This story has been saved in my computer for a while now but I've decided to share it with you and with some luck, you'll like it.

It'll only have two chapters.

Home Is Where the Hart Is

"Where to?"

"I- I," he stuttered for a brief moment as he unfolded the tiny piece of white paper he had stuffed in the front pocket of his jeans hours prior. Grunting in frustration, he finally managed to rattle off the address of his destination.

Letting his head fall back against the headrest, he realized he hadn't really given too much of a thought as to what he was doing exactly. He had a duffel bag with a few basics but in fact, he couldn't remember if he had thrown a toothbrush in; plus, he was sure the money he was carrying was barely enough to cover the cab and maybe a burger if he was too hungry.

As if. His stomach was the size of a pea and there was a huge lump in his throat that barely allowed him to breathe, much less eat.

New York had always struck him as a city so big you could easily get lost in it; that you could easily let life pass you by without even noticing, always in a rush to get from point A to point B and missing everything in between. So different from Bluebell where time was always on your side because it seemed to stop when you wanted to enjoy a moment.

If it had been any other time, he would've noticed the noise as well, how loud the city was unlike his beloved hometown. Right now, though, his heart seemed to be lodged between his ears, beating wildly and not letting him hear anything.

"Here we are," the driver said, dragging him out of his own world that was currently quite gray for a man like him. "It's forty-five."

Okay, so he had to forget that burger and spend the last fifty bucks he had on him before he jumped out of the car with his ratty bag, that he hadn't actually used for more than fishing trips, and faced an imposing old building that seemed to have been taken out of some movie like the ones his mother used to watch when he was a kid, those nights they shared a bag of marshmallows with his brother and tried to forget that their father was out, God only knew where.

He couldn't even bother to feel offended when the building's doorman shot him a dirty look as soon as he tried to put a foot inside. The disdain in the older man's voice was obvious despite receiving the answers he was looking for in a very respectful manner, or as close as they could be, given the circumstances.

With reluctance, he was granted access to the building and then the elevator.

His stomach was flip-flopping all the way up, and he doubted it was because he wasn't used to these heights. It had something to do with something completely different. Something he hadn't imagined ever before and never would've had if it weren't for Rose's and Lavon's big mouths and the secrets they vowed to keep. Sometimes sharing a kitchen with other people was a curse and a blessing at the same time.

When the doors of the elevator opened, his back stiffened at the sight of the woman in front of him. She was just the first obstacle in this crazy journey he had decided to take.

"Wade, right?" the woman drawled with a slightly amused tone as she studied him from the tip of his blonde hair to the dirty working boots he was wearing.

It wasn't the first time he faced Candice, not by a long shot, but this time, unlike others, he couldn't be the carefree guy he was known to be. He couldn't play the part of the funny neighbor-slash-friend-slash-something-he-didn't-qu ite-know because he was lost. Lost like never before.

"Good afternoon, ma'am," he croaked, feeling his throat dry as a smile was drawn on her face.

For him it looked like a mix between pity and amusement.

"Don't call me ma'am," Candice replied, motioning for him to get inside the apartment.

"Yes, ma-" He swore under his breath and then turned around in time to see Candice's arched eyebrow. "Okay."

Candice expensive shoes clacked against the floor as she guided him into the living room. "I must be honest," she began casually as he meekly followed her like a lost puppy. "I never thought you'd be willing to travel such distances just because of a problem I'm sure it's not a first in your life, if any of the stories about you are true." So maybe she had heard a thing or two about his past but… that didn't mean she knew him. Unfortunately, right then wasn't his finest hour. "Of course, I didn't think Zoe would ever get involved into a situation like this. She always claimed to be… not like me."

Wade inhaled deeply, the smell of flowers and something else filling his nostrils. "I didn't know," he uttered as an apology but Candice just granted him a look full of pity.

"And you probably wouldn't if it weren't for those friends of yours."

Wade's gaze fell upon the big vase full of fresh flowers that had nothing on the wild ones that grew around the plantation, those that were still alive and growing freely.

"Mom?"

