Work Text:
“I wish you didn’t have to go.”
Bernie paused, one hand grasping an old RAMC t-shirt, a well-worn souvenir from a charity run the regiment had held for a children’s hospital back in Kandahar, the other propping the suitcase open. “You were the one who suggested I should in the first place.” The cover of the case fell shut as she let go, before crossing the bedroom towards her wife.
Serena picked the thick cream envelope up from the bedside table with Bernie’s name and AAU’s address printed on the front. An audible sigh accompanied the crinkle of bed linen as she lowered herself onto the edge of the mattress. “It wouldn’t have been right for you to miss the event. Not when you were responsible for helping set up the unit in the first place.”
“Sure you don’t want to come along? Kiev’s lovely this time of year.” Bernie’s voice rose, more in hope rather than expectation. They had had this conversation before and she, as co-lead of the ward, knew better than anyone else that it was impossible for both of them to be away at the same time. Not with the reinstatement of the trauma bay this near to completion.
Serena answered with the expected eye roll which she immediately softened with an indulgent smile.
“Three whole days away from the madhouse. It’ll be like a mini holiday.” Her words teased but Bernie saw how much Serena would be missing her by the shimmer in her eyes.
“Don’t pretend you won’t be glad to have me out of your hair for a few days.” She kept the tone light, determined not to let tears mar the precious half hour they had left before Serena had to leave for work.
They had been together long enough to read each other’s unspoken thoughts. Endured so many absences in the past that it seemed silly that the notion of a mere three days apart was threatening moisture in the corners of her eyes.
“Oh shush.” Serena smiled and patted the mattress. Bernie lowered herself down and turned to look at her, their thighs touching. “Of course I’ll miss you.” The words tickled the lobe of Bernie’s ear as a soft kiss landed on the angle of her jaw. A shiver skittered down her spine and Serena moved along her cheek, skimming lightly before finally closing in on Bernie’s mouth. Serena parted her lips, drawing a hum from Bernie’s throat. The blonde twisted round, responding eagerly, pressing their torsos together. The kiss was gentle, unhurried, mapping familiar contours before Serena finally pulled away, slightly breathless. “I’m sure I can think of some way for you to make it up to me.”
Bernie nodded in agreement and surged forward for another kiss, propping a hand on the bed next to Serena to steady herself. “I thought I was about to do that,” she murmured against a corner of her mouth.
“As much as I like where your mind is going, we haven’t got time. I need to be at work, remember?” Serena nudged gently, pushing herself upright.
Bernie ignored her protest. She planted another kiss to silence her and started working her way down under her chin until she reached the soft flesh and tendons of Serena’s neck. “They won’t mind you being late just this once.” She sucked on warm flesh, earning a moan of appreciation in response. “I’m intimately acquainted with the boss and I’m sure I can persuade her.”
Serena wasn’t sure how she managed but she somehow was able to form the next sentence before Bernie pressed her down onto the bed. “I have no doubt darling, but your plane won’t wait.”
Something clicked in Bernie’s head and she finally stopped with a frustrated groan. They pulled apart but not before Serena leaned in for another kiss, rubbing their noses together. “Three days,” she whispered.
Bernie nodded, sighing.
“Three days,” Serena repeated before lowering her voice to that particular tone which never failed to ignite a familiar heat of arousal. “And then we can take all the time in the world.”
It was enough to make Bernie consider, just for a moment, how much trouble it would really cause if she skived off the trip.
Serena straightened up first, patting down her top and smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles on her trousers. The RAMC shirt was discarded in a crumpled heap on the bed and Serena gave it a considered look before picking it up. She scrunched it up and breathed in the scent, a unique mixture of Bernie and Febreze. “I’ll make do with this. For now.”
* * * * *
Please leave a message after the tone.
Bernie waited for the beep before speaking.
“Hey you.” She smiled out of habit. “I’m guessing you’re in theatre with the graft repair. There’s been a delay so they’re just about to board us now. You should be finished by the time I land so speak to you then.” Bernie paused before ending the call. “Love you.”
She pushed herself out of the hard plastic seat, wincing a little as she shook off the past three hours worth of stiffness in her joints. It wasn’t designed for comfort as Bernie’s back was discovering, first hand. She heaved her laptop bag onto her shoulder before reaching down to pull up the handle of her carry-on. A queue was starting to form in front of the gate and she joined the end of it. The flight wasn’t long - three and a half hours - and then a hotel room, a shower or possibly a soak in the bath, and maybe a quick Face Time call before bed.
