"Are you coming to Albie's or not, Jas?"

Jasmine looked up at Morven and shook her head slowly. She knew that Serena was expecting her to do just that, to go out with her friends, get drunk, end up with a hangover, and disappoint her right out of the gate. She had used her one shortcut, Jasmine knew, and there would be no second chances again. "I would love to, but I think that I should turn in early. It was a rough day."

Morven gave her a sympathetic look as she wrapped her scarf around her neck, patting Jasmine's shoulder lightly as she left the room. She waited a few moments, wanting to make certain that Morven had left before she finished changing and then slipping into her coat.

As Jasmine went out to the hall, she decided to pass the consultant's office, wanting to see if Serena was still there, for some reason, not wanting to think about that more in depth at that moment. Still, despite the hurt she had faced that day, despite being yelled at by the one person she respected so greatly, she wanted to make certain that everything was okay with her. Maybe she had a masochistic streak a mile wide, but still, she knew the effect that grief could have upon a person.

Bernie was there, bent over a stack of paperwork, and she sighed a little as she knocked softly on the door. The woman looked up, and Jasmine drew in a short breath to see the slightly haunted look in her eyes. "Are you still here?"

"Yeah. I, I wanted to thank you for trying to help me today. Of course I made a muddled mess of everything, which is par for the course." Bernie shook her head a little, patting the clear spot on her desk. Jasmine hesitantly walked over, glancing around to look for any sign of Serena still there.

"She left for home hours ago."

Jasmine nodded slowly as she sank down, wrapping her arms around her waist. "I didn't mean to make things worse, but I think I did. She told me to go get drunk tonight, to have fun, implying that it would be the last bit of fun I would have for a while."

"She's trying to test you, to see your mettle."

"Well, I failed. I peeked at the scans, because Jac said that she had done the same thing when she was Harveyed. I was stupid, listening to my sister. She's never wanted anything good for me since I got here. I let her wind me up, when I should have just trusted Ms Campbell."

"Serena gave you no cause to trust her."

Jasmine blinked rapidly as she shook her head. "She has given me cause to trust her." Bernie's brow furrowed, and she knew that she had misspoken. "Please, don't ask me to say why. Just, trust me?"

"I will, so long as you come to me if you have any trouble with Serena. I won't let her bully you."

"I can handle myself, Ms Wolfe, don't you worry. I was raised to be tough." They shared a look, and she gave her a quick smile. "I was actually hoping to catch Ms Campbell before I left, but it seems I was too late for that."

"Jason needed her at home."

She nodded, somehow knowing that home for Serena and Bernie were not the same place at the moment, and she felt her heart sink at that thought. "Well, I should probably head home myself and prepare for tomorrow. I know that I'm going to be working my arse off, so might as well sleep while I can."

She gave Bernie a warm smile as she slipped off the desk and made her way back into the hall. As she walked to the car park, Jasmine found herself wondering what she would face in the morning instead of paying attention to where she was going, and managed to run into a solid, warm, body. Looking up, she gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from shrieking aloud.

Bleary eyes turned to look at her, the tiny frown on her lips deepening as Serena realized just who had nearly knocked her over. "I thought I told you to have a good time with your friends," the woman slurred, and Jasmine cocked her head to one side as she regarded Serena. It was clear that she was more than tipsy, and that unsettled Jasmine more than anything.

"I thought that it would be more prudent to spend the night contemplating what you'll put me through tomorrow, and then getting a good night's sleep," she said truthfully. Serena's eyes narrowed even more, and Jasmine took a deep breath as she threw caution to the wind and carefully threaded her arm in the crook of Serena's, guiding her over to her car and opening the passenger door. Jasmine had never even been a passenger in a vehicle this nice, and she only hoped that her driving skills were up to par. "Where are your keys?"

Serena glared at her, but she shook her head, holding out her hand expectantly. The woman rummaged around in her purse, spilling out pieces of crumpled paper onto the floor, and Jasmine fought to keep from crying at the sight. "Here," she spat out, thrusting the ring at her.

Jasmine nodded as she took the keys, letting her fingers linger on Serena's hand for a beat longer than completely necessary. Once more, their eyes met, and beneath the anger, beneath the haze of alcohol, Jasmine could see the deep well of pain that the woman had been trying to cover up. "How close are you to that ledge now?" she whispered, the words slipping out unbidden.

"I've started the long climb down." Serena looked away from Jasmine and pulled the door closed, effectively shutting off that line of communication. She took the hint and quietly went around to the driver's side, climbing in and starting the car without another word. "And how do you plan on getting home?"

