Reign - Disney's Zombies #DZFFA || COMPLETE

Chapter 20: Seeing You

ZED

Everything went by like a blur.

One moment my entire body is working on pure raw instinct, craving flesh that I was never going to get myself to try. I remember holding myself back no matter how intense the urge to bite was. I was never going to hurt anyone no matter what. I was never going to let myself become the monster many thought I was.

And then, like a breath of fresh air after a fire, came the clarity. I felt the soothing pulses course through my body and I was able to make sense of things again.

Addison was gone,  Ari stood in her place. She was holding my hand, fixing my broken Z-band onto my wrist.

"Ari, Ari baby what are you doing? Let us go!" Nathan was pleading from behind her where he was on the floor, his hands cuffed to a pipe and blood coming out of a long cut on his lip.

Ari had tears streaming down her eyes as she ignored him.

"Ari, Arianne? Babe, come on?!" Nathan continued, fighting with the handcuffs. He was sitting next to Freddy, who looked like he was confused by everything in the room.

Ari glanced up at me, stepping away. She went to the corner of the room and just sat down.

My head was still spinning. Now I really am confused at what was happening but Ari gave me no explanation.

"Where did Addison go?" I ask, clearing my burning throat. Ari said nothing to me. From the opposite side of the room Nathan was still pleading, trying to get Ari to untie him but she just wasn't listening.

I took a few surprised steps back when the door was thrown door.

"Zed." Hearing the Chief's voice sent a wave of relief through my body as he took a step into the room with a taser in his hands. The Chief took one look at Bucky and his eyebrows shot high into the air.

"Addison," I ask and he nodded, tearing his eyes away from Bucky.

"She's safe." He tells me before looking around at everyone else in the room. His eyes came to Ari and he frowned. He looks away from her and asks me, "Are you doing okay, son?" 

I nod. "Yeah."

"Good." He says, coming to stand before Bucky.

Bucky looked up, his eyes recognizing who stood before him but a low growl still came out of his mouth.

"You'll get through this, Bucky." The chief says with a deep sigh.

...

I had a new Z-band placed on my wrist, so did Eliza and Bonzo as we sat, this time willingly, in the back of a Z-patrol truck.

Bonzo looked so tired, his head leaning to the side, his eyes drooping from exhaustion.

I wasn't able to fathom what he was going through having been in full zombie mode for maybe a few days, maybe even being the one who had bitten Bucky. I was going to let Bonzo rest. He'd start speaking when he felt like it.

"How'd they even manage to get close enough to nab you?" I said, turning to Eliza who had been quiet thus far.

She flicked her eyes over at me, and smirked, "I had the intelligent idea of following Addison instead of turning the other way."

I chuckle for a second, "I understand that. Can't say I'm surprised."

"And before you ask I voluntarily removed my Z-band. That jerk set Bucky free to bite Addison and there was no way I was going to be able to stop Bucky without my Zombie strength, so I broke it off."

"Thanks for doing that," I tell her gratefully and she just shrugs at me.

"I wouldn't thank me, I think I grabbed Addison for a second—oh push those eyes back into your head— I didn't hurt her. I think I was able to control it, I think I told her to run. I think I also punched Bucky." She says to me, deep in thought.

"I think, no, I know..." I start to tell her," I almost bit Addison. But I stopped myself. I was able to remember how much I care about her and I stopped."

"Well good because otherwise we'd have Zombie Addison and I feel like she'd only be more stubborn than regular Addison."

"I don't even want to imagine," I say with a groan. Eliza chuckled, letting her head rest on the wall of the truck.

...

The Chief told us we'd need to be back for questioning later on, nothing against us he said. He only needed us to tell him what the three had done and what had happened to us. My dad and Zoey were waiting in the hall after we'd been checked to see if we were all okay. Other than my previous injuries I was perfectly fine. Bonzo had to stay a little longer but Eliza and I were allowed to go home.

"It's good to see you son." My dad says, giving me a big hug.

"You scared us!" Zoey added, slapping me on the thigh.

"Sorry Zo, I didn't mean to do that," I tell her, leaning down to pick her up.

"I know," she says with that playful grin of hers, "I'm just happy you're okay."

I smile as she kisses my cheek.

...

After a few days, I just wanted to see Addison. I had gone downtown a few times to speak to the Chief and tell them everything I knew about the Equal-Z people. I told him what I knew and I had to fill out some forms that were terribly long and boring, but I managed to finally be left alone for a while.

I was actually growing miserable without being able to see Addison (who I was told was at her house resting perfectly fine.)

By the time my dad told me Addison was coming over my body and nose were one hundred percent healed. I counted every day and it took twenty-one days, seven hours, and ten minutes until we were finally able to see each other.

I waited by the window, excited about seeing her.

"Wow son, you are practically bouncing where you stand." My dad comments from the table where he was drinking a cup of coffee before work.

I turn around to face him, "I'm excited. I can't help it; it feels like I haven't seen Addison in ages, dad."

"Calm down there, son. Am I going to need to throw some cold water on you?" He tells me with a joking grin on his face. He was joking but I still couldn't help it when my face went red.

"It's not like that!" I stress, "I just didn't know how difficult it would be not being able to see her."

"It looks like you won't have to wait for much longer. She's here." He says, pointing over my shoulder. I spin in my spot to see if he's being truthful or just playing with me. When I see the Chief's car pulling up my grin comes effortlessly. The Chief's car is still running when Addison hops out; looking safe; looking healthy...looking beautiful as always. I go to open the door for her and she's smiling just as widely as I am. She doesn't say anything and neither do I. She simply runs up into my arms and holds me tight. 

And everything feels like it's okay.