Please don't hate me too much! And thanks to everyone who has reviewed.

…..

Zoe played with the gold locket in her hand as she nestled into Wade's bare chest. She could feel the heat of his body against hers as she listened to him sleep, he sounded so peaceful even though she knew something was bothering him. She drew invisible circles on his chest with her index finger as he breathed in and out. Every now and then his breathing pattern would change causing him to flutter or his leg to twitch. Zoe didn't want to wake him; he looked so comfy but unfortunately for them the real world still existed outside her carriage house and so did their jobs.

'Morning sleepy head.' Zoe said as Wade began to stir. He looked around the room as he wiped the sleep from the corner of his eye. He then looked down to see a half-naked Zoe draped across his chest and suddenly the memories of last night came back to him, how much he loved her and how amazing she was, in every way.

'Mornin'…' he kissed the top of her head lightly as he got the scent of coconut from her 'You up long?'

'Not really, just been lying here thinking.'

'Bout what?'

'Just stuff. Work, Brick, Last night.'

Wade cocked his head 'Did you just say Brick and last night in the same sentence cause if so we have a serious problem!' he laughed a little as Zoe hit him playfully on the chest.

'Jerk. I meant that Brick, he wants me to work this weekend so he can go away with Shelby but it's my weekend off and I was thinking maybe you and I could go away somewhere, just us.'

Wade liked the idea of that 'and last night?'

'Was amazing. I'm glad we waited.'

'Yeah waited 3 weeks, you couldn't even go a month without A+ sex!' Zoe scoffed as Wade laughed 'I can't blame ya Doc I know how sexy I can be! It ain't your fault.'

'I would survive just fine without you and your "sexiness".'

'If you say so…' he said as he squeezed tightly around her waist 'You wouldn't last 5 minutes.'

'Whatever you say...' she said half-heartedly too happy and calm to bicker with him playfully of course. Instead she nuzzled into his chest and tried to persuade him resume to the calm mood they had going all morning she was out of luck though because just as she was about to surprise him with a kiss the alarm clock sounded and Wade was unusually quick to move which Zoe found unsettling.

'Uh I better go. I'm late enough as it is.'

'Be a few minutes late you're allowed to, you do own the place remember.' She said as she pushed him back down onto the bed. She ran her finger down his chest as he sighed endlessly.

'As amazin' as it sounds to just lie here with you for the day I gotta go. Lemon's waitin' for me.' As he uttered the words it hit him he had a huge mess to try and clean up today and something told him it wasn't going to be easy. He looked down at Zoe with a sad expression, a part of him knew that she was fully aware he wasn't telling her the full truth but he couldn't tell her, it was too dangerous.

'Wade whatever happened between you and Lemon you should fix it because the Rammer Jammer is important to both you guys and you love it so please, talk to her and figure this whole thing out.'

Wade looked at her and smiled, if only she knew. He watched as she played with the locket around her neck.

'You like it?'

Zoe looked up at him and smiled 'I love it. Thank you.'

'What took you so long? I've been here alone for an hour. ' Lemon whispered as Wade came through the door of the Rammer Jammer.

'I was with Zoe.'

'Oh great, a loan shark is after us and you spend time with Doctor New York.'

Wade rolled his eyes and hissed 'Look Lemon you better drop the attitude. I had to lie to her about where I was last night and I don't like lyin' to her and for the record the loan shark is after you, not me.' He shut the door behind him as they both stood in the empty bar. The shutters were closed as Wade made sure nobody was around before taking a seat at one of the tables.

'Well we're partners Wade so he's after both of us.'

Wade let out a long sigh, Lemon was right and a part of him was feeling mightily guilty that he had sort of abandoned ship over the summer but never in a million years did he expect to coming up against something like this.

'So what's the plan? How are we goin' to fix this?' Lemon asked desperately.

'I don't know.'

'Wade! He wants 12 grand tonight! Where are goin' to get 12 grand?'

Wade clenched his teeth as he thought 'Wait you said Friday?'

Lemon laughed nervously 'I may have tinted a few details to keep you calm.' Wade dug his fingernails into the table, he needed to stay calm because he could tell Lemon was scared and no matter how much he wanted to kill her right now he needed to see the bigger picture and keep his temper.

