A shorter chapter to finish off with! Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews, and thank you for reading it!

I do have a confession to make - I've already started a sequel story to this, just for the pleasure of writing it. These two are so much fun! So if people want to read more...well, let me know!

Enjoy x

Serena finally caught up with Hanssen in the stairwell somewhere between the third and fourth floors. She was panting from running up so many flights of stairs and, as she stopped by the window to catch her breath, she realized that he was standing a few steps above her, looking down at her with barely concealed amusement.

'Another emergency, Ms Campbell?'

She scowled at him, her fingers rubbing a stitch in her side.

'Why couldn't you just take the lift like normal people do?'

'When the lift came it was full of two road accident victims and a vomiting child. I thought it best to take the stairs'.

She leaned her back against the concrete windowsill, gazing up at him and, inappropriate though it was, couldn't help thinking that red scrubs suited him. He gave her a questioning look as he came back down the steps to stand next to her.

'Is there a reason you've come running after me?'

'You know damn well there is'.

Serena shook her head, and turned look out of the window at the ambulance bay below. She suddenly wasn't sure what to say.

'Mr Spence is managing in theatre?'

She gave him a withering look.

'Michael Spence was the one who told me to come running after you'.

'Ah'.

'So. What exactly did you mean back there?'

She raised her eyebrows as he opened his mouth to speak.

'And don't say you meant what you said. I don't know what you did say. Michael seemed to think it was pretty clear-cut, but I must be fairly dense when it comes to these things'.

Hanssen sighed.

'Obviously so am I'.

Serena could feel the warmth from his body through his scrubs as he moved closer to her. Trying to resist the temptation to lean against him, she rested her elbows on the ledge instead, and looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

'You've taken me completely by surprise', Hanssen admitted quietly. 'I never expected to feel anything like that again, and especially not with you'.

Serena turned to face him, but his gaze was fixed on the rose garden at the far end of the car park. She wanted to ask about the 'again', but kept her mouth shut, wondering if it had something to do with his time in Sweden. Before she could contemplate that any further, Hanssen spoke again.

'Unlike you, Ms Campbell, I am a coward, and I tend to run from feelings rather than face them. I also did not see why you would want to do what you did without…..'

He paused, and Serena had a horrible feeling she knew what he was trying to say.

'Without an ulterior motive?'

He did not take his eyes from the garden, but nodded.

Serena closed her eyes again for a moment. She seemed to be doing that a lot today, and took a few deep breaths. When she opened them again, it was to see Hanssen looking at her, his eyes worried and his expression tense.

'You know something, Henrik?'

He raised his eyebrows as she stood up straight.

'You're an idiot. And right now I'm not sure whether to slap you, yell at you or kiss you'.

He looked vaguely astonished.

'Given that we're in a public place, I'm not sure any of the above would be a good idea'.

'I don't see anyone else around – but give me five minutes to decide which one it's going to be'.

Serena ran her fingers through her short hair, and gazed at Hanssen in exasperation.

'I am more than capable of taking your job out from under you without needing to sleep with you'.

'Yes, I think we established that a while ago'.

Hanssen grimaced at the memory.

'I slept with you because I'm attracted to you. And God only knows why, but I found I actually enjoy your company as well. Those were my motivations. Until just now I had no idea about yours. You can be the most frustrating, reserved, aloof man I think I've ever met in my life. But one thing you are not is a coward'.

Serena paused to take a breath.

'And now we'll be lucky if the whole hospital isn't gossiping by tomorrow, and my daughter found your watch in the bathroom'.

She stopped again as she remembered the teasing look on Eleanor's face, and was suddenly overcome with the urge to laugh. She had no idea why. The situation really wasn't funny, but she couldn't help it. A little giggle escaped her, and the look of shock on Hanssen's face at her outburst just made it even worse.

'Oh, for God's sake'.

She reached up and pulled him towards her, wanting to kiss him and not caring if anyone saw them. He stiffened, and then relaxed slowly as she continued pressing her lips to his, slipping his arms around her waist and deepening the kiss. When they finally pulled apart, he smiled wryly at her.

'So I've escaped the slapping?'

She nodded.

'I might still yell at you later though'.

Speaking of later suddenly reminded her of the invitation to Albie's for Sacha's birthday, and she looked up at Hanssen, wondering whether he would come or not. She had never known him to join the staff for drinks before, apart from at Christmas, but supposed there was only one way to find out.