* * * * *
Serena let out a huge breath, her body relaxing for the first time in the day so far. She rolled her shoulder as she shucked her surgical gown, pulling off the latex gloves at the same time. It had been a long day. The scheduled graft repair was barely done when Fletch’s voice drifted through the intercom announcing the imminent arrival of their next batch of patients, courtesy of a three car pile-up on the M32. There was a flurry of activity when they arrived. Serena grimaced, recalling how bad the initial prognosis was. Both men had needed urgent treatment. Something they could have had if the trauma bay was up and running.
One week.
Her lips twitched upwards in a smile. Yes, it had taken nearly two weeks to put together a proposal to reinstate the trauma unit in AAU, but it had all been worth it. Her smile widened when she remembered the way Bernie had looked as she delivered the passionate argument to the board to support her case. Her eyes, peeking from behind that untameable fringe, full of fire. That voice radiating quiet authority. It didn’t take much imagination to picture that same steady tone whispering endearments with one breath before making filthy promises, lips hot and wet against her skin, with the next.
Oh yes.
Serena closed her eyes for a moment, relishing the image. Her eyelids fluttered open seconds later, her face and neck tingling and flushed. Serena raised a hand to her cheek instinctively as she straightened herself. The friction of her scrubs against the growing heat between her inner thighs was distracting enough that it took several deep breaths before she remembered that she was standing in the middle of the scrub room fantasizing about her wife.
Just two days till Bernie was home again. Serena glanced at the clock on the wall, working out the time difference in her head and smiled. Eleven o’clock in Ukraine wouldn’t be too late for a call and she would just about manage if she left straightaway.
* * * * *
Bernie stirred with a soft grunt, shifting onto her side. For all the years in the Army, she had always found it difficult to get a decent first night’s sleep in an unfamiliar bed. She shifted and blinked. The room was dark, the heavy curtains were drawn shut from the night before. It felt early but there was only one way to be sure. It took a bit of fumbling about but she found her phone on where she had left it, on the duvet next to her right arm.
She remembered now, practically falling into bed the moment she entered the room the night before. The notification on her phone had shown a missed call from Serena - she must have called while Bernie was at dinner. They hadn’t had a chance to speak earlier, when Bernie arrived. In fact, she barely had enough time to type a quick message to say she’d arrived safely on her way down to the lobby after dumping her bags in the room. The hospital had sent a car for her on arrival and the delay meant that she had been whisked away after checking in, for dinner with the board. It was late by the time it was all done and as much as she was tempted to, she decided on a text message rather than a call to say she was back in her room and getting ready for bed. Bernie had fallen asleep holding on to her phone, just in case Serena messaged or called back.
She lifted the phone and tapped on the screen, squinting at the brightness as it lit. It was just past half six, definitely early even by her standards. A swipe of her thumb revealed she had several emails and a missed call and a voicemail from Serena waiting. Bernie frowned, wondering how she managed to sleep through the phone ringing when she realised that it was on silent. She stared at the time stamp on the call and frowned. Why was Serena calling at two in the morning?
Trepidation shook off any remnant of sleep and she jabbed the button to play the voicemail instantly. Serena’s voice started speaking after the usual automated announcement.
“Before you panic, there isn’t anything wrong. I would have called earlier but it’s been non-stop the whole day. I know it’s the the middle of the night and it sounds silly but...” The was a pause, her voice growing a little smaller as she continued, “I don’t sleep well when you’re not here. Just in case we don’t get to speak in the morning, I miss you, darling. Speak to you later, ‘kay? Love you.”
Bernie smiled, as she put the phone down. She checked the time again, the idea of returning the call crossing briefly in her mind. She shook her head. It was half four Holby and Serena had to be up in a few hours for a long day at work. Her wife needed all the sleep she could get for the busy day ahead. Her fingers tapped out a short message before hitting send.
Miss you too. I’ll try and call later. xxx B
She pressed her head back into the pillow, shifting to find a comfortable position. Another hour’s worth of sleep might be a good idea, considering the busy itinerary for the day ahead. Bernie shut her eyes and willed her body to relax. A thought drifted through her head as she pulled the duvet up over her shoulder. Serena wasn’t the only one who couldn’t sleep well on her own.
