I've never published any Berena writing before. But after the little exchange between Serena and Fletch in Albie's this happened so thought I would post it. I'm very much looking forward to Berena being reunited on screen. But until then...
"Oh, I wish she was here." Serena sighed into her glass of Shiraz.
"I know you do." Fletch has responded with a sympathetic smile.
In that short exchange Serena Campbell had verbalised what had been consuming her for days. Her whole body ached to be held in the arms of the woman she loved once more. To hear her voice. To feel her sweet breath on her neck. If it weren't for her responsibilities at Holby City Hospital she would have been on a plane to Nairobi in the blink of an eye. She would be running as fast as she could into the safe arms of Berenice Wolfe.
Yet that night she found herself lying alone, feeling like she was being swallowed up by the enormity of her bed. Before Bernie she hadn't ever thought her bed to be too big for one, she had enjoyed its size and her ability to be able to stretch out within it to ease her aching muscles. She'd even found those first few weeks of sharing her bed particularly difficult for every time she moved her limbs would encounter those of her blonde companion. That had soon passed though, and she then revelled in the feeling, the pair quickly settling into a routine of sleeping entwined together.
Lifting her phone once again from the bedside table her eyes focused on the image of her beautiful Bernie staring back at her. She'd taken this photo when the pair had been together at Christmas. A candid shot of Bernie stood staring out into the night, a cup of coffee cradled in her hands. Serena remembered the evening so well. They'd been out for a walk together at sunset, only to get caught in a torrential downpour. On returning to the cottage Bernie had insisted on Serena showering to warm up whilst she made them coffee. When she'd emerged from the shower this was the sight that had greeted her. Her macho army medic. She was stood in only a crisp white shirt, giving Serena a perfect view of her long, toned legs. Serena lost herself in a day dream as she relieved that night.
Snapping back to the present the ever so familiar feelings of emptiness and loneliness crept back in. Dialling Bernie's number Serena felt tears prick in her eyes as the phone went once again to voicemail. It was the sixth time that evening she'd called to be met with no answer. Before she could stop it, she felt tears take over her body. Dropping her phone to her side she curled into herself, her arms wrapping around stomach as the sobs took over.
-x-
The incessant ringing of the telephone finally roused Serena from her restless slumber, patting around on the bed beside her she found the offending article and answered it. Her eyes yet to focus enough to know who was going to be on the other end of the line.
"Hello." She said, her voice laced with sleep.
"Serena?" a familiar voice questioned.
"Bernie…" she breathed out. Her free hand clasping to her chest as the sound of her partners voice filled her with love.
"Thank goodness. Are you okay? What's happened?" A panicked tone was evident in her voice as she spoke.
"Yes, yes I'm fine. Darling, are you okay?" Serena had picked up the panic on Bernie's voice. She moved herself, so she was in a sitting position, stopping her from being consumed by sleep once more.
"You're fine…" She released a breath she didn't even realise she'd been holding. "I've been so worried. Several missed calls and 10-minute voicemail of you sobbing… oh Serena I was so worried."
"I didn't leave you a…" she trailed off as she remembered being overcome with tears the night before. "I'm sorry. I'm just missing you terribly. I needed to hear your voice." Tears pricked the corners of Serena's eyes once more, her heart hurting that she couldn't wrap her arms around Bernie and hold her close.
"I'm missing you terribly too."
"Last night, it hit me just how empty I feel without you here. I was ready to chuck it all in and run." She heard Bernie laugh at the other end of the line.
"I'm the one who does the running in this relationship fraulein." Bernie's lips curled into a smile as she heard the laughter from Serena at the other end of the line.
"I was going to run in your direction Ms Wolfe." Bernie sighed.
"And as lovely as that would be, both you and I know that right now Holby City Hospital needs you more than I do."
"I wish that it didn't." Serena felt her shoulders sink. She had come to the same conclusion herself last night, but some how if Bernie had said come she would have done without a second thought for anything else.
"So do I… so do I." Looking around herself Bernie sighed sadly. "I've got to go darling."
"Do you have to?" Serena said, trying not to sound like a petulant child, but at the same time not wanting the conversation to ever end.
"I promise to ring you again in a few hours."
"Hmmm… please do… I love you Berenice Wolfe."
"I love you too Serena Campbell. Speak later darling." With that the call was ended, both women smiling from ear to ear. Bernie looked down at the passport and boarding pass she held in her hand, before her eyes went back up to the screens, reading the information that her flight back to Heathrow had just started to board.