Hello my readers. I planned for two more, maximum three more complete one shots in the dark. But then a review (shoutout to review by Nikkii13) asked what Hybrid would have been like from Zed's perspective. I've never done dual perspectives before but I've always loved it from afar. I just know it's very hard to do well, to keep separate but symmetrical.

So I tried it and I hope you like it. And I went overboard by about a 2k words. So I'm dropping it here, because it was fun for me to experiment with. I still have two other one shots planned before I wrap this collection up.

Enjoy!

~SL

...

Addison asked for some air, for just a few minutes. She said she was so excited, that she just wanted to breathe for a minute.

That was 35 minutes ago. Zeds thoughts were starting to race, and he could almost feel his heart trying to beat. It wasn't as foreign a feeling as when he first saw Addison, the first day of school. Even behind the iron fence, a hard symbol of their separation, Zed couldn't deny how the sun bounced off her hair, attracting every light loving piece of him.

"And that was just the wig." Zed thought, his own fingers combing thru his hair. Zed knew he had to ask around, without arousing suspicion. Sure, Addison's parents and most of Seabrook came from the block party, but he didn't doubt that if the mayors and police commander's daughter came up missing, all the old prejudices about zombies would come slamming back down. And Zoey could lose puppy, which absolutely was not going to happen.

Zed purposefully took deep breaths. Calm, cool, collected- all the things he absolutely did not feel right now. Zed jumped up to Eliza in her booth, thankfully no one else was in it. He took a second to appreciate his friend, she had to overcome so much more than the living and here she was, mixing and making a light show for them. If she wouldn't bite his hand off, he'd pat her on the head.

"Have you seen Addison?" Eliza stopped her swaying, slamming a few buttons to lock in the choices, and took off her orange glasses.

"Excuse me Zed. You know during mashes sometimes I listen to the music too loud. Did you just ask me where Addison was? The Addison whose parents are standing right in ZombieTown right now. The parents who can pull the plug on our entire way of living, permanently. The Addison that started all this with you. That Addison is missing?" Eliza poked her finger into Zeds chest with each point.

Zed tripped over his words. "She's not- not entirely- in fact, hmm. You know- umm. I think I know where she went. I was just asking if you had seen her." Zed crossed his arms, trying to stay cool.

Eliza looked over him, raising a single eyebrow. "Mmm. Look Zed, if she is missing, you got to find her, now." She pointed down the ladder. "I'll keep the party going as long as I can. You got maybe an hour more, tops."

Zed jumped down, saluting her. "On it." He climbed around the bodies on the dance floor, looking for his white-haired cheerleader. He looked in every corner of every piece of the warehouse but couldn't find her. Finally he spotted Bonzo, predictably dancing with Bree. Rascal, found his own cheerleader. Zed danced close to them, where he elbowed him lightly in the back, getting his attention.

"Za?"

"Have you seen Addison?"

"Diza gre jahnook?" Bonzo stopped dancing, turning to face Zed, his hands on his shoulders. Bree stepped behind them, her arm around Bonzo's waist.

"Zed! What's wrong, where's Addison?" Her bright smile wide.

Zed pulled on their arms, moving them to the wall.

"She went to get air almost an hour ago, and I can't find her. Eliza is covering for me, but I'm starting to freak out." Zed sighed. "It's all my fault."

"Gruz zah dar bahzon." Bonzo said.

"That's a good point. Have you tried looking upstairs? She's a highflyer, that's where she feels safe if she's not with you."

"Bree, no one goes upstairs, it's not safe. Not even for us." Zed tilted his head back, his thoughts starting to turn terrifying. Sure, most zombies were happy at the integration. Not all. Just like most wore their zbands the right way, just not all. And the zombies were happy to hide them from the Zforce inspections- but a young white-haired living human was not what they needed. Zed wondered if maybe he took off his Zband, his zombie self could find her? Maybe his zombie would be able to find her and protect her. He knew that side of him loved her too, was protective. Zed started trying to wiggle his zband, ignoring the sharp zings piercing his nerves.

Zed heard a cough behind him, expecting Eliza to start again. He turned around to see Kitty and Dale, Addison's parents.

"Zed, this has been so fun, I think it's time for the Fairchild family to go home." Dale extended his hand to shake Zeds, who did it on autopilot.

"Home to celebrate what an amazing party you zombie type threw." Kitty added. "Where's Addison?" her face was tight with worry, Zed only recognized because his was the same. He took a deep breath, ready to accept the consequences, and the help. As long as it meant Addison was safe.

"I can't-"Zed began.

"I can't believe where the time went!" Bree took over, stepping between Zed and Addison's parents, grabbing their arms. "Addison went to get something to drink, and asked Zed to keep me company. You know how I am, still afraid they are going to eat my brains." Bree flipped her hair, pointing at Zed to go up. Zed turned to Bonzo, mouthing a thank you in Zombie. Bonzo gave him a thumbs up, keeping his distance from Bree.

