It's Oh So Quiet

by pandorabox82

Serena, Bernie, and Hanssen are attending a medical conference in Michigan, and when Serena finds out that they're now in one room, she has to make some adjustments on how their weekend will go. But will Bernie be able to keep quiet?

"I'm sorry, run that by me again?"

Bernie recognized that voice Serena was using. The placid sound of it belied the fact that she was about ten seconds from going absolutely off on the person currently offending her. Obviously, the desk clerk was oblivious to the tone, as she gave them a sunny smile as she shrugged a little. "Your reservation was changed by someone on the board at Holby City Hospital, according to my records, and since there are three other conventions going on this week, there are no more rooms available."

"Here, you mean." Bernie reached out and touched her girlfriend's shoulder lightly, trying to defuse the situation a little.

"No, ma'am, I mean in the city. No one expected David Tennant to accept Grand Rapids ComicCon's invitation to come, and once word got out, all rooms in a fifty mile radius sold out. I'm so sorry, but at least your room has two beds!"

If looks could kill, that poor girl would be dead on the floor, Bernie thought as she gave Hanssen a look. He shrugged a little, obviously choosing to be a little more easy going than Serena. "It will be fine, Ser, especially since we'll just be sleeping there," she said soothingly as she fished the hospital's credit card out of Serena's purse.

"Exactly!"

That was the wrong thing for the clerk to say, and Bernie quickly pushed her girlfriend off to Hanssen, hoping he would get the hint. He gave her a small nod as he guided Serena over to an empty chair, leaving Bernie to deal with checking in. "I'm sorry about that. It was a long flight from London."

"That's all right, I've seen worse." They shared a smile as the credit card was ran. "All right, I just need you to sign here while I make three keys for your group. You'll be in room 2049, which is in the main tower. Also, we are offering a full breakfast buffet from six until eight every morning, though you'll need your room key to access that area. Also, room service is available round the clock. Since you're here for the medical conference, there will be a shuttle that leaves here every fifteen minutes to head up to Medical Mile. If you have any question, just call down to the front desk. Enjoy your stay in Michigan!"

All right, maybe the girl was a little too perky, but that had been par for the course since they'd landed at the airport. So all Bernie could do was smile in return as she took the keys from the girl's outstretched hand.

Hanssen appeared to be trying to calm Serena down as she approached them, and she gave the man a small smirk as she sat on the arm of Serena's chair before leaning in and kissing her cheek. "We're on the twentieth floor, so you might have a good view of the sunrise."

"That does not placate me at all, Berenice." The dark look in her eyes told Bernie just how pissed off the woman was. "Really? Why would they do this to me?"

"Serena, this is not a personal affront against you," Hanssen said, trying to placate her. Serena focused her glare on the man, and Bernie arched her eyebrow at him when he didn't even blanch. "I'm certain that the board had a good reason to move us down to one room, most likely due to the fact that the air travel was more expensive than anticipated. And I assure you, everything that happens behind those doors will be kept in strictest confidence. Now, I don't know about you, but I am finding myself famished, so I am going to head up to our room and then find somewhere to eat. Would you care to join me?"

Bernie nodded without thinking, which earned her a soft smack on the bicep. "Serena, we have to eat, and we might as well do so together. Tomorrow night, we can have supper, just the two of us, okay?" She reached out and stroked Serena's cheek, giving her a soft smile as she stared at her. "Serena?"

"Fine," she bit out as she jumped to her feet, looking expectantly at them. "I am waiting."

"Yes, Ms. Campbell." Hanssen unfolded his body, giving Bernie a soft smile as he gestured towards the elevator bank. Bernie nodded as she hooked arms with Serena, adjusting how her bag rested on the opposite shoulder as they went along. Serena seemed not to notice the way her bag knocked into their heels as she dragged it along behind them, and not for the first time she wondered what her girlfriend had packed for a four day conference.

"Could you perhaps pull that with your other hand on the way to our room?" she asked as they waited for the lift, and Serena looked up at her, a tight look on her face. "If I have bloody heels, you'll be on your own this entire time."

