Wade wasn't exactly sure why, but seeing George Tucker with his arms around Zoe Hart made him angry, very angry. He held back his urge to scream at him to get his damn hands off her, but he knew he had to do something to stop what was happening, and fast.

"Everything okay here?" he asked as he quickly made his way closer to them.

"Of course" Zoe said nervously as she pulled away from George. "George is just a little upset…"

"Lemon and I broke up" he explained as he cleared his throat.

"I see" Wade nodded. "What does that have to do with Zoe?"

"Zoe's my friend" George said defensively.

"Since when?" Wade scoffed.

"Since I saved her from the man who shot her" he answered through gritted teeth. He wasn't quite sure why Wade was on his case, he was having a rough enough night as it was.

"Zoe's been through a lot tonight, she doesn't need to deal with your problems too-"

"Wade!" Zoe interrupted angrily. "Stop it."

"Zoe was just fine before you got here, Wade. As a matter of fact, you can leave-"

"George!" she snapped again. "Both of you stop it! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What are you talking about?" George asked mystified.

"The pissing match you two are having" she answered angrily. "Just cut it out!"

"Yes ma'am" Wade answered with an amused grin. For some reason he liked it when Zoe Hart yelled at him. She was all firey and…sexy.

"Sorry" George muttered. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't" Zoe answered. "I'm glad I could help you out. If you need anything else, just ask."

"Thanks" he smiled at her. "I might take you up on that."

Wade rolled his eyes as George left and Zoe glared at him in response.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"What's got you so pissed off?"

"I just don't like seeing a guy putting his hands all over a girl who clearly looks uncomfortable."

"Oh my God" Zoe scoffed. "You're being ridiculous; it was just an innocent hug."

"Since when are you two BFFs anyway?" he muttered as he took a seat on the foot of her bed.

"He saved me" she shrugged. "And he needed a friend."

"You shouldn't have to deal all the drama of George Tucker's love life, not with everything you went through earlier tonight."

"Don't do that" Zoe snapped angrily. "Don't treat me like I'm all delicate and fragile just because I got upset. I had a moment, but I'm okay. Really. Besides, talking to George actually kind of helped."

"And why's that?" Wade asked as jealousy overpowered him once again. Why did George Tucker bitching at her about Lemon Breeland help her? Unless she was happy to hear that they broke up…

"I like helping people with their problems" Zoe answered. "I love it actually, and I think I really helped him."

"So you like helping people with their problems?" Wade asked.

"Yes, that's exactly what I just said one minute ago" Zoe answered with a giggle.

"But you don't let anyone help you?"

"Oh" Zoe sighed. "Don't… don't start with this again."

"You could talk to me if you wanted to" he shrugged.

"Thanks" she said as she turned her gaze to the floor.

"I-I looked at your pictures" he admitted guiltily after a moment of silence.

"What are you talking about?" she asked in horror.

"The book. I saw your pictures."

"Why the hell did you do that?" she gasped.

"I wanted to see if I could figure out what upset you so bad" he answered softly.

"You had no right" she scoffed. "If I wanted to tell you-"

"I know" he interrupted. "If you wanted to tell me you'd tell me. I'm sorry Zoe, it's just your such a mystery. There is so much I don't know about you, but what I do know I like…"

"My past is screwed up" she said shakily.

"I know" he answered. "Your past is screwed up Zoe, but you aren't screwed up. You understand the difference, right?"

Zoe nodded, with one sentence Wade had calmed at least one of her fears. He didn't think it was her fault. He didn't blame her.

"What picture upset you?" he asked as his voice broke.

"The one with the cat" she answered softly. She couldn't believe the words as they came out of her mouth. She was actually doing this. She was actually talking about the flashback. But, she felt safe with Wade.

"Why did it upset you?" he asked shakily.

"I loved that cat" she explained. "I loved that cat."

"Oh" Wade gasped. "And he hurt him, he hurt your cat?"

Zoe nodded as the color drained out of her face.

"What did he do?"

Zoe shook her head as she blinked back tears. So many years later, it was still so painful to relive, and she wanted to trust Wade, but a part of her just couldn't all the way. "I don't want to talk about it" she shrugged. "It was a long time ago. It doesn't really matter anymore."

"The hell it doesn't" he scoffed. "Your son of a bitch step father beat your cat just to screw with your head. It must have been awful."

"It was" Zoe nodded as she held back a sob. "I loved that cat" she repeated. "I didn't want him to hurt him. I tried to stop him…"

"It wasn't your fault" Wade said as he took his hand in hers.

