Can I Keep Him?

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.

So people have asked to add more onto this story, so I will. There is this chapter and one more.

Basically, I think what Jeremy is going through is what Zoe went through when she wanted to leave Bluebell and this is Zoe trying to not let Jeremy make the same mistakes.

All he wanted was to get his car fixed and leave.

It was supposed to take a day or at the most, two days. He didn't want to stay, he didn't want to meet these people and he certainly didn't want to see anything deeper than another small town full of crackpots.

But one day somehow managed to turn into two days and then three. His car was fixed, he was ready to go. Sure he had missed his interview but the company rescheduled for another, similar job. He was supposed to go home to New York, not take a two week holiday in Bluebell.

Those two weeks were his downfall.

He agreed to help Lavon organise the town barn dance for the Lewis' fiftieth wedding anniversary; he actually went to the barn dance. Rose was there. He asked her out; she shot him down. She wasn't interested in being an arrogant visitor's vacation romance. It soon became a game between them, full of banter and smirks.

For some reason Zoe and Wade traded glances when they saw this and muttered something about amateurs.

Lily drove him crazy; she was little sister he never wanted. But he soon came to realise that she was nothing like any little sister he had ever met. She had an alligator for a pet and climbed trees like a monkey. It was when she decided to climb to the highest point of the tallest and thinnest tree in her yard, did he see how much he actually had gotten care about her in just two weeks. He stood at the bottom of the tree, ordering her to get her feet on the ground this instant and when she suggested that she jump down, his heart nearly came out of his mouth. When she was finally on the ground, he had hugged her tightly, telling her to never do it again. Zoe and Wade had ran out of the house and he had proceeded to tell them everything; suggesting that that Lily should be kept on eye on at all time so she didn't give him a heart attack.

At the end of the two weeks, he had eaten at the Doc's nearly every night, staying till closing with Wade and Zoe. Lemon still scared him but her organisational skills were the best he's ever seen. Apparently, with a town this small, you couldn't seat certain people beside each other in case fists and food started flying. She knew who was allergic to what, who liked what and who shouldn't be served more than one glass of whiskey. She could probably run half the companies he had worked before. He may have stayed in the hotel but breakfast was always at Lavon's. He and Zoe had gotten close but as the day neared for him to return to New York, he could tell that she was waiting for him to do just the opposite. He blamed it in his stubborn streak; he didn't want to admit that he actually liked the town.

However, Lavon had given him the perfect excuse to stay; he had offered him a job. The same job he had offered the first day they met. Zoe's old house was up for rent as she had moved in with Wade years ago.

So he had a job and he had a place; that didn't mean he was staying exactly. It just meant he wasn't leaving right away. He had to save up money; living in California was expensive.

Two weeks turned into six months very quickly.

Once Rose had heard that he was "staying", she finally agreed on one date. That one date, turned into two and then three. Dates turned into days spent by each other side and goodnight kisses on the porch. Goodnight kisses turned into staying the night and eating breakfast the next morning. Staying over turned into practically moving in and Jeremy discovered there was a lot more to this small town girl then he had first thought.

She told him that she had gotten a scholarship to a college in Boston and there she had learnt that she hated living in a city. She had backpacked all around Europe one summer and still had friends from all over the world. She had taken the apprenticeship at the mechanics because cars and engines just clicked for her; she knew exactly what to do with them. Despite what he had first thought about her, Rose had seen a lot of the world and met many people; but she still decided there was no place for her but Bluebell.

Before Jeremy knew it; he had spent a year in Bluebell.

He had a stable job that paid good money and he and Rose were living together in his house. Friday nights were spent at Lavon's, watching football with popcorn and beer. Saturdays were for whatever event Jeremy and Lemon had organised and Sundays were days for church and bake sales for any causes in Bluebell.

But not once in the year could Jeremy say that it was predictable in Bluebell. The reason for this was that the people of the town certifiably crazy.

