Zoe went back inside the ED.
"Zoe, what's going on?" Robyn asked as she made her way to cubicles.
"I have no idea Robyn, Max's mum turned up mouthing off and now Max isn't talking to me."
"She was here? Diane?" Robyn asked.
"Well there wasn't time for formal introductions Robyn."
"Oh god Zoe. Max and his mum fell out years ago, she threw him out and they've barely spoken since." Robyn told her.
"I didn't know." Zoe said.
"He doesn't talk about it, he doesn't want anyone to see how much it hurt him. He'll come round, you'll see." Robyn advised her.
"Dr Hanna!" Lily shouted. "Dixie has just called through, patient on the way in, stabbing."
"Ok, thanks Lily, can we make sure there's space in Resus?" Zoe told her.
"Of course Dr Hanna." Lily replied.
Zoe made her way to the entrance to greet the ambulance.
"Ok Zo, patient was attacked in a corner shop, trying to stop a robbery onlookers said. She's got no ID and no one in the shop recognised her. She's bleeding from the abdomen." Dixie told her.
"Let me off here!" The woman was struggling trying to get off the trolley.
Zoe looked down and instantly recognised her patient.
"Now listen to me, Diane, I believe? You need to stay calm, you're losing a lot of bloody and trying to move is not helping do you understand?"
"You've got to be kidding me?" Diane said. "Get away from me!"
"Look love," Dixie said sternly as they approached Resus, "I don't know how you two know each other but Dr Hanna needs to treat you, unless you want to bleed out?"
Diane nodded.
"Good, now let's get her on the bed, on three..." Dixie instructed.
"Cheers Dix." Zoe said.
"Diane? Is that you? What's happened?" Robyn had entered the room.
"Robyn, you can't be involved in this one, you know that." Zoe told her.
"What about you?" Robyn enquired.
"I don't know this woman Robyn, ok?" Zoe looked at her hoping she would sense her tone, she needed to save Max's mum.
"I need you to find Max, he needs to know what's happening." Zoe told her.
"Ok we need to cross match six units..." Zoe was informing the nurses as Robyn left the room.
Robyn tried ringing Max but it was going to voicemail. He could be anywhere in the hospital.
"Louise have you seen Max?" She asked at reception.
"Gone walkabout again has he?" Louise asked.
"Have you seen him?!" Robyn asked again.
"He was taking a patient to CT last I saw him." Louise told her.
Robyn rushed along the corridor to CT, she opened a door to run straight into Max.
"Woah, slow down, what are you doing?!" Max asked.
"Max," Robyn was breathless, "you need to... Resus..your mum."
"What? What's happened?" Max was worried.
"She's been stabbed, trying to stop a robbery." Robyn explained. "Zoe's treating her, she had a massive bleed, you need to go."
"She doesn't need me and I don't need her, she's told me exactly what she thinks about me, why should I care?" Max asked his sister.
"Because you do care, whether you like it or not she's your mum and she needs someone right now. You're both as stubborn as each other. Please Max, I'll come with you."
Max relented, "Fine, I'm doing this for you, ok?"
Robyn breathed a sigh of relief, if anything happened to Diane, Max wouldn't forgive himself no matter how much he pretended otherwise.
"Zoe where is she?" Robyn asked looking at the empty space in Resus.
Zoe saw Max and gave him a reassuring look. "The surgeons have taken her to theatre, she lost quite a lot of blood and sustained a large tear to the abdomen which needs repairing. Hopefully there's no serious damage."
"Thank god." Robyn said. "I need to go but let me know as soon as she's out of theatre."
"Will do." Zoe said. She turned to Max.
"Max I'm so sorry, I should never have said those things to your mum, I couldn't bear her slagging you off like that, I just couldn't stop the words coming out of my mouth."
"Hey, it's ok." Max gave her a hug.
"I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have gone off at you like I did, I never told you about her and I should have, I was embarrassed. You're mum and dad are great and well, that's mine."
"Don't be daft, nobody talks to you like that " Zoe told him.
"I guess that's why your Spider-Man and I'm Mary Jane?" Max laughed.
"Max, I know you can fight your own battles, I just jumped into defence mode." Zoe said.
"I suppose that means you love me then?" Max asked with a wink.
"Well...!" Zoe smiled. "If better go, I'll let you know as soon as you're mum is back from theatre."
"Thanks Zo, thanks for saving her." Max said.
"Max, I'm a doctor, I don't have a choice! Besides,would you have wanted Connie or Dylan dealing with her mouthiness?!"
"That's a good point. Love you Zo." Max kissed her.
"Love you too." Zoe replied.
An couple of hours later Diane was brought back down, Zoe was there when she arrived.
"Max? Where's Max?" She asked immediately.
"Diane, relax, you've just had surgery. I need you to stay calm." Zoe advised.
"I need to see him, I need him to know how sorry I am." Diane pleaded.
"Ok, I'll see if I can find him." Zoe told her.
She went outside, "Max?" She asked Noel.
"Just gone outside for a break." Noel told her.
Zoe went outside and found Max in his usual spot.
"She's back Max, she's been asking to see you. Do you want to see her?" Zoe asked.
Max took a deep breath. "Yeah, yeah I do."