"Come on Zoe, it could be fun!" Zoe Hanna crossed her arms over her navy blue shirt and raised one eyebrow at Max, who was bouncing about like an excitable puppy. She rolled her eyes and stated, "Number one, Mr Walker, I absolutely refuse to get muddy. Number two, I don't sleep in a tent, I'm classy, I have standards! And number three," Zoe paused for dramatic effect, "I have my work Max, I can't just take off for the weekend. I'm needed here!" She gestured round at the hospital, and stamped her foot in her silver heels. Max just laughed playfully at her and shook his head. "What if I told you that I've already booked you time off, Dylan's going to cover your shifts." Max grabbed her hand and practically dragged her out of Holby ED's entrance. "Go and pack, I'm not taking no for an answer!" He suddenly kissed her, and for a few seconds they were just wrapped up in each other. Max pulled away and started to walk back to the hospital, "I have a shift to finish – I'll pick you up afterwards!"
Zoe smiled to herself as she walked to her car, that man just wouldn't give up!
"I'm coming in!" Max opened the door to Zoe's bedroom to find her surrounded by clothes, her dresses and underwear scattered all over the room. Zoe wore an exasperated expression as she yet again tried to stuff her pink t-shirt into the suitcase. Max waded through the clothes, and hugged Zoe from behind as she relaxed into him. "I can't pack." She admitted and looked up at him. Max grinned as he took a pair of Prada heels out of Zoe's suitcase. "Zoe…" He looked questioningly at her, "Why would you need to take these camping!" Zoe sighed as she took two other pairs of heels out of the suitcase, "Max, I want to look good, even if we are in a tent in the middle of nowhere!" Max rolled his eyes and then stared rather intensely at Zoe for a minute. "Zoe, you would look good in anything – even naked!" Zoe threw a pillow at him as Max turned around and rummaged through her wardrobe. He brought out an old checked t-shirt and Zoe pulled a face at it, "Max no, I don't even wear that anymore!" she protested. "Well then it's perfect!" Max declared, "It can get muddy and it doesn't matter!" Zoe gave in and helped Max to pack some more sensible clothes, giggling as he pulled out some old bras and put them on.
They got in the car and slammed the doors shut, as Zoe fiddled with the radio station, Max drove out of the street. They sung loudly and freely as the travelled down some twisty country lanes. After what seemed like an eternity of travelling, they pulled up at a campsite. Once they had got everything out of the car, Max pulled out the tent, "Lets get this up!" He said excitedly as he pulled several poles out of the bag.
After trying for almost an hour, Zoe sat down on the grass and pursed her lips, "Max there's no way that we're going to get this up!" she exclaimed as Max carried on resolutely, determined not to let a piece of canvas get the better of him. "Hang on Zo – nearly there!" He said, pushing a pole through the canvas sheet. "Yes!" He shouted, "We did it!" He smiled at the tent whilst lifting it up and putting it up. He unzipped the tent and walked round to where Zoe was sitting. "Come on you, up!" He pulled her up and looked into her eyes. Suddenly he lifted her up, and carried her bridal-style to the tent, and fell into it, and they landed in a tangle of limbs. "Ow, Maaax!" Zoe rubbed her head and then got her own back by jumping on top of him, laughing loudly.
Max and Zoe sat in their tent, preparing to go to sleep, and unpacking their stuff. Max looked up at Zoe, and in the glow of the tent, noticed how the colour of her eyes contrasted with the colour of her skin, and how the curve of her waist ended at the perfect place, and how when she frowned in concentration, she poked her tongue out. "You are so beautiful Zoe." Max said as Zoe looked up. She seemed almost taken aback, here she was, in an old flannel shirt, with no makeup on, and Max thought she was beautiful. Max saw her hesitation, reached out and put his hand on her cheek. "I absolutely mean it Zo, you are perfect and I don't know what I would do without you." Zoe's eyes filled with tears as she listened to him. "Max I-." She started again, "Max I love you so very much, you care so much about me, you make me feel like a princess, thankyou for loving me." She let a tear fall down her cheek and in that moment Max could see her vulnerability. He pulled her close to him so that they were lying down, with his head on her chest, and put his hand on her waist. Zoe took a deep breath and moved upwards to kiss him, and he kissed her back with as much gentleness as he could muster. Zoe moved back down and relaxed into Max, as she fell asleep to the sound of the rain tapping on the tent, Max stroked her hair and couldn't believe how lucky he was to have her.