'Sorry S- I won't be able to make it tonight- not feeling too good x B'

Serena frowned. Her and Bernie had promised Jason that they would accompany him to a bonfire at Albies that evening- 10 minutes before they were due to pick her up, she had decided to pull rank. Brilliant.

Although Serena hated the thought of her lover feeling under the weather, she was finding it odd to comprehend. just two hours previously the women had left work together (heading off in their own directions to her ready) and they'd finalised their plans for the evening. She didn't mention that she was feeling unwell then and as far as Serena knew, she had been fine all day.

When she stoped to think about it, she remembered that Bernie had been oddly reluctant to agree to the bonfire in the first place which Serena had found decidedly strange. Bernie usually jumped at the chance of a 'family night out' (as he now liked to call them) with her and Jason and she'd never known her to cancel a plan, certainly not with such short notice. To make matters worse, she now wasn't answering her 'bloody phone'. Serena slammed her mobile down in annoyance. Surely she couldn't be that far from it- it was only 5 minutes since she'd text her for peats sake. When she tried the house phone however, with no avail even on the third attempt, an intense worry began to set in.

"Auntie Serena? Hurry up! We agreed to pick Bernie up at 7. It's now precisely 3 minutes past. We'll miss the fire works if we don't get a move on!"

Jason appeared in the doorway, a pleading look on his face. His Auntie thought for a moment, unsure of how to explain the situation. He'd be so disappointed but at this moment (and probably every other for as long as she'd live) Bernie's well being came first, even over the prospect of having a sulky nephew for a while. He'd get over it, she decided confidently.

"Now listen Jason...Bernie isn't feeling well and I'm going to have to go around to her house, make sure she's alright"

She painted a false smile. She'd had plenty of practice that past year.

"No... we'll miss the fireworks..."

She watched a pensive look spread across her nephews face and decided it would be unfair to have him miss out on all of the excitement- he had been so excited after all.

"Right, well I'll drop you off at Albies before I go... Fletch will be there and Raf... it will be alright won't it? You'll still have a brilliant time!"

Jason agreed, after much deliberation (much to Serena's annoyance- hadn't he been in a rush just 5 seconds earlier?) and sloped off to the car, no doubt cursing his Auntie for ruining his plans.

When Serena finally arrived at Bernies, after what seemed like an age of settling Jason in with the 'chuckle brothers'- which she'd taken to calling them of late- she found the house in darkness, curtains closed despite of it being only 7:30. The car was in the driveway however, so she had no doubt that her girlfriend was in. She tried the door, then rung the doorbell a considerable amount of times, fear building up with each insufferable, unanswered :

'Ding Dong'

She gave up on the 5th attempt, scrambling for the spare key Bernie had given her some months ago. On entrance, Serena could make out a faint light flooding down the stairs, perhaps coming from Bernie's bedroom. The rest of the house was in complete darkness. Her footsteps sounded eerie as she marched quickly up the Wooden staircase- an alarming contrast to the otherwise silent house. She stopped, sure she heard something as she reached the top.. a humming noise?! It was a struggle to hear anything now, over the sound of her own racing heart. She dreaded what was about to face her. What on earth had happened to the women she loved so dearly? Sure it must be something dreadful, she paused in front of the familiar wooden door. Last time she had been here, only two nights earlier- the pair had crashed through that same door, hot and needing, lips attached, leaving a trail of clothing across the now desolate landing. It seemed like a different place.

She opened the door slowly, catching her breath.

A scream

"WHAT THE FUCK SERENA?!"

Bernie bellowed, ripping out her earphones, sending her well thumbed book flying unceremoniously onto the messy floor.

"Oh thank the heavens! You're alive!"

Serena breathed, only half joking, scrambling onto the bed beside her.

"You really need to wear louder shoes..."

Bernie attempted- wondering if Serena would remember.

"I was so worried- I'd rung all of your phones, the doorbell, all of the lights were off... and said you were ill- I couldn't help thinking the worst, you know what I'm like..."

Bernie almost chuckled (but was incredibly warmed) at her girlfriends apparent desperation. She pulled her into an embrace, broken moments later by Serena's concerned stir.

"What do you feel like? Have you got headache? Have you been sick?"

The doctors questions continued, Bernie just meekly shaking her head at all of the suggestions.

"No I just.. I don't know Serena... I just feel a bit under the weather.."

She continued to be incredibly vague, refusing suggestions of thermometers and painkillers, insisting she was cool and in no pain what so ever. Instead, she invited Serena under the duvet beside her and did all that she could to steer to conversation away from illness and cancelled plans. Serena had stopped the questioning, aware that for some reason, Bernie was becoming increasingly agitated. She had never seen her like this before- Bernie was always so calm and confident- so collected and in control. The sight of her shivering in her dressing gown, nervous looking and pale under the low yellow light made Serena feel decidedly uneasy.

Bernie jumped vigorously as Serena slid out of bed and almost yelped as she made for the tightly drawn curtains.

"NO! What are you doing?!"

Her voice came out as a whisper, barely audible.

"Opening the curtains of course- so we can watch the fireworks"

To Bernie's horror, she also opened the window wide, allowing the brightly coloured flashes to be accompanied by whizzes and crashes, loud and chaotic.

"Isn't if wonderful"

Serena called joyfully, thinking how much Jason would be enjoying it. To her horror however, when she turned around to investigate the lack of reply, Bernie was laying back on the pillow, shaking, tears streaming down her pale face.

'Bern?..."

"Please Serena. Please shut the window... please.. make it stop"