They walked into the hospital with an air of trepidation knowing that by know the whole hospital will know they were locked in their office for some time with the blinds drawn down. Obviously the story will be embellished and flourishes of fiction will be added. The fact is the whole time they were in the room they were talking, and kissed for a very short time before being released. Chances are that by the time it gets to Darwin the story will be that Bernie and Serena were caught having sex on the desk.

Bernie was particularly worried as since her first day in Holby, as a patient, she had been the source of some gossip or scandal… Marcus, Alex and now Serena.

They got to the lift with relative safety and walked side by side into AAU as they had done many times before. Fletch and Raf eyed the ladies with a knowing smile. "Good morning Ms Wolfe, good morning Ms Campbell" said Raf.

"Morning boys" Chirped Bernie as she went to the locker room to change into scrubs before anyone noticed she was wearing yesterday's clothes.

"Morning Raf, Fletch; what have you got for me?"

Serena busied herself with rounds and discharges and Bernie was mainly in the trauma unit catching up on her project since her absence. Not that they were avoiding each other but they had jobs to do, and they carried on as they usually would. When Bernie needed a second opinion she went to seek out Serena who was at the nurses' station signing a mountain of forms that Fletch had dumped before her. No day is complete without a call on the red phone. They found themselves either side of the operating table once more, eyes looking deep not being able to see what was beneath their surgical masks.

The general mood on AAU was pleasant and this was not unrelated to the events of the last 24 hours. All the staff on AAU noticed that the clouds had lifted because Bernie was back. She had an effect on them all, but particularly her co lead Ms Campbell; she had been simply nightmarish to work with since Bernie left for the Ukraine. All of her staff at some point had tried to reach out to her but she shut herself off from the world because Bernie was not in it. She functioned, but that was it. She did the necessaries. Not particularly mean, but not particularly warm either. Her spark was gone, the twinkle, even Ric couldn't not get past those barriers she had put up. But today… today Serena was back, and they could all tell. It didn't go unnoticed that they arrived together in Serena's car and Bernie was wearing the same shirt from yesterday, but nothing was said, as the rumour mill did not need any more fuel!

It was not until around lunch that either Bernie or Serena got to the office, Serena decided she needed to switch on the computer and at least check her emails. In the main it would be hospital drivel that she was copied into that was of no interest to her other than people adding importance to their emails by cc-ing as many clinical leads in as possible. She laughed as she imagined the state of Bernie's email account given that she had also been copied into a barrage of bureaucratic nonsense during her absence. Bernie was not one for paperwork or bureaucracy so she imagined that she may just select all and delete when it comes to checking her emails. She loved Bernie for this, Bernie was a bloody good surgeon and that's what she was here to do, not paperwork. That is probably why the Army suited her. Minimal paperwork.

Serena was in the swing of dealing with the admin side of things and thought she might nip to Pulses shortly to get a coffee and a sandwich; she would, as she usually would, get Bernie something otherwise the daft woman would not remember to eat. She nipped off to get lunch for them both and came back to an empty office, Bernie must still be in surgery. She placed the coffees and brown bag of lunch on the desk and feelings overwhelmed her. She had never felt like this. She was so in love, so infatuated she felt useless until she had seen Bernie again. Was this normal? She certainly never felt that longing for her husband, but then it turns out he was a terrible shit. She sipped her coffee and carried on with some paperwork keeping the door to the office ajar to keep an eye on things.

She signed a few discharges and checked on some patients scheduled for surgery and then returned to the office and decided to open some of the blinds. Not fully but just enough so that it was not closed off from the AAU. As she was pulling one of the cords Bernie appeared, Serena did not notice initially until she heard that familiar tone, "What's with the blinds?" as she closed the door behind her.

"Oh, um" Serena smiled, "remember our rule, work life home life separate?" Bernie nods curiously, "Open blinds will help to keep me…. In check, as it were."

Bernie stood with her hands in the pockets of her scrubs and raised her head and nods with a "Ah, good call."

Bernie spots the coffee and brown bag on the desk.

"The coffee might be a bit cold and you can have what you want from the food. But…" Serena trailed of as Bernie took a swig of the coffee and dug into the bag to fish out a sandwich and pastry. She offered Serena the biggest smile she thinks she has ever done. "You know you have set a bit of a precedent if you keep on looking after me like this?" Very much sounding like someone who needed, and wanted, to be looked after.

Before Serena could relish in the moment too much Morven called her to get a second opinion on a patient and she swept out of the office on a high.

The rest of the shift went by much like the morning, rounds, discharges, that red phone and paperwork. Twenty minutes before the end of the shift Serena was in her office talking to Ric, he was there talking about some hospital directive they had both been emailed about, he could have asked her opinion via email or phone, but she suspected that he had casually passed by AAU to ask hoping to get the truth about the rumours circulating about her and Bernie. Obviously he knew something after their drinks that night where she admitted feelings for Bernie and his interest was piqued. She kept the topics of conversation very much to work.

Ric was occupying Bernie's chair as he and Serena talked, he gave her knowing looks as they talked shop and she did her best not to respond to his talking without words. He is after some juicy gossip. I am not going to feed that. Although she trusted Ric and respected him greatly he had a lot of clout and charm at Holby and whilst he might not say anything his face, his eyes, said far more than words could. The man has powers, he has been married five, or is it six, times! Serena was contemplating as she guarded her words to him.

As they chatted Bernie strolled into the office running her hands through her hair, not realising that Ric was there. "Ms Wolfe, sorry I'm occupying your spot, did theatre go well."

"Well enough." She replied. Ric did not take this as a short or funny response, he knew that she wasn't a woman of many words and didn't really go in for sentiment. This is what baffled him because although Serena was a force to be reckoned with on the wards she was the complete opposite. Opposites do attract! He mused to himself as he raised from the chair. "I shall leave you to it, Serena let me know your thoughts on Hanssen's proposal; I think strength in numbers is required here. Bernie your opinion would be useful too."

Clearly Bernie had no idea what Ric was on about and suspected he might have come to see Serena to find out if the rumours were true on AAU, Serena answered before she could contemplate a suitable response, "Bernie hasn't had chance to touch her emails since her return and I assure you that most of it will be bilge but I will ensure she casts an eye over this one. I am certain she will be in agreement with us Ric."

Ric virtually bowed out of the office as he said "Good evening ladies" and departed.

"What was all that about?" Bernie exhaled as she sat in the chair.

"Petty bloody hospital politics, as per. I will bring you up to speed later. As I assume your emails remain unread…."

"You know I'm crap with that stuff."

Understatement of the bloody year. Serena thought.

"Ha, no I hadn't noticed; anyway, meant to ask, what are you doing tonight?"

"Well I do need to go back to the flat at some point" Bernie waved her hand over her body as if signalling to her clothing "and I suppose I need to unpack. You?"

"Well apparently Jason has developed cabin fever so he is stopping at a friend's house… it seems it is OK for him to break routine whenever the mood takes… " Serena joked but she was happy when Jason did break routine because it was progress for him and unexpected respite for her. "So I am free to run you home if you want, I can help too if you need me."

Of course I need you! "The lift and the help…. Would be appreciated."

Serena smiled and nodded, " I'll just do a quick lap and then we can be off." Serena left the office to do the handover as Bernie stretched out in her chair. It seemed like mere moments when Serena returned to say "Your chariot awaits."

They both walked out same as they walked out, side by side, as partners.