Max turned up at St. Huges a few hours later. He told himself that the reason he'd waited that long was because he'd had a job to finish – radioing ambulances for their two gun shot victims, instructing the team on what to do next and then going back to Sun Hill and briefing Neil about what had gone on. But to be honest he just hadn't wanted to face Millie. When Max had stopped at the bottom of the hill, in the middle of the docklands bay it was to find Millie and Mike leaning over a half conscious Annie who seemed to be bleeding from her leg. A small distance away another figure lay bleeding on the ground and Max had made his way to Danny Carson. He'd seen Mel and Nate wrestling with a guy but had called the ambulances before making his way over to them.

"Searge, this was the one who shot Annie. As soon as he heard the first shot go off he rounded the corner, and fired when he saw Danny lying on the floor," panted Mel as they succeed in handcuffing the guy.

"Alright. I'll take him back to the station, Mel you go with Annie and get the tape off her, Nate you go with Danny. I'll tell the rest of the team to meet me back there." He nodded to them and then taking the handcuffed man who was still struggling to a police car, he made sure he didn't look back to where Mel and Nate had rushed over to Millie and were hugging her as she bent over her sisters body, making sure she was alright.

Max could hear Millie's laughter at the end of the hall but he turned and made his way towards Danny Carson bedside. Nate was still with him, until he was able to be released from hospital, arrested and taken to Sun Hill before being moved to prison. Max had listened to the tape Annie had made and had been impressed about how her and Mike had managed to trick a full confession out of him. The deal had been done, Annie had handed over the money and it would all have been fine if Mike hadn't shot his dad. His excuse was his dad had ruined Annie's life and no way was Mike going to let him get away with that. Luckily Mike had been a lousy shot and the bullet had only grazed Danny's arm. Max had had to put up with Mike for the time he'd spent in Sun Hill. Needless to say Mike hadn't been to pleased to be plucked from Annie's side and taken to a police station and Max was still wondering if his dad would press charges. He'd be in trouble anyway for having a firearm on him and Max could only image what Mike's reaction would be when they told him he wouldn't be able to see Annie. It was transparent how much he loved her and if Max had been feeling his usual self he would have thought Mike a stupid weak little boy for endangering himself for the sake of someone else. Of course Mike was still entirely cut up about the fact that him shooting Danny seemed to be the reason why Annie had been shot. The guy who Mel and Nate had arrested had confessed that Danny's orders had been if anything went down to shoot the girl – he must have known something wasn't right. But all that mattered now was he would be in jail by the end of the week and thanks to Max's brilliant idea of getting the whole thing on tape no one would be able to argue with it. He stopped outside the cubicle when he saw Danny Carson asleep on the bed and Nate sitting on the chair next to him looking utterly bored. He really should go and check on Annie make sure she was alright.....

"Hey PC Roberts. How's he doing?" Nate jumped at Max's voice.

"Yeah, yeah fine actually. Just going to keep him in overnight, make sure he's alright before releasing him in the morning. You'll want me to stay here in case he does a runner?" Max nodded and a silence settled between them.

"So how are Millie and Annie doing? I know there're here but I haven't been able to see them." Nate asked.

"I've only just arrived myself. Haven't been to see them yet."

"Yeah I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of Millie either. I mean..." Nate trailed off as Max's face darkened. "So are you going to see them then? Only if you want I could pop over while you wait here." Max just nodded and settled himself into Nate's seat. Usually this would be the chance he took to perfect his smug smile as he looked down on the criminal he's helped to catch but this time he couldn't stop thinking about a certain red haired PC down the hall and why he'd avoided seeing her. He liked to get things out of the way and he didn't usually give a damn about what people thought about him. But he could not get the look of Millie's face out of his mind as she looked back to tell him she was blaming him. Max blew air out of his lips and wondered how long Nate was going to be.

"Hey Mills, you alright?" Millie looked up at Nate and smiled.

"Yeah, I'm good thanks."

"How's Annie?"

"Yeah, she's alright to. He got her leg, so she should be fine in a couple of weeks."

"God, what would have happened if he'd aimed a bit higher..."

"Please, don't. It's bad enough as it is, let alone thinking what if's..."

"Oh Millie, I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you upset..." He went to stand by her.

"It's fine it's just been a long day is all. How come your here anyway? I thought you were looking after Danny until he was fit to be released?"

"Yeah well DS Carter took over duty for me, so I'd thought I'd come and see how my Mills was doing." He put an arm around her and pulled her to him.

"How could he Nate? I asked him not to, I told him it was to dangerous. And he ignored me."

"Yeah, well it's a well known fact that Max listening to other people happens every once in a blue moon. And even then it sometimes skips." Millie gave a shaky laugh and looked up at Nate. He was standing so close he could see the tears on her eyelashes. Before either of them knew what was happening their lips had met and they were kissing. Millie pulled away first and wiped her eyes. When she spoke it was a bit stronger.

"Nate, I'm sorry, I don't know happened. Like I said it's been a long day..." her breathing was ragged but Nate pulled her in to his side again.

"Mills its fine. You were upset that was all. Listen if I fell out with all the people I'd ever kissed I wouldn't be able to go out in public. We're cool yeah?"

"Yeah, we're cool." Nate kissed the top of her head before saying he'd better leave before Max got annoyed at him and Millie nodded.

Max stood outside the hospital breathing deeply. A nurse had come to check on Danny and he'd asked if she would stay with him while he went to check on someone up the hall – a colleague of his should be back shortly to take over the watch. The nurse – a young blonde thing – had smiled and flicked her hair over her shoulders before asking if he ever got to wear the uniform but Max barley heard her. He knew he had to go and see Annie and tell Millie about his feelings for her, before he got nervous again. Max Carter was no chicken. He took things by the horn and grabbed them, then dealt with the mess. Millie and Nate had come into his view line and he had been about to announce his presence when he'd seen them lean in for a kiss. Before he knew what he was doing, he had turned and walked straight out of the hospital to find himself almost shaking with anger. There was no reason for him to be so annoyed – he wasn't in love with her or anything. But he had thought she'd liked him – she had tried to kiss him in her kitchen only a few days ago after all. Maybe she was playing him? Arguing with him hadn't worked last time, so was she employing a different tactic to get round him this time? Not that it had worked of course.

"Max?" He heard a soft voice call out behind him and came face to face with Millie.

Millie was stunned to see Max glaring at her. After everything – everything! – he'd done tonight, he had no right to look that pissed off at her. She had no idea why she'd called out his name now and bitterly regretted it, her own glare settling over her features.

"What PC Brown?"

"Sorry to disturb you, I was just wondering if you were going to visit Annie and explain what's been going on? Only she was the reason you caught Danny and I cant tell her anything, I've been here, making sure she's alright. Are you planning on letting her into the loop at any point, or are you just going to leave her there wondering if she endangered herself for no reason?" Millie's voice was laced with sarcasm and she titled her head and looked up at Max.

"Look PC Brown I know you think I did the wrong thing. But if Annie hadn't been related to you, would you have been so against it?" Millie was silent and Max nodded, his smug grin appearing. "Thought not. Now if you don't mind I need to get home. I've got a busy day ahead of me tomorrow. I might send someone in the morning to explain what's going on to Annie." He came and stood next to her, bending his head to whisper in her ear,

"Or you could just ask your boyfriend. PC Roberts was there, I assume he knows what happened. Or is he to dense to radio someone and ask? Well he is going out with you I suppose." Turing and walking away he didn't notice Millie stagger to a bench to sit down, hand over her mouth and tears running down her cheeks.