Thank You to everyone who has been leaving reviews I read everyone of them and enjoy them. To everyone who has been asking about Earl he will be showing up in this story in future chapters.

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Chapter Twenty-Two

Dr. Zoe Hart was wore out she hadn't really paid much attention to Brick when he had told her he wanted her to take it easy and not to wear herself out. Zoe had though half days wouldn't wear her out at all, but she had been taking naps with Jack lately that might be why she was ready for one now. Wade should be picking her up soon, since he was at home taking care of Jack he had volunteer to come get her after her office hours where up. Lavon had dropped her off this morning on his way to some meeting he had.

Zoe was surprised when she actually did end up with a few patients who needed actually treatment. Shula Whitaker was her first patient of the day she talked about her life and filled Zoe in or some of the recent goings on in BlueBell. Her next few patients were busybodies just wanting to see for themselves that she was back and asks about her living arrangements. When Rose Hattenbarger came in Zoe couldn't help but hug her young friend the girl had visibly gotten older. She had apologize about not coming to see Zoe before and using up patient time to instead but she did have a sore throat so she did need that checked out.

Zoe had looked into Rose throat which was red so she swabbed it to check for strep throat, they talked Rose filling Zoe in on her life these past two years because Zoe really didn't have much to share other then telling Rose how much she loved Jack and how wonderful he was. Which of course Rose agree with like any true teenage babysitter did who loved their charge. The test came back positive so Zoe filled out a prescription for Rose to get filled and told the teen to stay away from school for a few days and laughingly told her not to be kissing anyone for a few days either. Rose had just turned red but nodded her head to the last.

Rose also told Zoe about how she had babysit for Jack the night Zoe had returned to Bluebell she was scare she might have given the toddler strep throat. Zoe reassure Rose that Jack wasn't showing any signs of strep throat but she would be on the look out for it. Zoe knew she would have to keep a close eye on Jack to make sure he didn't have strep but there was no sense having Rose worry about that the girl couldn't help it.

After sending Rose out Zoe cleaned her exam table off like she did with every patient but made sure to wash her hands a little extra long. She did not want to bring anything home for Jack to catch, she might have to start bringing from home a change of clothes so she wouldn't bring germs to Jack from them.

Looking at the clock Zoe knew it was time for her to leave so she got up made sure to tell the secretary she was leaving for the day. Deciding she would wait outside for Wade and Jack, she was just standing there getting some fresh air when George Tucker pulled up in his truck.

"Hi Dr. Hart" George said as he got out then stood in front of her "I'm your ride home"

"Wade's coming to get me" Zoe stated looking at George like he grown a second head. She did want to talk to him about her car but she hadn't found the time yet.

"Wade called me said Jack wasn't acting like himself, that boy has never been sick a day in his life he's got Wade worried though" George said looking at Zoe knowing she might not take the news well either.

"My poor baby I bet he's got strep throat it's going around, let me walk back into my office and get my prescription pad and a strep test. Then you can take me home" Zoe was all Doctor as she said this. George just watched as she walked back into the Practice five minutes later she came out with a bag.

"Let's go Dr. Hart you've got a patient waiting" George said opening the truck door for Zoe.

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Wade was pacing Jack had been fine this morning but as soon as he woke from a quick nap while watching tv he wake crying something he hadn't done in a while. Jack had never been sick before so Wade was falling apart not knowing how to help his little boy. If Zoe wasn't going to be home soon he would have taken Jack to see Brick. Wade had called George to pick Zoe up and let her know Jack wasn't feeling good being a Doctor Zoe would know what to do. Jack was just laying on the couch he felt hot to the touch on his forehead.

A whirlwind named Zoe Hart came in and had Jack in her arms in a second, "Mommy's here, I'm going to get you better I promise"

Wade just watched as Zoe looked in Jack's throat, and swabbed him before the little guy knew what was going on. Then she ran a thermometer over his forehead. She turned to George who was standing in the door way. "I'll know in a few minutes if he's got strep if so can you go get the prescription filled?"

"Of course I can" George replied he hated to see his little buddy sick like this. Jack had been so healthy so far it was awful to see him sick.

"Also if it is strep you better watch out since you've been around Jack lately yourself" Zoe said still holding her baby close to herself not caring if she caught the illness from him. Wade walked over to Zoe and set next to her rubbing Jack's back. "If it is strep Jack will feel better with antibiotics in a few days"

"It's okay little man" Wade told his son "your Momma's going to find out what's wrong with you and you will feel better soon"

The minutes seem to take forever for the strep test to get done once it was Zoe slowly handed over Jack to Wade. She read the test and wasn't surprised it came back positive. She knew Rose would feel awful about giving Jack strep throat but she didn't know she had it and it would clear up soon. But Zoe knew the next few days were going to be hard for them all poor little Jack the most.

