Serena had been sat with her mother for about an hour it was only when she felt Adrienne's hand move, that Serena realised her mother was waking up.
"Mum?" Serena whispered quietly, "Mum it's OK you've had an operation you're on Darwin."
Adrienne kept the breathing mask on and looked at Serena with confusion, Serena smiled comfortingly surprised by her reaction Adrienne squeezed her hand; the silence between them was not awkward it was comforting. Serena was pulled from her thoughts by a familiar touch.
"Here," Edward handed her a coffee he had one in his hand too, "Mo said we could use their coffee supply."
Serena looked at her mug she was convinced Edward had done that on purpose, "Very funny," she pointed to the image on the mug, it was obviously Johnny's mug because it had the flag of Scotland along with Scotland wrote on the bottom.
Edward realised what he had done, "I just picked them off the shelf," he said defending himself.
"Since Nurse Maconie is joining us for the week he might want his mug," Serena tapped the mug, "I'll take it down once I'm finished."
"I'm sure he won't mind a Highland Traitor drinking from it," Edward winked Serena glared.
"We best swap mugs then," Serena corrected him handing the mug to him, "I only took your surname."
"And never changed it back," he pushed the mug away, "Any reason why?" he asked curiously the glare he received told him to shut up.
"Because…" Adrienne whispered so faint, "She… never…stopped…loving…you."
Serena was shocked by her mother's assumption she wanted to give her the usual stare she did, but in her medical stare right now she didn't have the heart.
"I'm…not…blind…Rena," Adrienne whispered faintly since the chest drain, she was finding it easier to breathe the pressure was off her lungs. She still was having trouble but it felt a lot easier, "Who…do…I…have…to…thank?"
"Ms Naylor and Ms Effanga," Serena answered, "And I never said you were blind."
"No…but…you…are," Adrienne took a deep breath and closed her eyes Serena sighed heavily, "Mothers…know…best…you…know…that."
"Your breathing has improved," Edward suddenly noticed, "Must've been the fluid on the lungs."
Jac walked over her red hair still tied up in her usual bun for theatre, "Mrs McKinnie I see you're awake," Jac placed her stethoscope ear plugs in her ears to listen to the older woman's chest, "Your breathing is a lot better," Jac took the plugs out, "This could mean you don't need to be on the mask anymore."
"That's a bit too soon," Serena frowned at the red head, "Surely?"
"Serena," Edward said, "She knows what she's on about."
"Looking at the chest X-Ray that was taken before she went into ICU and then she went for one after she went out of theatre, " Jac handed Serena the two scans, "As you can see the fluid has lifted obviously the infection is there but your mother is improving the antibiotics are working," Jac looked at Adrienne's file.
"Sorry for questioning you earlier," Serena knew how much she hated it when people questioned her judgement, it was an infuriating feeling.
"I'm over it," Jac said still looking at the file she the closed it and placed it under her arm, "Now tell me to mind my own but… a big birdy told me that it's your birthday tomorrow."
"No it's not," Serena snapped Jac suddenly saw herself in the form of somebody else, "OK it is."
"But you don't do birthdays?" Jac asked Serena quickly turned her head to Edward, "He's said nothing…it was a lucky guess I don't do them either."
"Pointless occasions," Serena kept her glare on Edward convinced he had said something, but when he shrugged his shoulders and looked as confused as she did it clicked to her he knew nothing.
"Don't worry I've told Maconie to hold off the Ceilidhdancing," Jac saw horror in Serena's eyes, "Joking… though I wouldn't put it past him."
"Who else knows?" Serena asked.
"Chantelle is the birthday monitor," Jac remembered how annoying Donna Jackson was as the birthday monitor, though when she thought back the cake her and Maria had bought when was a nice thought, "Which means it's gone through the Holby grapevine."
"Fantastic," Serena sat back and sighed Jac smiled lightly, "What you smiling at?"
"I know even you can't say no to Chantelle Lane," Jac saw that Serena knew she was right, "Me I can but you… I know you can't."
"Have you tried saying no to her?" Serena asked Jac had to think, "Thought not."
"Still… if she has organized something it's a nice thought," Jac knew Chantelle had organised something it had been sent round all the emails apart from Serena's of course, "Annoying but nice."
