Bernie opened the box with a sinking heart. It was meant to be resized but Marcus had just sent it back to her. A heartless ring for a heartless bitch.

'That's beautiful.' Serena admired the diamond and sapphire flower, daintily set in the white gold ring.

'My engagement ring. It was my grandmother's.'

'That's a lovely design. Very sentimental.'

'Not anymore.'

Bernie didn't know where to keep it. She couldn't wear it to work and didn't want to wear it even on her days off. It reminded her too much of what she'd screwed up. She requested that Serena look after it.

'Why me?'

Serena looked at her in concern. It really was a beautiful ring but it wasn't right for her to take it.

'I'd feel better if someone I trusted could keep it for me. I'm too tempted to throw it out the window if I keep looking at it.'

'Well we can't have that. Give it here you cretin.' Bernie handed it over with a whisper of that crooked smile. She loved bossy Serena.

What could she do with it? Serena turned it over, noting the sparkle and delicate design work. A ring like that was designed to be worn, not shut away in a safe. There was risk it would be stolen but then it could happen whenever and wherever so she couldn't concern herself with that.

She wished she had a ring this beautiful. Edward had terrible taste in jewellery and she'd requested no more after the second year of marriage. It gave her great satisfaction in selling everything a few years later.

It wasn't Bernie's style at all but a reflection of what her family had hoped she'd be when she'd grown up. It was a symbol of disappointment. For such a beautiful creation, Serena was sad for it and sad for Bernie. She put it away and didn't look at it again for some time.

Bernie had never thought Serena would forgive her. She felt like an imposter walking into Holby and opening the door to their office but there she was; sitting by the computer, shirt blindingly pink and hair startlingly grey. She looked older but no less sharp than before. When she looked up and noticed her, Bernie felt ashamed of having left her to deal with the fallout.

'Serena, I'm sorry.'

Serena just looked at her with those dark thoughtful eyes. After a long time had passed, Bernie frozen against the door in anguish, she gave her that familiar endearing smile that made Bernie's heart soar.

Not until she came closer did she notice the flash of diamond and sapphire against Serena's throat. Her heart almost stopped. She was wearing the ring.

Ric always wondered about that necklace. It was a beautiful ring hung on a fine chain and it had decorated Serena's throat for a long time. He asked her about it and Serena told him that it was Bernie's grandmother's engagement ring.

'And you are keeping it for her because…?'

'She wanted to throw it out of the window. Criminal to do that to such a beautiful piece of jewellery.'

Ric agreed. He leaned forward, caught hold of it and looked at it for a long while. It was a truly magnificent piece. Not Bernie's style at all. Must be sentimental. He was aware of the rise and fall of Serena's chest and her perfume tickling his nose. He hastily let go before he started entertaining thoughts about his colleague. Her thoughts were with Bernie.

'Is it a significant item for you?'

She fidgeted with it, her usual gesture.

'I don't know. Sometimes I want to throw it out of a window. But as much as it isn't her style, it reminds me of her. I don't know what about it does or what it means but I'd like to keep it close to me.'

She stopped and realised what she'd said. Ric nodded and suggested that maybe it was Bernie's promise to her that she'd come back. Serena surprised them both by telling him 'I hope so. I really hope so.'

Was that a sign she'd forgiven Bernie? She had been wearing the ring since she'd left. Did that mean she'd taken it as a symbol that Bernie was as much of a disappointment to her as she'd been to everyone else? Or was it a sign of hope, that Bernie would come back to her again? She desperately hoped it was the latter.

'Coffee?'

She turned around to see the keeper of the ring hold out a cup. She noticed Bernie staring. Her hand automatically went to the ring.

'You asked me to keep it safe. So I did. I kept it where I could see it.'

So she was on the way to forgiving her. That smile of hers had shot Bernie in the heart. She didn't deserve it but she allowed herself to relax a tiny bit. Coffee forgotten, she leaned forward and captured Serena's waiting lips with her own.