A/N: would you believe if I said I was working on this before most anything I've published in this fandom? This one chapter has taken me forever to write. This does go along with my other story: this is the best of my heart. Rating will change to M once it gets to that part in the story.

So uh, tell me what you think?

I knew Zed had gotten out of school before me, considering I had cheer practice and Zed had nothing. Football had ended a few days before, another state title since Zed had joined the team. And since football had ended, Zed usually hung with Eliza and Bonzo after school or would wait for me and we'd go out to eat or see a movie or just do homework (it's been four days without football, nothing special).

Today—a Thursday in early December—was a little different. Zed wasn't in the gym during practice so I assumed he was out with one of our friends. Except, when I got home, Zed was in the kitchen with my parents, helping them make dinner and generally putting on his Zed-charm. It's crazy what two years of dating and full-Zombie integration can do to people, really.

No one seemed to notice my presence for a while (considering I hadn't actually enter the kitchen, I wasn't surprised). From where I was standing and what I could hear, Zed was regaling my parents in the story of the very first time we'd met, as if they hadn't heard it already at least three times.

Zed always had a way of making any story humorous, charming his way into everyone's hearts. It was probably his best talent, aside from the whole football star. Zed had said something that made my parents laugh when he noticed me in the doorway, his grin widening the way it does whenever he gets even more excited than usual.

Dad, noticing Zed's switched attention, looked over and smiling wider when he saw me. "Look who's finally home," he stated.

I smiled and rolled my eyes. I went and greeted Dad at the bar, then Mom and Zed at the kitchen island. "How was practice, Sweetie?" Mom asked.

I shrugged, considering it wasn't terrible but wasn't amazing at the same time. Just average. "States are next week, which is good I guess." I offered. "Maybe we'll place nationally this year."

"Oh you definitely will, Cheer Captain," Zed stated proudly, then leaned over to pecked my lips. "And if you don't, then next year—when it's just you and Bree and Jess as captains—you'll make nationals cause you guys are fucking fantastic."

I felt my cheeks heat up, a light blush probably rising with the temperature. I poked his side, saying, "You're fucking fantastic too." Like many times when we'd both compliment each other, we just stood there, smiling at each other like teenagers in love (which, you know, we are).

Before either of my parents could say anything to make it awkward or uncomfortable, I turned away from Zed to look at the food on the counter. "What're you guys making for dinner?" I asked.

"Zed's making steak," Mom said. "And I'm making sides because he doesn't want me to help."

Zed laughed, saying, "I'd love for you to help but I'm just so far into the process and I don't want to slow you down on the potatoes and green beans and…and whatever that is."

Mom and I both laughed at that. "It's okay, he doesn't let me help either," I told her.

Mom chuckled some more, making me grin. "Dad, what're you doing?"

"Working from home," Dad replied. "Going over some data sheets, numbers, paperwork and all that."

He looked up from his laptop and spread out papers, saying, "Hey, while we have both of you here, we wanted to ask you—"

"We want to ask Zed but this kinda concerns you too, Addy," Mom added.

"Yes, that of course," Dad agreed. "Anyway, we wanted to ask if you would like to join us on our family vacation this year?"

"You mean in Colorado?" I asked disbelievingly. "Snowboarding? With everyone there?"

Mom nodded as if it all made perfect sense. It didn't make sense at all, actually.

Our annual ski trip included both sides of my family in a huge estate up in the mountains of Colorado. And by both sides, I mean everyone from Bucky to my cousins to my aunts and uncles and my grandparents. Which included my half-deaf grandfather, who lost his ear to a Zombie.

Zed is a Zombie, and though he isn't the same Zombie that tried to eat my grandfather, I'm sure it would bring up bad memories for both Pops and Nona. Neither of them had met Zed yet, even though he had come to Thanksgiving for the past two years. Pops and Nona hadn't come (thank god) considering it's a lot of work for them to get to Seabrook most times, and Thanksgiving had been at my house two years before and Bucky's last year and this year (two weeks ago).

"Is there a problem, sweetie?" Dad asked.

"Yeah, Addy, something wrong?" Zed asked.

