Hey everyone, thank you so much for your opinions on this story! Reminder, right at the top here, this is a totally FICTIONAL scenario from the brain of a ZV fan. I don't want our fave couple to have a baby yet, or get married yet, they are VERY young and have a lot to do in their lives. Those personal decisions are just that, their personal decisions. As much as I LOVE them and want them to be together, I'm just a fanfic writer who owns nothing of Z & V other than some trinkets and DVD's and one who has no influence on them whatsoever!

As you can see, this one shot has carried into a 2 shot and a 3rd chapter is likely to come. Many of you know how much I love the parents, and this chapter only hits one side of the family! Again, thanks to everyone who has offered your support, suggestions and ZV news blurbs. Vancouver just can't be the same with the two of them in the same city! :)

Last but not least...many of you have asked me about writing something about the TCA's and the anti-V comment that was made there. You will likely see something in Canadian Chaos (eventually) about the awards show. BUT, I will likely refrain from writing about the comment. I'd rather not even acknowledge the person who spoke the words. He's gotten too much publicity already. I vote we let V continue training for her next movie, and the she can come back and sucker punch him, and take care of the matter herself! ;)

Now, with all that said...here's chapter 2. And as always, reviews, pm's, e-mails etc are welcome and much appreciated. KTZLF! -adc
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Greg and Gina greeted both kids with strong hugs. They had seen Zac for the 4th of July gathering and Zac and Greg had talked several times over the past week because of the added photo mess that had smacked Vanessa in the face.

Before they could head to the kitchen to eat Greg pulled Zac toward the living room and left Gina and Vanessa standing in the dining room. "Is she doing okay?" Greg asked quickly when they reached the other room.

Zac swallowed hard. He knew what Greg was talking about. And for now that would be the conversation they would conduct.

"Yeah. She's handling this amazingly well. Honestly, it's barely even been mentioned since I got home. She just wants to let the attorneys handle it and try to forget about it." Zac told Greg. And his answer was absolutely honest. The only pictures that he and Vanessa had talked about last night were black and white ones printed on thin, glossy printer paper.

Zac smiled thinking about those pictures. It only took him a moment to completely get lost and miss part of what Greg was saying. He picked back up on a sentence when Greg chuckled. "…had no idea those doctors appointments take so long."

Zac tensed. "Sorry, what?" he tried to look at Greg and then noticed Vanessa and Gina heading in their direction.

Greg just patted Zac on the shoulder and turned to see his wife and daughter behind them. Gina looked confused. Vanessa looked worried. Greg knew immediately that his oldest was trying to cover something up. And she needed her boyfriend's help.

She smiled toward Zac but he could see a look of fear in her eyes. Vanessa stepped toward Zac and wrapped her hands around one of his arms, pulling herself up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Mom needs some help cooking." Vanessa informed both men. She looked Zac in the eyes as she continued. "We're having pancakes…and eggs and bacon."

Now Zac understood perfectly. He nodded at Vanessa and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "Gina, why don't you let me help with that? Um, the last time Nessa cooked bacon she had the grease splattered everywhere and little burns all over her arms." He smiled toward Vanessa's mother who shrugged, a little confused, and then accepted Zac's arm around her shoulders as they went toward the kitchen.

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Greg and Vanessa sat down in the living room without much to say to each other at first. They could hear Zac making quiet conversation with Gina in the kitchen and Stella was starting to fumble around upstairs.

"So did you run into any problems picking Zac up at the airport yesterday?" Greg attempted to chat with his daughter.

"Nope." she answered and picked up a photo album that was lying on the coffee table.

Greg watched as she thumbed through the pictures showing Vanessa with Stella in their younger years.

"Zac told me he's changed your flight. You're heading back to Vancouver with him after the awards thing tonight instead of tomorrow morning?" Greg watched his daughter closely.

"Yeah. He said it just makes more sense for us to go back together." Vanessa continued to look at the pictures.