His dark green eyes widened at the voice coming from the next room. Candice snorted a laugh before answering her daughter's cry. Soon his eyes fell upon the pint-sized brunette in sweats, with her chestnut hair tied in a messy bun and her gray tank top hugging her upper body.

Wade didn't register how her clean face paled as she quickly wrapped her arms around her middle. But it was too late. His eyes had been looking for a clue, for proof and as quick as she had been, he had won.

"What are you doing here?" Zoe spoke barely over a whisper, eyeing her mother who seemed to disapprove the sudden shyness in her daughter. It was hard, for anyone who knew them, not to be suspicious anyway.

He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, his eyebrows knitting together as if he found it physically hard to do anything. "You left."

"Three months ago," she shot back haughtily. She was angry but he didn't know if it was because he went looking for her or because he had taken too long. "And it's not like I wanted you to come here."

"Which is why you didn't say goodbye, I got that," he spat back with just enough venom to make her clench her jaw. "But it's not like I was your boyfriend. Or your friend, right?" he added with a pinch of sarcasm that forced her to tighten her arms around her.

"You come for an apology?" she muttered, avoiding his gaze at all cost.

"No."

"Then what?"

He took a tentative step closer to her, and another one when she didn't move away from him. His shoulders slumped and his eyes softened when he noticed how fragile she looked, how unlike her this was. "Zoe, you're already showing," he mumbled with difficulty, as if he couldn't believe it.

"Barely," she whispered, head sagging as she finally unwrapped her arms from around herself and just splayed her right hand over her belly. "But it's normal given my size and that it's the fourth month," she explained, trying to seem technical but trembling when he dared to brush her hand with his.

"Why wouldn't you tell me?" was almost a plea but he didn't know what else to do, how to ask. He was scared too, probably more than her because he hadn't had time to process everything yet. While she had known for little over three months, he had found out the day before.

Candice's shoes clacked against the floor once again. "I'll leave you two alone," she stated quietly but, in all honesty, they had already forgotten she was witnessing the scene.

Zoe swallowed hard but still couldn't look at him in the eye. "You don't know if it's yours."

"Come on," he growled lowly, begging for her attention. And he got it.

Her angry glare fell upon him and he narrowed the distance between them, noses almost touching.

"Are you seriously gonna lie to my face?"

She snorted a sad laugh as her eyes filled with tears.

He pulled away and stared. He had missed her but he wasn't allowed to do it because when she left, they weren't on speaking terms. They were both mad at each other; Wade because she broke his heart and Zoe because he couldn't let himself fight for her just a little harder.

"This wasn't supposed to happen." She shook her head. "It was harmless to be in the middle of a love triangle because… because I knew that it was you or George. And you made it so hard, Wade. It hurt me to end whatever it was that we had to try things with George but it destroyed me to find out that some cosmic sign or greater power decided that it wasn't meant to be. It wasn't because a part of me already belonged to you."

She would have thought it was funny how his forehead creased and he managed to purse his lips in that way he did when he felt nervous and conflicted, but not now.

"I'm sorry," he murmured into her ear when he found the strength to pull her into a hug. He just let himself wind his arms around her and feel her tears wetting his flannel shirt while she clung to his shoulders with all her might.

"It's not your fault," she sobbed against his chest. "I should've known."

He cradled her face in his hands and looked into her big brown eyes, reddened thanks to her crying. Wade did his best to wipe the tears running down her cheeks with the sleeves of his shirt while she laughed, hiccupping.

"I'm a doctor, for god's sake, I should've known!"

He snorted a laugh and quickly pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"And I should've told you but-"

"Shh," he stopped her promptly, tucking her head under his chin. "I'm not easy to reach when I'm being… stupid. And I was so mad at you."

"But you loved me, you said so," she squeaked in a tiny voice.

He felt his heart clenching painfully inside him, remembering how those words weren't reciprocated. She never even said thank you and he blamed it on his timing, on yelling the words at her in the midst of a fight.

"I do," he babbled.

His breath caught in his throat when he felt her fingers twining with his, guiding his hand down, under her shirt and over her barely swollen stomach.

