AN: Struggled with this chapter; I knew what I wanted to happen but it was just filling in the details (i.e. writing the damn thing) that proved difficult. Anyway, got there in the end, I think. Ric is an absolute bugger to write.

Thank you all for your reviews, reads and follows so far – it's much appreciated. Especially those who are giving me some advice about Ric's character. It's been really helpful so thank you.

'Just One Of Those Days' next chapter isn't quite there yet but I hope to have it posted by the end of the week. Hope you're all well and enjoying the sunshine.

Usual disclaimers and all that jazz.

Chasing Demons

Ric didn't see much of Serena over the remainder of the week which followed their kiss in the office. Partly due to their shifts not overlapping, it was his turn to take some of the night shifts which allowed him to catch up on his paperwork, his music playing in the office without Serena asking him to turn it off as was her wont. It also gave him the opportunity to think about his colleague and he'd spent a little more time than he should care to admit staring at her vacant desk.

Ric reflects that he was probably lucky to survive the incident in the office intact and that it was only the way he'd caught Serena so completely off-guard that meant he was capable of walking away with all of his internal organs still in their correct anatomical locations.

He'd shut the office door and pushed Serena against said door, her back pressing against the frosted glass panes, Ric had reacted without thinking, had kissed Serena and she had returned his kiss, her lips battling for dominance with his. Ric smiles a little as he thinks back, amused at how Serena's brain is wired to compete, no matter the situation.

He has a day off, having been on the night shift last night and has only been up for a few hours, having pottered around, ready to go back to bed in a few hours to try and return to a normal sleep pattern. As he stares into his fridge, wondering what to eat, his mind returns back to the scene in their office.

Ric had moved a hand up to cradle Serena's skull and as he does so, he can smell a waft of apples and assumes that it is the result of some kind of shampoo that she is using. The movement of his hand along her jaw seems to trigger Serena's own actions and she raises both hands up his torso to rest on his chest and then she pushed him.

Hard.

He'd staggered back a couple of paces, trying not to overbalance and end up in a sprawled heap on the floor of his own office; Serena stands across from him, her face slightly flushed and some hair sticking out at an odd angle. He finds his balance and Ric stands in the middle of their office, catching his breath and warily watching the woman stood a few paces away from him.

The kiss had been a reckless, impulsive decision.

Serena would be well within her rights to go running to Hanssen and accuse Ric of utterly inappropriate conduct and Ric knows that irrespective of their actions on Friday night, he would still be at fault. His gaze has drifted down to the carpeted floor of the office as the consequences of his rash actions begin to snowball in his mind.

Ric has no idea how long they are stood there in silence when Serena takes a step away from the door, towards him by default, the movement visible out of the corner of his eye

He glances up, half expecting to see faces pressed against the glass in the door, having witnessed the whole thing but the window is empty – apparently the consultant's office door slamming isn't unusual and Ric is grateful momentarily for Serena's unpredictable temper until he realises that any second now, the infamous Serena Campbell temper is going to explode in his direction.

He watches his colleague observing him and the longer the silence lasts the more he feels like a man approaching his own execution.

"Do you often use that tactic when trying to get your way with all your female colleagues?" Serena's accusation smarts and Ric scowls. "What would Mr. Hanssen say about that little display?"

"I doubt he'd be jealous – he's not really my type." Ric blinks at the flippant comment, realising he'd said it out loud. 'Shit', he thinks, 'if those were my last words, I could do so much better'.

Serena's eyes narrow and Ric watches her with his best poker face, confused when a smirk appears on her face. She exhales, moving towards her own desk, "I suppose I should be flattered by that?"

"I'm as surprised as you, that wasn't-"

"I do hope you aren't going to apologise, it doesn't do much for a girl's ego." Serena picks up her pager and slips it into her pocket. "Oh and don't try that again in the office if you know what's good for you."

Ric watches her go out onto the ward and realises that he still doesn't know whether she is going to discharge his patient or not and decides that she can do what she wants, he isn't going to risk provoking her any further. Especially as he is still not certain if he has survived the incident yet.

