Sorry for the delay in posting. I went home for my Birthday and legit had close to zero wifi due to heavy winds. The perks of living on a mountain with minimal wifi even on a good day. I hope my fan art has made up for my absence ^_^
Chapter 11
Deep breathing permeated the stark silence that had fallen between them quite some time ago. Sniffing, Serena wiped the tears from her cheeks and turned on the cot to gaze at the sleeping blonde.
'There's someone else' the words repeated in her mind as her eyes trailed up the woman's long elegant neck. 'God how stupid could I be' her eyes landed on the woman's soft lips and lingered 'Of course there's someone else. She wanted to confine it to theatre, she wanted to forget the whole thing… she was trying to do the right thing by her other woman'
Serena grimaced, anger taking hold of her 'But they'd kissed again! They'd made a dinner date!' Serena scoffed 'Just like Edward. Once a cheat always a cheat' her eyes journeyed a little higher to focus on Bernie's closed eyes and furrowed brow. Serena softened a little to watch Bernie in her restless slumber.
'But she said she went home to an empty flat and never saw anyone until she came back to the hospital' she mentally recalled 'Fucking idiot. She's with someone at the hospital!' her brow furrowed as tears prickled the back of her eyes once more 'probably someone younger, prettier, thinner, has less baggage… someone who isn't afraid to love another woman.' Serena scoffed sadly then 'same as always then…"
"I guess it doesn't matter who I'm with" she whispers, so faintly its barely audible, as she thinks back on her previous partners "I'm not reason enough to stay". Closing her eyes, she turned her back on Bernie once more.
A lone tear escaped Bernie's eye and ran down her cheek as she opened her eyes to the harsh light of the room once more. She didn't know how long she'd been asleep but the cold reality of their situation hit her hard as she heard Serena's broken whisper. God how she wanted to scoop the woman into her arms and never let her go until she realised she was the most amazing human being on this underserving planet.
Her reserve almost made it to breaking point when the lock on the door clicked. Bolting to her feet, Bernie watched with anticipation as the door slammed open. A burly man wearing a bullet proof vest walked in.
"You" he said with a gruff voice as he pointed a dirty finger at Bernie "Come with me, sunshine! Show time"
Bernie glanced in Serena's direction to take in her face one last time before turning back to the man and nodding. She bent down and picked up the medi bag and made for the door.
"Bernie wait" Bernie stopped where she stood and turned back to Serena.
"We don't have time for this" came the gruff voice behind her.
"Oh shut up" Bernie heard herself say. She hadn't meant to say it out loud but she had and it was out there.
A watery smile appeared on Serena's face as she held up her coat "Here" she said as she pulled the coat around Bernie's shoulders "Stay safe and bring my necklace back to me"
Bernie nodded, not trusting her voice to reach past the lump in her throat. God this woman was beautiful. Even after days of not washing, her hair grimy and out of place, her makeup smudged on her pale face, she was most beautiful sight Bernie had ever seen. Bernie committed her face to memory before turning to leave once more.
Serena grabbed her arm and spun her back around to face her. They were practically nose to nose and Bernie had to fight hard to push back the urge to kiss the woman before her. She dragged her eyes up from those wonderfully plump lips to instead gaze into Serena's brown orbs.
She watched as Serena's focus pulled up from her own lips and she could have sworn she'd seen a brief glimpse of Serena's own internal struggle. After a moment of eye contact, Serena seemed to relent and instead threw her arms around her and held her tight. Bernie, after a second of hesitation, brought her arms around the other woman and buried her face in her neck.
"Alright that's enough, it's time to go" Bernie could almost hear the sympathy in his voice as he spoke. Almost. Serena was the first to pull back. At the sight of the tears in her eyes, Bernie opened her mouth to speak. She needed to tell her she loved her. It wasn't fair! But before she could, she was pulled backwards through the door by the man, the door slamming in her face and cutting her off from Serena as he clicked the lock on the door.
"No Simon?" Bernie asked, straightening her shoulders and pushing the emotions deep down. She was very much aware off the fact that she was walking away from Serena for the last time.
"Boss had better things to be doing" he grunted.
"So he is your boss then?" she said as she scanned her surroundings for the tinniest little detail that could give her a clue as to where they were.
