"Dr Hanna?" Mac called down the corridor that Zoe was half way down. She instantly recognised the Welsh accent and turned around, wondering what patient it was that could need her. "I was wondering if I could have a quick word." Mac told her as he caught up.
"Is it that woman in cubicle 4?" Zoe asked.
"What?" He asked, momentarily confused. "Oh, no it's not, it's a personal thing." Mac continued, noting that Zoe's expression became one of confusion.
"Erm, okay, I need to get a coffee but I'll be in my office for an hour or so after that so you can come up then." Zoe replied, still not quite knowing where this conversation was going but quietly curious at the same time.

With coffee in hand, Zoe Hanna made her way upstairs in the direction of her office, in the time she'd stayed downstairs she'd managed to make a reservation at the sushi restaurant that she liked in town for herself and Max. Having forgotten her earlier conversation with Mac, she jumped slightly as a knock on the door awoke her from her thoughts.
"Come in." She called, instantly remembering earlier as Mac appeared at the door. "So what is this about?" Zoe asked as she beckoned Mac in and towards the chair in front of her desk.
"It's probably not any of my business, but I've spoken to Max too." She looked blankly at him as he began talking, but she was getting slightly worried as to where this conversation was going. "I overheard your conversation with him earlier about your date night."
"Oh, I'm sorry. It was a conversation that should have been behind closed doors." She started, hoping that that would be the end of the conversation that they were having.
"That's not what I mean. I've had a chat with Max about wooing a lady and how bowling isn't something that a woman like you would want to be spending an evening doing."
"Thank you." Zoe spoke, grateful that someone had explained what a proper date night should be like to Max, however she sensed that this wasn't Mac's point.
"I was thinking though, despite what I said to Max, maybe you need to learn to compromise."
"What?" Zoe asked, slightly shocked at where the health care assistant was taking the conversation.
"From my somewhat limited knowledge of relationships I know that love and successful relationships are all about compromise, so while you might not enjoy a night bowling, young Max would. Maybe you need to start doing what he likes to do as well as him doing what you want to do." Zoe stared at him in shock, deep down she knew he was right but she couldn't quite comprehend the fact that this was all coming out of the mouth of Big Mac.
"Erm..." Zoe began, slightly at a loss with what to say. Fortunately she didn't have to say anything else as his pager bleeped into life and Mac excused himself. Zoe sat back in her chair, working out what she should do about the night and her control over her relationship with Max. Maybe it was time to even things up a little.

"Are you ready to go?" Zoe asked as she appeared in reception, only to find Max already standing there. She half wondered if he'd actually done anything that shift, anytime she'd seen him he'd been standing around and Big Mac had moved the patient that she'd asked Max to move.
"Yeah, are you sure raw fish is what you want to go with?" Max asked, intertwining his own hand with hers and leading her out of the department and towards Zoe's car.
"If you want to, I have a surprise though first." She told him, reaching slightly to kiss him before she got into the car.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" Max asked as Zoe pulled out of the hospital grounds and turned the opposite way to the town centre, which was home to her favourite restaurants.
"If I did that then it wouldn't be a surprise would it?" Zoe pointed out.
"You make a good point." Max replied and pushed it no further as he saw how happy Zoe looked, no matter where they were going he'd be happy with if it made Zoe happy.
"Have you had a good day?" Zoe asked, wanting to know if Max would bring up his conversation with Mac.
"It was okay, all the better now that I'm with you." Max replied, placing a hand on his partners leg as she drove.
"You see me through the day." Zoe pointed out.
"That's the other you, the stressed and professional Zoe and as much as I love her, I love the Zoe who's relaxed and run when it's just the two of us a lot more." Zoe looked over at him briefly, he radiated love for her and that's how she knew that she was doing the right thing. This was about doing what Max wanted, not what she wanted.

"We're here." Zoe stated as she pulled up in a practically empty car park.
"I don't know a lot about restaurants in Holby Zo, but I'm pretty sure they do not usually choose what looks like an old warehouse as a place to set up their business." He told her as they both got out of the car. In seconds Zoe was round by his side and had taken his hand.
"I'm sure you're right, we aren't at a restaurant Max. We're at a bowling alley, it was pointed out to me earlier that perhaps I had too much control over our relationship and that successful relationships were built on compromise. Tonight you wanted to go bowling so we are going bowling." She told her partner, a smile creeping onto her face as she saw how happy Max was.
"What about your shoes though?" Max asked playfully.
"Well that was a hard one." She began, setting Max off into a fit of laughter. "When I rang up to book a lane I checked their policy on shoes, they said that trainers are okay and then I decided if I can wear trainers in the gym than I can wear them to go bowling." Zoe told him, as he took a step closer and wrapped his arms around her waist and then leaned down to kiss her.
"I love you, you know."
"You better." Zoe replied, smiling as she pulled back and reached for Max's hand, leading him towards the entrance to the bowling alley.