'Alright here's the plan is, you stay here in town and I'll go sort this thing out with Roger. Lord knows this has been goin' on long enough…'

Wade had left the bar before Lemon had a chance to stop him and the sound of his car engine sent shivers down her back, she knew Wade and she knew Roger and she knew the history between them so she called the one person she knew would be able to help.

Wade took a long breath before getting out of his car, he cut the engine off early and decided it was better to walk the rest of the way. It had been a long time since he had walked this road and yet it still felt the same, the crunch of the gravel under his feet and the snapping of twigs brought back so many memories mostly bad but some good. The house still looked the same, run down and scary, the wraparound porch and overgrown shrubbery stood out along with the chipped paint and cracked shutters. It all seemed too familiar as he took the long walk up the drive or rather cutting across the burnt grass and dead flower beds. He climbed up the porch steps as he heard the noise of the TV from inside the house. He pulled open the porch door and rapped his knuckles against the oak door, after that all her could do was wait. It was about a minute before he heard movement from inside the house and then the noise of boots against wood before the search for keys and then the door opened.
Wade's mother never liked Roger Fisher from the earliest age he was bad news. If he wasn't out hunting or skinning animals with his ass of a father he was tearing through town in a 1970 Ford Truck with the music blaring and beer flowing. Wade, being the good natured kid he was always gave him the benefit of the doubt and spent a lot of his days with Roger be it fishing or throwing the football, they were good friends but as they grew up Roger urged Wade to try new things and seen as Earl had no regard as to what his young son was up to and Jesse was gone, Wade was free to do whatever he pleased which meant drinking down at the creeks and chasing every girl in town. It all changed when they were 16 however when Wade told Roger he was interested in taking Charlotte Brown to the junior prom, he really liked her and was determined to prove her father wrong he even bought a shirt and tie and a fresh bouquet of flowers but when he turned up at her house to ask her he discovered her and Roger fooling around in her tree house. Wade was heart-broken and determined to get revenge.
His plan was to bring Roger out hunting like they always did, this time however once Wade had gotten Roger far enough into the wilderness he was going to let it all out, throw a few punches and maybe a kick or two and be done with it but it didn't go quite to plan as when the two boys were walking through the back roads both with shot guns in their hands the subject of Charlotte came up sooner than expected. Wade tackled Roger to the ground, knocking the shot gun out of his grip, each punch was filled with rage and anger some directed at Roger but mostly at his mom for dying and Earl for turning into a drunk and Jesse for leaving. Wade was so angry that he just couldn't stop, that was until Roger built up his strength and began to fight back completely unaware of the shot gun slung across Wade's body. As the two boys got to their feet Roger charged at Wade, tackling him to the ground again more importantly setting off the safety on the gun. It was as if time stood still luckily for Wade the gun was angled away from his head. Instead the bullet fired 10 feet the other direction and through Mr Devoy's front window. Both Wade and Roger looked at each other in shock as the glass shattered and the dogs barked. Mr Devoy came running out from his backyard as Wade bolted leaving Roger with a gun at his feet and no excuse.
Roger was given 2 years in a juvenile detention centre before getting out to a life of drink and drugs. Wade never saw him around much after that as he mainly spent his time cooped up in his house or in Daphne where he fell in with the wrong crowd. Wade's life became fairly hectic after that, with Tansy and Earl and then Zoe that he never really addressed the scarring day but he thought about it all the time, he was too ashamed to tell Zoe and the fear that it or Roger would come up in one of her conversations with Lavon or George or Annabeth was too much for him. The way he saw it was he had a chance to bolt and he took it, Roger could have ratted him out and brought him down with him but he didn't so Wade got on with his life, as much as he could.

Wade couldn't believe how much Roger had changed he had always been an athletic guy, fit with a full head of black hair but now stood a man with a scruffy beard, a receding hair line and a beer belly. Wearing a black t-shirt and ripped jeans with work boots Roger stood there taking in every detail of Wade's well-toned body and sun kissed skin.

'Well well look who the cat dragged in…' he mumbled in that husky voice he had had since he was a boy, he held a bottle of beer in one hand 'Never thought I'd see the day young Kinsella would come crawlin' back here.'

Wade looked down at his feet as he dug his hands deep into his pocket.

'How been Kinsella. Business good?' he teased as Wade dropped his shoulders.

