A/N: Okay, so, this story is going to be... a little bit different! Yes, there will be Zade (probably) and other ships (most likely) but I am sort of doing something else with this too. I don't know how popular it will be, but I've been wanting to write it for quite a while, so, here it is. Hope at least a few folks get a kick out of it :)

Disclaimer: All recognisable characters and any recognisable dialogue from Hart of Dixie belong to Leila Gerstein and other folks who aren't me.

Chapter 1

When Zoe told Lavon that she had finally made her choice and knew exactly how she needed to go on with her life, she hadn't only been talking about George and Wade. Of course, she did have to make a decision regarding her romantic life, and she was certain at this point that she knew what it had to be, but there was so much more to it than that. More people than her and two guys were involved in this crazy situation. So, after letting George know that she could not be with him until he was healed and everything, she had one more call to make.

"Oh, hey, Zoe," said Annabeth nervously the moment she answered the door and saw her there. "I, uh... Not that it's not lovely to see you, it's just-"

"It's just that Lemon is here and you're worried that she and I are going to have some kind of fight," said Zoe without pause. "Don't worry, AB, I have no intention of getting into any altercations with anyone, least of all Lemon," she promised. "However, I would appreciate the chance to talk to her, if I could."

Annabeth looked back over her shoulder and then turned to Zoe again, slowly nodding her head.

"Okay. I guess you should come inside then."

It was clear she was uncertain that she had made the right choice, but Zoe wasn't worried. When she told Annabeth she didn't want to fight, that was only half the story. If Lemon was willing, she was more than happy to heal the breach, as it were. It really was time that their petty war came to an end.

"Well, well, Dr Zoe Hart," said Lemon herself, as Annabeth led Zoe into the living room. "To what do we owe such a pleasure?"

"Hey, Lemon," she greeted her with a forced smile and a brief wave. "Um, so, I was hoping you and I could maybe pick up where we left off yesterday. You know, that chat we were having at my carriagehouse?"

Annabeth glanced nervously between her two friends - Lemon on the couch, Zoe now perched on the edge of the armchair - and clearly didn't know what to do.

"I'm just gonna... go do something elsewhere," she said eventually, gesturing out the door and then rushing in that same direction before anyone could argue the point.

"I can't imagine what you and I have left to say to each other," said Lemon haughtily, choosing to examine her nails rather than look at Zoe for too long.

"Well, I actually have a proposition to put to you," Zoe explained, taking a deep breath. "Now, I know that this is going to sound a little crazy... or a lot crazy, whatever," she said, waving away any concern about that, "but just hear me out, okay? We should get an apartment together."

Lemon's eyes went so wide they were fit to roll clean out of her head.

"Zoe Hart, are you out of your tiny mind?" she squeaked.

"I repeat, just hear me out, please?" Zoe urged, one hand held up in a placating gesture. "Now, I know it all sounds a little nutso on the surface, but think about this. You don't want the town feeling sorry for you," she said, gesturing towards Lemon before bringing her hand back in to her own chest. "I don't want the town hating me. Nobody is going to let you rent a place by yourself because you have no job and no credit, and nobody is going to let me rent a place because, well, despite how you tried to explain it to everybody last night, apparently, some people still think I'm a homewrecker," she said with a huff of a sigh. "So, if we do this, nobody can question it. There will be no blame on anyone, no judgement. We can both move forward with our lives."

It was an outlandish plan in the circumstances, Zoe was well aware, but it was also the only way she could see for either of them to work anything out. Maybe part of all this was Zoe trying to ease her own conscience with Lemon. After all, she was a big reason why her wedding to George never happened. The other part of that, Zoe suspected, was Lemon's affair with Lavon, and that was all on her, but still, for her own part, Zoe was at least a little sorry. Besides, having the town not hate her was also a priority, as she just explained.

"If we did this," said Lemon after a silent pause for thought, "and I'm not saying we should or would, but if we did, why would you even wanna leave the plantation? I thought you loved your charmin' little carriagehouse."

"One word, Lemon," said Zoe plainly. "Temptation. You heard the part yesterday when I said I had sex with Wade, right?"

Lemon made a face that proved she heard just fine. "I'm afraid that particular mental image is burned into my brain indelibly."

"Well, I don't think it's the best idea if I let it keep on happening, and being that close, with all these mixed-up feelings?" Zoe explained, making random gestures with her hands. "I would really be better off someplace else. Anyplace else."

"I suppose that does make sense," Lemon admitted, clearly being swayed by all of Zoe's good reasoning, just as she had hoped she might.

The daughter of Candice Hart was nothing if not good at getting her own way. Of course, Zoe knew Lemon shared that particular skill and a little too much of it. Still, what she was laying out here was a plan that was mutually beneficial and in no way one-sided. If they did this, it was to get them both into a position to really move forward with their lives instead of floundering around in place.

"So?" Zoe prompted, after the next silence went on a little too long. "What do you say, Lemon? Wanna be roomies?" she asked with a lopsided smile as she nudged the other woman's elbow with her own.

