This is just a little something based on a message I sent to the gc. And I would like to dedicate this to Nat and Stevie who I know have so much love for Berena x

The red light had scattered across the horizon, beams of it seeping into the front window. On the floor rested two women who lay across on another, a drink in one hand and the other muffling the giggles of the other. Outside the world lay quiet and still, the birds had taken perch on the tree tops and along the electricity cables. The moon sat high in the sky, resting on its blanket of clouds. A few stars that had long ago died and now ceased to exist had the remainder of their light filling the gaps in the darkness,

Back inside the house a blanket had been removed from the settee and was now rested across the legs of those beneath it. The TV had been silenced and the bottle of wine lay empty and stranded on the other side of the room where it had rolled to and then had hit the cushion before coming to a stop. The sound of laughter rose from the floor as one of their heads hit the other woman's shoulder in an attempt to control their giggles before they became unstoppable.

The hospital doors opened and Serena stepped in, another day and another challenge. But today she could felt was going to be a long one. The piles of paperwork that would be surely waiting on her desk for her return were oh so inviting. The paperwork she could deal with, it was the people she wasn't so keen on. The time she'd had off, forced as it was, was also a welcomed break from the hustle of the hospital life. All the double shifts, the never actually getting home before dark and then having to leave before sunrise the following morning so the only daylight you'd end up seeing was from a window or if you had to go chasing after an escaped patient. All perks of the job they tell you, but it's all lies.

She made it up to AAU and walked around the corner. She opened the office door, she looked in and saw Bernie sat at a desk she could have sworn wasn't there last week. She stood still as she took in all the empty packets and cups that had just been stranded everywhere. Bernie looked up smiled and made her exit. Serena placed her belongings down on the chair before pulling a bin bag from her desk draw and adding to it all the rubbish she found to be around her. She worked with animals, actual animals. Anyone would think it was a zoo not a damn hospital.

Serena poked over at the pile of paperwork that sat on Bernie's desk, before standing up and walking over to grab it. A day in the office was all she really wanted or had the energy for. Spending time with Jason had been wonderful, and truly beneficial in their relationship but she did enjoy her time away from home when she had other things to concentrate on. Being independent of each other was just as important as spending time together. The paperwork had all been filled in and the patient notes all completed and signed off to Serena's disbelief.

Outside on the ward Bernie was always looking behind her, she wasn't sure how Serena would react to her presence on the ward. So she stayed out of the office from majority of the morning before returning for lunch. By the time Serena had been called to Hansen's office and was probably discussing important executive stuff that Bernie had little interest. What the point of playing politics when we have live's to save. That's the whole purpose of medicine right?

Serena walked back to her office, the internal enquiries were still going on, she could deal with that and they wouldn't have allowed her back if things weren't going to be okay on her part. She had a new found confidence about the whole situation. She got back to office, typed in the door code and twisted the handle. Bernie was sat at her computer eating a sandwich, she didn't remove her eyes fro the computer screen at all as Serena entered the room and sat down at her desk and began trawling through the thousands of unread and missed emails fro the past week, she has never realised she was so popular amount the staff. Budget meetings, cost cutting courses, ward improvement targets, all the boring details that came with being Hansen's little minion. One email inarticulate caught her eye, it was from the boss man himself.

'Serena, welcome back.

I hope I'm right in. Assuming your short break has been beneficial and that you are back with a clear head and your proprieties are well established. Im sure by now you've noticed the extra pre cease on the ward. I hope Bernie will be of use to you and will be able to take some of the pressure off of your back.

Regards MR. Hansen.'