With every step Zed took to the loft above the light garden, his heart sank. What if she was hurt? What if she was bleeding? What if she fell? What if she met with one of the not so nice zombies? He reached the top, looking around. He was blessed when he saw a pile of limbs and white hair, perfectly resting in a deep sleep. And just like that, all his fear was gone. Thankfully, it was empty, except for his cheerleader. He just watched her, her breathing slow and even. He bent down, pulling her towards him.

"Come on, time to get you home." Zed whispered to her, bundling her in his arms. Her arms went around his neck, hugging him.

"I am home." She whispered snuggling back into him.

He smiled. Maybe one day, they could have a home together. But for now, he had pushed his luck enough. He kissed her forehead gently, taking the stairs slow. When he entered the light garden, he stopped as the memories flooded. He wanted to kiss her so bad, and yet fear of being caught stopped him. Both of their fears prevented so much, but no more. He couldn't wait to bring her here again, without her wig, without his curfew, and kiss her the way he desired to. He looked at her face and stopped.

Grey. Her skin. He sat down, laying her down across his lap. Her arms, her legs, grey. Her eyes were slightly red rimmed.

"Oh no, oh no, no, no. This is not happening." Zed tried to see if she had been bitten and found nothing. What was happening. He heard a mix of steps coming up towards him, he pulled Addison closer. Addison's parents came with Bree, Bonzo, and Eliza.

"Zed, you need to give us our daughter, now." Dale extended his hands. Missy walked closer.

"No. What is happening to her?" Zed's voice became gravely, his zband increasing its pulses trying to calm him.

"Give her to us, we need to take her home." Missy pointed to Dale. "Now Zed."

"No." Zed's command, once again, came out more raspy and haunted. He took a deep breath, absorbing the shocks. "You don't look worried about the fact that Addison looks like us. Why?"

"Zed. You cannot possibly understand what is going on. We are going to take Addison home. Right now." Dale ordered, Missy nodded her head in agreement. It didn't take Zed anytime to see the threat in their eyes. But he knew it was empty.

"I can't let you do that. I'm going to take her to my house. You can come, but I doubt you're going to be able to carry her thru all the people downstairs without someone noticing she's a little off Seabrook perfect pale pink." Zed knew he shouldn't threaten the mayor, and he shouldn't threaten the Zforce commander, but he was scared. And his only thought was protecting Addison. Eliza dropped her head, Bonzo covered his ears.

The air was tense as Missy and Dale weight their options.

"Fine." Missy said finally. Zed stood up, cracking his neck, walking with Addison a different way.

"We can go the back way to my house, less risk to Addison." Zed said, his zband still pushing electricity towards him at a rate he never experienced. Eliza ran up to him.

"Graz zu breski za zugas gan bron?" Eliza asked in zombie tongue.

"Ra zebru." Zed replied. He knew taking them thru escape passages was risky. But it felt like all Zed did anymore was take risks, so what was one more.

They arrived at Zeds house where he knocked, letting his dad know what was going on. Zed brought Addison up to his room, much to Zoey's delight. Thankfully, his dad made him clean it before he went to school today, so it was clean. He laid Addison in his bed, smiling at how small she appeared in it. He closed the door and went downstairs, where his dad, Zevon, was organizing Missy and Dale for the night. Zoey was smiling at them, which you could tell was making Missy uncomfortable.

"Well, I guess, we'll be back in the morning." Eliza turned, grabbing Bonzo.

"Goodnight. I'll cover for Addison tomorrow at school." Bree turned, a grimace on her face.

"Thank you Bree." Dale said, watching as the door closed.

"Zoey, would you mind pulling your sheets off your and Zanders bed for Addison's parents have place to sleep." Zoey skipped off.

"Now you see here-" Dale started.

"My boy, once again, is risking everything for your daughter. Our safety, our home, his safety, his sisters. I would like to think, parent to parent, you could understand for one evening, how much he has put on the line for your daughter." Zevon stood tall, his anger playing across his carefully controlled face.

"Addison risked her life for your son." Missy's eyes were filled with tears. "Don't you understand, she risked her entire life."

"She risked the life you planned for her." Zed said quietly, pulling up his sleeve, showing a mesh of red scarred flesh. "I risked the life I have for her." He turned around, walking up the stairs. "Thank you dad."

"And where do you think you're going young man?" Dale stood, marching to Zed. Zevon walked to him, his arm extended in front of him.

"I'm going to be in my room. I plan to sit in my reading chair all night in case Addison wakes up and is afraid." With that, Zed quietly walked up the stairs, went into his bedroom, and turned out the lights. He didn't need much, so he grabbed the spare blanket and focused on watching Addison's breathing. It was slower. He focused in on her heartbeat, one, two. That was slower too. He didn't realize his eyes even closed.