'It's Sacha Levy's birthday'.

'Oh?'

'Drinks at Albie's later'.

'Umm-hmm'.

'Are you coming?'

'I wasn't aware I had an invitation'.

Serena snorted.

'Oh, come on. No one needs an invite for Albie's. Besides, they've only given up asking you because you never go'.

'So are you asking me to go?'

'No'. She reached up and rested a hand on his chest. 'I'm asking you to come with me. Think of it as our first official date'.

He hesitated, and she sighed. A kiss in the stairwell was one thing, but Albie's was obviously a step too far. It was maybe just as well, she thought; there would be enough gossip after that operation anyway.

Checking her watch to hide the slight disappointment, she realized that she should really get back to the ward. And she had that card to buy.

'OK. Never mind. But if you change your mind, you know where we are'.

Later that evening, Serena stood up to go to the bar with Ric to get more drinks. Albie's was busy, and she had spent the past hour squashed round a tiny table with Sacha, Michael and Chrissie, and was already halfway down her second glass of wine when Ric had offered to get the next round. She could see Oliver Valentine and Tara Lo over by the slot machine with Chantelle. Jac and Jonny were sitting at the bar, and Serena was pleased to see that for once Jac had a smile on her face. In fact, she thought as she waited for Ric to order, there weren't many people missing apart from those that were still working; Sacha was a popular guy. The music was loud, the conversation louder, and when Ric tapped her on the shoulder she didn't immediately catch what he said.

She leaned closer to hear him as he repeated himself, and realized that he was pointing discreetly behind her towards the door.

'Looks like another one's joined the round'.

She turned and saw Hanssen entering the room. He looked a bit apprehensive, but was immediately accosted by Jac. As they talked, Serena could see that he was attracting a few curious glances, but on the whole people didn't seem that surprised to see him. She wondered how far the gossip of earlier had already travelled, and tried not to think about it as she felt Ric's eyes on her. She knew that he was probably resisting the urge to ask. But she couldn't help watching Hanssen out of the corner of her eye, and couldn't help noticing that he was surreptitiously scanning the room before returning his gaze to the bar.

He was looking for her.

The thought gave a warm feeling in her tummy, and she hastily took another sip of her drink as she realized Michael was smirking at her from the table.

Serena turned back to the bar as Ric paid, aware that Hanssen had seen her and was making his way over. She sensed him come up behind her, heard him greet Ric and order himself a drink. She felt his arm slip around her shoulder and trace the line of her jacket down, coming to rest lightly in the small of her back. She stiffened slightly, not looking at Ric – or at anyone else for that matter. The butterflies that had hatched in her stomach when Hanssen had entered the bar were taking flight in a big way, and she realized that her hand was shaking slightly. Was this really what he wanted?

Serena could feel the eyes of the room slowly turn to them, could sense as well as hear the dip in conversation as people noticed that Hanssen's arm was now fully around her waist, pulling her closer to him, and she looked round and up at him uncertainly.

She had been wanting a bit of reassurance, since he had been the one to initiate this public display of affection. Perhaps a squeeze of her shoulder as he took his drink from the barman, a quick smile before he found himself somewhere to sit. She hadn't been expecting him to turn and kiss her lightly, but slowly, on the lips until he felt her respond, before pulling away and allowing Ric to hand her the glass of wine she had just ordered. She felt like downing it in one.

When she finally found the courage to look around, she saw that they had attracted the attention of most of the bar. Michael, predictably, was smirking broadly. Sacha and Chrissie looked amazed. Jac looked like she wanted to drag Serena to the ladies bathroom and give her the third degree then and there, and Chantelle's mouth was open in the shape of an 'awww', although Serena couldn't hear if she was actually saying it. But she was relieved to see that many of the open mouths were transforming into smiles, and as the conversation level returned to normal, she looked up again to see Hanssen taking a sip of his own drink and nodding at something Ric had said. She had been too far away in her own world to catch it.

He caught her looking at him, and smiled.

'Maybe I should come to Albie's more often'.

She laughed, relief flooding through her, and leaned her head against his shoulder as she took another mouthful of wine.

'Yes'.

Serena slipped her free hand around his waist so that they were holding each other.

'Maybe you should'.