A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews on the first chapter. It means a lot. Took me a while to work out how I wanted this one to end and I'm still not sure I'm happy with it. Next one will probably be a couple of weeks as I'm going away until Monday.

Parking her car at Holby City Hospital, Serena switched off the engine and opened the mirror in the sun visor above her head. She had spent the night tossing and turning, not really being able to get much sleep for thinking of Ric Griffin. She had so many questions that needed answering but she didn't know how to phrase them. She looked at herself in the mirror and gave a slight smile. She needed to pretend that nothing had happened, almost wanting to forget what she had shared with Ric whilst they had danced. She reached for her bag and stepped out of the car, preparing herself for what lay ahead.

Ric sat in the Consultant's office waiting for Serena to arrive. He too had spent a long time thinking over the events of the previous evening and was tying himself in knots about what to say. Should he acknowledge what he had seen in Serena's eyes? Or should he pretend that nothing had happened and ignore the feelings he had for her? He always admired her confidence, her professionalism and straight-talking methods even though they had often fallen out over it. Over the time he had been away he had missed her wit and sarcastic remarks, the little things that made her who she was. So when he returned to Holby to find out about her mothers vascular dementia, he couldn't help but question how well she had been coping. That was why he had taken her in his arms, just to let her know that he was there should she need him. But Serena being Serena would wait until breaking point until she asked for help and even then she would have a tough time letting him in. Until that point, Ric was happy to stand up for a friend.

When Serena walked into the office they greeted each other in the usual fashion. She hung up her coat and went to sit behind her desk, facing Ric. He was working intently, whether to avoid the upcoming conversation or whether he just had a lot on, she did not know. After a few minutes of watching him work and contemplating how to address the situation she cleared her throat and started to fiddle with her necklace

"Ric… Ric." She called to him

Ric reluctantly looked up to her. "Serena"

"About yesterday. What was that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"The dance?"

"It was two colleagues having a bit of fun after a hard day at work. Surely that's allowed?" He didn't quite know what it was himself so how could he possibly begin to explain it to her?

"Of course it is. I just… well it wasn't expected, that's all."

"Sorry. I missed this place. Normally we can't wait to get away from the chaos but it was strange, not being busy. And I was glad to see you again." He didn't know what had come over him. He saw a look of shock on Serena's face and then realised what he had said and how it must have sounded after yesterday.

"Right. What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Umm, I…Well it was odd, that's all. Not having someone to argue with." He really had no idea what he was saying and he could see she wasn't buying it.

"Ric, I…" Just as she was about to speak the door was flung open as Zosia March burst in.

"Ms Campbell, Mr Griffin, acute cholecystitis requires surgery."

"Ok, we're on our way." Serena looked to Ric, almost glad of the interruption.

Surgery was intended to be a straightforward emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy but it was complicated by an injury to the bile duct. Serena and Ric had to convert to open surgery to repair the damage and it was a tense moment for both surgeons and one that meant they had to co-operate following their awkward conversation. It was a rare complication but one that a pair of highly trained medics could deal with and repair on the spot. In the scrub room afterwards they finished up in silence still not sure what to say to each other.

"That was a close one" Serena noted

"Couldn't have done it without you. Thank you."

"My pleasure." She walked out of the scrub room back to the ward with Ric following closely behind. At the Nurses Station Dr March commended them for their work with a look of amusement in her eye. She had clearly heard about the dance. As they turned to leave, the not so tactful Arthur Digby muttered to Zosia. Serena could just about make out him asking her if they were together, which Zosia either had no reply to or gave him her classic eye roll.

Back in their office, Serena turned to face Ric. "What are we going to do about this, Ric? We cant have the whole hospital talking it will ruin our reputations. And you know what will happen if management hear."

"Guy was there at the time and didn't look to bothered."

"Mmm. Just two colleagues sharing a dance."

"What were you going to say before? When Dr March came in?"

"When you were gone, I... didn't have anyone to tease." She said with a smirk. It was true. Admin work on Keller was dull with no one to tease. None of the junior doctors were fun enough as most ran at the sight of her.

"Is that your way of saying 'I missed you too?' I find that hard to believe. Thought you'd be glad to see the back of me."

"I did start to think you wouldn't come back. I was running a happy ship with things moving quickly for once. No backlog." She hadn't had the chance to have a go at him for his slow moving methods yet. Best get one in whilst conversation allowed it.

"But were you coping? Serena, you have to start thinking of your mother. And yourself"

"You sound like Guy."

"I'm not trying to push you out of your job." In fact, he wanted anything but that to happen. "I meant what I said in theatre. I won't let Guy give your position to anyone." How the situation had changed since the beginning of her time at Holby. He would have had anyone on his team but her.

"Thank you, Ric. Really. It means a lot." She stepped forward to give him a kiss on the cheek and left the office, leaving Ric staring after her, stunned.