"I'm sorry," she murmured as she let him brush his calloused fingertips over her smooth skin. "This is your baby too."

A pressure settled over his chest at the words. He was going to become a father. He was going to have a baby with the woman he loved.

Sure, he had lived through pregnancy scares before but it never lasted more than two or three days. He always thought he was lucky regarding the topic. And he wasn't trying to be a jerk but he hadn't been ready before. It wasn't like this time. And yes, it pained him to know that she probably didn't feel the same way towards him but at least he knew they both would care about the child.

It was an unplanned pregnancy but not a mistake.

And they were more than thirty, for crying out loud. It was about time that they grew up.

"So you're keeping it?" Wade asked with less than half of his usual confidence while rubbing circles with his thumb over the side of her belly.

"Yes," she breathed out. "I haven't slept thinking about it but… I couldn't live knowing that I gave it away."

"I'll help you, you know? I'll be here."

She smiled, snorting a laugh as she tried to blink fresh tears away. "I know. That's part of the reason why I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to feel obligated after we… broke up?" She sighed and chuckled. "But leave it to Rose and Lavon. They couldn't keep a secret."

The corner of Wade's mouth tilted upwards. "They were gushing about it, excited about knowing what the baby is in just a few weeks and hoping to be godparents."

Zoe guffawed. "They are so stupid."

"Maybe but… what if I'd never found out? Weren't you scared to go through this alone? What-" So many questions, so much he needed to know but at the same time he wanted to just let go and enjoy having her in his arms again.

"I don't think I could've kept the secret much longer. And I'm still scared, Wade."

"I don't want to miss another minute." He eyed her body, trying as hard as he could to imagine the life growing inside her.

"I know." Zoe leaned against him, hugging him and forcing him to wind his arms around her to hold her. "But I'm tired of crying, of not sleeping and being afraid. Just stay and we can keep talking later. Please."

Wade inhaled the citric yet sweet smell of her shampoo, feeling at ease for the first time in over a day. In over months.

"Okay." He rubbed her back soothingly up and down for a few seconds before adding. "And it's good this worked out because I don't have any money to even put a foot outside this place."

Zoe chuckled and hugged him tighter to her.

.#.

A good thing was that Zoe's mother didn't have a problem with him staying at her penthouse. Even so, it wasn't the most comfortable position in which Wade had found himself during his life, but it was perhaps fitting, given how his world had been turned upside down. A week before he thought that Zoe leaving without a word had been the worst thing that could've happened to him, and then he found out that she hadn't left. She had run away.

Granted, he still had many unanswered questions. Questions that didn't let him sleep at night. So he lay on his back, staring at the ceiling in the dark, hoping that he could solve all his problems miraculously without any effort. Instead he just had time to appreciate the expensive décor.

He heaved a sigh full of frustration.

Suddenly, while he tried to do a mental list of things babies need, the door of the guest room opened, letting the light of the corridor in and showing him a petite shape that scurried inside, shutting the door behind her quickly.

The corner of his mouth curled up as he propped himself on his elbows.

"I couldn't sleep," Zoe's voice said quietly as she sat on the edge of the bed. "I-" She snorted a soft laugh. "I miss the sound of the bug zapper, and the crickets and the frogs."

Wade smiled at her figure in the dark before reaching for her hand over the duvet.

"I also miss cuddling with you," she admitted shyly. "But I blame it mostly on my hormones and how crazy my body is behaving. It has nothing to do with-"

"Shut up," he mumbled as he lifted the covers in an invitation for her to get into bed with him. "It's cold in New York."

Zoe chuckled. "Yes, that too." She slipped next to him, rolling on her side to give him her back. Wade soon wrapped an arm around her, spooning with her as their linked hands fell upon her belly.

"And it's a loud, dirty, crazy… city," he babbled before burying his nose where her neck met her shoulder, pressing a soft kiss to the base of her neck that made her shudder pleasantly. "You're the only reason why I'm here."

