II

As she left the pub and waved goodbye to Tessa, watching her driving off through the rain, Serena knew she wasn't going home. She had to find Bernie. Rather than taking the lift up to AAU she headed for the stairs, climbing slowly while she tried to work out what she was going to do if she wasn't there. One look through the glass-panelled doors was enough to solve that problem at least. Bernie was dressed ready to leave, her coat buttoned and her bag under her arm as she stood and talked to Cameron, now sat by Keeley's bedside.

Relieved, Serena made her way back downstairs towards the Wyvern entrance. It was quiet this far into the evening. She leant on the railing outside the doors and stared out at the darkness, watching the rain, trying to settle herself. Eventually she heard footsteps behind her, then a familiar voice.

"Serena?"

Serena turned. Her smile, at first a little forced and tight around the edges, softened as she looked at Bernie, tall and pale, hair a frazzled mess, looking totally shattered and utterly, impossibly beautiful.

"You waited." Bernie walked up to her and stopped, hands in pockets, unsure.

"How's Cameron?" Serena asked, careful to keep any judgement out of her voice. The events of the evening were still raw, but she had no desire to revisit them now.

Bernie's lips twitched briefly into a self-deprecating smile. "Fine. He's sitting with Keeley. He sent me home."

"Sensible boy." Serena tilted her head questioningly. "You looked like you'd managed to make up."

Bernie smiled more easily this time, her eyes creasing as she thought about her son. "Yes. Turns out his opinion of me isn't irretrievably damaged after all. He didn't hate me for telling the police. I think, in the end, he actually wanted me to." She shook her head, eyes unfocussed. "It's like he's grown up while I wasn't looking. He was talking about the divorce. He'd worked it out, the affair, Alex, everything, but he was so wise about it, so kind. He said…"

Serena shifted, tightening at the subject, still too on edge to have all those bad feelings dredged up as well. "Bernie…"

Bernie stalled, her eyes flicking up at Serena then away again. "Sorry." She shook her head again as if to clear it. "I'm sorry, Serena, I've been…"

Serena held up a hand, stopping her. "Look, I didn't wait here for another apology."

Bernie rocked on her heels, studying Serena. "Why did you wait?"

Serena sighed tiredly, exasperated at herself, at Bernie, and yet unable to not make the admission. "To make sure you were all right I suppose."

"I am." Bernie pushed her hands deeper into her pockets. Serena regarded her critically. "I will be." Bernie corrected, drawing herself up to add conviction to her words.

"Hmm. Well I'm going to drive you home."

Bernie looked up at the rain as if she was noticing it for the first time. "I've got the car."

"Which has minimal ground clearance, barely any tread on the tires and which you drive like a maniac. Even when you haven't just had the shift from hell."

Bernie smiled at that, a glint in her eye now. "It's a sports car Serena. You're not supposed to drive it under thirty miles an hour."

"That is a matter of opinion." Serena pulled her bag more firmly onto her shoulder and unfolded her umbrella. "Are you coming? Or do I have to start listing all the reasons why you should not be arguing with me right now?" She held up the umbrella and extended her elbow in silent invitation.

Bernie regarded her for a second, trying to hide her smile, then stepped up close and slipped her arm through Serena's. "Well then Ms Campbell, lead on."

When they left the shelter of the Wyvern awning Serena angled the umbrella to cover Bernie properly and Bernie pulled instinctively closer, their steps synchronising easily. A gust of wind buffeted them suddenly, making Serena tense with the effort of keeping the umbrella upright and in position, and a moment later her hand was covered by Bernie's, her strong grip easily holding it in place above them.

"Easy." Bernie muttered, voice low with amusement. "Don't you go all Mary Poppins on me."

It was the closest they had ever been, and Serena felt the rightness of it warm her to her toes. However angry she still was, however much Bernie's deception had hurt and however inevitable the next disaster might be, she knew with absolute certainty that none of that mattered more than keeping Bernie close.

Once they reached the car Bernie held the umbrella over Serena as she fished for her keys and unlocked the car, slipping into the driver's seat while Bernie shook the rain off the umbrella, getting wet as she shoved it into the foot well in the back and hurried round to the passenger's side. Serena put the key in the ignition and switched on the windscreen wipers as Bernie slid into the seat beside her and leant back, her eyes closing with a quiet sigh. She looked totally drained. Serena reached over to take her hand, glad when Bernie's fingers closed around hers, squeezing quickly.

"Thank you."

Serena hummed sceptically. "Thank me when we get there. My car may be safer that yours but this is still quite the storm."

"I have every confidence in your driving." Bernie said quietly as she fastened her seatbelt.

"Hmm." Serena put the car in gear and turned it towards the exit. "Which way Ms Wolfe?"

"Flyover's probably quickest, then the A432."

"You'd better not fall asleep on me." Serena warned, glancing at Bernie as she tipped her head back and closed her eyes again. "I don't know my way around St. Jude's."

Bernie huffed out a laugh, eyes still closed. "No chance. I've had first-hand experience of your navigational skills don't forget. I'd like to get home before midnight."

Serena swiped at her with the back of her hand and watched Bernie smile out of the corner of her eye. "Less of that, thank you."

They drove in silence save for Bernie's occasional quiet direction. Serena focussed on the road and the weather, comfortably aware of Bernie beside her, quiet and still, her mind clearly elsewhere.

As they neared their destination Bernie sat up a little straighter. "Left here, then second right. It's number 38."

Serena pulled up into the gravelled drive of a small, neat, impersonal terrace. "Home in one piece. Now you're allowed to thank me."

"Thank you. For all of it." Serena watched Bernie undo her seatbelt slowly then pull her keys out of her bag and hesitate, eyes down. "I realise I've been…" She sighed, searching for the words, finally looking up at Serena, her face tired and open. "These past few months, you're the only thing that's kept me going. I'm so sorry that I haven't… that you'd feel it's not appreciated."

Serena reached out and put a hand on Bernie's arm. "That's not… I said that because I was angry." She said quietly.

"Yes." Bernie took Serena's hand, exploring it with her fingers, letting her thumb drift across the inside of Serena's wrist, watching her intently. "And you have every right to be. But you are appreciated. You mustn't doubt that."

Serena smiled. "Thank you." She watched Bernie watching her, small lines crinkling the corners of her eyes and nearly hiding the dark smudges underneath, and let the moment stretch until, keeping hold of Serena's hand, Bernie leant in and kissed her cheek.

"Good night Serena."

Serena waited while Bernie got out of the car, hugging her bag to her chest and dipping her head against the rain, then leant across before she could close the door. "Oh, and you're buying lunch tomorrow, by way of a proper apology."

Bernie grinned. "Yes ma'am."

Serena watched her run to the house, sparkling in the headlights, and waited until the door had closed behind her before she pulled away.