Max buttoned up his plaid shirt and tucked it into his jeans before making his way over to their bed where Zoe was sleeping. "Zo?" Max called, shaking his girlfriend slightly. "Zoe, wake up."
Zoe groaned and turned over, opening her eyes and squinting as the light poured into the room. "What?"
Max's heart ached when he realised just how horrible Zoe sounded. "You know, I don't have to go out tonight. I can stay with you, we can watch films or something -"
"Go out, have fun. I'll be fine," Zoe croaked.
"Are you sure you're okay though?" Max asked, running his fingers through Zoe's hair.
Zoe sighed, pulling up his duvet to her chin. "I'm just feeling tired, don't worry about me," she protested. "You don't want to stay here all night; I'll probably end up making you sick! Go out and enjoy your night with everyone."
Max was still hesitant, but he agreed reluctantly when he heard Robyn yell from downstairs, 'Max, we're leaving, hurry up!"
About half an hour had passed and the staff from the ED, minus Zoe and unsurprisingly, Dylan too, were at their local pub.
Louise and Robyn both let out loud laughs as a drunken Lofty finished telling them about how he almost got arrested for jumping into a swimming pool naked when he was younger.
Max laughed half heartedly. How was he supposed to enjoy a night with the guys if Zoe wasn't there with him? The fact that Rita and Iain got to trade silent kisses and affectionate touches wasn't making the situation any better. If anything, it made him feel even more lonely.
He missed Zoe and wanted to make sure she was okay.
Before Lofty could start another one of his stories, Max slipped out of his bar stool and stood up, pulling a hand through his hair. "I think I'm gonna call Zoe," he mumbled, giving in to temptation.
He really didn't want to leave Zoe alone at their apartment, but he couldn't take the look that that his girlfriend gave him when she whispered how she didn't want Max to miss out because of her. One look at her guilt-filled expression and he felt his chest tighten - even after he had tried assuring his girlfriend that he didn't want to go out without her by his side.
He pulled out his iPhone from his pocket and called Zoe. The phone rang a couple times before Zoe's rough voice rang through his ears, momentarily calming the aching in his heart before he realised just how sick Zoe sounded.
"Max?" she croaked. "I though I told you to have a good time out with everyone? Why are you calling me?"
Max couldn't help the protectiveness that leaked into his tone. "I thought you said you were fine? You sound like shit, Zoe."
He heard Zoe laugh before she went into a coughing fit. She cleared his throat before she began to speak again. "I didn't want to worry you," she whispered, "I just wanted you to have a good time."
"Well now I'm worried," Max huffed.
"Don't be," Max could tell that Zoe was putting up an act. She was clearly suffering more than she was originally letting on. "I'm sure it's nothing, I'll be better in the morning."
Max shook his head and began jogging in the direction of the shared apartment. "Well I'm coming back anyway," Max replied breathlessly as the apartment came into view.
Knowing there was no way of getting Max to go back to the pub, Zoe sighed. "Please hurry," she whimpered, before she felt the familiar tugging in his stomach. She hung up after the words passed his lips and dropped his phone to the ground. She hurried to the bathroom before bending over the toilet bowl and vomiting. It came out with heaves and whimpers, burning her throat in the process.
This wasn't the first time she'd gotten stomach flu and by now she knew all the symptoms. She was a doctor after all. Her usual routine was the sore stomach, the vomiting which lead to a sore throat, then the hours of sleep that would wake her to a headache. Honestly, she felt like shit and didn't want to worry her boyfriend.
She spat into the toilet, before she wiped his mouth and crawled away from the vomit sluggishly. She heard his phone ringing from back in her bedroom, but by the time she had dragged his body as far the bathroom door, the call had gone to voicemail.
The vomiting had exhausted her frail body and the cold tile felt cooling on her heated cheek so she didn't bother moving from her position on the floor. Soon enough, the fatigue pulled over her and she passed out.
Max almost crashed into the front door as he fumbled to slide his key into the lock. He finally managed to unlock the door and he pushed it open with caution. Countless possibilities were running through his mind of why Zoe had hung up and failed to answer his second call.
She had sounded exhausted and the pleading in his last words had hurt Max's heart.
"Zoe?" No response.
He slid off his shirt, tossing it on the floor. After letting out a deep breath, he made his way upstairs towards the bedroom he shared with Zoe. He was about to call for Zoe again but his heart nearly fell out of his chest when he spotted the familiar head of dark hair lying on the floor.
He fought back a sob as he rushed to Zoe and crouched down next to her head. Max turned her onto her back, placing Zoe's head in his lap with shaking hands.
"Zoe? Zo, please wake up!" He pulled his fingers through Zoe's hair with a little more force than needed when he heard no response. "Zoe? God, no. Please. You're not dead, are you? Zoe!"
"Shhhhh," Zoe mumbled from beneath him. "Tired."
Max choked out a wet laugh, slapping himself mentally for over exaggerating. "Thought you were dead," he whispered, before sliding one arm behind Zoe's knees and another behind her neck.
He stood up and walked his girlfriend to bed, not taking his eyes off her for a second. Zoe nuzzled his nose to Max's shoulder in her sleep, murmuring quietly before she was placed down on the mattress. As soon as she came into contact with the bed, Zoe rolled over and made herself comfortable.
Max held back a laugh and he turned to leave the room to let Zoe rest, but Zoe's croaky voice stopped him. "Max?"
"Yeah?" Max spun around to face his girlfriend.
Zoe's cheeks were rosy and it was clear that she had a temperature. "Stay with me?"
Max didn't even have to think. Sure, he'd probably end up getting sick too, but he'd to anything for Zoe. Max lifted the duvet and slid into the bed. Zoe instantly nuzzled up to his chest and Max wrapped an arm protectively around her small frame.
"Much better," Zoe murmured tiredly. "I love you."
Max's heart swelled. He reached out to turn off the side lamp. Once they were in complete darkness, Max pulled the duvet over them and Zoe snuggled back into her boyfriend's protective hold. "I love you too."
At that moment, held so lovingly against a warm chest that belonged to the woman he loved more than anything, Max didn't care if he'd end up getting sick too. As long as Zoe was safe and he'd be able to care for her, he would be just fine.