I think I have an issue, they really need to fix Zoe & Wade soon. I keep writing these and I really liked this one. I wonder if they will ever have her cash in the rain check on the show.


"Surprise!"

Zoe jumped and looked around. The whole town was standing in Lavon's living room. There were balloons everywhere and a banner that read "Happy Birthday Zoe!"

Zoe smiled "Oh my gosh" she laughed "Thank you"

Lavon walked over and gave her a hug "Happy Birthday Big Z"

"Thanks Lavon, Is the whole town here?"

"Pretty much" he said. Zoe looked around and Lavon knew exactly who she was looking for. "Well, he's not here." she said sadly

"Who?" she quickly said trying to sound unaffected

Lavon just looked at her as Lemon came over. "Happy Birthday Dr. Hart."

"Thank Lemon." she smiled at her but looked at Lavon. He read it as "really even she came?"

He nodded and walked away. Lemon continued to talk to Zoe. "There are food and drinks in the kitchen. All your presents are on the table over there." she pointed to a stack of gifts cards.

"Presents?"

"Well yeah, it's a birthday party silly. Of course there are gifts."

"Wow, I assume you and Annabeth helped plan this?"

"You would be correct."

"Thank you. I should go talk to some other guests then."

Zoe left and started talking with all the other guests. She thanked Annabeth for cooking, and Agnes for the cake. Everyone at and chatted for a couple hours. Lavon noticed Zoe staring out the kitchen window.

"He's not home."

"Who?"

"Big Z, you cannot lie to Lavon Hayes. I know you're looking for Wade." There was silence . "Why don't you open your gifts?"

Zoe shrugged and moved away from the window. "Alright"

She sat down in a chair next to the table of gifts. There were a lot of cards and gifts to go through. She got a cat statue from Shula, a free blow out from Susie at the salon and Agnes gave her a gift certificate to The Butter Stick. Brick even gave her a weekend off from the office for when she wanted. She had about 5 gifts left when Lavon handed her a box. She looked for a card or anything to show who it was from.

"Hey Lavon, who is this from?"

Lavon looked at the gift. "No card?" he picked it up and asked someone to claim it. They all just looked around for someone to answer the mayor, but no one did.

"Just open it. We'll find out later."

Zoe ripped open the package and her breath got caught in her throat. Tears began to well in her eyes. Lavon heard her gasp and leaned down.

"What's the matter? Are you allergic to these?"

Zoe shook her head. "No, they're my favorite. Just pass me another gift please." she placed the gift by her feet and wiped the few tears that escaped. She knew exactly who these were from

She opened the rest of the gifts, they had cake and eventually everyone left. Lavon and Zoe were sitting in the kitchen picking at the leftover cake.

"You ever figure out who got you those cookies that made ya cry?"

A simple "yeah" came from Zoe

"Was it your mom or dad?"

"No, they already sent gifts."

"Some long-lost aunt or cousin?"

"No"

"Are you gonna tell me?"

"Wade" she whispered not looking up from the cake

"Oh" was all her respond at first. He figured he would change the subject. "You want a drink?"

Zoe finally looked up and shook her head. "No thanks, I'm think i'm gonna go to bed. rain che..." she couldn't even finish that she immediately thought back to the last rain check she took

"No problem." he was confused but smiled and put his hand on her shoulder

"Thank for the party. I really appreciate it. You're a great friend." she got up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Lavon got up and handed her three bags of gifts

"Have a good night Z"

"You too"

She walked hom and couldn't help but stare at Wade's gatehouse. His car was there but no light was on. She looked down at her watch. "only 11:00. There is no way he's asleep" she let it go though and walked into her house

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The next morning Zoe got up and went to Lavon's for breakfast.

"Good morning"

"Morning Z"

"Have you seen Wade?"

"Yeah, you just missed him actually. He just left for work."

"Did he say anything about last night?"

"He said he was working."

"Everyone was here."

"I know. He wasn't very chatty after that and I wasn't pushin it."

Zoe looked down at her watch, she thought about going to the Rammer Jammer but she had a patient in fifteen minutes.

She made it through all her patients and was done by 4:00. She made her way over to the Rammer Jammer and walked in. Wade was at the bar so that's where she went. He smiled at her.

"Happy Birthday Doc. Sorry I missed ya last night. Heard it was quite the shindig."

"Don't" she snapped and slammed her purse on the bar "where were you?"

"Here''

"The whole town was Lavons."

"Well i still has to be here, in case his food sucked."

"Annabeth cooked, next excuse?"

Wade thought for a moment "out of towners. someone had to guide the people back to the main road."

Zoe rolled her eyes. She wasn't getting anywhere with him so she gave up for now. "Thanks for my cookies''

"What cookies?" he smirked

"Don't start. I know they were from you. You're the only one who knows those are my favorite."

