It was Max holding a bouquet of flowers. All neatly arranged, thought out perfectly, even the petals matched her outfit choice. She smiled at Max and took them from him. "Thank you" she said as she smelt them "they're beautiful."
"Hope they cheer you up."
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"You seemed distracted, this morning?" Max quizzed, he was worried about her. Over the two years he'd known her, Zoe had never showed her true emotions and this morning he'd seen a different side to her, she looked scared and alone. He'd never seen this side of her and didn't know what to do.
"Max, I'm fine. Let me get on with my work" she snapped and walked back into her office. She sat down and looked at the flowers, instantly regretting her choice of words. She should talk to him but that wasn't what she did, she didn't like people fussing about her or knowing how she was feeling deep down.
Zoe walked out of her office ten minutes later as she saw Jeff and Dixie bring a patient past her office. She needed to do something other than paperwork, something exciting. She followed them into resus and treated the patient.
She went to speak to the relatives afterwards and as she came back she put her head down on the desk at the nurses station. All she wanted to do was go home, get changed and go out clubbing.
Max made sure nobody was looking as he walked up behind Zoe and started tickling her sides, she quickly stood up and turned to face him, a smile creeping onto her face "what are you doing?" she tried not to laugh as he continued.
"Seeing if you'd care to join me for a cigarette?" he smirked.
"Stop tickling me then, and maybe I will" she pushed Max's hands from her waist and followed him outside.
As they got outside Max turned to her and asked for a light...as well as a cigarette, just as he had done all those months ago when they'd first met.
"You know, I'm starting to think you're using me" Zoe said smirking as she handed him her packet.
"Using you? For fags?" Max tried to look offended and shook his head. "We will have to share this one though, it's your last one" he smirked.
"You can have it, I didn't really want one anyway."
"Oh?" Max looked at her "oh, I get it, you like my company too much" he laughed at his own joke which made Zoe laugh too.
"Not at all" she shook her head, "just needed some fresh air."
"I knew something was wrong with you."
"I'm fine Max!" she was trying to convince herself just as much as she was Max "I'm fine."
"Okay, okay" Max held his hands up "sorry boss" he winked cheekily and moved away as Zoe swung her arm to playfully hit him, she hated being called 'boss'.
As they walked inside fifteen minutes later Zoe had to quickly hold onto Max's arm.
Max looked at her suddenly, wondering why she was gripping him so tightly, nipping at his skin. "Zo?..I mean, er, Dr. Hanna? What's wrong?"
Zoe tried to shake her head but she couldn't. She was frozen to the spot, unsure whether she was dreaming or not. She looked around the busy ED and there he was, again. That suit. That authoritative walk. She was sure she'd seen it before. It can't be..can it? No. She'd have been told if he was coming back, surely. Of course she would, it was her ED now. Zoes eyes followed the man in the suit waiting to see who he was.
"Dr. Hanna?" Max repeated, becoming more concerned by the second.
The man turned round to face her, and that was all she remembered until she woke up in cubicle 2.
Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews for my first chapter :) They were all amazing to read. Glad you're enjoying it so far, love you all! R&R
Gemma x
