Hey all! Last year I had a fun experience writing the Hanukkah story, that I kept it going this year, with a different storyline. You will see that Austin and his mom Allie, are back. I really loved the bond I created with Austin and Zoe in last year's story that I had to bring him back, just in a slightly different way.

Italics mean flashback.

Bold Italics mean it's a flashback within the flashback.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hart of Dixie, the characters, or the places within the story. It all belongs to the rightful owners. No disrespect.

I hope you guys like this story.

Enjoy!

"Dude, hurry up," George whined, waiting by the door of the small shop. He has one hour before his parents get home to kick him off video games to do his homework, even though it's Planksgiving weekend. The last thing he wants to be doing is wasting his time in a store, waiting on his friend to browse what little Holiday stuff they have out now that Planksgiving is over with.

"I've got other things I need to do," Wade told his friend, feeling frustrated over the lack of Holiday-themed things that Bluebell has to offer. He's not looking for a chocolate Santa Clause. That does him no good. What he needs is for Bluebell to get with the times. They do know that not everyone in town celebrates the same holidays, right? He's certain it's not just Zoe that celebrates Hanukkah. He's seen a handful of people exit the church or well the synagogue when they use it every Saturday. So it baffles him as to why they don't have any type of candy for those that celebrate a different holiday this time of year. Is it that hard to get some Gelt? Or some chocolate stars in the shape of the Star of David? Maybe even have a dreidel or two.

"I can ditch playing video games if you need help in Mobile or Fairhope," George commented. The second they stepped into the store, he had a feeling what Wade was up to. It brought a smile to his face. It's been a while since he's seen his friend go this far out of his way to make someone else happy. He knows that it's not for the lack of his feelings towards her.

"Nah, it's fine," Wade told him, exiting the store. "I don't want to deal with pissed-off Tuckers," he joked, walking to his beat-up car. Wade appreciates the help George is willing to give him, but he would like to have some alone time to sort through everything he's feeling, and the thoughts that swirl around in his head, when it comes to his best friend that happens to be a girl.

He met Zoe Hart on the very first day of Freshman year. He had been leaning against his locker flirting with Judy, trying to do what he could to get under her skirt during lunch period later in the day. Mid flirt he stopped when he spotted Zoe walk directly into his line of sight, Lemon and AB on either side of her, Cricket flanking behind them. He watched them stop at her locker, forgetting about his plan with Judy, who he didn't even hear huff, and storm off. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he walked the distance from his locker to hers.

"Head up the stairs at the end of the hallway and take a left and it will be the fourth door on the right," Lemon told her. "I would show you, but I can't be late for gym class," she frowned, apologizing for her class schedule.

"We have to go the other direction on the first floor for art," AB was explaining, talking about her and Crickett.

"Ladies, I can walk with her and make sure she gets to the right place," Wade smirked, locking eyes with mesmerizing brown orbs. He doesn't need to be looking at Lemon to see her rolling her eyes with a frown put on her face. Or to see Crickett and AB with matching smiles on theirs, like this was the very best idea. And it might very well be.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Lemon sighed, cursing under her breath hearing the warning bell go off.

"It'll be fine, I think I can handle myself," Zoe softly said, her eyes locked on his mischievous green ones.

"Besides, I am headed to the same room as she is, so it's nothing, really," he smirked, breaking the mini-eye contest they were having by blinking first. "Would that be okay?" He asked, looking at Zoe.

"I am okay with it," she nodded, waving bye to her three new friends. "Zoe Hart," she introduced herself as they start their walk down the hall to the stairs.

"Wade Kinsella," he introduced winking.

On that, one-minute walk from their lockers to the second-floor history classroom changed everything for him. Zoe had fit into his life easily. She didn't agree with him on a lot of things and she let it be known. She was one to never back down from a challenge. And yet, she was his number one fan on the sideline for every football game, home or away. Over the two years of being friends, something shifted, or maybe it had always been there. But he quit trying to use lunch as the period to get under girls' skirts and used it to study with Zoe. After the first week, she'd pack enough food for the both of them, and it was by far better than any food they served in the cafeteria. His grades were the best they had ever been, not that his dad ever noticed. Or his brother for that matter.

That's how he found himself in Mobile, at a small Jewish shop, to get everything he could to make Hanukkah special for Zoe. Because of everything she's ever done for him, she deserves someone to do it for her as well. His small purchase felt like a treasure when he walked into a local jewelry store. The one reason he didn't want anyone else to come with him is that they will only tell him that he is going through a lot of trouble and a lot of money to impress Zoe, to have her throw it all back into his face because there is a good chance she will. He doesn't know what her feelings towards him are. But he needs to take a chance. If anything, they will remain friends, and spending his money on a friend will be worth it. Having enough things for the first four days, he headed home with a very light bank account, but a smile on his face. He still needs to figure out the rest of the gifts, but he has a few days to figure all of that out.

