Hello everyone,
today it's something from the canon again. I've oriented myself a bit on the episode, I hope it's still understandable and not confusing.
I had fun writing it, so I hope you have fun reading it as well!

Chapter 7

"I'm sorry, Lemon, but you're going to have to come to the police station with me."

"Damn it!" Wade cursed as he heard the sheriff's voice through the wall. This couldn't be true. And he was sitting in the damn back room and couldn't do anything!

He turned into the room and ran a hand over his face. Zoe was sitting on the floor opposite him, a tablecloth wrapped around her.

"Maybe Lemon really did it. I mean, she needs the money for the Fancies and..."

Wade interrupted her, "Lemon doesn't want the money." It was maddening. Lemon had no motive and an alibi, and she couldn't tell the sheriff either of those things. "She didn't do it."

"How do you know?" asked Zoe.

A few hours before

Wade was the only one in the Rammer Jammer, everyone else was at the talent show. Wade was just about to leave the bar too. Zoe was probably already waiting for him. A smile unconsciously spread across his face at the thought of her. He closed the door behind him and turned around when he was torn out of his thoughts.

Lemon and George were walking down the street together. That in itself wasn't worrying, just that Lemon was supposed to be at the talent competition too, so something must be wrong. Wade immediately headed towards them.

"What's going on? Is something wrong?"

"It turns out that a competition like this is a bit more strenuous than I thought," Lemon replied with a sigh. "I've decided that watching is enough. I'm not going to take part."

Wade caught George's look and wondered how long it had taken him to convince Lemon not to take part.

"And where are you going?" Wade asked.

"It's break time." George explained. "We wanted to get out. Away from the noise and get some fresh air."

"Okay, then...bye." Wade left the sentence unfinished, not really knowing what else to say. Goerge put an arm around Lemon's shoulder and led her further down the street. "See you around," he said goodbye to Wade.

Wade watched them for a moment, slightly worried. He turned around and noticed Zoe walking towards him. She waved and then pointed at the Rammer Jammer. George was taking care of Lemon, so nothing was stopping Wade from taking care of his girl. With a grin, he walked towards Zoe.

"I know where Lemon was at the break." Wade replied to Zoe still sitting on the floor in a tablecloth.

He leaned his head closer to the ventilation shaft to hear what was happening.

George's voice sounded. "I'll request a break first. Lemon has the right to."

"All right." The sheriff replied. "Ten minutes. Then we'll go."

Wade put his head in his hands. That wasn't good at all. And the fact that he was stuck here and couldn't help it only made him more frustrated and slowly angry.

"If Lemon didn't do it, why didn't she say where she was?" Zoe continued to ask.

"Sometimes you don't want to tell everyone everything. There are secrets you want to keep." Wade replied with a little huff, "I thought you'd know about that, or why exactly are we sitting here again?"

"It's not that easy," Zoe defended herself.

"Well, it's not that easy with Lemon either." Wade shot back. He was worried. He could hardly deny it. Lemon wasn't well and instead of being able to rest, she now had to defend herself against the accusation that she had poisoned Shelby.

"Where was Lemon?" Zoe wanted to know quietly. She had a weird undertone to the question that made Wade raise his head and give Zoe a sharp look.

"I can't tell you. I just explained that."

"But I'm not everyone." Zoe contradicted indignantly.

"That's true. But it's up to Lemon who she tells what to. And you're not exactly the person she confides all her secrets to. Understandably so."

Zoe looked angry now, too. "Yeah, but you seem to be that person Lemon tells everything to. What is it between you two?"

"What do you mean?" asked Wade.

"I don't think you even notice. You've been talking about Lemon all the time lately. And now you're so worried about her. Lemon is an adult. If it wasn't her, it'll work itself out! And you're always talking to each other, and I have no idea what about because you're always avoiding my questions!"

Wade was speechless. "You can't be serious!" he said tonelessly.

"This morning you were standing with her too and you were laughing and ... I don't know! What are you always talking about?" Zoe asked almost desperately.

Earlier that day

Lemon stared at the cup of tea that Wade held out to her, so confused that Wade immediately had the feeling that his idea hadn't necessarily been a good one.

