(a/n – because I couldn't get a happier image of Bernie discovering Serena was Head Girl out of my head. This is basically the Elinor lives AU where the only Sapphic angst comes from awkward socialising between old school pals.)
Old Girls Club
"Mum!" Elinor's voice echoed through the hallway as the front door slammed. Serena looked up from the oven where she had just placed the dinner for the evening as her daughter entered the kitchen. "Mum, I said I'd tell you because you're not on Facebook and that's where they're contacting people but anyway St Winnie's are having a massive reunion for their 250th anniversary and you're invited."
"Hello Serena!" Elinor was interrupted by someone else entering through the front door, and Serena beamed as Bernie entered the kitchen and, seeing her, greeted Elinor too before turning her attention back to Serena.
"Hello yourself." Serena leaned up slightly to peck Bernie on the lips and Elinor coughed pointedly.
"Anyway, as I was saying. You have to come because you're an old Head Girl. I tried to say I wasn't interested but apparently having my name on a board in the main reception hall qualifies me as a definite on the guest list on pain of a year's detentions or whatever the adult equivalent is. So you're down to come too because you're an even older Head Girl and they're a rarer breed." Serena raised an eyebrow at her daughter, who quickly pulled out her phone and got up the details. "Open bar, light refreshments, networking, guest speeches… Oh, and we're all allowed a plus one." Elinor grimaced. "I have no idea who I'll take."
Serena turned to Bernie who was looking a little confused.
"Bernie, darling, I do hope you've got the most excellent formal attire because you're coming to a school reunion with me. When is it, Ellie? I'll have to rearrange the shifts." Bernie looked a little pasty.
"A school reunion?"
"Chin up, Major. I'm sure you've handled worse. Besides, it won't be all bad. I'll be there. Ellie will be there. Jaso-Oh! Bother! I'll have to see what Jason wants to do that evening as it'll change his routine."
"Hey, Mum?" Ellie chipped in. "I could ask Jason as my plus one. Saves me having to beg an ex or something. I'm sure he'd love to hear about the history of St Winnie's while I try and bag myself some rich alumni as possible contacts." Elinor left the room to go and speak to her cousin.
Once Elinor had left, Serena checked on the food in the oven, which wasn't yet ready. Before she could turn around, Bernie had sidled up behind her and wrapped her arms around Serena's midriff.
"You never told me you were Head Girl at school," Bernie mumbled softly against Serena's cheek. Serena covered Bernie's hands with her own and laughed lightly.
"I didn't think it mattered all that much."
"Oh, but it matters very much, Ms Campbell. The mental image of you bossing people around in a gym slip is the best thought I've had all day." Bernie brushed her lips against Serena's skin softly, and Serena did laugh then.
"Ha! I wouldn't say I did any bossing around in a gym slip."
"You still wore a gym slip though."
"Well a gym slip to me is about as sexy as fatigues are to you." Bernie smiled into her neck.
"I'll show you mine if you show me yours."
"The problem being, Berenice, that you still fit into your fatigues whereas I very much doubt I could even get a gym slip past my knees nowadays. Unless you want me to go on a diet." Bernie squeezed Serena tight and kissed her neck.
"You don't need to go on a diet. You're beautiful Serena. And the best thing about you is your curves." Bernie made to move her hands backwards and onto Serena's hips when they were interrupted by a voice behind them.
"Jeez, you're worse than half of my uni mates. Can you not save it for the bedroom? I hope you're not going to be all over each other at the school reunion, because that'll be mortifying enough without an excessive amount of PDA from my Mums." At Elinor's words, Serena paused and looked at her.
"Mums?" Bernie had also stilled beside her, hands flat against Serena's stomach. Elinor rolled her eyes.
"Well you've been together for three years now, she even lives here, so what else is Bernie? Like, my half Mum? Libs is technically my step-Mum but I don't know how it works since you're not married and I don't care to be honest. Unless you don't want to be my Mum, Bernie. In that case you'll have ruined an article I've just sent off about being true to your sexuality in later life." Serena looked at Bernie who opened and closed her mouth a few times before swallowing and nodding at Elinor.
