A/N: Thank you, one and all, for the reviews on the previous chapter, and now here we are at the final one! What a long strange trip it's been, huh? And I know, it seems like I have a lot to deal with in this final chapter, but it all did come together in the end and I like how it turned out. That said, I never say never when it comes to sequels or other stories in the same 'verse, so it's highly likely this will not be the last you see of JT and these versions of the canon characters ;) In the meantime, here's the final chapter of this particular story - enjoy! :)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 37

"You said you had something to say, Jesse," Wade reminded him, with no small amount of frustration in his tone. "You all but begged for ten minutes of my time and thanks to Zoe's better nature, you got it, so say what needs to be said and get to goin'."

They were outside of the Rammer Jammer, Jesse stood stock still while Wade paced up and down some, hands on his hips. He did not want to be having this conversation, today of all days, but like he just said, Zoe wanted him to at least hear his brother out, so that's what he was doing, or he would, if Jesse ever actually spoke again.

"I, uh... I owe you an apology, Wade," he admitted eventually, free hand rubbing the back of his neck. "In fact, I think I prob'ly owe you quite a few, truth be told."

Wade felt his own eyes widen at that statement. Jesse did plenty wrong in his time, but nothing he couldn't be forgiven for as such, not if he was truly sorry. The thing of it always was, he never did seem to care that he hurt anyone, never was altogether worried that he might.

"You're sorry?" he said, checking he heard right. "For what, exactly?"

"You want the list alphabetically or chronologically?" asked Jesse with a hint of a smirk that soon faded when he seemed to realise his brother found no part of this even slightly amusing. "C'mon, Wade, you know for what," he insisted. "You have a good long list in your head of things I've done wrong, the worst of which was skipping out on you and Dad the way I did. I don't think it really hit me, how much I screwed up with this family," he continued, moving to put the large gift down on the nearby table and perching himself on the edge beside it, "not until the new Dr Wilkes gave it to me hot and strong. You know, she really loves you and that kid of yours? The old man too, I reckon."

"I know that." Wade nodded. "Zoe's like nobody else in the world, and believe me, I know how lucky I am to have her."

"I wish you felt as lucky to have me for a brother, but I know now why you don't." Jesse sighed, running a hand over his face. "I get it, Wade. I really do, and you gotta believe that I am truly sorry for... well, everything that I did to make your life tougher than it had to be. You know, when we lost momma..."

"Don't," said Wade sharply. "Do not try to tell me how things were back then. I know you got a few years on me, but trust me, I remember everything just fine without your help."

"You never seemed to need me for much of anything, you know?" Jesse smirked. "You were a skinny little kid, a real momma's boy, to the point where I was actually jealous sometimes, but you were tough when it counted. You did better at dealin' with Dad and his drinkin' than I ever did. You were the man of our family, Wade, while I just... I bolted the first chance I got."

"You weren't always so bad," Wade admitted, toeing the ground with his boot. "For the record, I never hated you or anythin' like that. You just... When we needed you, you weren't there, Jess, and it was like you didn't even care. All you wanted to do was go out there and do your own thing, then come back to town just long enough for everyone to tell you how gosh darn great you were before skippin' on out again," he said crossly. "You cannot tell me you didn't know you were doin' that."

"I knew," Jesse admitted, shaking his head. "I just... I don't know, Wade, I don't have any excuses except, that was my way of dealing, I guess. Old Earl had his bottle, I had my time with the forces, and my degree, and all. I took myself away from the place where the pain lived and only came back long enough to enjoy the good times. Never hung around long enough to let reality set in. Then suddenly reality is a real family again," he said, smiling widely. "I come back and find my little brother is all grown up with a son and an amazing girlfriend, who is way more than her looks, by the way. I find out my dad finally kicked the liquor habit because you gave him something real to fight for. I wasn't a part of any of that and... it hurt."

Wade wasn't sure what he was supposed to say to that, not any of it. Somewhere between Zoe yelling at him for being an idiot and today, Jesse seemed to have had some kind of revelation. Instead of finding God like some folks did, he seemed to have found, what? His conscience? His family that he thought was destroyed? Maybe both, as far as Wade could tell, though he still wasn't sure how to respond to any of it yet.

"Why the gift?" he said instead, nodding towards the package parked next to his brother on the table. "How'd you even know it was JT's birthday? I never told you."

"Earl," said Jesse, shrugging his shoulders. "You know we keep in touch. All he talks about when I call is his grandbaby, well, mostly. A lot of the time he's talking you up too, going on and on about you and that 'pretty lady doctor'," he said in his best Earl voice that made Wade laugh in spite of himself.

"He does love Zoe."

"He loves you, Wade," said Jesse seriously. "You're the son he deserves, not me. Sure, I got my medals and my qualifications and all, but what's any of that matter, when all's said and done? You're the one he's proud of, and you deserve it too. You're the one that momma..."

