And we're here again and so is Ric as we start the episode, the man himself walking into his first shift since he was acquitted of Elaine Warren's death, as he's walking in, Gaskell is surrounded by the local press all asking questions about his current trial patient that he's due to treat, Ric seemingly glad that it's not him they're focused on anymore.
Roxanna meanwhile is sat in her car watching a video on her phone about Gaskell's patient who he is due to perform the surgery on, what does she think of it?
Abigail Tate the new CEO is in the building and is talking to Henrik about her appointment as CEO, after he walks away she seems a bit nervous and unsure about the task she's taken on, big shoes to fill, too big?
As Ric comes into AAU he too looks unsure and hesitant, nervous about first day after being locked up for a while it seems, Serena is there to greet him and the team rally round to welcome him back too, as well as Jason who appears with a home made cake, that he informs Ric is as a result of Greta teaching him how to bake recently, how good will Jason's attempt be?
Roxanna and Henrik are talking up on their ward about Gaskell and the patient he's decided to take on for his trial operation, surprised by the fact Will Harrington is an ex drug addict nonetheless, when they part ways Roxanna is introduced to him and Will seems to know the long and complicated name of his surgery and wastes no time in letting the neurosurgeon herself that he has this knowledge, Roxanna isn't best pleased when he makes reference to her being like Debbie McGee to Gaskell due to her performing surgery with the Professor, also at the light hearted nature of how he seems to be going along with everything, does Will know how complex and serious this operation he's due to have actually is?
Enter Abi who has come down to AAU to see the team here, whistling to get Serena's attention as the brunette is coming to the ward doors and calling out 'Campbell' to her, we find out the new CEO is actually an old friend of Serena's, the former acting CEO telling Donna as much as she introduces Abi. Abi mentions about Serena turning and the 'butch army medic' she's with as they move into AAU, Serena is quick to tell Abi 'less of the butch' in reference to the younger woman's mention of Bernie, but smiles all the same at how her friend described the blonde. When Abi asks about Serena's family, she quickly apologises after mentioning Elinor, to which Serena smiles understandingly and lets her know it's ok, it seems Abi is a bit nervous and putting her foot in things with her friend, after which Serena introduces her to the rest of the AAU team.
With Roxanna on her own now with Will on the ward now he's been moved to his own bed, she lets him know the operation he's due to have is a gamble and is a risk she feels only an addict like himself would be taking, Will shows her a picture of him with his family, a wife and two daughters, says that he lost everything that he once had, that one day his daughter came home early from school and found him with a crack pipe that he'd recently used and choking on his own vomit, that he's doing this to try and sort himself once and for all. She says that there's almost a certainty that with this procedure he could very well be an emotional flat line, looking at her he says that they'll find that out for themselves by him going ahead and him having it, it seems he's willing to take such a life changing gamble to try and quit his addiction for good.
Abi is introduced to Ric before informing him that he's been placed on light duties for the next couple of weeks, the younger woman having thought he was back next week and not this, the lighter duties having been brought in to help him ease himself back into life at Holby, but Ric isn't impressed, he just wants to get on with his job, letting Abi know he's not happy, one comment to her being that this set up is ridiculous, can Ric cope with lighter duties when he just wants a bit of normalcy and to do his job as a doctor.
Meanwhile Henrik and Gaskell are talking, and Henrik says that Roxanna will need something to occupy her mind now that Oliver has gone, because he gave her a focus after David's death and the other things she's been through, also she'll need something for after his patient Will has left the hospital after his operation that she's helping Gaskell to perform, this seems to give Gaskell some food for thought.
Abi is now on the ward with Fletch and Frieda, letting them know that she's only here whilst Jac is away and will be off once she's back. Fletch wastes no time in saying to Frieda that Abi is no Jac, the younger woman replying that some would say that's a good thing, it seems that Fletch really is missing Jac the most out of everyone and is struggling to hide his feelings in this matter.
Ric's patient Jacob is handed over to Serena in accordance with his lighter duties, which seem like they're admin duties, Jacob's mum wastes no time in steaming in and letting everyone know that she wants her son patched up and sorted asap, holding no punches in her demands, why does she want him sorted so fast?
Whilst discussing Will's operation, Gaskell let's Dr Chowdhury know that the research session is still on saying it's business as usual, this leading Roxanna to question his motive for taking on Will's case, she asks if he's doing it in order to deflect attention in some way and he says no he's not, then asking her to think about joining his research team, but doesn't say why, could the blonde neurosurgeon be being set up as a possible scapegoat if anything was to go wrong yet again? Serena then tells Jacob that his leg is going to have to be amputated otherwise it could get much worse, Jacob's mum isn't impressed and says that why is amputation necessary after all he did was tumble down a hill, that amputation seems too much under the circumstances.
After Roxanna's talk with Will got Will thinking about whether he actually wants to go through with the operation at all, this seems to rattle Gaskell and he tells Roxanna that he can't have Will pull about due to what it'd make him look like, someone is thinking of his image at the expense of a patient yet again...? With another chat to Will on the staircase outside the ward, it seems she's managed to coax him round from totally pulling out of the surgery, but she doesn't seem comfortable with it at all, she seems to share Will's reservations too.
