My father fixed the computer so yay! Here's the first real chapter of the story.

I apologize in advance for any mistakes there might be.

Enjoy!

I DO NOT OWN HART OF DIXIE

It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all

"Has Brick visited him?"

"No he has not" then added "and doesn't need to"

"Then let me check on him" Zoe proposed, pointing at herself.

"Doc it's not necessary. He's just more drunk than usual" Wade snorted, annoyed by her

"He hasn't seen a doctor in years. A checkup would do him just good" she didn't mention the fact that right before she left Bluebell for New York at the beginning of the summer Earl went to her because he didn't feel okay so she ran some tests and found out he had cirrhosis probably due to his drinking problem. Earl asked her not to tell his son the bad news because he wanted to do it himself when he was ready. She agreed it was for the best.
Clearly the old man still hadn't found the courage to do it, as Wade knew nothing.

"Wade"

"No. You know what, you can't just come in here after three months without even a call and tell me how to take care of my own father" he raised his arms and yelled angrily "you can't!"

That scene wasn't exactly how he had hoped many times their first talk would be like. No, he'd planned on greeting her with a big grin and hug her while whispering in the ear how much he'd missed her. Then he'd thought maybe that could turn out awkward so he decided to just play it cool and be her friend, letting her make the next move. Anyway yelling at her for stupid reasons was certainly not what he called a good start.

After Wade's outburst, Zoe left his house and paid Earl a visit.

"Oh look at that, the pretty doctor has come back from the big city" the old man stated as she let herself in "to what do I owe this pleasant visit?" Zoe smiled and waved.

"Just a quick control for your diagnosed disease. The same disease your son knows nothing about" she answered smartly "weren't you supposed tell him a while ago now?"

"I know, but it just never seemed the right time"

"There's never a right time for something like that" the Doc admitted, a hint of sadness in her voice "but promise me you'll tell him the next time you see him. You're slowly getting worse and you have to do something about it. And Wade should be informed." She touched his upper arm and looked at him right in the eyes with empathy.

"I will, I will" Earl promised.

"Ok, I'll come back in a few days with the results of your exams. You take care of telling Wade!"

With that Zoe left the house and went back home.

As she was approaching Wade's house she tried to watch through the windows for any sign of his neighbour's presence inside.
Wade, who was lying on the couch tired after a long day at the Rammer Jammer, heard noises coming from outside and glanced over the window of his living room just in time to see the Doc walking home. As he observed her more carefully he noticed she seemed to be looking right at his house. God why won't she leave me alone? he thought as he turned over so he couldn't see her.

"George! You're back! When did you get here?" She smiled as she pulled him into an awkward hug.
"Hey Zoe, wasn't expecting such a warm welcome " he grinned, thinking that maybe, maybe the right time for them had arrived "I arrived this morning, now I'm just passing by the Dixie Stop to buy some things then I'm head back to my houseboat to unpack"
"Great, I'm going to the Dixie Stop too"
"Then we can walk together" he proposed, unsure about where they stood in their relationship.
"Absolutely!" She squealed with joy "I'm glad you're back"
"Me too, Zoe" he patted her on the shoulder and they headed to the only shop in Bluebell.

Three days later Zoe went back to Earl's with the results: cirrhosis had reached an advanced stage which led to the impairment of liver function and there was next to nothing to do to repair it except maybe a liver transplant. The doc listed the few treatment options Earl had and when she mentioned the words transplant and Wade the old Kinsella shot her a look.

"I can't ask him that" he stared at his hands "I did this to myself. He's tried to help me many times, years ago, until he eventually gave up"

"I know but right now that is the best-" she froze when she heard the main door open. She slowly turned and cursed under her breath Damn. As expected, she saw Wade standing in the doorway, staring at her, then at his father, then back at her. He turned once again to the old man as he closed his fists.

"What's she doing here?"

"Haven't you told him yet?!" Zoe scolded Earl. Would Wade forgive them for having concealed the truth about his father's disease for so long?

"Haven't had the chance" he replied with a shrug.

"Tell me what?" the individual concerned asked.

"You've got to be kidding me" she shook her head, unbelievingly.

Wade grabbed Zoe's wrists, forcing her to look at him.

"Hey, what did he have to tell me?" She shivered. They stared at each other and she saw anger in his eyes, they were scary and she had the feeling he could have her burned with a look.

"Wade I can't-"

"I have cirrhosis" Earl interrupted her abruptly.

Wade looked at his father and Zoe swore she could see in his face the same expression of him as the little boy who had just learnt his mother was going to die. It was just like childhood all over again and Wade couldn't stand it, he couldn't bear that another time. So he ran. He got out of the house, made the few steps of the porch rapidly and ran away, into the woods, away from the only parent he had left, who was going to die just like his mom. He slowed down to a stop as he reached some rocks on the bank of a stream. He sat on one of the rocks, not really thinking at anything, just staring at the water flowing.
A few minutes later he heard footsteps coming from where he'd arrived. It was, as he expected, Zoe who had followed him apparently running because she had her heels in her hand and she was recovering her breath.

"So what now, he's gonna die, isn't he? Finally I don't have to sing him down the roof every first of the month" he snorted.

"We're gonna help him in every way we can" Zoe replied and he nodded. Then she added sweetly "But don't say those bad things, don't put up walls like you don't care about your dad. I know you, you're hurt and you don't really mean what you're saying"

"Well how can I open up if I don't know what's going on, how can I trust you?"

"You can still trust me just as I'm trying to trust you too" she admitted and when the thought of his cheating suddenly hit her, she felt her eyes fill with tears.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't want to hurt you..." he said as he understood she was thinking about the night he ruined everything good there was between them "I can't apologize enough, but I'm gonna try to make it up to you forever and I hope someday you'll be able to trust me again, but I still-"

"Please don't say..." She thought better of it as she sat next to him on the rock "just, we can have that conversation another day, we've got plenty of time for that and I'm not going anywhere" she smiled and he reciprocated. Zoe knew he was going to say he still loved her and Wade knew she knew.

"You're here to stay" he stated grinning.

"I am. Working in the hospital has made me realize New York isn't for me anymore"

They remained silent for a while, staring at the river flowing smoothly. Then Wade put a hand on her thigh and turned to face her, a serious and sad look on his face.

"You should have told me"

"I know and I wanted to" she apologized.

"But you didn't"

"That's because of the doctor-patient confidentiality"

"Yeah well we're in Bluebell. We don't need all that New Yorkers stuff" he retorted.

"It exists everywhere it's not just in New York" she huffed "god you're so infuriating" she snapped faking an angry voice. She was actually happy they were back to the teasing thing. It felt just like old times.

"Sorry Doc." He said smirking.

"Okay, I forgive you"

"I forgive you, too" he squeezed her thigh and she felt the heat emanating from his touch.

"And about that other thing, I forgot you a long time ago" he grinned. Hearing her say that was like a huge weight off his shoulders and he couldn't be happier.

"I appreciate it" he winked at her "and Doc, I missed you"

"Me too"

Their petty squabbles, Wade's smile and the peace of the countryside, it all felt like home to Zoe.

I'm no doctor so I only did some research about cirrhosis on the internet and if something's incorrect I'm sorry!