"Fine, I'll be good. After all, you might need to carry me back to our room, if things go south."

Bernie shook her head a little as she leaned down and rested her forehead against Serena's. There was something about being in a foreign country that just allowed her to be absolutely free with displays of affection. "You know I like it when you're bad, my sweet Fraulein, but I don't like you deliberately hurting yourself or me." The doors opened, and Hanssen stepped inside, giving them a look as they lingered in the lobby.

"Are we coming along?"

"Yes, Henrik," Serena replied softly as she pushed Bernie inside. The large rollaway nearly got caught in the doors as they closed, but Bernie yanked it quickly, the weight of it coming close to knocking her to her feet. "Careful, Bernie. Don't look, Henrik."

Hanssen turned his head as Serena stood up on her toes and captured Bernie's lips in a quick kiss. She fought to keep from deepening the kiss, as they were in front of their boss, and it wouldn't look good. "What's that saying Americans have? What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas?"

Bernie let her shoulders drop as she relaxed, letting out a little chuckle. "I think Vegas is a few states away, actually."

"Yes, well, the sentiment remains the same. The only thing that will be discussed upon our return is what we learned at the different panels." The smile that spread across both their faces as they regarded their boss could probably have lit up a small city, but it was worth it for the tiny blush she saw staining Hanssen's cheeks.

To her great surprise and relief, Hanssen pulled Serena's bag along the hall as they traipsed down to their room, and Bernie tried not to gasp when she realized that their suite was on the end of the hall, which meant that they would have an excellent view of the city as the sun rose and set. "Okay, maybe this won't be so bad," Serena muttered as Hanssen swiped his keycard, opening the door for them. "As long as we have the bed closest to the windows."

"That will be fine, Ms. Campbell," he said as he dropped his suitcase onto the bed and unzipped it, pulling out a set of suit coats on hangers and walking them over to the closet and hanging them up. "I hope that there is more than enough room in here for your things as well, ladies."

"I only packed things that wouldn't wrinkle," she said as she took a seat on their bed and unzipped her bag, taking out a stack of blouses before heading over to the set of drawers and putting them away. "I imagine that Serena, though, will have the most delicate silk blouses that wrinkle the minute you look at them."

"Hush, Bernie. You love how those blouses feel beneath your hands." Serena gave her a tiny smirk and she felt that look settle in the pit of her stomach, stirring up desire in her. From the knowing chuckle Serena let out, Bernie was certain that it was written all over her face exactly what she feeling. "And I'll have you know that I bought some new blouses specifically for this trip, since I wasn't certain about the weather."

"Always my little Girl Guide," she shot back, forgetting about Hanssen for a moment. When the realization that he was still in the room hit her, she drew in a deep breath through her nostrils and tried not to react. From the corner of her eye, however, she watched the man's lips twitch, as if he was trying to tamp down a smile, and that again set her at ease.

"Mother always instilled in me a need to be prepared. One of us needs to be, so that we don't end up wrapping gifts in the back of cabs," Serena teased as she hung up a series of outfits. There were far more than would be necessary for a short medical conference, but that was her Serena. "Would you mind handing me the garment bag, Bernie?"

She frowned a little as she complied, wondering why Serena had packed something nice enough to require a garment bag. But from the number of hangers in it, she could tell there were at least two outfits, which just further intrigued her. "What's this for?"

"For tomorrow night. It would have been better according to my original plan, but I suppose that I can still make this work. As long as you're up to getting supper alone, Henrik?"

"That will be fine, Serena. After all, I am a grown adult, I know how to take care of myself."

Serena nodded as she smoothed her blouse over her torso. Bernie couldn't help but follow the movements, and she was almost certain that Serena had purposely done that to elicit some reaction from Bernie. "All right, so where do we want to head for food? Or should we ask the clerk?"

"I thought I saw that Wolfgang Puck has a restaurant in the hotel. We could eat there, and put it on the hospital's tab. Especially since I'm assuming that our date tomorrow will not be paid for using company funds?"

