Two Harts can make a Home

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

OK, so I've been asked about who I imagine Tyler would be played by and I think for some reason the guy who plays Billy in the tv show Jane by design but with shorter-and flatter-hair.

Also, not to give too much away but in a future chapter, someone connected to Wade is going to threaten Tyler. Now that person can know Zoe as well but really is connected to Wade. I'm stuck between Crazy Earl and Wade's brother. Which one?

Zoe sat up in the chair, leaning on the table with her hands clasps in front of her. Wade was beside her, leaning back in his own chair. They were silent, waiting and watching George who in deep thought.

With a sigh, Wade said, "George, are you still there?"

George jumped slightly and looked at the two of them. "Sorry, I'm just trying to think through everything you just told me."

What they had just told him was a full account of Tyler's panic attack and what they think caused it. The three friends were sitting around Zoe's table while Tyler slept in his room.

"So," Zoe asked, "Do you think we can get Tyler out of the internship?"

George frowned slightly and replied, "Well, that'll be easy enough. Taking on a fifteen year old-no matter how smart he is- would have been a big risk for this company. They won't want one that suffers from panic attacks; they would be worried about being sued. But by the sounds of it, Tyler's parents are the one you've got to worry about." George thought for a moment and then asked, "Do you have Tyler's phone with you?"

Zoe made a move to get up but Wade place a hand on her arm to stop her. He pulled Tyler's phone out of his pocket and gave it to George. "I grabbed it when we left the bar," he explained as George turned the phone on.

He looked through it for a few moments and then nodded. He pointed at the phone's screen and said, "Look. In the past few weeks Tyler had received only a handful of calls from his parents."

Zoe took the phone and Wade looked at the screen over her shoulder. As she pointed at the few calls, she said, "These four calls were while Tyler was travelling from London to Bluebell, while he was 'missing'." Wade gestured to the most recent call. "And that one from today was the one from his dad that triggered the panic attack."

"And that's all of them," Zoe said in disbelief, "He's on the other side of the world and they didn't call him at all!"

"That will really help the case," George said and Zoe frowned. "Case?"

George looked between Wade and Zoe and then replied, "Well I'm assuming that you're doing all this to get custody of Tyler."

Zoe froze and Wade shot George a warning look. "Doc isn't sure what she's going to do; she just wants to make sure Tyler is ok," he said and then Zoe got up and walked out of the room.

Wade sighed and George said, "Look, I can call the company and tell them that Tyler can't make it. They'll listen to me but Zoe has to figure out what she's doing. I mean Tyler has been practically abandoned-maybe for his whole life- and that's grounds for abuse. But Zoe has to know what's she's getting into."

Wade nodded and replied, "Thanks George. I'll talk to her."

After Wade shut the door after George and his friends drove off, Wade went in search of Zoe. He found her sitting on the couch in Tyler's room. The teenager was fast asleep in bed, possible for the first time in a couple of months.

Wade sat down beside her with a quiet sigh but didn't speak. A few moments later Zoe said, "I remember the first time I saw him."

Without looking at Wade, she said, "With my family the way it was, I didn't actually meet him until he was one year old. It was at a party and I was wandering around my aunt's house, bored out of my mind. I came across the open door and I looked into what looked like a nursery. And there he was." Zoe smiled slightly. "He was just sitting there on the carpet playing with his toys. His nanny was sitting in a chair, filing her nails. I sat down beside him and we played until it was time to go home. As he got older, we kept in touch, no matter where we were."

She laughed slightly and finally looked at Wade. "When I think back, he's always been there for the important parts of my life. I remember the night I found out I got top of my class at medical school. I got drunk with my friends and called him at three in the morning to tell him I loved him despite his sarcasm. Then there was the time that he super glued my boyfriend's car doors shut because Tyler thought he was an ass."

Wade chuckled, "That sounds like him."

Zoe sighed and looked at her sleeping cousin. "He needs my help but...getting custody?"

"Hey," Wade said, putting an arm around her shoulders, "Let's just take this one step at a time, ok. We'll figure it out."

Zoe's mouth twitched into a smile she tried to hide. "We?" she asked.

Wade shrugged and replied, "Well you just can discipline the kid like I can. Mostly because you can't reach the back of his head to slap him."

In return for the comment, Zoe slapped his chest. Wade laughed softly and replied, "Also, 'we' means Lavon and George as well. Probably Rose too."

Zoe sighed and looked him in the eyes. "Have I ever thanked you for everything you've done for me?"

