A/N: Final part to this. Honestly, it's been so much fun to just write lots of Zoe/Wade fluffy cuteness, especially as I'm also seeing them being similarly cute in the latest episodes that I'm watching (just watched 2.12/2.13!) Anyway, thanks to all those that reviewed on any and all parts of this story - I appreciate it :)

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 4

"I'm still not altogether sure I'm okay with you driving, doc," said Wade, limping some as they walked out to the car. "Ain't exactly your strong suit now, is it?"

"For the last time, Wade, I know how to drive." said Zoe, rolling her eyes. "Besides, it's either you or me and you still can't put too much pressure on your bad ankle yet, so I'm driving, okay?" she told him with a smile.

He smiled back at her, but the look wasn't entirely genuine. Zoe driving a car never did seem to end too well, and Wade already had one serious accident this month. Just when he was doing so much better, he really did not want to get into another one, but somehow, now didn't seem like the time to say it.

After all, Zoe really had done a great job taking care of him the past two weeks. So much for her having no bedside manner, she sure had picked one up since living in Bluebell. Of course, he didn't mind her in-bed manner too much either. It still seemed like some sort of miracle to him the way things had worked out. A guy like him and a woman like her, still seemed kind of crazy to Wade, but the good kind of crazy.

"You don't have to watch me like a hawk," she said, realising he was staring. "That won't help the process. In fact, it'll just make me more nervous and... Huh. You're smiling," she noticed then, sparing him a glance while she was paused for another car to pass.

"Didn't know I was doing either thing," Wade told her, shaking his head. "I was just thinking is all. You know, I'm thinking maybe it might actually have been worth me falling offa that roof to get where I am right now."

Zoe winced when he said that. So much for him being happy about their relationship or even trying to pay her a compliment. Maybe Wade ought to have known better.

"You ain't still havin' those nightmares, are you, doc?"

"Not as much," she admitted, putting her eyes back on the road as she drove on. "It'll fade, I know it will. Now I know that you really are going to be okay."

"I'm already okay, doc," Wade promised her. "Gotta wait for the ankle to heal a little more before I go running around on it too much, but everything else is just fine and dandy. You're the doctor, why am I telling you all this?" he said then, catching himself.

"I know you're fine, no complications with your head, all other injuries healing normally," she recapped. "I was there at your last check up and I've checked you myself. It's just... injuries on people you care about are way more scary than on anybody else. I mean, how would you feel if it were me that had an accident and ended up in the hospital with a head injury?"

When Wade didn't answer her at all, Zoe started to wonder what was wrong. She glanced sideways at him and saw him looking oddly pale. Before she had a chance to ask if he was feeling sick or anything, he spoke up.

"Guess it still messes with my mind some that you care that much, doc," he said at last. "See, for me, the thought of you in a hospital for anything but doctoring... Damn it, Zoe, I don't know how I'd handle that."

He really was that upset about just imagining something awful happening to her. Zoe felt bad for ever putting the idea in his head, but at least now he might better understand the nightmare she had been through. Sure, this whole mess had led to her realising just how deep her feelings really ran for Wade and brought the two of them together the way they probably always should have been, but Zoe wouldn't live through the him getting hurt part again for the world. Stressful as it all was, she could've sworn she aged ten years in the last two weeks.

When she finally stopped the car and pulled on the parking brake, Zoe was startled by Wade's hand landing on top of hers, and more so by the realisation that there were tears in her own eyes.

"I really put you through it, huh?"

"It wasn't your fault," she reminded him, swallowing hard. "I'm just glad you're getting better now. Almost back to normal, or whatever passes for normal when you're Wade Kinsella," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, like Zoe Hart would settle for normal anyhow," he countered, leaning across to plant a kiss on her lips. "You and me, doc. We're in this for the long haul, right?"

"That's the plan," she told him, her hand at his cheek. "You know, I think we've kind of shocked a lot of people with this whole real relationship thing. They really didn't expect me to fall for you."

"They didn't expect me to fall for anybody," Wade reminded her. "Hell, I didn't expect that either, until this high-falootin' New York doctor came into town. She sure shook things up some. Wouldn't have her any other way though."

She kissed him for that, and one kiss led to another, until they were practically horizontal in the front seat of the car, awkward as that was. It was only when Wade hit his bad ankle on the door that the mood was really broken.

"Probably not the best place for this anyway," said Zoe, helping him up and then getting out of the car herself.

She ran around to the passenger side, opened up the door and offered Wade a hand out.

"Why we here anyway?" he asked, looking up at the Rammer Jammer's illuminated sign. "It's not like I can work just yet."

"I thought it'd be nice to go out, get a drink, you know?" said Zoe, shrugging her shoulders. "No big deal."

"No big deal?" he echoed as they walked towards the door with their arms around each other. "Heck, I'm pretty sure this counts as our first official date, doc."

