Finally! Here is the long awaited fourth instalment of Holby City Summer Camp and I am super excited to be posting this! This is the most action-packed chapter so far and ultimately the most fluffy. From here, the story really gets started! Already starting chapter 5 so that should be up soon too!

For the anon on tumblr who asked for the Seasons fic, the first chapter is soon, I promise! I am so sorry it is taking me this long, I just want it to be perfect!

I am taking prompts for oneshots or drabbles so please message me either on here or on tumblr and I shall be happy to oblige! I am happy to write any Casualty or Holby pairing however I do not write smut I'm afraid so please don't ask. Sorry!

Also I know the title says "Happy Endings" but this isn't the end! I just wanted another rhyming title to be honest...what can I say?

As always, reviews make my day, really, so let me know what you think!

Araliae xx

Misunderstandings and Happy Endings

Downwards they fell, Max shouting happily and Zoe screaming in terror. Soon they plunged into the water, creating a large splash that cocooned around them. Zoe waved at Max in the cold and he waved back before signalling upwards. Zoe nodded and pushed her legs out, making her way towards the light.

Her head cut through the surface of the water and emerged into the sunlight. Her hand was still clutching Max's and he reappeared seconds later. He looked at her and they both burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all. Whilst laughing, Zoe threw her arms around Max's neck as a hug in a sudden surge of confidence. After the initial shock, Max's arms came around her waist and he hugged her back, burying his face in her hair.

"Thanks," Zoe whispered into his shoulder.

"What for?" Max asked, pulling away a little to look at her. Zoe smiled shyly.

"Everything," Zoe whispered, looking right into Max's eyes. Max stared back, both of them completely lost in each other. Suddenly, the water had disappeared and all that was left was them. Max leaned in slowly, as if giving Zoe time to pull away if she wanted to. Zoe got impatient and instantly leaned in and kissed him softly. For a few moments, nobody else existed at all, they forgot their situation entirely.

They both pulled away at the same time, breathing heavily. Zoe sighed and looked away, embarrassed. She forced herself to think logically. Max was probably around ten years younger than her. He probably wasn't even looking for a proper relationship as she was. What would someone as amazing as Max see in her anyway? Even if he was, it wouldn't work. It just wouldn't, she told herself firmly.

Max's mind was racing. He watched as Zoe sighed and looked away from him and his heart sunk. He had thought that maybe this kiss would mean something to her as it did to him. Obviously not if she was sighing, probably thinking it was a mistake. He could begin to feel a headache coming on and, instead of waiting for an explanation, he quietly waded out of the water and ran back towards the cabins.

Zoe prepared herself for what she was about to say, knowing that if she looked into his eyes that she wouldn't be able to say it. She liked Max. That was undeniable. But, as her logical self kept reminding her, it just wouldn't work. Breathing in deeply, she looked back to where Max was. But he wasn't there. He had gone.

Zoe's body sagged in disappointment. So he definitely didn't want anything to do with her then. Though this may have saved her from that horrible conversation, she couldn't help but feel crushed. It was that moment that Zoe realised this wasn't just one of her stupid crushes, she really liked Max. She supposed it didn't matter anymore anyway, he had quite obviously shown his feelings. She slowly swam to the banks and got out, beginning the long trudge back to the cabins.

Around two hours later and Zoe still hadn't arrived at their cabin. It was beginning to get dark outside and Max was worried. As soon as he had left, he regretted it, wishing he hadn't been such a coward. He knew he should have heard her out first and he was kicking himself for it. But now he was truly scared. It had only taken him around thirty minutes to walk home and even if she was walking slowly it should never take anyone this long. He decided he had to go and find her, whether she would want him to or not.

Zoe screamed for help again, trying to lift her head a little to look around but failing. She had been walking back to the cabins slowly, still disheartened from Max's rejection. Suddenly, a net came out of nowhere and covered her, too heavy to push away. Zoe was slowly being squashed and had rope burns all over her bare legs where her shorts ended. The cabins were another fifteen minutes away so nobody would hear her screaming.

Her thoughts drifted to Max, as they often seemed to recently. Would he care if she was missing? Would he get help or come looking for her? Though he might have before, she wasn't sure he would after today. What if he didn't even want to be friends? Now that would be too much. Zoe rested her head on the ground in defeat and, for the first time that day, she let herself cry into the darkness.

"ZOE?" Max called out as he ran through the forest, unsure of which way to turn. He had been running around for over an hour and was almost hysterical with worry. She could be anywhere and anything could have happened to her. He shook his head, not wanting to think about it.

