(For disclaimer, etc. - see 1.)

20. What If...?
Characters/Pairings: Zoe/George
'Verse/Timeline: canon - Season 1, post-Episode 10 Hairdos & Holidays
Date: December 2011

"This is just so unexpected," Zoe gasped with surprise, grinning all over her face as she took in the sight of George Tucker on one knee before her.

"Zoe Hart, you know as well as I do that from the moment we met, something changed. We connected in a way I can't even begin to describe, and I'm a lawyer, so I'm pretty smart," he said with a wide, toothpaste ad smile. "I know things have been complicated and there are a lot of people that aren't going to understand, but you are the one that I want to be with. I love you, Zoe Hart. Will you marry me?"

"Yes," she told him without pause, feeling giddy as rose to his feet, pushed the ring onto her finger, then leaned in close, taking her in his arms and kissing her soundly.

As they parted, Zoe glanced down and found she was now wearing a wedding dress and George was in a tux. Her eyes were wide as saucers as she looked around and realised they were together in New York, by the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Centre, with snow falling and everyone she loved surrounding them.

"I can't believe this," she said, shaking her head. "We're here. We're... married?" she double-checked, feeling stunned.

"Yes, ma'am," George assured her, raising their joined hands to show her the wedding band she wore. "Merry Christmas, Dr Zoe Tucker."

Zoe was so overwhelmed she was hardly breathing, and then, as music began to play, she found herself in the centre of the ice, George still at her side, while a group of skaters danced around them in perfect choreographed movements.

"I don't..." she started to say, suddenly realising just exactly what was happening. "Oh, no. This is a dream, isn't it?" she asked no-one in particular.

"You know, what, Zoe Hart? It might just be," George told her, snapping his fingers and turning the world to black.

Zoe sat up in her bed, heart pounding and forehead wet with sweat. It really had all been a dream, of course. It couldn't be anything else. The realisation of it just made her all the more frustrated.

"Ugh!" she complained, throwing herself back onto the bed, her head almost ricocheting off the pillow with the force. "So much for Christmas wishes," she grumbled. "I'm guessing they don't work so well for the half-Jewish anyway."

Turning over, she attempted to go back to sleep, even though she knew it probably wasn't going to happen now. It had been a really beautiful dream, and maybe, someday, there was a possibility it would come true. After all, George and Lemon weren't actually married yet, and when she saw them in town square earlier, they hadn't exactly looked thrilled to be in each other's company.

Sure, she had told herself to be the better person and leave well enough alone. Zoe knew that was the right thing to do. Fighting with Lemon did her no good at all, and had even ended up spoiling things for other people too, like poor Rose, and also Magnolia. It wasn't fair.

"Doesn't mean I can't dream," Zoe said to herself, closing her eyes and willing sleep to take her for a while longer.

Maybe she could dream herself a sequel to the first dream, a real nice honeymoon for the newlywed Mr and Dr Tucker, far, far away from Bluebell, Alabama. New Year's under the stars in Paris with fireworks going off in the background as they kissed. It was all very pretty, even if it wasn't real... yet.