AN: I quite like Serena's character but I didn't like her in the previous episode hence this story; although this story isn't Serena-bashing by design, she is unlikely to come out of it smelling of roses as things stand. It may change.
Also as the way things stand, we're going to head back a few months and work our way forward to the current day, so if this chapter seems unconnected to the first, that'll be why :-)
Thank you all for your lovely reviews and advice RE: Ric. Mucho appreciated. I had to rewrite this chapter a bit, I was in danger of turning him into some kind of sap. Hopefully this version is a bit more believable.
Onwards!
When Sacha Met Chrissie
"You're right, there's a lot more to the story."
Ric doesn't elaborate any further, falling silent after his admission, fiddling with the plastic lid on his coffee cup.
"A problem shared is a problem halved." Elliot comments sagely and although he doesn't show it, Ric is amused that coming from Elliot, the words are sound advice but from anyone else, Ric would consider them contrived. Ric still doesn't respond and after a little while, he hears Elliot sigh and speak again.
"So it's more than Ms. Campbell's coup d'etat or Mr. Hanssen's abdication that's bothering you?"
Ric sighs, "I don't know what the woman is trying to do."
"How about you start with what she has done?" Ric grunts, still not lifting his gaze from the cup in his hands, the last dregs of coffee now cold.
"Your response would suggest that it's something between you and Serena rather than her takeover which is bothering you." After another few seconds of silence, Elliot sighs. "We're going to be here all night if I have to try and guess. I'm not a mind reader."
"I... we..." Ric pauses, trying to work out quite which terms would be define his thing with Serena Campbell. "We slept together." He eventually confesses.
"When? Recently?" Elliot asks, obviously anticipating a recent event to cause the fall-out between the two GS consultants and Ric smiles grimly.
"No, last October at Sacha Levy's wedding."
Ric steps into the noisy restaurant, Rodolfo's, with Malick and both men are struck by the turnout, Rodolfo's is absolutely packed to the rafters. He'd got a lift from the hospital with Malick and both had glanced at one another, uncertain if the uninspiring building in front of them was the correct venue until they spotted Chantelle who waved, enthusiastic as ever and they'd followed her into the restaurant.
After chatting with her for a couple of moments, they are interrupted by an older lady calling for everyone to be quiet and she almost pushes Chrissie Williams out of the front door. Realising they need to move from their current position, Malick elects to stay with the blonde nurse and Ric moves to the other side of the makeshift aisle to stand next to one of the pillars. The woman calls again for them all to be quiet and the room obediently falls silent.
"Sacha's mother," Serena appears and informs him in a stage whisper in Ric's left ear, her breath tickling his face. "Quite the resemblance wouldn't you say?" Ric wants to turn around and frown at the no-doubt smirking woman for her unnecessary comment but at that moment, Sacha and Chrissie enter the building and they all break into applause.
Serena stands with him for the service, looking for all intents and purposes as if she is listening intently to the registrar. Ric happens to glance down at her during the vows and notices an odd expression, almost pained on her face and confused, he looks away before she can spot his brief scrutiny, returning his attention to the couple of front of them all.
As soon as the vows are exchanged, the mood becomes more relaxed and Ric gathers from Serena that there had been some last minutes nerves from the bride. There is a brief hiccup with a woman on the microphone that Ric vaguely recognises as a nurse, perhaps from Darwin or AAU, however she is swiftly and bodily removed from the room by Sacha's best man.
Bemused by the event unfolding in front of them, everyone suddenly seems a little uncertain but Michael Spence rescues the microphone and ropes Malick into starting the dancing. Ric watches, relieved for Sacha and Chrissie when others follow the Keller registrar, the party mood restored as the music is turned up.
Ric watches as yet more hospital colleagues head to the dance floor and he can spot several members of staff from each ward joining in. Distracted by counting them, Ric doesn't hear someone sidle up behind him.
"Lost something?" A familiar voice drawls in Ric's ear and he turns to find Serena stood quite close to him, holding two glasses of wine. He frowns at the sight but either Serena doesn't notice or ignores Ric's disapproving look.
"There are a lot of people, a lot of hospital staff here," Ric explains carefully.
"It's Sacha's wedding," Serena retorts,her tone of voice indicating that she believes it to be the most obvious answer in the world. "He's rather popular – what were you expecting?"
"I was expecting," Ric responds in a measured tone, "that the hospital not be left unmanned while what seems like every member of staff takes the afternoon off to celebrate and become intoxicated." Serena tilts her head back slightly and laughs, the rich sound drawing the attention of a couple of people nearby who stare at them for a few moments longer before resuming their own conversation.
"God, you sounded like the Swede then," Serena says, her amusement still plain to hear. "Take a look around, Ric," she instructs and Ric complies although not entirely certain what he's meant to be seeing.
