A/N: I'm not sure where this came from, but I really like how this turned out. Zack deserves a fic or two.
This ones for AdamCharliesBabe101. I know it's not exactly what you asked for, but...
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Christmas is going home to Michigan and heading into the woods with your brothers to cut a twelve foot Christmas tree and you all decorate it together…brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews; forty people who all love you and are happy to see you. That, my friend, is the true meaning of Christmas.
-Zack Addy, 1x09: The Man in the Fallout Shelter
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Zack was shocked to arrive at his parent's house in Michigan to find that it wasn't decorated. No lights. No wreath.
Before knocking, he peered through the front windows to see his family gathered in the living room, as they would any other day.
There was no tree in the center of the room. No nativity set resting on the coffee table. No mistletoe hanging from the ceiling.
No… anything.
Completely and utterly perplexed, he rapped on the front door. After the thundering sound of forty people rushing to the door, it swung open to reveal every there to welcome him. He spent his time politely greeting each one, shaking forty hands and giving forty hugs.
And finally, he asked.
"Where is everything?"
Everyone in the room fell silent, turning to Mrs. Tina Addy. As Zack's mother, she had been the one dubbed to tell him the news.
"We waited for you, Zack."
"… What?" He was shocked. Never, ever before had an Addy Christmas been postponed.
Jackson Addy spoke up. "For us, Christmas starts today. Now, you better put on a few more layers, son. We've got to go get ourselves a Christmas tree."
"Sure thing, Dad."
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The Addy men traipsed into the woods, following Jackson. He always said that he may be too old to swing the axe, but he would never be too old to lead the pack.
After they had all decided on a tree, they took turns with the axe, working carefully to cut down the tree. Zack, as the weakest and youngest, never lasted very long. But he didn't mind much.
He got much more enjoyment from the look of pride on his father's face as his brothers did most of the tedious work, knowing he knew that he had taught them well.
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The trip back with the tree was a long one. Once they had set it up, the younger children swarmed the tree, hanging ornaments on the lower branches. The older members of the family stood back, watching and laughing at the kids' antics as they fought over branches and decorations.
When they had grown tired and could no longer reach free branches, the children were herded into the kitchen to eat Christmas cookies and drink milk as the adults adorned the upper half of the large tree with the remainder of the ornaments.
The lower half was always more full, but somehow that seemed to make it more festive and unique. After the last ornament was hung, one of the children was selected to place the star at the very top of the tree.
It was Gabriella's turn this year. As his brother Jason lifted the four-year-old onto his shoulders, he whispered into his daughter's ear what Zack could only assume was, "Be careful, Gabby."
And she placed the star on the highest branch to much applause from the surrounding crowd.
Gabriella was safely placed back on the ground, and the tree was lit.
As the family 'Ooh'ed and 'Aah'ed over the lights, Zack stood back and marveled silently at not only the tree, but the loving family that surrounded it.
This was definitely the true meaning of Christmas.
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End