This is a (longish) one shot written with Harriet1806. Enjoy!

It had been 11 hours and 46 minutes since Zoe and Max started to repair their relationship with a kiss outside the pub (where most of the big moments of their relationship happened). This was all going over and over in Zoe's head on her way to work, because she couldn't believe after a month of heartbreak and the day from hell yesterday that Max had managed to put a smile on her face. Though she knew deep down they still had to talk about their relationship, he'd kissed her and told her everything would be okay.

"Doctor Hanna, I need to talk to you. Now!" A man shouted to Zoe, which made her snap out of day dreaming about her and Max.

"Hello, can I help you? Zoe replied with a frown.

"You don't remember me, do you? I'm just another widow that you people forget about."

"...I'm sorry if I have forgotten who you are. Perhaps you could remind me?"

"You're not sorry, but for the record I'm Anne's husband. The women who died yesterday after you gave up trying to save her."

"Like I've told you, I am sorry, but let me reassure you that I never give up on my patients unless there's nothing more I can do. Your wife had a missive bleed on the brain from the car crash, there was nothing any of us could have done." Zoe offered, whilst putting a hands on the man's shoulder

"Don't touch me!" The man snapped, brushing Zoe off his shoulder and walking away, mumbling, "You're gone regret what you did, Dr. Hanna."

Zoe stared after him, worried. She usually brushed such things off, but the look this man had just given her made her feel uncomfortable. A moment later a hand on her shoulder made her jump, and she spun around to find Max behind her.

"Sorry. I, ah…got you a coffee." Max held it out to Zoe before frowning when he noted the expression on her face. "Is everything okay?"

Zoe forced a smile to her face. "Fine. Thank you for the coffee, just what I needed."

Max smiled back, but his eyes still studied hers. "Well… I better get to work. You don't want me to start on what the bosses in this hospital are like." Zoe rolled her eyes and gave a genuine smile as she watched Max walk away. When he disappeared from view, she let out a long sigh.

The day then went along the usual path for Zoe- she would save lives, but also she would lose some. She always tried not to think about the ones she lost, as it made her feel too sad. When Max used to live with her, that was never a issue because he always had something in mind to make her forget about her hard day at work, whether it was in the bedroom or a romantic evening out. Since being back by herself, all she did was think about the people she had lost when she got home.

Zoe walked out of resus after losing another patient when a familiar face came up to her.

"Hey Zo, you did all you could there, he was already gone before he arrived," Max said with one of the reassuring looks he always gave Zoe.

"I know," Zoe told him whilst trying to hold back the tears forming in her eyes.

"Right, tonight I'm coming to the flat and we can have a takeaway and watch a film," Max said whilst smiling at Zoe.

"Max, you don't have too. I know you have better things to do than spend time with me."

"No, I don't Zoe. I want to, and after last night and us kissing again, I think we should spend some more time together."

"Okay then, on one condition," Zoe told him with a cheeky look on her face.

"Name it," Max stated.

"We have pizza and chocolate ice cream."

"Deal! I'll meet you outside at 8:15."

"It's a date," Zoe said before trying to cover it up, hoping Max didn't hear.

"Yes, it's a date Dr Hanna," Max said whilst walking away with a massive smile on his face and the look of love in his eyes.

Zoe barely saw Max for the next few hours, but by ten past 8, she'd wrapped up all her work and was fixing her make up in the bathroom when Robyn entered. The nurse gave her a look and then walked into a stall. Zoe took a deep breath, assessed herself in the mirror and then walked out to meet Max.

Max looked down at his watch nervously and then up at the doorway just as Zoe walked through. He offered her a wide smile. "Can I drive?"

"No." Zoe smiled back.

"Worth a try. How did the rest of your shift go?" Max asked as he fell into step behind her, hands pushed deeply into his pockets.

"Tiring."

"Well I have just the thing. Here, I got you this." Max held out a bag to her.

"Max, you-"

"Just open it, Zoe." Max cut her off softly.

She opened the bag and reached into it, a smile appearing as she realised what it was. "Seriously?"

"It's warm, because you always get cold, it's comfortable, so it's comforting when you've had a bad day… and I happen to think you will look perfect in it."

With a widening smile, Zoe pulled a onesie out of the bag.

"Thank you, Max," Zoe said before kissing his cheek.

The two of them drove back to the flat, but they spent the journey listening to the radio. Once they got the apartments and made their way inside, there was one thing on Max's mind.

"Right, let's order some food," Max said.

"Is that all you ever think about?"

"I have a fast metabolism, Zoe. You should know this by now!"