The other reason Ric hadn't seen much of Serena was the result of, what Ric thinks, is a catastrophic error in judgement by Henrik Hanssen, the hospital's CEO and Director of Surgery. To quietly express concerns about the future direction, plans and policies of the NHS is to be somewhat expected in the upper echelons of hospital management. To air the concerns on local TV, in front of the health minister is another story complete.

Ric suspects that there was some creative editing on the part of the media, it is to be expected, but he finds it hard to believe that Hanssen could have been tricked, the man is a master tactician but either way, the fallout from his actions are going to make an uncomfortable few weeks, if not months for the Swede as he rides the incoming media storm.

Ric hadn't been on the ward at the time of the incident, his shift had started later and he'd come in to the aftermath, the tension that permeated the ward and that Serena veritably radiated made him instantly wary. He'd felt the tension as soon as he stepped out of the lift and approaching the nurses' station and although Chantelle had greeted him as politely as always, her usual enthusiasm was notably absent and the blonde nurse had informed him of Serena's presence in their office.

Serena hadn't said anything immediately as he followed the familiar path from the doorway to the desk, closing the door behind him with a quiet snick. Ric saw her look up briefly and then return to her laptop, typing furiously.

Then she cursed the man's short-sightedness from one end of the room to the other, barely stopping for breath. Ric then realised that even Serena's skills at damage limitation were being stretched and that the whole incident might be further-reaching than anyone had initially anticipated.

Ric had barely seen her after that but it was to be expected and Ric didn't think too much of the time that Serena spent on the fifth floor, returning only to Keller for electives and ward rounds as she and Hanssen presumably hashed out the details of their plan of attack. At least he assumed that is what they were doing, the fifth floor was maintaining a radio silence with the rest of the hospital.

Although Ric hadn't actively followed events, he'd been unable to avoid seeing his boss's face or voice on the TV or Radio. From the few times that Ric saw Hanssen in senior consultant meetings or passing him somewhere in the hospital, he could see the strain of the situation on the other man's face and he is glad that Serena is on their side.

He'd offered his support to the Swede yesterday after stopping the CEO in the corridor outside ITU. Hanssen had stared at him for a long moment before stiffly asking, "if there's nothing else, Mr. Griffin?"

Ric closes the fridge door as he recalls how the man had glided away, silent on his feet as always, obviously rattled. Truth be told Ric was glad for the day off, the constant tension permeating the air at the hospital was exhausting to deal with. Glancing at his watch, Ric realises it's later than he realised and he can't be bothered to cook anything and settles on making himself a sandwich to tide him over until breakfast.

He has a week's holiday coming up soon, he can't wait – it's been too long since her saw Jess or Jake and the fall-out from Hanssen's ill-advised comments are putting a strain on everyone at the hospital.

Just as Ric puts the uninspiring sandwich on a plate, there is a knock at the front door. He pauses for a moment, trying to determine if it's his door or his neighbour's, it wouldn't be the first time Ric has mistakenly answered the door. After a moment or two he sweeps the crumbs off the side and into the bin but is forced to leave his dinner on the side when there is another forceful knock on his front door.

Ric ambles along the hallway, wondering who his visitor is; he hasn't ordered anything online and when he does, he usually gives the hospital's address – he seems to spend more time there than at home and Jess is away for the week at an old school friend's house near Leicester. He opens his front door to find Serena Campbell stood on his door step, he is busy trying to work out how his colleague found out where he lives when she speaks, her sharp tone breaking his chain of thought.

"Are you going to let me in or make me stand here all bloody night?"

Ric is uncertain if he wants Serena in his house in this mood but admits to himself that he is never going to find the courage to tell her no and so he obediently stands to one side and lets her in. As she moves past him, he looks at Serena to see that she is angry, beyond angry, she is furious and for a moment, Ric wonders what it is that he has done.

Only when he's shut the door behind Serena and wordlessly taken her coat, hanging it up next to his does the possibility occur to him that he may not be responsible for Serena's fury after all. She has already made her way into his living room and frowning at her decision to make herself at home, Ric follows her, all too aware that he'll have to tread carefully and ignore any lapse in manners on her part for both of their sakes.

