Seabrook was a little more than an hour away from where they lived during normal traffic. That stretched into two to three hours during rush hour, leaving them stuck in traffic halfway there.

Zander had busied himself with a book that was half written in comics that both his parents and teacher agreed on. Zenia would be on her phone if it wasn't sitting with Addison's in the cup holder up front. Zed and Addison were both fine with listening to the radio and sitting in silence.

Until Zenia asked, "Why can't I hang out with Josh? You guys were fourteen when you met."

"I was fifteen," Zed argued.

"You need to tell us where you are," Addison stated. "You can't just run off doing whatever you want. You're a kid."

"You're acting like you never snuck out before."

Zed bit his lip to keep from laughing, remembering every instance Addison had snuck out. "I wasn't sneaking out at thirteen," Addison argued. "And things were different when I was a kid. I snuck out to spend time with Zombies because it was socially acceptable yet."

"And she was fourteen," Zed added. "Which you're not."

Zenia just huffed in response. "Why can't I just…just like him and hang out with him without everyone being so weird? Who did you like when you were my age?"

"No one," Zed stated. "I lived in the barrier, and everyone around me felt like my family. Liking them felt…weird."

"Not you! I'm talking about Mom."

"It's not about who you like, it's the fact that you were off doing who knows what for hours! You have to tell us where you are, Zenia. You know this."

"But—"

"This isn't up for discussion," Addison interrupted. She turned around and looked beyond her seat to address her daughter. "What you need to understand is that there's a lot of people out there who still hate Zombies. You may not look like a Zombie but your Z-Band is a dead giveaway. And those people who hate Zombies are bad people."

Zander looked up at his mother with a scared and worried look. He may be eleven but Addison and Zed tried their best to preserve his innocence, especially since Christmas was coming soon. Addison sighed, knowing she would have to explain further and it could just get worse.

"You guys know that there are humans who don't like Zombies," she said. "Some of them sit and judge and say mean things. Other do mean things, that are really bad."

"It's part of the reason why we don't live in Seabrook," Zed added. "A lot of Anti-Zombie humans are in Seabrook."

"Do Grandma and Grandpa hate Zombies?" Zander asked.

"Um, it's complicated," Addison shrugged. "My Grandpa was half deaf because before the Z-Band, a Zombie but his ear off. So my mom wasn't really a big fan of Zombies."

"What about Grandpa?" Zenia asked.

"No one really liked Zombies before the integration," Addison explained. "Yes, even me and even Uncle Bucky. But that was more than twenty years ago. Your grandparents love you guys—"

"But not Zombies," Zenia concluded with a knowing look.

Zed turned to look at her and said, "To be fair, at the very start of the integration their only daughter started dating a Zombie. And it's hard letting go of your only child—or oldest."

Zenia frowned, getting the undertone of what he was saying. "If seabrook hates Zombies then why do we always go to look at the lights?" Zander asked.

"Because the lights are pretty," Addison said. "Especially in Zombietown. And we would protect you guys. We always will. We never want anything bad to happen to you guys, which is why we do the things we do. Like have you tel us where you are all the time."

Zenia nodded in understanding. "Okay, I'm sorry Mom."

Addison smiled softly. "It's fine, just remember next time."

She turned back in her seat and let out a sigh. "Grandpa asked me if I wanted to track you guys' Z-Bands. Yours too, Zed."

"What?" Zed asked.

Addison nodded. "I told him no, just FYI. I could change my mind though."

"Don't do that Mom," Zenia said with a frown.

"Yeah Addy, that's creepy."

Addison just laughed.

When they finally got to Seabrook, Addison whispered a change of plans to Zed and texted it to Bucky. Zed drove them to Zombietown and parked just inside the barrier. "We're here!" Zed announced.

"Why are we stopped?" Zenia asked.

"We're going on an adventure," Addison said with a grin. "To see the best lights ever!"

Her and Zed got out of the car and waited for their kids to follow them. "I thought we were going to look at Christmas lights?" Zander asked as he made his way to stand beside Addison.

"We are."

"I thought we were going to eat at Lillian's?"

"Bucky and Eliza are heading there now to get us a table," Zed said. "We wanted to show you guys something first."

Zed and Addison led the way to the old Power Plant. They walked past where Zevon still lived, making a wide circle to avoid him and anyone they knew. They were on a mission, after all.

"That sign says no trespassing," Zander pointed out worriedly.

"It's fine," Addison said. "We hung out here all the time. This is where I would come when I'd sneak out."

"Why?" Zenia asked.

"Zombie Mash," Zed and Addison both said.

"Zed, pick up Zander so he doesn't trip." Addison said.

"What about me?"

"You're not eleven."

Zed lifted up Zander who held onto him as they walked through the old Power Plant. They took the elevator down to the main dance floor.

"Woah."

Zed grinned at his kids. "This isn't even what we're showing you."

"What is this place?" Zenia asked.

"This is the Power Plant where the accident happened," Zed explained. "Then we made it into a party spot."

"Come on."

Addison led the way through the room and through the back until they had gotten to the Zombie Light Garden. Her and Zed looked to see the wonder on their kids' faces at the lights, all decorated with fake snow and white Christmas lights and decorations.

"What is this place?" Zander asked this time.

"A Zombie Light Garden," Zed said.

He glanced at his wife and made his way to the platform. Addison smiled at him and asked, "Where are we going?"

Zed chuckled and turned back to her, holding out his hand. "For a walk in the park."

Addison grabbed his hand and climbed up onto the platform. Zander looked over his father's shoulder at his sister and asked, "What're they doing?"

"I think they're reminiscing about the old days," Zenia whispered.

Addison giggled and turned to her daughter as Zed put Zander down. "We almost had our first kiss here," Addison said. "But the Zombie Patrol cane and we bolted."

"I left, Addison was taken home," Zed corrected. "Good times. Freshman year."

Zenia raised an eyebrow at her parents. "Did you guys sing?"

Both her parents nodded. "When you guys were babies we brought you here," Addison said. "And we sang to you. This is kinda our spot."

Zed wrapped his arms around Addison from behind and kissed the side of her face. Addison giggled and kissed his nose.

"Ew! Stop that!" Zenia complained.

Both Addison and Zed laughed. "Come on, we've got plans."