Zoe Hanna had always known she was attractive; olive skin, dark glossy skin and a figure most women would kill for. She had no trouble pulling men either, she liked to think of it as a skill, one look and she could have a man falling at her feet. She didn't do relationships though, she had many 'flings' and affairs but only two 'serious' relationships; one of which she thought would be the one that stuck.
Zoe had several relationships since working at Holby City. One was a horrible mistake, the other two she considered serious, only one of which, however, she felt would have a future. And after all of those were said and done, a younger man – several years her junior – who knew the meaning on no strings attached. No, Zoe Hanna did not do relationships.
She met Sean, Dr Anderson, in a bar. Three weeks before she was due to start her new job in Holby City. She met his eyes from the other side of the bar, he stood with his friends, she with hers. It didn't take him long to approach her; offering to buy her a drink. Zoe never turned down a free drink, one glass of wine turned into two and two turned into two bottles, shared by Sean and her. By the time they were suitably drunk their friends had left. He was straight with her from the start; he was married, two kids and fancied Zoe a lot. As the bell rang for last orders they were kissing, Zoe didn't give a second thought to his wife – if she couldn't keep him happy it was her loss. They moved on to a night club, downing Vodka's and shots of anything the bartenders provided. Zoe hadn't spent a penny, she knew she had Sean hooked, and it was time to reel him in. As four in the morning came Zoe was definitely pissed "Let's go back to mine" she whispered to Sean, trailing her teeth over his ear lobe and running her hand across his crotch. "I know you want me" she beckoned him with her finger, waggling her hips as she walked towards the taxi rank hoping he would follow, she hoped he didn't feel guilty now after all he hadn't spared his wife a second thought all night. As he dragged her into the alley and took her against the wall she knew he didn't feel guilty, she had him. Hook, line and sinker. By the time Zoe started her new job she and Sean were meeting every single day, it was just sex and they both knew it but Dr Anderson was addictive. The openly flirted when he visited the ED, had sex in his office at least twice a week, or – after she became clinical lead – in hers too. He bought her expensive jewellery, clothing and perfume. He took her to Florence for a dirty weekend and to see the opera, Zoe gave him everything he wanted, and in return he treated her like a queen. In total their affair lasted six months, Zoe had no intention of ending it, not until they day Sean revealed himself to be married to her best friend, Jessica – who had, funnily enough – also failed to mention her marriage to the most senior orthopaedic consultant in the hospital. Zoe was angry, of course. She felt a little guilty that it had been Jessica whose husband she had been sleeping with, who bought gifts for her instead of his wife. In truth she was upset, Sean was everything she wanted; he spoiled her, was excellent in bed and as a bonus there was no commitment – he was her perfect guy. The day she had to reveal their affair in court was the first tine Zoe felt truly guilty, they had hooked up three days previous, in a posh hotel, there was a white gold bracelet waiting for Zoe when she arrived – his way of apology for not telling Jessica. She didn't want to hurt Jessica but it was that or she destroyed another doctor's career; neither of which seemed appealing. When she saw the look of disdain Jessica gave her Zoe decided she should stick to unmarried men from now on; not that that had improved her love life in the slightest.
Many casual flings and one night stands followed Sean, some as good in bed as him; some better. None of them had the money to spoil her the way she wanted though, there were no posh hotels, gifts or trips away. Zoe knew she was being shallow but she couldn't help compare each and every one of them to Sean and not one of them measured up.