He heard Addison move and his eyes shot open. Checking his zband he realized he had slept thru the night, and so had Addison. He jumped up, crashing his lamp in the process before climbing on his bed. Very carefully he wrapped her hands in his, kissing the top gently.

"Gru zanga?" Addison said. Zed pulled her close, her skin didn't warm him.

Zed's door opened to Missy, Dale, and his dad with Zoey in his arms, looking relieved. Zed put his chin on her head, resting her against his body in a hug before letting her lie down. He looked at Addison's parents, waiting for them to start.

"No one was able to find you after the block party was over." Zed's dad began, trying to give Addison's parents time.

"Zed found you upstairs over the light garden. We don't even go up there, it's not safe." Zoey's face scrunched up, Zed could imagine her finger wagging in disappointment.

"Can we have a minute to talk to our daughter?" Dale asked. Zed felt his eyes roll.

"What's going on?" Addison tried to rock back on her elbows, failing. Zed started to rub his thumb over Addison's fingers.

"I think we are past secrets at this point." Zed lifted Addison's arm with his, letting her see the contrast that was no longer there. Zed watched with pain as Addison realized something was wrong. She pulled her hand out of his, studying her arm.

"Mom? Dad?" Zed tried to grab her hand again, her body trembling. He crawled under the covers, pulling her against him, bumping her chin with his finger to get her attention. Addison looked up at him.

"It's going to be okay Addison." Zed tossed her an easy smile, with Addison took in, resting her forehead against his.

"We haven't been entirely truthful about your hair." Addison's dad finally offered.

"Or hospital visits." Addison's mom let her head fall forward. Addison let out a trembled breath. "You remember the story of grandpa being bitten during the outbreak?"

"It's all you talk about when you hear 'zombies'." Addison's back stiffened, anger returning. Zed slowly rubbed his hand up and down her back, trying to keep her calm.

"Something happened, the scientists don't understand it, that much is true. He was only slightly infected, and it jumped a generation, and well- surprise." Dale walked over to the side away from Zed. He offered his hands, which Addison just stared at. "We do not and have never loved you any less because of your affliction. At the time we just wanted to find a way to make it so you didn't have to grow up away from us, but that's all different now." Zed couldn't keep the scoff out of his body, affliction. Perfectionism was the only affliction her parents had given her. Dale tried to lean down, scooping Addison in a hug, she didn't move.

"Is that why you're all about changing the laws now?" Zed leveled his eyes at Addison's parents, who both looked ashamed. Addison scrambled to pull her hair in front of her eyes. It was still beautifully start white. Zed stroked the strand, reminding her how lovely it was.

"You're not a full zombie, but you're not exactly fully alive." Missy said, Zed tried to imagine Addison with green hair. "At night we slip a zband on your wrist, and take it off before you wake up. It keeps you fully alive. Just a little, not too much. It took years of trying to find the perfect balance." Zed couldn't believe it. Imaging Addison as a young kid, being subjected to different levels of the zband while she was trying to sleep. HE felt his zband respond to his anger, his fists clenching beneath the blankets. Couldn't her parents just accept how wonderful she was without help?

"How long were you going to keep that up?" Addison's voice was hard, cold.

"Addison-"her father began.

Addison held up a finger to silence. "How long?" Her words were precise.

"As long as we could, forever, if we needed." Zed was surprised Missy was being so forthcoming. Maybe she wasn't a total loss and took some responsibility for everything they put Addison thru. Maybe one day, Zed could even forgive her.

"Addison, you're more than welcome to stay in our home while we sort thru everything." Zed's dad offered, leaving with Zoey to get her breakfast.

"Dad for the win." Zed thought.

"Thank you. I don't know if I'll be welcome back in Seabrook right now. What happens if I don't wear the zband nightly?" Addison asked, and Zed couldn't help but focus on the answer. Would his cheerleader become his zombie cheerleader? Could they share brain ice cream together?

"This is you. This is what you look like, your heart beats- just very slow. You don't need brains, you're perfect Addison and we were always so happy for you." Missy walked over to Dale, grabbing his hand for strength. Zed could feel his zband vibrating, he was so angry, so upset. He didn't risk talking, not sure what his voice would sound like. Addison rubbed his arm, trying to calm him.

"As long as I was hidden enough to not cause a loss for any election. I wish I could believe that, but after 15 years of being convinced I was the problem, I think it's going to take some time to see. I think you should go now. I'm safe, the laws still aren't changed yet, and you're in zombieland." It broke Zed's heart to hear her voice crack, tears breaking thru her discovery. Zed watched as Missy and Dale left the room, respecting, likely for the first time, their daughters decision. Maybe he could eventually forgive them both. He kissed her blanket covered heart once before standing up to walk Addison's parents out of his home. Following them down the stairs, he opened the door. He saw Dale wanted to say something, probably some misguided words about Addison and sex. Zed took over.