"Are you hungry? I've-"

"No." Ric has to work to school his face, to hide the instinctive annoyance at Serena's blatant rudeness.

"Can I get you something to drink?" He asks, expecting another sharp, negative answer.

"What have you got?"

"Tea, coffee," Ric pauses seeing Serena's expression, "or something a little stronger? I've not got any wine, but..." Ric heads into the kitchen and finds a whiskey that a patient had given him in a cupboard, unopened and half-forgotten about. He turns and shows his colleague who shrugs.

"Sure. Whatever." Ric inhales slowly, counting as he does so to ignore Serena's dismissive acceptance of the drink. Finding a clean glass, Ric heads back into the living room and puts the bottle and glass down onto the coffee table with a clink.

Ric had blinked, equal parts concerned and impressed by Serena's ability to stomach the alcohol with little more than a brief grimace. Not to mention that he is still confused about her motivation for seeking him out in the first place.

After pouring and downing her second glass of the amber liquid, Serena reaches out for more and Ric moves, clasping his hand on top of hers, keeping the bottle where it is on the table. He isn't overly bothered if Serena finishes off the bottle, he isn't fussed about the drink – it's not his poison of choice but he won't allow her to drink herself into a stupor just yet.

First, Ric wants answers.

"What's happened, Serena?" Ric asks, the question that he should have asked earlier, as soon as she arrived, in his most patient and soothing tone of voice.

She promptly lets him know in no uncertain terms that it was the wrong approach.

"What's happened, Serena?" Ric asks again, undaunted by the display of anger he receives.

"What's happened?" Serena repeats incredulously as if she can't quite believe that Ric doesn't know and suspects him of winding her up. "Henrik fucking Hanssen happened, that's what." She snatches her hand away from his and pours herself another drink, barely wincing as the alcohol hits her system and Ric is aware that if she doesn't stop soon, she won't be fit to operate a kettle in the morning let alone a scalpel.

Serena is still furious and spoiling for a fight, with language and curses that would make a sailor look twice, Ric concedes that pointing that out might not have been the best move at this moment in time. After a fair amount of snarling and insults, he realises that she doesn't want soothing, she wants to fight with someone and Ric isn't certain whether to be pleased or scared that she's picked him for the job.

Muttering a silent prayer to any God that is listening, Ric prepares to goad her in an attempt to get to the bottom of what is bothering her. He'd received several insults about his methods of working and a couple of instructions to do things to himself that aren't even remotely physically possible. After nearly twenty minutes of ever-more intoxicated abuse, Ric eventually discovers the reason for Serena's fury.

Henrik Hanssen has demoted Serena from Keller to AAU.

The news stuns him, he barely pays attention to Serena's bitter delivery of the bombshell as she mimics the Swede, muttering phrases like 'cost effective' and 'most important to you'. He is still trying to understand the implications of the news when Serena pours herself another drink and he lets her have one last shot, picking up the glass to prevent her from drinking any more, not that there is an awful lot left in the bottle.

"I think that's enough of that." He murmurs, the neutral comment a last minute substitution for one which would have set her off again, however, in typical Serena Campbell fashion she takes objection to what he says and follows him into the kitchen with her glass as he tidies away. He reaches the end of his patience as she continues to mutter, comparing him to Hansen and insinuating that they are both attempting to ruin Serena's career.

"You've had a bad day and is your answer really going to be found at the bottom of a bottle?" He sees her expression change and instinctively Ric grasps her arms in case she decides to slap him.

"Is that really what everyone thinks of me?" Serena struggles against Ric's gentle but firm grip on her. "That I go home and drink myself into a stupor to try and cope with my empty life?" He feels the fight leave her as she seems to finally run out of anger and he pulls her into an embrace that she returns immediately.

"No-one knows what you do." Ric patiently answers, using his thumbs to rub her shoulders.

"So? It's my life, it doesn't give them the right to-" Ric interrupts Serena by kissing her – the tactic worked before so he risks another go. He also suspects that she needs some kind of reassurance, Hanssen's actions have truly shaken her.

