It was a couple of weeks later, Zoe had managed to avoid Max and had barely seen him since the 'incident'.

She ran towards the lift as it was about to close. She wished she hadn't, there was only one person in it. Max. She wished the ground would swallow her up.

Max gave a weak smile. "Alright?" He said.

"Fine, you?" Zoe replied.

"Can't complain." The response from Max.

"Look Max, I just wanted to say," Zoe began.

"Please Zoe, it's ok, you don't have to say anything. Everything is fine, I sorted Laura out, let's just forget it happened." Max told her.

Zoe nodded. Time to move on. If only she wanted to. There was a spark between them that she hadn't had in a long time. If only Max was single.

"Just so you know, if I was single I'd jump at the idea." Max grinned, it was like he'd read her mind.

Zoe rolled her eyes, "That really helps, thanks Max."

Max playfully hit her on the arm as the lift approached the ED on the ground floor. As the doors opened Max pulled Zoe towards him. "Come on boss, work to do!"

They walked out of the lift laughing, laughing which soon stopped when they saw Laura sat in reception.

"Laura? What are you doing here?" Max asked.

"Thought I'd see if you wanted to do lunch, clearly you're otherwise occupied." Laura snarled.

"This is Zoe, she's in charge here." Max explained.

Laura walked over to them, glaring at Zoe.

"Oh I know who she is Max. She's the one who won't leave you alone," Laura's voice was raising, "the one who clearly can't see you're taken, a washed up has been trying to make herself feel young again!"

Max looked at Zoe. "I'm sorry." He said.

"Don't you dare apologise for me!" Laura shouted before turning her attention back to Zoe. "And you, leave my boyfriend alone! He's not interested!"

Laura stormed out the ED, Zoe stood in shock, she looked around to see people staring.

"Shows over!" She told them before heading to her office. She slammed the door behind her before sitting with her head in her hands.

"Zoe?" Tess had entered the room. "Is everything ok?"

"Oh yeah it's great Tess, I have this ridiculous crush on a porter who happens to have a psycho girlfriend who thinks I'm trying to steal him off her. How ridiculous is that? When did I become a teenager again?!" Zoe exclaimed.

"Did you ever stop being a teenager?!" Tess joked.

Zoe laughed, Tess always managed to cheer her up.

"Now, get back out there and show them who's boss!" Tess told her friend. "As for Max, he's a work colleague ok? It's surely not worth the hassle?"

Zoe nodded. "I guess not." Her heart dropped. She thought he was, he made her laugh like nobody else, they were on the same level, not at work obviously but in everything else. She hadn't known him long but she knew he was special. Tess was right, it was time to move on.

Max had tried to call Laura but there was no answer, he would try later, he couldn't leave halfway through his shift to tend to his paranoid girlfriend. He was wishing right now she wasn't his girlfriend, what he'd do for a woman like Zoe. It couldn't happen, he was a porter, she was clinical lead, he'd ruin her career, she'd be a laughing stock, the fact it didn't bother Zoe seemed to stir something inside of Max. Did he need to break up with Laura? No, he couldn't, not for some idealistic romance. His phone rang.

"Laura? I've been trying to ring you."

"Yes Max, I know, I'm ringing you back. I'm ringing to say goodbye. For good. All I ever wanted was you, you said you loved me, you don't love me, you love yourself and want what's best for Max. I feel worthless so I've decided it's best to finish it." Laura spoke calmly.

"Laura, what have you done?!" Max exclaimed.

Silence.

"Laura! Answer me!"

"You won't do this to me Max, nobody will do this to me again, that's a promise, the only people that want me now are the angels." Laura hung up.

"Oh god! Laura, what have you done?!" Max cried, he ran to Zoe's office.

"Max? What do you want? I don't want to hear anymore about Laura ok?" Zoe told him.

"You're going to have to. I think she's done something stupid Zoe. I need to get a doctor to her. Now!" Max panicked.

"Ok, calm down, what did she say?" Zoe asked.

"There's no time for that! Something about angels wanting her and how she was finishing it all!" Max was close to tears.

"I'll get my bag, I'll drive you home." Zoe said.

"I'm not sure you're the best person." Max stated.

"Well I'm the only one free unless you want an ambulance?" Zoe asked him.

"No, no, I could be wrong, I just want someone there with me, you know, just in case." Max said quietly.

They left Zoe's office, grabbing her medical bag on the way.

"Charlie, you're in charge! I'll explain later!" Zoe called.

"Yeah, sure, is everything ok?" Charlie asked.

Zoe and Max were already halfway out the hospital, there was no reply to the question.

"Zoe slow down!" Max said as Zoe was breaking many speed limits.

"We need to get there ASAP Max! She may need urgent attention!" Zoe couldn't help feeling guilty, this was down to her.

"It's not your fault Zo." Max said, again reading her mind. This was weird.

He'd called her Zo. There was a familiarity between them.

Stop thinking like that, Zoe told herself. His girlfriend could be dead for all they knew.

They pulled up outside Max's flat, they ran up the stairs to the front door, Max put the key in the lock.

"Max, let me do it ok? You wait here." Zoe instructed. She'd seen it all before, she didn't know what they'd find, she wanted Max to be prepared.

Zoe went inside, she looked around the rooms which were empty until she came to the bathroom door. It was ajar, Zoe pushed it open.

"Oh no, Laura!"

Laura was laid in the bath, the bath water stained with her blood, the razor next to her. She was semi conscious and saw the blurred figure of Zoe

"You..." She managed before slipping into unconsciousness.