Chapter 1

I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.

Wait...In this story, I actually created some of them, so I do own them.

Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.

And as for the ones I did create, who they are is up to me, so...

Cody Martin looked around his bedroom one last time, making sure he had packed up everything he was going to need. Sure, they had only been in this new suite on the 24th floor for a couple of years, but he was going to miss it. Zack kept talking about how psyched he was to have his own room finally, but deep down, Cody hoped his brother would miss him too. Of course, every time Cody had brought up his trip to math camp when they were kids, Zack always changed the subject. But this time, Cody wasn't coming back in two weeks. He had graduated Cheevers High a few months ago, and now he was on his way to Yale University on a full academic scholarship.

Once he determined he had everything, he began zipping up his last bag. And as he did that, Zack came walking into their room.

"You aren't gone yet? Hurry up. I have big plans for this place once I have it all to myself..."

Cody smiled and shook his head. "Don't go overboard. I will be back for Thanksgiving, Christmas and then next summer."

Zack just looked at him. "That's why there is a perfectly good couch out in the living room. With Mom having her own bedroom now, its all yours."

"Gee...Thanks..."

Zack rolled his eyes. "I think its fair. I mean...Dad did give you your own car. I didn't get one."

"Because I'm moving. You're staying here in Boston to find yourself, remember? You can do that by using the subway..."

"Whatever...Anyways Broseph...I don't envy you at all. Yale is nothing but a nerd factory. I bet the girls there are either hideous are militant feminists..."

Cody rolled his eyes. "I already have a girlfriend, Zack...You know...Barbara?"

Zack smirked. "How could I forget? Oh wait a minute...Where is she by the way? You're leaving to head to New Haven here in about a half hour. Has she stopped by to see you yet?"

Cody paused and shook his head. "No. Not yet."

"Codester...What do you see in her anyways? She's a grade A, King Kamehamea Bee..."

"Zack!"

Zack shrugged. "What? Its true!"

Cody sighed. "You just don't understand her, that's all..."

"What's to understand? She's Jekyll and Hide..."

Cody's eyes went wide. "Whoa...You used a reference from literature..." He sighed again. "...and used it correctly..."

"You know what I mean. If something good happens to her, she's the happiest person in the world. But if something good happens to someone else, she's bitter and vindictive. She got a partial scholarship to Harvard, she was jumping up and down. You got a full ride to Yale, and you ended up with a broken toe..."

Cody had to nod. "I should have worn my steel toed shoes that day..."

"Why are you with her then?"

"Zack, in case you weren't paying attention during high school, I was exactly a ladies man. Not many girls are attracted to the weak, germaphobe, nonathletic brainy types. Barbara happens to tolerate it, so..."

"What about the twins?"

Cody shook his head. "One, they went back to England two years ago. I heard something about them becoming models. Two, they were fun, but they just weren't the type I would look for a long term relationship with..."

Zack just stared at him. "Long term relationship? Whoa...whoa...whoa. Why would anyone want one of those?"

Cody sighed. "Someday...me."

From behind him, Cody felt a soothing hand on his shoulder.

"And you will, Sweetheart."

Cody turned and smiled. "Thanks, Mom."

Carey smiled back. "Anytime." She looked down at Cody's zipped up bag. "Is that the last one?"

Cody nodded. "Yeah. I just have to load it into the car, and I'll be ready to head out."

"You have the directions printed off?"

"Yes, Mom."

"You have Blankie packed?"

Cody smiled. "Yes, Mom..."

Carey sighed. "I wish you weren't going to be so far away...I wish you would have gone to Harvard..." And with that, she turned and glared at Zack.

Zack held up his hands. "Hey! How was I supposed to know that girl's dad was the President of Harvard?"

Carey shook her head. "Well, if you hadn't been trying to juggle four girls at once, you wouldn't have had that problem..."

Zack smirked at her. "This coming from someone who relates everything to an experience with one of her former boyfriends?"

