Things settled down after homecoming, Gigi disappeared seemingly as fast as she'd appeared, leaving Zoe to clean up her mess. Wade announced his relief when Zoe moved back to her carriage house, which left Zoe feeling irritated for reasons she couldn't (wouldn't) quantify. In the end she just blamed it all on too much time spent in Wade's company.

They developed routines and got their act down, by the time Thanksgiving week came up, the town had started to come to terms with their new status. Zoe couldn't say that she was getting used to it, having to kiss Wade every time she went down to the Rammer Jammer for a drink was something Zoe was certain she'd never get used to. At least he wasn't terrible, if Wade had been a bad kisser Zoe might have contemplated giving up alcohol entirely (The thought of dealing with Bluebell entirely sober is almost enough to give her hives).

Still, as Thanksgiving approached, Zoe knew that when she sat down for Thanksgiving lunch at her mother's the first thing she'd be giving thanks for would be the four day break from Bluebell and Wade. Even the impending thoughts of it put a spring in her step as she passed a car dressed up as a pirate ship float on her way to Lavon's for breakfast. When she walked in and found Lavon and Wade dressed to the nines in full pirate regalia, Zoe was mostly surprised at her lack of surprise. Really, she hopes her Harley is appreciating the hell out of what she's going through to get to know him.

'You didn't tell me Zoe was going away for the holidays.' Wade remarks slowly after the doctor has left. Lavon cocks an eyebrow.

'Man, she's your wife.' Lavon retorts with a smirk.

'Ha, right.' Wade shakes his head.

'What do you care, anyway? Y'all ain't actually married.' Lavon asks as he continues to squeeze juice.

'No it's just…' Wade's voice trails off. 'Oh, damn.' He groans and sheathes his cutlass.

'What?'

'We may not be really married, but everyone else can't know that. What d'you think people will say when the Doc goes to New York and I stay here for Planksgivin?' Wade asks, Lavon sets down his juice.

'Well for one, all that kissing that y'all have suffered through will have been for nothin.'

'You're enjoyin this, ain't you? Son of a bitch, Lavon.' Wade curses.

'Hey, I gotta get my laughs in before you go and ruin Zoe's holiday plans. Lord knows ain't none of us gonna be happy after that.' Lavon remarks. 'Speaking of which, I need your help with somethin.' Lavon turned and pulled out a new fuse box from a kitchen cupboard. 'I was hoping we could get this done while Zoe's outta town, but she's going to be in a bad mood anyway, so we might as well go ahead and install it now.'

As Wade makes his excuses about why he can't install the fuse box, Lavon isn't fooled. When Lavon calls Wade on it, the bartender laughs and reminds him that it's all an act. He insists that he, Wade Kinsella, feels nothing for Zoe Hart but irritation. Neither of them really believes his words.


Wade doesn't bother to knock on Zoe's door when he gets to the practice. Zoe might have found her thirty percent of patients and then some thanks to all the people keen to get a close look at the rings and the new Mrs Kinsella (no one in town listened to her when she insisted that she was sticking with Dr Hart), but she still had plenty of free time on her hands. It was a luxury Zoe was still adjusting to after the hellish life of an inner city med school student/hospital intern.

True to form, Zoe has her laptop out when Wade marches in. Despite the heavy thudding of his boots, she still jumps when he pushes the lip of her laptop closed. 'We got a problem.'

'Oh, I'll say. You can't just walk in here whenever you feel like! I could have been with a patient.' Zoe snaps, clearly spoiling for a fight.

'Yeah, no one believes that one sweetheart.' Wade smirks as he takes a seat across from her.

'Don't call me that.'

'You weren't objectin last night.'

'Last night we were in the Rammer Jammer, with twenty people within earshot.' Zoe hisses, she folds her arms across her chest as she glares at him. 'So are you gonna tell me what your problem is?'

'I said we got a problem.' Wade pauses for dramatic effect, 'I'm afraid you can't go to New York.' Wade replies with a sigh, Zoe stares at him for the longest time before she laughs.

'You're kidding, right?'

'Zoe, you're meant to be the smart one, remember? How's it gonna look to people if we're a thousand miles apart for the second biggest holiday of the year? Does that sound like a happily married couple to you?'

Zoe's smile falters, before she groans and covers her face with her hands. 'I hate you.'

'Yeah, I kinda hate myself too right about now.' Wade drawls as he kicks back and rests his boots on the edge of her desk. 'Lord knows, we're all gonna suffer for this.'

Zoe rolls her eyes, than stands up to reach over and push his shoes off her desk. Wade doesn't make an attempt to put his feet up a second time, even if he does find it amusing when she loses her temper and starts shouting and throwing things at his head. The anger and irritation in her eyes changes into something else, he can practically see her mind at work and Wade thinks that maybe he should distract her from her thoughts. The last time she had that look in her eyes, Zoe agreed to marry him.

