A/N: I hope everyone is still liking this story. Well, not liking what's happening, but you get what I mean!

Thanks to everyone who has read, followed and reviewed!

Sarah x


Ric very gently brought Serena to her feet, and she was cautious to keep her balance. She felt dizzy, and trapped. He felt her forehead, and the cold sweat she knew was there. "Why don't you go and take a shower?" he suggested.

"No power means no hot water," she reminded him. The truth was that she didn't like the idea of stripping down for the shower right now. Realistically, she knew she would not be harmed, but that did not banish the fear of what was lurking in the dark; he had already attacked once, so what was stopping him from doing it again?

"Hot water runs off the central heating, which runs off of oil," he corrected her. "We still have hot water."

She shook her head, and Chantelle came in, apparently oblivious to Serena's terror. "Right," she said happily. "Alan says he should have the generator working in about two hours, maybe even less, so at least we'll have half-light and essential equipment," she informed them. Then she noticed Serena in the light of Ric's torch. "Oh, what happened?" she asked sympathetically.

"It doesn't matter, Chantelle," she deflected yet again. "Actually, would you happen to have any body spray or deodorant I could use? Air conditioning must have packed in with the electricity," she gave her feeble excuse. It was a big deal for her to resort to body spray, but she needed something to get rid of the feeling of the cold sweats after a horrific nightmare.

"Sure!" Chantelle replied. "Follow me!"

Serena glanced at Ric, silently warning him that there would be consequences for him if word of her panic attacks and her fear of the dark got out. They reached the locker room, and she watched the cheery nurse open her locker and take out several tin cans of body spray. "Which one?" she asked with a smile.

"Whichever you think is nicest," she humoured her, not really knowing what any of these things actually smelled like. She didn't wear perfume or body sprays. But all the same, Chantelle gave her one and she paused a second before pressing the trigger.

"Would you like to borrow my spare top?" she offered Serena, and it took her by surprise that Chantelle was being so incredibly nice to her. Then it occurred to her – Chantelle was nice to everyone, which was the most beautiful thing about her personality. "It's one of those sweaters, you know, with pockets and everything. This one has a hedgehog with a love heart on the front."

The hedgehog did not sound very appealing, and neither did the love heart, but the prospect of a light sweater that had full sleeves and a high neck was very appealing to Serena, under the circumstances. "Yes, thank you," she answered Chantelle, and she knew she must have sounded insanely grateful when she spoke.

She went to unbutton her blouse, but paranoia set in. She drew the blinds, as if anyone would actually see her. She looked at the door, unable to remove her top. "Chantelle," she began croakily, the emotion and anxiety growing in her voice. "Could you please lock that door, and stand in front of it's window?" she asked, shining the torch at the door and then at Chantelle.

Chantelle gave her a strange look, clearly wondering where this sudden caution had materialised from. But she regained her smile quickly. "Of course!" She moved to stand at the door as she locked it.

Serena closed her eyes and started unbuttoning her top. She tried not to think what was sitting on the other side of the door as she sprayed herself in Chantelle's sweet-smelling spray. It was with great haste that she pulled the sweater on and stuffed her keys and her smallest possessions into the pockets. She moved the torch to see Chantelle's face, and saw a strange concern painted there.

"I'm fine," Serena said before the question was even asked. It was becoming increasingly tedious to tell the same lie to the same people in answer to the same question. There was a tiny part of her that just wanted to tell them so they could leave her alone, and not wonder about what the hell had actually made Serena Campbell, of all people, so damn nervous.

"Is it because we're stuck in the dark for a couple of hours?" she persisted. Serena's patience was wearing thin, but she would not let the façade slip. "Because I was scared of the dark when I was little, and I actually only grew out of it when I was fourteen."

Serena smiled grimly at the younger woman. "I can't sleep unless there's a lamp on in my bedroom," she confessed, feeling childish and silly. "It drives my daughter up the wall."

Chantelle just smiled again, touching Serena's arm lightly before they stepped onto the ward. There, to her horror, she found nurses wheeling Fraser into the side room. She stopped them, but the protested that Ric told them to, to which Serena demanded they put Fraser back where they found him in her harshest tone.

She stormed away to find Ric looking over a file with a tiny torch. "Fraser Pickering stays on the main ward," she demanded.

"We need space next to the trolleys. Everyone keeps tripping over his bed in the dark," explained Ric. She did see where he was coming from, and she could see the potential hazard.

"Put Mrs. Berg in the side room; she'd be more comfortable there anyway. Then you can move Mr. Pickering to where she was," she supplied. "I want him where I can see him," she said. Oh, God. She hadn't meant to say that aloud.

"And why is that?" Ric asked curiously.

