When Zoe reached her office she rifled through her draw for a cigarette, but could only find patches. Frustrated, she searched for her locker key but came up empty handed once more. Even more on edge now, Zoe made her way to Max's office and was unsure if she was relieved or annoyed to find it empty. Still, his pack of cigarettes lay on the table, so she grabbed them and rushed outside, trying to find a spot where no one would look for her.

As Connie gave a short speech, Nick's eyes studied the people who stood around, some familiar but mostly new faces. Finally his eyes rested on Zoe, who at that moment was taking her anger out on a pen that had run out of ink. She was scribbling furiously on a blank page and looking as though she was about to throw something. Same old Zoe. Reaching into his pocket, he felt the familiar cool touch of the pen she'd given him many years ago. He was about to step forward and offer it to her when a man, that porter again, seemed to appear out of nowhere and take the pen from Zoe's hand, replacing it with another. To Nick's further irritation, the boy whispered something in Zoe's ear and he saw the ghost of a smile pass Zoe's lips.

"Talking to me yet?"

Zoe shut her eyes as a voice spoke from behind her as she waited in the queue for coffee. Thankful it meant she didn't have to face, him Zoe just lowered her head. "Sorry about earlier. One of those days."

"I remember Zoe Hanna days very well. So does my favourite suit that you spilt boiling coffee down more than once." Nick tried to lighten the mood, but instead found it made Zoe even more agitated.

"I need to go. I forgot I had to do something for Connie." Zoe stepped from the line, rushing away before Nick could speak again.

Tess slowed her step when she entered the staffroom and saw Zoe furiously shovelling instant coffee into a mug.

"You didn't tell me he was coming back." The nurse finally offered, far enough away to avoid coffee splatters if Zoe banged the cup down.

"I didn't know." Was all Zoe said.

After much hesitation, Tess stepped forward. "Zoe…"

"I don't want to talk about it! All I want is to have a cup of coffee in silence, but obviously that's too much to ask!" Banging her cup down so hard that some splashed onto Tess' uniform, Zoe marched from the room.

"Are they my cigarettes?" Max asked as he stepped out onto the roof.

"How did you find me?" Zoe let the smoke billow from her mouth as Max sat next to her, their backs pressed against the outer wall of the hospital.

"Was I supposed to be looking for you?" Max picked up the cigarette pack and tipped one out.

"I thought maybe Tess had spoken to you."

"Nope. Hardly anyone has spoken to me all day. I think they're worried your bad mood is catching." He lit a cigarette and drew on it deeply.

"I'm not in a bad mood."

"Mmm-hmm. Pull the other one, it plays-"

"Hey Jude in Spanish? You know, I still haven't heard you do that, I'm beginning to think you can't."

"I would sing it now, but by the end of it, you're bound to want to jump me, and I've only got a 10 minute break."

Another ghost of a smile passed Zoe's lips and she rested her head on Max's shoulder, shutting her eyes against the day she wished had never begun.

After a short pause in which Max wrapped an arm around her shoulder and dropped a kiss to her head, he started singing.

And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain

Don't carry the world upon your shoulders

For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool

By making his world a little colder

"That wasn't Spanish." Zoe supplied, the lump that had been present in her throat all day growing larger until she was sure it was about to burst.

"Because I was being, like, poignant, and you don't know Spanish so my genius would have been lost."

Zoe gave a laugh, then a sob, and soon found her face buried in Max's shirt with his arms wrapped tightly around her.