'You could come to New York with me, Wade.' Zoe suggests. 'It's a big city, I'm sure you could find something to do while we're up there.'

Wade can sense that by something she really means someone, and he gets the impression that she means it that way because she'd rather he not be around her when they're up there. Frankly, it rankles with him.

'Like hell.' Wade retorts. 'Planksgiving is my favourite holiday, I ain't givin that up to freeze my man parts off in your stinking Yankee city.'

Zoe's face sours, both at his answer and its wording. 'It's Thanksgiving with fish instead of Turkey!'

'Yeah, well I like it.' Wade stands up, feeling pretty good in that moment. 'I don't know how many people know you were supposed to go to New York, so I'll leave it to you to explain .'

As he reaches the door a heavy book thuds against the frame, level with his head. Wade wonders if he should stop pissing her off so much, her aim is starting to improve.


When Wade walks into the main house to the sight of Lavon messing around with an old radio, he does sense the trap, but he desire to not see his friend blow up overrides his caution and he falls for it. Afterwards as Lavon gloats and ribs him some more about having real feelings for Zoe, Wade scowls and thinks that maybe he should have let the bigger man lose his fingers.

'So warn me, how pissed was Zoe when y'all told her she couldn't go to New York?' Lavon asks, grinning.

'Well, you know Zoe.' Wade shrugs. 'Girl's desperate to get outta here. She even asked me to go with her.' Wade laughs at that.

'What did you say?'

'What do you think I said, Lavon? You know how I feel about Planksgiving.' Wade retorts, frustrated.

'Yeah, I also know how you feel about Zoe.' Lavon replies. Before Lavon can continue his assault, Zoe walks in, Wade takes the opportunity to inform her that Lavon was the one that put it into his head that she can't go to New York alone. As Zoe yells at Lavon, Wade grins at the footballer and makes his escape. Hopefully the mayor forgets about the whole thing with all the Planksgiving work to be done.

It's futile though, because the incredible powers of self-motivation and work ethic that propelled Lavon Hayes to the heights of professional football have apparently now been focused on ruining Wade's week. Zoe hasn't actually told anyone that she isn't going to New York yet, her plan is to tell everyone that their flights were cancelled at the last minute. Of course that makes Lavon's week because now he can continue to needle Wade.

'Are you chicken, or something?' Lavon teases when he finds Wade playing Xbox.

'What the hell do I gotta do to get you to shut up?'

'Go to New York.'

'I already told you, I'm not doing that. I haven't missed a Planksgiving yet, and I ain't going to on account of that woman.'

'What have you got to lose, Wade?'

'Asides from my dignity and my self-respect? Zoe and I have gotta stay married for a long while yet. It's not like we can just avoid each other after.'

'Okay so that's all true.' Lavon concedes with a frown. 'But I still think you should tell her.'

'I don't know why I'm friends with you.' Wade mutters under his breath.

After Lavon leaves him alone Wade does think about it. Of course Wade's been thinking about since Lavon first put the idea in his head, but this is the first time he lets himself consider it. And maybe it'd be nice to actually tell Zoe that the thing he's most thankful for is the fact that she's in his life. But he's still more afraid of her rejection, not just because it sucks, but because there wouldn't be any escaping from her after. Their situation means that Wade can't afford to indulge his feelings. So in lieu of doing anything, Wade spends the night right there in front of the TV, trying to lose himself in a world without Zoe Hart and stupid feelings.


Wade finds Zoe at Planksgiving the next day, he takes a moment to grin at the sight of Zoe in her pirate costume. It's definitely not something he'd have ever imagined her wearing when he first met her. Even a week ago it was pretty unfathomable. But then, people change.

'I'm sorry about New York not working out.' Wade says, startling Zoe who'd been watching Caleb and his family rejoice in their change in fortunes.

'Meh, I'm over it. I think even if I could have gone, I'd have chosen to stay and help them.' Zoe replies, nodding in the direction of Caleb.

'So you're not mad at me?' Wade asks with a grin.

'Nope, definitely mad at you. I don't know why yet, but I'm sure you'll give me a reason soon enough.'

'You're right about that.' Wade smirks, Zoe glances up at him and frowns.

'What did you do?' Zoe mutters, suspicious. Wade sighs and slings an arm over her tiny shoulders.

'I'm hurt, your words wound me. Because I have done nothin, absolutely nothin. I certainly didn't take a photo of you dressed as a pirate and post it on facebook.'

'You did what?' Zoe gasps, rounding on him.

'Well I was just kiddin, but since you seem to love the idea so much…' Wade pulls out his phone and snaps a quick picture before setting off through the party with Zoe hot on his heels.


Holy crap. This chapter kicked my ass, I had most of it written in August but the last part just wouldn't work. I tell you I'm so glad to finally be moving on.