A/N: Glad so many of you are still enjoying this story - thank you sooo much for the reviews :)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 5

They developed a routine. It had to happen really, not least because Zoe had insisted on it. Though Wade was quick to point out that JT was not her child, she just countered with the fact that she was a doctor and therefore knew best. Babies needed structure and after barely two weeks in Bluebell, that was exactly what he had.

There was a timetable posted on the fridge in Lavon's kitchen. Wade and Zoe both had their own copies too, carefully made by Rose on her computer, colour-coded and idiot-proof, so that it was clear to them all exactly where JT was supposed to be, when, and with whom, as Wade worked his shifts at the Rammer Jammer and Zoe covered her own work at the practice.

Lavon seemed to have become the main go-to babysitter, especially over night when Wade had to work late. JT slept soundly for the most part, hardly ever waking up at crazy hours and giving him trouble. Unfortunately, this particular Friday night hadn't gone quite so smooth.

"The kid has done nothing but whine and complain since Wade dropped him off last night," he told Zoe over breakfast on Saturday. "Ain't usually like that."

"Well, there could be any number of reasons for it," she considered, reaching to take JT into her arms.

She felt his head and looked him over, finding him not at all over-hot and completely cogent.

"You just feeling restless, little man?" she asked, bouncing in him her arms. "Maybe he misses his daddy. I'll walk him over to the gatehouse soon."

"Won't Wade be coming up to get him?" Lavon checked, wielding the skillet to put on some bacon now he was baby free.

"Not today." Zoe shook her head. "I'm owed some time off so, barring emergencies, I said I'd take point while Wade runs some errands. He's pretty much been working and taking care of JT non-stop the past couple of weeks. The poor guy's barely had a minute to turn around."

"He has really thrown himself into fatherhood," Lavon considered. "Guess he didn't really have all that much of a choice."

"Well, me and JT are going to have a fun day, right, kid?" said Zoe, ticking the little boy until he laughed loudly. "I thought I'd take him into town with me, pick up some things at the store, maybe visit the ducks on the pond, all that good stuff."

"Sounds like a fine time," said Lavon, smiling. "You know, I know he can't help it, but that boy had Uncle Lavon up all night with his fussin' and now look. Good as gold for Aunt Zoe."

"Aww, it's just one of those things. You didn't mean it, did you, JT?"

All he did in response was make a gurgling sound and then put his whole hand in his mouth to suck on.

"Hmm, I wonder if you're teething already. That could explain the restlessness and the complaining. Well, you seem okay for now, so let's do this breakfast thing and then go wake up Daddy."

A half hour later, with JT fed and changed, Zoe wandered over to the gatehouse and knocked on Wade's door. She had thought he would be up early, ready to face the day and make the most of the free time to get to all those tasks that he hadn't had time for all week long. Apparently, she was wrong.

"Hey, doc. Somethin' wrong?" he asked when he finally opened the door to her second round of knocking.

"Um, no. No, nothing... nothing wrong," she said, shaking her head to clear the fog that descended at the sight of him.

Wade always looked good, Zoe knew she would have to be blind not to notice that, but lately, she felt like she had sort of stopped noticing it as much. Usually, whenever they were in a room together, they were focusing on JT or at least discussing him, and Wade was mostly fully dressed when she saw him these days, unlike right now when he was wearing nothing but boxers and a sleepy expression.

"We, uh... we just called by to say hi, you know, me and JT," she said, painting on a wide smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were still sleeping."

"Didn't close up the Rammer Jammer until three," Wade explained, rubbing a hand over his face. "Figured I could afford to lie in a while if you were taking on babysitting duty today."

He smiled when he realised JT was reaching for him and easily picked his son out of Zoe's arms.

"Mornin', bubba. You doin' okay?" he asked, hugging the child who seemed more than pleased to see Daddy.

"Lavon said he was a little restless last night," Zoe explained. "If I had to guess, I'd say he has teeth coming already."

"That normal when they're this size?"

"Sure." Zoe nodded. "It varies, obviously, but six months is pretty average. I can pick up some teething rings and maybe some cooling gel when I head into town later, if you want."

"Uh, yeah, I guess that'd be good, thanks." Wade nodded, though he looked very awkward all of a sudden.

Zoe half-wondered if he suddenly realised his state of undress and was embarrassed, but that didn't seem very Wade-like. It occurred to her then that it was the shopping she just offered to do, or moreover, the money that would be required to buy the things JT needed.

There had been a lot of expense of late. The townsfolk had been their usual helpful selves, donating some furniture and hand-me-down clothes and such, but that didn't cover it all, not by a long shot. Zoe's credit card bill was due in any day now and she already knew she wasn't going to ask Wade for his share of it, she couldn't.

"Um, well, if you need to get some more sleep, we should go," she said then, putting out her hands to take JT back from him.

The baby squirmed, trying to stay with Wade and Zoe winced. Maybe she shouldn't have come over and let JT see Daddy when she knew she had to take him away again so soon.

"Come on, now," Wade said to JT. "Don't be makin' such a big deal. This is your cool Aunt Zoe we're talkin' about, best babysitter in 'Bama. Don't start pretending like you don't know that."

"Wade, I'm not..." Zoe began, before catching herself. "Best babysitter?" she echoed then, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, right."

"Come on, Zoe, you're great with him," Wade insisted. "And I, personally, have no idea how I woulda got through these past two weeks without all your help."

There was that look again, the one that seemed to have taken up semi-permanent residence on his face whenever he was looking at Zoe. She saw it last Christmas when he asked her if she wanted to go out for a drink, then again, the first night they'd taken care of JT together. It made Zoe wonder things that she knew she shouldn't wonder, not now, not with circumstances the way they were.

