I'm in some serious need for a massive doze of cheesy Zade fluff, so I just decided to write a fluffy story myself. Set in the far away future, Zoe and Wade are all settled into a nice life and we learn their backstory in randomly ordered flashbacks. Hope you enjoy, have only written this first chapter so far, but will continue to write and post if people like it, so review please! :)
Zoe could not believe her eyes. She was pregnant. Again. As she sat on the brim of her bathtub, staring down at the plastic stick in her hand, she felt a sense of deja vu as her mind drifted back into the past . . .
"No, this can't be happening" Zoe thought to herself as she dropped onto her bed. She stared down at the blue cross. No. She couldn't be pregnant, it wasn't time yet and they'd been safe. Most of the time.
"No" she said out loud as she stood up. These tests weren't always accurate. She would just go into the practice and take a proper test. After all, she was a doctor, she could do it without anyone ever knowing. Yeah. She would correct this mistake without anyone ever knowing. Especially not him, there was no need for him ever to know.
"Mum, Billy's bein' a dick takin' forever an' I need a shower"
Zoe was snapped out of her thoughts by the frantic knock on the bathroom door. She quickly stashed the test away in the back of one of the cabinets and hurried to open the door.
"Language, Jackie" she chastened as her teenage daughter rushed into the bathroom.
"Yeah, yeah. Need the shower" the tiny brunette said as she pushed her mother out of the room and shut the door firmly behind her.
Zoe sighed as she watched the door slam in her face. She turned around and walked out into the hall only to be nearly knocked over when a bundle of blond hair crashed into her legs.
"Hayden, Cole, what are you two doing?" Zoe shouted as she pulled the two apart.
"He started it". "No, he took my plane". "It's just a..."
"Stop!" she shouted a little higher as she stood up and looked at the two boys in front of her. They were almost completely identical and could only be told apart by a birthmark on Hayden's shoulder, yet their personalities were so different it was as if they weren't related at all.
"Cole, give Hayden back his plane and then go get ready for football practice. Hayden, go get your homework and come sit in the kitchen" she ordered and the boys ran away.
Zoe only managed to get halfway down the stairs before she heard a crashing from above. She sighed and turned around.
"Who broke what?" she yelled out as she made her way back upstairs.
"It was Billy's fault, he pushed me". "Did not, you're just a clumsy idiot". "You're the idiot, havin' to retake maths with my class".
"Noah, that was uncalled for" Zoe reprimanded as she walked into the boy's room and saw pieces of glass spread around a mixture of toys, clothes and books on the floor. "Billy, go sit on your bed. Noah, carefully step over here, look down so you don't step on the glass" she ordered and then bent down to pick up all the stuff of the floor.
"Mum, it really wasn't my fault. Noah was pissin' me off and I got so annoyed that I just pushed him a little and he hit the shelf and the frame just fell"
"Watch your language Billy. Now you know not to let Noah get to your head, we've talked about this"
"I know, it's just so hard sometimes". Zoe looked up at her oldest son as he sat cross-legged on his bed, looking down on his lap. She stood up and placed the last book in the shelf before walking over to the bed and sitting down next to Billy. She reached out and forced his face to look at hers.
"I know, honey, but you need to try. Remember, whenever someone is annoying you and you start to get annoyed, just stop, breathe and slowly count to ten" she said and pulled her son in for a hug. "Now, why were you teasing your sister and not letting her get into the shower?" she asked in a lighter tone as they pulled apart.
Billy started to chuckle. "It's just so funny"
"Billy, you need to remember how you feel when other's are teasing you like that. You wouldn't like it if Jackie did that to you, so you shouldn't do it to her. Now sit tight and I'm going to finish clearing all this glass" she said as she stood up and went to get the vacuum cleaner.
Zoe finished cleaning up and then looked at her watch. "Cole" she called out as she walked to the other boy's room.
"What?" an exasperated voice called out.
"Go grab your boots and run over to Uncle Lavon's, or you will be late" she said from the doorway and soon a flash of flesh hurried past her down the stairs.
She turned into the kitchen to find Hayden sitting at the counter with his books. She sat down next to her son to help him with his homework.
"When's daddy comin' home?" Hayden turned to her with his deep dark eyes that so resembled his father's.