Zoe pulled his arm tighter around her, feeling his chest against her back and his breath tickling her shoulder. "I know I messed things up between us and… that you've always forgiven me too quickly but sometimes I still feel like a teenager, not knowing a thing about dating or the world - too scared of not having a plan. And you do that all the time. You're unexpected and it's frightening."

"I still feel like I don't have a clue about my future," he replied truthfully, and somewhat apologetically. "Now I just know I have to- and want to take care of you. Both of you." He sighed softly while his fingers pressed a bit tighter against her stomach. "But I'm scared of not being good enough for you. That's why I let you go. I think you deserve better."

Zoe turned around in bed and her hand reached for his face, feeling his coarse stubble and the sharp edges of his jaw. "You're so stupid."

"Wow," he snorted, completely changing his demeanor.

She chuckled, pressing the pads of her fingers against the skin behind his ear, feeling his soft blonde hair. "I've never met a guy selfless enough to do that. But all I really wanted was for you to fight for me. I wanted to know you cared but… you proved it by doing something completely different from what I expected."

"Guess I am the stupid one."

"No," Zoe whispered, leaning her head against his chest and prompting him to hug her. "You're incredibly romantic and you don't even know it."

"Don't say that out loud. It could ruin my reputation," he quipped, making her giggle.

"I'm sorry for leaving, for not telling you and… for not trying to get to you. I should know how stubborn you are by now."

She felt his fingers threading with her hair as he combed it, gently tugging it. Her scalp tingled and the gesture forced her to relax. She yawned.

"You should because you are too." Wade pressed a kiss on the crown of her head. "And this kid is going to be as pigheaded as we are, if not worse."

"And bossy, sassy, smart-mouthed, loud…" Zoe chuckled sleepily. "It's going to be so much work. I just want to be a good mom."

"I just want to… have a clue about how to be a dad."

Zoe curled against him, preparing herself to nap just like when they were back in Bluebell, in her bed just cuddling. "You'll be a good dad, Wade. You are always there when you're needed, and that's a big part of it." When she yawned one more time, he just rolled on his back and let her rest her head over his chest, hugging her to him and feeling her legs getting entangled with his.

"Night, Zoe." He smiled at the feeling of warmth that invaded him.

"Good night, Wade," she babbled before sighing and falling asleep.

.#.

Over the next few days, they pretended everything was right, that there wasn't an unplanned baby coming and that it was certainly not the reason why he had traveled north to find her.

She hadn't had the time or energy to find a new job in New York but she was fine at the moment, still too focused on the mess she had gotten herself into. Of course, she missed working because that meant not overthinking her decisions or stressing over every little detail.

Zoe was thankful of Wade because it served her as a distraction.

Showing him the city was her new found hobby. She enjoyed laughing at him and how he grumbled about the noise, the traffic, the crowds and pretty much everything. Of course there were times like when they walked around Washington Square hand in hand, when they had gelato (or the fancy ice cream, according to Wade) and when she dragged him shopping, so he could be the best arm candy she had ever had to carry the bags… though, she did get a little jealous when one of the saleswoman flirted with Wade as he tried on a pair of jeans she wanted to buy him.

Honestly, Zoe didn't know what it was but she blamed it on her hormones. She just couldn't stop ogling or touching him whenever she had the chance. And she felt like they were starting all over again, allowing him to tease her and be playful, or just bickering like children.

It was one afternoon, when they decided to make a trip to a bookstore since Zoe wanted a few books about parenting that things got more serious.

Wade was happily checking some colorful books for children and cloth books, while Zoe rolled her eyes, chuckling at his immature behavior. It was a given that she would be the one disciplining their child and he'd be the fun one.

There was no reason why she did what she did, there in the middle of the children's literature section. He didn't see it coming either but he was very happy to welcome her kiss when she pushed herself on tiptoes and brushed her lips against his; they were also amused by the two little girls giggling in one corner and the boy sulking near-by.

"What was that for?" Wade wondered with a lilt of humor in his voice.

"Cravings?"

"I thought those involved food."

She smiled mischievously. "I think it's about delicious things."

