185I own nothing from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, but I retain all ownership of this particular story.
Days had passed since the airing of the final episode of Yay me, it had been a resounding success and incredibly therapeutic process for all involved; allowing them to speak openly to the world of their feelings had been a wonderful thing for Cody, Zack and Maddie. Zack and Cody had finally been able to look to the future, about how they would spend the money London had given them, and what they would do with the Hotel in New York they now owned, Carey was very insistent that they would both finish high school, and after that Cody was set on going to college, Zack however was more eagre to get out into the real world. Zack and Cody had set to spending most of their time before sleep talking about just what to do, their plans for the future, it was wonderful for everyone that they would be able to think about the future, they were both determined not to waste the chance that London had given them.
"So Cody, have you decided what we're going to do?" Zack was constantly eagerly asking, he knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life from this point on but Cody was more fickle and was evaluating his options.
"Well, I'm going to college after school, but I do want to run the hotel with you Zack, so maybe we should see if we can spend some time with Mr. Moesby for the next year at least, to try and learn how to run a hotel properly, I want to be more hands on than Mr. Tipton, but not too hands on" Cody replied, it was a very well thought out idea which would surely be workable, Mr. Moesby would be more than happy to have Zack and Cody learn his trade, they had grown so close over the past week or so.
"Sounds good, but what do we do with the hotel until then?" Zack asked
"Well, you learn the practical elements of running the hotel, I will go to college for the business elements of running the hotel, and I'll help out when I'm not at class, but we should go down soon and see what we want to do with it, give us an idea of how we can change it for ourselves, and we can let it stay as the New York Tipton until we're finished school, Mr. Tipton is building a new hotel there" Cody had been thinking almost non stop about this since Yay Me, since he had been able to think of something other than London for more than a second at a time.
"Great, I can't believe it Cody, we're millionaires, I just wish it was under better circumstances" Zack lamented
"As do I brother, as do I"
10am on the day of London's funeral the Twins decided the time was right to go and talk to Mr. Moesby about their ideas. The previous day had been Tapeworms funeral, Zack and Cody hadn't spoken but they sat with Max who did, it was the more lovely speech either of them had ever seen, she showed her true deep feelings for him. Zack and Cody each silently were thinking about what had happened the pervious day and what had happened the pervious week as they went down in the elevator to Mr. Moesby's office, he was only in at the Tipton, which he now owned, doing light managerial duties, officially he was still on leave for the stress of all that had happened.
Zack and Cody found Mr. Moesby doing paperwork in his office when they entered
"Hello boys" he said glumly, he was obviously upset at the prospect of attending London's funeral that afternoon, and the subsequent private burial they would all attend.
"Hi Mr. Moesby, we wanted to ask you a favour" Cody began
"Sure boys, what can I do for you" Moesby responded
"Well we've been talking about our hotel we now own, and what we're going to do with it and all that, so we were wondering if you could help us learn about managing the hotel business, and maybe work with you here a bit, while we're still at school" Cody continued, Zack nodding along.
"Certainly boys, I'd be delighted" Moesby was happy that the boy's had asked him this, he didn't say it out loud but it would give him something to be useful for, he felt that with London gone he had lost his chance, he didn't have his own children, and he didn't really want them, but he liked to help, to raise someone, and now he had a chance again, to but Zack and Cody on the right path in the industry he loved so much.
"Thanks Mr. Moesby, we should be going now, we need to get ready for the funeral" Zack said
"Yeah thanks, see you there" Cody added
"Yes, indeed, are you speaking?" Moesby asked before they left
"Cody is, I decided I had said all I needed to" Zack replied
"Ah, alright, well I'll see you there then boys" Moesby said and Zack and Cody departed.
Zack and Cody headed back up to their room to prepare for the funeral, which would begin at 3pm, owing to the massive public interest in London's death the service was to be covered by the words media live on TV so Zack and Cody thought it important they looked their best. Cody wanted to go over his eulogy and make sure it was absolutely perfect before he read it.
"Want me to have a look at it?" Zack asked
"No, I'm fine" Zack had been asking to see it for two days now, but Cody was stubborn and determined to keep it secret until he read it.
"Fine" Zack replied, slightly annoyed at Cody's constant refusal to let him see.
"Hey Cody, who do you think we should bring along to New York with us when we go?" Zack asked, it was something he'd been wondering for awhile.
"I don't know, are you and Maddie going to do anything?" Cody replied
"I don't know, I haven't spoken to her about it since the other morning, she said she'd wait until you were ready, I want to be here for you" Zack replied
"Well, I don't know, I'm not sure if I'm ready to have you go off into a relationship, I need someone I can talk to when I need to, since we are business partners now, but its your decision" Cody replied
"Well my loyalty is to you, partner" Zack replied, his relationship with Cody was far more important than anything with a girl.
