Here's a new Zade story for you all. I'm sorry about my other story Nine Months, I chose not to continue because I had only thought of the beginning. But fear not, I come back to you with a new story that I have planned, it should be about five chapters.

It slightly follows Episode 1 of Season 3...

Enjoy! :]

I stepped off the plane onto the tarmac, the only thing that had changed since I was last here was the temperature, and how was it possible that the weather in Alabama could get hotter. I slowly walked into the airport, not sure what I really was doing back here. I mean I knew the reason I had travelled half the day to get to this place but did I really know what I was getting myself into?

As I pulled the car to a stop in town square there wasn't a soul to be seen. Not even the kids playing around the gazebo. It was a rare sight to see; maybe just maybe more had changed in Bluebell than the weather. It wasn't a Sunday, which meant that the town's people were at church, and it was impeccably stranger seeing as the founder's day parade was nearing. I got out of the car and started wandering aimlessly around town.

"Town Meeting," I whipped my head around so fast I think I pinched a nerve. It was the voice I had been trying to erase from my brain the last five months but to no avail did it ever. "Welcome back Doc," Wade smirked at me.

I didn't know what to say, he was the one person I had hoped I wouldn't bump into but here I am standing in front of him. "Hi Wade," I spat out.

"It's nice to see ya," he replied. I couldn't help but notice how little he had changed. His sandy blonde hair still made my knees weak, but I couldn't let that affect me. "Figured you be back,"

I looked at him even more stunned. How was I supposed to tell the guy that professed his love to me before I up and left him broken hearted that I wasn't coming back. "Ah actually I'm only here for the night, I have to get something and I'm going back,"

He took a deep breath; I could see the clocks in his heard working overtime. "So, I guess I'm probably not the first person you wanted to bump into then."

I wanted to so badly explain to him why I was back, why I told him through a stupid email I wasn't returning but I couldn't. "Well, I'll see ya around!"

He nodded at me and went back to whatever he was doing. I sighed in defeat; this was going to be the longest night in my entire night.

It was nearing sunset and so far I had only managed to bump into Wade and Shula Whittaker, who insisted I stay for some tea and meet her newest addition to the cat clan. It was rather sweet of her, but it made me miss Bluebell that bit more. We had chatted for an hour or so catching up, what I had missed but as I was leaving she reminded me that just because she was okay about my arrival, the whole town wouldn't be, especially Brick. This made it all the more harder to get what I needed.

I had reached the Mayor's Plantation before I knocked. It didn't take him long to answer.

"You're the mayor? Lavon Hayes the line backer!" I mused as a big grin.

"Big Z!" He laughed as he swung me around. "Still as great as ever!"

"SO my position as Lavon Hayes' Best Friend is still good?" I asked half joking.

"Of course Zoe, However I am a little offended I only got an email but you're back and that's the main thing!" He said as he pulled me inside.

My heart sank. "Oh no Lavon, I'm only here the night…" I paused. "I have to get a signature off one angry former business partner so I can get my dream apartment in New York,"

His face fell. "Oh, I didn't really think it would stick,"

I sighed once again. "Lavon, let's face it, Bluebell was like a rest stop on the way to reality…" I could see it in his eyes that he didn't agree with me in the slightest but hey in the end it was my decision and now those decisions had to count for another person. "So I uh met someone" I told him, changing the subject completely. "Someone that I could see spending the rest of my life with,"

He smiled at me again. "That's great news Big Z! I know things in Bluebell weren't all that great…"

"It was disastrous!" I exclaimed, thinking about George, Judson and Wade.

"So who's the lucky guy?" Lavon asked.

"Joel, he's an author and we come from the same world, I think he loves New York just as much as I do."

"Well I'm happy for you Zoe!" He looked around for his phone that had started to ring. I looked around the house as he started saying something about Fillmore and the upcoming Founder's day Parade. Nothing had changed to the kitchen since I had eaten here last only a couple of little things that Annabeth must've put around the place.

"Ah sorry Z, I've got to go see George about something, it was really nice seeing you." He turned to leave before he looked back at me. "Oh, you should know I let the carriage house to my cousin Linley."

My stomach dropped a little, I mean it was fine that he did it; it wasn't like I was going to stay in Bluebell forever. "Oh no, Yeah, I didn't expect to... I'll just stay at the B&B." I assured him.

Shula Whittaker said that everyone was upset not angry as hell that no one would let me borrow a bed from them for just one night. I sighed as I got into the rental car, I had tried the B&B, the motel, every one of the Belle's, The Long's I even stooped so low to ask Lemon if she had a bed for me. But no one had room or no one wanted the person who left without saying a proper goodbye. I parked outside the Rammer Jammer, thinking I could think of a place to stay over a glass of wine.

