Author's Note: Happy October! Only three more weeks until Halloween! Anyone else as excited as I am? :D Time got a little away from me the past couple weeks, but hopefully this chapter is worth the wait.

Chapter Thirty-One
Where I Belong

"What's this?" Addison blinked down at the small box that Willa had just handed to her. She, Wyatt and Wynter had stopped by her locker and given it over without preamble.

"Open it!" Wynter told her, all but dancing on her toes in excitement.

Addison couldn't help the small smile on her face; Wynter's enthusiasm was catching. With a small click the box opened to reveal an opaque, perfectly round white stone sitting on an oval-shaped, wired setting. Pulling it out by the leather thong it was attached to, Addison realized it was a necklace. "Oh!" She gasped. "It's so pretty."

"It's a moonstone necklace! All of us werewolves have one," Wynter explained, all bubbling energy. She held up the oval shaped one she wore around her own neck. Addison noticed that Willa had an almost heart-shaped one around hers.

"Moonstone necklaces are precious to us," Willa continued. "They allow us to be our true selves."

Fascinated but now more than a little confused, Addison looked from Wynter to Willa to Wyatt. "But I'm not a werewolf."

"Obviously," Wyatt grinned.

"No," Willa agreed. "But you are pack – one of our friends, and we want to help."

"Help?"

"We know you still struggle with your…gifts," Willa began, trying to choose her words carefully. "But just as these," she picked up her necklace, "once let us be what we are, they are a comforting and natural band, of a sort. They allow us to be ourselves – our true selves. And when we are our true selves, there is nothing to fear."

Addison's eyes filled with tears, as touched by Willa's words as the gesture. "Guys…it's beautiful, thank you." She held the necklace tight in her fist. "I'll do my best to honor it – and you."

"Just keep being you, Addison," Wyatt said with a smile.

With a sniff, Addison threw her arms around each of them in turn in gratitude before letting Willa do the honors and clasping the necklace around Addison's neck. It settled quietly against her skin, the stone somehow warm without heat. She touched it with a quiet smile. "Thank you."

She missed the look Willa and Wyatt exchanged with one another as Wynter eagerly grasped Addison by the elbow and began to tug her toward their shared P.E. class.

"What was that about?"

The siblings turned to see Eliza wandering over with a curious expression. Willa gave her brother a look and then left without a word, leaving him to explain as she moved toward her next class.

"A moonstone necklace," Wyatt told her. "Like this one." He tapped the rectangular one hanging from his neck and explained to her what they were and had once done for werewolves.

Eliza's brows furrowed in confusion. "Do they not work anymore?"

Wyatt shrugged. "They used to glow blue in reaction to us using our powers, but with this," and he tapped the M-band around his right wrist, "I haven't seen one glow since I was a kid." His expression became distant as he recalled that once precious childhood and how short it had lasted. "It kills us all a little bit more inside with each passing year…not being allowed to be ourselves."

With a frown Eliza placed a hand on his arm in a gesture of comfort and solidarity. He looked down at the cool press of her gray fingers on his forearm, right atop the tattoo of the larger moonstone crystal there with a bit of surprise. He summoned a tight half-smile for her though it didn't reach his eyes.

"It's been over ten years…you become numb to it after a while."

"No," Eliza said, truly surprising him. "You don't. And you shouldn't. We should never just accept things the way they are because someone tells us too or because it's just always 'been that way.'" Her expression was as fierce as it was stubborn and he felt his smile become a little more real. "Things are changing, Wyatt." She glanced down the hall in the direction Addison and Wynter had been swallowed up by the crowd of students milling around. "I know we don't want to put any more pressure on her, but…Addison, and Mal too, this could be exactly what we need. The change we've been waiting our entire lives for."

"Yeah, no pressure." Wyatt gave her a wry grin and she matched it with one of her own. "What is it?" He asked when Eliza's expression became contemplative.

"The necklace you gave her…it won't…?"

Wyatt was already shaking his head. "She had no reaction to the stone and it had no reaction to her. It stayed as opaque and quiet as the rest of ours, despite her magic having been released." He placed a warm hand atop hers and gave it a quick, tight squeeze. "She'll be okay, Eliza. We never would have given it to her otherwise."

"I know," she told him, her voice quiet but assured. "I trust you, Wyatt."

This time he his grin stretched across his lips and she looked away with the faintest hint of a blush.

"Come on, Mister Grin-a-Lot, class awaits." She slipped her hand out from beneath his and readjusted the books in her arms and he fell into step with her, his pace matching hers step for step, eyes teasing as he walked beside her and she kept her gaze determinedly fixed straight ahead.

