Raf was on his break, trying to find the toy that Theo wanted for Christmas, it had to be exactly the right one apparently. An email flashed up on his laptop. It was from Bernie so he thought it might be important. By the time he'd clicked on it he had another four in his inbox, they must have been sent together.
"Serena. My love,
I'm a fool"
What? He chuckled, thoroughly confused. Why had the whole AAU team been sent an email that was only addressed to Serena? He set back to the ward in search of Bernie to explain.

"Have you guys seen Bernie?" he asked Morven and Fletch who were stood at the nurses station.
"She's in theatre mate, her and Ms Campbell just went in about half an hour ago"
"That's strange" he instructed Morven to check her emails and there they were. Five emails, sent not a minute ago.
She began to read the first one out loud "I'm a fool. I'm sorry for leaving you like this" The three exchanged a look before continuing.
"It's who I am, I turn away the people I adore. Please forgive me, I don't know what I would do without you.
Yours, forever
Bernie"
Morven couldn't suppress the giggle rising up her throat and joined Fletch in his laughter. Raf tried to be the mature adult here but found himself getting sucked in to the gossip opportunity of reading emails they were clearly not supposed to see. Fletch began to read the next one.

"Serena,
Its cold over here in Ukraine without you. I know you will hate me now but I can't help it, I think about you every night. Not like that! Well, maybe sometimes like that-"
"Eurgh!" Morven scrunched up her nose at the thought of Bernie doing, that.
"Move along! Move along!" Fletch rolled his eyes before obeying and opening the third, and the fourth. They were treated to the story of a very sorry, and very soppy, Bernie, moping about in Ukraine and thinking of Serena, writing about how deeply she felt for her and how the look in her eyes when she smiled and the sound of her laugh made Bernie's heart leap and-
"Oh my god" Was all Morven could say when they reached the end.
"But if Bernie's in theatre..." Raf started.
"Who sent to emails?" Fletch finished for him. The men stood perplexed. Morven reminded them that Bernie would be out of theatre soon so they could find out then.
"If we can keep a straight face" Raf giggled, effectively refusing having to be the one to approach her.

They were out of theatre after twenty minutes. Morven tried to grab Bernie as soon as she could, to get it over with.
"Ms Wolfe- I, um" She couldn't meet her eyes, shuffling in her trainers, she could feel a blush creeping up her cheeks.
"I think about you every night. Not like that! Well, maybe sometimes like that"
"Dr Digby?" Bernie looked genuinely concerned, wondering what had gotten Morven in to such a state.
"Nothing! It- it doesn't matter" she turned and fled back to Raf and Fletch.
"Oh um okay"

"I can't do it, we'll have to wait until one of them checks their emails" The two men didn't protest at her suggestion, not wanting to have to reveal to Bernie that they'd read her most personal thoughts.
Another hour passes, an hour of stifled giggling and not being able to make eye contact, with either of them. Finally the two consultants entered their office and left the ward to breathe steadily again.

They both perched in their seats, Serena sighed as she opened her email folder. 20 unread emails. She had thought she'd be spared this after giving up the deputy CEO position. Apparently she was wrong. New nursing rotas, petitions for donations to the creche, something about a new proposal from Ric, five emails from Bernie. Wait what?
She glanced over at the woman at the desk across from her. They hadn't spoken properly since she returned from Ukraine. Serena was trying to pretend she hadn't a care in the world about the matter. Theatre was the only time they had cooperated with each other and that was only so they didn't end up chopping each other's fingers off. So then why had she sent her five emails? at once? The first one told her that these were definitely not written by Bernie. They were too emotional, and sounded like they were straight out of a gossip magazine. That however, didn't stop her from reading on.

"I think about you every night. Not like that! Well, maybe sometimes like that"
Serena had to suppress and gasp as she glanced again and the woman opposite her, oblivious to what Serena was reading.
In the end she couldn't help but laugh out loud at some of the things written in this email thread. Bernie raised her head from her paperwork and have Serena an inquisitive look.
"I think you'd better come and see this" Serena showed her the emails and Bernie instantly hardened, her whole stance became more rigid and her face was held as neutral as she could manage. She was clearly not finding them as funny as Serena had. They were frozen in a sort of trance, Serena didn't know what to do to, why Bernie had gotten so mad about emails that she clearly hadn't written. The computer pinged again, Serena's finger involuntarily clicked it open. She didn't know but she assumed Bernie was reading over her shoulder.

"I love you Serena. I'm in love with you. You make me feel different, happier, braver, and safer than I have ever felt in my life. Your smile could light up an entire solar system, your laugh gives me a lump in my throat and a strange glow in my stomach. You are the most kind, forgiving, funny woman I have ever met and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for hurting you. I know this will never be enough, I'll never be enough for you, but I hope it's start to erasing the hurt I caused you.
Yours,
Bernie"

Serena was shocked. This one was a lot more sincere, more serious, more...
"You wrote this one didn't you?"
"Um-" Bernie broke out of her trance and smiled uncomfortably at Serena. "I-"
Serena wasn't letting her get out of this one, she stared Bernie into the ground,along sure she couldn't leave before she'd answered the question.
"Yes" She remembered her conversation earlier with Dom on the roof.
The silence was palpable.
"And I think I know who wrote the others"