(For disclaimer, etc. - see 1.)

18. Family Favourites
Characters/Pairings: Rose, Mrs H, mentions Zoe/Wade and Rose/Max
'Verse/Timeline: canon - Season 2
Date: December 2012

"You know I feel bad for dragging you away from this boyfriend of yours," said Emmeline Hattenbarger to her niece. "He sounds like quite the catch."

"Oh, he is." Rose grinned wide, flipping to a picture on her phone that she proudly showed off. "That's Max, and if you scroll this way, you'll see him again, playing football, and then another one of the two of us. Zoe took that one."

"Goodness," her aunt said, as she did indeed scroll, seeing several pictures of the famous Max. "Well, so long as you're happy, sweetheart."

"So happy," said Rose happily as she took back her phone and pocketed it. "And don't worry, Aunt Emmeline, I don't mind coming to stay for Christmas. At least I avoided the Cinnamon Cider Pageant this year."

"Still makes me smile to think of you participating last year. You know, it's a crime that you didn't win," Emmeline told her, taking her chin in her hand, "pretty and talented as you are."

"That's what Zoe said." Rose rolled her eyes. "I personally think you're both a little deluded if you think I should've won. You know, Zoe's doing so well now."

"I never really doubted she would," her aunt said definitely, even as she fussed with the Christmas ornaments on the tree. "Zoe has enough of Harley in her to make a good job of fitting in in Bluebell, she just had to hit her stride is all."

"And start hitting it with Wade, apparently," said Rose, beginning to regret her phrasing as she watched her aunt turn to her with wide eyes. "Sorry, but they are sleeping together. Not exactly dating, from what I can tell, but there's definitely stuff going on, if you know what I mean."

"Zoe Hart and Wade Kinsella?" Emmeline checked. "Lord have mercy, I thought she had better sense than to become just another notch on that boy's belt."

"Oh, I don't think it's like that." Rose shook her head. "Honestly, if you saw the way he is around her, it's borderline pathetic, but also weirdly sweet. I think they could be such an amazing couple if they could just figure things out. Also, can you imagine how gorgeous their kids would be?" she added, giggling as she took the ornaments her aunt handed off to her as she continued her rearranging.

"You know, this is the last time I let the neighbour kids help with the tree, they get it all wrong," she muttered, making Rose wonder if they were supposed to be done talking about Zoe and Wade - she wasn't even half done herself.

"Maybe it'll be like a Christmas miracle, you know, Zoe and Wade finally figuring things out. I mean, stranger things have happened, right? I hear George Tucker was getting pretty serious about Tansy Truitt too."

A glass ornament dropped to the ground with a smash as Emmeline gasped.

"What is goin' on in that town since I moved away? Are they puttin' moonshine in the water supply or somethin'?"

"Maybe," Rose considered. "There are some weird pairings happening that strangely seem to work. I did tell you that Max tried to date Zoe before me, right?

Emmeline shook her head, sitting down fast. "Okay, I think you better tell me everything, honey, before I go ahead and pick up anything else breakable."

Rose nodded her agreement, fetching the dustpan for the mess already made, hearing her aunt mutter some more as she went.

"Good thing I moved when I did. Lord knows who I might've ended up with!"