"You are an incredible dancer," Margaret said as they moved in time with the music. Serena gave her a little smile before letting her head come to rest on the taller woman's shoulder. It was rare to find a woman so tall, since she and Bernie were blessed with height, and it was comforting to just rest and relax.

"Thank you, I always enjoyed dancing. There's something so freeing about it." She sighed a little, welcoming the way Margaret's arm tightened a little around her waist. It was much easier to pretend she was in Bernie's arms when she was dancing with a woman, and she gave herself over to the fantasy. "You know, I've never even had the opportunity to dance with her yet. I hope you don't mind my thoughts."

A light laugh slipped from Margaret's lips as she shook her head. "There are worse things in this world, believe me. And at least I get to dance with a beautiful woman tonight. So I guess we're both using each other for our own ends"

"That's very pragmatic of you."

"I'm a trauma surgeon, I have to be rather pragmatic." Serena giggled. "What?"

"My partner, she's a trauma surgeon too. I guess I really know how to attract the right people." Margaret laughed, too, and this helped her to release a little more of her frustration with the whole evening. It was wonderful to have good company, even if she knew that she would have to leave this safe space and dance with the right people. "You're making it very difficult to want to go off schmoozing the right people. I'm surprised that you haven't found a partner yet."

Margaret stiffened a little, and Serena winced, knowing that she had inadvertently hit a tender spot on the woman. Opening her mouth to apologize, she was interrupted by the woman speaking. "I suppose that's because there are times when I feel like there are parts of me not very lovable. It's rather hard to keep a relationship going when you're always running away from what could be the best thing that ever happened to you."

"Oh, Margaret, we are going to have to have drinks with you, once Bernie gets back from Ukraine. I have the feeling that the two of you hit it off brilliantly. She also has the vexing problem of running away from her issues." A deep sigh slipped from her lips as she pulled away from the woman a little, looking up into her clear green eyes. "As someone on the other side, who hasn't given up hope, please, listen to me. There are people out there who will love you through your issues, you just have to find the right one for your heart."

Margaret nodded and they started to dance closely once more. "I will have to keep that in mind."

An upbeat song started to play, and she grinned as Margaret began to lead her in a foxtrot. Old dance lessons, from when she had learned for her wedding to Edward, came back to her like a fond memory, and Margaret seemed to respond to that fervor.

She was just getting ready to break away from Margaret at the end of that song when someone tapped on her shoulder. Turning, Serena looked into a vaguely familiar face, and gave the man a confused smile. "Hello," she said as she instinctively moved back towards Margaret, seeking out the protection of known person against an unknown.

"Hello. I couldn't help but notice you across the crowded room, and hoped that you would do me the honor of dancing with me."

The man certainly was dashing, she had to admit. Just her type, when she had thought that she was completely straight, but now that she had found her Bernie, he probably wouldn't even have gotten a second glance. "I suppose that would be all right. Give me a moment?"

The man nodded, and she turned back to Margaret, giving her a bemused smile. "I suppose that's my cue to actually get out there and schmooze. I'll try to find you at the end of the night for one last dance?"

"That sounds perfect, Margaret." She reached out and squeezed the woman's hand before facing the interloper once more. "I suppose that I'm free now. Shall we dance?"

"Yes." He took hold of her hand and deliberately led her away from Margaret, something that she found herself quite irritated at. A tight smile crossed her lips as she deliberately kept her body stiff and straight, still not feeling very comfortable being around him, especially when she didn't even know his name. "I'm Marcus, by the way. You just looked so familiar that I knew I had to dance with you."

"I'm Serena. And why would you think me familiar?"

She knew that keeping him talking would help ease some of her anxiety, since she would have something to focus on as they danced. "I think that I might have met you once, at Holby?"

Serena's eyes widened, and she wondered if this was one of the people that she was supposed to chat up. After all, she hadn't been paying the closest of attention to the faces of persons two and three, more intent to just get this whole night over with. Taking a deep breath, she finally nodded and gave him what she hoped was a friendly smile. "You would be right, I do work at Holby. I'm a consulting surgeon there. Were you able to get all the help you needed whilst you were there?"

He seemed to puff up with pride, and again, that move rankled her. Still, in for a penny, in for a pound, and she knew that she had to play nice and bring in the money, and so she carefully let the pleasant smile she had perfected for so many years settle over her face as he pulled her a little too close for her comfort. "I was, thank you. And now that I know there are so lovely doctors there, I'm going to try and make it a point to go there for all my needs."

She gave a small nod as her eyes scanned the crowd over his shoulder, looking for Hanssen or Ric. They were still huddled together, though now by the food tables, and Ric looked like he was trying to keep from laughing aloud at something. And then, their eyes locked, and a guilty look flitted across his face before he turned to Hanssen and whispered something. She felt her spine stiffen as Marcus turned her around, her back to the men, and she tried to keep from stamping her heel into the meat of Marcus's foot in order to get away from him and figure out what was going on.

"Serena? Where is your mind at?"

Suddenly, her focus was snapped back to Marcus, and she shook her head a little to clear the cobwebs from her brain as she gazed into his eyes. "I just got distracted by a colleague. You must know how that goes."

"Too well, it seems. Always yammering on with overbearing instructions and condescending remarks. Really, it's aggravating when you clearly know what you're doing to be told that you're doing it wrong."

She gave a small nod as she let out a soft breath, wishing that she could go back to the bar and get another glass of wine. Margaret whirled around past them, glittering on the arm of a dashing younger man, and they smiled at each other as they jerked their heads towards their partners, an unspoken bemusement on their faces as they danced away from each other once more.