Mal sat in the small office, the tension inside making her more than a little uncomfortable, and she fought to keep a sedate expression on her face as the debate continued around her between King Adam, Queen Belle, Ben, Fairy Godmother and Jiminy Cricket, Addison's therapist.

At least after an hour they seemed to maybe all be on the same page, though the king was hardest to convince.

"I understand your concerns," Jiminy was saying, "but our conscious must be our guides, and mine is agreeing with Mal who has only her sister's best interest in mind."

"When we agreed that Mal and Addison be allowed to practice magic it was upon the condition that they show an aptitude of control and responsibility that meets a certain criteria," King Adam was still arguing.

"And Mal has been showing a surpassing aptitude," Fairy Godmother said with a warm, proud smile.

Mal did her best to return it even as her hands clenched into fists at her sides beneath the table. She felt strong fingers wiggle their way through one of her fists to smooth her fingers out and interlace with them. She glanced at Ben and gave him a grateful smile. She wasn't sure she'd be able to get through meetings like these without him.

"Be that as it may," King Adam continued, "Addison has not, or has something changed that I am unaware of?"

"Addison has been making progress at her own pace," Fairy Godmother answered diplomatically.

"So she's not fully in control of her magic yet." King Adam gave her a look behind his glasses that said he read right through her.

Fairy Godmother stifled a quiet sigh, exchanging a speaking look with Queen Belle. "No, Your Majesty, not yet, but she has come a long way, all things considered." At his raised brow she continued. "She only discovered she was Enchanted a short time ago, and even then, when she tried to do what she felt was right – following the rules you yourself set down into law by trying to turn herself in to get a Magic Band," her lips thinned at the thought, and for the first time Mal wondered just exactly what Fairy Godmother thought about the bands, "she was almost immediately placed under a terrible spell, several, actually."

King Adam winced and looked down at his folded hands on the table. "You are correct, of course, but she still needs to learn control."

"She needs the love and support of her family and friends more," Queen Belle spoke up, her voice quiet and even. She gave Mal a warm smile in support before turning back to her husband.

"The Wells have all but abandoned their adoptive daughter, leaving her in the care of only her sister because of these rules you have set down," Belle reminded him. "You won't let her even go meet her father – her only living parent."

"Belle, he's a villain."

"I'm not saying he hasn't made wrong decisions and bad choices in the past. He's been paying for those lapse in judgments ever since."

"You do the crime, you do the time," Mal muttered so low only Ben heard her and he bit back a smile. At King Adam's look Mal wondered if she hadn't been as quiet as she'd thought.

"What if it were Ben," Belle continued. "What if you never knew you had a son for nearly seventeen years, and then discovered you were still barred from each other because of rules someone else set down, by a wall you can never hope to cross?"

"Addison isn't being barred from the Other Side indefinitely," Adam was now trying to argue with his wife and everyone watched the conversation go back and forth like a tennis match. "Just until she has her magic under control." He frowned. "And we're getting off topic, this meeting isn't about Hades, it's about whether Addison be granted permission to cross the barrier to visit the…" he glanced down at his notes, "Necrodopolis home." He pinched the bridge of his nose as if fighting off a budding headache. "Why, again?"

"She wants to apologize to Mr. Necrodopolis for putting his daughter, Zoey, under a spell and, uh, sort of kidnapping her for an afternoon," Ben reminded his father.

King Adam gave his son a pointed look. "Is there a reason she hasn't apologized to your mother and me for kidnapping you to Uma's ship, Ben?"

Mal and Ben exchanged a look. They'd finally told his parents the whole story of how exactly Uma and Harry had been able to get their M-bands off in the first place and how the entire Cotillion fiasco came to be – in private of course. Queen Belle had sighed in exasperation though the thought of her son going after his beloved had warmed her heart, and though she'd been concerned about the events that had taken place, she was simply happy that everyone was safe now. King Adam hadn't taken the news nearly as well as his wife had.

"She…still doesn't exactly know what happened," Ben admitted, a tad sheepish. "She feels guilty enough as it is about everything else she knows."

"You have some remarkable friends that they all haven't spilled the beans yet," Adam grumbled. He fixed his son with a narrow look. "You can't hide it from her forever."

"Of course not," Ben agreed. "We're just trying to give her a little bit of breathing room."

"And to that end," Mal spoke up, "that's why Addison needs to go see Mr. Necrodopolis."

King Adam's brows furrowed in concentration. "Addison's….boyfriend's father, correct?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Why, again?"