"Don't know what your talkin about Doc."

Again she rolled her eyes. "ya know what, I'm cashing in my rain check."

Wade looked at her confused "what?''

"Two years ago you asked if you could buy me a drink. I asked for a rain check. I'm cashing it in. I want that drink."

"Sorry, working."

Just then Wanda walked in and went behind the bar. "Hey Wade, you're free to go. See you tomorrow"

Zoe smiled, he wasn't getting away now

Wade huffed and looked at Zoe who had a very satisfied look on her face "Fine, let's go"

They two of them walked out of the bar and Wade started towards his car.

"Where are you going? We just left a place to buy a drink?"

'You really want to have that drink while the whole town is watching us?"

"Not really."

"Well then, get in." he opened the passenger side door. She smiled and got in

They drove in silence for about ten minutes. Zoe had no idea where he was taking her.

"Where are we going?"

"There's this new place in Fillmore. I've heard it's good, been wanting to go."

"Oh ok, sounds good."

They got there about fifteen minutes later. It seemed like a nice place. Not as fancy as Fancies but not as casual as the Rammer Jammer. Wade got out but Zoe was checking her makeup in the mirror, he walked around to her side and opened the door for her. She smiled as she got out and they both walked into the restaurant. It was much nicer than Wade thought, they waited to be seated.

"Just the two of you?" the hostess asked

"Uh, yeah" Wade said a little nervous now. the hostess walked them to a table in the back corner and handed them menus

"The place is really nice."

"Yeah, i didn't realize it was gonna be like this."

Zoe looked at him and noticed he was getting very tense. "I like it"

He looked up from his menu and gave her a half smile. He was relieved when the waitress came over.

"What can I get you guys to start? Mixed Drinks are 2 for 1 until 9:00." she pointed to a separate menu on the table.

"What'll be Doc?"

She smiled "You pick, I'm sure you know what's good."

Wade examined the menu. "Two tequila sunrises please."

"Ok, coming right up." she smiled and left

After a minute Wade spoke "you're welcome...for the cookies"

"I thought they weren't from you?" he just looked at her. She let our a small chuckle "I miss you"

He looked up from his menu. "I haven't gone anywhere. We have breakfast together almost every day."

"It's not the same anymore. Last night just proved that. When I looked around and saw everyone there even Lemon and Brick, it hurt."

"I'm sorry, I was going to come and then i figured maybe you wouldn't want me there. I know we've become somewhat friends again but I didn't want to ruin your night with the possibility of bad memories."

"Well you not coming brought bad memories."

"I'm sorry"

The waitress came back with their drinks. "Are y'all ready to order?"

Wade looked at Zoe and she nodded. They ordered and the waitress left again.

"So, you get any good gifts from our lovely neighbors?"

Zoe thought back "I got a weekend off from the practice whenever I want it."

"Nice, where you goin?"

"Don't know" she shrugged

"Doc" he paused and she looked up "Why'd you cash in your rain check?"

"Cause you wouldn't really talk to me and i figured alcohol would help."

"I don't get you. When we broke up you didn't want to be anywhere near me. All of the sudden you're coming into the Rammer Jammer. You had Lavon take back his mini fridge. We're having breakfast together and talking like nothing ever happened."

"So"

"So? You're confusing me."

"Where is this coming from? Do you not want to be friends?"

"I do, believe me but I'm just confused. You were made and then all of the sudden you're fine."

"I missed you"

"You said that earlier. I guess...I was...What...How...do..."

"Wade spit it out"

"I can't"

"Since when can't you talk to me?"

"Since I don't know how to be around you anymore. I hurt you and I will never forgive myself for that. Every time I see you all I think about is your face that night and how I did that to you. I want to fix it but I can't. I lost the one thing that has ever meant anything to me. That's why I went along with your "let's pretend nothing happened" phase. I figured some kind of contact was better than none cause I couldn't stand not seeing you."

"I'm not pretending nothing happened. I'm trying to move past it and not seeing you was making things worse. You were the one who always helped me with my problems and not talking to you was killing me."

"But you don't forgive me?"

"I'm working on it Wade. It's going to take awhile and I still don't know why you did it."

"Cause I'm an idiot and I ruin everything in my life"

She reached for his hand. Both their fingers tingled at the touch "Don't say that."

The waitress brought out their food and asked if she could get them anything else. Wade ordered another round of drinks. The meal became silent, a few glances here and there. Zoe went to speak but decided against it, Wade thought he's said enough for one night.

Zoe couldn't take the silence anymore. By that time they were both 4 drinks in and she was more than tipsy.

"Why?"

Wade looked up "why what?"

"Why did you do it?"