"Just doing my part, being a good neighbour," she said with an over-the-top grin.

"Right." Wade nodded in response, putting his attention back on JT then.

Zoe wasn't sure if he thought she was crazy, but she was starting to wonder about it herself. At least Wade still trusted her with his son as he duly handed the little boy over. JT didn't complain so much this time.

"Let Daddy get some sleep now and you'll see him some more later," Zoe told him. "He just has things to do first."

"Yeah, one of which is telling your grandpa you even exist," Wade told JT, taking his hand when it waved out towards him.

"Earl doesn't know?" Zoe's eyes widened at the suggestion. "How is that even possible?"

"Trust me, doc, if he'd heard about me havin' a kid, he'd've come callin' by now," Wade assured her, leaning heavily on the door jamb as he yawned. "I figure he prob'ly hasn't stirred out of his shack too much these past couple of weeks. Winter time is always the hardest on him."

Zoe had half a mind to ask why that might be but never really got the chance.

"Anyway, I'm gonna get me some more shut-eye, run my errands, go see Earl. Lots to do," he said, looking more at JT than Zoe now. "But I'll see ya later, little man, alright?"

"Say bye-bye Daddy." Zoe smiled, picking up JT's free hand and waving it at Wade.

"See you later, buddy," he told his son, watching Zoe carry him carefully down the porch steps.

Somehow, Wade had gotten used to having a kid pretty fast. He supposed it was just because he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Despite what some might think, family was important to him. Not so much his brother, because Jesse was generally an ass, but his father, and his mother who he lost too soon.

Still, the one part of all this that really blew Wade's mind was Zoe. She didn't even flinch when it came to taking on his son. She did more than her share of babysitting duties, making sure everybody pitched in to do their part, always checking JT had everything he needed and that Wade himself knew what he was doing.

"Hey, doc?" he found himself calling behind her before she got too far away. "You got plans for tomorrow?"

"Um, not really," she said, shaking her head. "You need me to take JT for a while then too?"

"Nah, I'll be around. I was just thinkin', if you wanted to spend some time with the both of us, maybe we could pack up a lunch, take a walk someplace quiet, do the lazy Sunday thing."

Wade was facepalming on the inside the moment the words were out of his mouth. He was usually so good with women, with an overconfidence that had gotten him into both some of the best and worst situations of his life, but Zoe Hart made him stupid sometimes. Like she would want to give up her Sunday to spend with him and his kid when she already spent all week long running around after the pair of them.

"That sounds so nice," she said then, smiling like she meant it.

A breath he barely knew he had been holding escaped out of Wade as he grinned right back at her.

"Alright then, we'll do that," he said, nodding his head. "I'll see you two later, I guess."

"We're headed into town but we'll be back at the carriage house by mid-afternoon. Come by any time to pick him up," she said easily.

He watched her walk away until she and JT reached her house across the way, then Wade took himself back to bed for a couple of hours. As he collapsed amongst the covers and closed his eyes, he had a feeling that any sleep he got now would be filled with dreams of Zoe Hart. It wouldn't be the first time, and doubtless it wouldn't be the last either.

"No, sweetie, don't touch that," Zoe told JT, backing the stroller away from the shelving a little. "Why are you so handsy today?"

"Ain't that just like a male?" joked Annabeth as she appeared at the other end of the aisle with her shopping basket on her arm. "Well, hello, cutie pie," she said, leaning down to better see JT. "You are just cuter than socks on a rooster. Yes, you are."

"He is," Zoe agreed, "when he's not trying to wreck the whole Dixie Stop," she noted as JT's leg kicked out and a box went flying from the shelf to the floor.

"Aww, are you giving Zoe here a tough time, precious?" AB asked him, crouching down to his level and getting his attention off everything else for a while, which was a very good thing. "May I?" she asked.

When Zoe nodded, AB released the straps that help JT in his stroller and lifted the little boy out into her arms. She was really a natural with kids and Zoe took advantage of the fact she had someone keeping a good eye on JT to grab a lot of the other things she needed from the store. She had a full basket by the time AB even noticed anything had happened.

"You shop fast," she said, looking down at what Zoe had gathered together.

"And you're really good with kids," Zoe noted.

"Oh, well. I have to admit, I do love 'em," said AB, smiling wide even as her eyes filled up with tears. "I just... Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, holding JT tight with one arm while she swiped at her eyes with her other hand. "I am being so foolish, tearing up like this in the household supplies section."

"It's okay," Zoe assured her, reaching to take JT back so that the poor women could at least blow her nose and everything. "I'm sorry, did I say something...?"

"It's not your fault." AB shook her head. "Nor his either," she insisted, smiling at JT yet even as she cried - the poor boy looked as confused as Zoe felt by this whole turn of events. "I just... I would love so much to have a little one of my own, but... but it never does happen."

"Oh," Zoe said, frowning some. "Well, you know, if you want to come by the practice some time, make an appointment, I would be more than happy to talk to you about that. We can figure out if there's anything wrong, look into helping you with... your situation," she said carefully when she realised they were far from alone in the store.

"I don't know." AB shook her head. "I'm not so sure that I could talk about all of that with you."

"It's strictly confidential, Annabeth," Zoe assured her. "Doctor-patient confidentiality, nobody else would ever have to know, but honestly? I would like to help. It's why I'm a doctor," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"I might see you soon then, Dr Hart," said AB, nodding her head. "You too, precious little man," she told JT, tickling under his chin, before turning fast and rushing away.

"Well, what do you know? I think you just got me another patient, kid," she told JT as he giggled in her arms. "Nice work."

To Be Continued...