Ben and Mal exchanged another long glance. "Zed, Addison's boyfriend," Ben explained. "He kind of accidentally let it slip about his younger sister getting spelled by her, and, well…"

"She's freaking out," Mal finished for him, deadpan.

King Adam looked at Jiminy Cricket who had been watching the entire exchange with a quiet, contemplative look. Now Addison's therapist spoke up. "Addison's anxiety has risen in the wake of the news," he confirmed. "Mal has expressed her concerns about her sister's lack of sleep as a result of it. Addison appears to be suffering more than her share of guilt over it." Queen Belle sent Mal a look of concern. Mal gave her a weak smile in return.

"Has she tried a sleeping potion or a sleeping spell?" King Adam asked in wry exhaustion. At his wife's unamused stare he mumbled an apology.

"Addison needs to regain a sense of control," Jiminy reminded the king. "Magicks and potions will only exacerbate her feelings of powerlessness and undermine the confidence she is working to rebuild."

This time, King Adam wiped his hand across his face from chin to forehead, dislodging his glasses as he massaged his forehead, taking a moment to think. Everyone else in the room exchanged weighted looks. King Adam opened his eyes and looked hard at Mal. "One afternoon."

"Just one," Mal nodded. "Just a few hours."

"She can go with Zed to his house right after school," Ben added. "They'll be quiet about it, I promise."

"No dillydallying, no side trips, no wandering about," King Adam added. "Straight there and straight back. Thirty minutes at the most." Queen Belle gave a quiet cough and he looked to the ceiling as if asking for patience. "Alright, a couple hours. No more. Addison makes amends for something that was largely out of her control then she heads right back to Evie's and returns to her studies."

Mal nodded, squeezing Ben's hand in excitement and relief. He squeezed hers back just as tightly.

"And Mal?" King Adam speared her with a look. "No Hades. Not yet."

Mal gave him a stiff smile and nod. "Of course." She felt Ben give her hand a warning squeeze and she focused on her breathing until she could excuse herself from the room.

Zed felt himself pulled to a halt on the sidewalk just in front of his home. He couldn't stop grinning, excitement thrumming through him at Addison being back here in Zombietown with him but when he looked over at her he saw how pale she was, emphasizing the darkened circles under her eyes. He felt a stab of guilt for having helped put them there.

"Hey." He squeezed her hand. "It's going to be fine. It's just my dad and Zo." He gave her a confident smile. "They're both excited to see you." She bit her lip in uncertainty but allowed him to tug her up the sidewalk and cement steps to his house.

Trying desperately to control the trembling that seemed to be starting inside, Addison concentrated on her breathing as Zed opened the front door of Z-224a and into the cooler, dimmer light of the front entryway.

"Hey Dad," Zed called out, nudging Addison inside so he could close the door behind them. Mal had warned him to take the quickest and stealthiest route to Zombietown and then instructed that Addison go directly inside his home. The less people knew Addison was on the Other Side the better – for now.

Mal hadn't seemed all too thrilled when delivering the instructions, but he hadn't been exactly sure why. She'd gotten pretty tight-lipped about it, saying only that she would hold him personally responsible for Addison's safety and wellbeing while in Zombietown. Zed had thought about retorting that he'd just leave Addison tied up in the town center and let his neighbors devour her brain instead but he didn't think Mal would find it amusing so had simply nodded and told her he would.

Zed saw Addison stiffen at the sound of his father's heavy footsteps as he met them in the hallway.

Zevon have Addison a warm but cautious smile, still not entirely sure what was going on. "Son," he greeted. "Addison, it's good to see you—"

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Necrodopolis!" Addison blurted without preamble. She tried to hold his gaze but her eyes kept dropping to her scuffed up tennis shoes. "I didn't mean to take Zoey. At least, I don't think I did. I don't really remember it – not that that's an excuse, but I just—"

"Addison," Zevon cut in gently when the young girl before him seemed inclined to continue to ramble on, her words becoming more panic-induced by the second. "It's alright." He reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder, cutting off her tirade. She looked up at him with wide eyes, brimming with unshed tears. "Zoey was fine – she is fine. We were worried about you too, you know?" He smiled warmly. "I'm glad to see you, to see for myself that you're doing better than," and here his eyes flit over to his son and back, choosing different words, "before."

He was unprepared for when Addison promptly burst into tears, not realizing how anxious and guilt-ridden the girl had been over something that, to all accounts, sounded like it was largely out of her control.

"Hey, now," he gathered her into a fatherly embrace. "It's alright. There's nothing to forgive. Zo's fine. Zed's fine. It's all water over the undead sea, eh?" When Addison cried harder at his words he patted her back awkwardly for several minutes, a little embarrassed. He gave his son a bewildered look but Zed was just shaking his hand with a small, tense smile. He'd had a feeling Addison was going to react this way.