Wade was also more than tipsy for he didn't think before he spoke. In this case it was a good thing "Cause you don't deserve me. You'd never end up with me anyway. We could never get married, have kids. A doctor and a bartender, that doesn't happen."

Zoe closed her eyes and took a breath. She wanted to yell but they were in the middle of a restaurant. "So you just decided to end it in the most hurtful way you could think of."

"I didn't think, I just did. That's what I do. It didn't help that I was about five times as drunk as I am now and lost because I didn't listen to you. George was saying how I can do better, be better, but everyone knows I can't.

"You can, I've seen you at your best. I don't know why you don't see it. You are not going to be your father. Didn't we establish that after Founders Day. We are not our parents."

"Zoe you don't get it."

"I do get it. You're scared, you watched the one women you have ever loved fight a losing battle and die when you were 10. You watched your dad throw his life away and become a drunk and then Jesse left cause he couldnt deal with it. The three people you loved the most in your life disappointed you and left and you feel you are the same. Well you're not and I wasn't going anywhere. I was happy with you, I saw us moving on in our lifes..together and happy."

Wade was shocked not only did she now know him better than hee thought but she actually saw a future with him.

"She's not the only women I ever loved." he whispered

Zoe knew he said something but couldn't understand him when she went to ask the waitress came back with the check. Wade paid it and they left. Wade went to walk to his car but Zoe grabbed his hand and led him in the opposite direction.

"Where are we going?"

"We're not done yet."

They walked in silent, still holding hands till they found a park. Zoe sat down on a bench and pulled him down with her. She let go of his hand and looked at him.

"What did you say in there after my little rant?"

Wade just looked at her. Was he really going to say it again. He figured if he ever wanted to fix things with Zoe he had to start telling th whole truth.

"I said she wasn't the only women I ever loved."

Zoe was taken back a little "Oh well yeah there was Tansy."

Wade looked at her like she has four head. "I didn't love Tansy. We were drunk and never got along."

Zoe was now curious, she really didnt know any of his other lady friends he had for more then a night. "Joelle?"

Wade couldn't hold back the laughter on that one. "I only had her around to try and make you jealous. She was crazier then Lily Ann and before you ask it wasn't her either."

Zoe laughed too "Well then who?"

Wade got serious. "The truth" he said more to himself then to her. He closed his eyes "you"

If Zoe wasn't sitting she would have fallen over. She was not expecting that. "me?"

"yep"

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" she was a little angry now

"Cause you didn't feel the same way so why would I embarrass myself like that."

"Excuse me? How do you know I didn't feel the same way?"

"Doctor" he pointed to her "bartender" he pointed to himself "Besides you love Golden Boy."

"Oh my gosh, that is what this is all about. You still think I'm gonna pick him. That's why you sabotaged our relationship. All because of George"

"You are!" he yelled a little louder than expected

"No, I'm not! I don't live him. I have been here for 2 years and never been with him. When we broke up did I run to him? No! When he and Tansy broke up did I run to him? No! He was familiar, he was easy to be around, he knew New York. I don't want to be with him. We established that months ago when his crazy mother kidnapped us on his boat. As you would put it. I no longer have googly eyes for Golden Boy George. My eyes goggled elsewhere."

Wade was silent, he didn't know what to say. She was right though, ever since last Christmas she didn't look at George like she used to. He was about to speak when she spoke up again.

"I love you Wade. That's why I missed you so much, That's why I had Lavon take away the fridge. That's why I come to the Rammer Jammer again. That's why I cashed in my rain check."

The words Wade was going to say before just went away. He felt himself tense up hearing he say those things so he threw up another wall.

"Well we're never going to work because I screwed up. I hurt you and you'll never forgive me. Like I said earlier, I lost the one thing that has ever meant anything to me."

He rambled on but Zoe couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed his face in her hands and crashed her lips to his. The kiss was passionate, as if everything that has happened in the last 6 months just melted away. They pulled apart when air was necessary.

Wade just looked at her, she has made him speechless way to many times tonight.

Zoe spoke "I'm still here, I love you and you love me. I'm not going anywhere. You need to get that through your head. As well as you can do anything you want to do if you would just believe in yourself. When you do, I will forgive you and we can see where we would've gone if you didn't have a momentary lapse in judgment."

She got up to leave but he wasn't leaving it like this. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. A little stronger than he expected to so she landed on his lap. She gave a slight chuckle and readjusted herself. He wrapped his arms around her waist, she wrapped hers around his neck.

"Doc, as long as your by my side I think I can do anything."

She smiled and pressed her forehead to his. "I love you Wade Kinsella"

"I love you too"


I hope you liked it. Please review. I have another one but it's a song fic and I don't know how to post it without the lyrics. If you guys have any advice on that, I'd appreciate it.