A/N: YAY! Third chapter curse broken!

Well, peeps, here it is. Another chapter and since I made some changes along the way, seems like this story is going to be a lot longer than I initially planned.

Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything but hope that Wade will never change the fuse box!

Chapter 4

"Trouble sleeping, Doc?"

She saw him getting closer, but his voice still made her jump a little. Darkness worked for them. With only faint moonlight as lighting she couldn't see more than his silhouette and guessed that he couldn't see more of her either. There was no need for her to glue eyes to the floor or look aside; bite her lip nervously as she turns her back on him not wanting to see his reaction or pretend to have something better to do.

"I blew the fuse box last night, remember?"

"I think I have some recollection of that" Wade replied and there was something like half laugh lacing his voice. If she could see his face maybe she would be able to tell what's behind it, but for now she could only listen. "So, what, you just chose to enjoy the dark?"

"Lamp ran out of oil about nine and the last candle burn out somewhere past eleven. I tried to sleep but then I was pretty sure that a rodent or two were running freely around my room… And here I am, hoping that Burt isn't hungry" Zoe said playing with the little round rock she picked from the ground a while ago.

"You could've called Lavon."

"I did. He was looking for you and told me that you're the only one who knows around that thing"

Words Lavon told him few hours ago popped in his brain. Wade wasn't sure if what he said about them being trouble was true, but he knew she was trouble for him. Who needed electric light when she was all the light and the flame he needed to be drawn to like a moth. He knew he will be burnt, spent whole day trying not to think about what happened and what was about to happen and yet here he was again. She was his bug zapper and well, he was the bug.

Wade knew that he never really had her, that all they had was their little routine of training each other's nerves and teasing. The only thing he couldn't understand is why he felt like he was losing her then.

"He found me at the Jammer. Said he saw you today and that you didn't see me" Wade said eventually and the last one came a little inquiringly.

Zoe felt his eyes on her.

"Sorry about that" she said apologetically.

"It's OK"

But was it really, he asked himself. Was she ashamed of it, hiding it or just didn't want to talk about it then.

Wade leaned back on his elbows and stretched out his legs, his bulky shoes almost touching the water. The ground under him was still a little wet from last night's heavy rain. He was used to enjoying nice nights like this on his front porch with a bottle of beer and his guitar, but this felt nice. The air was crisp and it made hairs on his arm stand up. It made him think if she was cold.

"Want me to grab my flashlight and check that fuse box now?" he asked still lying on the ground. "It's starting to get cold and the sun won't come up for at least two more hours"

"It can wait until morning. I'll be going back in soon" Zoe replied with a small smile. "Bet you're tired. Go home".

"And,what? Have you wake me up screaming like a little girl like that time when you thought you saw a ghost. No way!" Wade said and rose up to sitting position again.

"OK, first, that was scary! I thought his ghost came to haunt me because I killed him! Which I didn't, of course… And that was one time. One time, Wade!" Zoe spat back at Wade as she glared at him trying to guess his expression. She threw that little rock into the water making the moon's reflected in it to burst into countless little sparks.

"More than enough" he said sneering.

"Oh, shut up!"

That playful tone in her voice was music for his ears. She was jumpy and feisty and snapping at him just like he was used to seeing her. Just the way he liked her.

"God, you're such a freak!" he laughed at her and stood up. "Choose, your place, my place or I'm fixing the fuse box!?"

She straightened her back a little at that half-demand of his.

"Don't worry, Doc. I can keep my hands to myself. Unless you ask me not to!"

Zoe felt weird for knowing what kind of smirk was playing on his lips in that very moment without even seeing it.

"You're a jerk!" she said, but stood up nevertheless. "My place! I've got coffee!"

With that she turned on her heel and marched in the direction of her little carriage house. Wade followed her shaking his head disbelievingly, but smiling just a little, too.

Lucky for them, those few steps leading to the front porch were white and therefore vincible despite the dark. Doors, however, were hidden in the shadow and it took Zoe a while to find the knob. When she finally did and they entered the house it was pitch dark inside. Zoe held her left hand stretched out in front of herself while with the right one, she guided the way with the help of the wall. Wade walked behind her silently with his eyes fixed on her long beige sweater.

Her room wasn't any lighter, except for the little patch of space right by the window.

"Try not to get killed" she said to him once they were both in.

"That sounds like a good thing to have in mind when I am around you" he dragged behind her.