He hummed smugly, cocking one eyebrow as he curled a hand around her waist, pulling her to him. "I'm delicious?" She chortled. "Just admit it," he purred suavely against her ear, making her heart melt when he pressed a kiss to the hinge of her jaw. "You know how I feel."

Placing her hands on his shoulders, she searched for his eyes and that spark of life he had in him. "I think we shouldn't be doing this here."

They both laughed when they noticed the curious children around them, studying them with great attention.

"Sucks that my car isn't around."

Zoe guffawed before hurrying him to go back to the apartment.

.#.

There was no doubt her mother knew what was going on under her roof but, as usual, she decided to overlook it. It was easier that way. Certainly much easier than to talk with her daughter about sleeping with a man with whom she didn't have a relationship; they just were about to become parents together.

So what if she found comfort in his arms and in his bed? What if she felt truly happy when they kissed? Wade made her feel like there wasn't a problem in the world they couldn't work out. He was keeping her sane.

Her eyes were fixed on a cloud she could see through the window closer to the bed until she felt a pair of lips pressed against her shoulder blade. She smiled when his roughened hand caressed the more noticeable baby bump.

"Are we together?" Surprisingly, it was Zoe the one breaking the silence. "I just don't want us to fall into the same false security we had before. We should just draw clean lines and define what we are."

"Zoe-"

"And I don't want you to let me do whatever I please because you always let me walk all over you and I don't want that anymore. I don't want us to get hurt anymore. We are going to have a child together, Wade. Whatever happened before… that's history."

Wade sighed, pausing for a beat before giving her an honest answer. "I'm with you. And I'll never leave my kid." He nuzzled her ear, and helped her to roll on her back so he could look into her eyes. "You know how I feel. Do you want us to be together?"

As her eyes shone with tears, a smile bloomed on her face, almost splitting her face in two as she nodded. It was beautiful to see him smile back before kissing her.

"Good, so we're together." He brushed his lips against her a couple of times more in a loving and playful fashion. "Now we should get dressed to go to that doctor's appointment."

"Okay," she muttered before tugging his arm to pull him back into bed. Zoe laughed.

"Doc," Wade drawled.

"Just five more minutes!" She climbed on top of him. "Celebratory make-out session."

He laughed but obliged. He wasn't going to be the one saying no to the mother of his child.

.#.

The thing about a doctor having a baby is that they know too much for their own good, so they worry about everything and criticize everyone. At least that's how Wade saw it. And it was even worse after she explained him everything about ultrasounds and the technical aspects of her appointment so he wouldn't freak out.

"I just want to watch my kid and know if I need a shotgun to scare boys away or teach how to use it."

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Like I'm going to let you do that."

He snorted a laugh.

That wouldn't be the first time Wade would see their child because he had already studied every single previous ultrasound. Sure, he had been disappointed about the first ones, only seeing a blurry spot but Zoe promised that by then, they would be able to see more of the baby.

It was a new world for him to sit there, holding Zoe's hand while the screen in front of them showed… nothing. So far they could only listen to the fast heartbeat and that took Wade by surprise. That made things real.

"Is it normal that is that fast?" he whispered for Zoe, and she smiled and nodded.

Meanwhile, the doctor kept trying to get a clear image, laughing as she claimed that their baby was very sneaky.

"That's the father's fault," Zoe offered quickly, chuckling with the doctor.

"Well, the mom didn't seem to have a problem with hiding," Wade argued without ungluing his eyes from the screen, finally catching the profile of the baby… or at least that's what he thought it was. It was all very confusing.

Zoe smacked his arm as a protest, only making him laugh.

"Oh, finally," the doctor exclaimed while the parents were too entertained in their own antics. "Do you want to know the baby's sex?"

"Yes!" Zoe and Wade replied excitedly.

The doctor smiled but Zoe's eyes were already welling with tears as she looked at the screen. Wade felt a little angry that he couldn't deduct the answer but he soon forgot it.

"Can you see it?" The OB asked Zoe, who just bobbed her head in a yes before turning her head to meet Wade's gaze.

"We're having a girl."