A/N: Glad to see everyone enjoyed the first Zade date, such as it was. Not very date-like, I know, but they made the best of it, and of course, there will be a second date in due course which will probably go a little more to plan. In the meantime...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 10

"Come on, Z, you know you wanna do this," said Lavon, grinning at her over breakfast. "It's the next logical step."

"No, it's really not," she insisted, shaking her head. "Lavon, we went on one date - one, singular," she told him, her pointer finger raised for emphasis. "Yes, it was fun, and yes, we hope to do it again sometime, but Wade and I are... We're not sweetie pies," she said, gagging at the saccharine phrase that she wasn't sure she would appreciate even if she and Wade had got that far into a real relationship.

Lavon chuckled as he poured himself some more coffee.

"You know, I like this thing with you two," he said happily. "Never thought I'd see the day when Wade Kinsella would care for a woman the way he does for you, but it happened. Nobody who ever saw the two of you together could doubt what's between you."

Zoe was sure she was blushing and so ducked her face behind her hair as she concentrated on her breakfast. Unfortunately, just when she got herself under control, the back door opened and Wade walked in, carrying JT on his hip.

"Howdy, neighbours," he greeted Lavon and Zoe with a grin, waving JT's hand at them too. "What's the news?"

"We was just talkin' about the upcoming Sweetie Pie Dance," said Lavon, smiling too widely as he glanced at Zoe who noticeably squirmed.

"You takin' Didi to that shindig, man?" Wade asked his friend, expertly reaching for a cup and pouring himself a coffee with his one free hand. "I mean, you guys are pretty serious, right?"

"We are an appropriate amount of serious for folks that have been on more than a couple of dates," Lavon considered. "But in answer to your first question, yes, I do plan on asking her to be my sweetie pie," he said with a smile then. "You got plans yourself?"

"You ever known me go to that thing yet?" asked Wade, eyes wide with surprise. "Seriously, Lavon, not my idea of a good time."

"Well, let's be honest, things in your life have kinda changed a lot in the past month."

Zoe's eyes flew back and forth between the two guys like she were at a tennis match, unsure where this conversation was going and not much caring for the panic it was causing in her. She and Wade hadn't even figured out when their second date would be yet. Quite honestly, she hadn't seen all that much of him in the days since their first date and the kiss that came after. Mostly they were passing JT back and forth between them, both busy with work when they weren't tied up taking care of the littlest Kinsella. She sure as heck didn't want Lavon talking about what was or wasn't between his two tenants like this.

"Um, I should really get to work," she said fast, gulping down the last of her coffee and diving from her stool to the door.

"You okay there, doc?" asked Wade, frowning some as he watched her go.

"Yeah, of course," she said, smiling too wide, nodding too much, and she knew it too. "I, uh...I just have to go, to work, like I said," she repeated, rushing out the door in the very next second before another word could be said.

Wade continued to frown after she had gone, at least until JT's flailing arm smacked him right in the face.

"Thank you for that," he said, smiling at his son anyway. "That you tellin' me you're waitin' on some food, huh?"

"Come on over here to Uncle Lavon, little man," he said, reaching for the kid. "Free up your Daddy to get you that breakfast."

Wade thanked him and then moved around the kitchen on autopilot, getting JT's bottle of formula ready and selecting a tupperware container of food from the fridge too. Lavon watched him work like some kind of expert and marvelled at the scene.

"Look at you," he said, smiling widely. "You got this dad thing down already."

"Shows what you know." Wade rolled his eyes. "This part's the easy stuff. You know how my boy here gets sometimes, with the grumpy-pants attitude and the not wanting to sleep, ever," he reminded Lavon of what he was sure he already knew from the number of times he took on his share of babysitting duty. "There are times I am so damn tired, I can't think straight, and don't even talk to me about the state of my finances right now," he said, shaking his head as he took JT and placed him into the high-chair to give him his breakfast.

"Things really that bad?" Lavon frowned, watching father and son together.

"Sometimes," Wade told him, though all his focus remained on JT and he put on a smile as he helped him with his food. "And sometimes, I look at him and I wonder what the hell my life was for until he come along. Never did think much about having kids before, but it's true what people tell ya, changes your whole life around, shifts your perspective on just about every damn thing."

