Bernie leans her shoulder against the wall near door to the Consultant's office, smiling to herself as she watches her daughter wheel herself about the unit, speaking with the nurses and their assistants who had helped her during her times of duress. She notices the proud smile from Serena, watching the young woman as she light heartedly teases her, and they banter. Much to the enjoyment of the staff.
Xavier waves his hand over the automatic door opener, entering to AAU. Gray sweatshirt wrapped around his upper body. He notices the chortles from the various staff members, trying to hide away from Charlotte's attention. Moving towards a bed, he sees the young woman's mother from the corner of his eye. He swallows, licking his lips a little. He feels like he needs to say something. Anything to the woman. "Ms. Wolfe, isn't today your day off?"
The blonde doesn't turn her head to face him, only nodding a little. "Brought her round to see her father since he hasn't really been able to...leave, just yet. Well, he's able to leave, I'm just too angry to have him over, honestly." She finally tilts her head to the side, "Black eyes...you haven't been icing that nose like you should."
He nods a little, "Yeah, I uh..." He pauses, finding himself smirking ever so slightly, "How did you find out?"
Shrugging, Bernie bites her lip in a smile, "I have eyes and ears all over this place." Finally she turns, motioning him inside of the office, closing the door once they finally enter, "You should have come to me that same day, not just run away, and to my own home...of all places."
"I...I didn't really know why I went, Ms. Wolfe. I...was expecting to be argued with a bit more, but...your son Cameron uh...upstanding bloke that one."
"He's alright, I guess." She nods, an amused expression continues to cover her face, "I'm quite proud of him, but...don't tell him I told you that."
Xavier smirks, "Listen, I...I had no idea how bad off she was. Even today with the dysarthria." The smirk begins to fade a bit, "I thought if she was well enough to go home, you'd want to keep a close eye on her." He swallows, "The woman in there...is not the woman I knew before, but something tells me that you know that." Xav notices the change of expression on her face, starting to grow ever so slightly downcast, "She's changed for the better...and it's all thanks to you."
"To me?" Bernie modestly shakes her head, "No, no. She's made incredible strides, Dr. Duval, all on her own."
"If it weren't for you-"
"If it weren't for me, she wouldn't have been looking for love and acceptance in all the wrong places." A quick, bitter huff of a chuckle escapes her lips, "If it weren't for me, she wouldn't have started drowning her sorrows in alcohol and illegal narcotics...and changing bed partners like she changes underpants. No, I'm not the bright spot here." Motioning with a hand to the window towards her partner, "Serena is the reason she's changed the way she has."
Xav had a feeling she would downplay her own contribution to the care of the young woman, "I'm sure that's...partially true, but she doesn't do it all on her own. It's the two of you together." He nods slowly, "When she was injured initially, who stayed with her night after night, just holding her?" When his superior doesn't respond, he continues, "I don't know how you're able to get her up and down the stairs every day. I don't understand how you aren't terrified that she'll just...stop breathing. Stop existing." He pauses, "Except, I do...I can see it in your eyes. You and Ms. Campbell...after I...saw her the other day, I would think you all just wanted to stay at home, watch films, drink wine, and eat take-away. I didn't, even once, realize just how difficult you both have it...caring for her-"
"Caring for Charlie is the easy part." Bernie shakes her head slowly, looking away as she feels emotions begin to rise in her. "You, Dr. Duval, you're the only one around here that really knows what she was like before it all. Before the TBI, and the seizures. Before the emotional roller coasters and forgetting conversations we had only a few hours prior." The woman moves closer to the window, lifting a hand to rub the back of her own neck, "When she was the Big Bad Wolfe."
He finds himself standing a little straighter, not understanding how she could know of the nickname he fondly referred to Charlotte as previously. Xav finds himself at a loss for words, just staring at the two of the aforementioned women through the window. "Her strut..."
Bernie nods slowly, doleful smirk on her face. "Yes."