Her boss, Nick had been next. He was better looking that Sean, had more money and best of all; was single. They had been flirting for weeks before Zoe made her move. She knew the day he walked into resus for the first time that she wanted him; his authoritative voice and persona turned her on. Zoe would have Nick Jordan and nothing was going to stop her. Shareece had put her love life on hold a little, not that she minded; she loved her but her grandparents could offer her a lot more stability than she could. When she went to live with her grandparents Zoe through herself back into work and she flirted with Nick Jordan every step of the way. She could feel his eyes watching her as she walked away; she deliberately wiggled her bum, putting on a show for him. Everything with Nick Jordan became a performance; she teased him, chatted up other men in front of him and wound him up to no end. The day he admitted to needing her help was the day she made her move. She waited for forty minutes in his office making her way slowly through a bottle of wine, leaving a glass to offer him when he arrived. She asked him if his intentions "were business or pleasure?" and as soon as he kissed her she knew the answer. He was an excellent kisser, the sex was fantastic and he took her out as often as he could. He left her gifts in her locker; earrings, shoes, a new dress and many invitations to dinner. Everyone knew Nick and Zoe had a thing; their flirtation was obvious. No one said anything not even when they heard their trysts in his office, the store cupboard or against the lockers in the staff room. Zoe had Nick Jordan like a love sick puppy. He was taking her to Rome the day their fling ended – his seizure freaked her out, she couldn't look after someone not someone who had lied to her about having a brain tumour. She felt betrayed, lost and back to square one, she was falling for Nick- as much as she hated to admit it. When he left Zoe decided not to sleep with her superiors; they were too complicated.
Zoe's rule about her superiors lasted roughly seventeen weeks. When Matt Strong left her a Valentine's card she was surprised. He didn't seem like the type to do valentine's cards. He was well brought up, had an excellent job and Zoe couldn't understand why he wanted her. The first time she kissed him she felt sparks fly; she would have Matt Strong following her around like an obedient pet by lunch time. Their relationship progressed; he was kind to her, treated her like a lady and didn't sleep with her on the first date. He took her to Paris, told her he loved her and she convinced herself she loved him too. When he proposed to her she knew things weren't right – she couldn't spend her life Matt Strong. She had ruined her relationship – her first chance a serious relationship and she ruined it. She ruined her chance at love and happiness because she loved a man who left and never looked back. Zoe decided she didn't do serious.
Nick came back though, better looking than ever, ready to sweep Zoe off her feet again. The (second) first kiss was the most passionate kiss Zoe had ever had; she knew she was in love with Nick Jordan. She didn't have to work hard to get him addicted; she didn't have to work at it all. Nick Jordan was already in love with her. He took her on romantic dates, left her personal presents - her favourite flowers or chocolates, things that she liked – he left her notes in her office telling her he loved her, he even asked her to move in with him. Not many people saw the personal, tender side of Nick Jordan but Zoe loved it. They were very much in love, everyone could see it – the way they looked at each other, the tender kissed at the nurse's station. Zoe's heart dropped when Nick told Zoe he wanted kids. She couldn't lose him, lying about the fertility drugs would give her a chance. They had plenty of sex; it shouldn't be too hard to get pregnant. She couldn't do it though, the months came and went and every month the test was negative. Zoe knew it would ruin their relationship but she couldn't stop lying now. He thought she was pregnant, he proposed and she agreed. Then the blackout came, he found the fertility drugs and she told the truth. It was her chance to ruin their relationship now; she screamed in front of the entire ED that she loved him but she got nothing in return. A horrible pain came over her abdomen that night, her first night without Nick. She moved slowly towards the bathroom as the blood flowed between her legs. She was having a miscarriage. She phoned Nick again and again but he ignored her calls. Eventually she phoned an ambulance, she didn't know she was carrying Nick's baby, even for that tiny amount of time. He rushed to her side as the wheeled her in they cried together for their baby, for their relationship. They came to an understanding, they would always love each other but their relationship was officially over – for good. Eventually he moved on, another relationship that ended in tragedy. Then he left for good, walked out of Zoe's life and left her with the ED – that was the best gift he had ever given her. She missed him of course but she decided that strings weren't for her.
Zoe moved on, again. Her fourth defined relationship with a member of the Holby City staff. He was younger than her, she was his boss. He wasn't rich and couldn't spoil her like Nick, Matt and Sean but he made her happy. He didn't want a serious relationship, they had good sex and there were no complicating factors between them. Max, a porter was what made Zoe happy; if the other three could see her now they would have laughed, he was definitely a step in the opposite direction but that didn't bother her.
Zoe had everything she wanted; an excellent job, nice house and sex as and when required.
Zoe didn't need strings.
Zoe didn't do relationships.
She was contented.