Extreme Takeover, Holby Edition

Their parents ran the hospital during their life, and now that they're older, it's their turn.

Pairings are Jac/Joseph, Maddy/Linden, Connie/Sam, Diane/Ric and Chrissie/Olly.

'You have the voice of an angel,' said Max softly.

'Thank you,' said Erin. 'We should be going soon, have to get ready for the party.'

'Yeah,' replied Max quietly.

Once they had got back to the flat that they shared, Max ran Erin a hot relaxing bath to calm her down a little. He knew that she was going through a lot, and although he was going through it with her, he knew how deeply it was affecting her and how her hormones had still not settled down properly after her miscarriage. He understood that she was feeling sensitive, and justly so.

Max knew in his heart of hearts that, although their relationship with Erin was still in it's early stages, he loved her. They'd been through too much together for him not to. It was a primal instinct, something which was in his very soul. He'd always been attracted to her, and now she meant more to him than anything and anyone.

'I can hear you thinking,' said Erin from the bathroom. 'Care to share?'

'I'm thinking about how everything's going to be different from tonight,' said Max. 'It's going to be a lot for everyone to digest. Especially Jay.'

'He's not coming,' said Erin. 'I asked Diane, and she said that if he dares shows his face, he will regret it.'

'Nice to know she's on your side,' said Max.

'There shouldn't be sides,' admitted Erin. 'What we did was wrong, what Jay said was wrong. I hope there'll come a time when we can all be friends again.'

'It might take a while,' said Max.

'I know, but it's good to hope,' replied Erin. 'I'm getting out now, the bath's getting cold.'

'Okay,' said Max, reentering the bathroom holding a towel. He wrapped it around her and planted a small kiss on her nose, making her giggle. 'I love you, Erin Rosetta Cullen, you know that?'

'I had an inkling Maxwell David Valentine,' she said, poking her tongue out at him.

'That's so cute,' said Max with a grin, kissing her once more.

'Mmmm,' replied Erin. 'I love you too, and as much as I'd love to sit around in a towel and carry on with this, we're going to be late if you don't get a move on and shower.'

'I better hurry,' said Max. 'Aunt Jac is not exactly known for her patience...'

'True,' said Erin, giving him one final kiss and leaving the bathroom, heading for the bedroom.

Opening up her wardrobe, she began to scout for the perfect outfit for the night. After considerable thought, she picked out a simple but pretty turquoise dress that set off her eyes to perfection.

As she undressed herself, she could not help but divert her eyes to her flat abdomen. Placing a hand there, she winced in emotional pain. That flat stomach had a baby in there once before. Her and Max's child. Alex. Boy or girl, it didn't matter. It was part of her and Max, and the night they shared.

She wondered what it would be like if she was still pregnant. She might have been showing a bit; not a lot, but enough for her to notice, enough of a bump for her to carress, for Max to talk to. The more she thought about it, the more her heart ached and the more the tears fell.

'Oh Erin,' said Max from the doorway, realising what she was crying about.

'I'm sorry,' said Erin, hugging him close and inhaling the scent of his shower gel.

'Don't be,' he said, holding her a little tighter.

'I feel so much better when I'm in your arms,' said Erin. 'So much better. It's like I almost forget, or I'm more at peace with life and the situation.'

'I'm glad,' said Max, kissing her hair softly. 'Do you want to try for another baby?'

'What?'she asked, wiping her tears away.

'When we're ready, do you want to try straight away for a baby?' he asked.

'Do you?' she asked.

'More than anything,' said Max. 'I would have never dreamt of being a dad and having a family, but after Alex, I really want to. I know that you're still emotionally fragile and we've got a lot to overcome, but when that's over or easier, do you want to?'

'I think I do,' replied Erin. 'Yeah, let's do it. When everything's okay of course.'

'Yeah,' said Max. 'We need to get past our parents, uncles and aunts first.'

'That's the easy part,' said Erin. 'You know that Daddy will push for marriage before children.'

'Yeah,' said Max. 'I thought he would, but there's always a solution to that too...'

'Which is?' asked Erin.

'That when the time comes, we get married,' he said with a smile.

'Really?' she asked.

'I've never been so sure,' said Max. 'Erin, I love you so much, all I want to do is make you happy. I want to be your husband and the father of your children. I want us to have everything. The house with the white picket fence, the cute smiling children that are miniatures of us, the hyper dog that chases the cat. Everything.'

Wiping another tear from her eye, Erin said, 'I want all of those things too.'

Noticing the time, Max said, 'Right, we have half an hour before we have to leave, think you can get dressed?'

'I think I can manage that,' she said with a smile.