* * * * *
“Nice top, Ms Campbell. Is it new?” Fletch remarked.
Serena took a sip of her coffee and flashed him a smile. “Thank you and yes, it is.”
“Hot fuschia is definitely your colour.” He nodded assuredly.
“I wouldn’t have taken you for a fashion guru, Mr Fletcher,” she answered, surprised.
He chuckled and shook his head. “No. But I can tell when you’re in a good mood,” he continued, leaning up against the frame of the door to the office. “I’d go as far as to say I’ve never seen you looking more chipper.”
“Oh?”
Fletch grinned. “Positively radiant.”
“Okay, out with it. What are you after?” Serena leaned back into her chair, smiling, an arched expression on her face.
“This.” He sighed, lifting up the folder he was holding before handing it over to Serena.
Serena scanned the page quickly before raising her eyes in concern. “Sounds like the liver laceration is rebleeding. We need to get him back into theatre immediately.”
Fletch dipped his head in assent. “I know you need to be away by five to make it to the airport for Bernie but there isn’t anyone else. Unless you want me to page Mr Di Lucca…” he trailed off.
Serena shook her head. Raf needed and definitely earned his day off from work after the fourteen hours he had put in the day before. “Tell theatre to get prepped. I might still make it on time if we get him in straight away.”
Relief flooded Fletch’s face and he gave her a mock salute before turning round to head for the nurses’ station.
Serena pulled herself out of the chair, glancing at the clock as she did. Two hours should be plenty of time to do the repair. With any luck, she might even have time for a quick bite before heading out. A slow smile formed on her face, the thought of seeing Bernie after almost three whole days of nothing but voicemails and text messages filled her with a frisson of excitement. Nothing, not even unexpected emergency surgery was going to ruin the rest of her day.
* * * * *
It was her last day in Kiev and the ceremonies had ended in a gala dinner with no expenses spared. Bernie was sure her cheeks would ache for days now after the amount of smiling she had done the night before. A quick look round the hotel room reassured her that she hadn’t missed anything while packing her suitcase.
She checked her phone. Nothing from Serena but it wasn’t unexpected. She remembered Serena’s words from that earlier message about it being non-stop and it wouldn’t have helped that she’d been away and they were a surgeon down. Her finger lingered for a moment over Serena’s name on the screen before pressing it. Bernie lifted the phone to ear as she pulled the door shut behind her. The rhythmic tones rang out before the usual message played.
“Hi you, it’s me.” Bernie smiled before continuing, “The car’s here and I’m on my way to the airport. I’ve checked and the flight should leave on time, so, see you in five hours or so.” She lowered her voice to a murmur, “I miss you so much. See you soon.”
* * * * *
Serena heaved a huge sigh of relief as they wheeled the gurney out of the theatre. What was supposed to be a fairly simple repair of a liver laceration turned into two and a half hours worth of plugging off a series of leaks as they struggled to regain control. It was hard work but they had won, for now, at least. She made a mental note to check on the patient in the morning, confident that the the close obs he’d be receiving in the ITU would be sufficient till then.
A quick time check confirmed that she had just about enough time to make it to the airport if traffic was kind. The gown and gloves were deposited into the usual bin and she was midway through pulling the leopard print scrub cap off when she pushed through the theatre doors. Serena paused at the sight of a familiar but unexpected figure standing straight, arms behind his back, just outside the entrance.
As if he was waiting for her.
“Ms Campbell.”
“What can I do for you, Mr Hanssen?”
Hanssen shifted a fraction and cleared his throat before replying. “Perhaps we should speak in your office.”
Serena narrowed her eyes, confused. “I’m in a bit of a hurry just now. Can this wait?”
He shook his head and the look on his face was disturbingly ominous. Serena had only seen it once before, outside these very theatre doors when Morven found out about…
“What’s happened?”
He wavered but there was no denying the gravity of his tone when he finally spoke. “There has been an incident and Boryspil airport is closed until further notice.”
“What kind of an incident?” Serena took a step forward, her voice wavering.
Hanssen drew a breath before continuing. “A small explosive device went off on the airport concourse. They think it was planted by a local terror group and everything is in shutdown until the authorities perform a full investigation.”