Mountains were out of molehills everyday and somebody somewhere was causing trouble. No, you could never say that that Bluebell was boring.

Babysitting Lily was another job that could defiantly not be described as boring. She had the most active imagination and so far, he had played the parts of pirates, kings, highway men and astronauts.

It was one Saturday evening, when Zoe and Wade were out of town for a quiet dinner-as quiet as those two could get- that Rose and Jeremy were walking down Main Street; Lily between them, swinging their joined hands back and forth. The sun had set and the street lights were on but there were still many people about. They stopped in the store to treat Lily to some sweets before they went home.

Rose and Lily were picking out their treats while Jeremy leaned against the counter and waited for them. Mr. Thompson, the store owner, was on the other side of the counter and frowned at Lily.

"Jeremy, my boy, why is that child covered in mud?"

Jeremy let out a sigh; Lily wasn't covered in mud, only her back was. "She was swinging on the tyre swing outside. She let go and managed to skid six feet through the mud," he said, looking at Mr Thompson.

The older man chuckled and he said, "Well, you better get used to that. It won't be long before your own scamps are getting covered in mud by that swing!"

He said it in such a casual way but alarm bells went off in Jeremy's head.

His kids. His kids on the tyre swing. In the front yard. In a Bluebell front yard. His kids in Bluebell. Rising kids in Bluebell.

He was still frozen when Rose and Lily came up to him. Jeremy snapped himself out of his thoughts and was all smiles, even though he was freaking out in his mind. It was only when they had dropped Lily off with Wade and Zoe and both he and Rose were in their own bed, did his thoughts come back.

What had happened to the plan? He was supposed to get the job in California and move there. He had been looking at apartments there and the club scene. Somehow this town had managed to grab onto him and hold him in place. Actually he knew exactly how.

Jeremy turned his head slightly and looked at Rose, curled up at his side, her breath lightly skimming across his chest. She was everything he never wanted in a girl. He had type and she didn't fit any of it. But, right there, in bed beside her, he realised that he didn't care; maybe it was a good thing.

But he had a plan! He had his future all thought out! Bluebell and the people in it certainly didn't factor into it.

He found Zoe sipping coffee at Lavon's kitchen island early the next morning. Jeremy had thought he would have the place to himself but when Zoe looked at him, her ready smile dropped.

"Oh crap!" she said, "It's happened."

He tried to put an innocent look on his face but she saw right through it. "You've 'decided' to go back to New York, right?" she asked and he nodded after a moment.

Zoe placed the cup firmly back on the counter before hopping off the stool. "You will listen to me," she said determinately, "I know that you think you have to stick to your old plan. I know that you are getting far too comfortable in a place that didn't fit that plan. But you know what? You don't fit the plan anymore."

Jeremy opened his mouth to protest but Zoe waved a hand and he closed it. "You are a different person now. You have friends that care about you, a little girl who adores you and a girlfriend who loves you. And if you leave, all of that will be gone. You will break hearts by leaving, including your own."

Jeremy just shook his head and stuck his hands into the pockets of his grey jumper. "No, I'll be fine Zoe!"

Zoe smiled at him; the same smile she gave him a year ago when he thought she was laughing at him. "You'll go back to New York and think it's the best decision you've ever made. But that night, you won't sleep. The noise from the city will be too loud. You'll get sick of the food because you've become used to the homemade things you get from Mr Thompson's store. Your apartment will be too small. You'll get tiered of clubs and bars because none of them are like the one here; full of friends."

Zoe titled her head and spoke again, in a quieter voice. "You'll miss the craziness here. You'll miss the friends you've made and the people you've reluctantly come to care about. But most of all? You'll miss the person that supposed to be lying beside you in your bed. Your heart will break every morning you wake up and roll over, only not to see them there. They won't hear that goodnight you say at the end of the day."

Jeremy's mind immediately went to Rose but Zoe kept talking. "Jeremy, I went through the same thing all those years ago and I nearly didn't come back here. Please, just don't go."

