Another update! A bit longer this time. I'm not sure when I'll be able to update again, I'm having to do so when and where I can at the moment because I'm having trouble with my laptop. Hopefully will get a chance again really soon. I hope you guys are still enjoying this.

Hanssen sat motionless at his desk for over quarter of an hour. He ignored Prof. Hope knocking at his door. He ignored the ringing of his phone.

He thought back to this morning when he had considered the possibility that this day could might herald a new beginning. It had been quite some time since he had begun the day feeling quite so enthusiastic. Serena Campbell had a strangely relaxing effect on him.

He had not give much thought to the events of last night, or this morning, He had deliberately busied his thoughts with other matters on the return journey to Holby as Michael had travelled with them once again. He was certain if he had allowed his mind to stray to his and Serena's actions the night before he would not have been able to evade Michael's seemingly innocuous but slyly pointed questions as adeptly. A furiously blushing CEO would have been slightly suspicious.

Serena had been her usual self, as if nothing at all out of the ordinary had happened. If he had not witnessed her surprising and endearing moment of self-consciousness last night as he had removed her clothing, he would have presumed the whole thing had been nothing of any consequence to her.

He had wrongly presumed her to be quite practiced in such matters given that she was, and she would admit to being so herself, a prodigious flirt. Last night however as they lay down together she had paused him to admit that she was, in her words, "a little rusty". It had not taken either of them very long to overcome their timidity however. His pulse quickened at the memory.

He had no doubt that last night had broken new barriers for both of them. As he had listened to Cunningham waffling on the phone whilst Serena bought him a coffee Hanssen had considered inviting her for lunch today. This was not intended to be the beginning of any kind of courtship but rather, perhaps, the forging of a new friendship.

Maja's arrival had scattered all such thoughts however. He wondered slightly incredulously how Maja could have thought that turning up out of the blue and hoping for some kind of reunion with his… with Fredrick was a good idea? She and Nils had managed perfectly with the boy for the last 25 years. What would be the point of getting involved now? To see first hand all that he had missed out on? He wouldn't do it.

He checked his watch. It was after 3pm Too late to ask Serena to lunch now. There was a knock at his door and he sighed before saying 'Yes?'

The door opened and Serena appeared smiling and bearing two cups of coffee.

'I'm persona non grata in my office at the moment, do you mind if I hide here?'

'And what have you done to vex Mr Griffin this time?' Hanssen asked, gesturing for her to take a seat and mildly surprised at how glad he was to see her. 'Or should I ask?'

'I wish I knew.' Serena replied, handing him a coffee before taking a seat. Given the state Maja Johansson had been in whilst leaving Serena hadn't been quite sure what to expect when she came to see Hanssen but he looked perfectly normal. 'I'm fairly certain it's Michael's fault though.'

Hanssen raised his eyebrows quizzically. 'You don't know what it is but you know who to blame?'

'Life lesson number one: ALWAYS know who to blame.' Serena said lightly before taking a sip of her coffee. Her eyes twinkled and as happened on many occasions Hanssen wasn't sure whether she was serious or not.

Serena smiled knowing he was confused. 'I think Michael's been telling tales. Obviously he's never taken the doctor's oath that what happens at a conference stays at the conference!'

Hanssen looked up sharply. 'Do you know for sure he's been spreading rumours? About us?'

'He has definitely said something to Ric and I can't imagine what else he might be alluding to.' She took another sip of her coffee. 'Of course Ric should mind his own bloody business and not listen to unsubstantiated rumours – especially from a wind-up merchant like Michael.' She added huffily.

'Do you want me to have a word?' Hanssen asked suddenly.

'With Ric?' Serena asked surprised.

'It might be best to explain.' Hanssen said. 'That you inadvertently gave Pilkington and Hawthorne the wrong idea about us and somehow the rumour spread. I'm sure he'd understand.'

'Ah, so this is all my fault?' Serena said.

'No, this has nothing to do with apportioning blame. I am simply trying to straighten out misunderstandings. You cannot avoid your office and Mr Griffin forever.'

'I can give it a bloody good try.' Serena told him.

Hanssen gave her a look that said 'be realistic'.

'Anyway. We don't owe Ric any explanations. Or the others! We're consenting adults, we're both single. If we were having a relationship it would be nobody's business but ours.' She said stubbornly. 'It is especially none of Ric Bloody Griffin's business.'

'That's all very well in theory but you know as well as I do that for people in our positions rumours such as this can be very damaging.' Hanssen said calmly. 'And if we can put this one to rest with minimum fuss I think we should do so. We don't want people taking too much of an interest in our… dealings with one another. We are after all not entirely without secrets.'

'Oh there's no way any of them could know about that.' Serena said dismissively. 'Not unless Michael was hiding under the bed.'

'What a disturbing thought.' Hanssen mused aloud, as he stood up and walked around to sit casually on the front of his desk, careful not to disturb the bits and pieces on it.

Serena laughed. It was a horrible thought.

'At the very least an explanation would put Mr Griffin's mind at ease.' Hanssen continued.

'I don't see why he's so concerned to begin with. The man lives to disapprove of me!' Serena said heatedly.

Hanssen looked at her with a hint of amusement.

'You cannot think of any reason?' he asked. 'None at all?'

Serena's eyes narrowed and she tilted her head. 'What do you mean?'

Hanssen shrugged. 'Oh nothing. You know him better than I do. If you cannot think of a reason why he'd be upset at the idea of you being in a relationship with someone then I suppose there isn't one.'