Zevon continued to give Addison reassurances until she calmed a bit, drawing back when she seemed ready and catching his son's eye. Zed smoothly stepped in to take Addison's hand and led her into the family living room where he got her settled on the couch.

Zoey, who had been watching wide-eyed from the staircase crept quietly into the room to curl up next to Addison on the couch, knowing that this wasn't the time to play. That Addison needed the calm and the quiet and so snuggled into her side as Zevon made for the kitchen to put his battered tea kettle on the stove to make their guest a large cup of chamomile tea.

Her breaths still stuttering faintly in her chest, Addison let Zed draw her close as he sat on her other side, using his hand to silently urge her to rest her head against his shoulder. She took deep calming breaths like Lonnie had taught her, letting herself feel both embraced and braced by the love surrounding her, just like Elsa and instructed her.

The familiar surroundings, a true family home, the feel of Zed beside her, and Zoey's happy chatter with her brother helped relax her further. Feeling Zed's answers rumble through his chest both stirred and comforted her.

When Zevon handed her the hot mug of tea she murmured a quiet thank you in return, too tired from her crying to feel embarrassed just yet. She sipped at the hot liquid, exhaustion sweeping over her and she rested more heavily against Zed, lulled by the easy banter between Zevon and his two kids.

"He showed real dead-ication," she head Zevon saying as his two kids groaned.

Her mind drifted, wondering what her own father was like and when she'd get to meet him—really meet him as that brief period in the dark didn't count, in her opinion. They hadn't known the other existed then, let alone their connection to one another.

She wondered if he'd like her.

If he even wanted her.

The Wells couple certainly didn't seem to anymore. She was such a disappointment to them with her disappearance and trouble-making and white hair and magic and—

Would her birth father be ashamed of her too? Surely not too much. Mal wasn't that much different from her in the trouble and hair and magic regard. And he seemed to pester her all the time, at least according to Mal. Would he want to get to know her, get to know this new Addison she was slowly discovering, too? Would he really be okay with another kid in his life?

She heard the quiet mumble of voices around her.

Would she ever have this? Ever have something remotely like what the Necrodopolis family had?

Zed looked down as Addison murmured something that sounded a lot like "dad" in her sleep.

Zevon apparently heard it too because he looked at his son questioningly, his heart going out to the slumbering girl and the bruises in her eyes and the dark circles around them. "What's going on with her family, Zed?" He tried to keep his voice down as much as to not disturb the sleeping teen as to keep the conversation from carrying to Zoey who had gone upstairs to get ready for bed.

"It's a little complicated," Zed hedged before he sighed. "Okay, it's a lot complicated." He explained as succinctly as he could about what he knew – that Addison's birth mother was the woman Addison had thought was her aunt her entire life and that her birth father, Hades, hadn't even realized she'd existed until recently, imploring Mal, Addison's older half-sister to find and save her after Addison went a little off the deep-end when her magic erupted. Not that the magic thing was entirely her fault as she'd been under a spell that had forced her own magic to control her.

His father could only stare at him, stunned, at the completion of the tale.

There was silence in the room for a long moment before Zevon rubbed a hand across his tired face. He gave a long sigh, his gaze studying the orange and red sky outside the window for a bit before he spoke.

"I'll admit," he began quietly. "I had my reservations about her initially." He saw his son stiffen but continued. "Not just a Human but the daughter of the Guard Chief." He glanced at his son. "You and Zoey are my life, Zed. I'd do anything for you kids, but as a parent it's my job to protect you." He shook his head. "And mixing yourself up with a girl like that? It seemed like a disaster in the making. Something was bound to go wrong. And, by all accounts, you'd be the one to pay for it.

"But, after what happened when you and Eliza and Bonzo were dragged to the Center…how Addison was right there with you, how she followed you all home to make sure you got here alright and stayed to make sure of it…I began to change my mind, to open my own eyes and see past the prejudices I had placed upon her without even knowing her."

Zevon ran a hand over his thin hair with another sigh. "And then," he gestured helplessly, "everything of the last few months with the Center explosion and you and then Zoey…and then there's this whole Enchanted thing with Hades of all people being her father and this connection to Maleficent's daughter…but…she's still just…Addison."

