AN: That's the last time I suggest that I will try posting on a particular schedule; my internet connection doesn't like a) hot weather b) cold weather c)rain d) sunshine e) any weather f) me. Meh. I have also been doing more hours at work which has cut into my writing time as well as my reading time – I have a lot of chapters to catch up on and review and can't wait for the opportunity to sit down, relax and delve into it all.

Many thanks for your patience and as always, your lovely reviews. I read every single one and I know I'm awful at replying to them but your feedback is always gratefully received and most welcome.

*insert tedious and repetitive disclaimer here*

One last question, where is Ric Griffin these days? Have I missed a trick or has he just not been around in recent episodes?

Onwards!

Chapter 21.

Serena wakes suddenly, her sleep disturbed by something and she tenses, wondering what it was which has woken her until she hears the bathroom door close and the extractor an turn on automatically. She recognises the steps as Gabby's; the tread is confident enough to suggest a familiarity with the layout of the house but not as heavy-sounding as her daughter's footsteps tend to be.

Without opening her eyes, Serena takes a sleepy stock of her surroundings – the sound of light snoring somewhere to her right reminds her that she isn't alone in her room but the relaxed breathing suggests that Hanssen is still quite deeply asleep. In fact, at some point during the night, she and Hanssen appear to have gravitated towards one another and Serena remains still for a minute or so, cataloguing the familiar feeling and comforting warmth of another body in her bed which is something that she wasn't actively aware that she had missed.

The shrill noise of the alarm clock surprises her and Serena jerks into consciousness, she was aware of waking up at some point in the night but wasn't aware that she'd fallen asleep again. She turns over to turn it off, eyes still closed, instinctively finding the device and muting it, groaning quietly at the thought of leaving the warm and comfortable bed for the cold morning air. It's only when she is half-way out of the room that she remembers that she wasn't alone last night and she turns back to the bed.

It's empty.

Serena frowns – the side she has just vacated has the duvet thrown back but the other side is made neatly, looking completely unused. There's no sign of any of Hanssen's possessions and Serena heads out of the room and down the stairs. If it wasn't for the fact that she remembers lying on her right-hand side, watching Hanssen sleep, she wouldn't have been able to tell he'd been in the house at all. She had gladly taken the opportunity to really look at the man sleeping next to her, something she can't normally do when he is awake – the man has an uncanny ability of knowing when someone is looking at him and then staring them down until they hastily averted their gaze. His expression had been more relaxed in sleep than usual but he still looked a little troubled to her dismay and Serena knew the lines of tension will only deepen and become more pronounced as he wakes, realising where he is and why, as Dr. Lo's fate comes flooding back to him.

She pulls on her dressing gown and goes in search of Hanssen. Serena finds the errant Swede in her kitchen, fully dressed and staring, probably unseeing out of the window into the back garden, it's still too dark to make anything out.

"Good morning." She is glad to find him and she almost confesses that she'd been afraid that Hanssen had left; it hadn't occurred to her that he doesn't have his car or any method of transport.

"I didn't mean to wake you." He turns and she can see that he hasn't got his glasses on and Serena can't help but be slightly distracted by the sight.

"You didn't." Suddenly Serena is quite aware that she is still in her pyjamas as Hanssen's gaze lands on her and she attempts to resist the urge to self-consciously pull her dressing gown around her more tightly. "How long have you been up?"

"Not too long."

"Are you ok?"

"Fine, thank you."

"Right," Serena sighs, it's too early in the morning for her to attempt to coax Hanssen into talking; he looks okay, all things considered, if perhaps a tad more pensive than usual which is understandable. "Well, there are teabags or coffee in that cupboard, milk is in the fridge and help yourself to anything you want for breakfast – I'm going to jump in the shower, I won't be long." He inclines his head and Serena retreats back upstairs, wondering if Henrik Hanssen isn't a morning person.

"Or an afternoon or evening person," she mutters, turning the shower on, referring to the man's lack of social skills. "You sure know how to pick 'em." She grumbles to herself, stepping under the spray – she's gone from one extreme to the other; her ex-husband's social skills were a little too developed and Hanssen's are non-existent.

By the time that Serena makes it back down to the kitchen, there is a mug of tea waiting for her but no signs that any food has been consumed. She resists the urge to comment upon it, wondering when the man ate last, he perpetually looks like he needs a square meal and Serena knows that if his path crosses with her mother's, Hanssen will be made to eat. The thought makes her smile.

"Alright," Serena drains the last of her tea and puts the mug in the sink with Hanssen's to deal with later. "Let me leave a note for Ellie and Gabby and then we can go."