Serena had the good grace to blush as she nodded, and Bernie rolled her eyes a little in mirth as she slung an arm around the woman's waist. "Yes, well, I'm just hoping that they have a good red on reserve." She chuckled as they followed Hanssen back to the elevator, not letting go of each other the entire time.

Bernie was surprised that they had made it through their first night with no intimate moments. Though she placed a lot of that on jetlag, since the minute Serena's head hit the pillow, she was out like a light, her soft snore the only catalyst that Bernie needed to drift off herself. Still, she was glad that she had been the first to wake, as sometime in the night, Serena had managed to pull off their vests, and that was one thing that she didn't need Hanssen to know about either of them.

Picking hers up, she tugged it over her head before placing Serena's on the pillow she had just left. Gazing out the window at the river below them, she could just start to make out the first hints of the sun peeking above the horizon, and Bernie suddenly found that she didn't want to be watching this alone. Gently, she reached out and shook Serena's shoulder, pressing her fingers against her partner's lips to keep her quiet as she came to wakefulness. Bernie gestured to the thin vest before jerking her head towards the window, and Serena nodded in response.

After she was decent, they walked over to the windows, and Serena leaned back against Bernie, allowing her to rest her chin atop her girlfriend's head. "You were right, this is gorgeous, Bernie," she whispered as she closed her hands over Bernie's, pushing them against her stomach a little tighter.

"I didn't realise the sun would sparkle quite so brightly on the water," she replied lowly, hearing Hanssen stir behind them. They both quieted, and Bernie let out a happy breath when she heard the man climb out of his bed and pad over to the bathroom. "I wonder what time it actually is? I feel like my body is telling me we slept in, but if the sun is only just starting to come up, it has to be early."

Serena stirred in her embrace, glancing towards the nightstand. "It's just after seven, which means it's about noon back home. We really did sleep half the day away." She turned back to Bernie and smiled up at her before raising herself onto her tiptoes and kissing her softly. "I wonder how long Henrik takes in the shower?"

"Not long enough to do what you're thinking about," Bernie replied drolly as she closed her arms around Serena's waist, pulling her closer to her body. "But maybe, if he's still out when we get back from supper, we can steal away into the shower and have a quick romp. I wouldn't want to do anything where we have the potential of getting caught, after all."

"This from the woman who wanted to hold my hand as we walked into Holby one week after we made things official?" Serena said before seeking out the tendon of her neck and nipping at it lightly. "Are you ready to shove me back in the closet already?"

Bernie let out a low groan as she shook her head. "N-no, Serena. But there are certain levels of propriety that should be maintained. And I would most dearly like to be able to look Hanssen in the face and not blush like a schoolgirl when we get back to Holby."

Serena pulled away from Bernie and pouted a little. "I suppose that you have a point there. Can I at least get a good morning kiss?"

"You already had one."

"All right, then, another good morning kiss?"

"My greedy Fraulein."

Serena laughed lightly as she nodded. "I will always be greedy for your kisses, my darling Major." She hooked her arms around Bernie's neck and pulled her close. As their lips touched, Bernie allowed her hands to creep down Serena's back until they reached the swell of her hips. "He's still in the bathroom."

"I know," she whispered as she cupped Serena's arse and pulled her even closer as she kissed her partner. In the background, she heard the water turn off and she knew that they would only have a few more moments of privacy. "Well, there ends that. We should probably figure out our outfits for the day." Serena nodded as she stepped away from Bernie and turned on the telly. "What are you doing?"

"Checking the weather. It was bloody cold last night when we were walking along the river."

"You liked being close to me, though," Bernie smartly replied as she drifted over to the dresser and pulled out a dark green shirt and black skinny jeans. "I know that you brought along a green shirt, too. Wear that."

"Isn't that a bit twee, Bernie?"

"Perhaps. But I also want everyone to know that we are a matched pair." Serena gave her a blinding smile as she turned off the telly and went over to the closet, pulling out the green shirt Bernie had been thinking of, along with a pair of black trousers. "I'd ask if you care to join me in the shower, but that might be a little too much?"