"I agree with him." Greg told her and moved to sit beside her on the couch. "I know you think Brit and I have been really overbearing the past few days. But you know we're just worried about you, don't you? Not to mention we're doing what Zac asked us to do."

Vanessa had grown just a little annoyed from having practically no time to herself prior to Zac's arrival. But she also knew they all just had her best interest at heart.

"I know Dad. I know. He has a really weird way of being able to handle this stuff from other countries." She smiled toward Greg and looked back down at the pictures. The one that caught her eye was of herself, holding baby Stella. Vanessa touched the photo with the tip of her index and middle fingers and then smiled gently.

Greg saw her expression and leaned his shoulder against hers. "Zac loves you. And I trust him to take care of you…no matter what the situation."

Vanessa turned and looked her father straight in the eyes. She saw a look of understanding in those eyes. It was a look that told her that her father was a lot more perceptive than she gave him credit for.

A slight smell of cooking bacon wafted into the living room from the kitchen causing Vanessa to sit back against the couch. Greg looked at Vanessa again with a look of concern. "You okay Baby Girl?"

She tried to play off the jolt of nausea by easing her hand up over her mouth. But the little beads of sweat gave her away. "Vanessa?" Greg questioned with more concern in his voice.

She just sat there for a minute wishing she could bury her head against Zac's chest, or his shirt, or anything to make the smell go away. This is not how she wanted her father to find out he was going to be a grandpa.

Greg took the photo album out of her lap and watched his daughter close her eyes and rest her head on the back of the couch. Before Vanessa could even attempt to say a word she felt her father get up and gently wipe her forehead. "Don't torture yourself if you need to throw up Sweetheart." Her father said with some bit of understanding in his voice. "It'll pass eventually. Your mom's only lasted a couple of months each time."

Vanessa allowed her eyes to open and watch her father walk away from her toward the kitchen. Greg turned to look back at her and she could see the soft yet stern, unsmiling look on his face. "I'll finish helping your mom and send Zac in here. Alright?"

She nodded and kept her hand over her mouth for two reasons. Number one, it was helping keep that nauseating smell away from her nose. And number two, she was quite sure her father already knew their secret.

Vanessa heard Greg quickly relieve Zac of his bacon-cooking duties. "Why don't you let me help in here. You've been gone a month. Go sit with Vanessa." Greg ordered a confused Zac.

When he walked into the living room and saw Vanessa sitting on the couch somewhat pale, Zac understood and became just a little scared. He sat down with her and put his arm around her. She quickly smothered her face in his shirt and took a deep breath.

"Hey, you okay?" He wrapped his arms more tightly around her shoulders and started stroking her hair.

Vanessa nodded into his embrace. "Dad knows, Zac."

She felt him freeze. "How?" was Zac's simple question.

"I don't know. I haven't told him yet But I'm pretty sure, he knows." Vanessa kept her face against Zac's shirt almost nuzzling herself under his arm. She felt him take a deep breath.

"We're right here together Baby. I'm not going anywhere. Even if Greg does threaten to kill me, I'm right here." Zac pulled her even tighter against him. "I'm right here for you…and for our baby." He whispered into her hair.

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Greg opened the kitchen windows under Gina's watchful eye. "The smell is bothering Vanessa." He commented with a straight face. Gina caught his eye as they began setting the table. She shook her head toward her husband but he made no gesture at all.

The minute Greg returned home after Vanessa's appointment Gina saw a difference in her husband. She immediately felt worried about their daughter and approached him carefully.

"Greg?" She saw an angry yet glazed look in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Gina became even more worried when her husband didn't answer her. He sat down in his recliner in the living room and leaned back. He closed his eyes for a minute but knew his wife was standing right beside him.

Greg finally took a deep breath. Without opening his eyes he spoke quietly. "She's pregnant."

He heard his wife suck in a similar breath. Then he heard Gina's footsteps move across the floor and assumed she had sat down on the couch. He took another breath and opened his eyes. Gina sat staring at the floor.