Unconvinced by Serena's amputation option, Jacob's mum goes to see Ric in the office as she wants his 2nd opinion, he backs up Serena but let's slip a risky reconstruction option, this being something his mum jumps on and confronts Serena about why Jacob wasn't given this as an option instead of amputation, making it clear that Serena must tell her son about reconstruction instead of his proposed operation, wanting Ric to be present at the same time.
Roxanna and Gaskell are in Will's operation and she takes the chance to ask why he has asked her to join the stem cell project team now after Essie has left and Fiona has died, it seems she's suspicious of his timing and says that she doesn't want to be 'cannon fodder', this comment coming after he says it's time to call in the big guns, it seems she feels something isn't quite right in the whole project. Still in the operation she catches Gaskell muttering 'thank you Henrik' in reference to Henrik mentioning previous about getting her involved in the project as a focus for her, she asks him what he said and he says nothing, but she heard him and questions why he said those three words, without a proper reply he simply says for her to focus on the operation, this leaving her looking uncomfortable and somewhat puzzled over the comment, could he have just outed himself and a bit of his motivation a little without wanting too?
Serena comes out of Jacob's reconstruction operation and says it was a success, the young mans mum having leaned on him to choose the riskier option, his mum thanking Ric for the idea and the operation, but he says Serena actually did the complex surgery and that she should be thanking the brunette, that it wouldn't hurt to show Serena some gratitude, but the woman just walks away without a word to Serena, this annoying Ric.
Henrik commiserates Roxanna and Gaskell for the unsuccessful surgery on Will due to the bleed, Gaskell says he'll have to call the CEO and work out what to say to the media, Roxanna looks confused and says that he'll tell the truth presumably, he dodges this by saying that they don't know what that is, Roxanna asks him if she'd not have stopped surgery would he have carried on if he'd been alone and he says no, but she doesn't look convinced of his answer, which then causes her to say no to joining the stem cell team and she's doing it on gut instinct and he can't change her mind on the subject, this causes him to look annoyed and put out by her decision, is he annoyed cos she's not acting or doing what he wants?
Fletch and Abi clash again this episode in Jac's office that Abi has temporarily moved into, after he says in not so many words that he thinks she wants to make an impact on her first day in anyway she can and Abi lets him know that she doesn't want to be the new Jac and she's more than enough on her plate, the position of CEO seemingly having enough work and hurdles for her to sort out, could Fletch have gotten the wrong idea about her?
Will is informed by Gaskell and Roxanna that because of the bleed they had to stop the operation and that the bleed itself could in fact make his addictions worse, that corrective surgery is an option if he recovers well from said bleed, but Will says no to this second operation, saying that it'd just be happening so that Gaskell gets his headline, could he have a point?
Serena talks to a deflated Ric in her office and says that they've all looked forward to his return her especially and that he can't leave because they need him here, that she needs him, this gets a smile from Ric and then Serena herself, the close friends sharing a nice moment with her placing a reassuring hand on top of his.
Gaskell tells Roxanna as she heading to her office on the ward, that it was Henrik who mentioned about her joining the stem cell team, she says that he wouldn't have had her on the team if it hadn't have been for Henrik's suggestion, he dodges this slightly by saying that he's struggling on his own and that he needs someone of her intelligence on the team, that he can't do it without her, is this true or is he simply playing on Roxanna's vulnerability and willingness to want to help other people, like she showed in wanting to help Oliver?
A little while later we find Gaskell in Roxanna's office looking at images of what we assume is Will's skull and brain, Abi coming into the office and saying that the press have rang her up and says he doesn't have to do anything that she'll sort them herself, she questions if she can trust him because his work and the name of Holby go hand in hand and if he screws up then they all go down with him. He lets her know that that isn't an option and that she can trust him, she doesn't look convinced as she leaves the office, Gaskell himself looking tense and unsure, is the pressure starting to mount up on the Professor?
In a more relaxed setting the AAU team are now in Albie's having drinks, Ric tries Jason's cake and says he's impressed and likes it a lot, with smiles all around they all toast Ric's return, Serena murmuring in front of them all that she missed him, Ric replying that he missed her too, as the team look on with big smiles, it seems Ric is here to stay, welcome back Mr Griffin!
Abi is now outside the hospital where Gaskell was this morning as the episode started, talking to the press, doing her bit as CEO to keep them at arms length and speaking about Gaskell and his work, is this out of believing him or because it's just something she has to do at the moment? Up on the ward as the ep is coming to a close Gaskell is watching Abi's public appearance to the press on a tablet, Roxanna asks him if he meant it before when he said he needs her, he confirms he did mean it, she asks if it'll be 50/50 and equal on the team between them this he also confirms, to which she then says then she agrees to come on board, he half smiles and says she won't regret it before walking off down the ward carrying said tablet, as the camera focuses back on Roxanna the blonde neurosurgeon looks unsure and a little worried about what she's just agreed to join, should she really have agreed to join up? Why has she joined up, has Gaskell managed to manipulate her yet again and take advantage? Will he take advantage even more now she's part of the team, or can Roxanna being on the team allow her to see Gaskell for who he really is and therefore expose him? So many questions that are waiting and wanting to be answered, bring on next week!!
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