"I should most certainly say so, Ms. Campbell. However, as I am about to head down to breakfast, no one will be here to know what happens, will they?"

They both gasped a little, and Bernie just caught the wicked little smirk that crossed Hanssen's face as he grabbed his room key off the dresser and quickly made his way from the room. That was all the opportunity that Serena needed, and she grabbed hold of Bernie's hand, tugging her into the bathroom, laughing all the way.

Bernie had found it hard to concentrate on her panels, since even though that was the point of the conference, Serena just seemed to be on a texting spree. It was a good thing that she had turned the device on silent, though she'd had to place it in her lap so that it didn't rumble against the table top and disturb the other trauma surgeons. Still, she was glad that she had chosen a seat towards the back, since it afforded her the opportunity to text her back.

"Does your husband really miss you that much?" the woman sitting next to her asked as they took a short break. Bernie tilted her head to one side as she tried to think of an appropriate answer for this slightly forward colleague. "I'm Denise Gregory, by the way."

Bernie shook her extended hand firmly, giving her a small smile. "Berenice Wolfe. And that's not my husband, that's my partner. She's attending the panels on general surgery, and we're taking notes for each other, since it's impossible to be two places at once. She's just a little more insistent about keeping in touch."

Denise laughed a little as she pulled out her phone, showing Bernie the string of texts on the screen. "My husband is the same way. Only, his conversation is consisting of running updates on what our son is currently up to. Given that he's only just started to crawl, it isn't much."

"Oh, that's the best time, I remember when my children were that little! Cameron only crawled for two weeks before he figured out how to walk, and then he was off like a shot. Charlotte, though, she was my sweet little potato. Always loafing around and waiting for me to pick her up."

"Elinor was very potato like, too."

Bernie turned to see Serena standing by her side, and she shook her head a little. "Denise, this is Serena. Serena, Denise. Her husband has texted her almost as much as you have texted me."

"I won't say I'm sorry, Bernie, because the first speaker was completely boring, and I have learned nothing from him. I'm hoping that our next doctor talks about something innovative, so that I can concentrate and take some decent notes." She looked over at Denise. "Did your panel go well?"

"I've enjoyed it so far, Serena. Though watching Berenice here take notes and text you at the same time has been quite entertaining as well."

Serena laughed as she reached out to squeeze Bernie's hand. "Well, we only have a ten minute break, and it took me five of those minutes to get here, so I suppose that I should be getting back. I just, I needed to check in with you. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise for that, Serena, you're fine. Though I do wonder how Hanssen is getting along. Has he texted you at all?"

Serena shook her head. "No, though I'll text him when I get back to my room. Have a good second panel!" She leaned up and kissed Bernie's cheek before striding from the room, her hips swaying invitingly.

"Oh! Partner! I just assumed it was a work partnership. The two of you are really sweet together." Bernie blushed a little as she shrugged. "I don't know if I could work with my husband, honestly. I think that spending that much time together would just have us constantly butting heads. You're lucky to have that sort of relationship."

Bernie nodded as she stretched, trying to work out the kinks in her back. "We've always had a good rapport, and it's only gotten better since we're together. I truly think that we might be blessed." Denise nodded as they took their seats once more. Bernie pulled out her phone and fired off a quick text to Serena, telling her that she loved her. In seconds, she had a reply, one that made her smile to the very depths of her heart, and she hugged the mobile tightly to her chest as she wiggled her shoulders happily.

"Seriously, I think you two are going to give me cavities! Are you going to lunch with your third person?"

Bernie shrugged. "I'm not certain yet, but if you're here alone, we'd always welcome another person at our table. That seems to be Serena's motto on the AAU, anyway. We're all family, and family takes care of each other."

Denise nodded as the new speaker stepped up to the podium, and Bernie attuned her focus to the woman, taking copious notes as she found herself engrossed on what the doctor said, as it was great advice to take back to Holby. And every now and then, she fired off a text to Serena, telling her some important detail that she couldn't save until later. It seemed that Serena's panel was much the same, as her texts were just as infrequent.

