Set when Zoe and Max are sort of broken up. after Dylan sees them at the boat. First time writing Casualty in about 2 years, be gentle with me!
Zoe/Max are my favourite combination since Ruth/Jay. There are some similarities there!
Switching writing styles around slightly on each paragraph as you can see, just working out what works! Italics are flashbacks, the first chapters more about just laying foundations for the characters, the story will gather a pace soon enough!
Review and tell me your thoughts, always appreciated! Hope everyones had an awesome xmas! X
Zoe POV
Max had just walked away from the boat, I didn't know what I wanted to do, did I want to chase him, tell him that I did care, that I wasn't with Dylan? Would it even make a difference at the moment? Did I want this all getting out?
I suddenly heard a sound, and wheeled around, forgetting for a moment that Dylan had even been standing there
"Him?" Dylan had asked, biting his lip and looking totally surprised. by Zoe's standards even, this was a shock, especially as it wasn't just anybody, but the young, immature porter. Not exactly the person to follow in the footsteps of Nick Jordan
"its not" I started, then I decided to be honest. I was always honest with Dylan, even if he did judge me, he would still stand up for me "actually it is".
Ihe stared at the sky, wondering how what started as a fling turned into something so complicated. My love life was always complicated which was why I was trying to stop that happening. Nick was complicated, Sean was complicated. I didnt want complicated, I didnt want feelings. But now I had feeling, and I had only just seen the depth of Max's.
"How" Dylan said, looking at me,clearly confused
"We just..got talking" I explained. Even I didnt know. All I knew is Max was the first guy to actually care about her, the first guy to actually put her first.
With Max I didnt feel like she needed to chase him, make decisions for him. He was a breath of fresh air, almost like a legal high, he actually made me feel better whenever Connie gave me a dressing down, whenever a patient died he was there, fag in hand and cheeky grin spread across his face.
Max went to the pub, and straight away made his way to the bar, no hellos, he just needed whiskey and he needed it right away
"three straight whiskeys, no ice" he spoke quietly, he didnt want to draw attention to himself, the situation, or the emotional mess that this woman had made him. He never was like this over girls. He had a few girlfriends in uni but he got bored of them. Bored of the petty dramas, the narccism, bored of it all. Zoe made him feel alive, she was a match for him.
He got his drinks, watching as Charlie and Ash looked on, a little concerned. He gave them a small smile, and then they carried on their conversation.
He took shot after shot, he just wanted to feel numb, not feel anything. He wanted to wake up and not want to be with Zoe, he wanted to not feel an ache in his heart because she didnt want to be with him.
Lofty approached warily "you ok?" he asked, ordering his own drinks, a drunk smile on his face. Max gave him a small nod
"Cracking. You?"
Lofty grinned again "Yeah, good thanks mate. Although Robins a bit merry" he said, chuckling slightly. as Max turned and saw Robin and Lily taking over the kararoke, Ethan was sat across the bar, taking small glances at Honey, who was staring at Noel. Cal was walking around with his phone like he was expecting a call. In all fairness, out of the staff, a overly drunk Robin was the least of anyones worries.
"Come sit with us" he said, patting Max's back
"Sure" he said, ordering 3 more whiskeys, no ice.
"Woah, pace yourself man" Lofty laughed, "its not a race, its only 10"
"Its Christmas, if you cant drink now, when can you?" he asked, plastering a fake smile onto his face.
"Ok, fairs fair" Lofty replied, giving up and leading him to the table.
Max sat himself next to Ethan, who was nursing what looked like his first beer and a pensive expression.
"Penny for your thoughts" he asked, looking at the blonde doctor
"I-they arent worth anything" he laughed, bashfully
"Women eh?" Max retorted, following Ethan's gaze, which lead him to Honey
"Yeah.." he trailed off. Max smiled a little into his drink. At least he wasnt the only one who couldnt be with the woman he wanted.
Zoe sat on the sofa with Dylan, glass of wine in one hand, phone in the other.
Dylan stared at her, almost willing her to talk to him. He wasnt really a touchy feely kind of guy, but he always had had a level of respect for Zoe, she was bold, brash, pulled no punches. And in the time he had known her, she wasnt someone who got involved with people for the hell of it
"So out of everybody in the hospital, you went for the most unsuitable person you could? Is this some sort of delayed teenage rebellion?"
"What makes you say that?" she asked, narrowing her eyebrows and facing him
"Your the top of the food chain and hes the bottom" Dylan replied, matter of factly, tapping his own whiskey glass
"He is not. Those people you call bottom of the food chain, you could not function without" Zoe cut back, taking a long sip of her drink, Dylan curtly nodded, in acceptance of this fact
"Hes about 12"
"30, actually"
"Well he does seem to have it bad"
"what makes you say that?"
"He looked like a deflated balloon when he was walking away, that what makes me say that. Paired with his expression when I turned up, hes got it bad"
"Do you?" he then queried her
She rested her head on a cushion. She didnt know if she was ready to lay out her cards just yet. She didnt understand how she felt. She had spent her time away thinking about Max, partly. She did miss him. She did like having him around. She had never felt as alive as she had when she was with him, kissing him, being with him
"That silence is all you need to say"
"Its complicated" she said slowly, sinking into her seat
"the good ones usually are" Dylan replied, and Zoe held out her glass, clinked it with Dylans, and carried on sipping her drink.
"Zoe!" Max hissed across the room he was sweeping, and Zoe, bemused, stepped towards him
"How many times do I need to say at work" she started, but was cut off by Max's inane singing
"mmm mmm not listening"
Zoe raised a small smile
"What do you want?" she asked, pursing her lips at him
"Meet me in my office, 15 minutes"
"Your cupboards not an office"
"Its actually very roomy, I have a bed, theres a lot of things you can do on a bed..."
"Max.." she warned, and he gave her a devilish smile
"15 minutes" he said again, using the empty room as an excuse to slap her bum
"You'll only need 5" she smirked at him, and he leaned agaisnt his broom, exhaling a dirty laugh
"You'll see Doctor Hanna, ive been working on my bedside manner" he gave her a wink and walked out, Zoe leant agaisnt the wall, wondering how this had become her life? Sneaking around with the hospital porter was not really the ideal way of moving forward. But right now, she felt happier then she had in a while. It wasnt hurting anybody. It was casual
45 minutes later, and Zoe was nestled into Max's arm. She had given herself an unofficial early lunch break. It was a quiet day.
"now tell me, my office is definitely better then yours?"
"the only reason for that possibly could be I have Connie in mine"
"fair"
"ive gotta go' Zoe said, quietly, she didnt really want to
"5 more minutes" Max had said, snaking an arm around her waist, pulling her into him
"Max" she pleaded, and he shut her up with the best way possible. A kiss. A small, slow kiss that quickly had turned into a passionate, fiery kiss, the best kisses she had experienced. The chemistry between them was undeniable, nothing like what she had had before with Nick, Sean, her previous boyfriends. She saw the desire flickering in Max's eyes and she was sure her own were mirroing his.
He rolled back on top of her and wrapped his arms around her, she broke apart from him
"10 more minutes" she smirked, leaning up to kiss him again, smiling at his smile, feeling more alive then ever. "