The acerbic question stung, but it was something she expected from Serena at this point. "Either I'll call a cab, or I'll walk back. After all, it's not that far."

"It's farther than you think. But you're young, and it won't ache as much when you arrive." She didn't think that the quiet words were meant for her, so she just nodded a little as she pulled out of the parking lot. Surprisingly, Serena offered up directions to her home, and Jasmine didn't speak, not wanting to interrupt the helpfulness.

There was a light on in the house when she pulled into the drive, and she watched Serena's shoulders slump at the sight. "Ms Campbell?"

"Jason's still up. He can't see me like this. Please?"

Jasmine nodded hurriedly as she parked the car in the garage and turned it off. "He'll wonder why I'm here. Do you have a study or a home office? We need to have a cover story to explain my presence. Or, you have a migraine! Do you get headaches frequently? Would he believe that?"

She knew that she sounded desperate, but as Serena continued to gaze at her, a veritable ocean of grief swimming beneath the stupor of booze, she knew that she would do anything to protect this woman who held the fate of her future on AAU in her hands. Slowly, Serena shrugged, and Jasmine knew that it was up to her to make it work.

Letting out a deep sigh, she pocketed the keyring and got out of the vehicle, coming around to Serena's side and opening the door, holding out her hand expectantly. There was a mulish look on Serena's face before she slipped her hand into Jasmine's, letting her tug her to her feet. There was nothing to be done about the mess of papers on the floor at that time, but Jasmine did grab the woman's purse before guiding her into the house.

"Auntie Serena?"

Jasmine felt Serena stiffen a little as they both turned to look at Jason. He cocked his head to one side as he looked them up and down, and Jasmine fought to keep from fidgeting under his scrutiny. "Hi, Jason. Um, your auntie has a bit of a migraine, so I offered to drive her home. My mum used to get bad headaches all the time, and she always had someone else drive. I guess it's just sort of stuck with me. Which room is hers?"

There was a long pause before Jason drew in a deep breath, his look now entirely focused on Serena. "Auntie's room is at the top of the stairs, first door on the left. Are you staying?"

"It all depends."

"Well, it's supposed to be fish and chips night, but it looks like someone's forgotten that, what with her headache and all. And I'm not well enough to nip down to the shop, and it's too late now for them to deliver."

"Let me get Serena sorted out, and then we'll see about getting you supper, all right? I'll take care of it, don't worry." She gave him a wide smile as she reached out and patted his arm lightly. His eyes darted back to her face, and then he gave her an all too knowing look before he nodded. "Good. Now, give me about ten minutes."

"Okay."

They nodded in tandem, and then Jasmine was guiding Serena over to the elegant staircase, helping her upwards as an oppressive silence fell over them. It didn't take long to get Serena into her room, and Jasmine tried her hardest not to act like a voyeur, knowing that this was the last thing Serena would have ever wanted. The woman valued her privacy, and here she was, in her bedroom of all places. "Here, let me take your coat, I'll bring it back downstairs with me, along with your purse." Carefully, she unbuttoned the wool jacket and slipped it from Serena's slim shoulders, draping it over her arm as she plucked the purse from suddenly unresisting fingers.

"He likes the pickles with his fish and chips. Get him an extra one tonight, to make up for this. Please?"

Again, that heartbreakingly jagged voice spilled from Serena's lips, and Jasmine could only nod slightly, wanting to hug the woman, but knowing that was probably the last thing she wanted. "And can I get you anything?" she finally asked, never taking her eyes off her.

"No. No one can get me what I want. Not even Bernie." Large, silent, tears began to roll down Serena's cheeks, and Jasmine felt her heart crack. Taking a step forward, she reached out and rested her hand on Serena's arm, waiting to see what she would do. There was a brief pause before Serena moved into her personal space, her eyes never leaving Jasmine's. "Go, please. Before Jason really gets in a snit."

"Yes, ma'am," she whispered as she squeezed her bicep gently. Turning on her heel, she hurried from the room and practically flew downstairs, needing to be away from the overwhelming grief present in the bedroom. She followed the sound of the television into a cozy living room, and smiled sadly when she saw Jason watching an episode of Mastermind. "So, where is this shop?" she murmured as came into his line of sight, not wanting to disrupt him too much.

"About a mile down the road, to the east. All you need to do is tell them my name, they'll know my order." She nodded solemnly as she felt about her pockets. "Oh, and Auntie Serena keeps the money for it on top the refrigerator. I'm certain she wouldn't mind if you ordered something for yourself."