"I say..." said Lemon then, finding a smile of her own, "that I accept your offer, Zoe Hart," she said at last, extending a genteel hand for Zoe to shake. "Let's show this town what we're really made of."

As they shook on the deal there was a crashing sound of falling cups and dishes from the doorway and both turned as one to see a shocked Annabeth standing there. She laughed, almost nervously, when she realised she had their attention and why.

"Wow. Today really is just such a surprising day!"

"Hey. Thought you would've ridden off into the sunset by now," said Wade with the usual smirk that was - unfortunately for Zoe - as sexy as it was annoying somehow.

"It's not going to work out with George" she told him, head held high in spite of what she was saying. "Not for now, anyway."

"Yeah, I get it." Wade nodded his agreement. "Why settle for the four-cylinder when you've just ridden a V8, right?"

Zoe really didn't want to get into a fight, or worse, another round of bedroom activity right now. She was being an adult, moving forward with her life in a positive way. Back sliding with Wade was not on the agenda. Chin raised, she continued walking right past the gatehouse and onward to the carriagehouse. At least, that was what she intended to do, until she heard his parting shot.

"I just hope I haven't ruined you for all men."

At that, Zoe spun right back around, angry as she had ever been at his attitude. To think that for a while there she thought she had some real feelings for Wade, that he might feel the same too. Bad enough that he told her she was a B-minus in bed, she just was not taking any more of this crap.

"I chose nobody, you ass," she told him crossly, "and before you tell me you don't care and you were only in it for the sex, let me just save us both some time and tell you that I don't care, Wade. You know, you were probably right," she continued, arms folded across her chest as she got onto a roll. "You did say that all we needed was one good night in the sack and we'd be over each other. Well, congratulations, Wade. You were right. You're over it, I'm over it. The end."

When she turned to walk away that time, Zoe kept on going, even when Wade called behind her.

"You don't have to be like that about it, doc. I'm not saying it has to be one time only. There's some room for negotiation or somethin'!"

Zoe couldn't look back, because as dumb as she knew it was, he probably could convince her to climb right back into his bed. The other night had been a little too good, so good in fact that it had completely blown her mind and all her fantasies about George Tucker right out of the water. Not that she didn't still care about George, because she absolutely did, but Wade was something else. She liked him a lot, she just really wished she didn't.

"Thank God I'm getting out of here soon," she muttered as she reached the other side of the lake and the sanctuary of the carriagehouse.

It wasn't really far enough, but it would do for now. Lemon already knew a great apartment they could rent and had been on the phone to Babs Foster when Zoe left Annabeth's place. Hopefully, they could have the papers signed in the morning and move in before the day was out. Zoe really hoped so, because she hadn't been kidding when she told Lemon there was way too much temptation on the plantation these days!

"Lemon, you're not serious!"

Brick's sudden explosion sure did catch Wade's attention, he could hardly help but listen in to the rest of whatever conversation Lemon and her daddy were having in the corner booth. Sounded a lot like she was bound and determined to leave home, which Wade actually respected, truth be told. It was about time Lemon actually started acting like the independent woman she always claimed she could be. Without George to hide behind, she could really come into her own. Of course, that'd mean working for a living, and hell, if it didn't sound like she might be looking for a job too.

"You know, Lemon, there's a job opening here if you want it," he told her, just as soon as Brick had walked out.

"Lemon Breeland is not waitress material," she said smartly, arms folded across her chest, reminding Wade a little too much of another independent woman he had a run-in with already tonight.

"No, she is not," Wade agreed, shaking off all thoughts of Zoe, "but I reckon we'd be willing to give you a shot anyway."

She looked underwhelmed, because Lemon was never going to be anything else when it came to the idea of manual labour. Of course, after Wade got done explaining to her that, though it might not be her idea of fun, waitressing was at least good honest work, she seemed to give it real consideration.

"I suppose I have to take what I can get, at least to start off with," she admitted with a heavy sigh. "I'm gonna need my share of the rent after all."

"Share?" Wade frowned a little at that remark. "You gone and got some sucker to sign a lease with you, Lemon?" he asked, smirking at the very idea.

Wade felt pretty amused by the whole thing until Lemon got that scary-ass smile on her own face. He knew that look of old and it never meant anything good, that was for damn sure.

"I'm surprised your neighbour hasn't told you yet," she said smartly. "After all, I do believe you were even bedfellows for a while there. Come on, Wade, you're tellin' me Miss Zoe Hart didn't tell you that she and I are going to be livin' together from now on?"

There was a crash as the glass Wade had been polishing slipped right through his hands and shattered across the tile at his feet. Lemon didn't even flinch, just got up from her seat and smiled sweetly as she came closer.

"You should probably get that cleaned up before somebody gets hurt," she said, gesturing to the mess. "As for the job, I assume you're going to find somebody competent and non-clumsy to train me?"

"You and... and Zoe?" Wade stammered. "You serious 'bout that?"

Lemon only smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow, boss," she joked, turning on her heel and walking out without another word.

To Be Continued...