"Yeah I must warn you if something is organized Johnny will use it as an excuse to get very drunk," Mo said after overhearing the conversation.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Jac asked herself.
"You've never seen legless have you?" Mo asked Jac who shook her head looking not bothered, "Might want to practice your Gaelic," Mo said tapping Jac's back.
"Why?" Jac asked.
"BBC Alba should do it," Mo walked off laughing Jac had a complete look of confusion on her face.
"I think she's trying to say he starts talking Gaelic," Serena could imagine that happening to Johnny.
"Do you know any?" Jac asked Serena laughed.
"I haven't had to speak it for well over nineteen years," Serena stood up to stretch her legs, "If I'm honest I haven't done any Scottish traditions since…"
Jac realised she had touched a nerve she changed the subject, "Anyway we can get the specialist from ICU to run tests and examine you but apart from that you are improving... medical miracle."
"That…makes…me…sound…very…old," Adrienne said Jac went red how had she managed to put her foot in it? Again?! Jac nodded and walked off going very red, "Oh…dear…have…I…upset…her?"
"No she's fine," Serena answered sighing heavily, "So much for no fuss."
"It's a nice thought Serena," Edward said Serena rolled her eyes, "And Jac's right even you couldn't say no to Chantelle."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Serena mutted Edward laughed to himself then he saw Johnny, "Why aren't you down on AAU?"
"I came for my," his eyes diverted down to his mug, "You stole my mug!"
Serena used her thumb to point to Edward, "No need toworry… I was going to bring it down," Serena said to Johnny who looked annoyed, "It's only a mug."
"I'm only joking don't you lot on Keller tell jokes?" Johnny asked Serena glared, "Judging by the look no… I'm only messing with you Ms Campbell."
"You should be working," Serena raised an eyebrow at him Johnny grabbed his mug and then stormed off back to AAU annoyed how she couldn't take a joke, "Well he's paid to work not to slack!"
"Calm down," Edward said carefully knowing he could easily snap at him, "OK he didn't mean it."
….
One hour later the ICU Consultant and Registrar came down to Darwin, "Hello," the consultant walked over to do some examinations and tests, "Your breathing has improved MrsMcKinnie in fact I think you don't need to be up in ICU anymore."
"That's….good," Adrienne said Serena felt relief spread over her it like a sudden gush of wind had just spread over there.
"That's great news," Edward said to Adrienne who held out her hand Edward looked confused but then she grabbed his hand.
"I'm… not…out…of…the…woods…yet," Adrienne said Edward knew that but she was improving, "I'm…still…riddled…with…Pneumonia."
"Mrs McKinnie you've survived major surgery," the consultant said, "And your breathing has majorly improved just remember that."
Jac walked over again, "So does that mean Mrs McKinnie is on Darwin?" Jac asked.
"I believe so," The consultant said Jac nodded and wrote her name up on the board.
"Thank you," Serena said to the two doctors, "Really thank you."
"No problem," the consultant nodded and walked away, "Of course it's not just us you need to thank."
Serena looked over to Jac, "Thank you."
"It's my job," Jac said then she looked at Adrienne, "Well I must say you're a tough patient… and I mean that as a compliment."
"I'm…sure…you…do," Adrienne said Jac smiled lightly, "Could…I…have…some…water?"
"Of course," Edward filed the cup up, "Here," Adrienne took the cup shakily, "Bet you wish you were back at ED? Lots of good looking doctors."
"Elliot will be on the night shift tonight," Jac said to Serena, "So you'll be in safe hands."
"Thank…you," Adrienne said Jac then walked away patting Serena's shoulder as she went.
Serena took her mum's hand, "You're getting better mum."
"You're a fighter," Edward said and Adrienne sighed, "You should be proud of yourself."
"Edward's right," Serena said she found it embarrassing he was right, "You should be proud."
Adrienne smiled at Serena, "Guess…what…day…it…is…tomorrow?"
"Oh not you too," Serena tilted her head down Adrienne looked at Edward, "Bet you any money they're planning something."
…
"So what kind of cake?" Chantelle asked everyone they had made their way to Keller.
"Chocolate no one can go wrong with chocolate," Johnny said banging his hand on the table as to say 'that's the decision made'.
"Does she like chocolate?" Malik asked.
"She's a woman what kind of woman doesn't like chocolate?" Johnny asked knowing far too well from Jac, "It's like their comfort blankets."
