A Trip to the Clinic:

"Sweetie, we need to talk to you," Zoe told her daughter joining her on the floor where Emma sat coloring. Wade also sat down by both of them.

"What, Mommy?" Emma asked putting her crayons down.

"Remember how you wanted me to talk to Wade about being your Daddy?" Zoe asked. Emma nodded crawling into Wade's lap. This was the part Zoe wasn't sure how she was going to explain to her daughter. She wanted to wait until after they knew for sure one way or another but Wade insisted that they tell Emma what was going on.

"I would love to be your daddy." Emma squealed hugging Wade. "But," Wade told her not all that sure where to take this. He had thought it would be easier to tell her, but he couldn't ruin her happiness by telling her the truth.

"But, what, Wade?" Emma asked looking up at him.

"We're taking a trip tomorrow. To the Mobile clinic and after we're gonna go get some pizza. But you gotta be a good girl at the clinic tomorrow and let the nice lady swab the inside of your cheek," Zoe explained to Emma letting Wade off the hook.

"Otay Mommy, why?"

"In order for Wade to officially be your father, you need to take a special kind of a test, only a doctor can do," Zoe explained hoping her daughter would leave it at that.

"You a doctor mommy, why can't you do it?" Emma asked curling into Wade, letting a small yawn out.

"I'm not special enough to do it," Zoe explained earning a head nod from her daughter. The idea of having the test done in Bluebell didn't even seem like an option. The less people who knew about it the better. Even with the doctor/patient confidentiality news would still break about it.

"I'll put her to bed," Wade said standing up with a sleeping Emma in his arms. Zoe smiled watching him. He was already amazing with her. "What?" Wade asked crouching down to help pick up the crayons.

"You're an amazing father, Wade."

"No," Wade said shaking his head. He wasn't father material. "I don't know how to be a father," Wade responded dropping the crayons in the pink and purple pencil box.

"Doesn't mean, you're not good at being a father. You're wonderful with Emma. No one starts out knowing everything. Just from watching you with her, you are beyond amazing, Wade. Any little girl or boy would be happy to have you as their father."

"Uh thanks for that, Zoe." Wade headed outside to sit on the porch. Zoe joining him. "What if I'm not her real father?"

"Nothing has to change, Wade. I'm not going to go out and find the real guy that is her father." She really didn't know where to start if she tried. "No matter what happens to us, doesn't mean you lose that little girl in there. She'll always see you as her father. But I having feeling, we don't have to worry about that."

"That's just a feeling. We need facts here. We need to know the truth."

"If after the results says you're not her father, then we will figure it out. Let's not worry about that until after."

"Yea, sure. I'm gonna head on home." Zoe stood up pulling Wade in for a hug. She gently placed a kiss on his cheek walking into the carriage house. Wade walked home skipping a cold beer and went straight to bed. Tomorrow held a lot of answers for him and his future.

They had arrived at Mobile's Medical Clinic to get the test done. Very few words had been spoken. Even Emma had been quiet, which Zoe found strange. She was always talking Wade's ear off. The last time Zoe saw her daughter so quiet was when they had moved to Bluebell. Zoe picked Emma up to carry her inside.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" Zoe asked walking through the parking lot.

"What if, Wade, not my daddy?" Emma asked on the verge of tears.

"That doesn't change anything, Emma, I promise," Zoe soothed. Emma sniffled resting her head on Zoe's shoulder.

After getting everything filled out, they were able to sit in the waiting room. Zoe had brought a few books for Emma. She sat on Wade's lap and had him read to her. Wade really was an amazing father. She wished he would see that for himself. She knew nothing about being a mother when she had Emma. She's still learning as Emma grows. As long as she wasn't like Candice then she was doing something right. Zoe wanted to be a part of her daughter's life every single step of the way.

Wade was only half way through the second book when they got called back. Emma sat on Zoe's lap scared. The nurse that came in and got everything set up smiled at them.

"The doctor will be with you shortly. I must say you three make a cute little family." Neither Wade or Zoe went to correct her.

"Thanks," Wade responded placing his arm around the back of Zoe's chair. Zoe gave a weak smile. There was something about this that felt right. She could get use to Wade coming along when Emma needed to be at the hospital or the clinic. Or for anything that Emma needed two parents for.

Emma was a trooper when the doctor needed to swab the inside of her cheek. She had giggled when it was Wade's turn.

"I'll have the results rushed. I'll be in contact with you, when I get the results back. It should be about a week or so. Any questions?" The doctor asked turning in his chair to look at the three in front of them.

"Is he my daddy?" Emma asked pointing at Wade.

"That's a question for your mom, little lady," the doctor replied.

"Emma, we went over this earlier today," Zoe told her daughter.

"No matter what, Emma, I promise I'll be your daddy," Wade responded placing her in his lap. "I'm not going anywhere." Emma smiled hugging him tight.

"I have no questions, Wade?" Zoe asked turning her head in Wade's direction.

"Nope, we're all good." Wade stood up with Emma in his arms and headed out with Zoe behind him.

Emma sang along with the radio, making Wade and Zoe smile. Wade drove them to a pizza place. The three of them enjoyed their time together away from the prying eyes of Bluebell. Zoe could honestly see doing more with Wade as a family. Wade had made sure that Emma's pizza was cool enough for her to eat. He insisted to cut it up but Emma wanted the whole slice of pizza.

"What's with that grin?" Wade asked reaching for a second slice of pizza.

"If you could see how you are with her, you wouldn't be questioning fatherhood," explained Zoe taking a bite from her pizza.

"It comes easy with Emma," Wade responded with a shrug.

"Not all the time," Zoe chuckled. "This is nice, out as a little family. I can see plenty of outings like this." That statement alone made Wade smile. He had never given having a family of his own much thought. His childhood wasn't easy and he couldn't think of putting someone through that. Being a bachelor for the rest of his life seemed like the way to go. Ever since Zoe and Emma walked into his life. The thought about having a family crossed his mind more than he would like to admit.

"What are the two of you doing when we get home?" Wade asked as Zoe wiped pizza sauce off Emma's face.

"Swim!" Emma exclaimed throwing her arms in the air. "You come too?"

"I don't know," Wade started to say.

"We're only gonna be at the pond, you are more than welcome to join us," Zoe informed him.

"I don't start work until tonight, so I think I can make it." Emma grinned throwing her little arms around Wade's neck, leaving a trail of pizza grease.