When he enters the little shop in Mobile to look for what it is he needs, a smile graces his face, as the workers, give him a nod. He has spent more time in the little shop getting things for his girlfriend than he would like to admit. Nothing has changed in the years he first stepped foot into the store, so going to where the Gelt called home, was a quick trek. Much like every time this time of the year, he grabs a few extra things. Most of which Zoe doesn't need, but he can't break away from tradition.

"Find everything, okay?" Nina asks, ringing Wade's items up.

"I find it's rather easy when you know where you're going," Wade laughed, digging his wallet out. The price never changing either.

"Are you ever going to buy anything different?" Nina asked. "We do have a whole store filled with things your girlfriend will adore," she told him, indicating to the gift store side of the shop.

"Oh I know," Wade chuckled. "But it's tradition, and the second I change it she's going to know that I am up to something, I can't have her being suspicious of things to come," he informed the daughter's owner. He has something special and different planed this year. Because of that, he needs things to be the same. He can't have the surprise get out, or have her on to him.

"Sentimental as you are, we're happy that you have found everything, and please come again," she told him, placing his items in a bag. "And maybe bring along the special person you've been shopping for all these years," she remarked.

"She would love this place," Wade chuckled. He can't be for certain that Zoe doesn't know this place exists. There's not many Jewish shops within Mobile. Going on that fact alone, he's sure she has stopped in to get what she needs for the holiday and any other day during the year.

Back on his way home, he smiled, ready to start Hanukah with his girlfriend. This will be the one that will change the rest of their lives. And he couldn't wait for it all to be changed. He has everything else hidden at home to make the next 8 days the perfect holiday for his girlfriend. He wants the magic that came along when he did this for her when they were teens. He wants Zoe to have everything. To have the perfect proposal.

They have had their ups and their downs through the years. Thought their relationship was over more times than he can count. Medschool wasn't easy for her. His adverse attitude towards living anywhere else than Bluebell was such a stupid struggle. It wasn't until she started her residency at Huntsville Hospital, that he realized how stupid he was being at refusing to be where she was at. Bluebell will be the place he calls home, but Zoe Hart will forever be his home. Finding a job as a bartender, came naturally to him and within months of Zoe returning to Alabama, he was joining her further north. The need to be with her outweighing wanting to stay in his little Bluebell bubble.

Zoe told him that even though New York is where her dreams started. The one place she wanted to be a doctor more than anything in the world, crashed around her once she learned the truth about her father, and Ethan Hart. She wanted to be closer to Harley and Wade. She wanted to be close to Harley to further get to know her dad and to be close to Wade to make things work. Wade had surprised Zoe by uprooting his life for her, willing to be where she was. That was all she needed from him, to know that they can make things work, and Bluebell wouldn't be so bad where they enjoy living their lives together.

He leaned against the locker next to Zoe's as he dug out what she needed for first period. They didn't have first period together or any classes this term together, but their classes were close, so they could still walk to their classes together. With her locker shut, Wade held up the first gift for her. He thought about trying to be a secret admirer or something more festive, but he tossed that right out the window, not sure how he could do so, without Zoe catching on. This way, he can see the look on her face when she opens them, and that by far is the best decision he could make when it comes to surprising her.

"Wade, what is this?" Zoe asked, looking at the blue wrapped gift he handed to her.

"Only one way to find out," Wade smirked, starting to walk in the direction of where their classes sat for first period.

"You didn't have to get me anything, Wade," she told him, slowly opening the present as she fell into step with him. Wade shrugged, no point in arguing over what he can and can't do for her.

"Happy first day of Hanukkah, Zo," he told her, disappearing into his class.

Smiling Zoe entered her classroom, opening the gift with the few minutes they have left to spare before first period starts. Sitting inside a small box were a handful of Gelt coins, her absolute favorite this time of year. Closing the box of chocolates, she got her things ready as the bell rang to signal the start of class. She found it hard to concentrate on taking notes and doing the assignment when all she could think about were what the Gelt coins represented, or what she hoped they might represent when it comes to Wade.

Exiting her class, she smiled seeing Wade waiting for her. He lit up seeing Zoe happy over the small gift of chocolates he had gotten her. Before he had the chance to say anything, Zoe wrapped herself around him, in a tight embrace. Wade easily wrapped his arms around her, returning the hug.

