Light began to creep through the slight gap in the curtains as Bernie started to rouse from her peaceful slumber. Rolling her head back into the softness of the pillows she sighed happily as an oh so familiar weight lay across her body. Slowly she began to blink her eyes open, taking in the sleeping form of Serena once more, her fingers lazily beginning to draw patterns on the shallow of her back as she slept.

Serena curled further into Bernie's side, nuzzling her face against her chest as she started to wake. Suddenly startled by the unfamiliar presence in her bed Serena sat up with a start, her eyes pinging open. "What?" she almost shouted before flushing red as she remembered it was Bernie beside her.

"Hey… are you okay?" came a voice laced with concern, as fingers started to stroke her hair soothingly.

"Mmm…" she settled back down, snuggling tighter into her lover's side. "For a moment I forgot you were back." Bernie was unable to remove the smile from her lips as she made circular motions on her back, eliciting mumbles of pleasure from Serena.

"You silly thing. Although it was late when I got here… and you were very sleepy." Leaning forward she placed a tender kiss on the end of Serena's nose, hovering her lips millimetres from hers before crushing them in a bruising kiss.

"I love you." Serena mumbled as Bernie finally pulled away. Tightening her grip of Serena Bernie returned the sentiments before sleep overcame them once more. Peacefully they laid in one another's arms until the shrill ring of an alarm clock informed them it was time to face reality.

Hand in hand they descended the stairs heading for the kitchen. Neither one of them wishing to break body contact with the other after months apart. The three months they had been apart having felt like an eternity to them both. The soft padding of their feet gave away their presence to Serena's nephew. "Good morning Auntie Serena." he said as Serena loomed in the doorway of the kitchen. He was sat in his usual position at the breakfast table, an empty cereal bowl sat before him. A quizzically expression crossed his face as he caught sight of Bernie. "Bernie, what are you doing here? Auntie Serena said you were in Nairobi. Did they not need you anymore? Were you fired? Are you coming back to work at the hospital?" Serena found herself rolling her eyes internally at her nephew's abruptness, she knew it was part of him, and although she wouldn't change him, he didn't always make people feel welcome.

"Jason, it would have been polite to say good morning to Bernie before you jumped into a game of 20 questions."

"I'm not playing 20 questions." He stated matter-of-factly.

"Serena, don't fret. It's fine. You know I appreciate Jason's straightforward approach to communication." Bernie said towards Serena before turning her attention to Jason. "I'll start with your first question and work through." She was pleased to see him nod. "I came to see Auntie Serena. I was in Nairobi, and they did… do still need me, but Auntie Serena needed me more. I wasn't fired…" Jason was satisfied with her answers and nodded happily before realising she had not answered all his questions.

"I also asked if you would be returning to work at the hospital."

"Honestly, I don't know Jason, that will be a conversation I will have with Mr Han… no I suppose it will be a conversation I will have with Ms Campbell about whether I have a job at the hospital now." She smiled nervously towards Serena, unsure of how it would all work now that she was the boss. She reasoned internally that the thought of getting a job at St James' wouldn't be so bad, especially now her ex husband had relocated. Her train of thought was cut off by Jason speaking once more.

"Ms Campbell is Auntie Serena. You could ask her now." He paused for a beat before shrugging. "But she might not need you now, Bernie. She has a new partner…"

"I do?" Serena interrupted, shooting Bernie a look as if to say she hadn't a clue where this was coming from. Bernie looked from Serena to Jason, compelling him to continue.

"Yes. Fred was telling me yesterday, he said that you and Mr Gaskell were partners now. He'd heard it from Mr Fletcher. I did think it was odd because you and Bernie were partners and I thought you kissed girls now." Jason looked towards his aunt then back to Bernie. Bernie pursed her lips to form a tight line, trying her best to suppress the laugh that wanted to escape. Biting hard on her tongue she got herself in check before nodding to Jason.

"Thank you for telling me about that Jason… Auntie Serena and I will have to talk about this." Jason nodded, quite satisfied with himself and stood from his seat. Placing his dirty crockery in the dishwasher he hastily made his exit, stating that he would be leaving for work in 23 minutes.

Serena had meanwhile stood flabbergasted for a moment before going to fill the kettle, deciding her nephew had been too much to deal with without coffee flowing through her veins. As Jason left the room Bernie crept up behind Serena, sweeping her arms around her middle and peppering her exposed neck with little kisses. "So, you have a new partner, do you…" swiping her tongue over the sensitive spot behind Serena's ear she grinned as she felt her melt into her arms. "Do I need to fight him for you?"

"Berenice Wolfe, you know as well as I that John Gaskell is not my partner in the same way you are my partner." Feeling her knees go weak at Bernie's continued assault of her pulse point, Serena found herself needing to brace against the work surface.

"He better keep his hands to himself…"

"Or what?" Serena asked in a daring tone, before seductively asking. "What will my big, macho, army medic do?"

"Wouldn't you like to know!" Bernie then spun Serena around at such speed that she was certain she would lose her balance, thankful for Bernie's firm grasp of her hips as their lips met once more in a passionate embrace. Breaking apart eventually the pair gazed longingly into each other's eyes, before Bernie broke the comfortable silence that had fallen between the pair. "So, what does one have to do to get the CEO to take the day off?"

"Perform a miracle that keeps all of the departments of the hospital running to budget and meeting their targets. I should get off by 5 today… and you can meet me for lunch... Sorry I can't spend the day with you."

Pondering for a moment Bernie eventually nodded. "I'll come by for lunch… I should let Cam and Charlotte know I'm back in the country too." She smiled softly down at Serena, sweeping her hair back gently from her face, knowing how her mentioning her children always brings into the fore Elinor's death for Serena, although during a frank conversation they'd had no France Serena had insisted that Bernie should not forgo mentioning her children, it would simply be something she would have to come to terms with as she moved on with her life.

"I'm sure they will both want to see you."

"And you… every time I speak to them both they always ask how you are." Nodding a little in acknowledgement Serena turned to continue to make them both coffee.

"You can get that bag unpacked too… I don't want it cluttering my hall for the next week." Serena said as she handed Bernie her coffee, using her spare hand to gesture to the hallway.

"Thanks… oh yes sorry. I'll erm, take it back to my flat… when you go to work." Bernie said a little flustered, tripping over her words.

"Or," Serena chorused, "You can take it upstairs and unpack it." Bernie let a little smile play on her lips, before the accident with Elinor they had talked of moving in together, but those plans had been pushed aside when Serena's grief took hold. Deciding to play innocent she furrowed her brow.

"But then my things would be here…"

"That would be the point."

"That wouldn't make much sense though… because when I needed to get dressed in the morning I would have to come here… and…" gesticulating manically with her hands Serena hushed her, her eyes twinkling when she caught the mirth in Bernie's.

"You're going to make me ask, aren't you?" Bernie drew her lips together and nodded with a smirk. "Berenice Wolfe, will you move in with me?" Suddenly she found herself swept into the arms of her lover, a kiss being placed on her lips. Once the lips had withdrawn she smiled, gazing into her eyes. "Can I take that as a yes?"

"You can." Bernie replied with a nod.