It seemed such a shame that the conference had to break for lunch, and she glanced over at Denise, seeing the same feelings written on her face. "Well, I suppose that that's it," the woman said as they stood. "I hope our last speaker of the day is just as interesting."

"Me, too. So, just follow me, and we'll pick up Serena on the way down to The Kitchen Counter. I guess that she made plans to meet Hanssen there." Denise nodded as she slipped her phone into her pocket, and they walked out together, chatting back and forth about what they had just learned.

"I would have thought that Hanssen would be up here," Bernie murmured as she stepped into their room. Serena shrugged as she went over to the closet and pulled out her garment bag, tossing it onto the bed before toeing off her practical shoes and unzipping the bag. "Serena?"

"I made us reservations at Ruth's Chris. I was going to go with that seafood place that's nearby, but the recent reviews were less than stellar, and I wanted this to be memorable. And I know, we could get away with business casual, but I wanted to look a little nicer for a Friday night date." As she spoke, Serena picked up a charcoal grey suit and held it out to Bernie. "Cameron helped me out with this, so if you don't like the color, blame him. I did choose this blouse for you, however."

Bernie drew in a soft breath as she took in the dark burgundy color of it, knowing how well it would go with the suit. Taking the whole outfit from Serena's hands, she sighed happily. "This is perfect," she said as she stroked the fabric of the blouse. "And you got me silk?"

"Well, when you wear it elsewhere, you can think of me." Serena gave her a shy smile as she zipped the garment bag back up. "Now, if you want to head into the bathroom and get ready, I'm going to do my makeup out here before switching places with you."

Bernie nodded, wondering what was in that garment bag still. Knowing that she wouldn't get an answer out of her partner even if she asked, Bernie just carried the garments into the bathroom and quickly stripped out of her clothes. It didn't take her long to change completely, and then she was rejoining Serena, taking a seat on the bed as she watched Serena work on her makeup. There was something so effortlessly elegant about the way she moved, and Bernie couldn't keep the silly grin off her face. "I could watch you all day," she murmured.

"Just like I could watch you all day." Serena finished up applying her lipstick, smacking her lips together a few times, drawing Bernie's eyes to her mouth. Her tongue darted to swipe at her own lips, and Serena's smirk told her that she had seen that move. "Now, I'm going to get dressed, it's your turn to fix your hair and makeup."

Bernie nodded, taking the seat Serena had just left, breathing in the lingering scent of her perfume. Picking up her brush, she ran it through her curls, trying to tame them into something a little more manageable. Then she affixed a few bobby pins behind her ears, holding her hair in place. Once that was done, she quickly put on some eyeliner and mascara before applying a dusky pink lipstain.

"You look perfectly fine, Bernie," she murmured to herself as she took a deep breath, smiling at her reflection. The room door opening caught her attention, and she turned to face Hanssen as he entered. "Back already?"

"Just to drop off my notes from earlier today, and then I'm off to supper with a few of the people who were in my group. I do hope that you and Serena have a wonderful evening." He gave her a small, knowing, smile, and Bernie wondered if he knew something that she didn't. Before she could ask, however, he had turned on his heel and left once more.

"Was that Henrik?" Serena asked as she rejoined Bernie. She found that her breath was once more stolen from her lungs as she looked her partner up and down. Serena was in a form hugging burgundy dress that matched Bernie's blouse, black tights on her legs, and black stilettos on her feet. In short, she looked drop dead gorgeous, and she was Bernie's girlfriend. How she had been so blessed, she had no idea, but she thanked whatever god had made that possible.

Finally, she was able to find her voice once more, and she nodded. "Yes. He was just dropping off his notes before heading out to his own supper. My god, do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"

"When you're looking at me like that? Yes, I have some small idea of how beautiful I am." She sashayed over to the dresser and picked up her purse before holding out her hand. It had taken some time to get Serena to that point, but it had been worth the wait to get her this comfortable. "All right, let's head out."