In that moment, Zoe felt close to Wade. It was wonderful and terrible all at the same time. She was starting to trust him, and that scared the hell out of her because if she trusted him, he could really hurt her.

"Thank you" Zoe said coldly as she removed her hand from his.

"Don't" Wade said softly.

"What?"

"Don't act all flustered and nervous now, everything's alright. It's just me; you don't got to be embarrassed."

"I'm not embarrassed" she shrugged. "I'm just sure that you have better things to do than listen to me cry about a cat that died fourteen years ago" she said with a forced laugh as she patted the tears away from her face with the corner of her blanket.

"Died?" Wade gasped. "Oh God, he killed it?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it" she answered as her posture stiffened and she looked away.

"Okay" Wade answered. He wanted to know more, but she had already opened up more than she ever had before, and he didn't want to push. "I can go if you want" he said softly.

"I don't want that" she answered nervously.

"You want me to stay?" he asked as a crooked grin spread across his face.

"I want you to stay" she nodded. "But I don't want to fight about George or talk about my traumatic childhood memories."

"Deal" he smiled.

"Want to watch TV?" she asked.

"Sure" he sighed. "America's Next Top Model."

"Seriously" Zoe laughed.

"What?" he grinned back.

"You are such a chick."

"What do you mean?"

"That's a girl show" she explained.

"Girl show?" he repeated. "What are you five? Besides, trust me, the way I watch it, it's for men too."

"Ew" she cringed as she slapped his arm playfully. "We definitely aren't watching it then."

"Why Zoe Hart, are you jealous?" he teased.

"No" she smiled back. "I just would prefer not to watch you drool over Tyra Banks for the next hour. There's a hockey game in ten minutes."

"Hockey?" Wade asked shocked. "You watch hockey too?"

"I'm full of surprises" she said with a smile as she picked up the remote and flicked the TV on.

"That you are" he chuckled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX

As George walked to the cafeteria the words Wade had said played through his mind.

"Zoe's been through a lot tonight, she doesn't need to deal with your problems too-"

What had he meant by that? Zoe seemed fine when he talked to her. When he saw Harley sitting at a table, he took the opportunity to figure out what was going on.

"Hello George" Harley smiled, but after a moment the look on his face changed and his voice grew urgent. "How's Zoe? You didn't leave her alone?"

"No" he answered gently. "Wade's with her."

"Oh" he sighed. "Good."

"Why are you so worried?" he asked. "Is she okay? She isn't rejecting the kidney?"

"No" Harley answered. "In fact, the doctor said Candice and I could bring her home by the end of the week, Wade's getting out around that time too. Both are recovering beautifully."

"Good" George sighed.

"She's coming to Bluebell with me" Harley added proudly.

"Really?" George gasped. "Zoe's moving to Bluebell."

"Yep" Harley answered. "Her and Candice, I don't think I've ever been happier."

"I'm happy for you" he smiled back at him. "Wow. Bluebell. You know, I miss Bluebell…."

"Do you now?" Harley asked skeptically.

"I do have the summer off" he added. "No reason I can't visit."

"There certainly isn't" Harley agreed. "I'm sure everyone in town would be thrilled to see you."

"They're going to love to meet Zoe too" George added. "She's a great girl."

"She is" Harley smiled fondly. "Smart, and sweet…"

"I actually wanted to talk to you about her" he said as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Is something wrong?"

"Why do you ask?" he asked nervously. "Did she seem alright to you?"

"Seemed fine to me" George shrugged. "It's just something that Wade said…"

"Zoe got a little upset" Harley admitted.

"About what?"

"I'd rather not say. If Zoe wants to, she'll tell you."

"But, she's okay?" George asked.

"She will be" he said as he took a deep breath. "She has me now."

"God, I feel so terrible" he muttered.

"What's wrong?" Harley asked.

"I should have asked her if she had something going on, I just kept going on and on about myself. She didn't seem upset, and she seemed interested in what I was talking about. She really helped me, just by being there for me."

"Knowing my daughter, helping you probably got her mind off of things. I wouldn't worry about it."

"Well, I'll make sure she knows I'm here for her" he said.

"I appreciate it" Harley answered. "Zoe needs friends."

"Well she's got one" George nodded.

"She's got two" Harley corrected. "Wade and Zoe have gotten closer."

"Yeah" George muttered. "I was worried about that at first, but you know Wade seems really protective of her. I just hope he doesn't hurt her."

"I don't think he will" Harley shook his head. "And I don't think anyone else will either with me and the two of you here to protect her. No one will hurt my little girl again."

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