Getting her prescription pad Zoe filled it out ripped the paper out and handed it to George. "I wrote it out for liquid so make sure they fill it that way" turning to Wade she asked him "Do you have baby Tylenol or baby Ibuprofen?"

"Nah Doc I had some baby Tylenol for when Jack was teething but he finished that off" Wade said feeling horrid that he didn't have the medicine his son needed.

"George pick up some baby Tylenol and baby Ibuprofen Jack has a fever and I want to get it down" Zoe said as she walked to the refrigerator getting some juice for Jack. Once she had his sippy full she walked back giving the baby his sippy cup he took it and started to drink a little of it. Wade just held his son in his arms not knowing what to do glad Zoe was here to take control.

"Okay I will get this filled right away, and be back with what you've asked for" George supplied leaving Jack's parents with one sick little boy.

Zoe looked up from Jack noticing how worried Wade looked she gave him a tiny smile "Jack is going to be fine once he gets the antibiotics, he will be back to himself in a couple of days"

"I should have known something was wrong" Wade said as Jack started to fall to sleep again and his sippy left his lips.

"Wade you can't stop Jack from getting sick, that's not how it works" Zoe replied "Beside you did the right thing you got George to come get me so I could treat Jack right away"

"I know your right but it's Jack he's my baby" Wade said holding the baby closer to himself "I'm glad your here Zoe so I don't have to do this alone"

"You never have to do this alone again" Zoe promised Wade both staring at their sleeping son.

"I just don't understand how Jack got sick" Wade uttered "maybe he picked it up from the airport when we picked you up?"

"No" Zoe said knowing she wasn't supposed to tell anyone about her patients but this was a small town and everyone would know Rose was sick soon anyway "Rose came to see me today she has strep throat, she was worried she gave it to Jack"

"Oh" Wade whispered "well now I don't have to wonder where he got it"

"We both have to watch in the next few days and see if we get sore throats" Zoe informed Wade "We don't want to keep infecting each other so if you get a sore throat tell me right away"

"I really don't want to move but I better call Brick" Zoe said leaving the couch getting her phone. She walked to into her bedroom and dialed the number.

That just left Wade sitting in the living room with Jack sleeping in his arms, praying that George would get back soon with the medicine the baby needed. Wade was still sore with himself for not having baby Tylenol on hand, for now on he would always make sure to keep some on hand.

Ten minutes later Zoe was walking back into the living room and set next to them again on the couch. She smiled at Wade then ran a hand over Jack's forehead feeling just how hot the baby was. George would be back soon with the Tylenol and hopefully it would bring Jack's fever down.

"I talked to Brick and he decided since I'm a Doctor and you're in the food preparation business to call in a prescription of antibiotics for the both of us to prevent us from spreading it to other people." Zoe stated she wasn't one for giving antibiotics out if they were not needed but she understood Brick's stand on this topic he did not want the whole town to catch strep throat from eating at the Rammer Jammer. Beside Brick was sure that since the first case was a high school student they were going to be seeing a lot more cases soon.

"I already called George he is going to pick up our prescriptions as well, Brick said he would call and make sure they knew to fill them asap" Zoe informed Wade hating that getting antibiotics for them as well might delay getting Jack his for any length of time.

"Whatever you say Doc, as long as it gets Jack better" Wade replied hating that his little boy was sick in the first place. He would have to really think about if he should let Rose babysit for him again during the school year. Schools were a breeding ground for germs and his poor baby had caught some from it.

"Brick also told me I should have brought Jack in for him to look out, as his Mother I should not be treating him. But he would over look it this once" Zoe muttered knowing Brick was right but how could she not treat her baby when he needed her too. "After all Jack is his patient"

"Yeah but you're his Mother that trumps Doctor anytime" Wade responded with just then Jack woke up crying.

"It's okay Jack" Zoe said as she gave him his sippy cup that had been setting on the end table, he took a few sips from it then threw it across the room. Zoe run after it thankful it hadn't made a mess on the floor where it landed.

"Jack, I know you don't feel good but you can not throw things" Wade softly told his son with then hugged the baby boy closer to himself as the boy cried. "You will feel better soon Daddy promises"

Jack's warm brown eyes the exact same color as his mother's looked straight into Wade's as he shouted "Dada"

"Daddy's right here" Wade whispered into his son's ear holding him close thinking Brick might be on to something about treating them as if they had strep throat themselves. No way would he not hold his son close if his baby needed him.

Zoe had taken the sippy to the sink leaving it there deciding maybe Jack didn't like the juice she had put in it. Maybe he would like a little kool aid instead she had seen that Wade had gotten some packs of the powder mix. So Zoe searched the small kitchen until she found a pitcher then added the powder and the amount of sugar the packed require stirring it. Putting the lid back on the pitcher she grabbed a clean sippy cup filling it up with the kool aid hoping that Jack liked this better.

