A/N: So on Twitter, my friends and I were discussing 3B of the season, and someone mentioned the fact that we really need to see something from Zoe. Wade has done so much to show her that he wants to be with her, and she's treated him like crap. So, I wrote this little one-shot. Zoe's a complex character and definitely doesn't always show how she feels. I wanted to delve into her emotions and thoughts a bit—make her vulnerable yet aware of her feelings for Wade. So, yeah, here you are! I can't wait for the 3B premiere…I'm so excited! Thanks for reading. Maybe drop a review? :) Enjoy! XO.

This is slightly AU? And may be OOC? If so, sorry! I know Zoe isn't this open and readable on the show…so that's what fan-fiction is for, right?!

Disclaimer: I don't own Hart of Dixie of the song Thinking Of You.

Thinking Of You

…

The rain echoed off the roof of Lavon's house. The sky was gray and lightening struck every few minutes or so, with a crash of thunder following immediately after—it was almost as if the weather sensed Zoe's mood. She was curled up on the sofa, planted right in front of the big flat screen TV. She covered her small figure with a huge afghan blanket whilst sipping a nice cup of hot tea. She sighed, switched of the television, and reached for her phone. A faint smile came to her face as she scrolled through the pictures of the two of them…happy and in love. Her favorite was a picture of Wade, proudly standing below the Rammer Jammer sign, with her wrapped in his arms, planting a kiss on her head.

It was the day after he bought it—Zoe had helped him fix it up. She couldn't remember the last time she was that happy. He always had that effect on her. Sometimes, he didn't have to say anything—all the love he felt for her was evident in his eyes and smile that Zoe could feel it. Wade made her feel like the luckiest girl on the planet. And then Zoe began to get scared of the feelings she felt for him. She was afraid of commitment and settling down with someone whom, months ago, she would have turned down. She was afraid of getting her heart broken by the man she, deep down, really loved. So instead of confronting her feelings and fears, she left, just like that. She left Bluebell. She left her whole life behind. She wanted to start a new one, without him. She thought it would be easier to erase her memories of him than to deal with the anxiety she had about her love for him.

She stayed away too long, and when she returned, he was there, waiting for her…like he promised. She wasn't expecting for him to be so distant though. She tied his actions back to Joel. She had taken the easy way out…finding someone that made everything easy…someone that truly didn't challenge her to be a different person but just made her happy….someone that she knew if she lost, wouldn't kill her. Zoe was truly happy with him, though. She felt that it was love. But as the days turned into weeks which turned into months, she became aware of the fact it wasn't the kind of love she had once felt with Wade.

Wade knew it, too, and he would confront her about her feelings, about her abrupt departure from Bluebell, about the possibility that they could get back together. She dodged all of his questions though. She was guarding her heart, knowing that the minute she allowed herself to love him again, her heart would be as vulnerable as it once was when they were together. He called her out on it too. He told her that the more she ran, the more it would hurt in the long-run…that she couldn't run from the feelings and history that had been engraved in their souls…that Joel wasn't the right person for her. No matter how hard she tried ignoring his words, she couldn't—she believed everything he said to be true. She couldn't run from her feelings…they would eventually catch up with her. She couldn't forget their history…it would always be with her. She knew Joel wasn't the right person for her…he just gave her that ease and safety that she thought she needed.

After a while he stopped talking to her altogether. He concluded that if she truly wanted to be with him and wear her heart on her sleeve, she'd do something. He had fought for them, and she left. He was only waiting to see if she would fight for them…just like he had. He started to lose hope as he saw her and Joel grow closer…grow together, as one. His heart broke every second he couldn't be with her, and in the end, it ruined him enough to make the decision to leave Bluebell. He wanted to get away from her. If he couldn't be with her, why stay at all? He had no reason to stay. The girl he loved was happy with someone else. She wasn't going to fight for him…for them…for their future.

He convinced his father to go with him, too. They both needed a breather, a new perspective on life. Living the lives they had established in Bluebell was doing each of them no good. He wanted to start a new one…just like his father. So he left, with little hope that she would come after him.

