Wake Up Zachy: A One-Shot Series

Chapter 50

A Cliché Christmas

Background: No spies.

Cammie's POV

"Fa, la la la la, la la, la laaaaaaa!"

"Tell me again why we are doing this?" I grumbled to Macey while we walked towards the next house.

Macey made a slight tsk noise through her teeth, and turned to face me, "Because most people, Cameron, enjoy the Christmas season, which includes having carolers on their doorsteps on Christmas Eve."

"Most people," I started, mimicking my little-miss-perfect friend, "hate Roseville's stupid tradition of carolers going to everyone's houses on Christmas Eve."

Macey just shook her head at me as we approached the next victim's driveway.

"If Bex was here, she would so be on my side about this." I stated, ignoring the fact that was probably the lamest thing I could have said.

"No she wouldn't have, and you know it. Bex would wholeheartedly agree that you have been scrooge for way to long." Macey told me.

I grumbled under my breath, and stopped at the pathway leading up to the front door of our next house.

"Come on Cam," Macey said, gesturing for me to follow her up the path, "this is our last house. Plus, if Mrs. Goode can't make you feel a little bit better about Christmas, I don't know who can." And with that she turned on her heel, leaving me struggling to catch up.

"Where's Liz again?" I asked Macey as we waited for someone to come to the door.

"She's off doing some extra credit assignment with Jonas, remember? That girl is crushing so hard on him, and the poor boy is clueless!" Macey's voice faded from my ears as the door swung open and I looked into a pair of the angriest green eyes I have ever seen.

I blinked several times, my eyes roaming up and down the body of the boy in front of me. His tall frame was finished off nicely with a pair of broad shoulders and defined muscles, his shirt strained at his stomach leaving little to your imagination, and his hair was a messy mop of black that looked like he just rolled out of bed, in a good way. Lastly, I looked up into those gorgeous green eyes and almost shivered from the intense gaze he was giving me.

He turned around, calling down the hall for his mother and I watched as he disappeared around a corner, leaving us standing here in the cold.

Mrs. Goode came rushing towards us, waving her hands frantically, "I'm so sorry girls. I almost completely forgot. I mean, we didn't find out Zach was coming back until he was here this morning and . . . oh enough babbling. Come in, come in. We have so much to do. I'm so excited! Are you girls excited?"

I cringed at her eagerness and shot a look to Macey, but she was already following Mrs. Goode down the hallway.

"Dear God, someone help me," I muttered, closing the door and following after the two.

Once we were settled on the coach in the Goode's study with a tray of gingerbread cookies, Mrs. Goode started talking about all the cliché Christmas tradition we would be doing over the next two days, by Macey's request.

I let my eyes wonder to Zach as she talked about building a ginger bread house and decorating the Christmas tree with Candy Canes. He was sitting by the fire, two headphones shoved in his ear, his head bobbing up and down slightly with the music. The last time I saw him, he was barely twelve. He wanted to get away from this town so badly. I never even really understood why.

I tuned back in just as Mrs. Goode said, "So, we will be trying to fit in some of the best Christmas clichés by the end of tomorrow."

'Mrs. Goode," I started, setting my half-eaten cookie back down on the plate, "You really don't have to do that for me. Enjoy Christmas with you family, I mean Zach just got back and I'm sure you want to catch up with him."

She gave me a tight smile, "Nonsense. I'll have time to spend with Zach afterwards if he doesn't change his mind about staying here his entire break. And it's Christmas, dear. I think everyone should enjoy this holiday. I'm very much excited to help you, sweetie."

I smiled slightly but argued back anyway, "No, I really can't ask you to do this. You need to spend time with your husband, that's what the holidays are for. I can't take away this time from you."

"I'll do it," Zach's husky voice spoke from my left, effectively cutting off our argument. Mrs. Goode looked like she wanted to argue, but thought better than to upset her temperamental son.

Besides, neither of us really got a say in the matter as Zach was on his feet, snatching the paper his mom had been waving around in one and hand, and my arm with the other, dragging me out of his house.