Something audibly caught in Jesse's throat and he turned his face away. Though once upon a time, Wade might've accused him of faking, using their mother's memory against him, he didn't think that way right now. He couldn't, not in the face of all this.

"Momma loved the bones o' both of us," he said definitely. "She never played favourites. I don't think it ever would occur to her to wanna. You can be sorry, Jess, I'll take that apology," he said then, hand on his brother's shoulder until he looked at him again, "but don't go making yourself the devil to my angel or anythin' like that. Neither one of us is perfect and you know it."

"Thanks, Wade," Jesse said, finding him a smile then. "You know, I get that we'll prob'ly never be brothers like we used to be, but I'd like to at least be friends again, you know? No more fightin', for everybody's sake."

Wade slowly nodded. "Yeah, I guess that would be the best way to go about it," he agreed, holding out his free hand to Jesse.

His brother took a hold of that hand and shook it, then suddenly he pulled Wade forward and hugged him briefly, slapping him on the back.

"Come on, now," said Wade, clearing his throat as they parted. "Don't you go gettin' all soft on me, Jesse Kinsella. Ain't no way to go on," he said, smirking a little as he turned back towards the Rammer Jammer. "Now, if you wanna come to this party, get your butt in here and bring that big ol' gift along with you. You wanna be a part of this family again, I'll bet Zoe has a hundred and one things she can find for you to do here, so get to it already."

He didn't need to look to know that Jesse was smiling as he pushed away from the table, picked up JT's gift and followed him inside.

"This has to be the best party ever thrown for a child in the whole history of the world!" said Earl with real enthusiasm, his arm around Zoe's shoulders. "You are a wonder, pretty doctor."

"Oh, it was nothing," she told him, waving away his compliments, choosing not to notice that Wade and Lavon were both looking wide-eyed at her for that remark. "What?"

"Absolutely nothing, doc."

"Not a thing, Big Z."

They both waved their hands and pleaded the fifth, but Zoe knew very well what they were getting at. Maybe she had gone a little overboard with JT's first birthday party, but she couldn't say she regretted it. He was the best kid and he deserved the very best birthday. From what she could see of him right now, being happily bounced on her Uncle Brando's knee, he was having a pretty good time.

Truth be told, everybody seemed to be enjoying the festivities. All the local kids were playing together, all the adults were mingling, eating and drinking, and dancing too. Zoe smiled watching Lemon convince Lavon to go dance with her, while George and Tansy canoodled in another corner, and Earl went over to sit by Brando, telling everyone proudly that JT was his grandson.

Out of everybody around, Zoe wasn't sure she could find one person that wasn't smiling, except maybe the guy closest to her.

"You okay?" she asked Wade as he sighed.

"Sure," he told her, shaking his head slightly. "Any reason why I shouldn't be?"

"Just one," said Zoe with a look, tilting her head in the direction of his older brother.

Jesse was getting along just fine with the other denizens of good old Bluebell, but Zoe knew very well how strained things had been between the Kinsella boys for too long. Wade said they had an understanding now, but Zoe wasn't entirely convinced all those years of hurt could be brushed away as easy as that.

"Like I told you already, we're figuring things out," Wade insisted, his arm around Zoe's shoulders as he kissed her temple. "It's gonna take a while, but I do believe he means it this time when he says he wants to try harder. That's not nothin'."

"No, it's not," she agreed, smiling up at him. "Hey, what would you say if I said maybe I was thinking of encouraging Jesse to dance with AB?" she suggested then, hoping that wasn't going to be a problem.

She was very glad when Wade looked between his brother and friend a moment then smiled all the wider.

"It's not your worst plan, doc," he agreed. "You know, I got a notion that might not be a bad match at all."

Zoe grinned too. "I'm so good!" she said happily, moving to walk away, only for Wade to grab a hold of her arm and pull her gently back.

"Hey, hold on a minute there," he insisted, clearly not realising she was meaning to go immediately to her matchmaking task. "I, uh... I think we need to talk about some stuff."

"Right now?" she asked, a little bemused by the idea of a serious talk here in the middle of a birthday party.

"Yes, right now," Wade insisted, eyes flitting around the room as if he was checking no-one was paying attention, before he pulled on Zoe's hand. "Come on, please," he said, encouraging her to follow him to the office.

"Wade, we really shouldn't just leave the party," she protested, but he seemed to be determined.

That was because he was feeling particularly adamant about his decision. Wade wasn't much for serious in days gone by, but where Zoe was concerned, he couldn't entirely help himself.

