Zoe looked down at the water thirty feet under the bridge, taking another swig from the bottle next to her and wincing as it burnt her throat. She thought back to the last time she'd been here, when she had sat for hours weeping over the child she'd never had and the love she'd lost. Nick had been there, every step, despite the huge hole she'd created in their relationship. His face swam through her mind, the look of weary exasperation he wore every time she did something stupid. When Adam and she had turned up two hours late because they'd lost her car the night before, when Jay had carried her down the street at Kirsty's birthday, the pair of them giggling like maniacs. When she'd texted him ridiculously inappropriate messages during meetings, or when he'd ranted at her at work before making it up to her later. She hated how much she missed him, how she'd had no time to prepare for it, to talk to him. She hated how understanding everyone was being - she wanted to shout, scream, lash out, but all she got in return was pitying looks and comforting hugs. Charlie, who had become almost a father figure to her, Tess, Jay and Max, lovely Max, who she had allowed herself to fall for, so fast she couldn't remember not being in love with him. She took another gulp from the bottle, cursing as it emptied. With shaking fingers, she pulled out a lighter and watched the flame for a few seconds before taking a long drag from the cigarette.

"You want to watch those shakes." Nick's voice echoed through the air and she smiled weakly. "I'm here if you need me."

"Oh sod you." She whispered, shutting her eyes to try and block him out. "You're not anymore, are you?" She tilted her head back as it started raining, the droplets pelting her skin and soaking through her clothes.

Charlie ran to meet Tess and Max as they appeared at the end of the bridge. The rain was getting heavier, and there had been a faint rumble of thunder a couple of minutes ago.

"You were right Tess." He pointed over to where Zoe was precariously sat on the edge of the bridge and Max brought a hand to his mouth, retching slightly as he felt a wave of nausea hit him. Tess and Charlie's voices faded as he focused on Zoe, her clothes clinging to her skin and a bottle of something lying next to her. Almost without thinking, he walked towards her, shaking off Tess' warning hand on his shoulder. Stopping just short of her he called out, not wanting to alarm her given where she was sat.

"Zoe? It's me. Can I come over?" He waited for a minute and when there was no response he slowly closed the gap between them, gingerly sitting down next to her. "Bloody hell, it's a bit high." Again, there was no response, but he felt her relax slightly next to him. "We've all been really worried about you."

"Why?" Zoe looked out across the river, her face blank.

"Because we love you. And because you're not exactly predictable." Max slowly removed his jacket and put it over her shoulders - he didn't need a medical degree to see she was much colder than was healthy.

"Why? Why do you love me?" It was such an odd question that Max just looked at her for a minute, trying to work out what she was looking for. "I wouldn't. Nick's dead, and you know what? I hate him for it, for being so bloody selfish. I almost wrecked his life, twice, and I now I'm blaming him for his death. What kind of person does that make me?" She stubbed out her cigarette, glancing over at Max, a terrifying lack of emotion in her eyes. "It's what I do, you know. Wreck people's lives. It's my talent." She paused, looking at Max. "That and getting a decent shag."

"Zoe, someone you're incredibly close to just died. I think what you're feeling makes you a fairly normal person." Max looked over at Tess and Charlie, who were nodding at him encouragingly. "You don't wreck people's lives, you're a doctor, by definition you help people." He paused, glancing anxiously at the water below, rushing past at a frightening speed. "And I do love you. I love you because you stamp your foot when you're angry, and you sing when you don't think anyone's listening." Zoe turned away from him, frowning. "I love you because you wear the same one of my shirts when you stay, because you cry every time you come off the phone with Sharice."

"Max, stop it." Zoe stood up, grabbing onto the bridge barrier. "Just stop it." She looked at him with tears in her eyes, chewing her lip furiously. Max carefully stood up as well, nodding towards Tess and Charlie. "I love you because they love you, because everyone you meet does." He paused, stretching out his hand to her. "Because Nick does." The tears began to fall freely down Zoe's cheeks, and she began shaking violently, as though everything that had happened in the last few days had hit her all at once.

"Max, please stop it." He could see the warring emotions on her face, how desperately she wanted to believe what he was saying. He took a step closer, his hand still reaching out.

"I love you, Zoe, because you're the most amazing person I've ever met." She collapsed into his arms and he had to steady himself on the barrier, warily looking at the huge drop on the other side if him. "And I'm not being funny, but your insanely talented lips are not something I want to lose." He felt her grin against his neck, and he smiled with relief at Charlie who was running over to help get them back to a safer position. "Come on, let's get you home."

Hope you enjoyed it! I think the next chapter will be the last one, so thanks to everyone that's read it! Please R&R, it'd make my day x