"All of it. This is someone else now." Xavier doesn't move from his position near the door, just nodding a little. "And you...are a bigger part of her than you give yourself credit for, Ms. Wolfe. The part before, I don't know where you would have...come into play," He lifts his hand in defense when he knows she'll try to say something, "Your part in her life is the opposite of what it was before. Your role...fresh for the picking."
She falls silent for a moment, knowing she said just enough to help him understand that she knew more about them than he cared to let on, but not wanting to scare him. "This was supposed to be me asking how your nose was." Bernie swallows, turning to face him again. "Do you want me to properly check you over? I'm certain Donna had you covered, but..."
"Ms. Campbell already has." He nods, meeting her eye. "Ms. Wolfe...what you do here is incredible, what you do at home is...far greater than absolutely anything here." Xav folds his arms, "You're a hero...through and through. Not only to the patients you service, but to your family...and it has absolutely nothing to do with that military persona you love to portray."
"You don't really know me too well."
"Same goes to you for me." Xav shrugs, "You only know what has been told to you and what you've seen here...it also goes for Charlotte. What a doctor or therapist says...what you read in studies covering the subject...she's already surpassed all of those expectations." He motions with a tilt of his mead, insinuating that he's referring to the young woman still, "who is to say she can't make another album, or teach again...or get back that strut?" It wasn't a question, just a statement. "You surpass expectations too. Just another thing Charlotte has obviously inherited from you."
"I've always been a fast healer...same for her." Bernie nods, offering the young man in front of her a soft smile, "Thank you, Dr. Duval...you'd best get back to your rounds."
He nods quickly, smirk playing at the corner of his lips as he opens the door, returning to the bed. HIs quick exit earns him the attention of the young woman he was attempting to hide away from. "Hello, Ms. Wolfe." Xavier attempts to make the interaction quick if there needed to be anything at all. However, he pauses as he notices her begin to push up from her chair to stand. "Don't need to get up on my account." That's right, Xav, don't let this room see you anything other than cocky.
Charlotte meets his eyes as she stands, beam beginning to grow on her face. Today has been laced with her past life. This man no different from them. Her rough voice like a song to his ears. She leans forward, snogging him hard, deeply. The room around her freezes and she doesn't really see anyone except this man before her, not really sure where he fits in or why that was the only reaction she could muster. She begins to feel her legs give way only to have him hold her closely. "Hey."
"Well, yeah...that was...a hell of a hello." Xav nods, "let me help you back to your chair." Ignore the action, treat it as if just one of those weird emotional outbursts from her illness. "Don't need you falling out, eh?"
"No, um..." She just watches him. "No."
"Charlotte, are you about ready to head home?" Bernie attempts to remedy the situation, quickly understanding that the young man didn't want any part in this new portion of her daughter's life, regardless of what his position was formerly. "You choose the takeaway tonight since Serena won't be home until we're fast asleep."
"I'm fast asleep." Charlie changes her tired focus toward her mother, "You'll wait for her. You always do."
"You're right, but do you blame me." She grins, glancing toward her partner. "Do you like her hair? That's what we popped over for."
"Navy and aubergine...looks magical." Smiling proudly, Serena slowly eye contact with her partner, "I'll see you both out, Dr. Duval, hold down the fort." She's certain the man would want nothing more than for the young woman to leave.
"We had to see Dad first or else he would whine about it." Charlie absently takes hold of Serena's hand as she stands next to the wheelchair. They board the elevator, luckily alone. For all of them really.
"Can we not say that out loud, please?" Bernie widens his eyes slightly with an amused expression forming on her face, knowing her girlfriend would understand what kind of day she's had with her daughter, "I said it once and she continues to repeat it."
"Oh, it's okay when it's just the three of us." Serena does her best to contain a laugh, feeling the younger woman trace the veins on the back of her hand. Getting the feeling Charlotte has been a mile away throughout the day. She leans over, softly capturing the lips of her girlfriend, mouthing, "You okay?"
"I need a drink." Bernie lifts a hand, pushing some of her longer fringe behind her ear, hair gathered in a clip behind her head. Hearing her girlfriend finally give a low chuckle, she smirks with relief that their next destination would finally be home.