"Mommy made you kool aid" Zoe announced as she returned into the living room with the new sippy cup "I hope you like it"

Wade just smiled at Zoe as she give their boy his sippy cup, he took a sip of the new drink and must of like it because he kept drinking it. Zoe was bitting her lip to keep from screaming with joy that her son liked the kool aid she had made for him. She felt like she was doing pretty good at this mother thing at least for now. She had made her sick baby a little happy by giving him something to drink he liked. Making sure Jack was happy and healthy was the most important thing in this world to Zoe.

Zoe took a seat next to Wade just waiting for George to return with all their medicine knowing the next few days were going to be hard on them. Jack had never been sick before Wade had said so this was all new to the baby, along with both his parents. Of course Zoe was a doctor and knew what to expect but not when it was her own child. A child she had only gotten to be around for less then a week.

Looking down Zoe noticed that Jack had drunk all his kool aid and was falling to sleep again. Taking the empty sippy cup from him Zoe put it on the end table. Wade just held the toddler closer to him the baby was still feeling so warm he was so worried about that.

"Why don't I drawn a lukewarm bath for Jack try to bring his fever down?" Zoe asked getting up not being able to just set still while Jack was visibly sick.

"Does that really work?" Wade asked having never had to do it before. He stood up following Zoe to the bathroom with Jack in his arms. The little boy's eyes opened he looked around seeing the bathroom he smiled a little.

"Yes it can, I'll run the water. After he gets in you need to go get Jack some pj's to change into for after the bath" Zoe dictated to Wade as the water started to run the water making sure it was not to cold or hot. Getting the water level just right for Jack, Zoe turned off the tap, turning she seen Wade getting Jack out of his clothes the little guy started to cry.

"It's okay Jack this will make you feel better" Zoe said as she took her baby's hand as Wade took Jack's diaper off. He then lift the toddler into the tub. Wade left Mother and Son to Jack's bath and headed up stairs to get Jack's pj's.

"Dada" Jack said turning to look at the door with longing in his little eyes.

"Daddy is coming right back, Mommy is here" Zoe said as she ran a wash cloth up and down Jack's little back trying to cool him down. As a doctor she knew this should work but as a parent it didn't seem to be working fast enough. Everything was different when Jack was the one that was sick and not some other person's child. All the knowledge she had learned from years of schooling and internships just went right out the window.

Wade returned a few minutes later with Jack's pj's. Zoe already had the baby wrapped in a towel drying him off. He seemed clam which was good.

"I'm back" was heard coming from the living room. Wade give Zoe the pj's and a diaper then headed to the living room to greet George and get all the medicine.

Zoe had Jack dressed in his pj's when she carried him out to the living room George was no where in sight Wade though was there with a white bag in his hand. "Tucker had to go seems he had a appointment he had forgotten about but he did drop the medicine off"

"Okay let's get Jack his medicines" Zoe said trading Jack for the white bag wanting to get the dosage right. This was something Zoe knew she was good at. Checking over the antibiotics making sure they were what she had prescribed she got the drop out that came with it and made sure the dose was right for Jack's weight. "I've got it bring over Jack"

Within the next five minutes Jack had taken both his antibiotic and the baby tylenol, Zoe had given him another sippy filled with the kool aid he seemed to really enjoy. Wade was fixing a can of chicken noodle soup for Jack he hadn't eaten lunch yet. Wade would bet none of them had ate lunch yet good thing he had the family size can of soup. Zoe had advice since neither of them were feeling sick they could wait until tonight to take their first dose of antibiotics. She also told Wade that after twenty-four hours on antibiotics Jack wouldn't be contagious any longer and by the day after that should be feeling better.

Stirring the soup Wade had already decided he couldn't go into work tonight or tomorrow he had two reasons for that one Jack was sick he wasn't going to leave his boy when he was sick. Second reason was he wasn't sure if he had strep throat and it took twenty-four hours on antibiotics to not be contagious. He did not need to infect the whole town they never would eat at the Rammer Jammer again. Of course that wasn't true there just was not enough restaurants in BlueBell for people to boycott the Rammer Jammer.

But Wade wanted to be with his boy during Jack's first sickness, Wade knew Zoe could handle it being a doctor and all but while Jack loved his Momma he wasn't used to her completely yet. And Wade wasn't used to not being the only parent around yet either. The soup had come to a boil so Wade shut off the heat he looked up to notice that Zoe already had Jack in his highchair with a cracker in his hand as he waited for his soup.

Wade filled a bowl of soup for Jack and put it into the freezer so it could cool down a little so it would not burn Jack's tongue. Then Wade filled two more bowls of soup one each for him and Zoe. Zoe gave Jack another cracker while she went to get her bowl of soup.

Both Wade and Zoe had eaten their soup before Jack's soup had cool enough for the little boy to be able to eat it. But when it did he only ate about half of what he would normally eat which worried Wade. Zoe assure him that was normal after Jack finished eating it was Zoe's turn to get to hold her baby until he fall to sleep. It was going to be a long few days both Zoe and Wade knew but also they had each other to help get through it.