Carey glared at Zack again before turning back to Cody. "So, what time do you have to be there?"

"Check-in is at 3:00 PM. And I'm giving myself three hours to get there."

Carey nodded. "Okay. You will be back soon though, right?"

Cody smiled. "I'll try, Mom. And at the very least, I'll be home by Thanksgiving..."

Zack sighed. "That sucks...I'll have to wait until then for a decent home cooked meal..."

Carey glared at Zack again. "Anyways, I've got some cookies in the oven for you to take with me. I should go check on them."

Once Carey left their room, Zack turned to Cody. "Well, you have coasters now...Anyways, back to Barbara. What are you going to do?"

"Nothing. Long distance relationships work all the time."

Zack laughed. "Yeah, right..." He paused. "How are you going to go so long without...you know..."

Cody sighed. "I've gone eighteen years without it, I think I'll survive..."

Zack just stared at him again. "You and Barbara haven't...?"

Cody shook his head. "No. I respect her. I wasn't going to push anything. Besides..." He paused. "You know, nevermind..."

"What?"

"Well..."

But at that moment, they heard their mother shout out. "Cody! Barbara is here!"

Cody left the bedroom and walked out into the living room area of the suite. And there standing by the door was Barbara.

"Hey! I thought you were going to be here a couple of hours ago. I'm supposed to hit the road in twenty minutes."

Barbara shrugged. "You're not the only one who had to pack their things. I move into my dorm here at Harvard today too."

Cody frowned. "But its just up in Cambridge. New Haven is a few hours away. And to be honest, this summer, it seems like you've been blowing me off a lot..."

Barbara smiled at him. "Cody...Cody...Cody. You worry too much. I've just been busy, that's all..."

Cody sighed. "I still don't see why you wouldn't come to Yale with me..."

Barbara rolled her eyes. "You know all too well that Harvard has been my dream. Its not my fault that you got banned from there. Why should I have to suffer because of your idiot brother?"

Cody shook his head. "No. And I respect the fact that you are pursuing your dream. Well, at least we can spend a few minutes together before I have to leave."

Barbara paused. "Actually, I have to get going. I just stopped by to say goodbye. I...ummm..." She paused again. "Have a good trip, Cody. And call me when you get there." She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "See you later..."

And with that, she slipped back out the door leaving Cody standing there in pure shock.

Meanwhile, half a continent away in Kettlecorn, Kansas, Bailey Pickett was in her bedroom packing too. Her Mom was helping her pack the last of her things too. Once they were done, Eunice Pickett smiled at her daughter.

"I guess that's it. I think that's everything. Once you get your exact address, well put your other things in the mail."

Bailey smiled back. "Yeah, I guess so..."

"Your father and I are so proud of you. Our little girl getting a full ride scholarship to Yale. You're the first person from this county to go to an Ivy League school."

"Thanks, Momma. I'll try to do my best to make everyone proud of me."

"We know you will. I can't wait to tell all my friends that my little girl is off to become Bailey Pickett, Medicine Woman..."

Bailey laughed. "Well, actually, I want to be a pediatrician. But close enough."

Eunice smiled. "We're really going to miss you around here, Bailey..." She paused. "Are you sure you're ready for this? I mean Yale is going to be full of city slickers from back east. They aren't like us, Honey..."

"I'll be fine, Momma. I've been waiting for a long time to see what the world outside of Kettlecorn has to offer. I bet they aren't that much different from us though. Sure, they may talk funny, but I'm sure I'll meet some really great people."

"If you're sure. Your Grammy Pickett asked me to give this to you..." She handed Bailey a small object.

Bailey's eyes went wide. "A cell phone?"

Eunice smiled. "Well, we wanted to make sure you could get in touch with us or us in touch with you whenever we needed to. Call home as often as you can."

Bailey grinned. "I will..."