"For the safety of the staff and in particular, Chantelle, since she seems to be the most naïve person I've ever come across. He does not go unwatched, do you understand me?" she almost shouted in her fear.

"Alright, Serena," he replied shining his light on her. "Alright. Calm down." Her chest had become tight again, and they both knew that she was about to start panicking again, so he put his hands on her shoulders and helped her steady her breathing. "What is this all about, Serena? You've been on edge since yesterday, according to Chantelle. I even found you in the middle of an anxiety attack. You're terrified of the darkness to the point you ended up on the floor, struggling to breathe. And now you're telling me you want a particular patient watched at all times?"

"Really, Ric," she began, her temper rising inside of her. "Can't you just believe me when I say I'm alright?" Listening to herself, she knew it sounded so stupid to ask him to believe her after walking in on her first panic attack in many years. Of course he couldn't find out. He would only go to Hanssen, who would remove her from the ward until Fraser left. She didn't want to give in. She didn't want him to beat her.

"Because," he said gently, more caring towards her than he had ever been before. "Something isn't right. You're scared of something, and it isn't just the dark."

She met his eyes begrudgingly, wishing he would leave it alone. She'd never spoken of this, to anyone, because she couldn't. Every time she thought she was ready to tell someone, her voice failed her. "It's because..." she attempted. "He-" she tried again. "No," she finally stopped trying. "I can't talk about it. Please understand that I simply just cannot talk about it."

"You can trust me," he implored her. "I won't let whatever this is get any worse. And if you think I'll tell Hanssen, I'm well practised at lying by omission," he smiled.

"I can't," she repeated. "Michael already tried last night when I had to ask him to do Fraser Pickering's surgery," she let slip, immediately regretting it.

"Hold on," Ric halted her, raising a hand to stop her talking. "You asked Michael Spence to take over your surgery? That's not the Serena Campbell I know."

"Mr. Hanssen put a stop to me doing it," she shrugged. He raised an eyebrow at her, demanding a reason for Hanssen stepping in between her and a patient. She tried to stare him down but he was stronger than her at the moment, and her vulnerability was it's worst in years. "He's Eleanor's father," she sighed, sitting down.

"That doesn't explain why you're so scared," he reminded her softy.

"Maybe not," allowed Serena. "But it is all anyone is getting to know. My personal life is just that – personal." She was on the defensive again, and they both knew it. "I'm going to have to tell Chantelle, aren't I?"

"Yes," he answered, not trying to shelter her from the truth. Serena sighed and picked up a torch and went to find Chantelle. She actually feared for the young nurse's safety. Chantelle was beautiful, trusting and so incredibly naïve. She found the blonde at the nurses' station, leaning over test results with a phone, using the lit screen to read.

"Chantelle," Serena touched her back to get her attention. "Can I have a word, please?" she asked, nodding towards the staffroom. Chantelle happily followed her and closed the door behind her.

"I realise I probably ought to have told you this last night, for which I can only apologise," Serena began. "But Fraser Pickering is Eleanor's father."

"Oh, so is that why you asked Mr. Spence to do his surgery?"

"Yes," Serena confirmed. She looked at the young woman, realising that she was the double of the woman she was eighteen years ago. Long hair, talkative, lots of make up, low cut scrubs...it made Serena seriously fear for her, since she was the nurse assigned to Fraser's care. So she found a spare long-sleeved, high cut top, though it was very tight so she refused to wear it in front of Fraser, at the back of her locker. She pressed it into Chantelle's hands.

"Could you please wear that under your scrubs, please?" she asked her. Chantelle seemed confused, as Serena knew she would be. "Just trust me."

So she obeyed and put it on under her scrubs. "Why are you being so careful, Ms. Campbell?" Chantelle asked, the childish quality leaving her voice as she seemed to realise the extent of Serena's fear, for her own safety and Chantelle's.

Serena grasped Chantelle's hands and looked straight into her face. She didn't really care that she had to appear off her head right about now. "Promise me you'll be careful around Mr. Pickering, Chantelle," she implored her. "Promise me you won't let him even touch you."

"I promise," Chantelle vowed. The confusion ebbed away from her face, and she seemed to realise what had happened. "Ms. Campbell, did he...did he rape you?" she got out clumsily.

The direct question took Serena by surprise, and she did not answer. She couldn't give Chantelle any answers. But she knew she wouldn't have to say anything to Chantelle for her to know, and for her to know to keep it quiet.

Serena was surprised when the young nurse pulled her into her arms, and she had to stem the tears. "Don't tell Ric, or Hanssen, or Michael, please?" she asked. "In fact, can you just keep it between us?"

"Of course. It can be our little secret."


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