Chapter 30: Canadian Bacon

Summary: iCarly is just a kids show, right? If that were true, why does Zed keep getting distracted by the episode Zoey is watching while he works on his homework? If only this episode didn't have certain things that have a real life application for him.

Word Count: 1677

In the first fifty years following the explosion at Seabrook power, technology in Zombietown remained trapped in the 60s. Very rarely were they allowed updated technology beyond their Z-Bands. When things broke, Zombietown's residents had to scavenge for parts at the landfill or find a way to make things work with whatever they had. If they couldn't, they had to go without. The lack of new technology also meant their access to TV and cable was extremely limited.

However, after the cheer championship and block party shortly after it, it became increasingly clear to the leaders of Seabrook that zombies weren't the threat they'd always believed them to be. Zombie students were reintegrated into Seabrook High and integration into the middle and elementary schools in Seabrook began. In addition to the improvements that took place via integration, technology began to improve.

Old, faulty appliances were replaced with ones that worked properly and didn't require long, intricate steps to work. For the youngest kids in Zombietown, the most exciting thing was the new channels their TVs got, or the new flat screen TVs that became more commonplace in many homes.

With the new cable channels in the Necrodopolis house, Zoey quickly grew fond of watching reruns of things like iCarly, Victorious, and Hannah Montana.

CHCHCH

One evening, a couple weeks into the start of second semester, Addison and Zed sat in his living room working on homework together while Zoey watched reruns of iCarly. Addison's parents both had to work late that night, and though they were apprehensive about the amount of time she spent in Zombietown, they had to trust that she could take care of herself. With the knowledge that she'd be alone for the evening, Zevon had invited her to join them for dinner, which gave her and Zed the perfect opportunity to hang out.

Usually, Zed had an easy time tuning out whatever show Zoey was watching in the living room. If he wasn't interested in the show, it was perfect to have on just to make sure the house wasn't silent. Having seen most episodes herself, Addison didn't mind having iCarly playing in the background while working on her homework. It also meant they were in the living room where Zevon could easily keep an eye on the pair to make sure they behaved.

Despite Zed's insistence that iCarly wasn't a distraction for him, there was something about an episode that kept demanding his attention. Zed tried to ignore the episode and instead focus on his math homework, but something about it kept pulling him back in.

The episode had two main storylines. One focused on Sam and Spencer while the other focused on Carly and Freddie.

Zed did a pretty good job of actually tuning out the episode, for the most part, until Sam declared that there was an accident that Freddie was involved in. For a few minutes following, Zed found himself watching to see what Freddie's injuries were. He was sure the character would be fine, but watched anyway. After finding out what Freddie's injuries were, Zed decided he was done paying attention to the episode because he had homework he needed to finish. If he was able to get his homework finished before dinner, after it, he and Addison would just be able to hang out for the remainder of the evening.

However, the episode again demanded Zed's attention when Carly and Freddie began discussing how Freddie was a hero for saving Carly's life. Maybe the episode kept demanding Zed's attention because something similar was true for him and Addison. He vaguely recalled hearing shouts about how he was a hero after he caught Addison at the cheer rally—though he'd never really call himself a hero.

While he needed and wanted to focus on his homework, Zed's attention was again grabbed by the TV when Freddie returned to school and had many of his classmates surrounding him.

Zed watched as Sam explained how Carly only loved Freddie in what he did by saving her life—that she loved his actions, not him. Zed had to force himself to stop watching after that. He decided he would simply tune out the show and not watch it, but the damage had already been done.

With the damage done by the episode, Zed was no longer able to focus on his math homework and solving the problems in front of him, but instead was replaying the day of the cheer rally. His mind slipping somewhat into 'full-zombie' made his memories of the day and especially those moments a little foggy. What he could clearly remember was knowing that Addison was in danger and that he'd needed to help her—save her. Did that mean he was a hero? Zed couldn't think of himself as a hero for that because he just felt like Zed.

But the moment he caught Addison and met her eyes changed a lot of things. It was part of the moment that led to him getting to play football, that led to zombies being integrated into Seabrook High instead of being stuck in the basement. Was it also part of the moment that led to Addison liking him? Did it make her think she was falling for him when she really wasn't?

