It had been a tough day on AAU but an even tougher day for Holby City Hospital. It had lost some of its most prized members of its ED. Charlie's 30th anniversary bash didn't go as everyone thought it would. For Bernie it had been a horrible day. One of her former army pals and former patient had lost it and attacked Fletch leaving the nurse manager in a critical condition so as a way to burn off the anger she felt at herself for putting Fletch in that position she went to the gym just opposite the hospital and put in several rounds on the punch bag and weights before returning to the hospital to see Fletch. She wasn't surprised to see Serena by his bed side
"Serena? How's he doing?" the brunette consultant turns to look at Bernie and smiles re-assuredly. Serena knew Bernie blamed herself for what happened to Fletch but it wasn't the blonde's fault. She knew Bernie felt responsibility for James because he was ex army but the welfare of what happened to ex service personnel was now out of Bernie's control
"He's stable. You did a good job today" Bernie's tanktop was clinging to her in all the right places and the attraction Serena feels towards the blonde was growing stronger.
"It's my fault. It is." Bernie says quietly smiling sadly. The guilt was eating away at the ex army medic and it was suffocating all the hard work Bernie had done to lock away her own PTSD. "No one ever truly leaves the army unscathed whether it be physically, mentally or both. And for James the dissolution of his world, him having to leave the army tipped him over the edge" Bernie looks at Fletch and swallows the lump in her throat. She could hardly breathe. "If I hadn't had Hannsen offer me a job here I could have ended up like James. I may have healed physically but I'll always carry the mental scars and it scares me to think of a life without Holby. Without the trauma unit. Without you. This place saved me. You saved me and I have betrayed this place by letting Fletch get hurt. I'll never forgive myself" Bernie rushes to the office to try and gather herself. She lets the tears that had been holding back fall from her eyes. Being co-lead of AAU had saved her and given her a new life outside the army and now that relationship felt as if it was in ruins
"None of what happened today was your fault. None of it Bernie." Bernie can feel Serena behind her, giving her the space the brunette thought she needed "What I know of life after the army is what I see in you. And I see someone who I have to come to call a valuable colleague and an even more valuable friend. I have your back soldier and why wouldn't I? You're brilliant" Bernie turns to face Serena and smiles at the brunette. She takes Serena's hand and moves closer.
"Brilliant am I? I'll hold you to that" Bernie takes a chance and presses her lips against Serena's. It was their first kiss and it wasn't one to disappoint. Bernie had never felt this way about anyone even Alex. Serena was different, vastly different. Serena was the love of Bernie's life and their kiss proved it.