A/N: Thank you, lovely reviewers. So glad to be able to do something to keep you entertained, especially in these crazy times :)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 5

Zoe:
Thought you might like to know the surgery was a success. Half of me is exhausted and the other half is so full of adrenaline. I got to use a laparoscope and everything!

Wade:
No idea what that is, doc, but if you're happy then I'm happy for you.

Zoe:
So happy! :) Hope you're having a successful day too?

Wade's thumbs hovered over the keypad of his cell as he tried to think what to write, he wasn't exactly sure his day could be described as successful exactly. They had been in the studio since some ungodly hour that he didn't even want to recall, trying to get a couple more tracks laid down for this album that never seemed to get done. So far, both Clayne and Jordan had thrown hissy fits and walked out at least a couple of times each, and for reasons nobody could figure, Mark seemed to have completely lost the ability to remember lyrics. Wade himself was doing okay for the most part, but if he was told one more time to 'really give it some heart' he might say or do something real regrettable yet.

Wade:
I'm doing okay. Long day is all.

As soon as he sent it, Wade felt stupid. Like he could really complain about his life right now. Zoe probably just went ahead and saved a life and he was pissed just because his band had a bad day at the studio. It seemed so stupid.

Zoe:
It's tough at the top, so they say. You playing anywhere tonight?

A genuine smile came to Wade's lips for the first time today when he read that message. If Zoe wanted to know where he was tonight, that almost suggested she might want to be in the same place, and that would improve his own day to no end.

Wade:
Nope, not tonight. You disappointed not to get to play groupie? :P

Zoe:
lol! You wish! Well, if you have nothing planned, maybe we could meet somewhere for a drink or dinner. Whatever.

Wade:
Are you asking me out on a date, doc?

"Kinsella! Could you maybe pay some attention to what's going on in the room instead of checking how many girls on the internet wanna throw their panties at you?"

Wade bit his tongue so hard it almost bled. Alan was a good manager in a lot of ways, but he could be such an ass too. Also, his timing just sucked.

"I'll be right there," he said, just as Zoe's reply came in.

Zoe:
Maybe I am :)

Had the message been any longer, he wouldn't have gotten to the end before the cell phone was pulled unceremoniously from his hands. Wade leapt to his feet and glared hard at Alan.

"Are you kiddin' me right now?"

"Are you kidding me?" Alan countered. "You wanna be a success in this business, Kinsella, you need to listen to what I tell you. This," he said, holding up the cell phone, "is a distraction. Right now, you need to be focused on the job, and the job is making music," he explained, pointing to the mic set up in the soundproof booth. "Understand?"

"Oh, I understand." Wade nodded his head, acting all reasonable for just long enough that Alan dropped his guard so he could grab his phone back from the guy's hand. "But it is a long time since I was a fifth grader, bub, so don't talk to me like I'm one now."

Standing up, Wade did tower over Alan a little bit, but they were both well aware that career-wise, the shorter man had the power in this situation. It was tough for anyone else in the room to know who would break first.

"Hey, Wade?" said Clayne, trying to get his attention. "Come on, man, it ain't worth it."

He knew his buddy had a point, but at the same time, Wade was just so tempted to haul off and slug the guy. It would probably be suicide as far as the band's trajectory was concerned, and though Wade could say he didn't care about that for himself right now, he knew what all this meant to the others. When he was calmer, it'd mean more to him too.

"I'm goin' to the bathroom," he said sharply. "If that's okay with you, sir?" he asked Alan with a look.

He said nothing in reply, just flung his arm in the direction of the door as if to say 'Go, if you're going' and then turned away.

Wade was smirking to himself as he headed out, stopping a few feet down the hallway and leaning against the wall. He quickly looked to Zoe's message and hammered out a reply.

Wade:
How about I pick you up at your place? Seven o'clock, okay?

He waited impatiently for the reply, grateful for so many reasons when it came through pretty fast.

Zoe:
Seven is fine :)

Wade was grinning like a fool as he sent one last text, consisting of nothing but smiling emojis, then shoved his cell in his pocket and headed back into the studio. His long day was about to get a whole lot longer, because Alan was going to be unbearable for the rest of the afternoon, no doubt. Still, at least when all this was over, Wade had something to look forward to and he did look forward to seeing Zoe again.

