The drive to Containment was awkward.

"Adds, you know you don't have to drive me there," Zed said. "Just drop me off. Zoey or Pops can come get me later."

"Zed, you are my husband now. You never let me go before, but now I have to."

"False. You can stay at home where you are safe."

"And what kind of wife would I be if I let you go through a checkup without me?"

"One that does what her husband asks?" he muttered.

"What's that?" she asked with a snip in her voice.

"Nothing, dear," he replied with a little more snip than he intended.

Addison sighed. "Look, I don't want to fight about this. Today is hard enough. I just love you so much and I want to be there for you. Is that so wrong?"

"Wrong? No. Crazy? Maybe a little." He smiled back at her. "But then again, you are the crazy woman that married a Zombie, so I guess we can go from there."

She nudged him with her elbow and giggled.

Finally, they pulled into the parking lot. Addison got out of the car with Zed.

"Are you seriously coming in?" he asked.

"Well, I'm not going to sit in the car the whole time," Addison replied, pushing the intercom button.

"Can I help you?" a voice answered.

Zed cut in front of her. "Yeah, I'm Zed Necrodopolous. I'm here for my 2-year checkup."

"Come on in." The door buzzed and the couple entered.

Just as they entered, Addison's phone beeped. "Ooh, let me answer this text from Bree. I'll be one second."

Zed took that moment to hurry the Containment employee to the exam rooms. When Addison turned back, they were gone.

"Game on, Necrodopolous," she grumbled.

She approached the desk where the tech had just returned.

"Hi there!" she said brightly. "I'll need to get back there too."

"Sorry, only family can go back."

"Zed is my husband."

"Your husband?"

Addison tried to keep her emotions in check. "Yep, just got back from our honeymoon a few days ago."

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"Look, are you new here?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I thought so. I know just about everyone here because my father is Chief Donnelly." She pulled out her driver's license, still bearing the name Addison Donnelly since she hadn't been to get her name legally changed yet.

"Oh," he replied nervously.

"Now, I would hate to have to call him. So, can I please just go see my husband?"

"I guess if you're married, it's ok."

He opened the door and led her back to the exam room that Zed was in.

"Here you go," he said.

"Thank you… I didn't catch your name."

"Bill, ma'am."

"Well, thank you, Bill."

Addison opened the door and casually sat in the chair across from Zed.

"Addison?! What are you doing back here?" Zed said.

"Bill brought me back."

"Bill? The new guy? Does he know who you are?"

"He does now."

"Does he know your father is going to kill me when he finds out I let you back here?"

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not a woman who needs her husband to "let" her do things then."

Zed had lost count of the times he had to remind himself that Addison was a strong woman and he loved that about her.

He tipped his head back in frustration. He really didn't want Addison making a fuss about the people who would literally hold his life in their hands for the next few hours.

"Ok, what did you say to him? How much did you lie?"

"Well," she began. "I didn't lie. I told him I'm the Chief's daughter. True. And that I'm your wife. True. And that I would hate to call my father about this. Also. True."

Addison smiled a smirk that both scared Zed and turned him on a little.

"You're going to get that man fired."

Addison waved his comment off. "No. I'll convince Daddy that the poor man was just under-educated. Seriously, the people around here need to know more."

Zed sighed. He was strapped to the bed, so it wasn't like he could get her out of there. "Fine. But can you at least wait in the hall?"

"Zed, I've been to Containment before."

"To Containment. Not in Containment. Addy, it gets scary in here. This is my big checkup. They completely take my Z-band and do measurements to reconfigure its power."

"Ok."

"Ok?" he asked with shock. "You're just going to sit there and watch me be a monster?"

"No. I'm going to sit here and watch you be my husband. My husband who needs medical help. I'm going to sit here and be supportive."

He sighed again. 'Strong woman… that's why I love her… strong woman…' he thought to himself.

Just then, the door opened and Dr. Zolbar entered, reading his clip board.

"Ok, Zed. Looks like we're just doing a standard check—" He glanced up and saw Addison. "Addison? What are you doing here?"

"Supporting my husband. Continue," she said gesturing for him to keep going.

The doctor looked to Zed with the question in his eyes.

"I certainly can't get her to leave," Zed said, waving the straps. "I doubt you can either, so just get on with it."

Dr. Zolbar definitely looked unconvinced, but continued anyway. "Oooo-kay. Well, you know the drill," he said as he put the patches and wires on Zed. "We'll take the Z-band and see if it's delivering the right amounts electromagnetic pulses. Are you ready?"

Zed shrugged. "As I'll ever be."

"Ok, then here we go." Dr. Zolbar put the key to the Z-band and it clicked open. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Addison watched with sadness as the dark circles appeared under Zed's eyes and the black veins emerged.

"Oh, Zed," she whispered as she stood.

"Addison, no!" he said, louder than intended.

She stopped, and raised an eyebrow.

"Don't come over here," Zed said with a raspy voice. "It's already happening."

"You don't scare me." Addison walked slowly to his side. "See?"

"Well, I am strapped to the bed."

"Ooh," she said with a tone that made him seriously wish she wasn't there. Wanting to take her while going full Zombie wasn't an option.

"Addison, please." He rolled his eyes confirming that he was just as much Zed as always.

"Zed. I'll do anything you ask, but please don't ask me to leave. I cannot leave you here like this. You are suffering and I won't let you do it alone."

He growled in frustration. 'Strong woman… love that… strong woman…' he repeated in his head again.

Addison gently stroked his hair and he restrained himself from lunging at her.

"Are you in pain?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head. "Just scared," he admitted.

