Tess was the first to see Zoe and gave her a smile. "I thought it was your day off. Who is this little angel?"

"This is Maddie, is there a spare cubicle?" Zoe asked as she cuddled Maddie closer.

"Mmm yeah, we just cleared one. Bring her through." Tess told her and led her towards cubicle 3. "What's the problem?"

"Like I said, this is Maddie, she's 11 months old, her temperature is 38.5 and her breathing is irregular. The foster mother is on her way in." Zoe reeled off the information she had.

...

"I thought it was Zoe's day off?" Lofty asked his best mate as they walked down the corridor.

"It is." Max sighed, he hated being away from her for long and today it was even worse. After the conversation they'd had about Maddie, he felt a stronger need to be with her.

"Well I just saw her step out of one of the cubicles."

Frowning, Max stubbed out his cigarette and rushed into the hospital. Relieved when he heard her voice, he moved towards the cubicle. "Zoe, are you-"he stopped when he saw her with Maddie on her lap and Tess examining the child.

"Max, she-" this was all Zoe managed to get out before max took a couple of steps back and then turned to flee.

"What's that all about?" Tess asked.

"Don't worry, I'll fix it later. Right now what's important is making sure there's nothing sinister going on with this one."

"Zoo!" Maddie tried, lifting her arms up slightly to let Zoe know that she wanted a cuddle.

"I know you don't want to be here, neither do I but I'm going to make you feel better sweetheart."

...

"Patient in resus needs transferring to CT." Cal told Max, who seemed to be stood doing not a lot, when he got no response Cal spoke again. "Max?" Yet again he received no recognition that he was even talking. "Earth to Max." He tried to for a final time and waved s hand around in front of Max's face.

"What?"

"I need you to transfer a patient to CT."

"I can't."

"It's your job!" As Cal stared at him, Robyn approached hesitantly.

"Leave it, Cal."

Cal rolled his eyes and stormed off as Robyn stood in from of her brother. "I saw Zoe. And Maddie."

"This is your fault. If you hadn't mentioned Maddie's name she would never have found out."

"Max! You couldn't have kept it a secret forever!"

"Couldn't I? How long have Zoe and I been married? And how many times has she freaked out and decided she can't be married? Zoe changes her mind all the time, says she wants something and then a week later wants nothing to do with it. I didn't tell her because I knew she would want to see her, she'd get attached, I'd see them together...and then in a month, 2 months, she changes her mind, as usual. I didn't tell her to protect her. And Maddie. And myself."

"Max-" Robyn began, but when Max looked up he saw Zoe in the doorway.

Zoe just stood watching, she wasn't quite sure what to say, and neither did Max, whose eyes were back at the floor.

"I'm sorry Max." Robyn mumbled, not quite sure how to deal with the tension in the room.

"Just go Robyn." Max replied softly, his eyes falling upon Zoe once again.

"Max?" She whispered calmly. "I think we need to talk."

"You aren't running?" He asked, genuinely shocked at his wife's words.

"No, I didn't realise you worried about that Max. I knew I was jumpy but I didn't realise how much it affected you."

"And risk you running away because that was a serious conversation?" He asked, realising that she didn't quite get what she was doing.

"I'm sorry, I do love you Max. I just get scared and then I don't know how to deal with that fear."

"You talk to me and we deal with that fear together."

"I don't run so often anymore." She told him as tears clouded her eyes.

After a short pause, Max stepped forward and pulled Zoe into an embrace. "That's because of my cooking skills, right?"

Zoe gave a soft laugh, shutting her eyes as she breathed him in.

"I love you, Zoe, and if I had my way I'd tell you every tiny detail of my day, but I suppose fear is catching, and sometime I get scared to tell you things too."