He grunted once more, choosing not to elaborate further as he pushed her through an open door into the cool night air. She pulled the coat tighter around herself and paused for a moment as the scent of Serena invaded her nostrils. 'Serena' she thought 'I'm so sorry'.
Rough hands pushed her forward onto the gravel. Turning back as she was walked further, she took in the sight of the building, or more specifically the sign. The sign was hard to read, rust covered nearly 90% of its surface, but in the gloom, the shadows cast against its surface spelt out 'Hope Wing clinic'.
A smile began to bloom on her face before she caught it and schooled her features once more. Turning back in the direction she was being pushed, she took in the sight of men climbing into vehicles.
She dug her heels in and stopped then. "Tha-That's my car" she said breathlessly as she watched a stranger, far too big for her little sports car, start the engine with ease.
"Ahh, Major!" Bernie cursed under her breath "I see you've noticed our newest edition to the collection." Simon sauntered up to her with his hands in his pockets and whistled "She's a fast one. Cheers for that!"
"How?" she blinked.
"Well… we saw you park shortly before we lifted you" he said nonchalantly "Your keys were in your bag when we took you… and decided we wanted a bonus toy to play with" He turned to her then, a toothy grin on display "So looking forward to our little outing together" he practically sang with excitement.
"Can we just get this over with?" she bit out.
"Eager, are we?" He snorted "Very well, you can sit up front with me, Major! It'd be nice to have someone to talk to on the journey"
Bernie shuddered but followed him to the front seat of a blacked-out jeep. As he climbed in beside her, she mentally steeled herself. "Bet you're used to this kind of thing, Major, all this muscle under the trunk" he boasted proudly shortly after clearing the lane up to the clinic.
"You have a very warped view of the world, Simon. One of these could barely survive a speed bump, never mind survive where I was" she deadpanned. She didn't want to have a conversation with him, she really didn't.
He harrumphed and started the engine "you know you really should try to make the effort with me."
"Really?" she scoffed "and why might that be?"
"Because I'm the only thing standing in the way of those bastards back there cutting you limb from limb" he turned back to her then.
"Oh and I suppose they're not going to do that anyway the minute this is all over" she spat sarcastically.
"Well… your little friend back there maybe…"
Bernie paled. What if they did that whilst she wasn't there? 'God, Serena, I hope you put that knife to good use' she thought.
"But not you. I want you alive and well, Major" Bernie flinched at the feel of a hand running up her thigh and turned to Simon "you really are something special" Bernie recognised the look on his face, it was the same look he'd worn that morning when she was trying to intimidate him "and I plan to show you"
'Dear god' she blanched 'I didn't scare him at all! The shaking! His nervousness… he was fucking aroused! Not intimidated!' Bernie wanted to throw up, instead she clamped her hand down harshly atop his to halt him in his path.
"And what makes you think I'd let you get that far? I'd rather them cut me apart" she said through gritted teeth.
"Oh Major" He bit his lip as colour rose in his cheeks.
'That little bastard is getting off on this sick charade!' she thought as bile rose in her throat.
"That drug you were injected with" he reminded her "isn't the only drug we dabble in" he squeezed her thigh slightly at this "we have ways to get what we want. Personally, speaking from a moral stand point, it would be nice to get your consent and participation, but it's not strictly necessary" he grinned at her silence and pulled his hand away and began to drive.
"You make me sick" she bit out as the light from the passing buildings and street lamps give way to pitch darkness.
"oh I do, do I? And whys that?" he chuckled.
"It's people like you that are the reason women can't go out without worrying whether they'll get raped or drugged! Its people like you that tear families apart! Get kids hooked! Ruin futures!"
"Now now, Major! We aren't the monsters here. We aren't the men who use these drugs on women. Nor do we force drugs upon kids, or anyone for that reason!"
"Bullshit! You may not use the drugs but that doesn't make you any less of a monster! You supply them! For god's sake, your sending men to their deaths over a bit of competition!"
Suddenly Simon slammed on the breaks. Bernie quickly shot her hands out to stop herself being forced over the dash board and out through the windscreen.