"No. You're wrong Greg. You're just wrong. She and Zac are too careful. They both have too much going on to let that happen right now." Gina didn't take her eyes off the floor.

"Accidents happen Gina. How many times have you told me…they're young and in love…and you're right, they are. This is just going to be another part of their relationship that we have to learn to accept." Greg sat back up in his chair but Gina still wouldn't look at him. "Gina?"

"I won't believe it until I hear it from my daughter. Anyway, if it were true, you wouldn't be sitting here so calmly. You'd be pacing the floor and threatening to kill Zachary. You're far too calm for this to be happening."

"Well, I guess that's the difference between us then. This is one scenario that's been playing out in my head since the two of them came back from Hawaii two years ago. We've encouraged them to be careful, we've nearly begged them to get married…they're both adults. We can't make decisions for them or force them into anything." Greg finally watched his wife raise her head to look at him. Her eyes held confusion and a bit of surprise.

"You mean to tell me that you'd be okay with them having a baby right now?" She asked him.

The unbelief was still in her tone. Greg knew he couldn't change that. She was a stubborn woman and he loved that about her. And when it came to her children, she believed nothing until she heard it from the girls first hand.

"I didn't say I was okay with it. I said that I've thought about this possibility for two years now. IF it is true, and I believe it is, I will expect the boy to take care of her and the baby. He's proven that he loves her, more than I expected. I respect him and expect him to make the right decisions about this situation."

Gina stood and walked over to her husband. She placed her cool hand on his forehead and looked at him quite seriously.

"I'm not sick Gina. I've just allowed myself to think about things like this. I learned two years ago with those two…if I don't try to think ahead of them then I'll end up exploding. And none of us want that."

Gina nodded at him and started to walk away. "I still think you're wrong." She said with her back turned to him.

Greg's heart pounded hard in his chest. "I hope you're right." He answered. He knew what he had witnessed. He knew what would likely happen at their Sunday brunch. But he wouldn't push that issue with his wife. It was up to Vanessa and Zac.

It was a heart-wrenching decision that Greg had had to face years before. This was now his daughter's life, not his. Much of her heart had moved from his hands into Zac's. Greg had to be able to handle this latest development more for Gina than for himself. He wouldn't let a timing issue, an 'accident' as he was thinking, overshadow the opportunity for either of them to love their first grandchild. More than anything, he wouldn't let that happen.

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Five of them gathered around the table with Stella and Zac and Greg commenting on the tasty, tempting breakfast that Gina had prepared. Stella was the first to dig in.

Amidst the passing of dishes Gina finally found the nerve to ask the question that she hoped would ease her mind. "So, Baby Girl," she directed at Vanessa, "what's new?"

Gina's oldest daughter swallowed hard and looked at her boyfriend. Zac looked back at her and smiled gently.

"Well, since you asked…" Vanessa leaned down to the side of the table and pulled an envelope from her purse that she had sitting beside her.

She handed the envelope to Gina who accepted it very cautiously. "Go ahead Mom," Vanessa encouraged. "Open it, please?"

Gina licked at her lips as she gingerly tore open the flap and pulled out the lovely note card. She was working very hard not to let her anxiousness and tears break through. As soon as she opened the card and saw the black and white image she knew one thing. Greg was right.

"What's it say?" Stella questioned.

Gina took a small breath and began to read the verse. "Roses are red…Violets are blue. Who will make a wonderful grandmother? …You."

Vanessa saw the tears in Gina's eyes. But everyone's eyes immediately shifted to Greg. Mr. Hudgens sat without a smile on his face and said nothing. Three sets of eyes were staring at that face. The stares were so intent that they didn't notice Gina as she pushed her plate away from the edge of the table and began to get up.

At the sound of Gina's chair moving Vanessa looked away from her father. "Mom?"

