Hey! First of all, thanks for the amazing reviews. Not in a million times I would have expected such encouraging words and good feedback, so I have to say thank you, thank you, thank you! Those were the reasons that got me to write a second chapter even though I'm away on holidays, and leaving for a short break with my friends tomorrow. I finished packing my bag to take on the next stop on my trip and is 5 in the morning, so I apologize if this doesn't live up to your expectations. I just really wanted to put it up before I went away for fifteen days and was computer-free. (How I am going to live without my daily fix of re-watching downloaded episodes of HOD?!)

Enjoy! (I really hope you do…)

Chapter 2

He was running up and down. He had stormed out of Lavon's place and found himself completely lost. He just couldn't believe it. He tried to imagine it for a minute, to picture what it would be like to live his daily life with her across the lake and he simply couldn't do it. His mind instantly went to Ella, and felt insanely protective. She couldn't simply waltz into their lives like that and expect it all to be alright. Just as he was deciding what to do Tansy came by their porch.

"Hey. Is everything okay Wade? You've been oddly quiet today, sure there ain't a problem with the bar expansion?" Sweet Tansy. He felt protective of her too. Was he gonna hurt her again? That thought kept him up from time to time, afraid of what his huge stupidity may cause.

"No, no, I just … I just remembered I needed to discuss some matters with Lemon concerning some numbers she mentioned the other day. No big deal, but I may be away at the bar all day. Just take Ella to Earl's, alright?" There. Another Lie. Zoe Hart had been in Bluebell less than 2 days and he was already lying like crazy.

"Alright, as you like it. Is just… you were weird last night at the party too, y'a know? I know what this is about Wade" she sat by him with a sweet smile.

"You do?"

"Yes. Is only logical that you thought about her last night, you know, being Ella's birthday and all. Is okay, just take all the time you need" Crap. Now he was sure he didn't deserve Tansy. What a jerk he could be.

"thanks Tans." He just couldn't tell her, but he knew he had to. Bluebell was a small place and soon the news of Dr. Hart's return would be flying around the town square. "Look, actually…."

He heard a terrible scream. Like all his breath had been plugged out of his lungs, he ran to the kitchen where he just experience utter horror. His daughter had her hand covered in blood and a huge wound on her forearm and on her knees. In the floor the remaining of all the glass jars that held countless guitar picks were scattered.

"we need to call an ambulance!" Tansy cried out.

"no time for that. " He wrapped his terrified daughter in a towel and took her in his arms, running like the wind across the plantation.

She was petrified in her old couch. Somehow she couldn't sleep in her bed last night, couldn't even get near it. Too many memories, too many dreams. And when the morning had come, she couldn't get the strength to get up. Her conversation with Lavon certainly hadn't turned out as she had planned, with her (former?) friend reluctantly accepting she moved back in but only on account of "Lavon Hayes not disobeying any legally signed agreement." Sure, she didn't exactly expect him to throw her a welcome home party, and she knew he had chosen Wade's side on the whole thing. It was the right thing to do, after all. But still, she had been in Bluebell for only 24 hours and she had never felt more alone. The image of Tansy kissing Wade goodbye last morning and of her daughter laughing and playing with Lavon came back to mind. She felt as an outsider, a spectator with an expiring pass in her daughter's life. Wade's words still echoing in her head, she had to agree with him. Just because she had given birth to Ella didn't make Zoe her mum. She had missed on so much and was determined to make it up for it. If there was no second chance for her and Wade, then she at least had to try reconnecting with her daughter, her beautiful baby girl.

As she made herself get up and start a day that was sure to be very complicated one, she heard someone running at her house. She opened the door and saw Wade bringing in a stunned, bleeding Ella in his arms.

"We need you Zoe".

Her hands were shaking like mad, and considering she was holding a scalpel and some tweezers, it was not the best case scenario. She had done sutures like these since she could remember, but somehow doing them on that frightened tearful little girl was her worst nightmare. Zoe couldn't even look her in the eyes without risking bursting into tears, and Wade seemed like he was about to throw up. Each of them immersed in their own thoughts, Ella's voice broke the tension like a brick on thin ice.

"Do you know the princess?" She asked shyly.