Jasmine let out a soft sigh as she shrugged. "I'd feel bad if I took more than my right." Jason just shook his head a little as he turned his attention back to the television, and she went to the kitchen, hanging up Serena's coat and purse before feeling around for the money Jason had mentioned. There was much too much there, so she took twenty quid and made her way outside.

The air was cold, and she wished she had thought to grab a scarf on her way out, but there was no changing that now, and she hurriedly walked to the shop, trying not to focus on how cold she was. "I'm here to place Jason's usual order," she said when she reached the clerk, and the young man gave her a small nod as he punched in the order. "And I'm supposed to order an extra pickle?"

"Can I get you anything else this evening?" he asked, and Jasmine glanced at the menu before shrugging a little.

"Maybe a small order of chips?"

The clerk gave her another nod and then gave her the total. Thankfully, it was below the amount she had brought with her, and she pocketed the change before moving down the counter to wait. It didn't take too long, and then she hurried home, trying to keep from shivering violently as the wind picked up. Jason met her at the door, and she handed over the bag, following him into the kitchen.

"Do you want anything to drink? Auntie Serena usually has wine with supper now, but she's probably asleep, since I haven't heard a sound come from upstairs after you left."

"Water would be fine, Jason, I don't want to take more than I already have," she said lowly as she put the change on top of the refrigerator. He gave her a searching look, and she just shrugged and smiled, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her dungarees. "Seriously, water will be fine."

Jason nodded as she moved to the table, taking a seat and waiting for him to join her. "And you're only going to eat this?" he asked, handing her her chips. She nodded. "You need to take better care of yourself. You are a doctor, after all."

"I know, but I wasn't too hungry tonight." She waited until he started to eat before picking at her food, knowing that he would be watching her like a hawk, to make certain she was eating. It was easy enough to pace herself, listening to him go on about his day, asking appropriate questions when needed, and reaching out to pat his hand when he mentioned Elinor. It was difficult to keep from crying along with him, since she palpably felt his pain.

"Are you going to stay the night?"

The question took her aback, since she hadn't thought ahead that far ahead. "Is there a guest room?" Jason nodded. "It might be for the best, if I did. I didn't think about how late it would get."

Jason nodded sagely. "Well, it's too late to watch any more World's Strongest Man tonight, as I am still recovering. I can show you to the guest room, if you'd like. And I know where Auntie Serena keeps nightclothes for Bernie, when she stays over."

Jasmine felt decidedly anxious about that idea, but she knew that she had to wear something to sleep in, so she nodded at him, following him up the stairs to the room next to Serena's. Drawing in a deep breath, she waited just inside the doorway as he went over to a hall closet and pulled out a shirt and shorts. "Thanks," she said as she took the bundle from his hands.

"You're welcome. Thank you for looking after Auntie Serena. She needs more people to do that."

He turned on his heel and left her alone, something she was quite grateful for. Closing the door, she quickly changed, finding the shorts a little bit big on her, but the length of the shirt made up for that. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to sleep until she had checked in on Serena, Jasmine drew in a deep breath and scurried over to the other room, her hand hovering over the doorknob. As she turned it, the faint sound of sobs came from the room, and she sighed deeply as she entered.

"Ms. Campbell?"

The woman turned over on the bed to stare at her, and it took Jasmine a moment to get her eyes to focus on her face. "You're wearing Bernie's clothes."

"Jason wanted me to stay, said I could borrow these. Someone needs to take care of you two."

A frown marred the woman's features, and Jasmine stepped forward, kneeling at her side as she reached out to clasp Serena's hand. "This won't win you any brownie points."

"I know."

"I'll be even harder on you."

"I know."

"Then why stay?"

"Because I can't leave you like this. You may have pushed Bernie away, but that's because you love her, and don't want her to see you hurting like this. You don't care about me, so I'm safe to be in your orbit." Serena's hand tightened around Jasmine's as her eyes slid closed.

"Maybe I care too much." The faint words floated on the air, and she pursed her lips together as she fought to keep from crying.

"I meant what I said, Serena." Again, the hand squeezed hers, and she soldiered on ahead. "I won't let you fall into the abyss. I will gladly follow you into Hell, so long as it keeps you here and with Bernie." Tears started to drip down her face, and Jasmine struggled to keep herself as quiet as possible, not wanting to pile her sorrow atop Serena's, that wasn't fair at all.

"I wish you didn't care so much, darling, that would make things so much easier for me." Slowly, Serena disentangled their fingers as her eyes opened once more, focusing on her. Jasmine just stared back, not hiding her tears, even as the woman reached out and caressed her cheek softly, swiping the tears away, a fragile, tender, silence filling the room. She could only hope that the morning would not be as difficult as Serena was intimating.