Gina didn't look at Vanessa. She held the card in her hand and made her way to the steps to go upstairs. "Mom?" Vanessa called again. Gina stopped for just a second but then continued making her way up to the second floor.

Vanessa looked back toward Zac who was sitting silently watching Greg. Zac had expected a raised voice from Vanessa's father. That was still a possibility. None of them, except Greg, had imagined Gina's response.

Vanessa leaned over toward Zac with tears streaming down her face. The gruff voice at the end of the table offered them an explanation. "Just give her a little time. This is unexpected."

Stella was the next to make a move. She stood and made her way around the table behind her sister. She noticed the strong grip that Zac held on Vanessa's hand. The younger Hudgens daughter knew better than to try and break that grip. So she wrapped her hands around Vanessa's neck from behind. "I'm gonna be an aunt?" she whispered into Vanessa's ear.

Through her quiet tears Vanessa nodded her head and then leaned it back against her sister's chest. Stella immediately placed a soft kiss into Vanessa's hair. She moved one hand onto Zac's shoulder while still holding onto Vanessa. "That's really cool guys. You're gonna have a beautiful baby!"

Stella's voice was still quiet but her enthusiasm helped Vanessa find the part of herself that was already in love with this baby…the part that would drown out any negative feelings from any source.

"Thanks Stella Bella." Vanessa used Zac's nickname for her sister. She turned around and let go of Zac's hand just long enough to give her sister a firm and well-deserved hug. "I love you." Vanessa added.

Stella smiled at Vanessa and Zac. "I love you guys too, all three of you!" her grin widened at the site of Zac and Vanessa's glow.

"Can I go talk to Mom?" Vanessa looked to Greg after Stella also moved from the table.

Greg shook his head. "Let me talk to her first, ok?"

Zac looked between Vanessa and Greg. He was amazed that the look on Greg's face was not one of hatred, but he certainly wasn't thrilled by the news. "Greg?" Zac dared to speak to him.

Greg acknowledged Zac with a simple glance.

"How did you know?" It was the simple question Vanessa had asked Zac…now Zac posed it to her father.

Greg stretched his muscles just a bit and thought about the chat he and Gina had had earlier in the week. "I'm not naïve. You both know that. I'm actually quite perceptive when it comes to my wife and my daughters' health and behavior."

Greg's eyes met Zac's as he worked to answer the question. Zac simply nodded at what had been said so far.

"When Vanessa walked out of the doctor's office with a bag in hand and a folder of information I knew it hadn't been a meeting about refilling birth control pills. Gina and I went through both kinds of appointments together. I just knew." Greg informed them.

"And?" Vanessa asked him.

"And?" Greg repeated. "And I simply hope this is something the two of you are ready to handle together. If you are happy about this baby, then I will find a way to be happy as well. Accident or not, I don't want to sacrifice my grandchild over decisions that aren't mine to make."

Greg got up from the table and moved to stand between Zac and Vanessa. He reached down and helped his daughter stand up from the table. "I love you. You will always be my baby." Greg spoke softly as he took Vanessa into his arms. "If this baby is meant to be, then I want all the best for you…" he pulled back from their embrace long enough to look at Zac, "…for all three of you."

Vanessa reached around her father's neck and pulled herself up to kiss his cheek. Greg could feel the tears on her face.

"Now," Greg kissed his daughter's cheek. "Let me go spend some time with your mother. You guys eat. You…" he looked directly into Vanessa's eyes, "…sit, eat what you can, and rest. I can already see this has been rough for you. Let him take care of you a little bit."

Zac nodded at Greg's words and gave a gentle smile to Vanessa. "I'm here to serve." Greg smacked Zac on the shoulder one time as he passed him on his way upstairs. Zac winced knowing that wasn't a normal pat on the back from Greg. But at the same time the young man was beaming on the inside. So far, so good, no death threats.

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Greg made his way into the bedroom quietly only to find that Gina wasn't there. He was sure she would retreat to their bedroom, and he halfway expected to find her sitting there clutching a baby picture of Vanessa.