She found out about his rather abrupt departure from Annabeth, who had seen him packing his red car. She had confronted him about it, but all he replied with was a shrug. She couldn't get much out of him—he wasn't the type of guy that opened up to people he didn't feel one-hundred percent comfortable around. When Annabeth told her, she didn't believe he would do such a thing. Though, as she watched his vacant and dark house across the pond, she knew he was gone. Really gone. Just like she had left him, he had left her. And she knew why. She knew he was tired of waiting. She knew it was her who made him leave. She knew he was waiting for her to come back to him. And she wanted to so badly. Had enough time passed? She let opportunity run her by, only to be left with an enormous amount of pain and heartbreak.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she heard a quiet voice ask. She glanced up and met Annabeth's gaze. Annabeth already knew what was on Zoe's mind; her expression said it all.

"I miss him," she started, turning her gaze back to the brightly lit cell phone screen. "I miss us…the days we were both happy. I regret letting my fears get in the way of my love for him. I was so scared…so scared that what we had wouldn't work and eventually break."

Annabeth nodded her head and took a seat next to her.

"I don't think it was just you," she whispered. "I think he felt those fears, anxieties, vulnerabilities, too. But his admiration and commitment to you overruled all of them."

Annabeth was smart…Zoe knew she could trust what she was saying.

"But in the end, he ran away…just like I did."

The distance between the two of them increased. A lonely and solemn silence filled the air.

"Do you ever think about what would have happened if you did things differently?" It was an honest question, and Zoe knew the answer immediately.

"Every day. I think about what life would be like with him by my side instead of Joel. I think about how I was such a coward and let a great guy slip away from me…because of my stubbornness and selfishness. I think about how much I loved him."

Annabeth pursed her lips.

"Do you still love him?"

"I don't know."

More silence. Annabeth laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder before getting up. She glanced back at her friend.

"You'll know when the time's right."

"Hello?" she heard his voice answer.

"It's me."

"I know," he replied softly. "I always know when it's you, Doc."

She smiled. "Doc", that always got to her. It would always be the special name he'd have for her.

"Annabeth and I talked today…" she started before continuing. She didn't want to hear his response until she had said everything she wanted to tell him. "She helped me realize something. She helped me realize that I was an ass to you. I was so stubborn and selfish and so wrapped up in my feelings that I didn't even once acknowledge yours. I didn't even think about the fact that you could have been feeling the exact same way. It was all about me and my insecurities…fears, love, devotion to you. What I realize now is that I lost an opportunity. And I regret everything I did to make you leave. I didn't want to leave. I was just scared of commitment and the deep feelings I felt for you. I was afraid of settling down and having my heartbroken by the person I loved most. So instead of facing them, I decided to run away from them, just like you kept on telling me." She wanted to keep explaining but he stopped her.

"You don't owe me an explanation, Zoe." God, the way he said her name made her ache for him more. "There was nothing keeping me in Bluebell. It was my decision to leave. I just had this little bit of hope that you'd do something to fight for us and to fight for what we had. In the end, I was wrong." His words stung her heart.

"I'm not that strong, Wade." Tears started to form in her eyes.

"'Guess not." He could hear her breathing become heavy.

"Be patient with me? Someday I'll be able to work all this confusion out and be the one to give you all my love. I'll figure out a way to make everything up to you, to show you how much I care…to show you there will be an us. But for right now, until I'm ready, I need to stay exactly where I am."

She knew she was hurting him with every word that came out of her mouth. She didn't want to, but she knew she wasn't ready to make that kind of leap yet. She had to take baby steps…she had to learn to put herself out there again…to give her whole heart to someone.

"And where's that? With Joel?" he scoffed, rolling his eyes and brushing a hand through his hair.

"On my own," she replied simply. That made him smile. Even though she wasn't ready to be with him, knowing that she was going to try, so maybe one day she could be with him, was the gesture he was looking for.

"Wade?" Her voice was quiet and soft. He loved hearing her voice.

"Mhm, still here."

"I still think about you…about us…about what our life will be like someday, when I'm ready."

"You'll know when the time's right." When she heard him repeat Annabeth's words, she felt a surge in her stomach and a chuckle escape her lips.

His answer was genuine and heartfelt. He received what he was searching for—a sign from Zoe that she would fight for them. She would end things with Joel and one day return back to him. He couldn't help but smile.

"Just so you know, I plan on coming back to you when that time comes."

I'm thinkin' of you, that's all I do all the time

You're always the first and the last thing on this heart of mine

No matter where I go or what I do,

I'm thinkin' of you