"I want to know." His quiet confession, spoken before Serena can say anything, surprises Serena almost as much as it surprises himself and Ric finds that it's true. He wants more than a one night or two night stand with the fiery woman that has barely left his thoughts since he's met her.

"Why are you here?" Serena stares at him as if he's speaking in a different language and he tries again. "What is it you want?"

"I want you." Serena tells him matter-of-factly, the bluntness of her answer catches him by surprise and she takes the opportunity to grab the initiative and when Serena kisses him, Ric doesn't resist but ends the kiss sooner than he would like, aware of the nagging feeling at the back of his mind which tells him that she is upset, possibly more than a little drunk.

"Come on, I haven't got the time or the patience for this nobility of yours," Serena curses Ric's reluctance before her lips find his again in a brief, bruising kiss. "For God's sake Ric, make yourself useful and-"

"Just for you to decide in the morning that it was all another mistake?"

"I made a mistake – it happens occasionally." He's still not impressed. "I'll still be here in the morning." That wasn't quite what Ric wanted to hear but the woman is insistent as she tugs him out of the kitchen and up the stairs and he lets himself be led.

If Ric thought Serena was forward after Sacha's wedding, he was apparently mistaken; the alcohol and residual anger have combined and it's all Ric can do to keep up with Serena's instructions as they enter his bedroom.

"Are you sure?" He'd peeled off her navy blue over shirt, leaving her in a red vest top when she'd almost growled at him.

"Yes, I'm bloody well sure. Are you always this bloody slow?" He'd smirked at the jibe, half-tempted to tease her but realises that she would probably hurt him, Serena obviously isn't in the mood for any delays.

On the previous occasion, after the Levys' wedding, there had been a moment when he'd removed Serena's shocking pink shirt that she had looked away as her body was revealed to him but Ric had caught the flash of unexpected and endearing self-consciousness on her face and pale pink flush creeping over her skin.

There's no self-consciousness tonight and Serena tugs her vest over her head before helping Ric remove his clothing.

The morning finds Ric awake a few minutes before his alarm clock, he'd been woken by a neighbour leaving for work. He is warmed by Serena's presence and he observes the woman lying next to him, on her back, close but without wrapping herself around him. Ric finds that he doesn't mind that Serena has stolen 2/3 of the duvet and more than her fair share of his mattress but rather considers it typical of his colleague – an extension of her conscious persona.

The alarm clock begins to beep and Ric feels Serena stir and pause as she becomes aware of him; he relaxes when she turns to face him, lying on her side and Ric leans behind him to turn off the noisy device. Resuming his original position, Ric is pleasantly surprised by Serena when she decides to use his shoulder as a pillow.

"Ugh," Serena groans and then mutters something else, unintelligible for the most part but Ric makes out, "whiskey," and smiles to himself as he realises her head is obviously a little tender this morning.

After another comfortable minute or so, Serena groans and with a long-suffering sigh, rolls over and pushes the duvet to one side and sits up, swinging her legs over the edge of the mattress. Ric watches her progress with barely concealed measure of amusement and interest as she roots around for her discarded shirt; he attempts to make it look like he wasn't ogling his naked colleague but judging by Serena's smirk when she half-turns back to him, she knows.

"Time for a shower." Serena drawls, running her hands through her hair in an attempt to look less dishevelled.

"That suggestion has merit," Ric comments, his mouth engaging before his brain can filter the words. By the time that he realises what he's said, Serena is stood at the bedroom door and pauses, Ric commits the image in front of him to memory.

"Is that a request to join me?" Ric's brain grinds to a sudden halt and he scrambles to find an answer, hoping he hasn't cocked this up already. Serena smirks dangerously and Ric knows he's in trouble but Serena surprises him.

"Well? What are you waiting for, sailor? A better offer?" She raises an eyebrow, a gesture that drives him mad.

AN2: There we go! So Ric escaped in one piece from the previous chapter (it would've made the rest of the story difficult to write if he hadn't!)

Hope you enjoyed this chapter and that it was worth the wait. Feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you liked :-)