Zoe and max placed their order for pizza, and 15 minutes later it had arrived at the flat door. During the time they had been waiting for it, they got everything ready for the film night together. Tonight's film was 'The Bodyguard'. They both loved this film, even though they both broke down in tears at the end when Whitney Houston performed 'I will always love you'. They sat there during the 2 hour film cuddled up in each other's arms and eating pizza. When the film finished and they stopped crying, they both sat up wearily.

'"Well I better get going, thanks for a lovely evening, Zoe.'"

'"Please Max, don't go tonight. It's late, you should stay."

"You make a good point." Max smiled. "okay, I'll stay here tonight and I'll sleep on the sofa."

"Okay, I'll go and get you the spare bedding from the other room," Zoe offered.

"Thanks, Zo."

Zoe brought Max the spare bedding before saying goodnight to him. She made her way into the bedroom, and deep down she wanted Max to be in this room instead of the one next door, but this was the closest she felt to him since the wedding. Like everyday since they broke up, Zoe fell asleep dreaming of her and Max together, living the life they dreamed of before she pressed the panic button.

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

Zoe quickly turned over and switched off her alarm. 7:30am. Time to get up for work. Instead of going into the bathroom she made a detour today and instead went into the living room to see if Max was okay and awake, but once she got in there to her surprise Max had gone. Disappointment quickly hit her before her eye caught sight of a piece of paper. Zoe walked over to the paper and on it was written Zoe.

'Morning. So, if you're reading this you're awake and you have seen that I am gone. Sorry I couldn't stay till you woke up, I had to start work early. I forgot I said I would cover for Scott this morning, as his it's his sons first birthday and he wanted to be there when he woke up. I really enjoyed last night. See you in our usually spot later. Have a great day, love Max :) xxx'

Knowing that Max had gone to help someone put a smile on her face, as that's the kind of man she had married- a kindhearted man who would do anything for anyone.

Zoe got dressed at a leisurely pace, still able to smell Max around the house. She made herself coffee with a smile on her face and then headed to the hospital still unable to stop smiling. That was until her car broke down a few blocks from work.

Typical, Zoe thought to herself as she looked up at the ominous clouds above her car. With a sigh, she reached into the back seat for her umbrella, but instead her hand fell on Max's forgotten hoodie. Smiling again, she drew it close and breathed him in before pulling it over her shoulders and slipping on the hood.

Zoe was a 2 blocks away from the hospital, impatiently trying to get through to her mechanic when an unfamiliar voice called out to her. When she turned and saw the man who had cornered her yesterday. Zoe felt panic begin to rise within her. "I'm sorry sir, but I can't discuss this here. I'm late for work."

"Typical." He sneered at her. "No thought for the patient that might be dying and in need of your help."

"I really need to get to work. If you have a complaint about my work, I'm sure reception staff can direct you to the person you need to talk to."

As the man continued to follow her, she quickened her pace and dialled the only number she could currently remember. Max's.

As it connected and Max said her name, the man grabbed Zoe's arm and pulled her stumbling into an alley.

"Shut it bitch," the man said whilst he had his hand over Zoe mouth to stop her from screaming.

Unknown to the man, Max was on the other end of the phone that Zoe had now dropped out of her hand and onto the floor. Max could hear Zoe screaming and he started to panic as he repeated her name. He started to quickly think about what he could do, and then while keeping Zoe on the phone, he quickly used his find my phone app on his iPhone. He and Zoe used to use it to track each other down when they were going out. It quickly showed Max that Zoe was about 5 minutes walk away from the hospital, and he began to run through the ED. He needed to get to Zoe. When he got to reception, he quickly told Noel to ring the police and get them to meet him at church road. As Noel nodded and dialled their direct number, he watched with a frown as Max ran from the department.

Max ran as fast as he could to church road, and when he got to the alley, a quick glance told him there were two people. He knew his next moves had to be slow and thought through, because they weren't, Zoe or himself could get hurt.

Max tried to take a deep, calmimg breath, but his heart was racing as he took a few steps into the alley.

Unfortunately the man noticed him straight away. "Who the hell are you? You work at the hospital, don't you?"

When max nodded, the man sneered. Zoe's knees were shaking and she was sure her legs wouldn't hold her up for much longer.

"Come looking for her, have you? Want to play the hero?"

"Actually, I was looking for her to give her divorce paper."

The man glanced at him sideways. "You're married to her?"

"Unfortunately." Max replied, his heart feeling as though it was in his throat as he tried to sound bored.

"You know what she did to my wife?" The man asked, his grip loosening on Zoe. He wondered now if this guy might do the deed and he could pretend he walked up on them. He could play the hero.

"No, what did she do?"

"This cow let my wife die. She didn't even put up a fight to save her, she let her and me down."

Max quickly realised his current technique would get the man more worked up, so quickly changed tack. "Well, she did that to me too on our wedding day. She broke my heart to the point I never thought it could be healed again, but over the past few months I have learnt that you can forgive people. It's hard but everyone deserves a second chance," max said to the Man whilst giving short glances to Zoe who looked scared as anything in the corner.