Lavon really didn't know what to say to that. He had no experience of being a parent himself and he really didn't have a clue what he was supposed to do for the best about Wade's money-related problems or general stress levels. Lavon could offer to help, financially as well as in other ways, though as had already been noted, he was doing more than his share of baby minding when both Wade and Zoe were working or too tired to do anything but sleep.

"So, you and Didi, huh?" said Wade then, snapping Lavon from too much serious thought. "Sweetie pies and everything?"

"That's the idea." His friend smiled, grabbing the nearest pack of baby wipes and tossing them to Wade when he saw the state JT was getting into with his breakfast. "I had half an idea that maybe you and Zoe-"

"No," said Wade fast, though Lavon wasn't sure if that was a response to what he had been saying or his friend giving JT a telling off for tipping up the bowl of porridge and spilling it all over.

Somehow, it seemed better not to ask anymore. It had been kind of fun, messing with Z and making her blush, but Lavon had an idea that Wade might not appreciate jokes about much of anything this morning, least of all whatever may or may not be between him and Zoe.

Lavon never knew Wade get serious about much before, certainly never about women, not even the one he was married too once. Things had changed a lot these past few months, first when Zoe Hart showed up in town, and then again when JT came into all of their lives.

"Well, if you don't need me here, I got things I oughta be attendin' to," he said with a forced smile before he took himself off to his office.

Wade watched him go and then let out a sigh.

"Just about every damn person thinks they know best," he said, mostly to JT, who hadn't a clue what was going on and was much more interested in the food. "I'm not sayin' I don't appreciate Lavon pitchin' in to help where he can, and Zoe... well, she's just... if I had words, I'd use 'em, but I don't. All I know for sure, little man, is that I gotta keep doin' my best by you and everythin' else is just... everythin' else," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "I ain't the greatest father in the world, I know that, and hell if I know how to balance you and work and whatever is happenin' with me and Zoe and all o' that. Feel like my head is gonna explode most of the time, but hey, why am I tellin' you? Not your problem, bubba," he said, unable to keep from smiling at JT when he happily gulped down another spoonful of his breakfast and immediately looked for more.

Wade jumped a little when he heard the back door close and turned to see Zoe standing there.

"Sorry," she apologised, looking awkward as he had ever seen her. "I just... My cell." she said, gesturing to where she had left it behind on the counter. "I didn't mean to hear anything," she promised, shaking her head. "I'm sorry."

Wade ran a hand over his face. "Zoe, I wasn't-"

"It's fine. You didn't know I was there, and the minute I realised that... I should've left, which I'll do now. Sorry... again."

She was backing towards the door pretty fast and Wade couldn't exactly go after her, not with JT sitting there. He was pretty safe in the high-chair but still didn't ought to be left alone.

"Zoe, could you just wait for a second?" he called to her, urging her back towards the counter. "Look, I was just talkin'. There's a lot of stuff in my head lately and sometimes it just comes out, mostly to my boy here, since I know he can't fight me on anything or interrupt or whatever," he said with a smirk. "Makes for a great sounding board. Not so good with the advice though."

"Is that what you need?" asked Zoe carefully. "Advice, I mean? I'm not saying I have any for you, but I'd like to think that if you needed to talk... Well, you and me, we've always been friends, and lately, I thought we were being more than friends, but I understand if you'd rather just-"

He closed the space between them in two strides, one hand behind her head guiding her to him until their lips met. It was a brief moment but he definitely kissed her like he meant it, leaving Zoe in no doubts that he had no wish to go back to just friends at all.

"Zoe," he said softly as they parted, "if there is one thing I don't have any doubts on, it's how I feel about you," he promised her, even as his hand fell away from her face. "It's not like I want things to be this complicated, but they are," he said, glancing back at JT. "I suddenly got me a boatload of grown-up responsibilities and not a whole lot of an idea how to deal with that. I know it prob'ly seems like I got a handle on it, but you know me well enough by now, doc. I talk a good game. Doesn't mean I always have it all under control."

Zoe nodded in understanding, perhaps getting exactly what he was saying even more so than he realised.

"My dad... Ethan, he used to use this analogy about a swan. It looks all serene and calm and majestic, floating along on the water, but underneath, what you can't see is it's legs kicking like crazy just to stay afloat," she said with a smile. "That was me, for a long time. It still is sometimes, especially down here in Bluebell. So, I do understand, Wade."