"Now," he said, closing the office door behind them and turning to face her. "There's not much I'd count as more important than my own son's birthday, but damn it, Zoe, this is just... What Lemon said before, or almost said," he reminded her, "about you being JT's momma-"

"Wade, it's okay," she cut in before he could go any further. "She just wasn't thinking and it's not like I was offended at all," she promised, "but the fact is that I'm not his mom and... and I can't ever be."

He almost believed she looked sorry about that, though it could've been wishful thinking. Wade didn't doubt that Zoe cared about him. She said she loved him and JT both and he never had a mind to say he didn't believe her, but sometimes, there was just a feeling he got, like he shouldn't bank on this being forever. Lord knows, he wanted it to be, but his luck had just never been this good before.

"Well," he said after a while, one hand rubbing the back of his neck, "I was thinkin', if he started to call you 'momma' or whatever, I don't exactly plan on tryin' to stop him," he said uncertainly, "you know, unless you'd want me to?"

It wasn't often Zoe was lost for words, but she seemed to be right then. Wade watched her struggle to speak, swallowing hard and blinking like crazy. She was grinning even as she shook her head, sending a tear streaking down her cheek. Next thing he knew, Zoe was throwing her arms around him and kissing him like it was going out of style.

"Alright then." Wade sighed with relief when they parted, hardly knowing how much this all mattered to him until now. "Uh, while I got you here like this," he said, one arm holding Zoe close still while his other hand strayed to his pocket. "I know it's JT's birthday and all, but I kinda got something for you too, a gift. Now, I figured it's a little soon to be getting altogether serious in the jewellery store," he went on, presenting her with a box they both knew was too big for a ring, "but this is... well, I thought maybe you'd like it," he said, urging her to take the gift already.

Zoe's hands seemed to be shaking as she prised the lid up and stared in at the gold, heart-shaped locket that lay inside. Wade watched her pick it out with one hand, placing the box on the table and opening up the locket to see what was inside. There she saw a picture of himself and one of JT.

"Wade, I don't..." she began, seemingly at a loss. "What does this...?"

"Means whatever you want it to mean, doc," he promised her softly, "but to me, it means... well, it means us, the three of us, together always."

A little sound almost like giddy laughter escaped her lips and then she was hugging and kissing him some more, which Wade didn't mind at all.

"It's gorgeous and perfect," she insisted. "I love it, and I love you, Wade, so much."

He promised he loved her too as he kissed her back, then took her necklace and carefully fastened it around her neck for her. Nothing ever looked so right on a person, as far as Wade was concerned.

"It's funny," said Zoe then, turning back around to face him, "I actually have a gift for you too."

Wade tilted his head as he stared down at her. "The kind I have to wait until later for?"

"No." Zoe rolled her eyes, before considering. "Well, maybe that too, but no," she insisted, digging in her purse a moment before placing a small item in his palm - it was a key. "It's to the carriage house," she explained, before he could ask. "I talked to Lavon and he's fine with it. I was just thinking, there's not enough room at the gatehouse for even you and JT anymore, and we're together so much any way, I thought, well, why don't we all just live together at the bigger place?"

Wade thought he was the one to shock and overwhelm Zoe with his talk of forever and the locket to symbolise that commitment, at least, for now. She had more than paid back the favour with her own gift and it must've showed on his face from the way she was staring at him, almost worried apparently that she had done wrong. That was certainly not the case at all.

"You are one hell of a woman, Zoe Wilkes," he told her then, practically lifting her off of the ground as he hugged and kissed her. "I ever tell you that?" he asked her then, pushing her hair back from her face.

"I think that you did," she said, giggling like the woman in love that she certainly seemed to be.

"Hello?" said a voice then, accompanied by a tapping on the door. "I'm sorry," said Annabeth as she appeared with JT in her arms. "Somebody wants their daddy," she said, handing over the little boy who looked just a little less happy than when they left the party.

"Hey now, what's up with you, bubba?" asked Wade, bouncing his son in his arms. "You gettin' all tired and cranky?"

"I think he just missed us," said Zoe, making a fuss of the little boy too. "Thanks, AB," she called to her friend just as she slipped away. "Hey, be careful with that, little man," she told JT then as he reached for her locket. "This is a very special gift from Daddy."

"Yeah, and we got our own special gift from Zoe, and I guess kind of Uncle Lavon too," Wade considered. "You and me are goin' up in the world, JT. Movin' into the carriage house. Yes, sir."

JT made happy sounds and clapped his hands before reaching more pointedly for Zoe. She lifted him from Wade's arms into her own with a bit of a groan.

"You're getting so big, baby boy," she told him. "One whole year old, huh? You're growing up so fast."

"He's not the only one around here who is," Wade noted. "I sure as heck needed to though, I get that now. Somewhere between the two of you showing up, I guess it went ahead and happened," he said with a smile, "and I can't think of two people I'd rather grow up for."

The End