Jeremy let out a shaky breath but squared his shoulders. "I have made up my mind Zoe; and not you, or anyone else, is going to change it."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked out the door again, breakfast forgotten. Zoe sighed but called back behind her, "Did you hear all that?"

Wade came out from the other room and strolled over to his wife. "Yup; came through the front door just in time. Kind of scares me how you noticed me."

Zoe just grinned at him and Wade asked, "So...do you think he'll change his mind?"

Zoe pursed her lips in thought before saying, "No, not without a little prodding."

It was Wade's turn to grin at his wife as he said, "You're going to guilt trip him aren't you?"

Zoe nodded and replied, "Yup; he'll last two months in New York before he comes running back!"

"Two months?! Kind of slow there, don't you think Doc? What? You can't make it a month?"

Zoe had been watching Jeremy's retreating figure out the window but turned to face her husband. "Excuse me? You better not be doubting my guilt tripping skills?"

"Wanna bet?" he asked her, placing a hand on the counter beside her hip.

"Five bucks says he'll be home in a month," Zoe said smugly.

Wade's eyes danced from her lips to her eyes and Zoe titled her head at him. Even after all these years, he could still drive her crazy with just a few words.

"And what do I get if I win?"

Zoe lifted her arms up to wrap around his shoulders and she whispered, "Well, when I win-."

They were interrupted by Lily skidding into the kitchen and looking between the two of them. She wrinkled her nose and said, "The kitchen is not the place to be doing that. We eat in here."

Zoe laughed at her daughter, while Wade untangled himself from her to pick Lily up. Sometimes it was easy to think that Lily was a normal girl but then she opens her mouth and everyone remembers exactly who her parents are.

"It's a deal, Doc," Wade said, walking over to plant a kiss on his wife's mouth.

"Ya, Doc, it's a deal!" Lily chimed in. There was a pause and then she asked, "What are we talking about?"

"Nothing sweetheart," Zoe said to her, before looking back out the window at her old home.

Jeremy was now facing the exact same situation that she had found herself in nearly six years ago. Zoe had a good feeling that she knew what he was going through and she was going to rub it in his face until he realised his mistake. The first heartbreak that might cause him to stay was when the person he loves finds out...

-A few days later-

"What the hell?"

Jeremy froze, his hands hovering over the half packed box, when he heard Rose's voice. Slowly he turned to see her standing in the doorway of their bedroom, frowning at all the boxes and empty drawers.

"You're supposed to be at work," Jeremy said, half groaning to himself.

Rose raised her eyes to look at him and asked, "I decided to met you here for lunch...what is all this?"

Jeremy tried to form words, tried to help her understand what he was doing. But his brilliant Rose was already figuring it out.

"Oh my-what the..."

She was looking at him with tears in her eyes, and he took a few steps towards her. "You're leaving! You are actually going back to New York!"

He managed to nod and she ran her hands through her hair in frustration. "I am so sorry," he said, "But I have had a plan and...Bluebell wasn't supposed to be part of it."

Rose let out a bitter laugh and she said, "I knew it! I knew you were an arrogance snob and that's all there was to you! I knew it and I still fooled myself into thinking you were more!"

Jeremy felt as if someone had just punched him in the gut and he responded, "I love you! No matter what my plan is, I still love you more than I have ever loved anyone!"

"Oh really?" she said sadly, "Are you sure I wasn't just something to entertain yourself with while you were on vacation?"

Jeremy placed his hands on her forearms but she just shrugged them off. "I love you Rose. But I've wanted this job in California for so long and you will never move from Bluebell. I'm sorry."

Rose nodded her head and tears fell from her eyes again.

"We can still-."

"Shut up."

With that she turned on her heel and stormed from the house. Jeremy sighed and ran after her but Rose had quickly gotten into the car and driven off. Jeremy stood in the driveway, watching the woman he had just hurt leave. His chest felt tight, like he couldn't breathe and he felt like he was going to cry himself.