"Yeah, I guess you do," he agreed, nodding his head. "It's just... I don't wanna screw up, doc. Not with JT, not with you."

"You won't," she assured him, reaching to take a hold of his hand. "Wade, you're doing your best. Nobody can ask for more than that, and if you need help with JT sometimes, that's okay. I'm here, Lavon's here, AB, Rose, so many people. As for you and me, there's no pressure, okay?" she promised. "I mean, that second date we talked about doesn't have to be today, or this week, or even this month. When you're ready, I'm here. I don't want to make things any harder for you than they need to be."

It was a heartfelt speech, only slightly spoilt by the smirk that came to Wade's lips when he took her words in the dirtiest possible way. She rolled her eyes because she knew exactly what he was thinking, knowing he was biting his lip so he wouldn't actually say it and ruin this moment.

"JT, please don't grow up to have your daddy's dirty mind," she said, looking past Wade to the little boy who gave her a winning smile.

"Come on now," said Wade, tugging on Zoe's hand until she tripped forward and landed right up close to him. "You wouldn't have me any other way, Zoe Hart, and you know it."

"Maybe I do," she admitted, stealing a quick kiss. "What I do know is that I'm about to be seriously late for work, and since I just recently actually got a decent number of patients away from Brick, I should try to not do anything to jeopardise that."

"Go save the world, doc," said Wade, slapping her on the behind when she turned to go. "That's my girl."

"Don't be a chauvinist like Daddy either, JT!" she called over her shoulder, turning back to poke her tongue out at Wade before she finally left.

JT giggled and made some sound that was not even close to being words. Still, Wade turned to him with a smile.

"You got that right, kid," he said in all seriousness. "She is somethin' special, no doubt."

As much as Zoe loved having more patients now, it was kind of a whirlwind as one person after another came in to see her. Some had actual conditions that required treatment, or at the very least advice, while a few others seemed to be there for the gossip alone.

Zoe couldn't mind that too much since most only wanted to know how little JT was doing. Of course, some of the questions Zoe got were about herself and Wade too, which required a little bit of fancy footwork to keep them from being the talk of the whole of Bluebell.

Finally, as the clock got close to midday, Zoe popped her head out into the waiting area.

"Addy, am I okay to take a lunch break?" she checked.

"Far as I can see, you're free and clear from here until... one-thirty," she said, consulting the appointment book, "or maybe not," she amended as the door opened and a man Zoe recognised immediately wandered in.

"Earl, hi," she greeted him. "Um, did you need an appointment or...?"

"I was hopin' to talk to you," he told Zoe, shifting from foot to foot, hands constantly fidgeting for no real reason.

"Okay." Zoe nodded. "You wanna come this way?"

She shared a look with Addy as Wade's father passed by her into the office. There was no way to know if this was a professional, medical type visit or if Earl was just here to speak with Zoe about Wade or maybe JT. One thing was for sure, Zoe hadn't smelt liquor when Earl walked on by and, if she had to guess, she would say the shaking of his hands was probably more likely withdrawal than drunkenness.

"Please, take a seat" she said, gesturing for him to hop up on the end of the bed. "Now," she continued, perching on the chair, "is this a medical issue or something more personal?" she asked carefully.

"Ah, I guess it's a little of both," said Earl with due consideration. "See, uh, you prob'ly realised that I have a bit of a problem with my drinkin'."

"I did notice that," said Zoe, nodding her head,

"'S been so hard to shake with one thing and another," Earl went on to explain, and Zoe gave him her undivided attention, unsure where this was going but knowing she wanted to help if she could. "I'm guessin' Wade told you about his momma, my Jackie. And then with Jesse leavin', and Wade strugglin' like he has... So much of this is my fault, I know it, and I try. God knows, I have tried," he said emphatically, before a huge sigh escaped his lips. "I just... I got a grandson to think on now. I wanna be here for my boys. I wanna be Grandpa Earl," he said with a wobbly smile.

"I'm sure you'll be a great grandfather, Earl," said Zoe, her hand briefly on his knee. "I'm sure Wade thinks so too."

"Maybe so." Earl nodded. "But if I'm gonna be everythin' that they both need, Wade and little John-Thomas, then I gotta get myself straight, doc, and I'm gonna need some real help to do that. So, can you help me, Dr Hart? Please?"

To Be Continued...