Author's Note: Still going, a quick little update so that it isn't too long between updates, I will also try to get some chapters posted (well, written and finished first) for other stories and there are still some outstanding one-shots to come along too.

I reckon there are two chapters left after this one :)

Chapter 7.

"Come in, come in – we were just discussing you."

The head of HR looks about as pleased to see Serena as Serena is to see her.

"Serena, this is-"

"We've met." Serena interrupts with a deliberate smirk, the last time the two women had crossed paths, it was in fact just after Guy Self had tactlessly revealed his appointment to the hospital's top job in front of everyone on AAU – she'd read her the riot act, accusing the HR department of many things and almost reducing the hapless woman to tears. "I think." Serena adds dismissively, glad to draw first blood as the woman scowls. To her secret disappointment, the woman remains silent; considering the way the past two days have gone, she's itching for an argument.

"Excellent." If Guy Self notices the tension between the two women, he makes no reference to it and cheerfully carries on with whatever he was going to say, gesturing at a spare seat which Serena takes. "So, Serena, how was your Christmas?"

The moment after the question registers feels like a lifetime but the rational part of Serena's mind tells her it can't have been more than a second or two. It feels like her heart has missed a beat as the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place and she drops into the chair unceremoniously.

The HR woman – Serena can't actually remember her name – is looking like she has had the temerity to personally and deliberately cause her all kinds of extra work and suddenly Serena's adrenal gland goes into overdrive as she fears that the Police have told the hospital about her arrest and that she is about to be suspended or sacked on the spot – oddly enough, an arrest for attempted murder never looks good on the CV.

Serena makes a slightly strangled non-committal noise in response to Guy's question and he looks up at her. "Yes, well, quite understandable in the circumstances."

Serena swallows, not wanting to offer any comment before she has to.

"You see, Serena, we have a problem."

"A problem?"

"Yes, staffing issues, a problem with our consultants it seems. Not only are we down a consultant anaesthetist..." He takes a quick breath and continues, no-one in the room needs any reminder of Edward's suspension looming over them. "We're going to be short a consultant general surgeon too."

"Now, normally we wouldn't bring you in on this given the current situation." Serena remains silent, waiting for the axe to fall. "But you know this hospital better than I do at the moment. What I'm proposing is that we keep Ric Griffin as the Clinical Lead on Acute Admissions and you can stay as the Clinical Lead on Keller until this is sorted out?

"Sorted out?" Serena frowns, not quite understanding where this conversation is going, it doesn't appear to be quite as bad as she feared, yet.

"Well, as Ric is already on AAU, it made sense to try not to disrupt anything too much until Mr. Spence's replacement's replacement can make it to us."

"I see." Serena answers but she isn't sure that she does see, confusion reigning.

A stream of possibilities pass through her mind but it occurs to her that perhaps no-one here knows what happened to her after all. The best thing she can do at the moment is continue to act normally, as best she can in the circumstances.

"Well, that's the official reason of course. The real reason is pretty obvious." He eyes her thoughtfully. "Have you been to see Edward yet?"

"No." Serena answers and despite whatever she said to Eleanor last night, she has no intention of speaking to her ex-husband – she'll bully a nurse into making Edward phone Eleanor at some point.

"Well then, we should remedy that." And before Serena can protest, the CEO has turned to the perpetually unimpressed HR woman. "Anything else or can we reconvene later?"

After deciding that there wasn't anything else which needed to be dealt with immediately, the head of HR departs the office, apparently glad to scurry away back to her own area of the hospital, or, more likely, head home – Human Resources are even harder to get hold of between Christmas and New Year than any other time of the year and a couple of minutes later, Serena reluctantly follows Guy Self out of the CEO's office, the latter ignoring her half-resigned protests.

"Huh, well that's strange." Serena hears Guy's surprised comment as he exits the lift onto Keller and she looks at him as she steps out of the enclosed silver carriage half a step before she looks to her right, following his frown.

As soon as Serena's gaze reaches the door on her right, she suddenly understands, her stomach plunging to somewhere in her boots. Stepping out of the ICU towards them is an unfortunately familiar figure, of PC Frances – the Police Officer who arrested her less than 36 hours earlier.

There's no opportunity to duck away onto the ward, especially not with Guy Self stood next to her and the policeman's gaze travels from Guy Self onto Serena, his eyes widening slightly as they land on her but he recovers quickly.

"Mrs. Campbell." He greets her and Serena can feel the questioning gaze of Guy Self on her.

AN2: Just a short chapter to keep things ticking over. Only a couple left to go and Serena comes face-to-face with Edward next time...

Would love to know what you thought :)