Two new characters are brought in with this chapter. I had planned on giving Wade his inmate number, but I when looked up how that was done, I was really confused so I haven't came up with his number yet, but I'm trying to work on that.

Enjoy!


Zoe walked into the warden's office, her stomach a twisted knot of nerves, even the soft eyes from the warden's secretary did nothing to keep her nerves at bay, as she had waited to be called in she had to wonder just how the woman before her was related to the man behind the thick oak door, that had kept her mind elsewhere for a few minutes until she was told she could head in and see the warden. She wanted to stay positive about this whole thing, had a speech planned out and everything, but when she sat waiting for her time to go in and talk to the warden in person, well everything she had planned out in her head, drifted away and the negative started to seep in. She had convinced herself that she wouldn't get the job even for a few months because she was dating an inmate. As she thought about doing this it had started out because Wade wanted her to do so, but more so because it would give her the chance to give back in a field she loved and to help people that she was sure weren't treated the best when they went to the infirmary and helping people incarcerated or not was one of the things she liked about her job.

"Dr. Zoe Hart, please have a seat," the warden told her, his voice soft as she walked up to one of the chairs in front of his desk. She gave him a smile, sitting down, trying desperately to hide her nervousness from him. She wanted this job whether it was for Wade or not. "I've looked through your file, I've talked to your boss and I would love to have you here for a month or two, but I have to know why you want this job, Dr. Hart."

"If you talked to them, did the research and background check on me then I'm quite sure that you know who comes and goes from your prison on a daily basis meaning that you know that I'm here nearly every day for as long as I can be visiting Wade Kinsella, who is not only my boyfriend but the father to my child," she quickly explained, pausing to catch her breath. He was actually impressed that she had been that straight forward with him when it came to her dating a fellow inmate of his, most people would try to hide that, but like she had said, he knew just how many times she had been in to see him. It was one of those things that couldn't stay a secret. "But you have to understand that's not why I want to be here to work for you in the infirmary," she rushed out. "Working here it wouldn't be a charity thing and I wouldn't view it like that, but it would be nice to help them out. I don't know why or how any of the politics that happen in that yard between inmates and I'm not about ready to figure that out, but I do know that my boyfriend had a swollen eye yesterday that hadn't gotten the attention it deserved and I take health care very seriously and these guys need the help, and I want to make a difference. I'm not trying to bash your main doctor around here," she told him. "But I understand if me dating an inmate makes it so I can't work here, I get it," she quickly tacked on.

"I'm worried about that, but I have a feeling that he wouldn't risk his life like that and you wouldn't put yourself in a place to lose your job and daughter," he told her. Zoe nodded her head. She wasn't going to risk her life like that. "I'm going to keep a close eye on you and whatever they tell you about what's going on in my prison I expect you to tell me about it straight away." Again Zoe nodded her head. "I'll show you to the infirmary and you can start tomorrow," he informed her.

For the first time since she had woke up she was able to breath nerve free. He explained things that she needed to know as they walked through the halls, passing guards leading prisoners elsewhere. He had even informed her that he'd have a set of keys and a badge for her when she showed up in the morning. After seeing the little space that would be her office for the next 2 months the warden walked Zoe back to the doors she had entered through. "Thank you for this opportunity, I won't disappoint you, Warden Hayes," she told him with a bit of a brighter smile than the one she had wore going into the meeting.


When Monday rolled around for Wade, he was worse off than he had been Sunday. After Zoe's visit on Sunday he had gotten jumped when the guards weren't looking before lock down. He stumbled back to his cell, Joel giving him a hand when he had leaned against the cool cement wall, as the door was shut and locked for the night.

Monday right after breakfast, Jesse gave the go ahead to a couple of guys. He loved his little brother, but sometimes he found that his little brother needed to learn a lesson the hard way. For years Jesse did what was best for Wade, all he was doing now was looking out for him, showing him how life in prison would be like if he stayed behind when he broke out of the joint.

It was Wade that was taken to solitary confinement, when he was the one caught throwing a punch; after the older man in the infirmary patched him up. He sat in his cell, his thoughts the only void he had. He often thought about the day he got out, it was the one day he planned for. He'd make one stop on his way home, the animal shelter and he'd pick out the cutest little kitten for his daughter. He dreamt about hugging her and assuring her that things would be okay, playing silly little games and only worrying about tea parties and if Mr. Sniffles will get along with Mr. Truffle because Mr. Truffle stole Miss Unicorn from him. He wanted to be there to tuck his little girl into bed and read her a bedtime story, be there when she woke up in the morning, to protect her from the nightmares and the monster in her closet and under her bed.

Sitting in the quiet cell put so many things into prospective for him. He owed Jesse a lot, but he couldn't do it anymore, Evie and Zoe were his life now and they had to come first. Even though he already made his mind up about Jesse, he had to stick to it because he has been saying the same thing for months now and he'd go back on his words, but this time it was going to be different. He needed to be there for his daughter and his girlfriend. He smiled, closing his eyes remembering the day he was told that he was going to be a father.

Wade smiled watching the petite woman he called his girlfriend enter the bar mid-day when they place was pretty much empty, so he had a spare minute to spend with her. Sitting across from her he frowned seeing the worry in her chocolate eyes, he placed his hands on top of hers, waiting for her to say something.

They had been dating for 2 and a half months, sleeping with each other for almost 6 months. Friends for nearly 2 years even if they had known each other since they were 12. He knew when something was bothering her with a simple a look. He also knew that he had to wait just a few seconds and she'd spill whatever it was that she had on her mind.

"I should be shocked this happened to us but I'm not. It was bound to happen at some point. I would've liked us to actually have an actual conversation about it now that we're together and not from when we were just friends. Having your baby is great, but we never talked about when we wanted kids because we've only been serious for the past 46 days and we might not even last, but we'll always have this bond to each other through a baby," she ranted stopping to take a very much needed breath of air.

"Is this your way of saying I'm going to be a father?" He asked a smile growing on his lips.

"It is," she confirmed with a small nod.

"We talked about kids, Zo," those were the only words he was able to say. He was excited about being a father, worried he'd screw up but happy nonetheless.

"Talking about how fun it would be to have kids when we're drunk, isn't the talk I was referring to," she retorted shaking her head.

"I know, but we've been sober when we talked about kids, Zoe. We had decided months before we got together that if we couldn't find the right person to spend our lives with that we'd have kids together," he told her. "Right now is a bit sooner than we had decided on, but kids is something we both want and we got an early start on that. And if things between us go to hell one day, we know that we can remain civil and be friends for our child."

"We will be, if that happens. And yeah maybe us having a baby right now wasn't planned but it was something that we had planned to do, but I'm freaking out, Wade," she told him. "I want kids and I'm happy about this, but what if we're horrible parents?" She questioned chewing on her bottom lip.

Wade laughed, moving to sit next to her, his arm going around her to bring her close. "Not going to happen. We're going to rock at being parents. We knew 6 months ago when we started to have sex that you getting knocked up even with all the protection we've used, that it could happen and if you didn't think that this was something that you could handle you would have never agreed to get into bed with me," he told her. She sighed contently knowing just how right he was. She had thought over everything for nearly a week before agreeing to anything when it came to their little arrangement.

"We're having a baby together," she smiled letting herself be happy for the first time about the news.

"So I've been told," he smiled, kissing the top of her head his own happiness coming out.