The episode ended, thankfully, and the next didn't make any attempt at demanding Zed's attention the way the previous one had. Finally, he was able to focus his full attention on completing his homework.

"Finished?" Addison asked a couple minutes later, setting her pencil down after completing the problems they'd been assigned.

"Not yet," Zed replied. "Just the last problem," he explained, glad math was his best subject, so despite his distraction with iCarly, he and Addison would still be done with that assignment just a few minutes apart from each other.

"Ready?" Addison asked when Zed set his pencil down as well.

"Yeah, I guess," Zed began. "Actually, before we compare our answers, you think we can talk? Upstairs," he added, glancing at Zoey.

"Zed?" Addison asked, meeting Zed's eyes with concern and confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Really. I don't think," he said. "Just come with me, please?" he pleaded, standing and offering her his hand.

"All right," Addison agreed, taking Zed's hand so he could help her up.

"Dad, we're going upstairs for a couple minutes," Zed informed Zevon who sat at the table in the other room going over some papers before dinner.

"Your door needs to stay open."

"I know," Zed replied. Together, he and Addison began their ascent up the stairs and to Zed's room. He left the door slightly ajar so their conversation could be private, but he'd still be following his father's rules.

"Zed, what's going on?" Addison asked, her voice gently and cautious.

"What if I'm your Canadian Bacon?" he exclaimed.

"Canadian Bacon?" Addison's brows drew closer together as the words ran through her mind. "You mean like the iCarly episode that was just on?"

"Yes," Zed answered, worried that it might be true and that Addison didn't truly love him. Addison had the audacity to laugh. "It's not funny."

"I'm sorry for laughing," Addison paused briefly. "But what makes you think you're just 'Canadian Bacon' to me?"

"Well," Zed started slowly as he worked to gather his thoughts. "Some people might say that I saved you at the cheer rally. Maybe just from serious injury unlike what could have happened in the iCarly episode. But what if something in your mind convinced you that you like me for what I did and not for me?" Zed finished, looking down at the floor rather than meeting Addison's eye.

"Zed," Addison said, drawing his attention and waiting for him to meet her eyes again; she took his hands in hers. "That's silly. And before you freak out or get worried, it's silly because I was already falling for you after we met in the Zombie Safe Room. I love you because you're you. Not because you caught me at the cheer rally," she assured him.

"You're sure?"

"Completely," Addison confirmed, raising Zed's left hand in her right to place a kiss on it. "I love you, Zed. And I'd gladly learn how to tell you in every language if I have to so you know I mean it."

Zed smiled and looked to his hand, imagining that the kiss Addison left there wasn't invisible. "That'd be a little over the top. Although Latin would be ironic considering that it's a dead language," he winked as he joked.

Addison laughed. "This is part of why I love you. Now, are you done asking silly questions so we can go check our math homework before dinner?"

Zed nodded. "I'm sorry for doubting," he replied, letting go of Addison's hand.

"It's okay," Addison said. "We all need a little reassurance sometimes. I'm sure we'll both have those days," she said as they entered the hall outside Zed's room.

"Wait," Zed stopped Addison before they headed down the stairs. "You're not Canadian Bacon either because I started falling for you in the Zombie Safe Room as well. And I love you. And if you ever need me to run through the halls of school declaring it, I will. No questions asked.

A smile graced Addison's lips as her and Zed's eyes met again. While they were still out of Zevon and Zoey's line of vision, they shared a short but tender kiss before joining Zoey in the living room once again.

"What'd you go upstairs for?" Zoey questioned since iCarly was on a commercial break.

"We just needed to have a talk between the two of us," Zed answered simply.

Zoey wore an expression that suggested she had more questions to ask, but the commercial break ended and any further questions were forgotten.

With Zoey no longer asking them any questions, Zed and Addison were able to turn their attention to their math homework.

There would be times throughout their relationship where they each needed more reassurance than usual. But together, nothing could stop them.

A/N: On a note completely unrelated to the story, if you see places where letters are clearly missing from words, I'm sorry for missing it when I was editing. Lately, my computer has decided that sometimes the keyboard should work as they're meant to, but other times, letters just stop working for a little while.

That's pretty much all I have for today, so thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following,

-CrazyHayniac