"Uh, Pops will be there," I stated as if it were obvious. "And, no offense Zed, but Pops hates Zombies. I told you why, Zed. And I doubt that you and Pops meeting would be the best thing in the world."

"I'll just win them over with my quick wit and charming smile," Zed said with a wink.

"It's true he's very good at that," Mom agreed with a little laugh.

I groaned. "You guys can't be serious," I told them.

Zed turned his head down to give me a serious look. "I won't go if you don't want me there."

I sighed, because now Zed had the impression that I didn't want him there, which wasn't true. "No, Babe, I definitely want you there," I said to him. "But I don't want you to hate it, or for them to hate you."

Zed leaned down and pecked my lips. "I think I can handle a vacation. How long is it, Missy?"

"It's two weeks," Mom said.

"I have to ask my dad first, but I'd love to come."

"That's great then," Mom exclaimed cheerily. "We leave town usually once Addison finishes her last midterm, so once you both finish we can go. Do you know what your schedule would look like?"

They continued planning the vacation, no one even acknowledging my warning. What my parents didn't understand was that even though they had managed to look past Zed's Zombism, no one else would. Bucky still couldn't stand Zed, though things had gotten better between them over the years. It also helped that one of his best friends was still dating Eliza.

Then there was everyone else. The first time they'd met Zed, they instantly hated him. Bucky's three siblings—all older than me by many years and all harshly judgemental—had spent majority of the dinner exchanging side looks and whispers that definitely weren't good.

Their parents and my aunt and uncle—Janet and Phillip—had been dropping passive hints about my middle school friends who they thought would be a better fit than Zed. I didn't even know if Zed had realized what they were doing, but if he did he didn't show that it bothered him.

My dad's sister, Carla, hadn't tried to be subtle. She openly hated on him with everyone who'd listen—from her wife to her two sons to my own parents—and actively avoided Zed.

And my two cousins on my dad's side—Chris and Nick—had been, surprisingly, the most welcoming of Zed. It probably had to do with all of them playing football, watching some of Zed's game footage and becoming increasingly impressed. They didn't love the idea of a Zombie at Thanksgiving, but at least they had been civil.

The next year was better. My cousins had gotten more tolerant of Zed once they'd realized it was a serious thing. Aunt Janet and Uncle Phil had given that year's dinner a theme of 'Childhood Bliss', and everyone seemed to swoon over Zed's stories. It had won him my maternal family's vote. Aunt Carla was still a bitch, but a lot less of one. I think her wife, Erika, had talked some sense into her at some point.

That still wouldn't compare to when my grandparents found out about Zed. We had all agreed it'd be best if they didn't know about Zed for as long as possible. My maternal grandparents, Pops and Nona, loathed Zombies with every fiber in their being. Sometimes I was afraid that if they met Zed they'd get a heart attack and end up hospitalized.

My paternal grandparents—Papa and Nana—had flipped when my dad had told them about working for the Zombie Patrol. They hadn't had an encounter like Pops and Nona had, but they were old and from the time when Zombies would eat brains. The Z-Band hadn't come around until a few years before I was born, which is probably where most of my family got their hatred for Zombies.

Putting Zed in a situation like that was suicidal. My grandparents didn't know I had stopped wearing the wig, and they would flip at that. Bringing a Zombie on our family vacation, as my boyfriend, was a horrible idea. But if my parents thought it was a good idea, then what could I do to stop it?

"If you don't want me to go, I won't. Seriously, Addy."

"You're much better company than my six older cousins," I told him earnestly. "Just remember my grandparents are very old fashioned and lived in the era when Zombies were bad, so don't expect them to instantly love you."

"Oh I'll just woo them Addy, I got this," Zed said confidently. "Who's the Zombie?"

I bit back a smile. Zed leaned down and kissed my lips gently. "I'm the Zombie, and this Zombie's gonna win over your grandparents."

Bucky had taken a gap year after he graduated. It meant he was at his house a lot, which meant he was at my house a lot. Like, all the time. So since Bucky's parents practically ran all our family events, Bucky stayed with us until we left. He wasn't particularly fond of spending time alone with his parents since his junior year disaster—the whole 'nearly causing a new Zombie outbreak' thing had really strained their relationship.

