Two days later Dean opened the door to Zoe and Zane's Aunt Rita and Uncle Walt. "Walt." He reached out and shook the man's hand. He had nothing against their Uncle. The man was nice enough, just whipped by that thing he was married to. He turned his attention to said thing. "Rita."

She practically sneered at him. "Mr. Ambrose."

Damned if he didn't try, but he simply couldn't hide his grin. "Awe, and here I thought we'd moved past the formalities stage."

"You're an awful, nasty man," she spat. "I don't know what my niece sees in you."

His smiled faltered just a little. "Yeah, I suppose you wouldn't."

"Well are you going to leave us standing out here on the porch or are you going to finally let us see our niece?"

Anger simmered in his belly as he stared at her. Then he stepped back and allowed them to pass. While he would have loved nothing more than to send them away, it was important for Zoe's healing process for her to see them.

He motioned down the hallway. "They're in the den." Thank goodness Zane was with her.

Rita all but elbowed past him, once again leaving Walt in her wake. The elderly man stepped into the house, and stopped to steady himself with his cane. He paused and gave Dean a remorseful look. "I know she's overbearing. I'm sorry."

Dean wanted to ask the old man why in the world he stayed married to her, but it really wasn't any of his business. Instead, he shook his head. "It's not your fault. Why don't you go on in and see Zoe?"

Walt nodded and ambled toward the back of the house. Dean closed the door and followed. He stopped in the doorway and watched as Rita turned on her loving Aunt routine. "Oh, sweetheart. I'm so glad to see you're doing better. I can't imagine the hell you've gone through."

Zane reached out and placed a hand on their Aunt's arm. "Aunt Rita, please. You're going to overwhelm her."

"Oh. Oh. Look at me." She pulled back and wiped at what Dean was sure were fake tears. "I'm sorry, honey. I'm just so happy to see you." She eased down onto the couch next to Zoe. "You know when Zane told me about your accident your Uncle and I were so worried."

"Is that so?" Zoe replied and Dean noted the crease in her brow. She might not have her memory, but Dean had a feeling Zoe's bullshit meter was working just fine.

"Oh yes," Rita replied. "It was just devastating when we lost your mom two years ago, but to nearly lose you too." She covered her mouth with her hand and shook her head.

Oh yeah, she could definitely win the best actress award.

"Zoe, honey."

Zoe turned her head and met her Uncle Walt's gaze. "Zane says you've lost your memory. How can we help?"

She appeared to relax at his question. "I was hoping that by seeing you it might spark some memory and can you tell me anything about the pictures in this album?" Zoe reached for the photo album while Zane moved to make room for Walt to sit.

Zane joined Dean in the doorway. "I'm still not convinced that this was a good idea," he whispered.

"Neither am I," Dean replied, "But I wasn't going to deny her the right to see family. Even if your aunt is the wicked witch of the East."

Zane grinned and leaned close. "Didn't the wicked witch of the East have a house fall on her?"

Dean did his damn best to hide his smile. "I wonder if she'd melt if we threw water on her."

Zane let loose a laugh that had both Zoe and Rita looking their direction.

"Sorry," Zane replied between snickers. "Sorry. Would anyone like some lemonade?"

Zoe was starting to look a little haggard and Dean was beginning worry. While Walt had done his best to go over every photograph she inquired about, Rita had done nothing but get in little digs and comments. Zoe appeared to enjoy the stories her uncle shared, though they did little to invoke any memories and her aunt's constant nasty comments seemed to be taking a toll on her.

Zoe sighed. "Thank you Uncle Walt for helping me with the pictures and sharing all those wonderful stories, but I still have a question I'd like answered."

"What's that, honey?"

"Why didn't either of you visit me in the hospital or rehab?" She looked expectantly between them. "I mean I was there for four months and I don't remember ever seeing either of you there."

"I thought you couldn't remember anything," Rita inquired.

Zoe made a face of disgust and Dean caught himself moving forward to intervene. This was her battle. He was only there for backup. "I remember nearly everything from after the accident, except the days immediately after coming out of my coma. I don't remember my life before the accident. I also don't remember ever seeing either of you at the hospital."

Rita's face screwed with anger. "We wanted to see you, but he kept us away." She pointed an accusatory finger at Dean.

Zoe's eyes widened at she looked from her Aunt to Dean. "Why?" she asked.

Dean opened his mouth to defend himself only to have Zane bowl right over him. "Don't you dare lie like that," Zane snapped. "Dean did no such thing."

"He did too," Rita argued, her voice going higher in pitch. "He told us to stay away."

"I told you that if you couldn't put your bias opinion of me aside and support Zoe during her recovery then it might be best that you stay away," Dean defended. He pointed a finger back at Rita. "And I only did that after you tried to take us to court over her estate."

Zoe's wide gaze zipped back to her Aunt. "You did what?"

"I-I was only thinking about what was best for you, darling," Rita replied. "I didn't want this scoundrel that you call a boyfriend bleeding you dry."

"And there's another lie," Zane interjected. "You know damn well that Dean paid off the mortgage on the house after mom died. He made sure the deed was put in Zoe's name alone. He's paid for repairs and maintenance on the house and you also know that he doesn't need nor want her money because he has his own."

"Well-I-," Rita sputtered. "You went after power of attorney and guardianship too. What was I supposed to think?"

"There wasn't anything for you to think about," Zane tossed back. "Dean and I had joint guardianship and power of attorney. We did that so I could take care of the bills and he could manage Zoe's care." He took a step forward so that he stood over their Aunt and looked down at her. "The only one here with nefarious intentions was you."

Rita popped up from her seat. "I resent that," she spat. "How dare you say such a horrible thing?"

"It's true," Zane stood his ground. "Our lawyer called me just a few days after the accident to tell me that you'd inquired as to what needed to happen to have sole guardianship over Zoe's estate and about having the house put in your name."

Zoe gasped at his statement. "You never told me that."

Dean watched as Zane's gaze cut from Rita to Zoe and back. "You weren't ever in any condition to hear about it and I'm sorry you had to find out now, but I'll be damned if I'll stand by and allow her to lie about Dean like that."

Dean felt the lump form in his throat as he thought back on the situation that brought them to this moment. "I-" He cleared his throat and started again. "I was still in intensive care. Still had an IV and a heart monitor hooked to me." He motioned to Zoe. "You were still bleeding in the brain and the doctors weren't sure you'd make it, let alone ever wake up." The memory resurrected the fear and pain of that day, bringing it to the surface until his chest hurt. Even now, months after the event, he still wrestled with the fear and the occasional nightmare. "Zane came into my room." He pointed at Rita. "He told me what you were trying to do and said he'd ordered the lawyer to file a petition to block your application to apply for guardianship and sole control over Zoe's estate. I agreed, but the idea was his."

He turned his attention back to Zoe. "It wasn't until sometime later, when you were moved home and the new doctors refused to talk to me about your condition was I added to the guardianship paperwork."

Now pale and upset, Zoe appeared to take in everything they said. "You never prevented them from coming to see me?" she asked.

Dean shook his head. "No, baby. As much as I would have like to have kept your Aunt away, it wouldn't have been the right thing for you."

For several seconds she sat silent and appeared to be processing everything they'd thrown at her. Then, slowly, she turned toward her Uncle Walt. "Thank you so much for your help and I want you to know that you are welcome in my home anytime."

"And you." She turned back to her Aunt Rita. "You're just as you were in my dream. You're a selfish, self-centered, liar and a hateful woman. You are no longer welcome in my home."