Note: For these last three chapters we enter into simple happy territory so if you're looking for serious drama don't bother.
Ric perched on the corner of her desk, deciding at the next lull in their discussion that he would have to pull a chair across if they were to carry on. As he allowed Serena to write out some notes by hand, he hastily brought the black leather seat from behind the other desk and proceeded to watch as she made illegible marks on the folder.
"Eleanor's going to be having a girl, they only just told told me." Serena had assumed the couple had not wished to find out the sex of the unborn child at the twenty week scan but for some reason they had instead been waiting weeks until this morning where she was in a worse mood than normal because a storm had kept her awake most of the night.
Ric and Serena were becoming used to having these private briefings about anything new - whether personal or work related - at some point during a shared shift. She didn't know if he was even interested in her life any more but she needed somebody to talk to and he seemed to be around a lot of the time. He was in his blue scrubs still during his day his on Keller while she had spent most of it hiding in the warmth of the office, trying not to fall asleep after the restless night.
"Another Campbell female, sure the world can handle that?"
She put on the most outraged expression that she could muster before breaking into a smile, "Technically it won't be a Campbell."
With a small shrug he responded with a hint of humour in his voice, "Technically she will still have some of your DNA coursing through her body."
"Your words wound me," she said, kicking him gently.
Knowing it was not necessary to win her over as they were only kidding around with the other, he felt the need to say a variation of what he had wanted to for longer than he cared to recall. "If she takes after you in the appearance department - maybe not so much the continuous sarcasm - she won't be short of a date when she gets older."
"Oi, you will be ancient by that time so don't get any ideas! Meals on wheels will bypass you because of your advancing years."
"That is ridiculous, and is the wit a natural thing or do you actually have to try?... Anyway, if I ever do have the pleasure of meeting her she'll probably guess I already have feelings for her gran-" She silenced him with a pointed finger until he began again, "Sorry. Let me restart, I already have feelings for you."
He was unsure if he had read her correctly and that it was the possible term 'grandmother' which had ruffled her feathers. The slight blush that coloured her cheeks and the quick look to the floor coupled with the bite to her bottom lip convinced him he was right.
"Are you sure you can handle me?" Whispering her response she couldn't bring herself to catch his eye with a smirk as she usually would, in case he dropped her from such a height.
"It's worth a shot."
Taking a deep breath to get over her surprise, she quickly glanced up again and grinned at the similar movement his mouth had made. Until that moment, Serena believed he liked her enough to sleep with her but to hear - even after all the stunts she had pulled - that he felt more shocked her to her core. Her own desire for him had only intensified since their reconciliation yet she had been able to pretend their was nothing different. However at this sudden admission she had a chance, if she threw this away there would be no going back. She was more than lucky to be given this opportunity after their history and she still regretted that stupidity.
"I think, no, I know I'm in love with you. The trip to America made me recognise that you are the closest thing I could get to knowing a great man. There was even a guy over there who was young, kind, shared my beliefs about hospital management, yet all I could think about was you and how you would just sit and laugh or argue until blue in the face over what I was saying. If I had continued to think about it there - instead of Ellie ruining it - I would have accepted the fact a lot sooner. I apologise for what I did."
"You don't have to, especially not now," He told her again, feeling this would be a recurring theme in their future - whatever that may be - which he would have to assure her that the past would stay there. Moving forward slowly they could not break eye contact in contrast to how they were barely five minutes prior. Serena leaned in first, their lips touching in the lightest of manners as her hands travelled to the back of his head, making herself sure that this was truly occurring.
Her mobile rang shortly after their kiss deepened further and she tried to ignore it until Ric pulled back and gave her a look. Sighing as she tried to find the phone in her bag which was on the floor after having been knocked off the back of her chair, she saw the name of her daughter.
"What?" Serena snapped down the line. At this moment not even labour would lessen her irritation.
"Sorry, no need to shout, have I interrupted something?"
Serena had been blissfully calm until the incessant tinny sound of the ringtone, almost to the point of nodding off mid-snog but now she was far too awake. "No, of course not. I'm at work in my office."
She could see the person in the room with her was turning to his desk so pulled him back by his arm and ran her finger down his cheek as she held conversation with her daughter. Ric kissed her fingertips after her thumb ran across his lips, their sitting positions limiting what he could actually do.
