A/N: For some reason this story rarely shows as updated. No idea why, sorry! I usually update every 24hrs at the moment so keep checking back if you don't see it!

Also just wanted to say a quick thank you to all the guests that review. I'm so glad you're enjoying this story :)

Dylan glanced up when Max walked back into the apartment. "What are you doing back?"

"It's my apartment, I can come back whenever I want."

Dylan frowned as Max flopped on the couch. "I just meant that I thought you had a whole day planned."

"Well, plans change."

Dylan debated whether or not to get involved, but over the past few years he'd seen how happy Zoe was, and though he'd never admit it, he had grown quite fond of Max and Ruby too, so he cleared his throat. "Has something happened?"

Max just replied with a shrug before he turned on the TV.

"Okay, well, you don't need to tell me what happened if you don't want to, but I suspect it has something to do with what we discussed last night, so I just want to tell you that this morning Zoe told me-"

"Great. She talked to you before she talked to me. As usual. Am I ever the one she tells anything to first? Probably not. She's probably worried I'm so stupid that I wont understand."

"All she said to me, Max, was that she's lucky to have you, and if something ever happened that made you leave, she didn't know what she'd do."

Max let out a sigh and tried to focus on the TV.

Dylan waited for a response for several minutes before he began again. "So, I think perhaps she's worried what happened with Nick Jordan might happen again. That if something happens, you might leave."

"You'd think she'd know me better than that by now."

"She does. But scared Zoe is rarely logical Zoe, is she?"

Max sighed again and then finally looked at Dylan. "What do you think I should do, then?"

…

Ruby stood watching the elephants in awe, amazed at their size. She turned to ask Zoe if she thought one might fit in the apartment when she saw Max walking towards them. "Daddy!" She raced past the other adults and threw her arms around his shoulders as he squatted to pick her up.

"Miss me?"

Ruby nodded, brushing hair from her face. "Are you feeling better?"

"Lots. What have I missed?"

"Only the giraffes, some birds and a smelly rhino that made Mama be sick in the bushes. Come and see the elephants! Maybe I can get one for my room?"

As Ruby pulled Max back towards where Lofty and Robyn were waiting by the fence, he glanced towards where Zoe was sitting down and Rita was hovering over her.

"Rita, I'm fine. I feel better now."

"That's what you say almost every day and then you come in sick again the next day. Unless you're-"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"So is that a yes?"

As Zoe went to lift her head and reply, another voice spoke. "Rita! Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

Rita turned to face Max and folded her arms. "What do you want?"

"Can you go and get a cold bottle of water? It usually helps."

Rita glanced at Zoe and then nodded, walking away.

Squatting down in front of Zoe, who was trying to avoid his eyes, Max rested one hand on each of Zoe's knees. "I wouldn't have thought the smell of a rhino would have been so bad after living in a house with Robyn, Lofty and I."

Zoe gave a half smile and looked down at Max's wedding ring.

"So, apparently our daughter wants not a toy elephant, but a real life sized elephant, and she's convinced that if we tell it to be quiet no one else will notice it's in the apartment."

Zoe finally looked up at her husband. "Max, about what I said-"

"It doesn't matter. I know you didn't mean it. I mean, no one could say I'm stupid when I bagged a looker like you for my wife."

Zoe's smile widened. "Shut up."

"Will you let me look after you?"

Zoe hesitated and then nodded before she wrapped her arms around Max's shoulders.

Moving forward and half standing, Max pulled Zoe into his arms and hugged her tightly until a small person appeared and tried to pull him towards the enclosure. "Look, there's a baby elephant! QUICK MAX!"

"Alright, alright! Calm down!" Max picked Ruby up and sat her on his shoulders so she could see better as he walked back to the enclosure, leaving Zoe to sit back down with a smile.

"Do you like babies, Princess?"

"…Well, Ella has a baby brother and he is nice. He laughs at my funny faces."

Max smiled and then held tighter to Ruby's ankles as she began squirming as the baby elephant came out.