Day 14: Christmas Vacation (pt 3)

Zed's alarm went off at one thirty in the morning. He groaned, his head throbbing from how little sleep he got. Maybe if he ignored it, he wouldn't have to wake up.

"Zed," Addison whined. "Turn it off."

Zed grunted in response, turning away from her and shutting off the alarm. He sat up, much to her dismay, and stretched. No matter how tired he was, they needed to get up if they wanted to get to the hotel before midnight. Addison groaned and rolled into her back while Zed turned in their room light. Sluggishly, they went and got ready, showering and getting dressed. Zed made the two of them breakfast while Addison got their half-asleep kids ready. By two, they were out the door, the kids dozing off in the backseat of their packed car and a large mug of coffee in each of their hands.

"I'm gonna go get Bucky," Addison said.

"I'll pull up," Zed told her. She nodded and he climbed in, struggling out of his coat in the warm car. He glanced back to check on the kids but they were under a fuzzy blanket and cuddling, seatbelts on and looking too adorable for their own good.

The stacks of suitcases and snacks obstructed his rear view, leaving him to back out using the rear view camera. He pulled into his neighbor's driveway. Addison had just reached the door, and, before she could knock, it opened and Bucky stepped out, rushing to the car while Addison talked with Eliza.

Bucky pulled the door opened and plopped down next to Zander, right behind Addison's seat. "Its still dark outside," he grumbled.

"Really? I had no idea." Zed rolled his eyes, watching his wife and Eliza chat for a moment before Addison walked over to the car. Once she was in, they both waved to Eliza then pulled out, heading to the highway.

The first stop was at five am, when they were near New York City. Zed had to pee and his leg was cramping, so they left the kids with Bucky and went to grab a quick snack and take a bathroom break. The next was in Virginia, a little after ten in the morning. The kids woke up hungry and Addison figured that, after five hours of driving in almost complete silence, it was Zed's turn.

They stopped at an IHOP, all climbing out and stretching, then hurried into the warm building. Once they were inside with food, the complaining started. "How much longer is it?" Zenia whined. "I wanna see Mickey Mouse!"

"The car is really cramped," Bucky grumbled, warning a glare from Addison.

"We're halfway there," she told her kids. "And we won't go to Disney until tomorrow."

"What!"

"Why?" Zander whined.

"It'll be really late when we get to Orlando," Zed told them. "Once we get there, it's right to bed."

"that's so unfair!" Zander cried.

"It's boring in the car!"

Zed closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. He hadn't been able to sleep during his break because he was trying to sleep in a car and Bucky had complained about the lack of legroom. It wasn't Zed's fault he was tall and needed his chair far back to be comfortable but Addison had given him that look, so his put his chair halfway and dozed off with one leg up on the seat, pressed against the door and the other stretched out. Add in the bumpy road and the light morning music Addison insisted on playing while she drove. He was exhausted and now his kids were getting on his nerves.

He counted from five then opened his eyes, saying to the kids, "Just eat your breakfast for now."

"I don't want this," Zander protested, folding his arms over his chest.

"Eat it," Addison stated. "You picked it."

Zander raised his chin defiantly. "Well I don't want it anymore."

"We already bought it," Zed argued. "And you're not getting anything else. Eat it or starve."

Zander's eyes narrowed challengingly, but they all knew that, once the ultimatum was set, there was no arguing. Most of them ate in silence for another five minutes, until Addison drew her attention from her pancakes and phone and said, "Bucky, you know you're driving next, right?"

"Good, the driver's seat has a crap-ton more leg room," Bucky grumbled.

Addison rolled her eyes. "Get over yourself."

"Shut up, you have tiny legs, you don't know what it's like!"

"And you do?" Zed asked, jumping at the opportunity to defend his wife and insult Bucky.

"It's your fault that it's so cramped, Stringbean!"

"It's also my fault we're even going so why don't you sit quietly and eat your food? Huh?"

Bucky glared, but did as he was told. They finished their breakfast, took a bathroom break, then piled back into the car. Twenty minutes into the drive, Zander was complaining about being hungry. Addison handed him the togo plate that had his unfinished breakfast, which he refused to eat.

"You're not getting anything else until you eat your breakfast," Addison told him.

"But Mommy!"

"But nothing," Addison said firmly. "You heard your father: eat or starve."

Zed helped back a sigh, not needing to turn to see that Zander was going to start crying. There was still eight hours left.

Bucky drove four hours and they stopped for lunch, then Addison drove three hours, before they stopped for lunch. Zed drove the last four. The kids had been in and out of sleep since they crossed the Florida border, about an hour after they had dinner. They drove through Orlando and to the hotel, which, according to Addison, was only twenty minutes from the parks.

"Woah," Addison gasped, sitting up in her seat. They drove under a large sign of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, a welcome to Walt Disney World arching over the Highway.

Zed struggles to focus on the road and the sign, his exhaustion fading for a moment as the excitement settled. They were actually in Florida, actually going to Disney World. It was nearly midnight, yet he never felt more alive.

In the back, Bucky nudged the kids and pointed out the sign, earning a chorus of tired "wows."

Addison giggled, turning to her kids. "We're almost there. Only ten more minutes."

"Yay!" Zenia cheered. "I'm tired and Zander keeps sleeping on me."

"Uncle Bucky keeps shoving me," Zander whined.

"It's cramped!"

"Bucky!" Addison snapped.

Zed groaned, his tiny moment of happiness fading as quickly as it had come.

Addison and Zenia went and checked them in while Zed and Bucky unloaded the car onto a luggage cart. Zander tried to help, but the six year old was too tired to do much more than complain about the heat. Addison came back with the keys at the same time they finished loading up.

"Daddy," Zander mumbled, giving him big sad eyes. Zed sighed, bending down and picking up his son. Zed latched onto him, dozing off on his shoulder.

Bucky and Zed and Addison moved the cart inside and to the elevator, making sure nothing fell off. Their rooms were on the top floor, and Addison led the way. "Okay, Bucky, you're right next door," she said, handing her cousin a key. "Right. Next. Door. Have fun."

"Yeah whatever. See you in the morning."

Addison shook her head, unlocking the door and letting Zed and the kids go in first, letting the door shut behind herself.

Zed had to admit: they may not have been in a Disney hotel, but this was probably way better. Addison flicked on a light switch that illuminated the hallway with a closed door to their right, which she later explained was to Bucky's room. There was a smaller" living room" area, with a full kitchen, marble countertops, even fully stocked with snacks. Behind it was a leather sectional in front of a flat screen television, adjacent to patio doors.

They went and dropped the kids off first, in their own room with two queen sized beds and their own television, bathroom, and half kitchen. Zed got them cleaned up and dressed for bed while Addison cleaned the hotel suite, then they shut off the lights and retreated to their own room, bags in tow.

Zed stopped in the doorway, eyes wide, mouth hanging open. "Holy shit," he muttered.

There was double king sized bed (they definitely didn't need that much space), decorated with luxurious velvet pillows and blankets. There was a small sofa along the wall, a love seat next to it, and their own personal flat screen. The wall behind their bed was lined with mirrors, which continued to the bathroom. There was a jacuzzi surrounded by mirrors, a glass-walled double shower, and so much space everywhere.

Zed looked down at his wife and said, "I think I'm in heaven."

Addison laughed. "You can't be in heaven if you're already dead, Babe."

"Addy…" he looked back at the room, then to her. "Fuck. You'll never get me out of this city." He ran into the room and jumped on the bed, making her giggle. "I love Orlando!"