Serena can see that Hanssen wants to leave, he almost radiates his unease, his gaze darting to the kitchen doorway at irregular intervals; it took her a minute or so of this behaviour before she worked out what was bothering Hanssen but Serena knows there is no chance of either teenager appearing any time soon. She scribbles a brief missive for her daughter, all too aware of Eleanor's likely eye rolling and huffing as she tells her to unpack the dishwasher.

Arriving back at the hospital to a grey morning, Serena shuts the door and locks her car, she waits for Hanssen as he opens the boot of his car to retrieve his briefcase which he'd put in there the night before and to replace his overnight bag which he'd taken to Serena's house. Task completed, he turns and Serena thinks that he seems momentarily surprised to see her still stood there but recovers quickly.

Their entrance into the hospital goes unnoticed and Serena travels with Hanssen up to the fifth floor and even if they had been spotted by a colleague, she doubts that anyone would question the possibility of a meeting before 8am, except perhaps Ric or Michael.

"I'm on Keller today," she isn't surprised when her comment doesn't get a response and sighs to herself, she doesn't expect him to suddenly open up to her but a one-word answer would be nice. This silent, slightly tortured version is quite uncomfortable to be around and she concedes defeat, electing to give him a bit of space now that the immediate aftermath is over.

"Well, I'll see you later." She retreats, hoping for some kind of verbal response without success and she doesn't look back as she leaves, resolving to check on him throughout the day.

The second time that Serena finds a reason to visit Hanssen in his office, he is sat at the table at the back of his office, working his way through a small pile of paper and he glances up briefly, returning his gaze to the document to mark his place.

"Take a seat, Ms. Campbell," he tells her in a tired voice which Serena knows he would not use in front of any other staff and another day she would offer a borderline sardonic comment on their rate of progression. It feels like it's taken several weeks and the death of a colleague just for the man to use a different tone of voice with her.

She obliges, pulling out a chair with one hand and offering him the folder in her hands with the other, which he takes, scanning it and signing in the appropriate place. She is wondering how to ask how he is without the man becoming defensive. He holds out the file and Serena goes to take it back but Hanssen doesn't release his hold on it and she looks at him in askance.

"It is not necessary to keep checking up on me, Ms. Campbell." Hanssen says, seeing through her ploy, "I am perfectly capable of working today without some form of breakdown."

"Right," Serena responds, slightly stung.

"Your concern both last night and this morning was not necessary-"

"Of course it was." Serena's answer stops Hanssen and he blinks a couple of times, expression inscrutable once more. "Of course it was," she repeats, a little concerned at Hanssen's apparent lack of belief of the importance of his own needs, a sharp contrast to the almost arrogant work persona he projects.

"If you say so. However well-intended your actions may be, I believe that a visit every ninety minutes is excessive..." Hanssen trails off, leaving Serena to finish the sentence in her head. She sighs imperceptibly, normally she would agree but today is not an everyday occurrence, thankfully.

"Anyone would think that you don't want to see me." Serena deflects, attempting humour and watching as his expression softens slightly and his mouth forms a half-smile in response.

"I assure you that couldn't be further from the truth," he informs her and Serena relishes the unexpected words from the intensely private man which have caused a feeling of warmth to spread throughout her. "Yet this work will not complete itself." He gestures to the paper piled neatly on the table.

"I suppose it's about time you did some of your own paperwork," Serena quips, sensing an opportunity to make a reference to the volume of work he regularly sends her.

"I shall not dignify that with an answer," Hanssen frowns and responds dryly although he appears to have taken the comment in the spirit it was intended. "Now that we have established that I am not on the verge of some manner of emotional breakdown, perhaps we may both return to the roles for which we are being paid?" Serena nods reluctantly, uncrossing her legs as she prepares to stand when something occurs to her.

"Actually, there is something I need to speak to you about." Hanssen doesn't say anything, merely replaces his pen lid carefully before leaning back in his chair, waiting silently for Serena to elaborate. Serena runs her fingers over her ever-present necklace distractedly, she'd thought on and off about how to broach this subject with the man in front of her as soon as she'd become aware and had been unable to formulate a plan, deciding to wing it instead.

"My Mum-"

"Is being discharged next week." Hanssen interrupts and finishes Serena's sentence. It takes her a moment to carry on, surprised that Hanssen knows about her mother's imminent departure from the hospital.

"You know?" Hanssen merely blinks at her and Serena gets the impression that it's the equivalent of Eleanor rolling her eyes and sighing. "How do you know?"