Her next words stuck in her throat for a moment before coming out in a whisper. “Bernie? Has anyone heard from Bernie?”
“I spoke to the organizers and they confirmed the car dropped her off at the airport just before the attack but there has not been any further news.”
Her hand flew up to her neck, reaching to touch her ring, only to find bare skin. She squeezed her eyes shut and sighed. Of course she had removed it earlier when she scrubbed in for surgery. It was as if everything that was holding her world upright gave way and, in an instant, the room started swaying and she staggered, her legs losing purchase against the spinning floor.
“Ms Campbell.” Henrik’s voice was firm and Serena clutched onto it like a lifeline. “Perhaps we should adjourn to your office and check to see if Ms Wolfe has been in touch?”
Serena nodded, the initial wave of panic receding as her surgeon’s head took over. They covered the short distance quickly and Serena reached for her phone as soon as she was within grasping distance. Her eyes darted down the list of notifications as the screen came to life. There were missed calls, text messages from Elinor, Cam, Charlotte, Raf, all variations on the same theme.
Have you seen the news?
Has mum called?
Are you okay?
She swiped impatiently past the initial screen, searching for what she was hoping to find.
Nothing.
Serena groaned, and checked her missed calls again and message thread with Bernie, hoping that it was something other than the last message from the night before.
How much trouble would I be in if I snuck away from this lot and called you on FaceTime instead?
B x
She scrolled through the rest of her messages and reached the last one. It was from Jason and it contained a link and a simple line of text.
The world can go round :)
She clicked on the link and a video popped up on her screen. It was a clip from a news report of the attack. Her brow furrowed as she watched the moving images of distressed, shell-shocked witnesses being interviewed, interspersed with shots of the airport and the rescue efforts. Jason’s message didn’t make any sense until near the end of the video. It was Bernie, bent over an injured man slumped against a wall, a paramedic by her side. There wasn’t any audio but Serena knew from her expression and the movement of her lips that she was giving instructions for what she wanted done for her impromptu patient.
She stared, a sound halfway between a laugh and a sob escaping her lips.
“Ms Campbell?” Hanssen leaned forward with a frown of concern.
Serena looked up and managed a shaky smile. She handed her phone over, falling back into her chair, her body shaking with relief.
Henrik scrutinised the video before straightening himself and nodding, the barest hint of a smile gracing the corner of his mouth.
“I will let the rest of the staff know that Ms Wolfe is safe.”
* * * * *
Bernie stretched and sighed in relief as her stiffened joints cracked, releasing the tension. She shrugged off the blood spattered surgical gown and dropped it into the nearest bin. That was the last of the badly injured and they had just about managed to keep him alive. Three other patients had needed emergency surgery and every single one pulled through, thanks to the quality of trauma facilities available.
“Excellent work as always, Ms Wolfe,” a voice piped up next to her as she rummaged through the pocket of her scrub top, quickly finding the ring she’d removed earlier.
Bernie smiled at the young woman, still clad in a gown and scrub cap. She slipped the gold band back onto her ring finger before answering. “You and your team did most of it. I was just in the right place at the time.”
The brunette smiled and shook her head. “You are far too modest, Bernie. But I won’t argue if you let me buy you a drink instead.”
Bernie shook her head. “Thank you but no. It’s been quite a day I’ve a phone call to make before turning in.”
“Ah yes. You shouldn’t keep Mrs Wolfe waiting.”
A loud honk of laughter punctuated Bernie’s response. “She prefers Ms Campbell. But no, I definitely shouldn’t keep her waiting.”
* * * * *
Serena turned, rearranging her pillow for what seemed to be the dozenth time, trying to find a comfortable position. She closed her eyes and waited for sleep to take over. It was a lost cause right from the start. As illogical as it sounded, it wasn’t likely that she would get any decent sleep until Bernie was home again. Bernie had finally texted, soon after she received Jason’s link - a short note saying she was okay and would call as soon as she was out of theatre - and Serena felt the weight of the world lifted off her shoulders in that one simple sentence. She knew she should try and get some rest and had squeezed her eyes shut when a sharp trill broke the silence.
Her hand groped for the phone on the bedside table and read the message it displayed.
Are you still awake?
She tapped on the screen and selected the option to return a call to the number. There was gap of silence before a ringing tone played through the earpiece. It stopped moments later as the call was picked up.
