Following Max's eyes, Robyn gave him a reassuring smile before rushing out after Zoe. "Zoe! Dr Hanna!"
Zoe's pace quickened, and she pushed open the door to Max's office.
"Zoe, what-' Robyn began, but stopped when she saw what a state the doctor was in.
Zoe paced up and down the room, hands shaking. "I can't do it, Robyn. I can't go in there."
"Why not?" Robyn asked softly. When Zoe didn't reply she added, "If it's because you don't feel for him the same way he feels for you, that doesn't matter right now. "
"It's me feeling the same way that's the problem!"
Robyn glanced into the corridor and then shut the door. "I don't understand…"
"I let him down. If I'd noticed what was going on initially, he wouldn't be in there. What sort of doctor am I if I can't even help the person I love?"
"Zoe, that doesn't matter right now. What matters is that he's just seem you walk away and he'll think you're not coming back."
"I can't. I can't!"
"Look, I'll take his mother down to get a coffee and I'll keep her away for as long as I can. Just go and see him, Zoe, even if it's just to say hello."
…
Robyn and his mother had been gone almost 5 minutes, but Max was struggling to stay awake in case Zoe walked past again. He was just contemplating how to get out of bed and find her when the door opened and she walked hesitantly in.
"…Sorry about rushing off. I got paged."
Max knew she was lying but nodded his head anyway, resting back against his pillows as he watched Zoe walk over to the chart at the end of his bed to study it.
"So, how are you feeling?"
"Who's asking, Dr Hanna or Zoe?" Max asked softly.
Zoe didn't reply, just put the chart back before walking over to the window to look out. "Nice view."
"If you don't want to be here, you can go." Max offered, his eyes drifting shut.
He didn't realise he'd fallen asleep until he was suddenly jerked awake by Zoe slapping his chest as she glared at him with tears glistening in her eyes.
"Do you realise how terrified I was? Do you have any idea what yesterday felt like to me? An employee who apparently doesn't trust me enough to tell me that he hit his head-"
"An employee?!" Max asked, trying to push himself up, but Zoe pushed him back down as she continued.
"That's bad enough, but when that person happens to be my boyfriend? I couldn't do anything; they wouldn't let me close to you! Do you know how powerless I felt? What the hell is the point of being a doctor if I can't help the person I love?!"
"You love me?"
"And then to top things off, the doctor wont tell me anything because I'm not family, so I have to make do with mumbled updates from Robyn."
Seeing that Zoe was getting more and more worked up, Max reached out and put a finger to her lips. When she stopped talking, tears began slowly rolling down her cheeks.
"I'm ok, Zoe. I'm fine."
"But I couldn't help you." Zoe's voice broke and the next words came out in a whisper. "You do so much for me and I couldn't even do one thing for you."