He eyed Zed who had been as still as stone since Zevon had begun speaking and was now watching his father with wary eyes. Zevon chuckled to himself. He hadn't meant to get his son's hackles up, but they'd always strived for honesty in their family and Zevon wasn't going to change that now. He fixed his son with a serious look, his hands clasped before him. "Everything has flipped for her, Son. Her entire world turned upside down. It's not going to be easy for her; it hasn't been for a while now. She's going to need a lot of support. From everyone in her life. Are you sure you can handle it? You still have quite a bit going on yourself."

He watched, patient, as Zed held Addison a little closer, glancing down to watch her sleep as he took his time answering. When he looked his father in the eye, it was with confidence and determination. "Yes." His answer was as simple as it was strong.

Zevon smiled, pride filling up the spaces between heartbeats in his chest. He knew Zed was taking the matter seriously. Placing his hands on his knees he pushed himself to his feet. He placed a hand on Zed's free shoulder. "Then you'll both get through this and come out the stronger for it." He made sure he had his son's attention. "But know you can come to me at any time, Son. For anything."

"I know, Pops," Zed smiled back at his father, relieved and grateful. "Thanks."

Zevon carefully picked up the half-empty cup of lukewarm tea from Addison's loosened grip and set it on a coaster on the old, scarred table before quitting the room to check up on his youngest who had a tendency to keep playing with her stuffed dog and forgetting to brush her teeth until reminded.

Listening to his father's familiar tread on the creaky staircase, Zed shifted the arm Addison was sleeping on to bring it around her shoulder and pull her close to his chest. Her cheek rested on the space above his heartbeat and she seemed to relax further, snuggling into the partial embrace with a quiet murmur of sound.

With a warm smile on his lips, Zed pulled one of his schoolbooks out from the pile where he'd left it on the rickety table beside the couch. Placing the book carefully onto his lap and trying not to jostle Addison, he opened the cover with one hand to flip to the page he needed to study for the night, content to read as Addison dreamed on, the weight and warmth of her pressed along his side. And something inside him settled into place, letting out its own internal sigh of contentment.

Zed looked up at the knock on the door but didn't budge with Addison still burrowed against him. He listened, ears pricked as his father made his way to the front door. There was a click as the door opened, some quiet murmuring followed before the sound of footsteps brought their guest into the living room.

Mal paused in the doorway, blinking at the sight of Addison sleeping so soundly on the Necrodopolis couch. Her eyes flit to the one her younger sister was dozing against. "She's asleep," she stated, recognizing how inane it sounded the moment it came out of her mouth but felt the need to say it anyways.

"For some time now," Zed agreed with a sheepish smile.

"She wasn't responding to my messages."

Zed's brows rose in surprise. "Oh! Sorry." He glanced down at his girlfriend, troubled. "I don't know where her phone is."

Mal waved it aside. "It's fine." She stared at the scene before her, feeling comforted, amused and just the slightest bit annoyed mixed with her relief. "I think." Zed gave her a crooked grin in response and she moved the rest of the way into the room, plunking herself down on one of the old armchairs with a casualness that belied the fact she'd never actually been inside before.

Her gaze returned to Addison. "She hasn't been sleeping well," she said without preamble. Zed gave her a wry smile in return. He'd gathered as much himself but refrained from saying so, letting Mal continue without interruption.

"She tosses and turns a lot, and wanders the house sometimes…a lot of times." Her brows furrowed. "I'd hoped her stress and anxiety were getting better… She sleeps best when everyone's there, but we're all busy…we can't be there all the time." Zed nodded to show he was listening.

"Carlos and Evie are there most every night and keep an eye on her, you know? Carlos is always up late doing schoolwork or testing out his experiments, and Evie is up early to sketch and design." She heaved a sigh, pushing a hand through her once again naturally purple curls. "Hopefully being busy again might help her what with her getting back to cheerleading and all."

She paused, listening to the sounds of Zevon getting Zoey into bed up the stairs. Zoey's giggles floated down along with her happy chatter. She felt a pang in her heart at the ease of family life in this not-exactly-dilapidated-but-sorta-shabby-and-definitely-outdated Zombie house.

"I don't really know what I'm doing," she admitted, her gaze ghosting over Addison's slumbering form. "I've never had to look out for anyone other than myself before."

"Sure you have." Zed smiled, more than a little caught off guard by Mal's openness with him. They were getting along better than they ever had before in their acquaintance but some days he wasn't entirely sure Mal actually liked him. It was more of a…resigned tolerance. So this was taking him a little bit aback, but if there was one subject they could actually speak about it was Addison. "You, Evie, Jay and Carlos have been looking out for each other for years."

"This is a little different, Zombie." Mal cut him a look that said that should be obvious.