He walked slowly around the room, looked into the attached bathroom, and then back out into the hallway. Stella had changed clothes and met her father in the hall. She smiled at him softly and pointed toward the room that used to be her sister's. "Mom's in there."

Greg smiled at his youngest and held an arm out to hug her. Stella quickly wrapped her arms around her father. "Dad, you guys wouldn't ask V to give up the baby or anything, would you?"

He looked at Stella for only a moment before answering. "That's not a decision that we can even attempt to make Princess. It's in Vanessa and Zac's hands, up to them how to handle things. It sure sounds like they want this baby and intend to keep it."

Stella nodded slowly. "Why's mom upset about it?"

"Well," Greg wasn't entirely sure how to answer. "Your mom and I are pretty old fashioned in our thoughts about being a couple and getting married and stuff."

"No way." Stella smiled at her dad as she answered sarcastically. "I would've never guessed."

Greg looked at her and shook his head. "Please don't even start on me right now. I'm close to the edge on this whole situation."

Stella nodded. "Will Mom accept this eventually?"

Greg smiled at her. "Yeah. She loves your sister, and Zac, too much."

Stella smiled. She knew her dad was right. Gina and Greg had both accepted Zac into their family, married or not. That was why Greg wasn't threatening to kill him.

Stella headed downstairs to finish her breakfast and Greg made his way into Vanessa's old room. That's where he found Gina sitting on the bed looking at a picture of their oldest daughter, with her boyfriend.

He sat down on the canopy bed and put an arm around Gina's shoulders. "For just a minute, forget there's a baby involved here." Greg watched Gina carefully as she turned her head toward him and leaned her forehead on his shoulder.

"How can I? You were right. Our baby is going to have a baby." Gina finally whispered against his shirt.

"Just try, for me, and for Vanessa. Just for a minute try not to think about the baby." Greg asked her softly.

Gina nodded giving Greg the encouragement to continue.

"For four years Vanessa and Zac have dated. For three years you have insisted that they are in love. For two years we have watched him take care of her. Even when I didn't think he should be around her…one particular situation that we won't discuss again…he has been there. Agreed?"

Gina thought for a moment and nodded. So Greg continued. "You've begged them to get married. They've told you that they have to make their own decisions. They have told you that. Not just Vanessa, not just Zac. They have adamantly told us that several times. Marriage will be on their time, not ours."

Gina nodded again but then shook her head. "But now there's another life involved."

Greg put a finger on her lips and looked into her eyes. "Don't think about the baby yet. You agreed."

Gina held back her tears. "Okay."

"Have you watched the way they care for each other, the way Zac takes care of her? He can ease her fears with just a touch. She can be mad as hell and he can talk to her on the phone and calm her down. She can be crying her eyes out and he doesn't even say a word. He just puts his arms around her and she just…she stops. Gina, no other man will ever be able to do that for her."

Gina looked at Greg and almost smiled. "I'm glad you're finally seeing that after four years. But…"

Greg stopped her again. "No buts. One question."

Gina continued looking into her husband's eyes. "With all of that in mind…who do you want to be the father of Vanessa's children?"

Without a moment's hesitation Gina answered. "Zac, of course."

"It's their timing Sweetheart, not ours. Everything we see about their love is true. I don't think they're hiding anything from us. We would choose for them to take a little different route in their timing. But the end result…I don't want another man in her life. And if that means that they have a baby now, and get married later…or even if they don't get married at all…" Gina gasped at the thought. "Honey, as long as they stay together, and their love stays strong, isn't that what matters?"

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A soft knock at the door interrupted the long silence that had followed Greg's chat with his wife. Zac's voice came through the door. "Greg, Gina? I think we're going to head home. Nessa's kind of tired. We cleared the table and Stella Bella's doing the dishes."

Zac was just a little surprised when the door opened and Greg stepped out. "Is everything ok?" Zac asked as Greg came face to face with him.