"I'm not going to hurt her. I'm not going to take advantage of her. I'm going to love her, I am going to heal her, and I am, for probably the first time in her life, respect her feelings and let her lead. I think we both know she's not going to wear a zband anytime soon, if ever. You work on changing the laws, I'll work on her heart." Zed closed his eyes, thinking of the long road ahead. When his mom died, his heart shattered. But it wasn't her fault, it wasn't anyone's. Addison's heart was broken by her mother still being alive, and he didn't know the first way to heal that. Missy pulled Zed into a hug.

"I am so very sorry Zed." She squeezed him slightly. Zed stood there, accepting the hug, but not returning it. She let go, and Zed went back to the door.

"I hope so." Zed said, closing the door on them. Zed smelled brains for breakfast, and possibly bacon. He popped in the kitchen really quick, seeing his nose was right. Zoey was at the table with puppy, puppy stealing bacon from his plate and Zoey trying to stab her brains with a fork. Zed's dad handed him a plate with toast and bacon.

"It's been a long time since I cooked that, so if she doesn't eat it I'm not offended." Zevon smiled. "I'm proud of you son. No matter what happens." Zevon turned around,

"Do you think we are going to be punished for today?" Zed asked, letting his fear come forward.

"If it does, we'll overcome it." Zevon looked at the picture of his late wife, hanging in their kitchen and drawing Zeds attention. "We always do. Go, check on Addison." Zed took the stairs two at time. For a moment, enjoying the idea that Addison was staying in his house in his room. He then realized that girl was in a giant shuddering blanket ball in the middle of his bed. He put the plate on his desk and watched as she lifted the blankets. She quickly shut the small peephole, her crying becoming louder. He lifted the covers and crawled in next to her. She wrapped an arm under her and around her waist, simply holding her.

"Are you going ot break up with me?" Addison's voice was cracked with sobs. Zed's face was shocked. He lifted her up and spun her around, turning her face to him, wiping her tears with his thumb.

"You are still the most beautiful human I've ever seen, living of dead. You are so special and unique more so than anyone on this planet. I can't believe you still want to be with this undead guy. I'm just a quarterback but you, my cheerleader are a bridge between the living and the undead." Zed let a wink seal his words, hoping the intensity he felt with them didn't overwhelm her. He needed to convince her that she was his if she wanted to be. That he loved her, wig or white hair, pale skin or undead skin. Hearing her giggle at his antics felt reassuring. He thought he should share some emotions too. "I was terrified. I thought the worst, I thought worse than the worse. I created worse thoughts than I have ever in my life. Before I found you, I was losing it." Zed squeezed her tight, Addison let out a small squeak. "I may have even tried to rip off my band, thinking my zombie self could find you."

Addison buried his face in his chest and Zed felt the love coming off of her in waves. "Don't you ever even think of doing that. I was fine. I Think I was just overwhelmed by all the good news, all the change. Seems so far away now." Addison breathed deep and Zed smiled, feeling her toes wiggle. Maybe her being part zombie could be a wonderful thing. They do have a great sense of smell.

Zed stroked her hair, enjoying her closeness. "When are you going to understand I would do anything for you Addison?" he let out a deep breath to show her. "I only breathe for you, my heart beats for you, I became human for you." Zed kissed the top of her head, remembering the feeling of being electrocute every step. Not fun. Zed tiled his head as Addison started laughing. Not exactly the reaction he was looking for, but he'd take it. She lifted up, laying a small peck of a kiss on his lips. He smiled, he'd take that too.

"None of that anymore, you just be you. I'm in love with that person. And I hope you can be patient as I figure out what type of person I am." Addison whispered.

Zed shook his head. HE squeezed her hand, his lips crushing onto hers with all the promises of love he had within him. "I already know who you are. You're my cheerleader."

"Do you think your dad minds if I stay slightly longer than expected? I don't want to face anyone right now." Addison's voice was timid, but Zed couldn't help but smirk. He heard Zoey's ninja footsteps as she tried to hide that she was listening to them. His door burst open a minute later, Zoey handspringing onto the bed between them.

"Yay! Addison is S-T-A-Y-I-N-G!" Zoey jumped up and down, cheering her heart out, and it took everything in Zed not to join her. "Come Puppy, we have to get the cookies!" Zoey back flipped off of Zeds bed, running out door. Zed and Addison broke down into laughter. Hold her close, Zed kissed her lips, her cheeks, her chin, her eyelashes. He rained kisses all over her face, loving to see some lightness return to her new grey features. He knew she had a long road ahead, with herself, with her family, with the two worlds she had to make her own. He was just grateful for the chance to walk it with her, and he planned on spending every minute showing her just how much.