'I just hope you're pleased to see me because gun control is strictly regulated in this country.'

Antoine Malick froze as the dulcet tones of Serena Campbell drifted mockingly in front of him as he looked down and realised that the edge of the tray he was holding was digging into her lower back. The fact that he was standing right behind her peering at a file she had invited him to read only annoyed him the more.

Bernie walked past and gave them an odd look.

'Definitely not what it sounds like' said Malick holding his spare hand up in dismay. Serena smirked in that infuriating manner and handed him the file. She swanned off to the next cubicle to sit next to her mother who had come in earlier with a twisted ankle.

'Erm, are you and Serena…?'

'Nope. Nope. She just flirts with everyone.'

He noted a slight twitch to Bernie's lips.

'You might have more of a chance though. She keeps teasing me no matter what. It's just her way. I'm just a big pouf.'

'Ah' Bernie looked interested, for a reason that she wasn't willing to divulge just yet. She glanced back at the occupants of the cubicle.

Serena Campbell loved her mother. She truly did. They'd had a wonderful, traumatic, tumultuous life together and while nothing would devastate Serena more than to lose her as she invariably was going to, to this hideous illness, at this moment in time, she wished that she'd just shut up. Adrienne was in one of her rambling phases and from the sounds of it, was delving way into the past, reaching further back than she'd ever done before. Serena let her mind drift while her eyes wandered over the ward. Raf and Fletch were huddled together in a corner with an air of nefarious plotting. She would catch up with them later. Everyone else appeared to be behaving themselves. Her gaze alighted on a mop of untidy blonde hair nearby. Serena felt a smile hovering about her lips and restrained it. Adrienne was still waffling on and Serena let herself look a little longer as Bernie turned around, eyes on the files. She had a handsome silhouette. Serena didn't realise how far away she was until bits and pieces of Adrienne's waffle swirling around in the air lodged into her brain.

My God. What had she just said?

Shocked into paying attention, Serena rewound the conversation.

'Sorry, mum, what?'

'Oh yes' Adrienne was saying with a faraway smile on her face. 'He used to just pull the string at the sides and pfft, they were gone!'

Serena processed this information with a shudder. She could feel her face melting into revulsion. Her mother really had just told her about her honeymoon underwear situation, hadn't she?

'Mum, please I really didn't need to hear that' she said with disgust.

'Hear what?'

Serena looked up to see Bernie hovering with a courteous smile. For fucks sake, she did not want Bernie involved in a conversation about her mother's underwear. She hoped that Adrienne didn't still wear them, the knickers tied together at the sides. Hadn't had any use for them for a couple of decades. Probably.

While she was formulating a reply, Adrienne started again. Bernie looked very amused by the end of it. Serena sighed. Why of all the times that Adrienne would embarrass her, it would be in front of Bernie Wolfe?

'I suppose I could have done with a pair of those on my honeymoon' Bernie said politely with a hint of a snigger in her voice.

'Serena certainly would have. From what you told me, he was passed out drunk for the entire weekend.'

'Mum!'

'Not that you'd let that slip until years after the divorce. You never should have married him. She did it to spite me' she told an interested Bernie.

'Why is it that you remember all of that and not that you nearly burned the kitchen down last week?' Demanded Serena. Adrienne looked blank.

'Elinor listens to me' she said with a pout.

'Yes well Elinor would run right away if she heard you talking about your honeymoon knickers' said Serena severely.

'When did you turn into such a prude?'

'Since you've been my mother' Serena pointed out. 'Daughters don't want to talk about that. Elinor's not interested to know that I'm not dead below the waist after 40. She'd never come and stay with me anymore.'

Bernie coughed softly. Serena felt her face flush. Bernie really was laughing at them now. Not unkindly but her expression gave it away.

'Well I feel sorry to tear myself away from such interesting conversation. But I've got to get on so I'll leave you to it.'

Serena felt like an idiot. Especially when Bernie turned round to glance at her, expression unreadable. Goodness knows what she thought of them now, Serena thought.

'Such a nice girl. Is her husband handsome?' Adrienne was asking.