'I ain't here to chat Roger you know that.'

'You know I heard 'bout Tucker and Lemon breakin' up I gotta say I always had a thing for that girl, fine set of legs. How she doin' anyway?'

'You know exactly how she's doin'. That's why I'm here. Don't play dumb.'

Roger laughed an evil laugh as he stepped away from the door letting it snap shut behind him.

'Let me guess you found out 'bout our little meetin' and you're here to tell me to back off. Am I right?'

'No, I'm here to tell you that I didn't know Lemon borrowed the money and that if you wanted to find a way to get me back goin' after Lemon was the wrong thing to do.'

'Now come on man I never went to Lemon, she came to me, said you guys were in need of some cash and that word on the street was that I am a generous guy and would be willin' to help out an old friend.. But of course you already knew that didn't ya Wade.'

Wade clenched his fists as Rogers's words spat out like venom 'Leave Lemon alone.'

'What about my money Kinsella? History or not I still want my money.'

'I'm gonna get you the original 8 grand by next week.'

'Nawh man the deal was 12 grand by tonight if not it goes up to 15.' He peered up at the sun 'and by my count you got about 6 hours before you finally get what you deserve.'

'It all goes back to that huh.'

'Look man I want my money and you better find a way to get it.'

Wade tried to keep a poker face and show that he wasn't crumbling on the side as Roger moved closer to him 'What do you love Kinsella?' he asked in an inquisitive tone.

'What do you mean?' Wade asked backing away.

'I mean what's good with you. I mean I know Earl is busy climbin' the hardware store and Jesse is off bein' G.I Joe so what you been doin'? I mean other than runnin' one of Bluebells oldest establishments in the ground.'

Wade brushed off Rogers comment with a sarcastic smile 'I'm doin' fine man how 'bout you?'

Roger stretched out against the porch railing 'Well you know got a few jobs goin' nothin' much. Rumour has it your pretty cosy with that new Doctor now that is a fine piece of ass.'

Wade crossed his arms to restrain himself from hitting Roger and that was when it hit Roger, Wade's weak spot was the leggy Doctor from New York and suddenly his original plan of torturing Lemon was gone out the window.

'Yeah uh, my uncle went to her not so long ago to pull a deep splinter he said she was real fine, good hands' he chuckled as Wade winced 'But I'm sure you know all 'bout that huh buddy.'

His vicious laugh ran through Wade's veins like blood as he tried his hardest to keep calm.

'You know who else had good hands….Charlotte.' he said laughing and that was the final straw as Wade charged at him, pushing him up against the wall, with one arm across Rogers chest and the other in a clenched fist by Rogers head.

'You listen to me you useless piece of crap you stay away from my bar, you stay away from Lemon now I'll get you your 8 grand I can promise you that but so help me god you come as close as one foot near Zoe Hart and I guarantee you it will be the last thing you ever do you hear me?' he punched the wall as he taunted Roger as the sweat rolled down the side of his face. Roger gave him a dangerous smile as Wade backed away and slowly made his way down the porch steps.

'Watch what you love Kinsella!' Roger roared after him 'Watch what you love!'

'Hey Zoe...' George called out as he entered the practice. Zoe strolled out with a cup of coffee in her as she smiled 'George. What are you doing here?'

'Well I was wonderin' if you had some down time, to talk.'

Zoe raised her eyebrow; she looked around the empty practice. She had all the time in the world, it was 6pm and she had spent the day internet shopping and looking up ideal vacation spots for her and Wade.

'This is Bluebell George I have all the down time in the world! What's up?'

George laughed nervously 'That is very true, a change from the summer huh?'

'Just a bit. Is everything okay?'

'Yeah no everythin' is fine I was just wonderin' if we could talk.'

Zoe looked around 'Okay….' She led him into her office and shut the door behind her as George took a seat. He waited until she was settled in her chair before he smiled.

'Hey.' He said nervously.

'George can I get you some water you seem a little shaky.'

'No no I'm fine.'

'Okay…' they sat in silence looking at each other as George tried to find the right words and Zoe tried to figure out what the hell was going on.

'Look Zoe.' George said clearing his throat 'I know you and I have been well you know…and Wade-'

'Okay look George if this is some plan to win me over I'm just going to stop you right here because I am really happy with Wade and we are doing really good.'