"More than that," Chantelle said, "It just makes you feel better especially when upset or during the you know."
"So chocolate it is then?" Michael asked everyone nodded, "Good maybe we can put some alcohol in there maybe she'll actually admit she still likes Satan."
Ric knowing what was going had to hold his tongue, "It's obvious she hates him," Malik added, "Come on have you seen the way they argue?"
"Like a married couple," Michael said everyone then laughed, "You can tell she still likes him… it's getting her to admit it."
"Get her very, very, drunk and lock them in a cupboard?" Malik suggested.
"Already tried the cupboard," Harry held his hands up in disappointment, "Didn't work."
"Look forget about reuniting them… we just need to concentrate on the surprise," Ric was getting a bit frustrated with the "reuniting" talk.
"OK so I buy the cake then in the morning when she arrives," Chantelle turned to Ric, "Mr Griffin can keep a look out and then page us all… then when she arrives we light the candlesand sing happy birthday."
"How cliché," Jac said, "She doesn't do birthdays."
"Exactly so we get her into the party mood," Johnny tapped the table.
"Shame she's not Irish else Mary-Claire could help her get her pride on," Harry joked earning him a glare off the red head Irish nurse, "What you've never seen Harry Potter? Where one of the twins say: 'Sounds like the Irish have got their pride on' and then the dad goes, 'Stop it's not the Irish?" He still received another glare, "That's stereotyping right there."
"Coming from the man who thought Cry Of The Celts was both Scottish and Irish?" Mary-Claire huffed, "And you're well educated?"
"Proves he was educated he got the Celtic part right," Gemma said laughing, "Just the wrong part… even Fin knows this stuff."
"Alright I made a mistake," Harry said bright red, "Happens to the best of us."
"How can you mistake Michael Flately?" Mary-Claire asked a little annoyed, "Arghh."
"I trained to be a doctor not a genius on Irish culture," Harry said getting a little annoyed at Mary-Claire now.
"Getting off track," Mo clicked her fingers, "So like Chantelle was saying…" Mo signalled for her to carry on.
"That's all I had to say," Chantelle said, "I'm sure Harry didn't mean to upset you Mary-Claire," Chantelle said a bit concerned for how Mary-Claire reacted.
…
The antibiotics had made Adrienne feel sleepy she had fallen asleep, "Maybe we should go back down to AAU, the nurses will page us if anything goes wrong," Edward suggested Serena made sure her mother was comfy and then left Darwin, "Not that anything will go wrong."
They both took the lift Serena stayed quiet feeling quite worn out from everything, "I really am getting old."
"No you're not," Edward said complimenting her Serenafrowned, "It's been a long morning Serena."
"Yeah, yeah," the lift opened and they stepped out to a busy ward everyone had resumed their positions before the birthday meeting. Mo and Jac had managed to sneak back up to Darwin and Johnny was trailing Michael again, "Something's not right."
"How?" Edward asked confused.
"It's running too well," Serena was suspicious of the behaviour of her colleagues.
"Sort of like St Georges," Edward observed, "What's wrong with that?"
"This is Holby City," Serena said walking into the middle of the ward, "Dr Tressler how is your assessment coming along?"
"Very well Ms Campbell," Harry answered whilst observing his patient, "I was just about to print it off."
Serena turned her head around to Edward, "See?" she mouthed Edward shrugged then she moved onto Gemma and Mary-Claire, Mary-Claire still looked annoyed, "What are you two doing?" she asked.
"Finding ways to annoy Harry," Mary-Claire said out loud, "I mean I am sorting out patient files."
"Of course," Serena looked confused why was everyoneworking so hard, "Have you said something?" Serena asked Edward he shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, "I'm going to do paperwork."
"OK shall I make you a coffee or something?" Edward offered.
"No I'm OK," Serena answered with a small smile upon her face one that Edward has missed all those years.
"OK," Edward tapped her nose and walked into the kitchen, Serena walked into her office to catch up on her morning lost of paperwork.
A/N: Random chapter I'm doing media at A-level and we've been learning about stereotypes especially Irish and Scottish hence why I have Harry being stereotypical he seems the type to do that. I will get onto the birthday surprise I just like to keep you guys waiting ;) leave me a review! xx