"For what?" He questions and Serena sighs, pushing one of the wine glasses into his hands and taking a sip of the other.
"Mr. Hanssen is still at the hospital," Serena comments with a smirk and Ric suddenly has an image of the tall Director of Surgery running between all of the wards and Ric is forced to admit to himself that if anyone could pull off running the whole hospital single-handedly, it would be Henrik Hanssen. Serena, seeing that Ric isn't convinced, adds, "he okayed this exodus himself; the hospital is perfectly well staffed and covered. Now, drink up!"
She instructs him, raising her own glass to take another sip. Ric weighs her words up in his mind, knowing that Serena Campbell wouldn't endanger the hospital to attend a party and reassured, he lifts his recently acquired wine glass with a nod.
"That's the spirit." Serena beams at him and darting forwards, presses a chaste kiss to his cheek before stepping back with a smirk and turns on the spot, heading off to the dance floor, depositing her empty glass on a table as she passes. Ric watches her move through the crowd, offering a quick twirl to the delight of Malick and Chantelle and he absent-mindedly raises a hand to his cheek, to the spot where she'd kissed him, wondering why she'd done that.
Ric doesn't dance at all throughout the evening, content to remain where he was, sitting and watching the Keller staff dance and have a good time with the intermittent additions of Serena Campbell and Michael Spence.
Ric turns away from his post for a moment, signalling to the bar man for a glass of water. By the time he has got his drink and resumed his spot, he can only see Michael, Malick and Chantelle from their group over the far side of the restaurant. Serena has disappeared and Ric cranes his neck, looking for her, finding himself disappointed and almost wary when he can't locate her. He doesn't trust Serena Campbell and would prefer to keep an eye on her for his own sake, as much as for the patients' sake.
Suddenly the woman in question appears in front of him and sits herself down on the seat next to Ric's and steals his glass of water before he can protest.
"Thirsty work, keeping up with the youngsters." Ric says nothing but rises, returning from the bar with two more glasses of water and gives one to Serena who nods, gratefully. "So, any chance of tempting you onto the dance floor, Mr. Griffin?"
Ric can't help but smile, shaking his head. "I would say it's so I don't show you all up but I'm more likely to show you all up by straining something which isn't the effect I'd be after." He comments honestly. "I did however, notice you showing the youngsters a thing or two." He ventures and is rewarded with a brilliant smile.
"Well, I do try."
Ric feels more relaxed in her presence than he can ever remember feeling, with the constant tension and professional conflict removed, he finds her an engaging conversationalist and the two easily fall into conversation.
By the time that Ric next looks at his watch, a couple of hours have passed and he looks up in surprise to see that the restaurant is a lot emptier than earlier. The majority of the staff have gone and only a few of the more determined (and inebriated, his mind supplies) remain behind. It's long after Ric had planned to leave but he had lost track of the time, genuinely enjoying talking with Serena.
It doesn't take Serena long to notice that Ric's attention has wandered and she observes him as he looks around, attempting to locate Malick. Ric grimaces to himself as he fails to find the registrar, resigning himself to a lonely walk back to the hospital to pick up his car before heading home.
"Problem?" He hears Serena enquire and Ric sighs.
"Mr. Malick appears to have gone home." He explains. "He was my lift."
"Ah," Serena nods, understanding. "I think I might call it a night soon as well; are you sure I can't tempt you onto the dance floor for a final spin?"
"Quite sure." Ric answers with a smile at Serena's tenacity.
"Shame," Serena drawls and Ric is suddenly uncertain whether the woman is flirting with him or not. As he is busy reminding himself to be careful around her, this evening's charming woman is still the same doctor he locks horns with every shift, her expression changes from an almost predatory smile back to a more business-like one. "Well then, why don't we share a taxi? Much more cost effective. I'll be back in a minute."
Ric blinks at the transformation, making him wonder if he imagined it; he frowns as he watches her walk away until he realises that she is only heading to the toilets.
As Ric wakes, he is aware of something. However, his tired and slightly hungover brain won't process anything else and he resigns himself to opening his eyes. After a moment or two to summon the energy for such a task, Ric opens his eyes and takes in the room.
Satisfied, he shuts his eyes again before a frown creeps onto his forehead. He is sleeping on his usual side of the bed and is alone in the room, both of which he would expect. However, it is neither his bed or his bedroom that he has woken up in. His frown deepens as he tries to recall where he is and how he came to be here.
Ric can remember leaving Rodolfo's and sharing a taxi with Serena as she suggested. He heard her give the driver an address as they climbed into the waiting vehicle and Ric decided to wait until they'd dropped Serena off before giving his own address.
He sat next to her in the back of the cab, apologising out of habit when her leg brushes his. It's dark but he can just about make out a small smirk on her face from the orange street light and nonplussed he looks back out of the window as they head towards a part of Holby he is less familiar with.
