(Please keep on reviewing guys! It really means a lot to me, seeing as we're nearing the end of our tale.)

Chapter 24

Reaching the hospital and parking in her usual spot, she noticed Hanssen was already here. Locking the car and pulling on her coat, she picked up her bag and took a deep breath before heading across the car park. She made a detour to her office, dropping off her bag and coat and turned to smile at Ric.

"Are you present at this morning's meeting?" she asked as he shook his head, a look of bewilderment on his face.

"I wasn't aware there was one." Serena shrugged, rolling her eyes as she headed from the office towards the Boardroom. She reached the room at 8.56am and entered the room swiftly, noticing too late who was sat staring back at her.

"Ah, good morning, Ms. Campbell." Cunningham said brightly, pulling back a chair next to him, Serena electing to sit in one across from him. "Very well." he said awkwardly as she took her seat and looked around the room. "Yes, it appears we're the only ones on time." he commented, noticing her questioning look. She looked at him, then turned in her chair slightly so she could ignore him. "By the look on your face, I'd say you heeded my advice and ended things?" he asked as she glared at him, anger rising inside her. Looking back towards the door, she took a deep breath, unwilling to snap as Hanssen had done. "You do realise it's for the best?" he asked as he stood up and moved around the table, coming to stand beside her. "This way, there's nothing stopping us..." he said, resting a hand on her shoulder as she shrugged it off and glared up at him.

"You really think I'd want to go near you? After you try and blackmail me into sleeping with you!?" she scoffed as she pushed back her chair and stood up, pointing a finger in his face. "You're bloody lucky there were no cameras in that stairwell, because you know as well as I do what happened." she snapped as she made to move past him but he reached out grabbing her wrist, holding her in place.

"For an intelligent woman, you really are quite stupid sometimes." he said dangerously, stepping closer. "All you have to do to get that top job, your dream job is keep me happy." he purred suggestively, raising a hand and stroking her neck. "You want to help Mr. Hanssen keep his job? You know what you can do..." She grimaced as he ran his hand over her clavicle, staring into her eyes eagerly.

"I have never slept with anyone to further my career, and I am definitely not about to start now...especially not with you!" she spat as she wrenched her hand from his grasp and headed for the door. He turned and grabbed her arm, turning her so he was pushing her against the table.

"Don't make an enemy of me!" he said angrily, twisting her arm as she flinched in pain. "I know the only reason you said no before, was because of him...but now he's no longer an issue!" he hissed through clenched teeth.

"You're a deluded little man." she said dangerously quiet as he pulled her forward and pressed his lips to hers. She lost her balance momentarily, him pushing her lower to the table as she brought her left hand around and hit him sharply on the side of the head, causing him to loosen his grip allowing her to push him off her. She made a bid for the door as he appeared beside her again, turning swiftly, she brought her knee up between his legs, his face turning red and eyes bulging as he sank to the floor. Reaching for the door handle, she yanked it open, coming face to face with Hanssen.

"Ah, Ms. Campbell." he said happily, looking down at Cunningham on the floor. "Breathe through it, Mr. Cunningham." he said lightly, turning his attention back to Serena. It was then she noticed the whole of the Board were stood behind him, disgusted looks on their faces. She stepped back into the room, warily, as Hanssen followed her and motioned for the Board members to enter. As they passed Cunningham, they threw him looks of disbelief and revulsion. She frowned, looking up at Hanssen confusedly.

"Where were you all?" she asked him as he headed to a corner of the room and reaching up, removed a small camera neither she nor Cunningham had noticed. Turning back to her, he placed the camera on the table next to her and smiled awkwardly.

"We were in the viewing room...the second meeting room." he stated, turning to face Cunningham. "I felt the Board members deserved to know what kind of Chairman they have...now they do." Cunningham looked up at him, positively spitting feathers as he got to his feet and approached him.

"You can't do that...it's entrapment!" he protested, Hanssen chuckling eerily.

"It is only entrapment to induce a confession, Mr. Cunningham. What you just did in here is much worse than that." His eyes blazed and he would have punched him, had he not promised Serena and had the Board not been present. "We witnessed your attack on Ms. Campbell and would vote to see you removed from the Board, and this building. Security will be with us shortly, is there anything you would like to say?" Cunningham looked around the room in stunned silence, opening and closing his mouth but finding no words. Finally, his gaze landed on Serena and his temper flared.

"You can't do this!" he shouted at Hanssen, as he stared him down.

"I think you'll find I can. First you corner Ms. Campbell in a deserted stairwell in the hotel, then you try and blackmail her into bed, threatening to fire me if she doesn't. Not only does your vulgarity and absolutely despicable behaviour end there, oh no." Hanssen stepped forward, his anger rising. "You then come into my hospital and once again threaten Ms. Campbell that if she does not do as you wish and sleep with you, she will live to regret it. I believe that about sums it up." Cunningham glared at him.

"That doesn't change the fact that you two have been having an affair!" he shouted, looking around the table of Board members in desperation. "These two..." he pointed at Serena and Hanssen in turn "...have been having an affair! They've been at it like rabbits!" he spat, Serena flinching at his choice of phrase. Nobody at the table moved a muscle, none of them seeming surprised. Cunningham looked back at Hanssen in confusion.

"Ah yes, I have informed the Board of my relationship with Ms. Campbell and it will be dealt with as a separate matter." he stated, watching as Cunningham's eyes widened and he looked back at the table.

"What...but they can't!" he exclaimed loudly as Amelia Nelson stood up, moving to the seat usually reserved for Cunningham. Serena hadn't noticed she'd been present and she wondered what on earth was going on.