"What?" the doctor said as she finished sawing her.

"My Dad always tells me a princess used to live here when I ask why is this house empty. He says this used to be her castle, but the princess had to ride away. So… do you know her? Do you think she may be angry that I come here to play sometimes?"

Zoe looked up at Wade, who was still holding their daughter. He gave her a coy smile… a sad one.

"Well, I had no idea this was a castle!" she smiled at the little girl "but I can assure you that the princess would be more than happy that you play here. You see, places get sad too, you know? And there is nothing worse than an empty house"

"That's what my uncle Lavon always says!" she seemed really excited that Zoe agreed with him. "That's what he always says when Aunt Lemon wants this place sold, but me and my daddy convince her that a castle should remain a castle."

"Well princess, I think that's enough kingdom stories for the doctor." Wade cut her off. "We should get you to rest, right doc?"

Zoe was struck staring at him. As always, Wade Kinsella was a box full of surprises that just made her feel more miserable and ashamed than nothing else.

He watched him go as he held Ella and walked away, caressing her gold hair. She decided that was enough medical emergencies for the morning, and headed down to discuss legal matters with the town's lawyer. At least there was something to look forward to.

"What are you doing?" Lemon Breeland asked.

"Ahm… bartending? Well, I thought I was doing my job sweetheart, because apparently our partnership ain't gonna grow money on trees right?" Wade asked from behind the bar. He handed his partner a glass of lemonade but she turned it away with a dismissive gesture.

"A glass of wine would be fine, my friend." She responded with a slightly sad tone.

"What? Still no luck?... Look Lemon I'm sorry. Lavon said he was confident it might work this time". He held his old friend's hand. It was odd having reconnected with Lemon again. But they had been good friends in high school, and when she had inherence her momma's money and he had been plain miserable from Zoe's leaving, it seemed like a match made in heaven. They both needed a project to work on, and Wade had had the idea for his bar from a long time ago. Lemon wanted nothing more than getting rid of that money that felt like a consolation prize for her mother's abandonment and Wade definitely needed a hand. Seeing as he was her husband's best friend, it worked out perfectly.

"We'd tried it all Wade. Is time to face it, Lavon and I are just not destined to have a baby. No one's heart breaks more than mine for that, but I'm just done getting my hopes up. Hey, where's Ella, I thought I was taking her to the junior league picnic today."

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen. She cut herself pretty badly this morning, and is sleeping right now." He shook from the memory of his fear. And from remembering having her so close to him again, closer than she'd been in a long time. "Tansy stayed with her, don't look at me like that, okay sugarplum?" He added as he saw her friend's horrified face.

"Well, speak no more, I am cooking dinner and taking it to your place tonight. The last thing that poor girl needs is to exhaust herself preparing a meal in addition to caring for your sick daughter." Lemon always said it like that. Like it was his fault Tansy did so much job, without any retribution. He cared for her, and told her that on a regular basis, but if Lemon was expecting him to buy a ring and ask Tansy to marry him, she was damn mistaken. He had done that once, and for the good it brought him.

"See you around then handsome."

"See you around Belle."

"I still don't get why we had to drive to the middle of nowhere to go over this Zoe." George said getting off his car. After him, Zoe pulled out her briefcase and sat in a little café on a small town further than Mobile.

"I just don't want to be seen in town, that's all".

"But I thought you wanted to discuss some matters of the agreement. Zoe, Bluebell is a small town, eventually you are gonna have to settle down if you want to buy the practice completely."

"I know. Is just… not a good time today. I wanted to talk with you before I gave my response to Brick. Is a lot to take in."

"I get that, you are right" George comforted her with a small hug. Amazingly, he was the only friend she had left. George Tucker was her insider in Bluebell, her eyes while away. He had been mad at her for leaving, as all had been, but was the single person who forgave her and tried to understand her reasons. She had stopped having feelings for him a long long time ago, what seemed like ages before Ella was born, and she knew it was the same with him. But her difficult decision and his grief when hearing about Lemon and Lavon eloping and getting married had made them really close.

"So, you were telling me about Ella this morning. Wau that must have been tough."