"Is this really necessary?" I asked, wrapping my glove clad hand around the ring, and following Zach up the ladder.

"It's the first thing on the list." Zach offered as explanation as he stuck his hand out, pulling me up onto the roof.

Once we reached the top, I shivered at the cold, wrapping my arms around myself. Zach pulled off his black leather jacket, dropping it lightly on my shoulders before turning to the light up Santa and reindeer placed in a pile next to us.

I watched as he started to work, his thin tee-shirt hugging his muscled back. I let my eyes wonder down to his jean clad hips. They hugged him perfectly, wrapping nicely around him, travel down his long legs to his feet which were covered by big work boots. My eyes followed his hand as he ran it through his black hair, messing it up in all the right places.

He turned back to face me and I quickly shot my eyes up to his face, a small blush heating up my cheeks.

"You going to help or not?" he asked, raising one of his perfect eyebrows up, a smirk lining his face as he watched me stutter over my answer, a laugh wrapping me in warmth and almost forgetting the snow that surrounded us.

"What's next on the list?" I asked, as we came in from the cold, stomping our shoes on the matt inside my front door.

"Um," he started, pulling the list from his pocket and reading off from the beginning, "So, we decorated your roof, which was the first one. Next is ice skating in the town common, and then baking cookies."

"Okay," I said, turning to head up to my room, "Let me just grab a winter jacket."

I heard him laughing as I walked up the stairs before he called up to me, "What you don't want to wear mine?"

I laughed, turning back to face the kitchen, chucking his jacket as far as I could throw it, which wasn't very far considering it landed on the floor about 4 feet from where I was standing, which just made him laugh harder.

I let out a frustrated sigh, and turned back to my room, ignoring the loud sounds of his laughter that echoed down the hall.

I smiled slightly as I watched Zach finish tying up the laces of his skates.

He grabbed my hand, pulling my up, and placed his hands on my arms as I swayed lightly.

"I haven't skated in years," I told Zach, as we glided across the frozen water.

"When was the last time you went?" he asked lightly, his hand warm in mine as he directed us around the outdoor rink.

"Um," I turned to face him, but his eyes were glued ahead of us, his jaw set tight in concentration as he worked to keep his both up right. "Before my dad passed . . ."

He didn't say anything as he pulled us towards the bench where we first got on the ice.

I pulled the laces slowly, slipping on my shoes before shoving my hands into my gloves and blowing a warm breath over them. Zach shoved his deep into his pockets as he stood up, heading out of the small area.

As I caught up to him, he say said two words that somehow managed to make me feel less alone during this time than any other Christmas for the past 10 years. "Me too."

"Okay," Zach said, as I snuggled up into a blanket sitting on the kitchen counter. "Next is baking cookies."

I watched as Zach pulled out ingredients, lining them up the granite beside me.

I helped him, mixing in the different items, the dough swirling in the mixer and the oven humming as it warmed up.

"So," Zach said after he put the first pan of dough into the oven, "Are you having fun."

"Mmm-hmm," I answered distracted by cut-the-rope which I had been playing on my phone.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yup." I answered, moving sideways as if that would help change the course of the candy on my phone. "Darn." I said, as the piece of candy fell off the screen and a flashing sign came up saying Game Over.

Zach chuckled and I felt a wet blob of something land on my face.

I froze in shock, slowly turning towards the dark haired culprit. "You did not just do what I think you did." I said slowly, placing my phone down on the counter.

"I think I did," he said, his famous smirk planted on his lips.

"Oh, it is so on." And with that, I made a dive for the mixer.

Zach grabbed the flower, grabbing a hand full and dumping it in my hair as I twisted the mixing bowl out of the mixer. I gasped in shock, throwing a clump of sticky dough towards him and laughing as it slid down his shirt, leaving a line of wet flower, sugar, and eggs.

He sent me a playful glare, and I smiled sheepishly, running for shelter on the other side of the island.

I hoped up and threw the mixture at him, running around and screaming until I ran out.