'Erm, no. I mean, I don't know. She's divorced' said Serena distractedly. Bernie looked good in retreat as well.

Adrienne tutted.

'I don't know how you girls live sometimes, I really don't.'

Serena snapped her attention back.

'No amount of string knickers would make Edward stay, that's all there is to it. Some things are not meant to be' said Serena briskly.

'Not like your father and I.' Adrienne looked wistful. Serena's heart hurt at that. He had left them too early. Such a sure relationship and it had ended before its time. Sometimes it was painful to think about what they'd missed out on.

She sighed and looked towards Bernie. Definitely a basic underwear kind of woman, she thought. Not easily temped by knickers on a string.

Oh well.

'I'm more of a basic underwear kind of woman' said Bernie, sipping her coffee. Antoine voiced his approval. Bells and whistles weren't his kind of thing. He liked his men plain and simple. Like his coffee. Bernie processed this information thoughtfully.

'Reckon Serena's got a drawerful of fancy knickers.'

She hadn't realised she'd spoken out loud. Antoine smirked.

'Thinking of Serena in string knickers are you?'

Bernie blushed, looking into her cup.

'No! I wasn't…'

'That's ok, so was I.'

She looked at him.

'Not like that. But her mum paints quite an image.'

'I'll have you know that my mother was quite the looker in her day' said Serena behind him. They jumped as she swished past with more folders. 'Not that I needed that image in my head either' she said to Antoine. She glanced at Bernie as she walked away.

'I prefer French knickers for your information.'

Bernie looked mortified. Antoine snorted inelegantly and spilt his coffee.

'I knew it' he said, dabbing at the stains on his scrubs. 'Now you can stop wondering and ask her out.'

Bernie looked shocked.

'What?!'

'The two of you are so transparent. Can't you see that she's dying to ask you on a date?'

'I don't know what you mean' said Bernie nervously, drumming her fingers on her mug. Antoine gave her a look.

'Yes you do. Get in there before that smarmy dickhead from the ED stomps in and books her for an Italian meal with substandard red wine. She tends to choose men who disappoint her.'

Bernie stared him like a goldfish. She hadn't realised how much he knew about Serena. He was being incredibly useful right now.

'Thanks' was all she could say. Antoine gave a quick smile and walked away. Bernie decided to strike while the iron was hot. She powerwalked to catch up with Serena.

'Serena. Hi.'

Serena turned around swiftly.

'Ms Wolfe.'

Serena looked mischievous, a mood that always delighted and terrified Bernie. She never knew what Serena would come up with next. She took a deep breath and ploughed on with her mission.

'I've been meaning to check out the new Italian place in town. Do you fancy it?'

God, she sounded like such a fool. She expected Serena to turn her down, laugh her way out of the door. Instead, Serena looked thoughtfully at her, still smiling.

'You can teach me all about red wine' she ventured.

Bernie knew she said the right thing at the answering expression.

'Let it be known that I am nothing but generous in the teaching department' said Serena graciously.

'Great. Let me know when' bumbled Bernie.

'Tomorrow evening, I finish at 8. You can pick me up' said Serena coquettishly.

'All right' Bernie smiled apprehensively.

'Well. It's a date' said Serena softly. She left Bernie gazing after her happily as she walked away.

At the other end of the corridor, Antoine sniggered into his fresh mug of coffee. He did love a gay moment. He took out his phone and tapped out a quick message. It pinged back almost straight away. Fleur must be on a break.

'I can't believe you dashed my hopes and dreams. I would do anything to get Campbell into bed.'

Antoine sniggered.

'You owe me a drink. A double, for the image that her mother gave out today.'

An impatient ping replied. Fleur was so transparent. She never did see the point of playing it cool. He dropped a crumb of information.

'String knickers?!' Damn your eyes for telling me that. Now I'll never know what she looks like in those.'

'Don't waste your time, she prefers French ones.'

It was like dangling a bone in front of a dog.

'I can sense the dribble coming from your corner. Rein it in.'

'Then YOU buy me a drink to console me. Not that the werewolfe isn't a worthy opponent. I wish them luck.'

Fleur hated losing a bet. But she also loved a gay moment.