"Bernie! I'm home!" her aching feet drew her away from the entrance into the cosy dwelling that she called home. Stepping out of her shoes, Serena listened for the laughter of her wife and children. Ever since Charlotte's accident, her family had become closer. They connected in a way that they had never connected before. Every day Serena longed to be back in the welcoming walls of her home, the loving hearts of her family and the strong arms of her wife. But, there was always the risk that those strong arms would be taken away from her by the rush of war or the need for trauma surgeons. And Serena hated that. She hated when Bernie had to leave for her job. Every time Bernie leaving pulled away pieces of her heart. She thought back to Bernie's first tour…


"Serena, I have to go. There's nothing I can do about it. I need to be a part of this. Please understand," Bernie pleaded with the teary-eyed woman across from her.

"Please don't go. I need you to stay. I want you to stay. How am I supposed to unwind after a long day without you? How is my heart supposed to keep beating without you? How will I breathe everyday, knowing that you could be dead for all I knew? And I would never know. Because according to the army, I'm not family!" Serena was almost in hysterics.

"Look, I know you don't want to lose me so I will meet you halfway."

"Oh?"

"I will promise – no! I will solemnly swear – that I will come back to my best friend after the tour, safe and sound and in one piece. I promise I will not needlessly put my life in danger even if it is ordered of me to do so. I promise that every week I will try to send you a letter if I can. If not, I'll send as many as I've missed the next time I'm available. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes. Bernie, I have a confession. The reason I'm so worried is not just because you're my best friend. It's because I see you more of a – "

"Sister, I know. And it hurts because you know I want you so much – mmph"

The very words that Bernie had tried to say had been cut off abruptly by Serena launching herself at her, catching her lips in a bruising kiss. Many thoughts ran through Bernie's mind at this point in time. The most prominent thought was "How have we been together so many times but I've never realised that she wanted me, too?". However, that very thought left her mind as Serena's tongue brushed against her lips. She let Serena deepen the kiss, succumbing to the pleasure that she had for so long sought after in this brunette goddess.

Needing air, Bernie reluctantly pulled away from the embrace. She suddenly remembered that they were in a public area where what they were just doing was considered immoral. Laughing, Bernie found she didn't care. She pulled Serena closer to her, in a one-armed embrace, Serena's head resting on her shoulder. They remained that way in coupled silence before it was broken by words that Bernie had both yearned and avoided. The words which had been on the tip of Bernie's tongue for months… well if Bernie was honest ever since that first drink almost year ago. They had been bubbling away at the surface, threatening to spill over at any moment. Nevertheless, she had supressed them time after time and it certainly seemed that Serena was going to be the one to pop the oblivious little bubble Bernie pretended she lived in.

"I love you, Bernie. Please don't go," Serena pleaded.

"Serena, I love you too. More than you can imagine. Or maybe you can imagine. I don't know but what I do know is that I am in love with you and would do almost anything for you," Bernie drabbled, but stopped abruptly.

"Except stay?"

"Except stay."

"I can handle that. Just barely. But please be careful! I need you to come back safely!"

"I will stick by the promise I made before. I will come back to you and then we can start our life together, okay?"

"Okay." Serena rested her head on Bernie's shoulder, glad for the slight privacy the tall trees brought to the area where they were sitting.


Pulling herself out of her reverie, Serena meandered into the living room where the once-hidden moulds of Elinor's hands and feet sat among the many adornments upon the mantelpiece. Stroking a finger along the instep of Elinor's left foot, Serena smiled, glad that Bernie had decided to display the last remaining memories of their daughter rather than hide them as had been the case a few months previously. Aside that sat a framed photograph of Elinor along with a photo of Charlotte and Cameron smiling cheekily at the camera. But Serena's favourite picture of all had to be the one of their wedding day. There she stood, in an ivory gown and Bernie in her military uniform, beaming down the camera lens. Serena laughed quietly at the memory of that auspicious occasion, or rather the lack of memory of it at all.