"Um...I can bring you water too. But I thought tea would be good?"

Lemon interrupted him. "Tea is fine. Thanks." She finally took the steaming cup from Wade's hands. "I was just wondering when we started having tea at the Rammer Jammer.

Wade rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Well, we don't normally. But after you were here last time and I couldn't offer you anything but water, I did a bit of research. They said tea would be good for... well, for you."

"You did that?"

Wade was about to complain that Lemon was so obviously surprised when she continued.

"That's sweet of you." She smiled before taking a sip and leaning against the counter a little.

"How are you feeling? Is it worse today?" Wade wanted to know.

"The nausea." Lemon nodded slightly. "Other than that, I don't have any problems. But you are obviously fine." she stated. "How long you two been back together?"

Wade frowned in confusion. "What? How did you come up with that?"

Lemon laughed briefly. "Come on, I'm not blind. You walk around whistling and barely manage not to grin all the time. And the only person who can put you in a state like that is Zoe Hart."

"Okay, you're right. For a few weeks now." Wade admitted in defeat. The grin Lemon had talked about inevitably appeared on his face. He hoped Zoe wouldn't be too upset if Wade told her that Lemon knew. It wasn't Wade's fault, after all, Lemon had found out herself.

"So Zoe convinced you?" Lemon continued to ask.

"With the help of my father." Wade agreed, "I'm still afraid of getting hurt. But I realize now that some things are worth the risk."

"Worth the risk..." Lemon murmured, looking extremely thoughtful for a moment, making Wade wonder what she was thinking about. Before he could ask, Lemon shook off the thought and smiled at Wade.

"I'm happy for you. When are you going to tell everyone?"

The grin on Wade's face faded a little at this question. Lemon noticed it directly and stated curtly, "Zoe doesn't want to tell."

"Well, she has good reasons for it..." Wade immediately defended her, although he wasn't exactly happy about Zoe's behavior himself.

"She'll change her mind for sure." Lemon said encouragingly.

Wade nodded. Lemon was right. He certainly didn't want to complain about the current situation. He was overjoyed to be with Zoe. Wade turned his focus back to Lemon.

"So when are you guys going to make it official?" he asked, looking meaningfully at Lemon's stomach.

Lemon dropped her head into her hands. "I don't even want to think about it. I guess we'll have to say it at the latest when there's a vote on Dash Blog about who the father is."

Wade laughed. In fact, it was a lot easier for him to understand why Lemon didn't want everyone to know yet, unlike with Zoe.

"Are you coming to the talent competition tonight?" Lemon changed the subject.

"My evening routine involves other activities." Wade replied with a grin, to which Lemon shook her head, looking amused at the same time.

"Annabeth and I want to take part."

"I thought you weren't feeling so well today?" Wade said, surprised.

"That's right. But I still want to come and take part. The whole thing will last maybe an hour. It'll be fine."

Wade wasn't so sure, but it was up to Lemon to decide. From across the room, Wanda waved frantically at him.

"I have to get back to it now." Wade apologized, "Have fun tonight!" With that, he took his leave to return to work.

"Zoe, I can't tell you." Wade said seriously, "But you can't possibly think there's anything there."

"I..." Zoe faltered, "you're right. I'm sorry. I guess I just don't like not knowing what's going on." Zoe mumbled meekly. "Now you're mad at me."

"I'm not." Wade disagreed; he wasn't angry. He couldn't really be angry with Zoe at all. He just hoped Zoe wouldn't act into anything. "I wish I could tell you, honestly. But it's Lemon's business."

"I understand that. I don't know what was going on with me. The situation isn't ideal..." she made a helpless gesture that included the back room and her 'clothes'.

"Well, I'd prefer the situation to be different too." Wade agreed and sighed "Zoe, why can't we go out there and say we're together? Sitting here is already driving us both crazy. I thought it would be different this time than last time. But right now, it feels pretty much the same. We're hiding and pretending like it's nothing."

Zoe bit her lower lip and chewed nervously. "If you think I'm ashamed of you, it's not like that."

"Then how?"