“Hello stranger,” Bernie greeted, her voice tired but happy.
“Hello yourself.” Serena smiled
“Did I wake you?”
“No.”
“Can’t sleep?” Bernie asked.
“You’re not here,” Serena murmured.
A soft chuckle drifted from the other end of the line and Serena’s heart clenched at the sound of it reminding her of how much she was missing her wife.
“You’d better try, darling. I’m not sure how soon I’ll be home. I don’t think they’re reopening the airport anytime soon.
“I know.”
They shared a moment of silence before Serena sighed. Bernie could hear the rustle of the duvet shifted. The knots of tension in those two syllables reflected how restless Serena was. She paused, shifting to her side on the bed and pulling the phone a little closer to her mouth, contemplating her next words carefully.
“Do you remember the last time I came home from Kiev?” She could hear the pause in Serena’s breathing at the non sequitur and continued. “I was so nervous, not knowing how you would react when I walked into the ward.”
“Not half as nervous as I was,” Serena answered fondly. “Jason was right about the blouse and the makeup but I wanted to make an effort.”
Bernie’s answer was instant. “You were perfect.”
“Always the charmer. Silver-tongued Wolfe.” Serena closed her eyes and smiled.
Bernie lowered her voice. “Well, yes. But not until much later. Remember?”
A familiar thrill ran down Serena’s spine as she replied, “Perhaps. It’s been a while.” It quickly intensified into a ball of heat and her heartbeat quickened. Any idea of sleep all but evaporated. She reached out for Bernie’s t-shirt lying on the pillow next to her and buried her face into it, breathing in the lingering scent.
“Would you like me to remind you?” The question was barely whispered but Serena felt it reverberating in every one of her nerve endings. She made a sound halfway between a gasp and a hum of assent, a hand snaking towards to the hem of her pyjama top in anticipation.
“I can’t tell if that a yes or a no.” Bernie’s voice was soft velvet as she teased.
“Berenice Wolfe,” Serena uttered, a mixture of frustration and arousal, her impatience pulling a fresh rumble of laughter from across the miles.
The laughter faded and Bernie’s voice thickened. “All right then, darling.” Her words transformed instantly into an almost tangible touch, an intimate caress across Serena’s cheek, a hand skimming gently along her belly. “Just close your eyes and let me take care of you.”
* * * * *
The next two days passed in a series of surgeries, meetings, and a flurry of activity while various bodies in suits and hardhats drifted in and out assessing the finishing touches before the imminent opening of the trauma bay. There was no imminent sign of travel out of Kiev whilst investigations were still in full swing and Bernie had decided that the best use of her time was to help out at the hospital. They were naturally delighted for the offer and Serena knew that Bernie would rather be working than sitting in a hotel room being bored. The only downside was that they have had only several brief moments of contact a day between Bernie’s shifts and the long hours she had been spending at AAU.
Serena heaved a relieved sigh as scrawled her signature on the bottom of the page before dropping the final folder onto the pile in her out tray.
“Ms Campbell.”
Serena lifted her head and met the impassive gaze of Henrik Hanssen staring back at her.
“What can I do for you Mr Hanssen?”
He took another step into the office before answering. “You’ve been here since seven.”
“There’s so much that still needs done. The last of the supplies are just being delivered and IT are still-”
An upheld hand stopped her, Hanssen cutting in smoothly. “Yes, there is still a lot to be done but you have been putting in twelve hour shifts over the past week without a break. An early finish is merited, I think.”
“But-” Serena found herself cut off again.
“I will supervise the rest of the work.” He reached a hand out towards Serena. “And I will ensure that everything on your checklist is achieved on schedule.”
Serena contemplated arguing but Hanssen was right. She gathered the papers she was working on into a pile and handed it over with a grateful smile. “Thank you, Henrik.”
“Now go home.” He checked his watch, the very corner of his lips turning upwards almost imperceptibly. “I’m sure Ms Wolfe will have finished for the day and looking forward to speaking to you.”
* * * * *
You have reached the voicemail for-
Serena jabbed the red button and dropped the phone onto her lap with a frustrated sigh. She had been calling and texting for the past two hours without any luck. Bernie must still be at the hospital.
