Slightly more AU in the fact that Bernie is in the military and with Serena. My head canon for this comes from a AU fic I am currently writing where Bernie goes back to the military but Ellie doesn't die.

Bernie knows Serena is nervous. She remembers feeling physically sick her own first time in the Officers' Mess. There isn't anything quite like it anywhere else: prescribed formal dress, standing before being told to sit, assigned places in an even more strict arrangement than a wedding. There's no denying that the British Army is still very focused on classes.

Bernie is sat on a stool at the vanity since she can't risk sitting on the bed and creasing her dress uniform. She'd learnt, to her detriment as a new officer, that the skirts crease far too easily and the amount she'd been forced to spend on emergency dry cleaning had not been pleasant. So the stool will have to do while she ensures her court shoes are shined to perfection.

She sees Serena walk into the room, dressed in the beautiful burgundy dress that just reaches the floor, now fully made up. Serena always insists the lighting in the bathroom be much better for applying her make up. Whilst Serena is normally the one of them who takes the longest to get ready, they'd agreed that because Bernie is needed in full dress uniform, that it was best she use the bathroom first.

Bernie gets distracted by her polishing as Serena stands at their full length mirror and begins to brush her hair. "Aren't those shoes shiny enough? You've spent an hour on them every day for the past three days."

Bernie catches Serena's eyes in the mirror. "Probably, but I just want to be sure, it's been a long time since I've been inside an Officers' Mess."

Serena smiles at her gently. She knows Serena understands that she is nervous too. Some of the people they will see have known Bernie since she joined the Army, so everything is going to be similar, and yet all so different. She divorced the man she had taken to every Officers Mess dinner since the start of her Army career and is now taking her girlfriend.

She isn't ashamed of what she and Serena have and she loves Serena with every part of being, but that doesn't mean that this is a normal situation. There are many fewer female officers and so it is rare enough for a female officer to be in attendance with her male civilian partner, but for Bernie to be turning up with a female civilian partner may well be a first at this specific Mess. She will take Serena and introduce her proudly as her girlfriend, but the unknown adds to her nerves. And as if Serena knows what she's thinking, she speaks again.

"Hey, everything will be fine. These are the people that called you back to the Army after you'd been gone for three years. Now put those shoes on before you shine a hole in them." Bernie realises then that she had started unknowingly polishing the shoes again.

She bends down, careful of her uniform, and places the shoes on the floor before slipping her feet into them and rearranges her skirt properly around them, checking again that her uniform is perfect. Just as she's finishing, she hears an uncharacteristic sigh come from Serena and sees her struggling to get a pin into her hair. The angle is slightly wrong for her arm and she's not quite able to see it in mirror.

"Come here. Let me fix it," Bernie says gently to Serena, holding out her hand and waiting for Serena to pass her the hair pin. Serena turns and gives it to her with a smile, before turning back around so Bernie can slide it into her hair, holding the brunette strands perfectly into place.

"Stay there," she says gently when she's finished before walking over to the vanity and grabbing the hairspray. "Close your eyes," she says kindly before carefully spraying the hairspray over Serena's hair.

She places the can on the floor and places her hands on Serena's shoulders, gently spinning her around. "Beautiful," she says, looking directly into Serena's eyes, returning her beautiful smile. Bernie can't help but place a gentle kiss on Serena's lips.

"I could say the same for you," Serena says as they pull back. "You brush up very well, Major Wolfe." Serena gently swipes her hands down the sleeves of Bernie's dress jacket which Bernie uses as the perfect excuse to grab Serena's hand.

"Are you ready? I'm sure the taxi will be here any time now." Serena nods. "Yes, I've heard a do at the Officers' Mess is pretty unique, so lead the way, Major."

The night goes amazingly well. Serena hardly leaves Bernie's side, and Bernie is very happy showing off the amazing woman she gets to call hers. The drinks flow freely and they slow dance together, with not one person giving them a second glance. It's past 3am when they both fall into bed together, Serena's head resting against Bernie's chest and both of them falling asleep with smiles on their faces.