A/N: See, you were all so worried, but I fixed it good, huh? ;) Thanks for all those reviews, peops. I now bring you the happily ever after ending of this particular adventure :)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 20

When she told Wade she was going to New York for three months, Zoe hadn't been all that sure if she was really telling him the truth. A part of her had thought she could never manage to stay away so long, not from her friends, not from him. At the same time, she had actually given serious consideration to just cutting ties with Bluebell altogether, rebuilding the old life she used to have in the city that never sleeps, and staying where she ought to belong. In the end, the choice just wasn't hers to make.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I know this isn't the life you wanted for me, but I'm happy," she told Candice across the video chat. "So, I'm hoping, maybe, somehow, you can be happy for me, even if you don't entirely understand my choices."

She waited on her mother's answer, not entirely sure she was going to like what she heard. Beside her on the couch, Wade gripped her hand tighter and waited to hear the verdict too. Whatever happened, at least they had each other, plus the whole town of Bluebell behind them. In the end, that was all that really mattered.

"Zoe, honey," said Candice then, heaving a sigh. "You're right, I never wanted you to have a life in a place like Bluebell, with a man like Wade Kinsella. No offence, Wade," she said, looking his way.

"None taken," he assured her, in spite of the obvious insult.

"But sweetheart," Candice continued, "if you're happy, then, of course, I am happy for you," she promised.

"I don't think I've ever been happier," Zoe promised without hesitation. "So, thank you, Mom."

They ended their call not long after and Zoe heaved a sigh of relief as she fell against Wade's chest, glad of his arm around her. When he kissed the top of her head, she couldn't help but smile. Looking up into his eyes, she saw everything she wanted, more than that, everything she needed. How she ever thought she could leave him behind, Zoe had no idea.

"Feel better now Momma Bear gave you some approval?" Wade asked curiously.

"Honestly? I don't know." Zoe shrugged. "I mean, I don't hate that my mom is happy for us, but if she hadn't have supported this, it wouldn't really change anything for me. From here on out, it is you and me, Wade Kinsella, no matter what."

"Sounds real good to me, doc," he told her, leaning in for a real kiss this time.

It didn't take much for them to get carried away, but then, it never did. Even when Wade had his amnesia and wanted to take things slow, it hadn't lasted long before they ended up in bed together. Zoe had loved him even when he was different, but she had to admit, she loved him even a little bit more now he was back to his old self.

"Hmm, much as I hate to break up a good time, doc," he said, pulling away from her, "I gotta get to work or Lemon is gonna skin me alive."

"Are you kidding?" Zoe complained, hand trailing over his chest. "You're both the boss, not just Lemon. You can be a little late, can't you?" she asked, leaning in closer and planting kisses on his neck.

"You know, sometimes, I wonder if I haven't been a real bad influence on you, Zoe Hart." Wade chuckled, giving in all too easily to her feminine wiles, just as Zoe had hoped.

It was a half-hour later that Wade actually left for work, and even then, Zoe insisted on going with him.

"I don't have to be at the practice until later," she told him, following him to the car, "so, I'll just come hang out at the Rammer Jammer a while. Also, if Lemon gives you any trouble, I can give her a really good medical reason why you were late for work so she won't be able to complain."

"A medical reason?" Wade checked, making a face. "For sex?"

"Well, I'll just tell her I was worried about your colour and I made you lay down for a while," she said with a smirk she couldn't help. "It's not a complete lie."

Wade laughed once more and kissed the side of her head before they each got into the car and fastened their safety belts. Honestly, he was glad she was coming along with him. Though he remembered how to drive these days and was okay about doing it for the most part, he always felt better when somebody else was in the seat beside him. His memories may be back and Wade was all kinds of happy in his life as it was right now, especially his relationship with Zoe, but some things were going to take a little while longer to completely settle, he knew. Driving was one of them, but Zoe said that was perfectly normal after what he had been through. It really didn't suck dating a doctor sometimes.

"Well, well, well, look who just rolled in," said Lemon as they walked into the Rammer Jammer hand in hand. "Wade, while I know school was never your favourite place, I am certain you learned to tell time when we were there."

"Hush your mouth, Lemon," he told her, rolling his eyes. "Geez, I'm ten minutes late, that's all."

"And it's not his fault," Zoe chimed in. "I made him lay down for a while. Purely for medical reasons."

She didn't even try to say it convincingly, Wade noticed. The mile-wide grin on her face took all possible professionalism out of her words. Not that Zoe seemed to care, nor did Lemon really seem to mind when it came to the crunch.

"I could not believe you less," she told Zoe and Wade both. "You're lucky I'm happy for the two of you and willin' to let these things slide once in a while."

"Hey, you ever come in ten minutes late for some reason, I promise I won't be mad at you either, partner," Wade told Lemon as he joined her behind the bar, giving her a quick hug and kissing the top of her head, before passing by to serve some patrons at the other end of the bar.

"That old Kinsella charm never fails him, does it?" Lemon said to Zoe when he was out of earshot.

"Not that I know of," she agreed, shaking her head. "It really was my fault he was late," she admitted then.

"I have no doubt about that," said Lemon, reaching for the bottle of white wine and pouring some into a glass for Zoe. "Honestly, I'm just glad to see him so happy and know he's doing so much better. I know you and I haven't always seen eye to eye, Zoe Hart, but where Wade Kinsella is concerned... well, I do believe we both have his best interest at heart."

"I will drink to that," Zoe agreed, picking up her glass and making a toast with it before she drank. "You know, there was a while there when I never thought things could work out this well with me and Wade. It seemed so impossible, and now, look at us. He's like my other half or something. I know it sounds crazy, but he is."

"There seems to be a lot of unlikely couples working things out of late," said Lemon, eyes looking beyond Zoe and making her want to turn around on her stool to see what she was staring at.

Zoe felt her eyes widen at the sight that met her eyes, though the same scene also brought a smile to her lips. George and Tansy, squeezed into a corner booth, holding onto each other's hands, laughing together and kissing too.

"When did that happen?" she asked, turning back to look at Lemon.

"From what I hear, that particular little reunion has been on the cards for a while, but I don't think it became official until very recently," she explained. "In this town, you can't keep secrets. We all know that," she remarked, rolling her eyes, before turning to walk away when someone called for service.

Zoe spared George and Tansy one more glance and then sighed. She didn't know Wade had come back to join her until he spoke up.

"You okay there, doc?" he checked, looking a little concerned when she glanced at him.

"I'm fine, I promise," she assured him. "I was just... well, George and Tansy, who saw that coming? I mean, when I first came here, George was with Lemon, you were still married to Tansy, at least on paper, and I thought I should be with George. It's so weird how things change, and in ways you could never see coming."

"Yeah, well, for what it's worth," said Wade, leaning close to her on the bar, "I'm pretty sure I was a goner the second I met you. God only knows what you went ahead and did to me, doc, but I was a changed man from the second you rolled into town."

"Really?" she checked, smiling widely. "So, you weren't just bowled over by how classy I was? You know, with the boxed wine and playing Dixie with my butt on that stupid car horn that you refuse to get rid of?" she said, shoving his arm.

Wade laughed. "Hey, that is a good horn," he told her definitely. "But I was being serious before. You did change my life, doc. Changed me too, in ways I never knew I even wanted to change. You know, even when all my memories were gone and I was so uncertain about everything else, I was always certain about you."

Zoe had no idea what she could even say in response to something as epic as that, except one thing.

"I love you, Wade Kinsella," she told him, her hand at his cheek.

"Well, that works out pretty damn well," he replied softly, "because I love you too, Zoe Hart, and don't you ever forget it."

The End