A/N: Well shit.

I genuinely don't know how the hell this happened. This was supposed to be a
short, less than 1k word one-shot, but it got a bit out of hand...I have 2.6k words so far. Oops.

Probably gonna be five or six chapters, but who knows.

Also, thank you to those of you who helped me name this! Rossismylife gave me the idea for the main title, and I used the ideas of butterflysecrets and ausllylover2345 to get the chapter title. Thanks guys...enjoy! :)


I was wrong.

It's not even so much that I was wrong. It's that he was right.

I'm staggering around Piggly Wiggly at 9 o'clock at night, trying to get
groceries after work. Shit. I really should've gone before work. But there's
nothing I can do now except throw my feet forward in search of canned peaches.

Dallas was right. I remember the night like it was yesterday, even though it
was almost a year ago. My mind wanders back to the words he spat in my face the
night he left for good: 'You're going to fall apart without me.' And I
have finally reached that stage of breaking.

Too stubborn to get a basket, I'm balancing an entire week of groceries,
cradled in my arms and dangling from thin, ivory fingers. I have a bag of
bananas, a loaf of bread, a can to tomato sauce, a jar of Nutella, a box of
cereal, and a half-gallon of orange juice wrapped carefully and methodically in
my arms.

"Need some help?"

I spin around to see a tall, attractive blonde man talking to me.

"Excuse me?" I ask. I would put my hand on my hip for effect, but my
hands are full of groceries that I can't afford.

The blonde looks down and does this kind of swaying walk before looking up at
me with sparkling eyes and an adorable crooked smile. God, he's attractive.

"I said...do you need some help with that?" I notice that he's
swinging an empty grocery basket around his finger. Almost teasingly.

"Look, I just...I'm just trying to pick up a few things, and I don't need
you-"

A box of cereal falls to the ground.

"Really?" the blonde asks, "are you sure you couldn't use
this?" The basket swings around his strong hand as he leans up against a
freezer door, looking shockingly cool.

"Really," I reply sharply, struggling to pick up the cereal box
without dropping everything else I'm carrying, "I don't need a-"

A can of tomato sauce.

"Look, hon-"

"Don't call me hon-"

"-I'm just trying to help out a lady in distress here."

I exhale and attempt to pick up the dropped objects. "I'm not in
distress," I protest.

He rolls his eyes and sighs incredulously. "Well I'm just going to leave
this here, just in case..." he offers hempenly, setting the basket down
right below me.

"I'm not going to need-"

The contents of my arms come crashing down.

Into the basket.

Damn basket.

"Why are you even helping me?" I ask brashly.

He smiles. "Well I was just here, minding my own business, ruminating over
my bread purchase, when I saw a beautiful young lady who needed assistance. And
being the gentleman I am, I decided I'd help her," he explains. His voice
is so soothing and sexy, and his eyes...

"Well thank you for your help, but I think I'll be on my way now," I
declare. For a second I'm reluctant to pick up the basket, but I swallow my pride.

The blonde guy smiles. "There you go. Don't be afraid to get what you
need, okay hon?"

I furrow my eyebrows, for a few reasons. "Please don't call me 'hon.' And
also, who are you to be giving me life advice in the freezer aisle of Piggly
Wiggly at 9 o'clock at night?" I question harshly.

That stupid smile again. Soft, comforting, like ice cream that's just starting
to melt. "Who are you to be refusing it?"

He got me there, but I don't let him know it.

"Well, whatever you reasons, thanks," I mutter quietly, less
defensively.

"Not a problem," he assures me, "I'll let you get back to your
shopping then."

I nod and smile like flat club soda. He tips an imaginary hat at me before
walking away.

I go back to grab a few more things before heading to the register. As I unload
my groceries onto the conveyer belt, I notice a little piece of paper at the
bottom of the basket. I take it out and read it.

Austin Moon
Grocery Store Hero
867-5309
Call me if you need anything. A basket, someone to talk to, anything.

I almost have to laugh at the ridiculousness of not only the note, but the
situation. It's funny who reaches out to you when you need saving. It's not
always your friends, your family. It's not always yourself. Sometimes grocery
store heroes need to come along in order for things to get better.

I re-read the note and snicker. I may have to take him up on that offer.