This fic is different from what I usually write. Hope you like it. And for those of you who don't agree with this, just keep in mind that this is fanfiction after all. Please review! I would love to know what you think.
Also as my author's note, about the mention of Serena as acting CEO, imagine Hanssen has already come back after his brief disappearance in Series 15. And also, I made my own method of choice of DOS, so in actual Holby it might happen slightly different. Thank you x
"Mr Hanssen…" the tall giant swede was walking down the corridor, in one of his elegant suits, as straight as usual, holding some documents, tucked under his left arm, while he let his right arm hang down, straight by his side, when he heard a familiar voice calling out his name. He soon turned around to see someone who was entirely not expecting that day.
"Ah, Mr Cunningham… what brings you here today?" he asked him, as Terence Cunningham made a few steps forward, approaching him. As he joined his side, they both walked down the corridor together, continuing their conversation.
"I'd rather explain in your office," Terence, the chairman of the board, added.
They soon reached the Director of Surgery's office and as Hanssen unlocked the door and walked in, Mr Cunningham followed him inside. Henrik placed the documents on his desk, and sat himself, straight, behind it. Without being asked, Terence sat himself on one of the chairs in front of the desk.
"So what explaining do you need to do then?" Mr Hanssen asked the chairman.
"Well we have been observing how things are going around here, theatre lists, fundings, costs, bed space… let's just say a bit of everything, and also the way you handle your team…" Mr Cunningham began.
"So this has something that has got to do with me?" Mr Hanssen asked, calmly, still sitting straight on his chair.
"The board and I have come up with the idea of a job share…as joint Director of Surgery…" Terence added.
"I believe I am doing my job well, why is there the need to share this position with someone else?" Mr Hanssen was not expecting this news.
"We think, it is too much to handle, there is too much on your plate, and the board and I all agreed that in the hospital's best interest, you share the job… less work for both of you, and more time for patient care rather than spending all day doing paperwork and spread sheets…" Mr Cunningham explained clearly.
"I don't see that it is entirely necessary at the moment, but if you say so… and mind me asking, who would this someone be?" Mr Hanssen had every right to ask who he would be sharing his office with.
"hmmm, good question… I was coming to it, in fact," Mr Cunningham said, as he sat up from his chair.
"Well we can't choose someone and force him to accept the job offer, however we will put up a notice and arrange a set of interviews for those who consider the job and apply for it, however it will be open to senior consultants only I'm afraid…" Terence explained, standing in front of Mr Hanssen's desk, with his hands tucked in his pockets.
"After thinking about it, I think, particularly Mr Griffin and Ms Campbell would be interested, given that Ric has been joint Director of Surgery once with Mr Spence and Serena immediately accepted the offer of acting CEO when you left us for a short while…" he added.
"Does my opinion count in this choice?" Mr Hanssen asked him after listening, still sitting at his desk.
"Well… we will need your back-up, you know more than we do how your employees work around here, so we will need your opinion to refer someone who you think is best to lead…" Terence continued.
"Well if you think it's the best idea for the hospital's management, then, we'll go ahead," Henrik said, while he stood up, facing Terence.
"In the meantime, will put up the notice on your notice-board here, and we'll meet again once when we have a number of candidates. We will arrange a board meeting then, and we'll proceed from there. I think it's enough for today, thank you." Mr Cunningham said, as they shook hands and left Hanssen's office.
…
Jac was on her way to Mr Hanssen's office, to hand him some documents and notes about a patient they worked on together earlier that day. As soon as she reached the office door, something on the front notice board caught her eye. She gave it a quick look but decided to carry on, and knocked on Mr Hanssen's office.
"Here are Mrs Turner's scans and notes," she said as she walked in to find Mr Hanssen standing in the middle of the room, holding his phone, appearing as if he just got off a phone call, "She's off sedation," she added, as she handed him the blue file.
"Hmm, good news indeed," he said as he took a quick look at the file, sitting at the edge of his desk, with Ms Naylor standing in front of him.
However Jac wasn't going to leave until she told him what was on her mind, so since it had appeared that Henrik was not as busy at that moment, she thought it was the right time to bring up the subject.
"Sometimes it crosses my mind to leave this place if I was offered something more, you know… better position, double salary…" she began.
"Thought you are pleased with being consultant, you practically lead Darwin," Mr Hanssen replied, letting the patient's file on his desk behind him.
"Yes, but this career is my whole life, achieving more is a real honour to me… you know I saw the available joint Director of Surgery post…" she tried to kick in.
"ah…" he cut her off, "I see what you mean… I'm sorry but that doesn't apply to you, it's only available to senior consultants," he explained clearly.
"Well can't I at least do the interview? You don't think I'm good and capable enough?" she asked slowly, to talk things through and maybe get what she wants. She knew the terms and conditions, but she wasn't willing to give up.
"No, far from it…it's not the capability that really counts… it's the experience… you've only been consultant for two years, you're not experienced enough in the field…" he said, with his hands at his side, still leaning at the edge of the desk, facing Jac.
"But if you think about it," she started again but this time making one step closer towards him, "I know this place more than anyone, I've been working here for seven years," she said as she grabbed the tip of his tie in her hands, and ran her fingers up the tie until she reached the base of his neck. Henrik was caught in a situation where he couldn't pull back, he remained still.
"I've been acting consultant on Keller, and now consultant on Darwin, come on… you and I both know it, I know how to lead… I have more power than you can imagine…" she said slowly, lowering her voice, leaning in closer and closer, still holding him from his tie, until her soft lips touched his, and fell into a soft kiss and then she pulled back again.
"Choose wisely…" she whispered and winked at him, as she finally let go of his tie, and left the room, leaving him startled at her actions.
…
Few weeks later, Jac walked past by the notice board to see that the submission of interviews for the joint director of surgery post was now closed, however she was not called to do the interview.
She was furious her plan didn't work, so she knocked on Hanssen's door.
"Come in," the voice from inside replied, as she burst into his office.
"I see that the interviews are done already," she began. Mr Hanssen, sitting at his desk, knew exactly what she was talking about.
"Yes and we have come up with a conclusion in fact," he added.
"And?... who is it then?" Jac asked curiously.
"If you need anything you can always refer to Ms Campbell from now on," Henrik, replied, observing the documents on his desk, not looking at her in the eye.
"Serena, really? My God… she only just got here!" Jac raised her voice at the comment, as she crossed her arms.
"Ms Naylor, that's not the point! I thought you knew better than that!" this time, he lifted his head up and yelled at her.
"Look, if this has got to do with what happened between us," Jac said slowly, as she leaned both her hands on the desk, in front of him.
"No, not at all, what happened stays between us and these four walls," he said getting up from his chair, lowering his voice. He turned around his desk, to meet her on the other side, "but if you used this trick before and you succeeded, please keep in mind, that it will never… work on me…"
Jac was completely stunned at his comment, however she decided to let things off the hook before he changed his mind and might make a formal complaint.
"Well… if that is all..." and she stormed out of the room, and closed the room behind her, totally prepared to leave it behind and move on to another day.