"I don't know, honey" Zoe sighed and stroked the blond hair away from her son's face.
"Dad? Me? I'm gonna be a dad?" He reached for his hair as she so often did when he was nervous or uncomfortable. "You sure? I mean, those tests don't always tell the truth"
He started to pace back and forth in the small space in front of his couch.
"Yes I'm sure. I tested it myself" Zoe said calmly from where she was sitting on the couch. "Look, I don't expect anything from you. We've only just started dating again and I know this must be the last thing you want, I just felt you should know"
"What? Zoe, no, I'm not gonna leave you to deal with this alone" he said, face suddenly serious and rid of any evidence of having been freaking out a few moments earlier. "I know we've just started things up again but Zoe, I love you. That never changed, not when you went to New York or came back with Joel or when I started seein' Vivian. I know I'm not the best father type out there but I'm not gonna leave you or our baby."
"Wade..." was all Zoe could manage as tears started streaming out of her eyes.
"Hey, common Doc, don't cry, it'll be okay" Wade said as he pulled Zoe in for a hug.
"How, Wade? How will it be okay? I've just managed to get Brick to make me partner again, you're busy running the Rammer Jammer all by yourself, my mother, oh god, my mother still thinks I'm seeing Joel." She was fast slipping into panic mode.
"Zoe, calm down, okay. We'll just take it one day at a time. It's months 'til you need to stop workin' and Brick'll understand. Wanda will help out with the Rammer Jammer and your mother, well, she'll be thrilled to be havin' a grandbaby" Wade said as he grabbed Zoe's face with both his hands and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"Yeah, you're right, it will be okay" Zoe said unconvincingly as she rested her head on Wade's chest.
Zoe was just finishing setting the table as she glanced up at the clock. Twenty-five minutes past six. She heard footsteps and looked to her right into the front room. She saw her little girl emerge down the stairs in a beautiful light yellow sundress with her wavy hair bouncing off her shoulders.
"Jackie, honey, you look beautiful" she said as she put down the last plate and walked over to her daughter. As she came closer she noticed the little things, the hint of powder on Jackie's cheeks, the thin layer of mascara, the hint of her fancy perfume.
"Thanks, mum" Jackie said shyly as her mother wrapped her in a hug.
"I can't believe my little baby girl is going on a date" Zoe said as she slowly released her daughter from the hug. "And I can't believe your father is missing this"
"Oh, thank God for that" Jackie said laughing. Zoe laughed with her. Wade was usually the cool parent, but he was having a real hard time accepting the fact that Jackie was growing up and starting to like guys, he had a bit too much experience in being on the other end.
"Do you think I should go up and wait there. So I can come walkin' down the stairs, makin' an entrance?" Jackie asked her mother, her cheeks growing a bit red, making Zoe smile. Jackie might act all grown up and cool, but Zoe could tell she was really nervous. After all, it was her first date ever.
"It's your choice sweetheart. We can just go sit in the living room until Connor gets here, if you want"
"Yeah, okay" Jackie said and went straight over to the big couch and sat nervously on the edge.
Zoe followed and took a seat next to her. They didn't have to wait long until there was a knock on the door. Zoe stood up to get it. At the door stood a charming young boy, the spitting image of a southern gentleman. Zoe let him in and Jackie emerged from the living room.
"Hey" she said nervously.
"Hey" he replied. "These are for you" he said and handed her a small bouquet of flowers.
"Thank you" Jackie said as she took the flowers and smelled them.
"I'll put them in a vase for you" Zoe said and took the flowers. "You kids have a good time. I know it's not a school night, but I still want her home before midnight" she said in her perfect parenting voice, stern but kind.
"Yes ma'am" Connor said as they headed out the door.
Zoe smiled to herself as she watched them walk down away before shutting the door and going in the kitchen to put the flowers in water.
"Boys, dinner time" she called out and all four boys came running down the stairs.
They were halfway through their dinner when Wade came in through the back door. He was welcomed with calls from the boys.
"Hey beautiful" he said to Zoe as he bent down to kiss her before taking a seat at the table. "Where's Jackie?" he asked.
"She's got her date with Connor tonight" Zoe said with a smile, looking at Wade as he nearly chocked on his spaghetti.