"Out of dough, Sweetheart?" he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Yes," I said slowly, backing up until the counter behind me.

He smirked walking closer, one hand behind his back and the other running through his messy hair.

I gulped as his hands caged me in, and I was trapped against the cool cabinets behind me. "I guess you'll have to surrender," he said, leaning in close to whisper it in my ear.

I closed my eyes tight, taking short breaths as my heart rate sped up and it took me a minute to finally get out a response, "Never." It left my throat in a breathy gasp and his smirk just grew.

"That didn't sound very convincing," he told me, his head moving to snuggle into the crook of my neck, placing a soft kiss there. "Come on, buttercup, you'll have to give in sometime."

I could only manage to shake my head, bumping mine into his slightly.

My sense were in overdrive but all I could feel was his breath on my skin, his hands pressing lightly into my sides, and the erratic beating of my heart. His sent consumed me, the sweet smell of sugar and a slightly mix of sweat. It was intoxicating and I could have stayed her, smelling it over and over again all day long, even with my beating heart.

His eyes meet mine, and a small smile graced his lips, "You have a little something," he told me, leaning in closer to my face as if inspecting it.

I blushed, insecurities taking control of my mind, "Where?" I asked, reaching a hand up to wipe at my face.

He just chuckled, wrapping his finger around my wrist and entwining our fingers. "I'll get it," he whispered against my skin, a shiver creeping up my back as I stared into his green eyes, his face slowly inching closer.

I could feel his breath against my lips and just as I was about to close my eyes and succumb to my feelings, a voice cleared there throat from behind us and I heard my mom's distinct voice saying, "What is this?"

"Alright," Zach said, coming out of my bathroom rubbing a towel through his hair, "next is snowball fight."

"Really?" I asked, setting down the comb I had been using to brush the tangles out of my wet blonde hair.

"Yeah. Although, since we did that whole little food fight, I think we can substitute it. Plus its getting late anyway, and I think we should start the fifth thing."

I raised one eye brow at him, "And what would that be?"

"Christmas movie marathon," he answered with a smirk.

"Oh dear," I groaned, "Someone please save me from this torture. Zach laughed as I felt to my knees, raising my hands toward the sky for added emphasize.

"Come on drama queen, get into your sleeping stuff and then into bed, I'll go get the stuff my mom gave me."

Zach came back less than 10 minutes late, his arms filled with two bowls of popcorn, two hot chocolates, and a bad full of DVDs.

After he started the first movie, he pulled off his shirt, leaving him only in sweatpants, before pulling back the covers and getting into my bed.

He placed one bowl of popcorn in between us, and handed me a hot coca, before grabbing his own.

"Ready?" he asked, looking into my eyes.

I waited for a moment, taking in his green orbs and the specks of gold within them, watching as the light from the TV flickered and reflected from them in the dark light of my room, before I answered him with a slightly nod of my head and he turned to the TV, leaving me staring at the side of his face.

Tears rained down my face after we watched The Christmas Shoes and Zach bit his lip to keep from laughing at me.

"5 movies ago you didn't even want to watch Christmas movies, and now you can't stop bawling." He told me, after I snapped at him for the incredulous look he had been giving me.

"Well, it was emotional movie! How could you not cry out that?" I answered, waving my hands around like a true Italian.

He chuckled lightly, grabbing my wrists before plastering on a fake serious look on his face after I glared at him. "Don't worry," he said quietly after a few seconds. I waited in silence for him to continue, starring at the light on the ceiling coming from the TV which was muted but not turned off. "I thought it was very cute that you cried."

I smiled slightly, turning to him, but he was facing away from me reaching for his phone which he had placed on the nightstand earlier when he plugged it in to charge.

I settled into the covers as he turned off the TV, the only light coming from his iPhone. My eyes drifted close and just as sleep was about to take over my body, lips gently pressed into my forehead, and Zach's warm breath whispered "Merry Christmas," before I was consumed by darkness.

I woke up to my mom yelling "Breakfast" from downstairs.