She didn't respond to this, but did felt a little pang. It wasn't nice to know that she did almost kill them last night by refusing to leave the car in the middle of the storm. That tree really could've ended up squashing them inside. Zoe didn't want to think about how more possible that would be if she was alone in that moment.

"Take a seat somewhere" Zoe said to him eventually.

Wade went to sit on her bed first, but quickly changed his mind and went for the sofa by the window instead. On the way, he bumped against her tabouret he forgot was there, but landed safely in the end.

"Wade?" he heard her voice come out a little desperate.

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna need your phone. Mine died and I can't see anything".

She was already by the dresser with the coffee machine on it waiting for him to say something.

"Wade?"

"Here", he said just behind her left ear, circling her shoulder and brushing against it as he held the phone in front of her.

Zoe didn't expect him to be this close. His voice and touch made her knees buckle and she didn't know how to explain it. She turned around to face him and see him clearly for the first time in the light of phone display. Zoe could hear her heart skip a beat as he smiled at her looking directly in her eyes. Her lips parted a little as if she wanted to say something, but no words came out.

"It can't be!" she thought to herself.

"Too close!" Wade's brain screamed. Damn, her eyes…

But he couldn't. He promised he wouldn't. He mustn't.

And he didn't.

"Take it, Doc. Doesn't bite" Wade said in the end.

And like someone snapped fingers in front of her face, Zoe snapped back from the daze. With one swift move she took the phone from his hands, turned around and started working, trying not to care that her hands shook a little. Wade walked back to the sofa cursing inaudibly.

Considering the circumstances, one dead cup was not too big damage. Finally, few minutes later, she served him cold coffee as if it was specialty of the day.

"Jesus, Doc, how can you even drink this stuff" Wade yelled after the first sip.

"It's vanilla!" she replied triumphantly as she jumped on the bed and took one sip herself only to almost spit it out in the next second. "God, this really does taste terrible! Spoilt milk!"

"Poisoning, huh? You're showing some real effort!" Wade laughed.

"I am sorry!" she almost cried as she covered her mouth. "I'm gonna puke!"

"We're not going to need tetanus shots after this, are we?" he inquired still laughing.

But Zoe wasn't in such a good mood anymore when she remembered her office. Yesterday, she was able to avoid going to work by calling in sick. She called Addie and invented the story about having terrible menstrual cramps, she really hasn't had since puberty. There was no way she could pull that same stunt today, but facing everyone, especially Brick scared the crap out of her.

"I don't know how I'm going to face Brick tomorrow" she stated sounding helpless.

Wade's smile was wiped away from his face as well with this cold reminder. He didn't need too many details to know what she was talking about. And it only became clear how many more people are involved. It wasn't supposed to be that way. Fearing Brick's reaction was completely logical thing to do. Man knew how to be fierce even on good days and tomorrow isn't going to be one of those.

"Maybe he doesn't know anything yet" Wade tried to comfort her.

"But I do" she replied sadly. "How can I look him in the eyes? Like I haven't caused them enough problems already and when I finally managed to get his trust, this happens"

Wade was just watching at what he could see of her unsure of what to say.

"I know I am as guilty as George. Maybe even more… I mean I knew he was engaged and-"

Please, don't say that you love him! Don't say it!

"Sorry!" Zoe said all of the sudden.

"What for?"

"You don't have to listen to this. And I can't really talk to you about this. It feels weird", she said apologetically.

He would be lying if he said he was thrilled about the idea of listening to this. But, at the same time, he was conflicted with wanting to run and hide and never look back, force himself to stop caring, and in the same time, be there for her, help her. It was hard to admit that no matter the outcome he wanted to be in her life. He exhaled deeply.

"Doc, if you want to talk I can listen. I'm a bartender, for God's sake. You know how people tend to spill their guts after two shots of tequila?"

Zoe nodded.

"Well, I am the one on the other side… Listening" he added.

"That's not what I meant."

"What then?"

"What happened last night… with us" she said.

Wade was taken aback a little. That wasn't any higher on his list of the topics he wanted to discuss with her. For one, he said what he had to say about it. Two, he had no idea how to say what he wanted to say. As he was battling with himself about whether to ask for explanation or just accept the said, Zoe interrupted his thoughts.

"I am not going to pretend it didn't happen", she blurted out.

Wade stiffened in his seat.

"Talking to you about him", Wade chuckled a little, "it makes me feel like it was an accident. And it wasn't. So, I can't".