Guilt swam around in his mind, causing a terrible headache. If he had just listened to her, they could have left the waterfall together and this wouldn't have happened. He ran a hand through his hair and realised that this wasn't just another one of his stupid crushes, he was really falling for Zoe.

A loud sob rang through his ears, snapping him from his thoughts.

"ZOE?" he shouted towards the noise, hope flooding his body.

"Max?" Zoe's voice was music to his ears, though she sounded very surprised. Max ran towards her voice and his heart broke for her. So much that he froze. There was Zoe, lying under a huge net, probably meant to catch large animals. She must be being crushed, Max thought. He quickly ran to her side and easy threw the net aside. Zoe gasped and took in big breaths, realising how constricted her lungs were.

Forgetting what had happened earlier, Max quickly sat down and put his arms around Zoe, wanting to comfort her in anyway he could. Zoe reciprocated, locking her arms tightly around his waist and resting her head on his chest for warmth. She could feel every beat of his heart and somehow, the sound calmed her. Whether it was from emotional or physical exhaustion she didn't know but Zoe found herself falling fast asleep in Max's embrace.

Max felt Zoe's arms loosen around him and looked down at her. He chuckled inwardly when he noticed her eyes closed in slumber. Careful not to wake her, he gently picked her up bridal style, glad that she wasn't very heavy. He began to carry her back to the cabins, smiling all the way.

Once he had reached their home for the week, he managed to unlock the door and stumble inside. Tiptoeing across to the bed, Max laid Zoe on top of the bed. He glanced at the time and his eyes widened when he saw it was past midnight. Unable to stophimself, he gave Zoe a kiss on the forehead before getting in the bed next to her on the other side. Zoe instantly rolled over and rested her head back on his chest, seemingly her new favourite place.

Though he was shocked at first, he quickly recovered and wound his arm around her before falling asleep himself.

Zoe awoke slowly and didn't open her eyes. She remembered being trapped under a net but couldn't remember anything else. Her hope diminished. She had thought she was in bed but Max must have never come for her.

Then she heard a slow, steady beat right next to her ear. A heartbeat. Her heart soared and she opened her eyes. There was Max, asleep underneath her head, one arm draped around her waist. She bit her lip as she watched him sleep, slightly mesmerised.

"It's rude to stare, you know" Max said in a joking tone, still with his eyes closed. Zoe jumped before laughing, trying to hide the blush spreading onto her cheeks. Max finally opened his eyes and laughing along with her. Zoe nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before lifting her head off his chest and looking at his face.

"I'm not quite sure how I ended up sleeping half on top of you, I'm sorry," Zoe said sincerely. Max smiled at her nervousness.

"Why did you sigh after kissing me?" Max asked, dropping eye contact at the end of the sentence. Zoe raised her eyebrows in shock at the question. She searched for the right words, diplomatic ones, only to draw a blank. In the heat of the moment, she decided to just tell Max what she felt, knowing that the worst that could happen was rejection.

"Because I really like you Max, okay?" Once she had started to speak she couldn't stop, "I knew that you wouldn't feel the same and I was ashamed because I had so obviously made a fool of myself. You're probably, what, 10 years younger than me and I felt annoyed because I had let a stupid crush dictate my actions. But then I realised it isn't just a crush; I have such real, actual feelings for you that will amount to nothing because..." Max couldn't take anymore and surged forward, capturing Zoe's lips with his. Zoe hesitated with surprise before responding.

Max broke away and rested his forehead against Zoe's before she had a chance to pull away from him again. He smiled knowingly at her.

"I have such real, actual feelings for you too Miss Hanna" he whispered. Zoe's brow creased with disbelief.

"I don't just mean that I'm attracted to you..." Zoe began but Max put his finger to her lips.

"I have such real, actual feelings for you Miss Hanna in a way that I'm not familiar with. Don't get me wrong, I am definitely attracted to you," Max winked and Zoe chuckled slightly, "But what I think we could have is so, so much more than just that."

Zoe grinned at that and Max didn't think he'd seen anything so beautiful before. Max removed his forehead from hers and gave it a lingering kiss.

"You know the kids arrive in about an hour, Zo?" he smirked as she gasped and jumped out of bed.

"Dibs on first shower!" she shouted from the bathroom. Max opened his mouth to argue when he heard the bathroom door lock and the water start to flow. He shook his head and smiled, leaning back into their bed with a content sigh.

"How did I manage to meet this woman?" he wondered happily.