"Tomorrow?!" Max exclaimed.

"Yes, I'm sorry Max. This is something I want to do, this is my last chance, I'm not getting any younger." Zoe tried to explain.

"You're hardly old Zoe, you've got you're whole life ahead of you. Why now?" Max said.

"Why now? I don't know Max, I've left a job I loved, I don't know what's going to happen in the future but I need time out. From everything."

"Including me?" Max asked.

"Of course not. I didn't know you were going to turn up on my doorstep and throw everything into disarray did I?" Zoe said. "I'm glad you did, I'm glad I got chance to see you and sort things out, a chance to say goodbye."

"How long will you be gone for?" Max asked.

"Three months." Zoe replied.

"Three months?! That's forever!" Max told her.

"It's not forever Max, it's 12 weeks, it'll give you time to clear your own head, a lot has happened, it needs to digest properly." Zoe said to him.

"You've made up your mind haven't you?" Max asked.

"I have." Zoe replied.

"Then you should do it. If it's what you want Zo, do it. I'm not going to pretend I'm not going to miss you every single day but if this is what it takes them so be it." Max said.

"Thank you for understanding. I'm sorry the timing is crappy but I need to sort out my life." Zoe told him.

"I want you to be happy Zo, I also want that to be with me. Just promise me one thing?" Max said.

"Well, depends what it is...?" Zoe teased.

"You'll come back to me." Max said simply.

Zoe smiled. "I will."

"That's all I want. Besides this time apart, it'll give me more chance to spend with Robyn and Lofty in that crowded student house! Yay!" Max said sarcastically.

"Why don't you stay here? The place is going to be empty whilst I'm away, you could look after it for me?" Zoe asked.

"Are you sure?" Max asked.

"As long as you're not entertaining other women here, yeah that's fine, I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise." Zoe told him.

"You are amazing, you know that?" Max told her.

"I have been told, yes!" Zoe responded.

"I better make the most of you before you go then." Max said as he pulled her towards him and kissed her.

"This is true." Zoe said, kissing him back.

Late afternoon soon approached, the two of them had spent most of the day in bed, talking and laughing, Zoe couldn't believe how comfortable she felt with Max, she hadn't felt like that with anyone.

Max stayed the night, helping Zoe pack the rest of her stuff, he'd popped home to pick up his own clothes, he'd told Robyn he was staying at a mates whilst he was away. He didn't want to get into the Zoe bit. She was leaving, there was no point until she was back, if she came back that was.

"Max?" Zoe whispered, waking him from his sleep.

"Mm, what time is it?" Max asked.

"It's 5.30am." Zoe told him. "I need to get ready, my taxi is coming at 7."

"Ugh, no, I don't want you to." Max said childishly.

"Don't do this Max, come on." Zoe said.

"Do you want me to come to the airport?" He asked.

"No." Zoe said. "I can't do the big emotional goodbye.

"I thought you might say that, so why don't we have our own goodbye right now?" Max grinned as he began to slip the straps of her nightdress.

"You, Mr Walker are a bad influence." Zoe said as she responded to him.

"Ok, so, passport? Travel docs? money? Accommodation details?" Max was running through the checklist, he laughed as accommodation was mentioned.

"What's funny?" Zoe asked.

"Just the thought of you slumming it, you do know it won't be five star luxury you'll be staying in?" Max continued to laugh.

Zoe punched him in the arm. "I am fully aware, my standards can be lowered when needs to, I mean, look at you." She winked at him.

"Ouch. That hurt, physically, emotionally..." Max jokes.

"Max?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up!"

The door buzzer rang. Zoe answered.

"That's the taxi." She told Max, she was not prepared for this at all.

"Hey, are you crying?!" Max teased.

"No, I just poked myself in the eye." Zoe tried to convince him.

"Come here, big softy." Max embraced her. "Now listen to me, go enjoy your big adventure Spider-Man."

"Spider-Man?!" Zoe laughed. "Does that make you Mary Jane?!"

"I'd be your Mary Jane anytime." Max told her.

The taxi blared it's horn outside.

"Right I'd better go, I don't want to be late." Zoe said as she walked over to Max and kissed him, hard.

"I'll be waiting." Max told Zoe as she left the apartment. "No looking back."