"Well, we need to get you loaded up in the truck. You're flight leaves Topeka at noon, and it will take us a couple of hours to get there."

Bailey nodded. "I think I have everything. I mean, I've got my rooster alarm clock, so I'll have a piece of home with me at all times. I'm going to miss everyone, but this is something I have to do..."

Eunice sighed. "Well, while your Daddy and I support you wholeheartedly, there is someone who isn't happy."

"I know. And he'll just have to deal with it. I've told Moose this has been my dream for a long time."

"And its a stupid one if you ask me!"

Bailey and Eunice turned and saw Moose standing in the doorway. Eunice turned to her daughter. "Well, I have a few snacks for your flight to wrap up for you. I'll see down stairs, Honey."

After Eunice headed out of the room, Moose turned back to Bailey.

"So, you're really doing this? You're really going to head off to Yale?"

Bailey nodded. "Yes, I am. This has been my dream for the longest time. I'm going to do it."

Moose frowned. "But why? You were raised on a farm! On the farm is where you belong!"

Bailey shook her head. "I don't agree. I owe it to myself to follow my dreams. I don't ever want to look back one day and regret not doing that."

"I thought it was one thing when you insisted on finishing high school. I thought that was dumb..."

Bailey sighed. "Just because dropping out after junior year to work on the farm full time works for you, it doesn't mean it works for me!"

"Well, why does a farm wife and mother need a high school diploma for?"

"Because I have no desire to be a farm wife! Why is that so hard for you to understand? I've been telling you that for a long time now..."

"Why? Because you're my girl!"

"Moose, I'm not a possession!"

"How do you think it looks to all my friends? Most of them are married and already have a little one or one on the way."

Bailey smirked. "I know. And with most of them, a shotgun was involved..."

Moose smirked back. "Do you know how much they laugh at me? I'm the one who can't keep his woman in town. I'm the one who can't control his woman!"

Bailey shook her head. "What am I? Am I lost sheep that got away from the flock? What are you going to do? Brand me?"

Moose laughed. "Well, to do that, I'd actually have to be able to touch you. Only time I tried that, I received a knee to the groin..."

"You know...Its obvious you have no respect for me whatsoever. I say we end this now." She shook her head again and muttered. "Why I didn't do that a long time ago, I'll never know..."

Moose had a look of shock on his face. "Whoa...whoa...whoa. Lets not talk crazy here!"

Bailey glared. "What's so crazy about it?"

Moose tried to sooth the talk. "Look, we shouldn't be fighting before you leave to head to head up north. I think both of us are just really upset right now. How about we cool down and we'll talk again later when we both have cooler heads?"

Bailey sighed. "I don't think it will make a difference. This has been a long time coming. Its obvious you have no respect for me or what I want, so..."

Moose cut her off. "Maybe I've been a bit hasty here, and maybe I haven't always said the right things. I guess I'm just really going to miss you while you're gone. Maybe I was hoping if I discouraged you, it would make you stay..."

"Well, I'm not staying..."

"I can see that now. Again, lets calm down and we can talk later. I promise you I will try to be more respectful of what you want. But at the same time, you need to try to be more respectful of what I want..."

Bailey was incredulous. "I supported you when you decided to drop out of school. You said you wanted to be a farmer, and I never tried to get you to change your mind!"

Moose shook his head. "I'm talking about you not having respect for the fact that I want to make you my wife and start having kids while we're young."

Bailey looked at him exasperated. "But I don't want those things right now! I don't know if I ever will!"

"Fine. You go off to Yale. Get this itch out of your system. I know you, Bailey. You'll be back to stay before long. Lets just take some time to figure out what it is we both really want. In time, you'll see that I'm right."

Bailey was about to say something else when Moose held his hand up to her face.

"Lets leave this as it is. No sense in either one of us saying anything right now we'll regret later. I'll see you at Thanksgiving."

And with that, Moose left Bailey's room with Bailey left standing there in pure shock.

To be Continued...