"Thanks, Partner" Cody replied, "Now, I need to finish writing this"
"OK, I'll go watch some TV" Zack replied before leaving the bedroom.
A few hours later Carey returned to the suite, she had been at the dry cleaners getting everyone's suits ready.
"Boys, time to get ready, I've got your suits out here" She yelled, Cody came out of the bedroom looking rather triumphant
"I've finished" he announced, his eulogy was finally done.
"Cool, can I read it?" Zack asked again
"No" Cody replied his annoyance very obvious
"Fine" Zack scoffed.
"Go have showers and get ready boys, we have to leave in an hour, Mr. Tipton is sending cars" Carey cut in ending the Twins' posturing.
With fifteen minutes to spare before the departure for the funeral the Martin Family were ready. Zack, Cody and Kurt were dressed in black suits with black ties, the standard funeral attire, and Carey wore a full length black gown, it could have been described as elegant if not for the sombre occasion, she also had a small black hat on, she looked like the very typical funeral attendee.
"Lets go downstairs, the cars will be around soon" Carey said everyone agreed and they headed downstairs.
Mr. Moesby, Maddie, Arwin and Esteban were all already downstairs when the Martins arrived, the men in black suits, Maddie in a well fitting black and white gown with hat. It was a sombre mood, certainly juxtaposed from Zack and Cody's bedroom that morning and from the rest of their lives prior to the bombing.
Everyone solemnly greeted each other as they arrived and met each other; the Tipton's already at the church would be greeting accepting condolences.
"How many people are coming to this thing?" Zack asked
"They said 1000 possibly, with many more outside" Moesby replied, Zack looked a little shocked at the size, Cody went a bit tenser about his speech.
"Maddie" Cody began "Have you finished your eulogy?"
"Yes, it took me forever, but I think I'm happy with it, god, seems so wrong to say happy" Maddie said
"Indeed" Cody replied
"How about you?" Maddie asked
"Yes, I'm done" Cody replied
"And he won't let anyone see it" Zack cut in, Maddie smiled nicely at Zack.
"Ok, it's time to go everyone" Moesby said loudly over the low chatter.
Everyone piled into the row of black Mercedes cars, there were 4 cars. Zack, Cody and Maddie got into the front car, in the back seat, Carey, Kurt and Moesby took the second car, Arwin, Esteban and Lance took the third and Patrick and Chef Paulo took the fourth and final car in the row.
The lead car was full of an apprehensive silence for most of the ride to the large church in Boston were London was to be farewelled by the world, it was to be a celebration of her life, of everything and everyone she loved.
As the cars turned the corner to the church everyone was stunned by the amount of people who had come out to see, there must have been well over a thousand people lining the road being kept back by the police, all jockeying to get closer to the cars that had just made their way in motorcade to the church. It was expected that many had come out to see the celebrities who were in attendance but Cody in particular hoped many of them had come to give London her farewell.
The cars pulled up at the bottom the cathedral steps and everyone stepped out, Cody, Zack and Maddie were recognised by most and got much of the attention from the media, Mosby taking some of the brunt as well. Everyone just continued sombrely up the steps into the church, inside Cody and Maddie were separated from the rest of the group as they were speaking, and Zack was on request allowed to join them on an aisle near the front. London's coffin was standing on a stunning gold Catafalque draped in purple velvet, London's coffin was now closed, and it was not to be an open casket funeral. Moesby was also going to speak and after speaking with Mr. Tipton and London's mother he came and sat near to Zack, Cody and Maddie. Because none of the other Tipton staff nor Carey or Kurt was to speak they were seated in a good position in the church but not as easily accessible to the front as the speakers.
Fifteen or so minutes after the cars had arrived and the final guests had entered and taken their seats the service began, the priest at the front began.
"We are gathered here today to commemorate the loss of London Tipton, someone whom was known personally to many in this room, and who touched countless others unknown to herself. We gather here not to mourn her loss, but to celebrate her life." It was a wonderful sentiment which was shared by all in attendance. Cody watched the service intently, thinking about London, shedding many a tear as her mother and father spoke. When London's parents spoken about how they missed her so much and how important she was to them Moesby felt another prang of his resentment at their lack of involvement in her life, it was their loss however he felt, and his gain, that made him feel better. Zack held Cody's hand through the entire service, he could sense his brother was feeling down, he wanted to help and that was the best he could muster. After London's parents had given their speeches it was time for Moesby to stand and talk.
