Welcome all to day 5 of our lovely Hart of Dixie countdown to Christmas. This is the Let it Snow one-shot this story revolves around, with a few edits and bits added in. I have also split it into two parts, the second portion will be up tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Wade sighed, dropping onto the couch in the lounge area of the resort. His parents are out for a walk, thrilled at the aspect of taking a romantic walk in the snow. He didn't get it, any of it. You have to be crazy to like the snow. It's cold and wet, and not fun to walk in. He fell on his butt because he somehow slipped on some packed-down snow. There was no ice, and he felt stupid for slipping on snow. He doesn't even have his brother to keep him company as Jesse ran off after the first girl he saw his age. So here he sits sulking by himself in front of a fire listening to people butcher Christmas carols. Wasn't he just the luckiest teenage boy in the world?

When his parents suggested a vacation over winter break, he didn't think that meant them leaving the state of Alabama. He didn't even know the destination until they pulled into the airport in Mobile. Denver. Don't get him wrong he was excited to see a different state, and he thought having a white Christmas would be the best thing in the world, he was wrong. His mom told him to enjoy his time and keep an open mind, if you heard the high pitches and wrong notes being belted out, you'd keep your mind closed as well.

The first few days, he thought the vacation was going to turn out good, once he learned how to master the slopes. On the first day, he tried his hand at snowboarding, and he failed, the second day didn't turn out any better, and he learned quickly that snowboarding just isn't for him. Just like this damn snow isn't for him, he's ready to go home, there just isn't a turning point for this winter break vacation from hell. He'd like to be home in the sun and a bit more warmth than he's currently in. The freezing cold. How anyone can live in freezing temps willingly, beats him. It's insane.

He's brought out of his mind when he feels a presence beside him on the small couch. With a small glance, he can see she's in a sour mood. He wonders if she was forced to be on a family vacation she didn't want to be on. Upon a closer look, he can see that she's close to crying. Everything in him tells him to bolt because he doesn't know how to handle a crying girl. But, he stays where he's at. His momma taught him to help those that need the help. He'll take the crying girl over the snow any day. And he doesn't want to hole up in the room the whole trip either. And who knows it might be okay in the end when she stops crying.

He was trying to think of something to say when he heard her sniffle. For a strange reason, his heart broke a little for the girl he doesn't know. Wade watched her harshly wipe the tears that betrayed her and fell down her cheeks. Being careful, he moved a little closer to her, tentatively wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his chest. Color him surprised when she easily fell into him, gripping his shirt as she started to cry. Awkwardly he rubbed her back, doing what he thought was right in giving her some sort of comfort.

Just his luck that's when Jesse made his presence known, a smirk on his face, seeing the situation his little brother happened to be in. Wade gave his older brother a glare, daring him to make a remark. Heck, he doesn't know the girl crying in his arms, but with her already being vulnerable, the last thing he wants is for Jesse to say something to hurt her feelings. Yeah, sure he feels a bit protective of the unknown girl. It's natural.

But he knows what his brother is going to say. Jesse will surely bring up the conversation they had the first night they were here, about wooing a girl on vacation. His intentions with this stranger aren't what his brother thinks, and he'll hear enough from Jesse when he gets back to the room later tonight if Jesse happens to make it back to the room that is. Last night he doesn't know what time Jesse came in. He was passed out by midnight, no Jesse to be seen and when he woke in the late morning, Jesse was conked out in his bed.

"I'm sorry," she tells him softly, using the sleeves of her shirt to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "I didn't mean to ruin your shirt," she cringed, noticing his now wet mascara-stained tee shirt. It's her fault she didn't use waterproof mascara, not that she knew her dad would once again stand her up. Her fault for being the fool in believing him.

"It's fine," he shrugged, slipping his hoodie on. He'd ask his mom later to see what could be done about the stain, even if it makes her ask a million and one questions about why he has a mascara stain on his shirt. "I'm Wade," he told her, feeling slightly silly that they didn't know each other's names.

