bed, Max," he whispered, breathless as her kisses always left him. She nodded response and with ease he swept her tiny figure up into his arms.

The pack stay on the couch, weathered memories etched into its fiber. In the morning, Max would empty it, then Zack would box it up along with a tattered pair of sneakers, a red beanie, a yellowing envelope with money inside for a childhood friend, and an old, ragged basketball that had cost him twenty dollars and nearly the love of his life.

The End

A/N: Just a short, sweet, fluffy epilogue to wrap up the last lingering emotions. I have an idea for a sequel, don't know if I'll write it, but it would place after this time with the boys in college. I'm torn between wanting to write it and having other things to focus on. I kind of want to because I really want to explore all the relationships more and I would love to be able to write Bailey/Max friendship bonding moments, because I think they would get along really well. I'd also have opportunity to bring in other characters like Moseby, London, Maddy, etc.; since Max would most likely be working at the Hotel.

Anyhoo, the summary for a sequel would be something like: Under the stress of college life, Cody contemplates taking his relationship with Bailey to the next level, while Zack and Max must overcome the demons of their past if they're to find a bright future together.

Max's mom would also make an appearance. I don't know, we'll see.

I have to confess, this story was inspired by a dream. Remember how I said I was never much of a Suite Life viewer...yeah, out of the blue I had a dream about the show (hadn't even seen a commercial for it in several months), about the boys finding Max homeless on the streets. All I recall of the dream was that they were in a bagel shop in Boston (which was creepy because at the time, I didn't know where the show took place). I told myself it would make a great story but I had a lot going on so I wasn't sure I should write it. Haunted by the story, I made myself a deal, if I look up the show and it does take place in Boston, I'll take that as a sign I'm meant to write the story and if it doesn't, I'll forget I ever had the dream. Obviously, you're all big fans of the show, so you know how that ended up.

So, now you know. And if I keep writing this author's note, it'll be longer than the chapter. So I'm wrapping it up. This is the last update, last chance to let your voice be heard! Tell me what you think or forever hold your peace.