It was Bernie's first day working at Holby City Hospital. She was trying to leave the army life behind and get her work life balance thing right. it was going to be hard as she couldn't stop thinking about her friend, college and secret lover Alex Dawson. Alex was Bernie's best Friend in the Army they always looked out for each other and a bit more besides that. She tried to put Alex out of her mind while starting her new job.
She parked in the staff car park and got out as her phone went off it was her husband Marcus. she answered it and started chatting away. After a few minutes walked across the car park and ended the call. she heard a load of yelling and cursing coming from across the car park she looked up to see a dark short haired woman moaning at her car. Bernie stopped and stared for a moment. she was of slim build and slightly shorter than herself and very attractive she thought. She then looked down at her watch and noticed the time if she didn't hurry, She would be late for her first shift. everything she saw in the car park went out of her mind as she raced up to Darwin for her first shift.
Later on in the day during her break she went outside. She stood by the entrance and looked around she took a single cigarette out the packet, thought for a moment and went to light it, Her phone went off, it was her husband asking her how the day was going she was about to tell him it wasn't going too well, When she heard someone yelling, She looked up to see it was the dark haired girl she saw earlier yelling at someone down the phone about her car. Bernie stood there for a moment and smiled.
She was the most beautiful person she had ever seen Bernie thought. She wondered for a moment whether it was a good idea or not but then decided she would just go over and help her with the car she did know a bit about them. she wondered over and started chatting it turns out the Woman's name was Serena Campbell and she was a surgeon at Holby city. Serena seem to know all about Bernie. Bernie smiled she kind of liked that, being known to people she didn't even know herself. or was that weird? she couldn't tell but loved it all the same. Bernie got talking to her about quiting smoking. Serena smiled back at Bernie, Bernie left Serena to try and fix her car while she finished the text message she had started a few minutes earlier. she was going to tell her husband it wasn't going too great, but this was before she met Serena and her mood had changed. funny how meeting one person can change your whole mood. she simply wrote Shift going well, didn't bother to go into any details.
Even though she had met a beautiful woman, She still couldn't get Alex out of her mind. Wondering what she was up to. It was one of the hardest thing Bernie had ever done telling Alex she wasn't coming back to the Army and that she was going to try and give her marriage another shot. She at least owed that much to Marcus after all those years away on the front line, or was she just kidding herself how could she keep going on when all she could think about was Alex. It was beginning to effect her work and it couldn't go on. but she decided that decision was for another day, see how it goes for now. Maybe Alex might get back in contact with her?. Who was she kidding of cause she wouldn't, But Bernie clung on to the hope that one day she might.
3 weeks later one morning Bernie was popping to Pulses for a coffee she had a perticually late night and needed something to fully wake her up. Bernie stood at the till looking at the menu just as Serena turned up beside her. they started chatting about work and how it was quite on Keller. Bernie said it was great being having less work to do but in reality she didn't much like would have preferred to work on somewhere like AAU with the fast pace and madness. After all she was an army major turmor surgeon and being really busy was 2nd nature to her. They stood in silence for a moment while they wait for their coffee's they had ordered. Bernie stood in a trance just watching Serena as she collected her coffee. For a moment she stared at Serena and her wonderful figure. Something stirred within her, what could it be love, lust, friendship she couldn't be certain. Serena bid farewell as she took the lift to AAU, Bernie stood and watched as she left. She thought for a second. No snap out of it Wolfe, Bernie thought you're married and you've already had an affair with a woman you're not on the look out for another one, you're meant to be giving your marriage another try. Things at home weren't too good at the moment. She wasn't adjusting to survillian life like she thought she would and the fact she was still very much in love with Alex wasn't helping either. To be fair it was making things worse with Marcus, Bernie was snapping at him all the time and could hardly bare to look at him anymore. Things couldn't go on the way they was. but what was she going to do. what was she going to tell Marcus?. Things had become a total mess. She was working late leaving the house early just to try and have as little contact with her husband as possible.
Nearing the end of her shift while on a break she wondered outside to sit on a bench by the entrance. she was sitting there in a trance when Serena came up and sat next to her. Bernie had never sat that close to Serena before for the first time she could properly see how Beautiful she really was with her big bright eyes and wide smile. They got chatting about family, Not that Bernie felt much like a family person at the moment. She tried to do the right thing by everyone but it wasn't working, it was then she realized that she had to make a go of her marriage try and get something out of it. That was easier said then done she thought. Serena told her to call her if she ever wanted a chat this was a tempting offer to Bernie. But was that a good idea? every time she saw Serena her heart was beating a little too fast and her mouth would go dry. This is what it felt like when she first met Alex while in the Army. This really wasn't a good idea, in future she would have to try and avoid Serena, To make sure she didn't end up falling for her. thankfully just then Sasha came running out calling her name, asking for her assistance back on Keller. Bernie gave a sigh of relief and went back inside