Beyond the Barrier: Zombie Town One-shots

One Kid Too Many

(My upload schedule was almost falling apart there but I think I might still be able to stick to it

I've had this idea since the first time I watched ZOMBIES, I even mentioned it in my first Tumblr post about the movie. This mostly just came from a desire to see Bonzo and Zoey interacting directly, since we see him playing with Zander next to her. I feel like he'd make a good stand-in big brother for her when Zed's not around. Or just a second big brother, really. So here's some cute Bonzo-and-Zoey-are-practically-siblings. The next Another Girl, Another Zombie installment is gonna kinda match up with this one~)

Tonight, Eliza was babysitting.

Although she did consider hanging out with Zed and Bonzo to be basically babysitting, this time, it was for Zoey. Mr Necrodopolous was taking Zed to get his Z-band's battery replaced and the process could take a while, which was mostly down to the zombie patrol officers at the containment facility having some skewed priorities and very little concern for taking up zombies' time. And on top of that, they didn't seem to care when was an appropriate time for a zombie to book an appointment, only when they were available. So, Zed's appointment ended up being late at night and Zoey needed someone to watch her, feed her and get her to bed on time. Eliza was the obvious first choice.

As she was leaving the house, Eliza noticed Bonzo still outside. Despite the setting sun, he was on his knees, wearing his mask and spraying some kind of board a dark green. She could see tape on it in the shape of a few Zombie letters, evidently still to be painted. He looked up as soon as she stepped off her porch, removing the mask and standing up. Before she could even cross the street, Bonzo was walking over to her.

"Geh, Elizaka?" he called out and she stopped, "Ru Zoeka aza?" You're watching Zoey?

"Yeah, why?"

"Grag ag grep, za?" Can I help? "Gra'zon zet varkra zu garzun zav..." Can't keep working with the sunlight gone...

Eliza cocked her head knowingly, raising an eyebrow, "Is that the only reason?"

"...Ziga Zoeka," he said with a shrug, not meeting her eyes.

Casting a glance back at Bonzo's house, Eliza smiled sadly in understanding, "We all like Zoey. I get it. C'mon."

Bonzo, giving her a grateful smile, went to prop up the board he had been painting against the porch then followed her across the street to Zed's house. Yes, he liked spending time with Zoey and yes, he couldn't keep working on his project out in the dark, but there was evidently something keeping him from going home. If he wanted an excuse to avoid his parents for the night, Eliza was happy to give him one.

"But I'm not splitting my pay with you, though, got it?" she told him, pointing at him with false authority.

Bonzo nodded, "Za."

Eliza knocked on the door and Zed answered. He smiled at them both.

"Hey, guys. You helping out, Bonz?"

Bonzo shrugged and Eliza titled her head towards the other side of the street.

"Yeah, he didn't really have anything better to do, if you know what I mean."

Zed's dad appeared at that moment, greeting Eliza and Bonzo with a nod, immediately accepting that Bonzo was there as well. He was used to the boy being over at the house, often at random. He gave them the normal rundown – Zoey was watching some cartoon, there was food to be microwaved and put her to bed before 9pm at the very latest. Then he called for Zoey, who was there in seconds with Zander tucked under her arm. She ran to hug Eliza but then she caught sight of Bonzo behind her.

"Bonnie!" She jumped out of Eliza's arms and straight into his. He hoisted her up and sat her on his hip, leaving Eliza with a lost look of "Really?" on her face. Zed and his dad both laughed as Bonzo stuck out his tongue at her.

"Alright, you kids have fun. We'll be back in a couple hours."

Once they had left, Eliza led the way into the living room, where she collapsed onto the couch and Bonzo lowered Zoey onto the floor, sitting down beside her. Zoey handed Zander over to Bonzo, took the remote and turned up the volume. Eliza sat back, guessing she wasn't going to tear either of them away from the screen anytime soon. Bonzo was watching just as intently as Zoey. After a minute or two, though, he glanced over at her and, while she was distracted, he poked her arm with Zander's paw. She turned to him and scowled, unable to hide the smile underneath, while he quickly looked back at the TV, bringing Zander into his lap. Zoey sat up so she could reach and prodded Bonzo's side, pulling her knees up to her chest and trying to feign innocence through her stifled giggles when he turned to look at her.

There was a pause as Bonzo thought. He smirked and slowly held out Zander towards her. Zoey peered at him out of the corner of her eye, trying not to smile, until he attacked, making Zander "lick" her face and they both erupted with laughter as she unsuccessfully tried to push him off. She eventually tore Zander out of Bonzo's hands and threw him back, hitting Bonzo square in the chest. He gasped, picking Zander up and holding him close. He shot Zoey a look of fake anger and gently stroked Zander's ears.

"Ru zorr agru!" You hurt him!

Zoey gaped, "No I didn't! Eliza!" she turned around to look at her, pointing accusingly at Bonzo, "He started it!"

Eliza just lay back, her arms folded across her chest, and shook her head, laughing.

"You did start it, Bonz."

Bonzo gasped, looked from Eliza to Zoey and then down at Zander, who he made nod. He pouted and tossed him back over to Zoey, rolling his eyes, and she hugged her toy. Eliza kicked her feet onto the floor and sat up.

"I'm gonna go get the food ready. You two behave."

She gave Bonzo a pointed look and stood, heading for the kitchen.

And while she was in there, she heard surprisingly little from the living room. Upon returning, she found them whispering together and grinning.

"... What are you talking about?"

They jumped apart.

"Nothing!

"Zonzig!"

"... Right..."

- BEYOND THE BARRIER -

Zoey was tucked up in bed, at last, and Eliza and Bonzo were watching TV, although Bonzo was growing bored with Eliza's choice of programming. Mostly because she couldn't really decide what to watch and kept flipping through the channels. He sat with his head tipped over the back of the couch, drumming his hands on his legs.

"Ssh, I'm trying to watch this."

"Zon."

Eliza shoved him and he shoved her back, getting up.

"Regur grik." Be right back.

"K." She didn't look up, assuming he was just going to the bathroom.

But then it was ten minutes later and he wasn't back. Fifteen minutes. Twenty. Eliza frowned and went to the bottom of the stairs.

"Bonzo...?" she listened for a few seconds and thought she heard muffled voices and shushing, "Ugh..."

She stormed up the stairs, pushing open Zoey's bedroom door to see...

"... You're having a tea party?" her face and voice went completely flat.

Zoey's eyes went wide but Bonzo just smiled and shrugged. Zoey was sitting on an old wooden stool with Zander in a plastic chair beside her. Bonzo sat on the floor at Zoey's makeshift table (a crate), leaning back on one hand and holding a tiny plastic cup in the other, his pinky finger sticking out. Eliza looked from one to the other, at a loss for words. Eventually, she put one hand on her hip and pointed at Bonzo.

"Look, I am only getting paid to watch one little kid."

He raised his cup in a toast to her, brought it to his lips and tipped it back.