He'd physically jerked in surprise a few minutes later when he'd felt her hand on his leg but when he'd looked around, she was staring innocently out of her window. A few seconds later, her hand was back on his thigh, her fingers trailing up and down his leg and this time she met his gaze with a smug grin and he'd been too distracted to ask why.
The taxi had stopped about a minute later and she'd dragged him out of the vehicle, paying the driver and pocketing the receipt and Ric watches as the taxi speeds off. He turned to face Serena, to ask her why she has sent his ride home away when she takes two steps towards him and kisses him, before he can speak.
Ric finds himself reacting automatically, kissing the woman who'd seemed contractually obliged to frustrate and undermine him at least half a dozen times a week. His expression must have broadcast his confusion because she smiles when they part.
"If you could see your face," she tells him, her smile transforming into a smirk.
"Why?" Ric finally finds his voice.
"Why not? We're both adults. I want this and if I'm not mistaken..." She smirks again, her voice trailing off and she steps away, turning towards the front door of a house that Ric assumes is hers and gets about five paces away before she realises that he isn't following her.
"But-" He wants to tell her that it isn't wise but she cuts him off, retracing her steps until she's in front of him again.
"Come on Ric. I'm divorced, not a nun." It's Ric's turn to raise an eyebrow at the image, it's one vocation that Serena would never be able to do. He rather fancies that Serena would bring Christianity to its knees within months as she installed herself at the top of the church as the new figure of divine worship.
He finds himself following Serena into her house and he can't help but think that he's heading 'into the spider's lair' as he shuts the front door behind him. She'd kissed him, leading him upstairs into a room with a light floral pattern, photo frames and other things dotted over the surface. Ric had never given any thought to Serena's bedroom but considering what he knows of her personality, this light, feminine room wasn't what he would have anticipated.
"Judging by your face, Lord only knows what you expected my bedroom to look like."
He'd ignored her teasing comment and instead had set about removing her black suit jacket, running his hands over her dark pink shirt and pulling her closer to him, kissing her again as he shrugs out of his own jacket, guiding them towards her bed.
By the time that Ric opens his eyes again, Serena Campbell is stood at the end of the bed with a coffee mug in a hand, fully dressed as she sorts through the previous day's clothes with the other. He tenses at the sight of her, silently cursing himself for his lack of will-power. Of all the colleagues he could have slept with, Serena Campbell is probably the most ill-advised.
"Serena?" Ric watches as she ignores him, her movements brisk and efficient and Ric is aware that their relationship will reach a whole new level of awkwardness and tension if they don't nip this in the bud.
"Serena?" He tries again with the same outcome and not caring about his state of undress, throws the duvet off him and moves across the room to Serena. Ric uses both hands to gently turn her until she is facing him, aware that any sudden movements on his part won't end well for him.
"We need to talk about this-"
"No, we don't." Serena retorts, cutting off Ric who sighs at Serena's trademark stubbornness.
"We do." Ric insists. "Even if it is only to say that last night... If we agree that this is unlikely to-"
"It won't happen again." Serena states firmly, interrupting Ric for a second time in as many sentences and he takes a deep breath, resisting the urge to remind her that last night was her idea.
"Ok." He agrees. "As long as we're in agreement then there is no need for things to be awkward or different in any way between us. We can put it down to the alcohol or whatever you want, we don't have to speak of it."
He watches Serena's face as his words sink in and is relieved when she nods and her expression loses its aggression. "Fine. Nothing changes, I don't want Hanssen sticking his nose in because if he asks, I will tell him." Ric swallows knowing that she probably would. She then makes him feel even more self-conscious when she glances down his body and back up to his face, raising an eyebrow.
"Why don't you put some clothes on and I'll see if I can find us something for a quick breakfast before work." She smirks and slips past him, heading for the bedroom door, leaving Ric staring after her, wondering quite what all that was about.
"Were things awkward?" Elliot asks when Ric is done recounting the tale, admittedly only parts of the story, his friendship with the CT consultant only extends so far.
"No." Ric answers. "I was surprised but it seemed to work; we settled back into our routines almost straight away and everything managed to go back to as normal as usual."
"So what's changed between then and now?"
"I don't know." Ric answers honestly; he has his suspicions but no proof. He has never been one for rushing into a diagnosis or an accusation with sufficient evidence and he isn't going to start now.
"Hmmm, I don't see why one..." Elliot pauses, scratching the back of his neck and Ric hates his friend's perceptiveness at that moment. "It was just the once, wasn't it, Ric?"
Ric swallows but remains silent whilst mentally scrambling for some kind of answer as well as conceding that no, it wasn't just the once.
AN2: It was never the intention for this just to be a one-time thing sooooo... it means more chapters!
I hope you enjoyed that, feel free to drop me a line. :-)