Bernie nodded as she took hold of Serena's hand, letting her guide them down to the elevators. As they waited, a comfortable silence filled the space between them, and Bernie found herself loathe to break it. It didn't take long to arrive at the restaurant, and despite the number of people waiting, they were quickly seated at a private table, towards the back of the establishment.

"This is perfect," Bernie said as she picked up the menu, quickly deciding on what she wanted. Serena gave her a soft smile as she also set aside her menu. "Are we going to split a bottle of red?"

"Maybe two, depending on how well things go." They shared a smile as Serena picked up the extensive wine list and perused it. "Oh, yes, they do have some excellent Shiraz choices here. I did make the right decision."

"Is that what you'd like?" They looked up at their waiter, and Serena gave him a firm nod.

"We'd like a bottle of the Torbreck Shiraz, to start with." Bernie sighed a little as she listened to Serena place her order, and she quickly followed suit. "I hope you don't mind lingering over our meal. It was a long day for me, even if it was interesting."

Bernie nodded as she reached across the table for Serena's hand, clasping it lightly as she ran her thumb over the soft skin. "I know exactly what you mean, Serena." They shared another lingering look, and Bernie found herself grateful for the low lighting of the restaurant, as it allowed them some modicum of privacy. "I just wish that we could be certain that we'd have the room to ourselves for a few hours afterwards."

"You took the words from my lips," Serena murmured as she squeezed her hand in return. "Charlotte and Elinor seem to have formed a real bond."

"Yes. They really hit it off at your little New Year's party, which has definitely made things easier in regards to our relationship. Charlotte actually texted me during the last panel to ask how things were going. I, I really appreciate this, Serena. I love you, and your daughter being amazing has just helped to cement this bond between us."

Bright tears sparkled in Serena's eyes as she lifted Bernie's hand to her lips, kissing the palm tenderly. "You're not supposed to make me cry, darling."

"Tender feelings always shimmer at the surface with us, don't they? If I'm honest…"

"You like being vulnerable with me." Bernie nodded and they smiled at each other as the waiter set their food in front of them. They fell into an easy conversation about their day as they ate, and it was easy to lose herself in the magnificence that was her lover. The first bottle of wine was quickly replaced with another at Serena's smile and hand gesture towards the empty one, and Bernie allowed herself to relax even more.

"Were you two planning on dessert?"

Bernie started a little as she realized they had reached the end of their meal, and she gazed at Serena, waiting to take her lead. "Yes. Please tell me that you have that white chocolate bread pudding available. With the orange cognac sauce?" He nodded. "Excellent. We'll share that."

"I'll get that right in. Did you want one more bottle of wine?"

"Maybe just another glass apiece? To finish our meal off right." He nodded and slipped away, leaving them alone once more. Bernie drained the last of her glass, watching Serena. "What?"

"You just look so beautiful right now. Not that you don't always look beautiful, because you do, but there's something about this evening that is just different. And I know, I'm probably cocking this up, but I hope you understand what I mean."

The waiter filled their glasses once more, and Serena brought hers to her lips, taking a small sip. "I do, because there is something about this night which is so perfect. Even if we can't give in to our animal passions until we're truly alone."

Bernie laughed lowly as she picked up her glass, swirling the liquid around in it before taking a sip. "If only things had gone to plan."

"Truer words were never spoken."

Their dessert was placed in the middle of the table, and Bernie picked up a fork, flaking off a piece and bringing it to her lips. The tastes exploded on her tongue, and she groaned with pleasure as she swallowed. Feeling Serena's eyes on her, she took in the dilated pupils that spoke of the woman's desire, and vowed to try and not goad her with her reactions. "This is really good."

"It might be made better with this." Serena reached into her purse and pulled out a small box, handing it over. Bernie cocked her head to one side as she accepted it, frowning a little as she brought it to her chest. "It won't bite."

She nodded quietly as she lifted the lid off. Resting inside, on a bed of cotton, was a shiny key, and she picked it up, twisting it around in her fingers. "I already have a house key."