"I think it was the hardest thing I ever had to do professionally. And the fact that Wade was so cold to me while I was there only made it worst"

"But not her, right?" He tried to cheer her up.

"No" she smiled remembering her daughter's innocent eyes and curious question at every part of the procedure. "She is… she is just so amazing George". The crying she had been holding up all day finally gave in.

"It's all him Zoe. I know he gets help from Lavon, Lemon, Earl, me-"

"Tansy" she added.

"yeah, from her especially. I know that Zoe, and you know the hold town gave him a hand from day one. But is all him, and as much as it sucks to hear this, he is the one you should be telling how wonderful that little girl is, because he has done a hell of a job by raising her."

"I know. I'm just afraid I'm going to mess up again" She said cleaning away the tears.

"You might. But Ella needs her mum too. And you ought to be part of her life."

She heard a knock on her door as she was finishing unpacking her last boxes. She didn't expected company, especially since no one knew for a fact that she was back. Brick had promised not to tell yet, at least not until after their meeting the next day, and she was sure neither Lavon nor (especially) Wade had interest in the people of Bluebell finding out about her return. She went to open her door and standing up in her stairs, just like so many other nights under the stars and the clear sky, it was the father of her daughter.

"Hi."

"Hey… you settled in already?" he asked looking over her head. It was insane how much taller than her he was when she was not wearing heels, and how his whole presence filled her little hallway as he walked in.

"I'm on it. I'm not dressed to entertain, that's for sure" She added with a smile, pointing out to her "moving day" outfit. As he blushed a bit and uncomfortably looked away, she realized she was in fact wearing one of his old shirts.

"Ahm… Look Zoe, I only came here because, you see, Lemon cooked for us. And you know her, she just doesn't know how to calculate for less than a dozen people, so I thought if you were hungry you could…."

Really? Was he actually inviting her over for dinner? As she was about to jump off the excitement and run towards the old gate house, it hit her that now things weren't as they had been. Tansy would be there. So would Lavon and Lemon, and Wade and Ella. They had a whole routine going on, they were a family. Most of them hated her, and Wade been there didn't change that. He was standing waiting for an answer, looking at her, but his eyes were opaque, their signature spark long gone. She remembered her talk with George. Wade had done so good raising that baby into the sweetest, most polite and beautiful girl, that she was afraid that stepping out of the shelter of the carriage house was going to break the spell. Ella was wrong. Wade's house was the castle, the little girl, the princess. Her daughter had the whole kingdom wrapped around her fingers, and Zoe was not going to be the evil witch who broke the little princess and prince's hearts. Again. She needed to stay away for now, until she gathered the courage to fight her inner wicked fables and face her wrong doings. They had done great without her until now, she couldn't come in and change their lives all the sudden. Not until she was ready to forgive herself and figure a way to not cause any more damage.

"I'm sorry, it's been a really hectic day. I'm sure you can all eat Lemon's delicious food without my help. Thanks anyway Wade."

Maybe she was the evil witch, after all. That's what it felt to see the hurt clouding the beautiful prince's eyes right there in front of her.

Well, this came out a little bit more fluffy than I intended to, and maybe a little shorter than I would have liked, but I just wanted to try to show Zoe's POV to get to understand her a little more, though I think now there are more questions than answers. Oh, and I love me some Lemon-Wade friendship, especially since they are may two favorite characters, because for me they are the most human ones. We get to see their flaws and still love them for who they are. I guess the whole "princess-prince" situation came from re-watching episode 5 of the 2nd season, where Wade came as the sexiest James Bond ever made, but I kept imagining him as Romeo somehow. Also, it seemed like a sweet story to tell her daughter when she asked about the empty carriage house and the previous owner.

I hope you liked it, as I said, is hard to live up to you all praising the first chapter so much. I'm going to work on the third one more calmed in my house when I'm back from my holidays but I just wanted to tell you that your reviews really brightened my days. English is not my native language, but it is the one I love. So hearing that you like what I produce is twice as rewarding. If you have a moment, take a minute and just tell me what you felt, good or bad, it's really all helpful.

Wau, I'm really rambling, must be the exhaustion. Got to go, I have a bus to catch in …. 4 hours. Wish it was to Bluebell, but sadly not.