'Whoa hang on a second there Doctor Hart I am not here for that at all! Lemon came to talk to me-'

'Oh is this about the falling out her and Wade had over her being late for work? Because I am trying to stay out of it.'

'Being late for work?'

'Yeah Wade came home last night in a mood because he said Lemon was off getting her nails done and missed her shift. But come on its Lemon and Wade, they were bound to lock horns eventually, I think this will blow over.'

George smiled at his shoes, when Lemon called to his office this morning to explain the dilemma her and Wade were in he at least thought Wade would have told Zoe the full extent.

'That's a nice locket you got there.' George said pointing at Wade's locket around her neck.

'Thanks it was a gift from Wade.'

'It's like the one his mom used to have…' George said as he took a trip down memory lane. Zoe looked down at her chest as she played with the locket and smiled. 'Does he talk often about his past?'

Zoe shrugged her shoulders 'I guess, when he's pissed off at Earl or annoyed at Jesse he mutters stuff but not really, why?'

George sat forward, at first he adored the idea of coming in here and ratting on Wade and his antics to Zoe but as he watched her and how happy she looked he grew weak, maybe there was a reason Wade hadn't told her either way it wasn't his place at least not to rat on his friend.

'Zoe, Wade's really changin' he's a good guy and you're a part of that..' he smiled as he rose to his feet 'A relationship is two sides workin' together, through the good times and the bad so…keep an eye out alright.'

'Thanks George.' Zoe said sincerely as she watched George leave, she was fairly sure something was going on but she didn't really care. All she could think about was going home to Wade who had been more than quite today so she decided to call him.

'Hello...' Wade panted from the end of the line.

'Hey it's me, what you doing?'

'Oh you know just muckin' about.' He joked 'You?'

'Just finishing up here and I was wondering do you want to go to Mobile tonight have some dinner maybe catch a movie?'

Wade paused as he caught his breath, staying out of Bluebell was the best thing for them 'Yeah baby sounds great. Listen I'm just at Lavon's but I'll meet you at the practice in about 15 minutes okay?'

'No its okay, it's a nice night I think I may just walk home.'

'No Zoe don't walk home, not tonight. Hang tight and I'll see you in a few minutes.'

Okay now things were really getting weird she thought to herself, first George now Wade. 'Well if you insist.' Zoe said feeling awful proud that her boyfriend was so protective of her even if this was Bluebell.

'I do and hey Doc.'

'Yeah?'

'I love you.'

Zoe smiled 'I love you too Wade, I'll see you in a bit.'

Zoe couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she began gathering up her things. For the first time ever it felt like her and Wade were finally over the hump of the summer and all that came before it and maybe now they could be that couple she dreamed of them being or maybe she was strung so high on cloud nine and she needed to be dragged back down to earth pronto.

She flicked off the light of her office and checked that the back door was locked and the coffee machine was off before grabbing her bag and making her way through the office checking the windows and doors making sure everything was closed up, anything to avoid an earful from Brick in the morning.
There was a deafening silence as she locked up the front door, it always gave her trouble and she always struggled with it maybe she should have waited for Wade to come that way she could watch him get all flustered over the 80 year old door that was in desperate need of replacement. She was too busy in her own little world to notice the dark figure come up behind her.

'Excuse me ma'am...' the figure said in a husky tone. Zoe jumped at the low tone as she turned around, it was dark and the porch light was broken.

'God!' she said 'You scared me!' she didn't recognise the man, she had never seen him around town and his appearance didn't catch her eye as someone who involved himself in the town's madness.

'Apologies 'bout that.'

Zoe smiled she looked around 'Well I'm sorry to do this but unless your head is falling off or your dying I can't help you. Brick's on-call tonight. I can give him a ring if you want?'

'I ain't interested in Brick young lady.' He said quietly as his tone sat uneasy with Zoe who smiled nervously hoping Wade would appear soon.

'Well if Brick can't help you and I can't help you-' Zoe didn't have a chance to finish her sentence as the man's fist connected with her face and within seconds she was out cold. Now was the time for Wade to appear, the man who promised to be there for her whenever she needed him and she needed him right now. Now was the time for Wade to be her boyfriend but he was nowhere to be seen, nobody was….

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Dun dun dun dun…. Next update coming soon! Please review, thanks x