"Scared? Of what?"

"I… don't like… (deep breath) not being in… control. I… (sigh) won't let… it… win."

It was strange for Addison to hear his voice like that. Hoarse and broken and full of something that just wasn't him. But she vowed to be there for him and she would.

"Broo've grong quig, grenbrim." (You've got this, handsome)

His head whipped toward her, startling them both. "Zombese?"

Addison smiled and nodded. "Broo'at zbonga," she said. (You're amazing)

"Broo'at zot zoll zir zaregar." (You're not so bad yourself)

"Gazo'z rye Zedka." (There's my Zed) "Gar krozed broo zatd gigzazag gazo." (I knew you were still there)

"Addiska… Gazar zoll-got." (Addy, thank you so much)

"Gribar. Gar-garziga, gryzygos." (Always. I love you, husband)

"Gar-garziga zragga, belegral." (I love you more, gorgeous)

She smiled and kissed his forehead, not even jumping as he jerked at that.

"Ssssorrry," he strained.

"Stick to Zombie Tongue if it's easier, handsome. For now, get some rest. I'll be right over here. Ok?"

He nodded and closed his eyes. He wanted to tell her that he had never rested through a Z-band test, that he never felt remotely at peace, especially with the Zombie rage inside him. But those words just wouldn't come in any language. For now, he would just rest in her presence.

Meanwhile, Addison sat in silence. She quietly texted Bree that she was fine (everyone was so panicked about this. Ugh), and then returned her eyes to Zed. It was so strange to see him like this. She had only seen his full Zombie side the one time at Homecoming. Now he just looked defeated. Even resting, his face was contorted and the dark circles and veins made her want to cry for him. She missed his mischievous smile already. Why did this have to be the way they did things here? Addison would definitely be having a talk with her father after this.

After about an hour, Zed's eyes opened.

"Zrek zerlo," he mumbled. (Why hello)

She smiled at him. How strange to hear something he had said to her hundreds of times, but in that strained voice. She wanted nothing more than to make all of this be over already. "Mzreg gazo. Grith zat broo." (Hey there. How are you?)

"Broor gar've brotz zgrit grya ta pruzg." (Like I've been hit by a truck)

"Gigzazag grenbrim," she said as she walked back to him. (Still handsome) This time when she went to stroke his hair, he didn't flinch at all.

"Zend broo zat ta grezzabrig krazzlekrom." (And you are a terrible liar.)

She grabbed his hand and rubbed his knuckles. She was surprised that he felt even colder than normal, but didn't let her expression show it.

Zed merely reveled in the fact that he wasn't fighting his restraints to attack her. He felt conflicted, but it wasn't the "eat now, get her!" feeling he expected. Maybe she was right to come along.

Dr. Zolbar returned then. "Addison! What are you doing?"

"Holding my husband's hand?"

"That's dangerous!"

She rolled her eyes. "I think you'll find my brains very much intact. He never once made me feel unsafe!"

The doctor looked at Zed in confusion. Normally any Zombie, Zed included, would be thrashing or at the very least tugging at the straps. But this… this was completely unprecedented.

"Well, all right then," Dr. Zolbar said, still in disbelief. "Let's get this back on you." He put the Z-band back on Zed's wrist and within seconds the dark circles and veins disappeared.

"Feel better?" Addison asked.

Zed sighed with relief. "Much."

"I'll be right back," Dr. Zolbar said before leaving abruptly.

"Something we said?" Zed joked.

Addison shrugged. "I'm just glad that's over. I can't believe you have to do that every few years." Her voice broke a bit as she hid her face and fought her tears.

"Hey, hey, gorgeous. It's ok. No crying! I can't properly hold you right now." He did grab her hand and squeezed. "I'm fine! I promise!"

"I know, but… ugh!"

"Addison," he began, but she wouldn't glance up. "Addiska!" he said sharply to get her attention.

It did.

"Look, it's over now. Right now I need you to be my cheerleader so I can pep up and get some Izzy's after this. Ok?"

She nodded.

Dr. Zolbar returned with a strange expression. "Zed, I'm not gonna lie. I have no idea what happened today. Your vitals were only the slightest bit lower than last time, but you held it together with an impressive amount of restraint. Even for you, who has probably always been the one who fights the least."

"Well, I mean, I did have a distraction," Zed said, wiggling Addison's hand.

"Oh! Let's get those off," the doctor said undoing the restraints. "And we'll finish the exam and get you out of here. But I'll tell you one thing, all of this is going into my report."

Addison beamed. She'd certainly be talking to her father later as well.

The doctor finished the exam and gave Zed a clean bill of health. They scheduled a battery change appointment and the couple finally left Containment.

Zed put his head back and closed his eyes as Addison drove them home.

"Feeling tired, handsome?" she asked, rubbing his knee.

"You could say that. It's no fun Zombie-ing out."

"But you were awesome, just like I knew you'd be! And now you get Izzy's for your trouble."

"I don't know if I can even sit in the restaurant. I'm so wiped out," he sighed.

"Well, lucky for you, your wife is just as awesome and called ahead while you were making your appointment. I'll run in and get it and we'll eat at home. Yeah?"

"Oh my God, Addy, you are an angel. How did I get so lucky?"

Addison shrugged. "Same way I did, I guess. Right Zombie Alert at the right time." She winked as they pulled into the parking lot. "Stay here, Z. I'll be right back."

As he watched his wife run into the restaurant, Zed decided there and then that he was going to finish the cure and he was going to finish it fast. Anything to make that gorgeous woman's life easier.