Greg nodded and looked away from Zac for a minute obviously thinking about what he wanted to say. Zac waited patiently unsure of what else he could do.

"Until now," Greg started, "I've been quite impressed at how you've taken care of Vanessa." He took another moment to take in a deep breath. "Right now, I'm still telling myself that you are going to take care of her and the baby too. I don't like the idea of a baby being born to parents who aren't married, but I know that accidents happen. And I know you and Vanessa have to make the decisions about this." Greg stopped again and was surprised when Zac's eyes narrowed and his jaw twitched just a little.

"Greg, you know I love Vanessa. I will take care of her. And I will take care of our baby. But please, don't call our child an accident. Accidents are things that happen that are bad or unwanted. That's not the case here. There is nothing accidental about our baby. This may not have been planned…we may be surprised and a little scared but I can assure you that this little one is wanted. You're right. Whether Ness and I get married…it's our decision. And having our baby, that's our decision too."

Zac let his tense features ease back to a semi-relaxed state as he continued. "But we both want you involved in our lives and in the baby's life. We have to make the decisions, but we want to know that you are there supporting us, even if you don't agree with us."

Greg and Zac both stood silently when Gina opened the door and looked at them. She stepped next to Greg but reached for Zac's hand. "My Baby is scared?" Gina asked.

Zac nodded. "Yeah. We both are. We're excited and anxious and scared to death. Gina, she really needs you." He answered honestly.

"Where is she?" Gina asked simply.

"In the kitchen waiting for me so we can go home. I just wanted to let you know that we're leaving." Zac watched Gina's eyes.

He felt a wave of relief wash over him as Gina wrapped her arms around his body. "Don't leave yet."

She released Zac and hurried past Greg into their bedroom.

Zac and Greg made their way back down the stairs. Vanessa sat timidly at the kitchen table and started to stand up when Zac rounded the corner. "Gina says not to leave yet."

Vanessa bit on her bottom lip. Zac could tell she was trying not to cry again. But instead of rushing to her side Zac allowed Greg to make his way to his daughter. "It's ok Baby Girl. We're gonna be right here with you. All of us are going to be."

She leaned in to her father's embrace but kept a watchful eye on Zac who simply stood back observing Vanessa with her father. Zac smiled and nodded at her. He stepped closer and ran his fingers through her hair while her head rested on her father's shoulder. "He's right Ness. We're all going to be here. And we will be fine."

Greg let go of Vanessa only when Gina appeared at the edge of the kitchen. Vanessa wiped tears from her eyes as she looked at her mother. Gina did the same and then smiled at her daughter.

Gina quickly pulled a burgundy handmade blanket from behind her back and presented it to Vanessa. "A peace offering?"

Vanessa's mouth dropped open at the sight of the item. "My baby blanket?"

Gina nodded. "Your grandmother made it for me when we found out we were expecting you." She sniffed, this time through happy tears.

"I didn't know you kept it." Vanessa admitted shyly.

Gina placed the item in Vanessa's hands and then held onto her daughter's hands feeling the warmth of their skin together, along with the blanket.

"I kept it…because I knew you'd want it for your first baby." Gina looked lovingly at her daughter.

Vanessa turned and handed the blanket to Zac who was doing his best to hold back his own tears. She then looked back at her mom and opened her arms. "I love you." She cried onto her mother's shoulder.

Gina returned the sentiment as she kissed Vanessa's cheeks and finally allowed her hand to make its way down to Vanessa's abdomen. "This little one is going to be very lucky." Gina reached her other hand toward Zac who stepped in and gladly welcomed her warm embrace. "She's gonna have two wonderful parents who love her, and each other very much."

Gina loosed her hold on both Zac and Vanessa and stepped back toward Greg. They watched as Zac placed his own hand on Vanessa's stomach and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "And that," Zac whispered as he kissed Vanessa's lips, "is exactly what matters most."

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