"But she took that second chance away from me, why should I allow her one?" then man said whilst pulling the knife out of his coat pocket.

"Because I know deep down Dr Hanna did everything she could have for your wife. You need to think of what your wife would think of you now- If she could see you standing here with that knife in your hand ready to attack someone. Would she be happy and proud of you or you she be shocked and upset?" Max asked, continuing to glance anxiously at both Zoe and the alley exit.

"You rang the police! You have been playing me all the time! You're in this with her."

"I had to, I can't see you hurt her. Even after everything she has done I love her and I told her I would protect her against anything."

While max was speaking, he trident to look at the police who were slowly approaching behind the man. Suddenly, they lunged forward and struggled with him, fighting to get the knife out of his hand as Zoe raced to Max's arms.

"It's okay. You're safe now, sweetheart." Max whispered into her ear, holding her tightly. They stood that way, in the middle of the police cars and the alley for a long time until one finally appeared to talk to Zoe.

"We are going to need you to come down to the station and make a statement."

"No." Zoe replied, gripping tighter to max as though he might leave.

"Can you take one at the hospital? I want her to get checked over." Max offered. When the officer nodded, Max whispered to Zoe again, "Come on. I'm not going anywhere." He released her from his hug but still kept one arm around her. As Zoe gripped his other hand in both of hers, he guided her towards the hospital, both oblivious to the stares of their colleagues.

A few hours had passed now and within this time Zoe and Max had given their statement to the police about what had happened, and were now sat in Zoe office with a sweet cup of tea in their hands, closed off from the world as they had the door locked and the blinds down.

"Why do people always say tea is good for shock and good in a emergency?" Max asked Zoe to break the silence in the room. She'd yet to speak directly to him, and he was relieved when she replied.

"I think it's because us Brits can't do anything without a cup of tea."

"Very true, Dr Hanna" Max replied as he put a hand gently on Zoe's leg.

In an instant, Zoe had buried her face into his shirt, tears falling loudly.

"Hey, come on don't cry, it's ok."

"Why not? It's all my fault it happened! I should have tried harder to save his wife's life."

"It's not your fault Zoe. You can't blame yourself. She was already gone before you could do anything, you just got caught up in a bad situation and he needed someone to blame."

"If you didn't come to find me Max, things could have been very different."

"Well I did come and get you, like I said on the day I married you. I will always protect you from any harm."

"Yeah well I'm not your responsibility anymore Max" Zoe said, wiping her eyes as she stood up, "I will sign the divorce papers and let you go. I just want you to be happy, and for you to be happy I have to let you move on. Now it's my turn to have a broken heart like I broke yours making that stupid mistake."

"Zoe, please. I don't want that at all. The day I asked you for the divorce I was still angry with you for what your did and I had Robyn telling me all the time I needed to move on. So I asked you for the divorce, but since that moment I have been falling in love with you all over again. That's is why I haven't pushed for the divorce. Zoe, I still love you."

"Max, don't please. You deserve better than me."

"No, Zoe you deserve better than me. What do I have to give a gorgeous, intelligent and sexy women like you? An old car that has seen better days, less than 500 pounds to my name and a job where I push ill people around all day?"

"I never cared about all of that Max! You're the kindest, funniest and sexist man I have ever been with. You made me a better person, you showed me that I could relax and let people in and you also took me for who I am and not something else. But I ruined all of that. My one chance to finally be happy in my life and I ruined it."

"Zoe, we can still be happy." Max told Zoe, gently wiping a tear away from her eye before kissing her as deeply and perfectly as he used to.

When they parted, Zoe gave a teary smile. "You really mean it? You're not just saying it because of what happened today?"

Max tucked hair behind Zoe's ear and the used his thumb to wipe away the remaining tears on her cheeks. "Today just made me realise how much you mean to me. Yes,it's going to be hard, and at one point or another i will probably end up being a complete jealous prick, but I need you in my life, Zoe. Forever."

After a moments hesitation, Zoe pulled max close for another kiss.

Pushing her against the desk, max began to drop gentle, tickling kisses to the bruises that were beginning to form on her, and every time his lips pressed to the bruised skin on her neck he'd utter, "i love you."

Soon Zoe was pressed against the door of the office. The room was locked and the blinds were shut, and Zoe's dress was pulled up around her thighs as her husband entered her for the first time in weeks.

Zoe had been terrified that their first time would make her remember matt or make max think of what she'd done, but instead all she could think of was max and all he could focus on was Zoe moaning his name in his ear as her fingernails dug into his back.

Half an hour later they exited the office, Zoe running a hand through her hair. "Well this has been an interesting day."