Bucky didn't know that Zed was coming with us until Zed had arrived Thursday morning with his bags. "You've got to be kidding me," Bucky said when Zed and Mom came into the kitchen. "You're bringing Zed?"

Zed grinned at Bucky's comment, going into the house. "Good morning to you, Bucky," he said.

"Do you even know how to ski?"

"Oh of course not," Zed said. "I've learned that people tend to laugh and enjoy watching me learn something new."

"It's true," I stated. "When he learned to roller skate was hilarious."

Zed frowned, coming over to the breakfast table to make sure I could see his frown. I grinned at him, stabbed eggs and bacon on my fork and held it up to him. It was a peace offering of sorts. Zed took the food, eating it obnoxiously before kissing my cheek.

"Good morning," I told him with a smile.

"My my, something looks delicious," Zed said cheekily, eyes trained on my face. "Oh sorry, I meant gorgeous."

"Ugh," Bucky groaned. He looked at my parents, saying, "They're disgusting. You really want their love festering inside Pops's house? For two whole weeks?"

"I think it's sweet," Mom said. "You hungry, Zed?"

"No thank you, ma'am," he said politely. "I ate at home."

Mom just smiled, letting it drop. Instead, she asked, "You have all your paperwork?"

Zed nodded.

From next to me, Dad looked up from his paper and asked, "You have a charger for your Z-Band?"

Zed nodded again. He picked a piece of bacon off my plate, stuffing it in his mouth and eating it quickly. "I have the charger, a spare battery, and if these few weeks end up like most important things in my life, Chief of Zombie Patrol."

Zed grinned, my parents and I laughed, and Bucky just groaned. He didn't actually hate our relationship, but he was probably sick of all the romance between us, considering how horribly his last relationship had ended (four words: destruction of property, arrest).

"So we'll just finish up breakfast and be on our way," Mom said.

I pushed my plate away, slid out of my chair and took Zed's hand, moving to the stairs. "I have to go get my stuff from my room," I stated. "I'll come back to clean this up."

"You don't both have to go," Bucky pointed out.

I nodded in protest. "Big strong Zed. I can't carry it by myself."

My parents gave us a knowing look. It's not like we had a track record of misbehaving. At least when they were around. And Zed was going to help me move my suitcases down the stairs. With minimal kissing in the privacy of my bedroom.

"It's not even anything to worry about," Mom said. "It's not like they're having sex or anything."

Zed seemed to choke on the air. I laughed with everyone else, more focused on Zed's form of embarrassment than my red cheeks.

Just as we were climbing the stairs, Dad reminded us of his 'door open' policy, as if we didn't know. It was one of the most enforced rules in the house, as well as 'No Boyfriend Over If Neither of Us Are Home' which I never followed.

Just as soon as we got in my room did we start kissing. According to my calendar, the last time we had been alone together (some would call it making out) was four days ago. Every time between that was just quick kisses in passing.

This was more than just 'a kiss'. It was more than 'making out'. It was probably the last bit of alone time we'd get for the next two weeks. Zed, being a whole foot taller than me, practically held me off the ground. I swear, if I don't have my legs around his waist I'm floating off the ground.

Zed pulled back not two minutes into the kiss. We were both breathing hard and flushed, myself more than him ('cause he's a Zombie). "Uh...did you actually have bags to bring down?" Zed asked.

"Yes," I told him. I pinched his cheek, leaned up and gave him a quick kiss. "But…we can keep doing this for a little while more."

"Yeah, that works," Zed whispered. Well, I assume that's what he whispered. I didn't wait for the end, pressing my lips against his again.

A/N: Chapter 1 has been edited! As I was writing the next chapter of Always Had A Feeling, I decided to keep THIS story as its own creation. Of course, the events of this story are used in my main story, but this story does have minor details that don't align with Always and I will keep them separate, per se.

Now please check out the edited version of chapter one in Chapter 45 of Always Had A Feeling! This story will take place through Chapters 45-47 with the addition of chapter 49!