Serena didn't quite like his tone. Or that slightly mocking look on his face.

'Enough about me and the trials and tribulations of Ric Griffin's superiority complex. I'm guessing you've had an interesting afternoon too.' Serena unsubtly decided to turn the tables.

Hanssen's face stiffened. He checked the time.

'Oh dear. That bad?' Serena asked before he could utter it was time for her to leave. 'So what did your "old flame" have to say? Don't tell me she came to announce you've got a long lost child you never knew about!" Serena grinned.

Hanssen regarded her carefully for a moment and then said quietly: 'No. I have always known about him.'

'What?' Serena asked, stunned. 'You…?'

'Have a son. Fredrick. He's twenty-five years old and I have never met him.' Hanssen told her matter-of-factly.

Serena was speechless. Hanssen had no idea why he had told her that. His heart was pounding rapidly although outwardly he remained completely still.

'Why haven't you met him? Are you going to?' Serena asked eventually when her speech returned.

'They didn't need me and no.' Hanssen answered.

'But she wants you to? That's why she was here?' Serena guessed. Hanssen made no reply. 'How can you not want to meet your son?'

'He is a stranger to me and I to him. What good would it do now?' Hanssen asked. He wished her to say it would do no good, that he was right but he knew she wouldn't.

'He is your son.' Serena said.

'Biologically.' Hanssen said. He sighed. 'Shouldn't you be getting back to Keller?'

'She was upset when she left. Maja? I saw her in the lift.' Serena told him, ignoring his question.

'She will get over it.' Hanssen said more coldly than he intended.

'Probably.' Serena agreed. 'It's obviously not the first time you kicked her to the curb. And moving on, getting over things, picking up the pieces is what mothers do.'

Hanssen said nothing.

'Do you think he will get over it though? She'll have to tell him that you want nothing to do with him.'

'Maja gave no indication that Fredrick even wants to meet with me. He has a good father. He doesn't need some stranger claiming the title.'

Serena sneered slightly. 'Are you being naïve or simply mean?' she asked. 'Of course the boy will want to meet you. Even if it's just to give you a royal telling off.'

Perhaps she had a point there, Hanssen conceded. Serena sighed.

'Aren't you curious?' she asked. 'To see what he's like?'

Hanssen shrugged, trying to look indifferent. He thought of the number of times he had resisted looking up 'Fredrick Johansson' since Maja had told him the boy's name.

'Where does he live?' Serena asked gently.

'Stockholm. But he will soon move to London to take up a job in…' he realised he couldn't remember what hospital Maja had said he would be working. 'a hospital there.'

'Ah. So he has followed in your footsteps.' Serena smiled.

'His mother's most likely. She is a doctor also.'

'So England shall soon have another giant Swede stalking it's hospitals' corridors.' Serena said. 'I presume he takes after your significant stature.'

'I don't know.' Hanssen said with such an overwhelming sadness. He averted his gaze and began to straighten a row of already straightened pencils on his desk. Clenching his jaw as he did so.

Serean watched him in silence for a moment.

'You know he will eventually come to see what you're like?' she asked. 'He won't be able to help himself. Not when he's living so close. He will hear people talking about you. He'll want to compare the Henrik Hanssen he hears talk of amongst the consultants to the Henrik Hanssen he has in his head. The Henrik Hanssen who refused to meet with him.'

Hanssen had not considered that.

'Wouldn't it be easier to do so on your terms? Making an arrangement with his mother, instead of some impulsive, overwrought meeting in a few months or a few years.' Serena suggested. She knew how much he liked order and having things on his terms.

Hanssen looked up from his pencils.

'It's something to consider.' Serena said, standing up.

Hanssen nodded. She approached him and picked up one of the pencils. She noticed the way he visibly flinched.

'I do hope this means you're beginning to trust me?' she asked.

'Either that or I'm overtired.' Hanssen said in a tone that may have been joking - or not.

Serena smiled. Twiddling the pencil. She was probably pushing her luck but she decided to go ahead anyway. 'On that note, is it ok for me to ask if you are doing anything to combat this OCD behaviour?'

Hanssen straightened but remained seated on the desk. 'What do you mean?'

'The pencils. The fish.' She nodded towards the ornament. 'I've noticed how much you like to keep things in order.'

'And that's an illness is it?' he asked archly. 'I should emulate your version of efficiency and scatter paperwork all over my desk, should I?'

'I beg your pardon! I don't 'scatter' paperwork all over my desk!' Serena scoffed indignantly. 'And you know very well what I mean.' She continued to twiddle the pencil and picked up another, watching the way he looked at her. 'This bothers you?'

'No. Why would it? Your childishness however…' he flinched again as she moved the fish ornament and set it at an angle.

He straightened it immediately and she gave him a pointed look.

'One night in your bed does not authorize you to set about 'fixing' me.' He snapped.

'Oh believe me Mr Hanssen 'fixing' you would require a level of patience and interest that I simply don't have.' Serena retorted. 'And well done on being the first to reference our night together in an insult!'

She turned sharply to leave but he grabbed her arm.

'Serena…' he looked at her apologetically. 'Let's not… run before we can walk. Hmm?' he asked cryptically.

She sighed. Perhaps she had been a little too forward.

'Shall I speak to Mr Griffin?' he asked.

'No.' she shook her head. 'I'll do it.' She gave a half smile.

She left and Hanssen turned to quickly sort out the pencils only to discover they weren't there. She'd taken them he realised.