Basically just a mockery of my own writing

"Major" that was the first thing that Alex said to her. It wasn't anything to do with intermittent which made sense because, well, Alex certainly wasn't at all intermittent. She was fast-paced, intense, and all-consuming. Their relationship was a whirlwind. It was somebody to sneak moments of passion with between the operations and battles on the front line. It was stolen touches and passionate kisses after being apart for days or someone to escape with after the loss of a friend. She thought maybe they could be the ones. The ones everyone talked about. Who weren't soul mates but still managed to stay in love.

Then the IED hit and their little bubble was blown apart. Alex was the closest thing to happiness that Bernie had ever known, they had fallen in love simply because the other one was there, and that was enough.

Until it wasn't.

Bernie was taken to hospital and suddenly she had a life outside of the army again, responsibilities to see to. Her fragile relationship with Alex was shattered when she told her that she wasn't coming back to active service. She said she was trying to make a go of it with Marcus but anybody could see that that wasn't going to work out. Bernie now had nothing, not really. A marriage with a man who she hardly knew anymore, and a new job, in the NHS of all places.

She still secretly hoped that one day she would meet this soul mate of hers. Other people scoffed at the idea. They said it was for the weak-hearted. Bernie should be the same. God knows she's not weak but when it comes to this she can't help it. It still gnawed at the back of her mind that she hadn't found her. Yes, her. She was almost certain that it would be a woman. To this day she still slipped "intermittent" into conversation as much as possible, hoping somebody would ask her to define it. She used the word however she could, "weather forecast said sun with intermittent clouds","any intermittent pain?". She was almost ashamed at how obsessed she was with the idea, most people get over it by the age of about 25. It was something both Alex and Marcus had never understood and what had ultimately caused the break up of their relationships but Bernie still clung to the hope of eternal happiness.

Her inevitable suitability to this person, whoever they were, was however not on her mind when she walked out into the car park that day. It was rather her suitability to her new job. It would take time for Bernie to get used to civilian life again she had found out. Sighing and pulling out a cigarette, she noticed a woman standing by what Bernie could only assume was her car, ranting down the phone about needing a replacement A.S.A.P. She caught the woman looking straight at her and found herself looking back. Her hair was similar to Alex's, but seemed to have more life in it. More bounce and joy. And those eyes, so deep brown you could drown in them, it was a cliché thing to think but it was true.

Draped around her slender shoulders was a wrap, made of wool and patch-worked in browns and greys. Bernie was rather jealous of it if she was honest. She giggled to herself and decided that she had better break the staring contest.
"Engine been whining or growling?" She asked, indicating to the car. The woman seemed to freeze, looking at something in the distance. Maybe she had scared her. Bernie moved slightly closer and carried on
"Any intermittent smell of hot or burning rubber?" she asked, hardly realising the word she had used. The woman looked at her then, seeming slightly flustered as she replied.
"Define intermittent"

Bernie stopped dead.

Oh my god. What do I do?

"I-um…" she tried to speak but couldn't get her brain in working order. Before even knowing what she was doing she decided to just show her. To show this woman her tattoo. The line of delicate script just above the waistline of her trousers that read "Define intermittent"

The woman just stood there looking at her in confusion. Bernie bucked her hip higher towards the woman's eyes so she could see. She saw her realise all at once. They stayed there both looking at the tattoo for a while before Bernie had to move from the rather uncomfortable position she was in.

"I still think I win the worst tattoo competition" the woman smiled, pushing her clothes off her shoulder so Bernie could read her own mark. "You couldn't have picked a better way to start the conversation?"

It was her. She had found her, she had just dropped into her life when she needed her the most. Like rain in the Afghan desert. Oh stop being so bloody poetic Berenice.

The realisation that she had met her soulmate after years of searching hit Bernie so hard it made her breathless. She stood laughing and tried to catch her breath, watching the other woman fiddling nervously with a necklace hanging around her neck. The atmosphere was suddenly tense as both women wished the other to speak first.
"I'd better get this blouse done back up in case one of my Keller colleagues comes out and sees me stripping off to a random woman in the car park" she breathed.
"Ah you must be Berenice Wolfe, Serena Campbell, deputy CEO" she was slightly uncertain and she extended a hand toward Bernie. Bernie shook it all the same, finding the woman's nervousness adorable. No, Serena's nervousness. Her name is Serena. Her name is Serena.
"Oh god. You're really her"
"Excuse me? Is my infamy really so much that you've already heard me?" Bernie laughed, "No, no. Her"
"Oh. Well, yes I suppose I am"

Both women were uncertain what to do next. Neither of them were going anywhere fast, as Serena's car was both broken down and blocking Bernie's own exit so Serena suggested that they moved to the "Peace garden".

"So…" Serena began. "I suppose I'd better tell my boyfriend about you" she forced lightness knowing that this would be a problematic topic.
"Your-your what?"
"His name's Robbie, he's a policeman"
"Robbie the bobby, how original"
"Oh please don't"

Bernie watched Serena as she described this Robbie. How he had helped her find her long lost nephew, Jason, and how he had started hinting that he wanted them to move into together.
"Truth is I'm scared. I haven't been in a long-term relationship since Edward, that's my ex-husband, and all this with Jason and work and it's all moving rather too quickly" Serena turned to look at her.
"You see, you really couldn't have come at a worse time" There it was again. That laugh, not deep and throaty like her own but husky and light at the same time, like music. What was it about this woman that made Bernie start waxing lyrical?
"Oh well you couldn't have come at a better time for me"
"I thought you were married?"
"Well… yes"
"And you just recovered from spinal surgery"
"Mhmmm"
"That's your definition of the best time?"Bernie laughed. She knew they were soul mates but she hadn't expected them to get on so well. She laughed again at her own silliness.
"What is it?"
"I was just thinking. We get on really well. But I suppose we are soul mates aren't we?" The words still sounded foreign on her tongue.
"That would generally be what 'soul mates' means Berenice"
"Oh it's Bernie by the way"
"Well I'm glad to have met you Bernie"
"Me too, but about you… obviously" She was a little flustered and tried to hide her blush with her hair.
"Yes, I had gathered that"

Music. Her laugh definitely sounded like a music.

Wow I'm sorry about my tenses flying all over the place here and how dialogue heavy it is in places. Any favourites/ reviews would be appreciated :)