"I have something of an interest in the case." Serena rather thinks that the enigmatic answer typifies Hanssen; there are several possible interpretations and she doesn't quite know what to say. "What was it you wished to say?" He asks in a gentle tone, apparently aware that he has stalled her.

"My Mum is being discharged next week and we've decided that she's going to be living at home with me and Eleanor." She tells him, still not sure how he'll receive the news, the man's inscrutable expression giving her no clue. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Why would I mind?" Hanssen seems genuinely confused and suddenly Serena is at a loss to explain why he might object. She is under no illusions that, were she still married, her husband would have grumbled about the situation.

"I don't know, it just-" She feels slightly at a loss; she had obviously over-thought the situation and Hanssen's prior knowledge and casual acceptance has thrown her somewhat.

"I would expect nothing less from you. Is there a task you require from me with regards to your mother?"

"I don't think so," she shakes her head, "I just wanted you to know but I do reserve the right to tell you if I do think of something." Hanssen nods in response.

"See that you do, please."

Any verbal response which Serena may have had is interrupted by two smart knocks on the door of the office which then opens. Serena glances briefly at Hanssen who is frowning, obviously not expecting the visitor. She could groan when she recognises the intruder as Michael Spence and has to consciously keep a neutral expression when he looks round, finally finding them at the back of the office.

"Oh, I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" The question is innocent in itself but Serena knows that Michael is aware of their relationship and so it is anything but innocent – the smirk on his face gives him away and annoyed, Serena is determined to remove it.

"Michael," she drawls, speaking before Hanssen can, fixing the most predatory smile she can muster to her face. "Just the very person I've been meaning to have a little chat with." Serena takes some gratification in the way that Michael's expression rapidly alters, suddenly looking a little uneasy.

"It's no problem, I'll come back later, 'Rena. You two look busy, carry on." Serena purses her lips at the continued use of her mother's nickname and watches through narrowed eyes as the door closes. Hanssen looks confused by the American's sudden retreat and Serena's expression and she exhales, grudgingly explaining about the nickname.

To Hanssen's credit, Serena thought, he nodded and then enquired about why Michael had bid such a hasty departure. Serena pauses for a moment, not wanting to tell Hanssen but unable to think of a plausible alternative.

"He knows." Is all that Serena says in the end, watching Hanssen carefully, spotting the moment when he understands quite what she means. "He was in the car park when I kissed you." Serena seeks to explain as she watches Hanssen's face become devoid of any expression and she curses Michael in her head; she really will be wanting a few short words with the American now.

"He saw me kiss you," Serena repeats herself, "I certainly didn't tell him and he knows better than to say anything to anyone else." Hanssen takes off his glasses, looking through them up to the light before he polishes one of the lenses. Serena thinks that their closeness last night suddenly seems like a lot more than 12 hours ago.

"Who else knows, please?" Hanssen asks and if Serena didn't know better, she would have said that he sounded uninterested but she suspects he is anything but.

"Ric was with Michael." She confesses, deciding that the truth is just about the lesser of two evils. "But that's it – I haven't even told Eleanor yet." Although Serena acknowledges that her daughter isn't stupid and has probably already worked it out after last night's events but out loud she explains that Ric has to share an office with her which is why he won't say anything.

It's obvious for Serena that Hanssen is not happy at the thought that others know but she knows that the man is logical and will reluctantly accept that their colleagues found out by accident. As long as the pair of consultants keep their mouths shut, everyone can move on.

"I will not tolerate any jokes on the subject from anyone." Hanssen states finally, replacing his glasses and Serena is relieved although she takes care not to show her relief.

"Neither will I." She agrees immediately, pleased to see that Hanssen seems mollified. "You know, I may just pop down unannounced to AAU – it would be remiss of me to not do the odd surprise visit in my role as Executive Director of Surgery or whatever my title is now."

"Indeed," is all Hanssen can offer in response before Serena's pager cuts him off.

"Or not..." Serena groans, seeing the summons from Keller and looks to Hanssen who inclines his head.

"Right, I must dash – duty calls. See you in about 90 minutes then?" Serena quips, making a reference to the frequency of her visits to Hanssen so far today and she smiles at Hanssen's frown, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek and dashing out of the room, wondering what chaos is unfolding down on Keller, unaware of Hanssen's gaze on her as she leaves.

AN: Just a short little chapter today, it took a couple of rethinks and re-writes, the initial chapter I had was a bit too angsty for my liking and was in danger of stalling things for a bit which I didn't want. It's about time we had some more plot and got things moving again.

As always would love to hear your thoughts, what you liked, what you didn't.