He gave her a one-shouldered shrug so as not to disturb Addison. "I guess." His tone said he kind of doubted it but didn't actually have the nerve to state it directly. He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "What about your dad?"

Mal let out a quiet bark of laughter. "He hardly knows what to do with me let alone another daughter – one he never knew he had."

Zed's face became unusually troubled. He glanced down at Addison to ascertain that she was still asleep. She appeared to be dreaming away, but he dropped his voice anyways before asking, "Missy and Dale still not talking?"

"Ha! Right."

"Sorry."

Mal shrugged at the thought of her recently discovered aunt and uncle relationship. "Doesn't bother me any," she said with certainty. She glanced at Addison. "But I know it hurts her."

"And Addie's really not allowed on the Other Side besides today?"

Mal gave him a penetrating look though it was softer for the frustration written across her face. "The only reason she was even allowed to come here today was because her therapist said it'd probably help with her guilt and might allow her to start forgiving herself. He thought it'd help with the sleep problem." A muscle ticked in her jaw as she fought back her own irritation at the proclamation that Addison was more-or-less denied access to the Other Side that was her heritage – or at least half of it. "Things with our father are…way over-complicated. The cricket thinks it best if she gets a sense of normalcy back in her life, heal more, before introducing another ball of crazy into the mix."

Zed stared at Mal, more than a bit aghast. "But he's your dad."

"I know." Mal's lips quirked up in an almost-amused smile. "Craziest thing? I think he's just as nervous to meet her as she is to meet him." She settled back into the chair; it was truthfully rather comfortable, much more so than some of the fancy chairs at the palace. "It'll work out, I think. It'll just take a little time…" She let out a quiet puff of laughter. "Who would've thought Bucky of all people would turn out to be a decent help?"

Zed bit back a laugh but not the grin on his face. "People can surprise you." He recalled how excitedly Addison and Bree had been talking together just the other day about being reaccepted to the cheer squad and how eager they were to start. Yeah, Bucky really had surprised them all.

"Ugh." Mal let out a disgruntled sound and let her head flop back against the chair. "Cheerleading. My own sister."

Zed chuckled, knowing the act, while not entirely all for show, was more exaggerated than it once would have been. Mal was as relieved as he that Addison's cousin was accepting her back into the fold. He watched Mal pull a black phone out of her pocket and gave a sigh at the time. They both glanced at Addison's relaxed form on the couch.

"We really need to go," Mal murmured and Zed was surprised to hear the reluctance in her tone as she stood up and crossed the short distance to the couch to shake Addison's shoulder as gently as she could. Both heaved a quiet sigh of relief when Addison seemed to surface slowly from slumber. Neither wanted to startle her unnecessarily.

There was a sleepy mumble of, "Mal?" from Addison as her eyes blinked heavily open, her cheeks flushed from dreams.

It took all of Zed's willpower to keep him from reaching out, cuddling her closer and insisting that she fall back asleep with his arms around her right there on the couch. He felt heat in his cheeks at the thought and studiously kept his gaze avoided from Mal's though he could feel her quiet smirk regardless.

"Time to go, Cheerleader." She helped her sister to a sitting position where Addison sat for a full minute, blinking owlishly at the room, trying to clear the cobwebs from her brain.

"Is it time for school?" She asked and Mal felt a smile sneak across her face.

"Time to go home."

Addison rubbed at one of her eyes, her voice a mumble. "I'm already…" She looked around the Necrodopolis living room. "Oh. Right." She let Mal take her hands and half-pull her to her feet, stumbling a little as Addison fought for balance in her foggy-brained state. Zed was at her side in an instant, steadying her. "Thanks," she mumbled.

He grinned. "No problem." He looked up at the sound of footsteps entering the room to see his father coming in.

"Everything alright in here?"

"Everything's good, Pops," Zed assured his father. Zevon looked at Addison a little uncertainly but nodded in response.

"Alright, if you're sure. Anything I can help with?"

Mal slid her arm around Addison's shoulders to help steady her. "If you could just get the door?"

"Yeah, of course, sure," Zevon hustled to the front door to swing it wide open.

Zed made a split-second decision. "Hold on," he told the room at large. "I'll be right back."

"Kinda on a time-crunch," Mal warned him. "The ball ended a while ago and Cindy needs to get back before her fairy godmother gets testy."

"Got it," Zed called back over his shoulder as he took the stairs two at a time. "One sec."

Mal looked to Zevon who could only shrug at his son's abrupt departure.

"I was wearing a ball gown," Addison murmured, still half-asleep. "It was blue…and there was dancing…and Zed and I were singing."

Mal shot Addison an uneasy look but as the younger girl only appeared lethargic she relaxed.