"No, it's fine Ellie. More than fine. But if we are going to be the basis of an article could we at least have a read?"
"Sure, yeah. I'll print you a draft. Right, well. I'm off out to see Jasmine. I'll message St Winnie's to say you're going Mum. Bye!"
After her daughter had left, Serena turned back to Bernie and smiled naughtily.
"Well, now there are no planned distractions, shall we continue where we left off, Ms Wolfe?"
Bernie required no further inducement, and they locked lips happily until the oven timer sounded.
"Bernie?" The trauma surgeon looked up at her partner across the desk.
"Yes Serena?"
"It's my school reunion in a week."
"Yes."
"It's going to be very formal."
"So you've said."
"Well Ellie's just told me that Ursula Forsythe's going."
"Who on Earth is that?"
"The deputy to my Head Girl, though she was a Donoghue back then. Always full of herself. More popular."
"As if!"
"True. And according to Ellie she's been very vocal on the Facebook group about how much she and her husband are looking forward to a formal event, as they've not been to one in a couple of months."
"Society lady is she?"
"Well, her husband moves in certain circles now he's retired."
"Oh?"
"Yes. Captain Forsythe was discharged on account of his declining health." Serena's emphasis on the man's title made Bernie realise where Serena was going with her point.
"I see. And just as Head Girl outranks deputy, you're aware that Major outranks Captain."
"Precisely. And, um. Have you decided on your outfit for the evening yet?"
"Not really. Maybe the suit I wore to that winter gala. Why?"
"Ellie thinks Captain Forsythe is going in uniform, since St Winifred's is a school of such traditional British values." Serena looked away slightly and Bernie smiled at the lilt in her voice.
"I'll send my dress uniform to the dry cleaner's tomorrow."
It would be worth wearing it for the smile which Serena flashed her across their desk, if nothing else.
Serena walked out of the ensuite and stopped dead when she saw Major Berenice Wolfe in all of her glory, stood smoothing her lapels in the mirror. At Serena's audible gasp, she turned and smiled shyly.
"You like?"
"I love." Serena walked over and stroked Bernie's arms through the material. "Though now I look daft in my dress given how gorgeous you look in yours."
"Not true." Bernie traced her hands over Serena's curves in her figure hugging but classy number. "Believe me, I'll be on best behaviour tonight to stop myself from tearing this off you." Serena laughed.
"I think schools like St Winnie's have toilets specifically designed for that act. There were enough rumours about girls copping off together whilst I was there." Bernie raised her eyebrows.
"And you weren't?"
"Goodness, no. I was the perfect rule-abiding Head Girl, thank you very much. Besides, what's attractive about a fellow spotty faced teen? If you're going to go Sapphic may as well wait until a Big Macho Army Medic comes along." She stroked the back of Bernie's neck lovingly. A sharp rap at the bedroom door broke them from their reverie as Jason's voice called through.
"The taxi is due in thirteen minutes, I do hope you're ready!" Serena rolled her eyes fondly and moved to put her lipstick on.
Bernie was stood towards the edge of the room, waiting for Serena to return with their drinks from the bar. Elinor had been dragged off by some old school chums and Jason had engaged the Head of History in an interesting discussion about the founding of the school. As her eyes tracked the sway of Serena's hips as she turned away from the bar, someone coughed pointedly by Bernie's ear. She turned to see a woman with clearly artificially whitened teeth and overly coiffed hair.
"Hello, can I just say that you look tremendous for your age, darling. You must give me the name of your surgeon. I use a private clinic in the States myself, but you're looking remarkable."
"Excuse me?" Bernie had no idea what the woman was talking about. The woman opened her mouth to reply but was distracted by Serena appearing by her side.
"Serena McKinnie! Well I never!"
"Ursula Donoghue." Serena's tone was steely and Bernie recognised the name. The woman barrelled on. "I was just telling, sorry what on Earth is your name? How impolite of me!" The woman laughed with all the right notes of a trained society lady.
"Major Berenice Wolfe." Bernie used her full title because she knew how much it would please Serena, and the woman was already irritating her.
