"2 hours and...34 minutes to go until the end to the last shift before Christmas!" Serena cheered, shutting the door to their shared office, as Bernie smiled to Serena's clear joy at the festivities.
Serena was looking forward to the celebrations at Albie's, and her Christmas would commence soon with a Ms Wolfe by her side. Bernie had made a promise to herself- unbeknown to Serena- that she would be the 'responsible' one tonight- which may or may not have had something to do with the humour of seeing Serena 7 Shirazs down and having a care-free, hilarious time.
"The question is, how many glasses of shiraz will it take for you to start on the karaoke?" Bernie smirked jokingly across the room as Serena plonked down by her desk, sighing.
"Oh, I don't know, two? It is Christmas, after all. Although that seems to have escaped Fletch..."
"Yeah, well it has been a hell of a year, he's probably glad to see the end of 2016! I know I am...kind of." Bernie smiled to her best friend, both reflecting on the roller coaster of a year that they'd had.
Bernie walked over and pulled the spare chair closer to Serena's desk, Serena's smile growing as the pair's eyes locked.
"So what are you going to sing, once slightly intoxicated?" Bernie teased, playing with the elastic band she'd picked up from a growing pile of paperwork balanced on the edge of her partner's desk.
Serena sighed, looking up from the computer, knowing it was hopeless to continue with such a distraction, albeit beautiful, sat in her proximity.
"I kissed a girl?" Bernie giggled, reaching for Serena's hand, placed on the arm of her chair.
"Wasn't expecting that?" Serena laughed, looking back at the year's surprises. She definitely didn't expect to have fallen in love with a certain Major this year, and everything that had entailed along the way.
"Duet. Me and you. Any suggestions?" Bernie was already starting to chuckle, waiting for the response, expecting something cheery, something totally Serena.
"The power of love?" Serena shrugged with shy suggestion. Bernie took a quick intake of breath, surprised at the small gesture that made her heart flip. Their eyes locked for a moment, but Serena's gaze fell, returning to her admin on a defensive.
Realising her reaction had been purely internal and- despite her amazing talents- Ms Campbell was not a psychic, she noticed that her expression had been taken as quite uncomfortable.
Bernie pushed the seat away and stood to lean against the desk, inching closer to the centre, attempting to block the keyboard, and Serena's view to the monitor.
"Serena Campbell," Bernie softly approached, pushing her way between the desk and Serena, who still sat, willing X-ray vision to ignore her army medic's teasing and progress with her work.
This wasn't maintained for long as Bernie placed her hand on top of Serena's that remained on the mouse, and grabbed the other from her lap, holding it on the other side of her, resting on the desk. Serena looked up with a weak smile, trying to conceal any greater grin when she looked at Bernie Bloody Wolfe.
"Sorry," Serena looked up, knowing that her built defenses temporarily crumbled in the presence of her macho army medic. Her Macho army medic.
"For what?!" Bernie seemed surprised, she was still adjusting to Serena's polar opposites. She was 'cut-the-crap Campbell' one minute and so overly sensitive the next, usually when they were alone together, which Bernie liked to think was because she trusted her so much- and the feeling was mutual.
"Being all... saying that..." Serena pulled the chair closer, if that was possible, and leaned in against Bernie, partly to avoid any more eye contact, partly to apologise,
Bernie sighed, wrapping her arms over Serena.
"I'd be up for it." She replied laughing softly, and could sense Serena smile against her at the gesture. "Or...Forever and always? Two in a million? Take me Home Tonight?" There was a brief pause, Bernie recognising the familiar silent,short chuckling of the brunette.
"I love you, Ms Campbell."
Serena pulled away, and stood so she was level with Bernie's glistening eyes, their hands remaining together.
"I love you too, Major Wolfe." Serena smiled back to the smirk Bernie gave, amazed at how happy she could make her.