"I'm scared," Zoe confessed, her eyes fixed on the floor. "I know if we say it, everyone will talk down to me. They'll tell me exactly the things I sometimes wonder myself. Whether I should get involved. Whether I won't make the same mistake again. What if he cheats on you?" Zoe stopped short. "They'll tell me what I'm already afraid of. I don't want to hear that advice."

"Oh man," Wade muttered relieved to finally know the problem and still not very happy about it. "I thought you'd trust me."

"I do," Zoe interjected immediately. "But when everyone tells me it's a bad idea..."

"Then don't listen. In Bluebell, everyone has an opinion and some of those opinions are wrong. As long as we both believe it will work, as long as we know it's the right thing to do, everyone else can say what they want," Wade said firmly. Then he interrupted himself. "Zoe? Are you listening to me?"

"Wade, Lemon didn't do it..." Zoe whispered. Wade frowned; he'd been saying that all the time earlier.

"I know who did it." Zoe continued. And then, out of nowhere, she stood up and walked through the door into the middle of the crowded Rammer Jammer.

George didn't know what else to do. He handed Lemon the glass of water. She wasn't feeling well. She was tired and should really just lie down. But now she had to go to the police station.

"Lemon, please, let's just tell it. Just the sheriff. All the rest won't know." He tried to convince her one last time.

"That won't work. The sheriff would never keep this to himself," Lemon hissed back quietly.

They were sitting at one of the tables at the back of the Rammer Jammer. Everyone else present kept giving them curious glances. In a few minutes, however, the gathering would disperse when the sheriff left with Lemon.

And it would be that bad?" George asked quietly. "We won't be able to keep it a secret forever."

I realize that." Lemon replied, "But they'll ask questions. Questions about how it happened. If we'll raise it together. If we'll get back together. You know the people here. They won't hold back their curiosity. And I can't answer those questions right now. Not when I don't yet know what this is going to be. You only told me a few days ago that you wanted a second chance. I can't talk to the rest of the town about things I don't know yet and can't deal with either."

"Okay," nodded George. "We'll get it sorted out anyway." He said resolutely. It would just take longer. But he kept that to himself. Lemon could guess anyway.

The sheriff approached them. "We're leaving now."

Lemon stood up and George had to restrain himself from putting a hand on her back. Just as they took the first steps towards the door, the door to the back room of the Rammer Jammer was flung open. Zoe stormed out.

"Lemon didn't do it. She couldn't have done it. It was Rose"

People in the room gasped, which was probably only partly because of Zoe's statement, but also because of her clothes, which seemed to be made of a tablecloth. Zoe didn't seem to mind, because she explained her assumption unperturbed. Behind her, a Wade, also wrapped in a tablecloth, entered the room. Zoe finished her explanation.

"And by the way, Wade and I are a couple again. And yes, we're not wearing anything else. I have to go to the toilet now." With that, she turned and rushed through the door.

The sheriff slowly regained his composure. "Um... I guess the case is solved. You can all go home."

George turned to Lemon. "We managed it." He said. Lemon broke free from the stupor she had fallen into and hugged George abruptly. It took him a moment to understand the situation, then he gently returned Lemon's embrace. He knew that her relief was the only reason for it, but it didn't bother him in the slightest.

Over Lemon's shoulder, he met Lavon's gaze. His friend looked at him with a furrowed brow and immediately averted his eyes. George felt a biting guilty conscience. He had promised Lavon he wouldn't take advantage of the situation, no matter how little he liked that. George slowly released the embrace. He knew what he had to do.

Lemon was glad to finally be home. The day had ended up being much more exhausting than planned. George had just walked her home. Now she was sitting at the table with a tea in front of her and a blanket around her shoulders, George opposite her.

"You know, when you went on that cruise ship..." George faltered, and Lemon looked at him curiously. "I went after you to bring you back."

Lemon couldn't help but smile. It was exactly the kind of romantic gesture she had dreamed of earlier. But George was already continuing.

"Well, when I arrived, the ship had just left. But that's not really the point. I wasn't the only one. Lavon was there too. For the same reasons. Lavon still has feelings for you, too."

Lemon could no longer think. She felt dizzy. Vaguely aware that George was looking at her closely, but unable to say anything.

Lavon.

Feelings for her.