"Thank you, Major Wolfe. Serena, I was just telling Major Wolfe here how utterly marvellous she looks for her age. Don't you think?" Bernie turned to Serena who had a wicked glint in her eye.
"Oh, she definitely looks marvellous."
"Sorry, but what does my age have anything to do with this?" Bernie was confused. The woman smiled patronisingly.
"Well I cannot recognise your name or face for the life of me, so you must have been a few years above Serena and myself. Also, you're a Major! My husband, he's over there," she pointed at a man walking far too pompously in his uniform, "he is our age but a Captain. I do believe he would have been a Major by your age had he not unfortunately had to retire."
"I'm retired too, actually." Bernie filled in, deciding to be honest with the woman. "And I didn't come to this school, but if I did I would have been in your class."
"A Major so soon?" The woman gaped. "What did you do, sleep with your commanding officer?" Bernie winced slightly at her comment as the infuriating woman laughed falsely once more, but the ex-army medic but powered through nonetheless.
"No, I earned my stripes based upon my own skills. Also, I wouldn't dream of sleeping with my commanding officer. For starters, he's a man." The woman laughed again, and Bernie fought the urge to slap her.
"Why of course! Too fuddy duddy, was he? Oh darling, bless you! Why on Earth are you here then? Honorary patron?" Bernie turned to Serena and accepted the drink from her hand before looking back at the insufferable Ursula.
"I'm Serena's plus one." The woman turned her attentions back to Serena.
"Serena! Where on Earth did you make such acquaintances?"
"At work. Major Berenice here took a job at Holby City Hospital after her medical discharge, and we're approaching five years of co-leading AAU together in two months."
"Five years? Time flies when you're having fun." Bernie winked at Serena.
"We certainly have enough of that!" Serena's eyes glittered and Bernie smiled back at her. Ursula giggled awkwardly.
"Terribly sorry for asking, 'Rena-" Bernie sensed that the woman was not at all sorry and Serena was about to throttle her for using a nickname she hated, "but why have you brought your work colleague to this event? I thought you had got married? I didn't believe you were single."
"I got divorced nearly two decades ago, Ursula. And I'm not single," Serena raised an eyebrow. "I'm in a wonderful relationship nowadays, thank you very much. We've officially been together for three years, and living together for one and a half of those."
"Ah, is he working? On business?"
"Not at all. She is stood right next to me. As I said: We've been together a while." Serena levelled a glare at Ursula and Bernie wrapped a possessive arm around Serena's waist, pulling her closer and daring Ursula to say anything. The woman looked between them and then back at Serena with wide eyes.
"Serena McKinnie? A… With a woman? No. I never thought you were… Golly, you must be playing a prank on me!"
"I'll happily kiss Bernie right now if you like Ursula to prove that we are together."
"No! I'm just gobsmacked. You never were involved with any girls here."
"That's true. But have a look at Major Wolfe here. If she was offering are you honestly saying you would turn her down? Don't answer that, actually. She's very much taken." Serena looked up at Bernie with adoration written across her features and Bernie pressed their lips together softly, the formal situation be damned. Serena smiled and when they broke apart, Ursula had moved away. Serena leaned into Bernie. "You do realise everyone in this room will know within the next minute, don't you?" She laughed, and Bernie pulled her close.
"I couldn't care less. I'm more bothered about when I will see you in a gym slip since you've seen me in my uniform now."
"I believe the deal was fatigues, Major."
"Dress uniform is like formal fatigues. How about we make a deal and you wear a straw boater sometime?"
"Dream on soldier. Now come on, let's do some mingling with all of the old girls. Hopefully they won't think you're older than you look just because they need surgery to look so delicious. Then when we're done we can go back home and make a blanket den for our secret girls club where only us two are allowed in because we know the secret password and handshake." Bernie snorted and tangled her fingers with Serena's.
"That's the best idea you've had all evening."
(a/n – this fic is dedicated to Stephanie - pandorabox82 - because it is her birthday and she's awesome and cheerful and an all-round good egg. I do hope you enjoyed this, and have a happy birthday.)