"Thank you," she told him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You've brightened up my day," she praised, her limbs falling to her side. She wasn't expecting to be given a gift on a holiday very few people in Bluebell know exist. But to have who she considers her best friend help her celebrate, it was the world to her. Hoping that maybe he sees her more than a friend.

"Zo, you're my best friend, of course, I am going to help you celebrate," he told her, flinging his arm over her shoulders. "It's who you are and that part needs to be celebrated as much as the rest of you," he told, wincing at how creepy that sentence came out. That wasn't how he meant it.

"Thank you for helping me celebrate Hanukkah, it means a lot to me," she told him, stopping at her locker. "You should come over tonight," she offered him. "Harley has been going out of his way for a feast tonight, and I want you to be there," she told him.

"I don't know," he sighed. He didn't feel right showing up, even invited, to a dinner for a holiday he knew next to nothing about.

"Say you'll come," she whispered, placing the Gelt in her locker. "I want you to be there," she begged him.

"I won't miss it," he told her, wanting the pretty smile to be back on her face. And without fail, her whole face lit up at the fact he would be there for her tonight.

"What time do we need to be at your dad's?" Wade asked, entering the house through the garage he shares with his girlfriend. Everything he bought for her except for the Gelt hidden in the garage knowing it would be safely hidden in there.

"The time never changes," Zoe laughed, joining her boyfriend in the kitchen. "How did you even forget?" She asked, pulling a tray of Latkes out of the oven.

"I thought I smelt some deep-fried goodness," Wade teased, walking to stand behind Zoe, trapping her against the island. "I didn't forget," he told her, laughing at the eye roll she gave him.

"I knew I should have left before Wade returned," Austin teased. "I'll take the Latke's so you don't forget them," he offered, a smirk on his face.

"You act like I've left Latkes behind before," Zoe retorted, motioning to where they sat on the island.

"There's a first for everything," he told her with a shrug. "Don't be late," he warned, exiting the house.

Zoe had befriended Austin at the hospital in Huntsville on her second day of being a resident. Austin had taken her under his wing. They became fast friends when they found out the other was Jewish as well. With his mom being stuck in Maine over the holiday, Zoe invited him to Bluebell to celebrate with her. Austin refused at first, but Zoe wouldn't take no for an answer. On the ride home, Wade and Austin bonded. They hung out a few times, but not enough to consider them friends. Nearly 5 hours later due to traffic, they were close to being best friends. Wade was never once jealous of the friendship Zoe and Austin share. He's not nor was he ever one of those boyfriends that would deny Zoe a friendship just because they were male.

That one Hanukkah with Austin turned into a yearly thing, his mom joining them as well every year since. It would be awkward if she wasn't there since she married Harley two years after they were introduced. Austin's mother Allie had lost her husband to cancer a few years prior, she had no intentions of marrying or even dating again. Harley walked in feeling the same way as her, and together they helped each other heal from their heartbreak, and naturally, their friendship turned into a romantic relationship. Zoe and Austin were okay with the development wanting their parents to be happy, and having the other as a sibling, wasn't half bad either, as they already looked at each other as an older brother or a younger sister.

"I know we can't be late," Wade told her, kissing the corner of her lips. Taking a few steps backward, he grabbed the small box wrapped in blue wrapping paper covered in white menorahs.

Smiling Zoe opened the box, keeping her eyes locked on her boyfriend. Seeing the box she knew what was inside of it. For the past 12 years, it's always been Gelt, and she loves her boyfriend for it. She doesn't care that things he gifts her never changed over the years. It's the exact opposite, she loves it. Popping a Gelt in her mouth, she moaned softly as the sweet taste of the chocolate coin melted in her mouth. With a glint in her eye, she pulled her boyfriend into a kiss. Their lips molding together. A smirk against Wade's lips, had him running his tongue along her lower lip, wanting access to her mouth. Zoe easily opened her mouth, letting Wade taste the remnants of the melted Gelt in her mouth.

Foreheads rested together as they panted, catching their breaths. Wade lightly kissed her lips, pulling away from Zoe, reminding her they can't be late for the first night of Hanukkah.

Laughing Zoe pulls Wade out of the house. Deciding to walk the two and a half blocks to Harley's. Walking there means they'll have to walk home and Wade is not going to pass up the chance to show Zoe just how much of a gentleman he can be when he hands her the sweater he grabbed on the way out the door as a last-second thought. They get to Harley's with plenty of time to spare before the Menorah will be lit, Zoe, and Austin saying the prayer together. Allie lets them have the moment, repeating with her husband and Wade. With the Menorah lit, they sit down to eat. Laughter filling the house.