"I'm not sure," said Zoe then as she opened the door for them to go inside, "but I don't think it can really be called a date when more than two people are invited."

Wade was about to ask her what she meant by that when he suddenly realised the answer for himself. The Rammer Jammer was just chock full of people, which was a little odd for the time of day. When they saw Wade, every single one started applauding and cheering. If anybody had asked, he was pretty sure nobody had missed him much the past couple of weeks. Apparently, he was wrong.

"There's our favourite bar tender!" said Wanda, rushing over to greet him. "How you feeling, Wade?"

"Just fine, thanks," he assured her. "'Cept for my ankle, o' course."

"Got you a seat right here, buddy," said George, presenting a stool with a flourish. "Sit your ass down."

Wade did as he was asked, while George grabbed another seat for Zoe and got her positioned next to her man.

"Feels weird being on this side of the bar," Wade whispered to Zoe.

"It's not for too long," she reminded him, patting his knee. "Make the most of it. You're very popular around here, as if you didn't know."

It was strange because, actually, Wade really didn't know. He got along with people, mostly women, truth be told, but it actually hadn't occurred to him that two weeks of not really being around would make people this crazy about seeing him again. Everybody seemed to want to come on over and check on him, buy him a drink, congratulate him on snagging the doc for his own. For maybe the first time in his life, Wade felt like he mattered more than any other person. Even Golden Boy George Tucker had never gotten so much attention!

"Well, we're awful glad to know you're on the mend, Wade," said Lemon, wearing her sweetest smile, "and you can just return that cake box to me any time that's convenient to you," she told him, patting his shoulder before turning and walking away

"Always does kinda freak me out when she plays nice," he told Zoe, shuddering more than a bit. "You got any idea where her cake box is at?"

"Probably Lavon's kitchen with everybody else's bakeware," she said, rolling her eyes. "Say one thing for Bluebell, when somebody's sick or hurt, they bake up a storm."

"Well, somebody has to, sweetheart, because it sure as hell wasn't going to happen if they left it to you," he told her, grinning wide.

"Hey!" said Zoe, slapping him across the arm. "That's the last time I arrange a surprise 'Welcome back to the world' party for you."

"Come on, doc, you know I'm just messin' with you," he promised, pulling her to him.

They were lost in a pretty nice moment when somebody suddenly cleared their throat good and loud, making them pull part from their kiss. Zoe blinked when she realised who was right behind Wade, and he turned around on his stool to see his father standing there.

"Hey, Earl," he greeted him, wondering what it was that looked different about him. "You doing okay?"

"I'm fine, son, thank you," said Earl, nodding his head. "I, er... I been worried about you since... well, I know it was down to me and... you know how I am when I get to drinkin' and I never meant-"

"Hey, Earl," he cut in before the old guy got himself into a real state. "I'm okay," said Wade firmly, meeting his father's eyes. "No real harm done. I mean you scared the crap out of the good doctor here, and I could use not taking another dive like that one, but it's not all your fault, okay? I made my choice to get up there on that roof, just the same as you."

Earl nodded his head, looking fit to bawl as far as Zoe could tell. Even she felt sorry for him at that point, though it didn't seem like the time to say anything when father and son were having such a moment.

"I'm gonna try harder, son, I swear it to ya," said Earl, swallowing hard.

"I believe it," Wade told him, realising now what looked different.

It was the clearness in Earl's eyes that was new. For the first time in a very long time, he wasn't even a little bit drunk. Stepping down off his stool with his weight all on his good leg, Wade wrapped his arms around his father and hugged him tight.

"Thanks, Dad," he whispered as they held onto each other.

A minute later, when Earl had walked away and Wade had re-taken his seat, Zoe still didn't know what to say. She just put her hand on his on top of the bar and smiled when he turned his hand over to grip her fingers.

"Hell of a day, doc," he told her, finding a smile of his own. "Reckon I could stand a few more where I'm this popular though."

"I think the crazy might die down just a little bit once you get back to work and, you know, some other big drama comes to Bluebell," Zoe considered, "but things won't change for me. I'll still think you're the coolest guy in town, I promise," she said, leaning into him with a very big smile on her face.

She really was like no other woman he had ever known, and Wade loved her like he never loved anybody else either. He only hoped they really could make this work, because the truth was, he had fallen for her the first day they met. It really didn't matter that it had taken his literally falling from a great height for her to realise she loved him too. It all worked out in the end, the way things tended to in Bluebell, if you gave them enough time.

The End

IMPORTANT NOTE: For those that don't know, I'm watching Hart of Dixie for the first time and trying to avoid spoilers, so while I will be extremely grateful for any reviews I might get on this story I would appreciate no comments that might spoil me for anything past s2e13. Many thanks in advance :)