"How's she…?" Zevon trailed off, his voice quiet as he gestured discreetly toward Addison.

"Better," Mal assured him, tugging Addison closer as the other girl swayed a bit on her feet. She felt a twinge of annoyance at the zombie who'd dashed away upstairs and left them waiting in the hallway. Fairy Godmother had a thing about punctuality, and King Adam had been more than a little reluctant to agree to this sojourn into Zombietown. "Still working on control and sleep is hit or miss, but…better."

Zevon nodded. "If there's anything we can do, please let us know."

Mal looked over at Zed's father, more than a little taken aback at the earnestness of his expression. She didn't know why it surprised her that he seemed to care so much about a girl who would normally be the antithesis of whom he'd want his son to date. She bit back a wry smile. Then again, who was she to judge when Ben's parents obviously accepted her for their son and on paper she and Ben couldn't be more opposite if they'd tried – Mal, all Other, Ben as Human as they came and the heir to Auradon to boot.

What even was normal anymore?

"Thank you, Mr. Necrodopolis," Mal said with genuine gratitude and shared a weary smile with him after surprise flit across his own face.

They were all working to adjust to the changes it seemed. One day at a time.

At the sound of footsteps on the stairs they both turned to see Zed making his way as quickly and quietly as he could so as not to disturb his little sister.

"Here," Zed held out a massively crinkled paper bag in his hand. He blushed at Mal's raised brow, darting forward as Addison swayed and Mal stumbled under her semi-conscious burden. "I got her." He swung Addison up into his arms with ease leaving Mal to shake her head but she let it go with a roll of her eyes.

"Come on," she said. "Let's get her in the car."

"You brought a car?" Zed asked as he trailed Mal out the door and out into the gathering night.

"Seemed faster than walking," Mal threw over her shoulder.

Zed paused at the royal insignia plastered along the passenger side door. It was a small, quieter vehicle than the royal's usual fanfare but the fancy, shiny new car still stuck out like a sore thumb in his neighborhood of repurposed…everything. He saw more than a couple faces peeking out from behind curtains and shutters. "Uh, did you drive?" He asked as he made his way down his front steps to follow Mal across his yard.

Mal scoffed. "Hardly." The passenger side window rolled down and Zed saw Jay leaning across the center console.

"Hey, Zed. How's Sleeping Beauty?" He grinned.

"Sleeping," Mal answered and Jay's brows rose into his hairline.

"Seriously?" He glanced at Mal. "What'd you do? Have her prick a finger?"

Mal let a sly smile slide across her lips. "Tempting." She wiggled her fingers. "Wanna try it first?"

"Nah, I'll pass, but thanks." Jay unlocked the doors and Mal swung the backdoor open so Zed could settle Addison into the backseat, reaching across her to buckle her in and trying not to think about how Jay, Mal and his own father were watching his every move. As he pulled back Addison, who'd dropped back into sleep during the short journey to the car, gave a noise of protest.

Zed's heart tumbled in his chest even as he felt his cheeks flush. Thankfully it was too dark on the street for Mal or Jay to notice.

"Zed?" Addison stirred as he shifted away. He glanced at Mal who rolled her eyes and made a gesture that said 'Do what you must' and turned to Jay to engage him in conversation as she opened up the passenger door to slide in, trying to give them a bit of privacy in the back.

"Hey," Zed murmured, taking Addison's hand in his. "I'm right here." He used his free hand to tuck a lock of her hair behind an ear.

Addison's head shifted toward his, her eyes blinking partially open. "What…?"

"Mal's taking you back to Evie's," he told her. "You're in the car with her and Jay."

"What about you?"

"I'm going back inside to study for a bit. Then I'll be heading to bed myself." He gave her hand a squeeze. "I'll see you in the morning, alright?"

"…okay," she murmured, her eyes blinking shut. Zed stole a quick glance toward the elder two teens to note that they were keeping their gazes carefully averted so Zed placed a chaste kiss on Addison's forehead. "Try to get some sleep tonight, okay?" He murmured against her skin and felt her shiver in response. His heart lurched in his chest as she inhaled shakily, her grip on his hand tightening in response before she could nod. With obvious effort she opened her eyes and he smiled back at the slumberous, clear blue eyes gazing back at him.

He gave her hand one last squeeze before stepping back and shutting the door as gently as he could. He didn't miss the shiver that wracked her body for a moment when he moved away. It sent a bittersweet feeling through his veins. He glanced toward the passenger side door to see the window rolled down all the way, Mal's arm resting in the frame.

