A/N: Thanks to those who continue to leave reviews. I was going to make two chapters out of the previous one, leave it on a cliffhanger, and then in the next part, have Zoe go find Wade and say she loved him too. In the end, I just couldn't do it. I wanted the happy faster, for myself and for y'all ;)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 17

"Okay, you laughing right now is not altogether good for my ego or whatever."

To be fair to Zoe, she did look like she felt bad about the giggling when Wade told her that, but she didn't exactly stop right away.

"I'm sorry," she told him, curling her body tighter around his own, "but come on, you know I am not laughing at you, or what we did, or anything like that," she assured him. "I was just thinking how crazy this is. A good kind of crazy, absolutely good, but still. Sometimes, I just feel like I'm a million miles away from the life I had before."

"You think I don't feel that way, sometimes?" Wade checked, shifting over a little in the bed, so he could better see her face. "I mean, sure, you're the one who moved here from New York, found your real daddy, switched out your schoolin' and all, but believe me, sweetheart, I never saw myself ending up here. Practically runnin' a bar when I'm hardly legal to drink myself, livin' so close to a college when I don't even go here, and... and bein' with you," he said, staring wide-eyed at her and not knowing how to stop. "God knows, Zoe, I never in a million years coulda predicted my fallin' in love with anybody, and I sure as heck was not ready for you."

Wade wasn't sure when his voice got so soft, but that was okay, because Zoe didn't seem to mind at all. He didn't much like to see she was crying then, just one lone tear streaking down her cheek, but he was pretty damn sure there was no sadness to her mood. He would never know why girls cried when they were happy, but he was aware that they did, sometimes, even if it made not a lick of sense.

"You know, I didn't think things could get any better with us," she told him, just as soft. "When we decided to do this properly, to be a real couple, it changed things, but now... I just didn't know it could be like this. People always say it, that when you're in love it all feels different, special" she considered. "The way it was from the beginning with us, you know, with the sex," she said, almost seeming awkward about the word, in spite of where they were and what they had been doing not ten minutes before. "I don't know, I didn't think it could be any better, but it is. You are. Us, together, it's just... well, I'm too smart to believe that anything in the world can ever really be perfect, but we come damn close, Wade Kinsella," she told him, grinning so wide.

"You got that right, Zoe Wilkes," he told her, wiping that one tear from her cheek with his thumb and urging her closer until their lips met one more time.

"Hmm, not that I don't appreciate the idea of going again," she told him then, pulling back just a little, "but I really need to regroup here," she admitted, breathing harder than usual. "It's been a very intense night. Great, but intense."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he agreed, rolling onto his back, one arm behind his head and Zoe still curled up in his embrace, her head now pillowed on his chest. "At least now I know..."

"Now you know, what?" she asked, peering up at him.

Wade shook his head. "You're gonna think I am so dumb."

"Never," she promised. "Tell me. Please?"

"It's nothin' much worth the tellin'," he said, feeling foolish as he glanced down at her. "I just... well, when we stopped doin' all this, trust me, I was missin' you in my bed, that is the honest truth, but at the same time, you was all... You looked at me like I was really worth somethin'. I guess a part o' me - a big part, truth be told - just figured I'd lose all that, if we went back to this."

He almost hated to have to admit it, afraid of breaking this wonderful moment with her, this near-perfect spot that they had landed up in that felt so good. Wade realised he didn't have to fret when Zoe's smile quickly returned.

"Wade, I never wanted to go back to anything with you. I only want to move forward," she told him, honest as the day was long, he was sure on that. "See, now we have the best of everything. We know each other, we trust each other, and we love each other, plus as an added bonus, we have really amazing A-plus sex," she said with a look that proved she knew she learned that phrase from him and was damn proud of it too.

It made him smile and laugh and feel lighter than he had in a real long time. There was no way in hell he could resist kissing her breathless for being just the amazing woman that she was. The woman that he loved and couldn't ever stop loving, he was certain of that too.

"I'm going to have to call Harley later."

Wade was a little taken aback to hear Zoe say such a thing, given where they were and what they were on the road to doing again. Nobody ought to be mentioning their father at such a moment and the look on his face must have told her he thought so.

"I'm sorry," she said, literally face-palming. "Bad timing. Mentioning a parent in the bedroom, definite mood killer." She sighed. "I just... I have to thank him, for this. Well, not this, exactly," she clarified, making a face at the very idea, and Wade was sure he was doing much the same. "It's just that he called me, right when I just got back to my dorm, all confused over what happened at the restaurant. He got me to tell him what was wrong, which I did, and then... I don't know, it was just so obvious to me that I'd screwed up. I knew I loved you, Wade, I was just... scared, I guess? Harley made me see that there was nothing to really be afraid of. Without his call, I mean, I'd like to think this would've happened eventually, but I'm not sure I would've come to my senses tonight."

"Then I guess I owe Harley a beer." Wade grinned at her, only half-joking, as she ought to know. "Seriously though, he really did me a favour tonight, if he got you realisin' that you feel how you do."

"He did us both a favour," she said definitely, nodding her head. "I think he's going to be really happy to see us this Christmas."

"Not happier than old Earl. No, ma'am, nobody is gonna be happier than that crazy old man when he gets to see you again and hears that you and I got ourselves to the 'I love you' stage o' things."

"Aww, I like Earl," said Zoe, happily cuddly up to Wade once more. "He just wants you to be happy and settled and stuff. It's a parent thing. Well, for some parents. Pretty sure my mom would rather I was more like her."