Zoe really hadn't been sure what she was thinking when she asked Wade if he wanted to go out with her tonight. It had to be a moment of madness, and she became doubly sure of it when he took so long in answering her text message. Of course, in the end, he had agreed to the date, offering to come pick her up at seven.

That agreement had led to her catching a couple of hours sleep before spending quite a while readying herself for the date. She took a nice relaxing bubble bath, washed her hair with her fanciest shampoo, did her whole beauty routine to make herself feel and look as good as possible, then slipped into one of her favourite little black dresses.

With ten minutes to spare, Zoe had her hair styled and her makeup done, and was sitting on the couch fastening her shoes, grinning all over her face at the prospect of her date with Wade.

The smile had started to fade when the clock shifted past seven, then seven thirty, and fast closed in on eight. It occurred to her to text him, to call, but she got no answer. She told herself that he probably hadn't meant to stand her up. Maybe he got held up, maybe he got sick or had an accident. Wade wouldn't just arrange a date with her and not show, Zoe was sure, and then when eight turned into eight thirty and eight forty-five, she became less and less convinced.

"I'm an idiot," she said to herself, tossing her cell onto the coffee table and putting her face in her hands.

All the research she had done into the guy, everything she read about his reputation with women. Zoe had been such a fool to think that Wade was going to be the reliable, steadfast-and-true type. If he got a better offer, he was going to take it, and he sure did have his pick of the easiest women in New York, as far as Zoe could tell. She wasn't that way at all. She was a challenge and prided herself on the fact, but clearly Wade only had so much patience.

It still didn't make any sense, she thought, even as she let down her hair and kicked off her fancy shoes, giving up on the idea that Wade was ever going to show now. Zoe had asked him on a date, put in the effort, shown willing first. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe he was enjoying chasing her and she had made it just a little too easy today.

Growling low in her throat, Zoe trudging off to the bathroom to remove her make up. She hated the tears she saw in her own eyes as she began to scrub away her lipstick and blush. There was no way she was blaming herself for this, she was only blaming Wade. Even if he had meant to show tonight, if something had gone wrong, he could've called. A simple text would've been fine, but no, he just hadn't put in any effort at all.

"Well, don't bother now, Wade Kinsella," she told her reflection, since he wasn't there to hear it. "You can just take your excuses and your stupid Southern charm and your church social smile and you can-"

Zoe stopped short of saying anymore when her cell suddenly rang in the next room. Running barefoot from the bathroom, she dived at the table to grab her phone and accept the call, without even looking to see who it was.

"Wade?"

"Dr Hart? This is Marcy. I know you're not rostered to work tonight, but we were wondering if you were available? It is a mess down here and-"

"It's fine, Marcy, I'll come in," she told her colleague quickly. "It's not like I'm doing anything else tonight," she grumbled right after, holding the phone under her chin as she unfastened her dress and let it fall to the ground. "I can be there in a half hour."

True to her word, Zoe got changed into suitable work attire in record time and hurried all the way to the hospital, determined that at least a shift in the busy ER would take her mind off certain good-looking rockstars.

The moment she arrived, Zoe knew she was right to believe it. Marcy hadn't been kidding, it really was a mess in the ER, so many patients and a distinct lack of medical professionals. It was going to be one hell of a night, but Zoe was ready for it.

"Dr Hart, you are an angel!" Marcy told her gratefully, shuffling folders on the reception desk. "I don't even know what is happening. We have unprecedented intake for a Monday night."

"It happens." Zoe shrugged. "Don't worry, we'll clear the crowds," she promised, rushing past her colleague.

Just as soon as she was prepped and ready, Zoe reemerged into the busy waiting area, grabbed the next folder off the pile and headed for the relevant cubicle to tend whatever patient needed her help.

"Good evening, I'm Dr Hart, I'll be-"

"Zoe?"

She looked up with wide eyes to see Wade sitting on the bed, one hand holding a wad of material to the other and rather too much blood seeping through.

"Oh my God!"

To Be Continued...