Moesby spoke of seeing London grow up, he recanted stories of her childhood and adolescence to the gathered, and he spoke of how proud he was of how she had turned out. His speech turned down to a more depressing tone however when he spoke of having a hole in his heart that would never be filled, it was a lovely sentiment that was felt by many people in the room, but mostly by Him, Maddie, Zack and Cody. Moesby concluded by saying that no matter what success he had in the hospitality industry nothing could ever make him prouder than what he felt at having raised London Tipton.
"That was beautiful" Maddie whispered to Moesby as she got up, it was now her turn, Cody was next.
Maddie spoke of all the good times she had with London, about how even though her and London came from different worlds they seemed to have a bond that no one could explain. Maddie said that she had been so honored to have been one of London's friends, she loved London, she missed London and she would until the day she died. Maddie ended her speech by saying that London was the most wonderful person, even for all her shortcomings, that she had ever met.
Now it was Cody's turn, his breathing got heavier and his pulse was racing, Zack looked up at him in a face that seemed to say "You can do it" Cody knew he had to. Cody walked up to the podium, past London's coffin and faced the church. It seemed to stretch back forever, there were hundreds of people in the room, all watching him, many wiping tears from their eyes. Cody pulled his speech out of his pocket and began to read in a powerful voice, like one of histories great orators:
"In my short time on this planet I have been blessed with many things, a loving family, good health, and wonderful friends, of these friends one stands out as being particularly special to me, London Tipton. London was one of those once in a lifetime friendships, the type where from the outside you look completely mismatched, but you share a bond, a connection so special it works no matter what, that is what I had with London. It was not until I began work on Yay me however that I realized there was potential for another connection with London, a romantic connection, I never was able to summon up the courage to tell London my true feelings, to tell her I loved her, and now, no matter how many times I say it I know I will never be able to be with her, to see her again, to hear her voice and smell her smell. When my time on this earth ends I will have at least one great regret, that I was never able to tell London my true feelings, but I will be able to hold my head up high and say that I was proud to know her, to be friends with such a wonderful person, someone whom I will miss for the rest of my life" Cody's voice cracked at little toward the end but remained strong enough throughout. He left the podium and put his hand on London's coffin as he walked past
"Goodbye" he whispered to her as he left to retake his seat.
"That was great Cody" Zack said
"Beautiful" Maddie added
"Thanks" Cody said quietly as the service neared its conclusion.
The final part of the service was the precession of London's coffin out of the church; Maddie had insisted on being a pall bearer and would be the only female of the six. Zack, Cody, Mr. Moesby, Mr. Tipton and Esteban took the job of being the other pall bearers and they moved silently up to fetch the coffin and marched it down the aisle of the church and outside where many more thousands had now turned up, all eyes turning to the coffin which was marched out to tune of Amazing Grace. The pall bearers put the coffin into the back of the black hearse and went back to the row of cars behind it to take their places in the funeral processional cars; they would be traveling in a fairly large motorcade traveling under police escort.
The burial at the cemetery was much more of a low key affair than the funeral. Zack, Cody, Carey, Kurt, Mr. Moesby, Maddie, Mr. Tipton, London's Mother, Arwin, Esteban and some of London's other friends were in attendance, all having traveled in the processional. Everyone said a few things about London and some prayers were said and flowers laid down on the coffin.
"God, so this is really it" Zack said, as if it had all finally hit him, he began to cry
"I know" Maddie said as well, she also broke down
"Guys, don't be sad" Cody began as the mechanics began to lower the coffin into the ground
"No matter what happens, no matter how far we are separated, even by death, it doesn't matter, not one bit, because at the end of it all, friendship survives" and it was true.
The End.
Oh my god, I can't believe it, but I'm finished, I'm actually finished this story, this is one of the most wonderful things I have ever done in my entire life and I am so proud of it and so thankful to everyone who read it and who reviewed and encouraged me to keep on writing I love you all. I am definitely 100% writing a sequel, and I'm not one to take much of a break so it will be coming soon, but still, please pleas please let me know what you've thought of this final chapter, I hope you didn't think the ending was too cheesy. Also give me any ideas you have at all for the sequel, I'm going to do a story probably not too far in the future, maybe as Zack and Cody finish high school and set off at their hotel. So that's the setting please give me any ideas at all you have either through review here or PM. Or give me an idea for a completely different story if you want. Either way can I just say again thank you so much to everyone who has read this story, everyone who has reviewed this story and just to everyone who's tolerated this on here I love you all and I look forward to hearing from you again when I start up writing one more time!
Thank you and Goodbye for now but not forever!