(A HUGE thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing, you guys make this worthwhile!)

Chapter 14

Serena's eyes flickered open at the sound of a phone ringing. Recognising it as Hanssen's she grunted as he answered the call, speaking quietly but authoritatively. Hanging up, she heard him sigh as he dropped back onto the bed, dozing. She was lying on her front, facing away from him, her right hand resting on his stomach. She turned her head to face him and saw he was lying on his back, tidy even in sleep. She smiled at the thought as she manoeuvred herself closer, staring at him. She couldn't get over how peaceful he looked in sleep...how handsome.

"Stop it." he said quietly as she bit her lip and stifled a giggle. "I mean it." he warned her as she held her breath. "Right, that's it." His eyes flashed open and he reached over, grabbing her as he pulled her close to him, kissing down her neck and across her chest exaggeratedly. She wriggled in his grip as she tried to stop laughing, screeching as he trailed a hand across her abdomen, tickling her. He paused, allowing her to catch her breath as he smiled, studying her face. "Beautiful first thing in the morning too." he commented, reaching a hand to brush the hair out of her face.

"Not looking entirely grotesque yourself." she countered as they came together, lips brushing, holding each other.

"Mr. Cunningham just called me." he said, Serena pulling back alarmed.

"Why? What's happened!?" He held a finger out to her lips and quietened her.

"Nothing to do with the hospital...as such. He simply wanted to inform me that the six week course has been cut to five weeks. Next Friday will be our final meeting." he stated, avoiding her eyes.

"Then everything gets back to normal." she said dejectedly, sighing.

"I suppose it will allow us more time together." he mused as her eyes darted to his and she frowned.

"You don't want to stop seeing me?" she asked as he leant up on his elbow, looking down at her.

"Why on earth would I want to do that?"

"Well, because once the meetings end, you'd have no reason to!" she spluttered as he glared at her.

"You don't think I have a reason to want to see you, other than work? You're the reason, you silly woman!" he snapped as he pulled her closer. "Do you think I look forward to Friday because of that damn meeting at St. James's? No, I look forward to it because I know I get to spend a short while with you." She smiled at him as he began to raise his voice in frustration.

"I guess I read the situation wrongly." she admitted as he furrowed his brow in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Well I always assumed you were only interested in me because I was there...because I was available. I never thought we'd continue things once the meetings had ended." He laughed and stared at her incredulously.

"Do you want to keep seeing each other?"

"Yes." she said hesitantly.

"Well shut up then." he commanded as he pulled her in for a kiss, pulling her on top of him.

At midday, they decided it would be wrong to stay in bed any longer and dragged themselves downstairs. Serena perched on the kitchen worktops as Hanssen busied himself, making them something to eat.

"I never imagined you cooking." she smiled as he turned to face her, mixing bowl in one hand, whisk in the other.

"Oh really, well what kinds of things did you imagine me doing?" he asked her as she blushed and rolled her eyes.

"I didn't mean it like that!" she protested as he turned away and poured the mixture into a frying pan.

"Shame. But to address your initial observation...I do indeed cook. I learnt from an elderly woman I used to clean for in Stockholm when I was a boy." he explained as he shook the pan lightly. "She didn't have much money to pay me for my help, and I didn't want to take any from her, so we came to an understanding. Each day I visited her, she would teach me to cook a new dish. This was also a help to her as she cooked for the soup kitchen just around the corner." Serena sat, amazed at his story and the ease with which he told it. "When I had learnt enough, I began to help her make the food for the kitchens." he concluded, reaching for a spatula.

"So what are you making now?" she asked him as he turned and smiled slyly.

"You'll have to wait and see, won't you?" he smiled as she harrumphed in frustration. She continued to watch him as he folded the mixture and she realised what it was.

"You're making an omelette." she deduced, proud of herself.

"Yes, but what kind of omelette?" he asked jokingly as she picked up the cloth next to her and threw it at him. He removed the pan from the heat and strode across the room wrapping his arms around her waist and standing between her legs. "Now that, was a clear violation of Health and Safety regulations." he chastised her as she looked down in mock-regret.

"I'm terribly sorry, I don't know what came over me!" she said quietly as he kissed her lightly and pulled her into a hug, resting his head in the crook of her neck. She did the same and could smell his aftershave, mixed with the smell of soap. She smiled and committed the scent to her memory, not wanting to forget it. He kissed her neck gently as he moaned and looked up at her.

"What now?" she asked him in mock-despair.

"I'm not hungry for food anymore." he confessed as she pulled him closer.

"I'm sure it'll keep." she said softly, reaching for his shirt buttons.