"Thank you for the comfort, Wade," she told him, bashfully. "I'm Zoe," she informed him. "I'm going to go uh clean up," she told him, quickly getting up to use the public bathroom in the lobby of the resort.

Wade nodded, watching her go. Sighing he ran a hand down his face. He's not sure if he should stay and wait for her to return, or take off to his room. He feels like if he does ditch her, he'd feel like an ass the rest of his vacation, always on the lookout. And does he really want to give her yet another reason to cry her eyes out? He can be a dick when the situation warrants it, but he doesn't want to be a dick to a fragile, already broken teenage girl.

"Hey," she nervously said, placing her hands behind her back. She found it hard to make eye contact with his green eyes, instead, she looked over his shoulder, out the window watching the snow fall.

"Uh hey," he greeted surprised to see that she came back. He figured her needing to clean up meant she wouldn't be back. And the very idea of that didn't sit right with him. If he had more time, he'd take that time to unravel why it was, it's not like it mattered if she bailed on him, they don't know each other and once they leave this place, they won't see each other again.

"I really am sorry about before. I got the best of myself and I figured if I took a walk then I wouldn't be a crying mess, but as you know that didn't work. And, uh, you know thank you for, um, being there even though you don't know me," she rambled out, bitting the inside right corner of her lips to shut herself up.

Wade chuckled to himself finding it cute with the way she rambled on about being nervous. At the age of 16, his mom has been on him for the way he treats the girls he dates. They know it's nothing more than one date, and they don't even do anything bad, he just can't find one he likes enough to see if they have more in common. Yet, he doesn't know Zoe, and he craves to know everything that he can know about her.

"You're welcome, though it wasn't a problem," he shrugged. It was the truth, he didn't mind, and it wasn't a problem for him. It was only a bit awkward. "Wanna talk about it?" He offered, not really sure what else to talk about.

"Not really," she told him. "Want to grab something to eat?" She asked him, motioning to the world outside the windows.

"Sure, but just so you know I'm from Alabama and I don't exactly get along with the snow," he commented, embarrassed by that fact alone. He tried to be one with the snow and failed, miserably.

"That's ridiculous!" She exclaimed, falling to sit next to him on the couch, knees touching. "How can you hate the snow?" She asked him, her brown eyes doubling in size.

"I didn't say I hated the snow, just that we don't get along," he corrected her. "I would much rather stay here in front of the fire. Feel free to join me," he suggested, leaning back on the couch.

"Want anything to eat from the buffet?" She asked.

"Nah, I'm good," he told her.

Zoe nodded, walking across the lobby to get a plate full of food. Wade watched her walk across the lobby, a small smirk on his lips. She's not the type of girl he goes for back home, but he's on vacation, and he can spice things up a bit. He's not gonna try anything with her, having a friend, is good enough. The last thing he wants to be known as is taking advantage of Zoe. His smirk grew when he caught Zoe looking back at him, her cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink.

"Help yourself," she told him, placing the plate of food on the small coffee table and handing Wade a juice. "Is this your first time experiencing snow?" She asked, between bites of her berry-filled pastry.

"Somewhat," he replied, grabbing a double chocolate donut, she went through the trouble of getting the food, and he is hungry. "We get snow once a year, and it's the worst day, filled with nothing but bad luck," he explained.

"How's that possible?" She asked, looking at him. Wade shrugged, it's not like he knew the science behind it. "I guess I don't get it, being from upstate New York, the snow makes everything so magical," she dreamily sighed.

"Fancy city girl, huh?" He asked with a teasing nudge.

"Cowboy country boy," she tossed right back at him.

Wade laughed. This has been the most fun he's had since they left Bluebell. He'd gladly sit inside getting to know Zoe better while it snows outside. It can snow all it wants, as long as it means he gets to stay in front of the fire in the company of Zoe. This might turn out to be one heck of a winter break.