"Yes, but this one is new. This one is permanent. Because I'm tired of you not always being close by. I don't want to trap you, I don't want to feel like you're being smothered, but I want you in my house always. I'd ask to move in with you, but I still owe too much on my mortgage to back out on it. And I like having all the space, I'm accustomed to it. You can even have your own bedroom, since there are two spare ones besides Elinor's."

Serena's babbling was endearing, but it also told Bernie just how desperate she was, since the last time she'd heard that rush of words was when she had been leaving Holby for Kiev. Pressing a kiss to the key, she reached out for Serena's hand, clasping it tightly before returning Serena's earlier, intimate, gesture of kissing the palm. "I would love to live with you, Serena."

The hopeful smile that lit up Serena's face told her that she had said exactly the right thing. "Thank you."

"I should really be thanking you, Serena." They finished the dessert and as Serena settled the bill, Bernie found herself wishing desperately that they had some alone time. That look on Serena's face sent shivers down her spine, and she wanted to see things through to completion. "Are we ready, then?"

Serena nodded as Bernie held out her arm, and they walked out of the restaurant together, their steps falling into sync. As soon as they were in the elevator, Bernie turned to Serena and possessively kissed her as she backed them up against the wall, letting her hands roam down Serena's back to cup her arse and pull them even closer together. "I love you," she gasped out as they reached their floor and they stepped out, dropping kisses as they walked down the hall to their room.

Somehow, they managed to fumble their way into their room, and the first thing Bernie noticed was that the lights were off. She was almost certain that they had left the desk lamp on, and that could only mean one thing. Hanssen was already in the room and they had to knock off their necking. "Shh, Fraulein, we need to be oh so quiet now. I think Hanssen is already asleep."

Serena nodded as she leaned in and kissed Bernie's cheek. "I'll try," she whispered as she led Bernie over to the bed. "Take off my shoes?"

Bernie nodded as she crouched down, taking hold of Serena's left leg and carefully removing the stiletto before caressing her foot. Serena gave her a sultry look as she reached behind her back and thrust her chest out at Bernie as she ran the zipper of the dress down her back. Bernie swallowed thickly as she took hold of her other leg and removed that shoe, unable to take her eyes off Serena as she slipped out of her dress.

"Don't say a word, Bernie," she murmured as she looked over at the other bed. The sleeping form of Hanssen reminded Bernie that they couldn't go much farther that evening. Nodding, Bernie stood and started to shrug out of her clothes as she walked over to the dresser and pulled out a vest and sleep shorts.

Serena was at her side in a heartbeat, stilling her movements. "Serena?"

"Follow me." She nodded and let Serena guide her into the bathroom, struggling to keep as quiet as possible as she let her partner undress her. It was only then that she noticed the garter belt and hose. "I take it you like that surprise."

"Yeah," she breathed out as she unhooked the bra, pulling it from her body. Knowing that they couldn't do much, she still leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the swell of Serena's breast. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Serena panted out as she shrugged into her own vest before taking off the hose and garter belt. "Kiss me?"

"Of course," Bernie replied as she pushed Serena back against the bathroom counter. The woman hopped up on it as she wrapped her arms around Bernie's neck, pulling her ever closer. As the kiss lingered on, Bernie let one hand creep down Serena's torso and caress her upper thigh, her thumb tantalizingly closer to Serena's core.

"Um, I thought you were the one who didn't want to take things too far, darling?" Serena questioned as she looked into Bernie's eyes.

"There's just something about you," she whispered as she leaned in for another warm kiss. "But we really should halt this for now. Perhaps Hanssen will head down to breakfast early tomorrow, and we can enjoy some breakfast in bed."

"I love the way you think." Serena grinned as she grabbed her shorts and tugged them on as she slipped off the counter. "Come along, Bernie."

"Yes, Fraulein." She clasped Serena's hand and let her lead them into the bedroom. Hanssen was still sleeping, ramrod straight in the bed. If it weren't for the soft snores that came from his mouth, she would have thought he wasn't alive.

