"Max, you really should get some rest." Tess rested a hand on the shoulder of the young porter - he'd been by Zoe's side since she'd come out of theatre and had had next to no sleep.

"I can't. What if she wakes up?" Max didn't look up from Zoe's sleeping form once, his gaze fixed on her face.

"Then I'll be here. Go on." She gently nudged him. "She'll be fine. You know Zoe." Reluctantly, Max gave in and stood up, finally turning to face Tess.

"I love her, you know." He smiled sadly. "I didn't tell her. Thought it would scare her off." He looked back down at Zoe. "Wish I had now."

"Max-" Tess started, but he shook his head.

"I'm not sure she loves me. But that shouldn't matter, I should've told her."

"Max, she will. She's just had a hard time of it. But I think you're good for her." Tess pulled him into a hug, smiling as he tried and failed to hide the new wave of tears. As he excused himself and went to get some tea, she had never seen someone look so young and helpless. Shaking her head, she took his place at Zoe bedside, gently taking her friend's hand.

"You hear that? He reckons he loves you. I don't know how, he's only, what, twelve?" Tess paused, biting her lip. "You've got to come back, Zoe. Not just for Max, although I don't know what he'd do if you didn't. We all need you." Tess checked the monitor, trying to keep her emotions under control. As she did so, she felt a faint pressure on her hand. Inhaling sharply, she looked down at Zoe's face where two open, if slightly swollen eyes were looking up at her.

"Bloody hell." Zoe's voice was almost a whisper, husky as though she hadn't used it in years. "I feel like shit." She smiled weakly at Tess who was beaming down at her.

"Hey. You had us all worried for a minute there." Tess squeezed her younger colleague's hand, barely able to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Max." Zoe tried to sit up, straining against the wires in an attempt to find him. "Tess, where's-"

"It's okay," Tess soothed, softly getting Zoe to lie back, "I'll get him now." She took a deep breath and walked out into the hallway where Charlie was waiting, an exhausted Max asleep on his shoulder. Charlie raised his eyebrows, looking at Tess for any news.

"Well?" He whispered, the edge of optimism in his voice nearly but not quite concealed.

"She's awake." Tess grinned as Charlie let out a sigh of relief. "She wants to see him." Nodding, Charlie nudged Max awake. He came round with a start and was instantly asking about Zoe.

"Is she okay? What's happened?" He stood up, looking wide eyed at Tess.

"She's awake. And she's asking for you." Before she had even finished her sentence, Max had disappeared past her back to Zoe's bedside. Tess slumped into the seat next to Charlie, holding out an arm to prevent him from following Max. "Let them have their moment."

"Zo?" Max whispered, cautiously approaching Zoe's bed, wiping his eyes in a desperate attempt to keep it together.

"It's been a long time since someone called me that." Zoe said, almost as a thought to herself, her voice thick with sleep. "Nick used to do it." Max winced internally - even now, when he was the one stood by her bedside, the one supporting her, Nick Jordan made an appearance. Forcing himself to concentrate on Zoe, he sunk into the chair and reached out for her hand.

"I think we may have missed our reservation." He grinned before ducking his head to hide the emotions that were about to spill.

"You don't say." Zoe chuckled before wincing, biting her lip against the pain. "Hey." She lifted her hand to his face, smiling softly. "I'm fine now." Max shook his head.

"Zoe, I thought you were going to die. I don't understand all the medical stuff and you were just lying there." He took a deep breath, gently pushing the hair away from her face.

"And it made me realise I should have told you." Zoe's eyes widen as she realised what he was about to say.

"Max, I-"

"It's okay." He bent down and kissed her, so tenderly Zoe thought she might cry. He rested his forehead against hers, his hands gently cupped around her face. "I love you, Zoe. And I get that you might not yet, or that you can't say it or whatever, but I love you." He kissed her again before pulling away and settling back into his chair, laughing slightly at the look on her face. "You look like shit, by the way."

OH MY GOD HAVE YOU ALL SEEN THE CLIP? I'm sobbing. Anyway hope you enjoyed the chapter, please R&R y'all x