What leads to Home.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

1.

She manages to get a beautiful apartment in Manhattan with two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a spacious living room. Zoe knew she was incredibly lucky to get it and took a moment after her furniture had been delivered, to stand in the living room, reviling in her success.

She was back in New York, she had the fellowship and she was well on her way to getting the life she wanted before she even knew a town called Bluebell even existed. With her hands on her hips and a wide smile on her face, Zoe looked out of her window at the city skyline as the sun shone in the sky.

But, the smile slipped slightly after a few moments, when nagging thoughts entered her brain.

It was small. The apartment was small.

Not by New York standards but by Bluebell standards.

Just a week ago, she a large, two storey house, with a porch and a lake, for crying out loud! Now she just had this apartment with no water features. She was actually missing that rickety old house, even if it was falling down around her.

She sits down on her plastic covered couch in defeat and catches sight of her wooden bookcase. Wade had made it himself for her birthday and the wood had intricate designs set into it. It had suited her house in the small town perfectly but in New York, it looked out of place.

Yet she loved it and there was nothing else like it in the world...just like Bluebell.

Zoe shook her head and quickly started to unpack, trying to take her mind off the town and its people.

-Bluebell-

Wade stopped his car right outside his house, shutting down the engine and climbing out. Slamming the door shut behind him, he caught sight of Lavon standing outside Zoe's house...Zoe's old house. Wade sighed, a familiar pang hitting his chest and he quickly made his way to the mayor.

"Hey Lavon," he said, causing the other man to turn to him, "What are ya standing out here for?"

Lavon cleared his throat and replied, "Well I was thinking of doing something with the house, maybe redecorating it or something."

"Why?" Wade said, "Its fine the way the Doc had it."

Lavon sighed and replied after a pause, "But she's not coming back, is she? And this house is just a reminder of that."

Wade clenched his jaw and Lavon said, "You need to accept that just like everyone else in this town. Trust me, even I haven't exactly accepted it either."

Wade chuckled and replied, "Can you believe she actually got everyone in this town to like her? I swear, the day she left, I saw at least half the town crying their eyes out."

Lavon grinned and nodded. "Ya, I think Zoe surprised all of us. It's because she finally let herself be part of the community. Do you remember when she organised that huge barbecue to raise money for the Carlson family when they were getting kicked out of their house?"

Wade did remember. Despite the rocky start, Zoe had become part of Bluebell, a pillar of the community like Brick or George. And now she was gone, on the other side of the country.

"But you know young Rose sneaks out here now and again, just to sit on the porch," Lavon said.

Wade turned to the lake, watching the setting sunlight dance across the water. "I see her sometimes. Doc was the first person Rose ever really talked to about her problems...and now she's back in New York."

Lavon nodded and asked, "True. But now that I think about it, you wouldn't happen to know how that Fredrick Dean kid got his hair shaved off right after he cheated on Rose, would you?"

Wade swallowed a grin and just shrugged. Lavon nodded at his unconvincing act and replied, "Well, I suppose Zoe wasn't much help when he got that rash on that bald head of his, either. Lavon Hayes may not be a doctor but he knows that the best medicine isn't usually making remarks about cheating basters getting their dues."

Wade, remembering the events clearly, nodded again. Lavon sighed and, after turning towards the house again, he said, "How can a place that's felt normal without her before, feel so empty after she left?"

Wade didn't trust himself to answer. The hole that Zoe had left in Bluebell could be felt everywhere; in the empty house, in the bare doctor's office, in the spare seat in Lavon's kitchen at breakfast.

He just wanted to drown his sorrows in beer and guitar chords, and forgot all about big eyes, tiny shorts and a smile that was totally infectious.