I walked in there and everyone just stared at me, the once noisy bar turned to dead silence that you could hear the crickets outside. I paused I flung my hands around in front of me, a way to psych me up. "Oh I'm sorry, I left and didn't say good-bye, and for the fact that I sent a lousy email to all of you. But in my defence, I couldn't say a proper good-bye because I knew it would of killed me and this town has a way of keeping me entertained and I would of stayed but I had, have" I corrected myself quickly. "a dream, and that was to become a world renown cardio thoracic surgeon and I just can't do that in Bluebell, my life isn't here anymore, it's in New York with my new Boyfriend…" I let them in on Joel because I wouldn't step foot in this town again. I heard a chorus's of OH's, awe's but not one of them said anything to me. I felt like an outsider, even more so then when I first came here.

I made myself feel welcome the only way I knew how, boxed wine. I was well and truly half way through the box, I couldn't handle my drink like I used too. I heard a car pull up beside me, it was Wade. The memory of our first encounter racing through my mind and it was as if he knew what I was thinking.

"Nice first day back, Doc" Wade grinned.

I smirked at him. "Don't you have some cows to tip" I jokingly responded.

"Oh look at you girl, drunk as a boiled owl… Nice little confession tonight." He told me.

I stared at him, what confession? "Oh Yeah?" I responded.

"Hopped off into to New York and already snatched up a man," He said half-joking but I could sense the seriousness in eyes.

Something in me ticked. "Wade Kinsella, you don't have a right to judge me about the choices I make and whom I make them of. Just because I didn't pick you doesn't mean that I don't love you." Shit, that came out wrong. "I meant didn't," my voice hitched in my throat. I didn't know what it was about being Bluebell, but I found myself starting to be a different Zoe, a Zoe I didn't know existed.

His eyes flickered in hope. "I'd offer you a ride but I don't want you get any ideas."

My mind had ideas but it seemed my body had different as I found myself climbing into the passenger seat. "I need a place to say and you are the only nice one to me." I stated in matter of fact tone.

He shook his head as he started the ignition and turned towards the Mayors plantation. As soon as I got to his house, I saw that nothing had changed; he still had that disgusting pile of dirty clothes in the corner, as well as a bunch of beer bottles lying around the house. It wasn't until I came across a pair of ladies undies.

"Nice keepsake." I chuckled at him pointing to the red lacy underwear.

He turned around to see, his face a hundred different emotions. "Well you know I like red," he chuckled not really knowing what else to say.

"You know, it's okay, I mean look at me I moved on, and hell I'm even moving in with the guy." I smiled at him. I couldn't decide whether I was trying to make him jealous or the fact that I wanted him to know what was going on.

"So you're happy Doc?" he asked me, trying to change the subject.

I smiled softly at him. "Well it's definitely not Bluebell but yes I'm enjoying it."

"Well that's good Doc, if you're happy, I'm happy." I didn't know what it was but I could almost sense that he was hiding something.

"And what about you?" I asked him.

"Nothing new really, just busy with the Rammer Jammer and all."

I looked at him; he certainly was a different man to when she last saw him. She could see the hurt in his eyes that he wasn't willing to voice. And before I knew what I was doing, I placed my hands on his cheeks and slowly leant in to kiss him. He didn't know what to do, but as I kept the kiss going he reciprocated; the kiss becoming more passionate by the second. I pushed him flat against the lounge, climbing on top of him never once breaking the kiss.

He pulled away abruptly and flipped out from underneath me. "Zoe, we can't do this, you have a boyfriend."

It hit me like a tonne of bricks, there was no way I was going to cheat on Joel, like Wade had done to me but I couldn't deny the spark that had been re lit in me, he had the power to make me feel on top of the world from a single kiss, something Joel couldn't do.

I shook my head as I attached my lips to his. This was the final thing I needed to leave Bluebell behind me.

I stumbled into Lavon's kitchen the next morning, hung over as hell. I needed a coffee stat. I almost jumped when I saw the stranger making breakfast in the kitchen.

"Oh my gosh, you must be Zoe Hart!" she exclaimed. "I've heard all about you! I am really sorry about the arrangements with the carriage house, I'm down here on holiday…" she said overly excited for eight am.

"Linley?" I asked.

"The one and only," she beamed back. I winced at the loudness of her voice.

"Nice to meet you," I replied sticking my hand out.

"Hey Linley, Annabeth and I were-"Lavon started saying something before coming into the kitchen.

I tried smoothing my hair down and wiping away remnants of yesterday's make-up away. "Zoe, what are you doing here?"

I dropped my head in shame. "I stayed at Wade's last night." I simply stated, knowing he'd catch on.

"No, no, no, no… Big Z, what about this guy you have up in New York?"

I banged my head against the counter. "I know, it was a stupid mistake, but nobody has to know!" I said.

"Oooh! A love drama!" Linley piped in.

Lavon nodded. "Well if you really loved the first one which I take is the guy up in Bluebell, then you wouldn't have slept with Wade…" Linley added.

Crap. Was she trying to mess with my head even more? However if I really was to consider her advice then if I really loved Wade, I wouldn't even have looked at Joel, but I did and now I am moving in with him. Why was love so complicated?

Next:

- A certain New Yorker comes to Bluebell.

-Brick needs help.