Bernie had been on the phone to Serena for nearly an hour and it was getting late. Bernie had tried to keep her emotions in check but it all got the better of her. She knew Serena would be upset; after everything that had happened between Serena and Jasmine; Bernie knew that Serena had a little place in her heart for this particular shining star.

Bernie had to admit Serena had been brilliant. She had listened intently and understood and reassured Bernie that she had done everything she could. Bernie had not got an explanation as to what happened yet but Serena, again, understood. All she could say is the word 'accident' was stated by both Jasmine and the new F1, Damon Ford.

Serena had not been expecting a call from Bernie, particularly at that time of night, but she knew it must be urgent. At first she had not known it was Bernie, she instinctively answered it and then checked her phone and saw the display. She had to check because somehow it did not sound like Bernie, but she knew something was wrong.

When Bernie first broke the news she was stunned. Jasmine, so young, so kind; sometimes to a fault; such a waste. Then it hit her, not a few months ago she had wished Jasmine was in the morgue, and now she was. Serena felt hollow. She sat up in bed and woke up a little as she knew Bernie needed this talk. At some points there was not much talk at all, but not uncomfortable silence either. They just needed each other, Bernie needed her. Serena decided to be strong. She would process this later. If needs be she would contact Ric, or even Henrik to find out more, to ask about the funeral.

Serena asked Bernie if she would prefer face time or Skype but Bernie was not up for it. Serena accepted this, the fact Bernie had called so soon after the event and was talking was progress. Her usual coping mechanism, which was understandable, was to bury things deep and carry on.

Bernie had cried too, again this was unusual, but progress. It showed that her British reserve; her walls; were coming down. It was OK to show emotion, so when she did, Serena just let her cry.

What she would give to give her a hug and remind her that she was a brilliant surgeon and Jasmine could not have been in better hands. This thought took her back to the last time she had said this to Bernie; right after operating on Fletch. Look where that lead. She could hardly believe their journey since then. She did not allow her mind to wander further down that path. This is where they were now and they were surviving; however that worked.

Bernie wiped her tears and took a sniff, "Thank you for listening Serena. I needed to just y,know?"

Serena hummed, "Of course my darling."

"I'm going to have to go, apparently the police need to speak to me because of what Jasmine said while we were.." The sentence hung as she cried again, she took a huffed breath. She told herself to pull herself together. "Sorry, sorry; give me a minute."

Serena sat on the line patiently. "I have to go now Serena, police." She coughed, "Paperwork."

"I wish I could help." Serena offered.

"You have. I knew you would want to know, but I just needed to hear your voice." Serena could hear Bernie rubbing her face and huffing in emotion and frustration.

There was a knock at the door and the handle turned. Bernie assumed it was Hanssen returning, as he was well within his rights to enter his own office; it was courteous of him to knock though. She wondered if she had taken a bit of a liberty being in his office so long and she wiped her face and pushed her fringe back.

"I have to go Serena, Hanssen is back. I will speak to you very soon. Please get some sleep."

"As long as you promise to also." Serena said knowing sleep was not a close personal friend of Bernie's at the best of times.

"Mmmmm, gotta go, no longer private conversation." Bernie said quickly as the person in the doorway was not Hanssen, it was Jac Naylor.

Serena gathered by the tone and rush to the end of the call it was not Henrik; although Bernie was not as well acquainted with him as she was, she knew Bernie would have been a little easier. She assumed it may be the police. She decided that she would message Bernie later as sleep would now be a long time coming for her too.

Jac stood there and looked at Bernie sitting on the sofa in Hanssen's office. What the hell was she doing here and who had she been talking too? It did not escape her notice that Bernie had clearly been upset, she had tried her best to hide it, but Jac had seen it once before; when Bernie was a patient on Darwin and she was on the phone to someone having an emotional conversation. She imagined Hanssen had turned his office over to Bernie so she could call Serena and break the news. Not that she thought for one moment Serena deserved the right. She stood with her hands in her pockets. "You needn't have ended you conversation on my account."

Bernie was taking in the woman before her, all ice and cheekbones. If she felt anything about Jasmine's death she was hiding it well; but Bernie knew she was affected, she saw how she fought to keep Jasmine alive.

Bernie gave a cough and waved her phone, "I, um, I was, um done."

Jac shook her head and shrugged, she really was not interested; plus when Bernie was bumbling and stuttering she just did not have the patience to wait for the end of, whatever it was, she was going to say. "Whatever. I was looking for Hanssen." She said matter of factly.

Bernie waved her hand vaguely towards the chaos on the car park and in the entrance to Wyvern Wing. "Um, press, um etcetera. Um Jac, I am sorry."

"What for?" Jac asked harshly. "Are you going to say you did all you could, yada yada yada. Let's just cut the filler and accept that Jasmine has gone, she is not coming back and maybe people could have done more."

Bernie looked stunned, what a cold fucking cow. Yes she was grieving, or was she. She never really showed a liking for Jasmine when she was alive, yes she came to her aid occasionally but it was usually begrudgingly and with little emotion. Bernie was not sure if Jac's last comment was aimed at her specifically or just anyone who entered her path. She decided not to dwell. Jac Naylor could not make her feel worse than she already did.

Bernie stood and threw up her hands, "Fine, suits me; if I see Hanssen I will tell him you are looking for him." She walked past Jac without giving eye contact, a little fearful she may turn to stone if direct eye contact was made.

Bernie entered the lift knowing her night was far from over, not that she was bothered; the alternative was being alone with her thoughts. Was there ever going to be a time in her life when she was not going to be tested?

She let the thought hang as she went to her office to talk to the waiting police officers.