Wade swallowed slightly and replied, "You never need to thank me."

Their moment was stopped when Tyler sighed and turned over, opening his eyes to see then sitting on the couch. The three of them looked at each other and then Tyler said, "If you two make out in front of me, I'm going to have another panic attack just to spite you."

-A few days later-

Zoe walked out of the Rammer Jammer, throwing her bag over her shoulder. She had just left Wade and Tyler, giving them both strict instructions that Tyler would take it easy at work. The town was busy, people walking around, getting their shopping or just enjoying the sunshine.

Zoe quickly made her way to the local clothes store, trying to get there before work. She slipped into the cool building, with large window and wooden beams on the main street. Scanning her eyes over the racks of clothes, she barely noticed the owner talking to her until the older woman placed a hand on her arm.

Zoe jumped and said, "Oh, sorry Mrs Lewis! I was in a world of my own there."

Mrs Lewis, a middle aged woman with blonde hair, smiled at her and replied, "It's fine Dr Hart. I was just wondering if you needed any help."

Zoe gave another glance around the store. It was defiantly not like the one in New York, that must was obvious. Zoe looked back at the woman and asked, "Do you have anything that would fit a teenage boy."

Mrs Lewis smiled and replied, "Ah yes. I heard about your cousin. Did he not bring enough clothes with him?"

Zoe shook her head, "No...And he may be sticking around for a while as well."

Mrs Lewis said, "Well if he is anything like my boys when they were that age, he's growing like a weed. Half the stuff in here, he'll probably outgrow."

She thought for a moment and then said, "You know, I can probably give you some of their old things if you don't mind hand-me-downs. They'll fit your cousin and you can always give them back if he outgrows them. At least that'll work for the short term anyway."

Zoe stood there in slight shock. "You-you would just give me some of your sons' clothes? Just like that?" If someone had offered her that when she first came to Bluebell, she would have shaken it off as charity, as someone feeling sorry for her and Tyler. But now? Now she knew that Mrs Lewis was just trying to help her out, being friendly. It wasn't practical to buy Tyler all new clothes that would eventually outgrow and he could always go to one of the bigger towns to buy some new clothes.

Mrs Lewis smiled at Zoe and said, "Of course Dr Hart, I always trust friends. Now, how about I drop some clothes off at the practice later? Around three?"

Zoe just nodded and smiled at the woman, who then walked back to the counter. Zoe meanwhile walked out of the store and down the street. Friends? Isn't that what Mrs Lewis had called her? Soon she was at the practise and spotted Brick walking out of his office with a frown.

"What's up?" Zoe asked when he stopped in front of her.

"This morning I heard from Lemon, who heard from George, that your cousin had a panic attack a few nights ago!"

It took Zoe a second to wrap her mind around the statement and then said, "Oh yes, he did. Thankfully Wade was with him and Tyler was alright. I checked him out and he seems fine but... he says that he's had a few of them."

Brick shook his head. "It's terrible when a child suffers like that. Do you have any idea what cause them? Lemon did say that he's in a very competitive school in England. At least that's what he hinted at during Lavon's dinner."

Zoe frowned at him and asked, "I'm sorry but what's with the level of concern? I thought you wouldn't care about some stuck up New Yorker?"

Brick frowned as well as replied angrily, "I know that I haven't been very friendly towards you Dr Hart, but your cousin is a child! And no child should feel so scared and worried that they can barely breathe!"

Zoe sighed and said, "I'm sorry, you're right. It's just..."

Brick relaxed and Zoe sighed, "Tyler's parents are the root of his problems! They don't talk to him unless he's doing something wrong! It's like they don't care what he does as long as he follows their plans for him. The poor kid nearly got put in what sounds like a lifetime job and he doesn't even know what the company does!"

She ran a hand over her face and continued, "And now by just looking into that practical abandonment, it sounds like I'm going to have to get custody of him if I want him to be happy!"

Zoe marched into her office, throwing her bag on the ground and sitting down in another. Brick followed her and sat down on the opposite chair.

"Dr Hart, I know that this must all be happening very fast for you; after all Tyler did only arrive a few days ago. But he needs your help." Zoe looked at him.

Brick sighed. "And you tell anyone about what I'm about to say, I will deny it but...you are one of the strongest woman I know."

It was the second time in the space of an hour that Zoe was shocked. Brick smiled at her and said, "If anyone can help Tyler, it's you. Just believe in yourself."

With that the doctor got up and walked out of the office.

