A/N: I know y'all would probably rather have an update on Summers in Bluebell than a new story (or maybe you wouldn't, I don't really know! lol) but this was a seed of an idea that I jotted down a while back and have more recently been developing. I think I know where I want to go and what I want to do now, and I was craving to write some adult Zade. (The kids in 'Summers' are great, but I need me some grown-ups to write too!). So, would love to know what you think of this beginning :)

Disclaimer: All recognisable characters and any recognisable dialogue from Hart of Dixie belong to Leila Gerstein and other folks who aren't me.

Chapter 1

Lavon Hayes was on his way out to feed Burt Reynolds when he thought he heard a noise. Tilting his head, he listened for it again and sure enough, there it was. If he didn't know better, he would think there was a cat hollering somewhere, or maybe it was some other furry creature that had got itself stuck under the porch or some such. He really hoped whatever it was hadn't gone by Burt Reynolds when he was hungry.

Taking a look around, it come as a real surprise when Lavon realised the strange crying sound was coming from a shady little spot under a bush close by the back door. What he found there when he looked closer was no cat nor possum or any such creature.

"No. No, no, no," he intoned as he dropped the bucket containing his alligator's lunch down onto the ground, removed his gloves, and stooped to pick up the baby seat instead. "Aw, hell, no," he said at the sight of the child inside, clearly just now beginning to wake and feeling the need to cry about something. "Ssh, now. Ain't no need for tears, little one," he said, gently as he could.

Lavon turned a full circle, looking around for anyone who might have left the baby on his doorstep. Of course, there was nobody there, he hadn't really expected there to be, but it was worth a shot.

"Okay then," he said after a minute. "I guess you're coming inside, kid, at least for now."

The child seemed to have settled again by the time Lavon got the seat parked up on the kitchen counter. Peering in at the baby, the mayor thought he was probably dealing with a boy, since he was wearing a blue onesie. Not that it always meant anything, but folks around Bluebell did tend to be more the traditionalist kind.

"You a little man, huh, bubba?" he said, staring in at the child. "Well, either way, we need to look into finding out who your folks are, because one thing is for sure, Lavon Hayes ain't your daddy," he said, grinning some.

The baby fussed a little and then reached out to Lavon with one tiny hand.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, sir," he joked, shaking the baby's hand with one finger and a thumb. "Well, you're cute, I'll give you that much."

The cute went away a moment later when the kid stopped smiling and started fussing, then all out crying again.

"No, no, no," said Lavon, panicking just a little. "Okay, okay. Uh, I got this," he tried to tell himself, releasing the straps and lifting the baby from the seat, hoping more than believing he was holding him right as he attempted to soothe him.

It was some comfort to him that he wasn't dealing with a newborn, though it did make it all the more strange to have found the kid right there on his doorstep. Lavon was not so great at judging the ages of children, but this little one was more likely a few months old than a few days, he reckoned.

"Come on now," he said to the child, bouncing him in his arms and rubbing his back.

After a few moments, the crying stopped and Lavon grinned.

"Huh. I really do got this."

"Hey, Lavon. Could I borrow your... baby?"

Zoe shook her head when she realised what she just said, and what she was seeing. She just came over to borrow Lavon's car and now here he was, standing in the kitchen, with a baby in his arms. That was maybe the last thing she had been expecting.

"Lavon?" she said, edging closer. "Who is this?"

"Search me, Z," he told her, shaking his head. "I mean, he's cute as a button and apparently thinks I'm his new teddy bear," he explained, hugging the child close, "but I ain't a clue where he came from. Can you believe somebody left him outside my door?"

"What? That's insane!" Zoe gasped. "Who does that?"

"Somebody desperate, I'm guessing, not knowing where else to turn, thought maybe the mayor's doorstep was a safe place to leave their child?" Lavon mused.

"Well, yeah, I guess," said Zoe, "but wouldn't the church or even a doctor's office make more sense? I'm not saying you're not a great mayor, Lavon, but this is a little strange. Was there not even a note or anything?" she checked, poking around the baby seat to see if she could find anything.

"I don't know, I only found him five minutes before you walked in."

"A-ha!" said Zoe, having located a pocket on the back of the seat and produced a plastic folder from there.

She pulled out a couple of pieces of paper and began reading from the top sheet.

"'I can't believe I'm doing this but I just don't have a choice. I guess I never was cut out to be a mother and now I have the chance to really make something of my life, I have to take it. Please understand and take care of him. CS.' You know anybody named CS?" she asked Lavon.

"Nobody that's comin' instantly to mind," Lavon considered. "What else you got there?"

Zoe looked at the next piece of paper and smiled.

"Ah, now we're getting somewhere. Birth certificate," she declared. "Okay, so baby's name is John-Thomas Smith. Double-barrelled first names, how... Bluebellian," she said, rolling her eyes. "Okay, mother's name, Carrie-Sue Smith. Well, that explains CS," she said thoughtfully before reading on. "Father's name-"

"Hope you're prepared to get your ass kicked at Wii Tennis, Lavon, because I am so ready for this!" said Wade as he burst in through the door, a six pack in his hand.

He stared wide-eyed at Lavon with the baby in his arms and Zoe in turn stared at him.

"What in the hell is goin' on in here?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Um, Wade?" said Zoe carefully. "You might wanna sit down."

"You feelin' okay, doc?" he checked, tilting his head as he stared at her. "You look a little... weird."

"And you're about to feel a little weird," she countered, pushing him down onto a stool, then putting the baby's birth certificate into his hand. "Father's name," she said, pointing at the correct part of the paper.

"What are you...?" Wade began to ask before his eyes found the words she was wanting him to see. "No way!"

"Way," Zoe countered, turning to look at Lavon. "Father's name, Wade Kinsella," she confirmed before looking at Wade again. "Congratulations?"

To Be Continued...