This is for AugustMist's Winter break Season 3/4 Challenge #3

Write a fic, under 1,000 words in length, on an unexpected romantic pairing
not previously explored in the programme - e.g. Jack and Nathan - including 4
of the words: Tactical, Honorary, Trouble, Baffled, Minimalist, Underlying,
 Skirt, Radiation or Syndrome.


I am not going to say the pairing now, you will have to find out on your own…never mind the characters for the story probably gave it away so never mind. Enjoy and please review!!!

Zane walked into the infirmary to see Zoë. He was going to make sure that she was okay, after all slipping in purple liquid and spraining your ankle is never good.

Zane saw her lying on the bed, her dad had just left, and Lexi was sleeping in the corner. He pulled up a chair and sat next to her and looked at her for a moment.

"Hey." He said. Zoë moved a little bit before opening her eyes.

"Hi." She said weakly smiling.

"How you feeling?"

"Okay." She said smiling again.

"So uh, when you get out of here you want to go to Café Diem?" Zane couldn't believe he was asking out the Sheriffs daughter. He knew that Carter would not be happy when he found out.

"Yeah I would like that." Zoë said smiling before closing her eyes again.

Zane smiled to himself before kissing her on the forehead before leaving the infirmary.

Zane remembered being down in the bunker, and seeing Zoë limping around. He hated seeing her like that so he decided that he would help her around but of course he couldn't let on that he liked her with her friends around.

The only problem was Zoë was the sheriff's daughter and Carter probably wouldn't like to see Zane with his daughter. Zane knew that Carter still thought of him as trouble ever since he came to Eureka.

Actually there were a couple of problems other than her being the Sheriffs daughter, the fact that she was with Lucas and Zane had just broken up with Jo. But he knew that Jo would probably end up with Fargo considering how long he had a crush on her he would finally get a chance.

Zane didn't know what to do while he waited for Zoë to be discharged from the infirmary knowing that it would be a while. Finally he decided to take a walk around the town and have some time to think.

Zane realized that it would be easier to just meet Zoë at Café Diem the only problem was telling her that. He finally came up with a very tactical plan. He would stop by the infirmary on his way to his lab tell her to meet him there, then actually go to his lab so no one would be suspicious. Then he would go to Café Diem and "run into" Zoë there while she was with her dad, then they would have their date. Of course somewhere in there Zane would have to tell Carter that he wanted to date his daughter, that was the major flaw in the plan.

Zane walked in the infirmary he saw Zoë and she was awake and looked like she was ready to leave. Lexi was talking to a nurse far away enough that she wouldn't hear Zane talking to Zoë.

"Hey." Zane said smiling.

"Hey so you keeping that promise you made?" She asked.

"Yeah, I was thinking we could meet at Café Diem in about an hour you could go home and change and then we would meet there."

"You afraid of my dad finding out aren't you?" Zoë asked arching an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Zane finally admitted.

"Don't worry about him, eventually you will actually be able to pick me up for a date." She said smiling; she looked over at Lexi who was finishing up talking with the nurse. "I'll see you later."

Zane smiled and nodded and headed to his lab.

Finally it was time for his date with Zoë. He was walking into Café Diem. The first thing he saw was Zoë. And she looked amazing. She was wearing a red midsleeved shirt and a white skirt. Of course she was talking with her Dad, but she looked over and realized that he was standing there. She said something to her Dad and then walked over to him.

"Hey." She said.

"Hey, so id your dad okay with this?"

"He will be soon."

"Really?" He asked raising and eyebrow.

"It will take a little time, but don't worry about it." Zoë said smiling then kissed him on the cheek. "That was for helping me down in the bunker." Zane smiled and took her hand and led her to a table.

"So, you feeling better?" Zane asked, still concerned about Zoë.

"I'm fine, my ankle hurts a little bit but I can walk."

Then Zane did something he never expected himself to do. He leaned across the table and kissed Zoë something he had wanted to do for a long time, especially since he had been down in the bunker with her. And Zoë kissed him back.

"What the!" Zane broke away from Zoë to see Carter standing behind them. He realized he would have to tell Carter sooner than he thought. But carter did look really baffled.

"Zoë…Zane what are you doing to my daughter?"

"Kissing her." HE had decided to take it the smart ass way.

"Really because I didn't notice. And why on earth would you do that?"

"Dad, calm down. I like Zane and he likes me." Zoë told him.

"I-uh." Carter couldn't finish his sentence so he walked off to join Lexi.

"Wow I think he likes you." Zoë said smiling. Zane knew that probably wasn't the case that it was more likely that Carter couldn't think of anything to say.

"I don't know about that." Zane said smiling. "He may just find me even more trouble now." Then he kissed Zoë again. Very happy with the way things ended up.

Okay so what did ya'll think? Was it too weird and twisted??? Because to me that was really the only couple that made sense and that I wanted to write. And it was sad to write that Zane had broken up with Jo, but I had to say that to make the story work. Please review and tell me what you think!!!!!