A/N: This is for my lovely friend Brooke, to try and cheer her up. And we decided someone needed to be nice in Holby and do this for the poor sod - he's so sad just now.

Sarah x

"Do you know where Michael is, Chrissie?" Serena asked the blonde nurse, positively beaming in her excitement to see his reaction. This had gone on long enough. It was making him thoroughly depressed and she didn't like it, so she was doing something.

"He went down for coffee," she replied as she looked through a patient's file. She looked tired; it was Friday afternoon and she, along with Serena, Michael and almost every other person in the hospital, was looking forward to seeing her pillow tonight.

"Thanks," she smiled. She stalked to the lift and waited impatiently for the main entrance and canteen to materialise before her. The doors opened and she scanned the room for her friend. "Michael!" she shouted over to him when she spotted his blue scrubs. "Michael!" she shouted again as she practically ran up to him. "Michael," she said once more when she arrived in the queue opposite him. "I've got something for you."

"What, forms for me to sign?" he asked, distracted by his phone.

"No," she rolled her eyes. "Pack a bag," she smiled. She handed him the gift. He diverted his attention from his phone to what she was handing him. His eyes scanned the small piece of paper and a smile broke across his face.

"Are you serious?!" he asked her.

"Of course I'm serious!" she replied. "I have to go to a conference, and I was given the option to take a colleague. I had it extended and cited "professional visits" as the cause. Not entirely a lie, but they don't have to know I only have to have a ten-minute meeting with an old colleague," she winked deviously. "I thought, while we were in the area, you'd be able to see your kids."

She gasped when the air was squeezed out of her body. He'd pulled her into the tightest cuddle she'd ever experienced in her life. He was going the whole mile – he lifted her off her feet in his enthusiasm. It took her by surprise; she'd never seen him so incredibly happy before. "OK," she gasped. "OK. You can put me down now," she reminded him, patting his back.

"You clear this with Hanssen?" he said when he finally returned her feet to the floor.

"Yep," she grinned. "Just got him to agree half an hour ago. Ten days in Florida. We leave on Tuesday."

"Thank you, Serena," he said, and there was no doubting the sincerity. All these months he'd only seen his children over video conference; it wasn't fair. They were his kids too. Every time he'd been meant to see them, Annalese had changed the plans. She was sick to death of seeing him miserable with the ache of missing his four children. It must have been horrible for the poor man.

"No problem," she replied. "I thought it was about time you caught a break."

"You have no idea what this means," he told her. He put his hands on her face and kissed her forehead. She could tell this really did mean a great deal to him. She'd seen first hand how miserable the present situation made him. He pulled her into his arms and held her tight for a moment. "Thank you," he said into her ear, having calmed down by now.

"You're welcome," she grinned. "I've got a meeting with Hanssen, Michael. I have to go."

He released her and she rushed off but she heard him all after her, "Thanks again, Rena." At the mention of her nickname, she spun on her heel, shooting him a glare.

"Don't make me regret a random act of kindness, Michael," she warned him, her glare hard but her smile soft. She felt good about helping him; he was essentially a good man, even if he was really rather stupid sometimes. But stupidity wasn't the same as maliciousness. He rarely meant any harm. He just didn't think before he did anything. But he was a good man. Of that, Serena was adamant.

Michael tapped his foot impatiently as they stood in the queue to board the plane. "Come on!" he groaned. This was taking ages. He'd almost forgotten how much he loathed airports.

"Michael," he heard Serena sigh. "It takes as long as it takes."

"I know," he sighed. He tried not to think about the long flight but what was waiting on the other side of the ocean. "We're going to have an amazing time," he announced, putting an arm around Serena's shoulders. "We'll go shopping on International Drive. Ride all the coasters we can. Go to the best diners."

"Michael, I'm going to be working. So are you," she reminded him. The thought of the three-day conference wasn't very appealing but everything else he knew and loved was.

"Yeah. For three days out of ten. That leaves us a week to do whatever we want," he said, unable to control his happiness. He still couldn't believe Serena Campbell, of all people, had done this for him. She could have take any of the consultants, or even have gone herself, but she'd chosen to take him with her. He was extremely grateful. More than she seemed to realise. "We're going to Universal Studios," he decided.

"Are we really?" she replied, sounding quite bored of his excitement. They were staying in a hotel, mostly because Michael didn't like the idea of staying in the same house as Brad the Banker. And he didn't want Serena and Annalese ganging up on him all the time. The plan was a twin room. He didn't like staying in hotels alone anyway – he got bored too easily, and he often felt lonely. And he hated feeling alone. There was nothing worse.

"Yeah. And the food is amazing at some of the steakhouses," he said.

"Yes, I know, Michael," she retorted. "I did live in Florida."

Michael had great fun winding Serena up until they got into their seats. After such a long wait, he was glad to sit down. Serena sat down next to him and pulled out a book, so he put his headphones on and let the music play and his happiness return. He was the first to admit that the lack of contact with the kids he adored so much had made him slip into a depressive cycle that even his colleagues noticed.

It wasn't long, of course, before Serena fell asleep next to him. He didn't notice until her head fell onto his shoulder. He took the book from her hands and put the bookmark where her thumb was holding it open. He had to admit she wasn't half as terrifying when she was sleeping; she looked quite free and innocent.

"We're gonna have so much fun," he told her. Well, he was telling himself this as well. There were a few things that bothered him. Brad, for a start, and the way he was with Jasmine. Annalese – she'd not been very welcoming on the phone but he'd asserted he was coming over whether she liked it or not. And Serena. He was still, after months and months, unsure of her. Sometimes she could be so cold and heartless. Then, of course, she turned the tables and did this for him.

He hadn't meant to lift her in the air when she gave him the ticket; he was taken by surprise, and her kindness had been unexpected. His excitement had taken over. But she did seem glad to see him really smile again.

But then he knew he irritated the hell out of her. He couldn't help it. And she tended to annoy him, too, with her impeccably smart mouth and tendency to get her back up at everything.

He only hoped they didn't kill each other.

Hope this is OK!
Please feel free to leave a review and tell me what you think!
Sarah x