"I was just wondering if you would be home tonight because I will get round to making dinner soon?"
"Why would I be anywhere else?" Serena asked while Ric's hand moved up her thigh just enough to get her attention. She presumed her daughter was also being distracted by her male friend at the same time so she did not feel too bad laying her hand on Ric's chest, her finger drawing a line down v-shaped cut of his scrubs. "A home-cooked meal, what have I done to deserve that?"
"The baby must be trying to get on that very small good side you have."
"By getting me fatter?" She watched as Ric shook his head softly, she doubted she would get used to how he looked at her so affectionately that it was as though the flaws she had didn't exist to him. If she thought about it in depth she knew that he had tried to convey the same for a long time now, and not only when they had slept together.
"I should be home by about half six. By the way, Eleanor, I don't think I was that supportive this morning when you told me you're having a daughter. I was more than grumpy," she covered the mouthpiece and muttered to the man in front of her 'almost up to your level', "I am going to spoil her rotten."
"I know you will. We weren't going to tell anyone but it kind of slipped out. So, are you busy at work?"
"Yes, sorry darling, but I am. We'll chat tonight."
"Liam will no doubt pop by but I'm sure we can fit in a girly moment."
"Yeah, of course. I really have to go," Serena said, trying to hide that she was with someone.
Although Eleanor and Liam were in the house alone they enjoyed retreating to her bedroom as it was much more comfortable. They didn't hide their relationship from Serena but he did prefer to make an appearance after she was out of the house to prevent any small-talk conversations that they mutually despised.
Throwing her phone on to the bedside table once more the young female laid back against his chest as he turned the volume up on the television.
"That was really weird. She was annoyed that I had called but was all sweetness and light as the chat continued - it's usually the other way round with her."
"Maybe she was getting off with her mystery bloke."
"She's at work, her sacred place where she dislikes me being present, she wouldn't tarnish it like that." Eleanor looked up as her boyfriend as he kissed her passionately.
"I am pretty sure I heard a man laughing at one point."
"Liam, you were listening in via the other side of my phone, I don't think that's the most reliable information." Eleanor was as sceptical as her mother at times and would not believe that he had in fact heard just that. When Serena had grabbed Ric to be close again he had been taken aback - which was how her fingers had ended up on his mouth at that time.
"If she is still there then we have some time to ourselves…" He muttered as he shifted above her so that they could both be comfortable as they became intimate. The expanding six month bump was a slight hindrance but they knew they would not harm the baby with their actions.
"She thinks I am totally out of touch," Serena muttered afterwards, "her boyfriend is right there with her yet she claims she doesn't know if he will be there tonight... Ric, this is going to sound weird but can we do this whole thing slowly? I know we've already seen each other stark naked but maybe we could hold off on that for a tiny amount of time." They had returned to kissing as soon as Serena tried to make an exit from the phone call but she mumbled this as he pressed his mouth to her jaw.
His hand stalled on her thigh again as he looked at her seriously, "I don't think you are easy, just so you know, I realise that night had several root causes. But if you wish me to sweep you off on dates and dinners for months then fine by me."
"Really? Thank you, although now you've promised I expect the nicest of dates and if you can't cook then that's okay but just take me to restaurants - I don't find either any more romantic than the alternate so choose. As for dates, make it something that we might both actually enjoy, do not try to simply impress me." To silence her briefly he caught her lips with his own which she lost herself in quickly.
"By the way, should I be making notes on your rules?" Her glare immediately softened at his comment, knowing he was not making any harm by it. "You can decide on our first date so that I have a base-line and you will be able to tell me how difficult it is to please you, Serena."
"Simple. Tomorrow, we both finish late afternoon, let's go for one drink in Albie's then I will take you to a little tapas place I know." She responded, touching her lips to his every few words.
"Why did I not guess it would start there? I should probably go and see how our ward is, I only planned to be gone two or three minutes."
"Our ward? Well done, you are growing ever closer to acknowledging it is my ward. If only you had time, I'm all flustered now." Serena replied, jokingly fanning her face as he left the room both with large smiles plastered on their faces.