After she finished conversation with her mother Zoe spent entire day thinking and she was tired of it. She went through every single scenario, every single moment shared with both of them countless times. When the initial shock subsided she tried to trace her steps and realize how it came to this. The answer was not as simple as she hoped it would be, but she knew she was telling the truth. What happened between her and Wade wasn't an accident.

"Zoe…"

"Yes?" she replied timidly when dark silhouette spoke.

"Do you regret it?" he asked.

Wade wished he didn't have to ask her this. He wished, more than anything, to know for a fact that she didn't. But he didn't know and he had to know. If her answer was yes he would either spontaneously combust right then and there.

"No!"

She said it so quickly that he thought that it must be true. Wade wondered for a second how it was possible that no loud thump was heard in the room when the rock from his heart fell.

"Then stop thinking that you have to apologize to everyone for your choices" he said to her. "You're too hard on yourself "

"But, I am not!" Zoe protested.

"Maybe, but you think you should be".

Zoe tried to come up with a response, but failed.

"I am just saying that you should stop taking care of how other people feel, while you feel like this. Not many people would do the same for you, Doc"

"What are you? Some sort of an amateur expert on happiness?" Zoe asked him amazed and smiled at him although not sure if he could see it.

"Not really. I am just experienced in that area" he replied vaguely.

They were both silent after that each of them lost in their own thoughts.

Zoe pulled covers over her body for some warmth. This man was a puzzle. No matter how certain she was she knew him, he could always find new way to surprise her. When she first arrived in Bluebell he was nothing more than rude, over-confident macho type power-stealing neighbor who knew how to turn every sentence into lascivious joke. They kissed and it felt like reaching rock-bottom. Then they kissed again just so she would shut up. He drove her crazy but their fighting became like a little daily ritual for her. He would tease, she would insult him, he would laugh and she… Well, she'd usually end up laughing, too. And he was there when she had to find a snake, to drive her to the airport or sleep on her couch when she was thought she saw a ghost.

He always had a nice bottle of wine stacked behind the bar for her, too, but he never stopped teasing her about that carton wine.

What happened between them wasn't an accident and as she couldn't pretend it didn't happen she couldn't pretend it didn't mean anything either.

First rays of sun found her wondering how she would feel if George didn't show up at the door last night.

"Wade…" she called his name.

When he didn't respond she looked at him and saw that he fell asleep with his forehead against his fist. Zoe stood up from the bed slowly and got closer to him.

"Wade…" she called again shaking his thigh slowly.

"Hmph!"

"It's dawn".

As she smiled at him she thought she saw something in his eyes. Something she never saw before. It wasn't just sleepiness, but something that was there just for a second. Something that lingered until walls of sobriety hid it again.

"Are you going to be fine?" he asked her as he stood up.

"Yes, go to bed", Zoe replied softly.

"Thank you" she said behind him when he already reached her bedroom door.

Wade looked at her from the doorpost, nodded and smiled. "Anytime".

Zoe followed him to the front door. He was right, it's gotten really cold outside in the meantime.

"Sleep tight, Doc" Wade told her as he climbed down the stairs.

"Thanks"

Zoe went to close the door, but stopped.

"Wade!"

"Yeah?" he said turning around.

"Save me a bottle of pinot tomorrow. I have a feeling I'm going to need one… or two!" she said smiling at him.

He winked at her and smiled back watching her disappear behind the door.

As he walked back towards his house, with light mist still hanging from the tallest branches above his head, he realized something. Maybe he hasn't lost her still. Maybe he will lose her one day, but he sure as hell wasn't going to sit around and wait for it to happen.

And he also realized that his headache was gone.

A/N No.2: First I have to say that this chapter kind of wrote itself. When I started writing it I had a completely different story planned out. But, then, what I wanted didn't seem as natural I thought it would be. I know I promised you a bit of a real action and I am sorry if I disappointed you.

This is how I imagined their conversation would go. It was important for me to show that she can still be herself around Wade, just as relaxed as she was before, but with just a hint of something crawling out on the surface of her crazy little head. Wade strikes me like that kind of guy; someone you don't have to pretend with, someone you can be yourself with. That's what I like most about him. But, he still is a Great Pretender, so please don't ask me why he doesn't just blurt out how he feels. He will let her know, I promise :)

So, that's it. If I wasn't able to show you a fraction of what I was feeling when I was writing it, then I simply blew it. :/ Hope you like it, though.

Also, I probably won't be able to update before the weekend since I have a lot of things to finish!

Thanks for reading and tell me what you think… xoxo