"Pressure off my back" Serena muttered to herself. "Where have I heard that before." She didn't believe it for a moment, no one in a place like holby can ever be innocent. On this occasion Bernie was far from it. Serena looked further down her emails that she failed to even notice before and one caught her attention. it too was from Hansen. she opened it and began to read. The first few paragraphs were very uninteresting but a small section tucked away in the middle of something she had no clue about was a few brief phrases regarding Bernie's posting to AAU. 'To inform you of all the recent changes Bernie will be over looking the running of AAU until the investigations have been dealt with an then after there will be a staffing review but it may become apparent that she will remain on AAU for the foreseeable future.' Serena couldn't believe it. That woman was so infuriating. How dare she just walks in and take over her and like it was nothing. So much for the martyr act, the good deeds all bollocks.

She stood up and walked over to the desk Berenice was sat at. The woman looked up from her computer. Serena stared down at her their eyes met.

"So thought you could take over and become the big boss did we? This is not the army now you can't just have who or whatever takes your fancy."

"Serena let me explain its not what it seems."

"I don't care watch at it seems I just want you out of my office and off my ward."

"That's a bit rash, please sit down relax I'll explain."

Serena sighed, "fine."

"Hansen asked me to look after things while you were away so is paid okay fine anything for a friend. He never mentioned anything about me taking over or being his spy. It wasn't trike that I thought I'd just be helping you out. Please forgive me, you are the only real friend I have in this place."

"Oh.. Umm well yeah I suppose we could try and work this out and see where we both stand."

"Good. I mean thanks."

Bernie got up and left the office that's was one strange conversation. She couldn't her but feel a little attracted to that woman; it was something about her that got her heart racing. She needed to kill a little time before returning to the office she didn't want to seem desperate, or anything. She headed onto the ward and scanned the beds. Some woman was shutting at Fetch in the far corner, she would have stepped n but she was sure he'd be fine. She heard the office for click behind her, Serena must have vacated it. Bernie turn on her heals and headed back in side. She sat down at her desk and breathed a sigh of relief. She opened her desk draw and picked out a half eaten packet of biscuits. She took one out and bit into it just as the door opened and Serena almost fell into the office. Bernie chocked a little as she tried so hard not to laugh and to keep all the biscuit in her mouth. Serena stared at her as if to say yes that's right you pretend you saw absolutely nothing. Bernie swallowed, before bursting into laughter she just couldn't control it

"How was the trip?"

"Quit while your ahead my friend."

"Sorry I couldn't help myself. Would you like a biscuit?"

"Yeah okay go on then." Serena took a bus out and perched herself on the edge of Bernie's desk. They sat in silence for a little while neither really sure what to say.

After a few minutes Serena spoke. "Actually it was quite funny."

"What was?"

"Me fighting with the door."

"Oh so that's what we are calling it now. I though it was more of the fact you couldn't actually open it."

"No,no definitely not."

"Of course." Bernie laughed.

"would you like to accompany me out for a drink this evening?"

"Umm yes okay. About that I'm not really in a pub kind of mood, it's been a messy day."Bernie said.

"Very true. Come back to mine then I've got plenty of wine and should even have a cheeky bottle of Shiraz somewhere."

"You're on."

The sky outside the window lay dark and dull now. The moon was almost alone as it reflected the sun's light from afar. Inside the house the floor walls were casting shadows down onto the those they sheltered. Serena and Bernie sat cured up on the floor, their backs leaning against the settee. The blanket lulled high upon to the chests, Bernie's head lay resting on Serena's shoulder as the music in the background made for perfect company. Serena swayed a little to the melody and every now and then glanced down to see is the woman was still awake.

It was getting later as the clock hands ticked by. The hours had past so quickly upon till now. Now time was also tat a stand still. The moment thy were living was one of reflection. It was the kind of memory you wished to bottle to save forever. The kind you just want to dip back into in a moment of madness, anguish or despair.

Bernie shifted her body slightly, her head slipped door so it rested across Serena's lap. The music was paused and the room silent. Serena felt her eyes dropping as she slid down a bit so she could rest her head comfortably on the settee cushion.

There they slept peaceful and contented. Both of them hoping it would become a more permanent fixture.

A/N- thank you for reading, reviews are always welcome x