"Now you listen here" he said with a dangerously low voice "You have no right to judge me, you don't know what it's like to be so low in the food chain you'll literally do anything for a pitiful crumb" Bernie stared back at him defiantly "Drugs are the only way we can make money"
"No… its not" she replied calmly "there are people out there that can help you, get you back on your feet and find honest work"
"Wake up, Major and take a look around. This country has gone to shit! We're the result of a broken system. We know what we are and we know what we could have been. You think I didn't try to better myself? Sought a better life? There's no help out there for the likes of me." He set the jeep off once more.
"It's not too late to do the right thing. You don't have to let the system win; you can still be a good person" she said as she massaged her wrists.
He scoffed at this "Being good and being nice doesn't get you anywhere in the world, Major. Being nice isn't going to make me let you go. The systems already won and I've cheated on and killed too many people to turn around and start doing the right thing now. We are what we are and nothing can change that"
"That's where you're wrong. You could go to councillors, support groups"
"Inside prison walls? No thank you" he stated harshly "You know what, Major, you should shut your yap before I start to dislike you. I need a medic, not a conscience"
Bernie bit her lip "or maybe you just need someone to talk to." Simon rolled his eyes "Look I know I'm a complete stranger but I do think you need help"
"You know what, you're right" he said in a suddenly sing song voice "I did need help and I sorted it. I needed a medic and I got you"
Bernie let out a frustrated breath "Do you even know how a field medic works?"
"No, that's the point. You do, end of story" Making sure that that was the end of the conversation, he swiftly hit the button on the radio and drove in silence as the chorus line of some song she vaguely recognised filled the air.
"Y…" Bernie cut herself off before she spoke the rest of her thought. He didn't know how field medics operated, he just knew the gist of the job description and thought he needed one. She could make this work to her advantage.
As the song drifted off, theme tune of the local news filled its space "And here is the top story for today. A woman in her 50s is still missing after a 2-day search has come up with nothing. Serena Campbell reportedly went missing after leaving her work place at Holby City Hospital to drive home." Bernie, without hesitation, reached across and turned the knob to raise the volume "Officials say their prime suspect is one Ms Berenice Wolfe, whom authorities have not been able to track down. Representatives from the hospital told police Ms Wolfe was a trusted colleague and friend of Ms Campbell's, however, witnesses say Ms Wolfe and Ms Campbell openly argued on the ward shortly before Ms Campbell went missing"
"That's bullshit" gasped Bernie, not believing her ears.
"Police urge witnesses to come forward about Ms Campbell's disappearance and welcome any and all information as to the whereabouts of Ms Berenice Wolfe. They also advise that Ms Wolfe should not be approached under any circumstances. And now for the weather…"
Simon reached across and turned the radio off again. Glancing in Bernie's direction, he could see from the tight muscles on the side of her face that she was clenching her jaw.
"Well this is awkward" he said jokingly, but Bernie wasn't in the mood for jokes "suddenly I find myself in a car with a dangerous kidnapper"
"Shut up" she snarled. God she was seething. How could they think she could do something like this?
"Not to be approached under any circumstances… wow. What did you two argue about" he laughed.
Bernie, her patience well and truly worn thin, reached across and grabbed a fist full of Simons shirt and roughly pulled him across the hand brake to look her in the eye, all thoughts of crashing gone from her mind despite the squeaking from the wheels as Simon tried to right the steering. "I think I told you shut up, didn't I?" Real fear washed over Simons features this time, but Bernie's mind was too clouded to notice it. She vaguely registered his nod before gritting out through clenched teeth "Then I suggest you do so, Sir, before I remind you why you shouldn't have gotten into a confined space without backup" With that, she let him go and glared at the road stretching out before them.
Silence hung in the air for a while after that, a silence that allowed a livid Bernie to form her plan B. She'd probably have to kill someone but with the way her mind set was in that moment, she didn't give a damn. If she was caught she'd be dead anyway so she wouldn't have to worry for too long about the blood on her hands. However, her plan didn't involve getting caught. If she could help it, she was going to survive this. She was going to survive this and bring Serena back her neck lace and prove them all wrong.
Simon was right about one thing, being nice wasn't going to get her anywhere in this sick world he'd dragged her into, however, when this was all over she'd prove that love belonged in the world she'd come from. She'd prove it with everything that was in her by falling to her knees in front of Serena and beginning her lifelong worship at the feet of a goddess.