Continuing through the house, Serena listened for any sign of her children or wife, but to no avail! She could hear nothing that resembled them. "Hello?" she shouted up the stairs only to receive silence in response. Instead, she checked her watch, groaning when it read 5pm. That meant she would have to prepare dinner for her family on top of having a long and stressful day at work. Grumbling all the way to the kitchen, Serena walked straight into it, not even considering the unnerving silence any longer. She nearly jumped out of her skin, however, when she heard a loud, "SURPRISE!" ring out from behind her.

Serena had completely forgotten. Today was her birthday. Among the stress she faced at work and the miracle of having her family back, it's no wonder that she forgot the day. Turning around, mouth agape in silent shock, Serena stared at the faces of her parents, colleagues, friends, and her beautiful wife and children. She stared at them for what seemed like an age, trying to form some semblance of a sentence. Abruptly, she burst into tears, leaving an awkward silence amongst the partygoers. She was enveloped by the strong arms of her Big Macho Army Medic as she began laughing, "I'm not sad! These are tears of joy!"

The party lasted several hours, where much alcohol was imbibed and many conversations were had. The children were sent to bed at about 8pm though, so the adults could have some fun without having to worry about the children too much. Slowly, though, guests began to leave one by one as the night drew to a close. Serena was almost relieved when they waved the last guest out the door. She was exhausted. After a long day at work, she had come home to the fantastic surprise party which she thoroughly enjoyed (although Bernie would tease later that it was because of all the presents) and all she wanted to do was sit on the back porch and watch the stars as had become her habit over the past Autumn month.


It wasn't long before Serena heard the unmistakeable footsteps of her wife. Glancing back towards the house, Serena noticed that Bernie had brought tea to her. She watched as her wife eased her way into the deck chair beside her, taking the offered mug and warming her hands. A comfortable silence fell over them as they watched the night sky, slipping into a reverie that was equally joyous and calming. Serena was almost annoyed when Bernie shattered that silence, "I still haven't given you my present."

"Bernie, I appreciate it, but I am much too tired for that!" Serena replied, guessing what the present was.

"Look as much as I would love to do that, it's not my present to you."

Interested, Serena turned to Bernie, "Go on."

"Well there's good news and less good news. Which would you like first?"

"The less good news first, of course."

"Okay, so I have to go on another tour for the army. It's only three months but I'll be back before you know it."

"Oh, Bernie do you have to go?"

"Yes. It was part of my resignation agreement."

"Your what?"

"My resignation agreement. I'm leaving the army, Serena. I'm leaving to be with you, Cameron and Lottie. I love you all too much to hurt you by going away again and again."

"Bernie, that is the best gift I have ever received!"

"But wait, there is more. I went to see Mr Hanssen today. And apparently he was going to open a new trauma unit. Coincidentally, he was going to ask me, but I offered and voila! I have a job for when I return. Serena, everything is falling into place now. Everything."

"Bernie, please tell me you're not joking!"

"I promise I'm not! And you know that I keep my promises."

"I can't believe it! So let me get this straight… you're going on a three-month tour, then leaving the army and starting as the trauma consultant at the same hospital I work at?"

"All present and correct, ma'am!"

"Oh, this has been the best birthday ever!"

"Now, shall we go to bed, Mrs Wolfe?"
"It's Campbell-Wolfe. But yes. Yes, we should."

And standing up, Bernie and Serena walked towards the house, holding each other close and whispering sweet-nothings in each other's ears. This was the beginning of a whole new chapter in their lives… one which they would explore together.


A/N: Hey, I'm back with more Berena! So, I have a question for you guys… do you want me to do an epilogue? I've planned it, but I'm not sure whether to include it. It does include more characters, flashbacks and fluffy Berena moments, but if you don't want one then I won't add it. If you do, then I will.

Please leave a review on the above question, and I'll see you next time.

Love you all,

ClosetMisfit xx