"Havin' never met your mom, I don't wanna judge any," Wade told her, kissing the top of her head, "but if bein' like her would make you different to how you are, I vote no on that score. I love you just the way you are, Zoe Wilkes."

"Same here, Wade Kinsella," she said, looking a little sad as she stared up at him. "I'm sorry I didn't say that right away when you did."

"Forget about it," he told her. "I get it, besides we got where we were supposed to be in the end." Off the look on her face, he couldn't help but chuckle. "Believe it or not, I didn't actually mean in bed."

"I know," she assured him, "but just for the record, I'm not complaining about it."

She reached up and pulled his head down then until their lips met in one more searing kiss. This time, when he tried to press his luck just a little, she responded in equal measure, clearly having rallied from before. While the world outside started to wake up to a new day and go about its business, Zoe and Wade stayed hidden behind the curtains of his apartment windows, caring about nothing but making love with each other.

"Well, my goodness, that is one evening that certainly did not go according to the plan" said Lemon, her hand on her chest in dramatic fashion when Zoe was done telling her how things had happened with her and Wade. "But it does sound as if it ended in happily ever after."

"I don't know that I'd use the word 'ended' exactly," Zoe considered, moving the straw around in the top of her iced coffee. "I see what Wade and I have as more of a happy beginning," she said with a grin. "Either way, he makes me so stupidly happy, I can't hate it."

"Aww, well, I always knew Wade would make a good match someday and find his true happiness. He just needed to find the right fit," Lemon said definitely, taking a long elegant drink from her iced tea. "That young man has a heart of gold, I have always known as much, but he has had such a hard life, for the most part. The loss of his momma and his father's drinkin' and all."

"It has definitely not been an easy start for the guy." Zoe nodded in understanding. "But I guess we all had our hardships growing up. I'm not comparing my parental situation with Wade's, or with yours, but still, family is never easy."

"I certainly cannot argue with that," Lemon admitted, her sunny expression momentarily lost behind a cloud before the grin returned full-force. "But we don't have to think about such things right now. Far as I can tell, everythin' is just coming up roses for everybody, what with you finding your father and then in love with Wade, and of course, friends with myself and George Tucker," she said, preening just a little, in the way that Zoe had learned only Lemon Breeland could. "Also, we have the holidays coming up, and let me tell you, Bluebell does not go any less than all-out for such occasions as Christmas."

"I am really looking forward to going back for the break." Zoe smiled widely at the thought. "You know, yesterday, Harley was actually offering to buy a menorah so I could celebrate Hannukah? I seriously doubt you guys have those kinds of supplies in Bluebell."

"I think you may have a point." Lemon frowned at the thought. "But I am certain that if Harley has set his mind to such a thing, he will accomplish it. He's just that kind of man. It's one of a long list of fine attributes when it comes to Southern gentlemen, such as your daddy and mine."

"Speaking of Southern gentlemen and the upcoming holidays..." said Zoe then, sure she sounded as awkward as she looked. "I could really use a little help in that direction. You know, for gifts? I have absolutely no idea what to buy for Harley. Come to think of it, I have no idea what to buy for Wade either. I mean, guys are so hard to shop for anyway, but as much as I love the two of them, I have no clue what they would want for Christmas."

"Oh, sweet Zoe, I am sure I can more than help you with such a problem as that." Lemon grinned across at her. "Any excuse for a shopping spree, am I right?" she said, picking up her glass to take a long drink.

Zoe was relieved to see her friend so enthusiastic at the idea of shopping for the guys in her life. Frankly, it was bothering Zoe more than a little that she had zero ideas of what to get by way of gifts for both her father and her boyfriend. Somehow, she had a feeling the usual fancy things from the Upper East side of New York, that she might have bought for Ethan or for some guy she had dated in the past, simply wouldn't cut it with these Southern gentlemen, as Lemon called them.

Feeling her cell buzz in her pocket, Zoe immediately reached for it, smiling all the more when she saw an incoming message from Wade asking if he could see her later.

"I'll bet I know who that is," said Lemon knowingly.

Zoe was sure she blushed as she tapped out her reply to Wade, not daring to say a word to her friend, sure anything she did say would only be sappy or silly.

Lemon sighed. "I remember how it was with me and George in the beginning. Seems like such a long time ago now. Not that I'm not happy as we are, but it is going on six years now since we first got together."

"You guys were fifteen?" Zoe gasped, almost dropping her phone from the shock. "Wow. You must really be in love."

"Well, yes, of course we are, silly." Lemon giggled even as she rolled her eyes. "We are as in love as you and Wade, that's for sure. Now, this shopping trip you need to make..."

Zoe didn't really hear much more of what Lemon said, her mind whirring yet with the revelation that George and Lemon had been dating for six years already, despite only being twenty-one. They were in love, so she supposed it made sense that they were together for the long haul, but six years seemed such a long time for people so young. Zoe couldn't even imagine being with someone for that amount of time and still being so sure about the relationship.

Shaking her head, she did her best to focus as Lemon rambled on about possible days and times for their excursion to the nearest mall for Christmas gift shopping, but Zoe couldn't quite keep her mind from wandering. Six years from now, she had always thought she knew where she would be - out of medical school, looking to advance her knowledge in cardio-thoracics and become a surgeon just like her dad. The problem was, he wasn't her dad, he was just Ethan Hart, and now, Zoe wasn't quite so convinced that she wanted to follow so closely in his footsteps. Where she would be a half-dozen years on was not quite so clear as it used to be. Thinking about that was suddenly making Zoe more than a little nervous!

To Be Continued...