They slipped into the bed, and Bernie pulled the covers up to their shoulders. It didn't take long for Serena to wrap her limbs around Bernie's body, and she tried not to groan aloud as she felt the warmth from her partner's body bleed into her skin. "Good night, Berenice. Think of me whilst you dream."

"I will," she replied as she dropped a kiss to Serena's forehead. Though it was hard, she drifted off to sleep quickly, hoping that her dreams were sweet. And then, not too much later, she awoke with a start to the feel of Serena's hands on her bare breasts, those nimble fingers rolling the nipples gently. A moan tumbled from her lips, and she tried to press her lips tightly together so as not to make any more noise. "Ser?"

There wasn't any acknowledgment from her partner, and she furrowed her brow as she tried to think of what to do. She didn't want to startle Serena awake, as she had the tendency to be loud when startled awake. Still, she didn't want things to get too quickly out of hand. And then Serena's lips were pressing against the thin skin of her neck, nipping at it indelicately, which told Bernie all she needed to know. A low whine tumbled from her lips as Serena's mouth moved lower, licking and biting and sucking at her skin before taking a nipple into the hot cavern of her mouth.

Another, louder, sound tumbled out of her lips, and then Serena was slapping her hand over Bernie's mouth in an attempt to keep her quiet. With anxious eyes, she glanced over at Hanssen, finding him still on his back, still asleep, and she bit her lip as Serena continued down her body. It was only as her lover's tongue swirled around her navel that she realized she was completely nude. "Fuck," she whimpered, the word breaking through the barrier of Serena's hand.

"Shh, Bernie. It's oh so quiet in here; you wouldn't want to break that. Would you? Or do you fancy yourself a bit of an exhibitionist? Do you like the idea of him waking up and watching us?" Serena purred lowly as she positioned herself between Bernie's legs, looking up at her under the covers. She shot another desperate look at Serena before shaking her head. "Then either hold a pillow tightly to your face or keep quiet."

She nodded as she focused her gaze on Serena, letting her partner finish what she had started. The feel of that agile tongue on her labia had Bernie seeing stars, and she dug her hands into the fabric of the sheet, trying to keep herself quiet. It was almost impossible, though, as Serena knew exactly how to push her buttons. And then, her lover was slipping two fingers between her labia, gently inserting them inside her as she slithered up her body and claimed her lips in a bruising kiss.

As Serena scissored her fingers inside her, Bernie closed her arms around her lover's waist, holding her tight as she rocked against Serena, trying to find her completion. Bernie swallowed her breath as she rode the waves of her orgasm, and then she was falling back against the mattress, trying to pant quietly as Serena ran her fingers through her sweaty hair. "We're going to have to shower in the morning. And pray that the smell of sex dissipates before Hanssen wakes up."

Serena glanced over at the bed before letting her head thump down on Bernie's chest, her shoulders shaking with suppressed giggles. Bernie's head whipped around to look at the man, and she gasped lightly to see that he had moved at some point, now facing the wall. "Oh, don't worry, he won't say anything, if he saw anything. We'll be fine." She pressed her lips against Bernie's collarbone as she snuggled in closer to her. "And now, maybe I really can sleep. I was just so keyed up from you telling me yes, that I couldn't resist. I'm sorry?"

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Serena." She angled her head down and kissed the crown of Serena's head, running her hands up and down Serena's bare back. "But we need to work on this whole sleep stripping thing, Serena. There is a good chance we could get caught this weekend."

"And miss this delicious sensation, I don't think so." A particularly loud snore came from Hanssen's side of the room, and they both froze a little before bursting into giggles. "That's our cue to fall asleep, isn't it?"

Serena nodded before kissing her once more. "Hush now, Serena." Another soft nod as Serena yawned and nuzzled her face against Bernie's chest. "Maybe we'll wake in time to see the sunrise tomorrow," she whispered as she ran her fingers through Serena's hair, letting the soothing motion lull her back into a quiet, dreamless, sleep.