"Actually..." Amelia said authoritatively as she sat down in the chair "...they can. Their personal relationship is nothing to do with the Board, unless it begins to affect the management and running of Holby City. This will of course be reviewed at our weekly meetings and if any such issues are detected, they will be dealt with accordingly." she stated formally, clasping her hands together on the desk in front of her.

"Who the hell asked you!?" he shouted angrily, turning and pointing at her. "And you can get out of my seat!" She smiled dangerously and sat back, looking at Hanssen.

"Mr. Hanssen, would you care to enlighten Mr. Cunningham?" she asked him, smiling sweetly as he nodded.

"Ms. Nelson is to replace you as Chairperson throughout the investigation into your gross misconduct." he said, repeating Cunningham's previous words to Serena. "You are no longer a member of the Board and you are no longer welcome in my hospital. I would ask you to apologise to Ms. Campbell, but I doubt you would." Cunningham's face turned bright red and he looked ready to explode as Serena simply watched as two Security guards entered the room and, at Hanssen's command, forcibly removed Cunningham. Hanssen headed to the door and closed it gently, turning to face Serena. "Ms. Campbell..." he motioned to her chair as she made her way towards it slowly, feeling slightly dazed.

"Right, well good morning everybody. May I begin the meeting by telling Ms. Campbell she has the full support and backing of the Board should Mr. Cunningham attempt to further intimidate, or harass her." She turned to face Serena and smiled. "I am sorry you had to endure what you did today, but at least now he can no longer continue to hurt people. A copy of the tape will be sent to the Police, should you wish to make a formal complaint." Serena nodded, still in a state of shock as Amelia turned back to face the entire table and began the meeting.

As the meeting ended and the members of the Board began to disperse, Amelia came around the desk to Serena and embraced her tightly.

"I am so sorry he did that, but we would never have let him get any further!" she assured her, rubbing her arm. "You should have seen Mr. Hanssen, it took two of us to stop him from charging in here and throwing him out the window!" Serena rolled her eyes, laughing as she took the woman's hand in her own.

"Thank you." she said, filled with gratitude.

"Don't thank me!" she nodded her head over to Hanssen who was currently in a deep discussion. Serena turned to Amelia and her eyes widened.

"When did all this happen?" she asked, surprised.

"He called me Monday evening, told me what had happened and asked if I could help. Apparently, he got the idea from your daughter! It appears she called him Monday evening and they plotted this thing together." Serena's eyebrows shot up in surprise as Amelia continued. "I then set the wheels in motion my end, got in touch with the members of the Board and we had an emergency meeting the following morning. I got the go-ahead to step in as acting Chairperson and we set this up." she said, gesturing around them. Serena turned back to face Hanssen, a look of utter disbelief on her face. "Hey..." Amelia said gently, touching her arm. "...he loves you, you know?" Serena smiled and nodded her head.

"Yes, I know."

"Ah Mr. Hanssen!" she exclaimed as Serena turned around and saw Hanssen looking down at her, wariness and worry on his face. "We'll leave you to it. Come along everyone!" she commanded loudly, ushering them all to the door, closing it behind them. She looked up at him and he looked down at her, neither moving for a moment. He cleared his throat and spoke quietly.

"I'll understand if you're angry...I should have told you." She looked at him and folded her arms.

"Yes you should have." she replied harshly, staring at him.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay. I'd better..." he trailed off, turning and heading for the door.

"Henrik, wait..." she said suddenly, him turning and looking at her expectantly. "I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed as she rushed across the room and threw her arms around him, feeling him hesitate before holding her gently. "I'm sorry for what I said...I do love you...of course I do..." she said in between kisses as she held his face tightly between her hands. "I just...I couldn't let...him do that...to you!" she continued kissing him as he held her tighter, pulling away momentarily.

"Stop talking." he instructed as he pulled her lips firmly to his. He kissed her, feeling all the hurt he'd been feeling simply melt away. The past few days had been absolute torture for him, wanting to be with her and knowing he had to give her space. She had hurt him when she'd told him she hadn't loved him, even though he knew she didn't mean it. He buried his head in her neck and inhaled deeply, feeling safe, where he belonged. He held her in front of him and looked at her sternly. "Don't you do that again...no more of this self-sacrifice nonsense, alright?" She dropped her gaze. "You've spent your whole life putting others before you, your daughter, your patients...it's time to put yourself first for a change." he said softly, tilting her chin up so she was looking into his eyes.

She knew he'd never say as much, but she'd hurt him when she'd told him she didn't love him...she could still see the pain in his eyes. She reached up and stroked the side of his face gently, resting her other hand over his heart. "I'm sorry, I only did what I thought was best." she whispered. "Where were you all week?" she asked him as he cleared his throat and shuffled nervously.

"I couldn't risk seeing you...not after what you said." he said quietly. "I stayed in my office for the most part, only leaving when absolutely necessary. I didn't deal with things as well as you." he admitted, risking a glance up at her, seeing her look of incredulity.

"You think I handled things any better? You didn't see me at home, where my daughter had to take care of me...calling you and planning all this she was so concerned. I was a mess Henrik." she laughed as he frowned at her.

"Well, if you were that bad it's a good job I didn't see you. I might have been put off!" he joked as she hit him playfully. "Can I assume we're going to forget Monday happened?" he asked, his voice full of hope as she smiled, exhaling.

"Yes, I think that's best." she replied, as he pulled her in softly, kissing her. Stepping back and looking down at her, a smile spread across his lips.

"Good choice." he smiled, indicating her shirt.

"I thought you'd approve." she smiled wickedly as he laughed. "You're awfully attractive when you're being all tough and authoritative." she whispered to him as he raised his eyebrows and chuckled.

"Perhaps I'll have to show you that side of me more often then. Got anybody else you need me to get rid of?" She looked up, pretending to think as he laughed and reached down to kiss her cheek, relishing the feeling of her arms wrapped around him tightly.