"What?" he managed between coughs.
"I knew you'd forgotten. It was the only explanation why you weren't here scaring the life out of that poor boy" Zoe said chuckling.
"Well, let's hope you did it for me" Wade said, his voice getting a bit harsh.
"No, Wade, I didn't. He was a very nice young man, perfectly well behaved and did not need a some crazy, overprotective southern dad scaring him"
Wade was about to say something back but was interrupted by Cole who wanted to brag to his dad about his efforts at football practice.
Later that night the boys were all tucked away and Wade was sat out on the front porch in the swing he'd built for Zoe. She came out, wrapped in a blanket, with a beer in her hand that she gave to Wade.
"It's still feels like it happens Yesterday" was all he said as she sat down next to him.
"I know" Zoe said as she leaned into Wade and he put his arm around her, holding her close to him.
Wade woke up to Zoe shaking him frantically.
"Wade, wake up. Wade!"
He just mumbled something and turned on his side.
"WADE, it's time"
"Mhm, okay" he muttered and continued to try and ignore her. He assumed Zoe had given up as he had a moment of peace and had almost fallen completely back to sleep when he suddenly was jerked awake by a splash of cold water hitting his face.
"What the hell, woman?" he shouted as he looked over to Zoe who stood at the side of the bed with an empty glass in her hand.
"Well, I am about to have your baby if you cared to come with me to the hospital" she said in a sarcastic voice as she turned away and headed to the door.
"What, Zoe, wait" he said as he jumped out of bed. He grabbed his jeans from the floor and jerked on a shirt.
He managed to get all his clothes on right and they rushed to the hospital. Once there, Zoe took control, knowing her way around the hospital, and within five minutes she was checked in and as comfortable as she could be in the situation, settled in a single room.
The whole thing happened really fast, and in an hour, Wade stood at Zoe's side, looking down at their beautiful daughter. He'd never before understood what people saw in new born babies, they'd all just looked the same to him, just a little pink crying creatures, but standing there, looking down at his daughter, he finally got it.
"Wade" Zoe finally said after they'd both just sat there in silence.
"Yeah" he said, looking into his Zoe's eyes.
"I'm pregnant again" she said with a sigh.
"Again?"
"Yeah. Haven't confirmed it yet, but yeah" she said with a slight smile
"Dear God, woman" Wade teased.
"Excuse me, it takes two" she said and lightly punched him in the arm.
"Another baby" Wade sighed. "Maybe it's a good thing they're growing older"
"Remember that while we wait the last half an hour until the curfew I set for Jackie's up" Zoe teased as she settled back into Wade's arms.
Five minutes later they saw two shadows walking up the street.
"Common, let's go inside" Zoe said and quickly got up and dragged a protesting Wade in the house.
"Why. To give that boy a chance to make a move on my baby girl" Wade spat out once they were inside.
"Yes" was all Zoe said in reply.
"Yes? YES? Have you gone insane?" Wade exclaimed, looking at Zoe in utter terror.
"No Wade. Think about it. Do you think your daughter will be happy if you ruin her first date by embarrassing her in front of the guy she likes?" Zoe explained, remaining calm.
Wade took in her words, opened his mouth as if he was starting to protest, then closed it again as her argument settled in his mind.
"Now, lets go sit on the couch and pretend to be watching TV" Zoe said, dragging Wade into the living room.
After ten minutes Wade was growing very anxious. "It's been ten minutes, Doc".
"Wade, calm down" Zoe said, placing her hand on Wade's thigh just as the front door opened and Jackie stepped inside.
"Hi, honey" Zoe said casually, inviting Jackie to come over. "So, how was your night?"
"It was really good" Jackie said with a shy smile on her face.
Wade just stood up and grabbed Jackie in a tight hug before walking up the stairs without saying a word, leaving Jackie dumbstruck.
"He's just adjusting to see you so grown up" Zoe said smiling as she walked over to her daughter.
"I love you, mum" Jackie said and gave her mother a quick hug before going upstairs.
Zoe finished getting the house ready for the night before she went upstairs to find Wade laying in bed, staring into space.
She crawled into bed next to him and gave him a light kiss. "It's okay, she's still our little girl" she said and felt Wade's arms tighten around her.