Zoe was standing on her porch, only having just seen Rose drive off and Jeremy run after her. She sighed sadly at the sight of her friend in such pain but she knew it had to be done. He needed to feel that loss so that he would fight to get it back, just like she did.

"Heartbreak number two might just break him..."

-Later that day-

Lily blinked at Jeremy, her head tilting to the side slightly.

Jeremy cleared his throat and waited. He was crouched down, eye level with Lily and had just told her that he was returning to New York. She hadn't said a word. Lily blinked again and finally asked,

"But you're coming back right?"

Jeremy sighed and said, "...No, Lily. I'm not. I am going back to New York and then I'm going to California. I am not coming back to Bluebell."

Lily blinked again as the news finally sank into her six year old mind. "But...but..."

Jeremy nearly gave up when he saw her little lip start to quiver and tears filling her eyes.

She sniffed hard and said in a sad voice, "But you said that I could keep you!"

Jeremy sighed, his throat dry and his heart once again hurting. He tried to reach out to her, to hug her but Lily shook her head and took off to her room, slamming the door as hard as she could.

Jeremy straightened up and looked behind him to see Zoe and Wade standing in their kitchen doorway.

"I, uh...I better go..." he said before dragging his feet to the doorway and exiting the house.

Wade sighed heavily. He hated seeing his little girl unhappy; it made him hollow inside. But he knew that she was like her mother and him, in that you had to give her a moment before going to comfort her.

So he turned to Zoe and said, "Are you sure this is the right way to go about things with Jeremy?"

Zoe whipped away a stray tear and nodded determinately. "When I was leaving Bluebell, I needed to someone to do this for me. I needed someone to show me exactly what I was leaving behind. I nearly didn't come back. I nearly lost you."

Wade placed a kiss to his wife's head and said softly, "But you didn't. And if you think that this is the best thing for Jeremy then I support you."

Zoe smiled her thanks before heading towards her daughter's room.

-A few days later-

Jeremy threw the last bag into his car before taking one last look at the house.

Rose had not returned to it since their fight and hadn't spoken to him either, despite his calls. He was going to miss her; miss the life he was going to have with her. But he had to give it up, because his plan was more important.

Wasn't it?

Hearing footsteps behind him, Jeremy turned to see Zoe walking towards him. Wade and Lavon had said goodbye over beers the night before while Lemon had nearly thrown a clipboard at him when he tried to say goodbye.

"Last chance," Zoe said when she reached him, "You can always unpack the car and grovel."

As if his pride would allow him to. "I'm good."

Zoe tried not to scoff and Jeremy replied, "I have to say though, you were right about the heartbreaks. Any more I need to know about?"

Zoe sighed and folded her arms. "Just one more...Goodbye Jeremy. You won't sleep well tonight."

Jeremy clenched his jaw and got into the car, shutting the door tightly. She didn't know the first thing about him, even after a year. He always slept well in New York.

Zoe walked up to her porch to see Wade standing there, hands in his pockets. "You and that kid are far too much alike," he commented and Zoe nodded, slipping her arms around his waist.

"Yes, that's why I know that he'll be back in a month. So get your money ready."

-A few hours later; New York-

"Yes, I just got back. That apartment is fine, I'll see you tomorrow." Jeremy hung up on his brother and tossed the phone on to the arm chair in his bed room.

He had just changed when his brother had called and now he wanted nothing more than to collapse into his newly made bed. He pulled the covers over himself and lay down with a sigh.

"Oh, it's been a long day. Goodnight."

Silence followed.

Jeremy opened his eyes slowly and looked over to his side; to the empty side. He felt the now familiar pang in his chest but he swallowed thickly and closed his eyes again. He was fine; he was ok.

His breathing started to even out and the sounds from outside the apartment gently filtered into the room. Jeremy seemed peacefully and at rest.

Then his eyes snapped open. There was too much noise; it was too cold and there was no Rose.

"Thanks a lot Zoe. Heartbreak number three."