Steeling himself he thrust the paper bag he'd set on the ground to get Addison into the car into Mal's field of vision. "Here." Mal raised a brow at him in response but took the bag from him and he felt himself relax. When she immediately made to open the bag to peer inside he willed himself not to blush, not that it did him any good.

He coughed to cover his embarrassment as she gave him a dubious look at the bag's contents. "Maybe it'll help." He glanced in Addison's direction.

Mal's response was a gleam in her eye and a sly tilt to her lips that said she was going to tease them both mercilessly for this later but take it she did. Placing the bag on her lap she turned to Jay as he shifted into gear and the car rolled away.

Zed glanced back toward his house to discover that his father had disappeared back inside at some point and thanked a few stars for some miracles. Still, if it worked, it had been worth it.

"Here."

Addison blinked at the crinkled paper bag Mal thrust into her arms.

"It's from your boyfriend." Mal's smile turned impish. "He thought you might want it." She said no more as she left Addison in the room she occupied at Evie's place.

When the door clicked shut behind her, Addison slowly unfurled the bag, dumping its contents onto the light blue coverlet that lay across her borrowed bed. Her brows furrowed as a semi-folded wad of maroon material stared back at her.

In her lethargic state Addison could only stare at it for a long moment, trying to piece together what it was and why Zed would give it to her. Picking up the wad of cloth she realized it was a well-worn shirt, slightly ragged at the shirt collar.

With an instant flush she realized it was one of Zed's old shirts and her eyes darted to her shut door. Hesitantly, almost furtively, she made her way to the dresser against the wall that held her borrowed clothes. Pulling out a pair of cotton leggings she stripped out of her clothes before tugging the leggings on. With another darted glance at the door she slid the old shirt on over her head, her face all but radiating heat. But as no one busted down her door to reprimand or tease her she relaxed slightly.

Crossing the floor she pulled back the coverlet and slid into the bed that wasn't hers, in the room that wasn't hers, in the house she'd never lived in. But for the first time in weeks, the smell of lavender that came from the sheets mixed with the familiar, unique scent that was Zed and as it surrounded her she curled up on the bed with a smile, the shirt as soft as it was soothing.

In moments, she was fast asleep.

Hushed conversation in the kitchen ceased at the sound of tentative footsteps on the staircase.

Carlos, Evie and Mal all exchanged glances, each of their gazes darting to the clock on the wall before darting back to each other with a silent raised brow.

Mal returned to her coffee, Evie her sketches and Carlos the food on the stove as Addison stumbled into the kitchen, her hair disheveled.

Evie looked up with a warm smile, as always. "Good morning, Addie." She paused, giving Addison one long, slow blink as she studied the picture before her. Without a word she held a hand over her heart, sweetness in her eyes as she worked at containing her abject glee.

Carlos, for his part, was staring too, but in confusion, trying to remember why the shirt Addison was wearing looked familiar though he could have sworn he'd never seen Addison wear it before. He shrugged to himself and turned back to the eggs he was scrambling on the stove.

Mal sipped her coffee long and slow as Addison slid into an empty seat at the table. Setting her cup down she smirked. "Sleep well?"

With rosy cheeks and a smile they hadn't seen in a while Addison replied, "Yes, actually."

Evie now had her mouth covered with both hands, her smile wide behind them.

"Good." Mal picked up her mug and took another sip and decided she'd tease Addison about it another time. She let Evie start up the conversation as Carlos gave a shout for Jay, telling him to wake up and that breakfast was almost ready.

Listening to Evie and Addison's soft voices and the quiet sizzle of the stove, Mal blinked at the small blue flame there for a quiet moment until Carlos turned it off to transfer the finished eggs to a platter.

Her thoughts brought her back to the conversation she'd had with Zed last night about Hades and frowned, hiding it behind the rim of her mug. She glanced at Addie and the color in her cheeks before her eyes wandered back to the stove and the blue flame that had been put out with little regard for its life…and wondered.

"Have you acquired what I need yet?"

"Well, heh, it's, uh…turning out to be a little more of a challenge than we thought? There's a lot of security around it, you know, and what with the rumors of magic usage floating about – I think they're on to us."

There was a cackle of laughter. "On to us? Hardly. These fools are too focused on the squid and the bumbling wannabe."

"You know…once you get it, everyone's going to know." There was a hesitant pause. "So, maybe, I was thinking…m-maybe you don't need it? Then we can stay hidden for a while, yeah?"

"I'm not looking to hide any longer, Chad. It might not be something I need, but it is absolutely something I want. That's the entire point. I want what I deserve! All of Auradon is going to sit back and learn – it's finally my turn."