-That evening-

Lavon offered to cook dinner that night so the group headed over there soon after Zoe and Wade finished work. Afterwards Tyler was adamant that he would help. He cleaned up after everyone and thanked Lavon again. Then the four of them sat in front of the TV and watched a movie.

It was halfway through said movie that Lavon took time to look at his three friends. They were all sat on his large couch while he was in his armchair.

Wade was sitting on the far side, right against the arm of the couch. Zoe was beside him while Tyler was slouching so that his head was near Zoe's shoulder. The kid's eyes were drooping but he was trying to stay awake. Zoe had mentioned something about him not going to sleep too early or else he wouldn't get to sleep at all. Apparently Tyler's anxiety caused strange sleeping patterns. Wade's arm was thrown across the back of the couch, managing to comfortably stretch across the other two. To Lavon, it gave the impression that he was guarding them.

But of course this was Wade. Ask anyone in town and he was the heart breaker, the sarcastic bartender who would never leave Bluebell.

But...that wasn't who he really was, Lavon knew that. Wade ran the Rammer Jammer, helped his drunk of a father when he had every reason not to and even kept in touch with his brother who had ran out of Bluebell that second he graduated high school. Wade was the guy who stayed up all night to make Zoe gumbo and was always there when Lavon need him.

He was the guy who was there when Tyler felt like he couldn't breathe. But Lavon couldn't imagine Tyler that venerable though he could imagine the fear that must have gripped him. Looking at the kid now, he saw the front Tyler kept up; saw the sarcasm and the manners all at once.

The fact that Wade was the one that was there spoke volumes, but for a kid like Tyler, to see that the man was still there and hadn't run away or stopped talking to him, spoke louder than an orchestra with amps. Lavon smiled slightly and went back to watching the movie.

It was only a few minutes later, that there was a knock at the door, and Zoe got up to answer it. She was surprised to find Lemon at the door, holding what looked like a picnic basket.

"Lemon? Do you want to come in?" Zoe asked, opening the door wider but she shook her head.

"I'm fine. I just came to drop this off for you." Lemon handed her the basket and said, "There's a flask of my homemade hot chocolate in there for Tyler before bed. Trust me, it'll help him sleep. There are also some extra clothes and a book list for the Bluebell High School."

Zoe could only react to the last part first.

"Book list?" she asked and Lemon nodded. "Well yes, I assume that if Tyler is staying like you said he is, then he'll need to attend the high school."

Zoe couldn't speak...again. Finally she said, "Thank you Lemon. I would ask you why you're doing this but your father was the same this morning."

Lemon smiled slightly at her. "The words 'child' and 'abandoned' should never be in the same sentence," she said and for a moment Zoe was afraid the blond woman was about to cry. Zoe knew this must have had something to do with her earlier outburst back when she was trying to be a Belle.

"What you doing," Lemon said, "Taking him in and looking after him. It's one of the most admirable things I've ever seen."

Zoe smiled and said, "Thank you...is this one of those 'let us never speak of this again' moments?" Lemon smiled back and replied, "Well I think we can admit that we agree this once." Zoe smiled again and Lemon turned around and headed back to her car.

As Zoe shut the door, she heard Tyler say, "Did you mean it?"

She turned around to see him standing by the kitchen counter while Wade and Lavon were still sitting in their chairs pretending not to listen. Zoe looked at him, as he stood there trying to conceal the hope in his eyes. She walked forward and placed the basket on the counter.

She sighed and asked, "Do you remember when you ten and I was in the hospital because of that skiing accident."

Tyler nodded and replied, "You kept trying to diagnose yourself and you drove the doctors insane."

Zoe said, "Then you snuck in after visiting hours and raided the vending machine so I didn't have to eat hospital food. You stayed there all night with me because I needed someone. I think it's time I did the same."

Zoe grinned at him and said, "And you have single handily increased my popularity in town, so I think I might have to keep you around."

A second later Tyler had swept her up into a hug and she could hear Lavon's deep laugh in the background.

When Tyler let her go, she nearly cried at the utter joy on his face. When he walked over to high five Lavon, Zoe looked over at Wade. He was still sitting on the couch but he was leaning forward, his arms on his knees. He looked at her with his head tilted and said, "What have you gotten us into, Doc?" But he said it with a grin, one that gave no doubt to the fact that he was just as happy as her.

Us.

He had said us. First we, now us.

Maybe she could do this. Maybe she could rescue her cousin. As long as Wade and her friend were by her side.