My head was resting on Zach's very shirtless chest, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist.

He got up, stretching out his arms before smiling at me, "Ready for the last thing?"

I raised an eyebrow it him from my spot on the bed, "Christmas Breakfast in your PJs."

I almost laughed at the fact that he would have to eat shirtless but that smile he was giving me blocked my mind from any other thoughts.

I sat down next to Zach at the table, taking in the small wrapped box in front of me.

"Alright everyone, open your presents!" I smiled at my mom's excited voice before unwrapping my gift slowly. I smiled, a few tears coming out of my eyes at the sight. I jumped up, wrapping my arms around my mother's neck.

"Thank you for the necklace, it's beautiful mom."

"You're welcome Cammie." I smiled at her, sitting back down in my seat. "And Zach, I'm sorry about your gift, but Macey told me it would be your mother coming, so I had to improvise and well . . ." I laughed as I looked over at Zach and the new socks he had just gotten. But he didn't look as if he minded. He just smiled at me, a smile for once and not a smirk. His face was just so happy, I don't even think scrooge could have gave him a frown in return. So, I let the corners off my mouth turn up into a smile, and for the first time in a long time, I let myself remember the good times that came with Christmas.

"Thank you Zach," I told him later when we were in my room cleaning up.

He smiled wrapping his arms around me in a hug. "It was no problem. I had a good time."

"Good," I told him, planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Can we hang out again sometime soon, Cammie?" he asked, that smile still stretched onto his face, although I could see a hint of nerves twinkling in his eyes.

"Definitely." I answered, giving him a glance of my own smile.

"So, I guess I should get home. Spend some time with my family." I nodded at him. He kept his arms around me though, and we just stayed their hugging, neither of us making any move to leave that spot we were in. "Cam," he said quietly, pulling his upper body slightly away so he could look into my eyes, "there's one last thing we have to do."

I gave him a confused look, "I thought you said the last thing was breakfast?"

He smiled at me, "I did. It is. But, I think we should add one more thing. Then it will be 7 things, and 7 things represent perfectness, right?"

I nodded at him, although my confused face didn't leave, "So what will the 7th thing be?"

He smiled, moving closer to me, "To kiss someone under the mistletoe." I watched his face as he looked up above us, and tilted my head to see mistletoe hanging above us on the ceiling.

I looked back into his eyes, and he lightly pressed his lips to mine. It wasn't long, barely even a second, but it was the best kiss I had ever gotten.

"Thanks for reminding me that Christmas was fun. I haven't . . . it hasn't been the same since my dad . . ." I trailed off, and he nodded in understanding.

"I know how you feel, Cam." He told me, and I remember that it wasn't just me that lost a father all those years ago.

"You made me realize that all these years I've hated Christmas, my dad . . . he would have wanted me to enjoy it, to live life to the fullest." Zach kissed away the tears the rolled down my face, hugging me tighter.

"He would have been so proud of you Cammie." I closed my eyes, pulling Zach closer to me.

"They would have been so proud of us." I said quietly, not looking up to meet his eyes.

He put his finger to my chin, tilting my head so my eyes were forced to look into his, "we both needed this," he said.

I nodded at him and as his lips pressed lightly to my forehead.

"Here," he said just before he left. He handed me a post it note, and smiled, "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay. Bye Zach." I heard him say goodbye as I looked down at the note in my hand, his mom's perfect hand writing altered by Zach's.

A Cliché Christmas

1. Decorate the Roof

2. Ice Skating in the Town Common

Cookies

4. SnowballFood Fight

5. Christmas Movie Marathon

6. Christmas Breakfast in PJs

7. Kiss Under the Mistletoe

A/N: Merry Christmas!

I hope you don't mind that this is the 50th chapter, I worked really hard on it, and I think it works fine.

I hope you all enjoy your holidays and let me know what you thought about this. This one-shot means a lot to me and I love the idea. I'm actually giving it to my grandmother as a Christmas present because she loves my writing. So Merry Christmas again!

Bye!

-Love, Katie