She took a large sip of her wine and shifted in her seat. Perhaps it was the wine, or sheer fatigue, but her entire body felt heavy and that small movement took more effort than it should have. She yawned and set her drink back down on the arm of the sofa. This, she supposed, was her body’s way of telling her how tired it was now that all the tension and adrenaline had seeped away.
The phone on her lap told her it was still early, not even six, but she yawned again. She could take a short nap and then try calling Bernie again a little later. Serena winced as she pushed her back off the armchair. As comfortable as the armchair was, the bed would be a better option for not waking up in an awkward tangle. The stiffness in her back protested her next movement but she finally made it up onto her feet.
Serena checked her phone one more time for any response from her wife on her way up the stairs. There was still none. Shedding her work clothes, she picked up the first available top she saw, slipping it over her head. Her eyelids closed the moment her head hit the pillow.
Half an hour, she thought to herself. Then she would try and call Bernie again.
* * * * *
“Thanks,” Bernie said as they pulled to a stop. She glanced at the screen and pulled out the corresponding amount from her purse, handing it across the glass partition. “I won’t need the change from that.”
Two minutes later she was standing on the pavement, staring at the sight before her.
Home.
She smiled when she saw Serena’s car parked in its usual spot next to hers and walked briskly up to the front door. It wasn’t late, just a little before ten, but she nudged the door open gently and placed her case by the coat rack. The hallway was dark and empty. A quick look told her that the other rooms were similarly unoccupied. Bernie toed off her shoes, shrugging off her coat at the same time before making her way up the stairs towards their bedroom.
The room was dark but for the soft glow escaping from the ensuite. Bernie stopped at the doorway, her eyes drawn to the figure on the bed. She hadn’t had time to stop and think about it in the past week but seeing Serena curled up on her side, hair mussed up and sticking out in every odd direction was a sight for sore eyes. Bernie was barely able to stop herself from smiling indulgently when she realized that Serena was wearing her shirt. It was a neat fit and had ridden up along her torso, exposing a delicious swath of skin.
Bernie treaded the two steps it took to reach the bed. The mattress dipped as she sat down. Her hand reached out, brushing her thumb gently across Serena’s cheek, pausing only when her wife stirred. Serena blinked, still bleary-eyed with sleep.“You’re home. Or is this just a very pleasant dream?”
Serena found herself being nudged towards the centre of the bed as Bernie climbed in and pulled her into a hug. “It’s a dream. The best kind.”
Serena smiled and pulled the familiar body in closer. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”
“I’ve missed you,” Bernie said softly, shifting slightly so that Serena’s head was nestled on her chest.
As much as she was grateful for it, she had to ask the obvious question. “I thought the airport was still shut?”
“It is.”
“Then how-”
“One of my patients was a general at the nearby military base. When he heard that I was stranded, he offered me a lift on a transport that was heading this way.”
“Just like that?” Serena arched an eyebrow, somewhat sceptical.
Bernie grinned, her head wavered before she answered. “There might have been a few bottles of vodka involved but, yes.” She caught the look in Serena’s eyes and her voice softened. “Anything to be here. Home.”
Serena’s view transformed in an instant. One second she was staring up at that perfect face, those soft, brown, tired eyes and the next her world blurred over in a shimmer and all the worry and longing from the past week broke loose. Bernie held her tight as her body heaved, sobs and sniffles punctuating the motion until they finally stuttered to a stop. Serena buried her face in Bernie’s shirt and made a vague sound that resembled the word sorry.
Bernie kissed the crown of her head and murmured. “I love you even if you are silly sometimes. What are you sorry for?”
Serena pulled away from Bernie’s chest and wiped her nose on her shirt one last time. She turned and mumbled, “When I saw Henrik waiting for me outside theatre with that look on his face, I thought he was going to tell me I’d lost you. Again.”
Their eyes met and Bernie planted another kiss, this time on Serena’s temple. “I’m not going anywhere.” She threaded her fingers through the soft strands framing the lobe of an ear. Serena hummed as Bernie’s touch danced across her scalp, the weight of uncertainty finally dispelled.
“It’s nice when you do that.”
Bernie pressed her hips closer, nudging a leg between Serena’s thighs, folding them into a tight embrace, humming in agreement. “I’m not arguing with you.”
There was a long silence as they relished in the quiet and comfort of being in each other’s arms.
“Serena?” Bernie finally spoke.
Serena replied sleepily. “Yes?”
“How much trouble would we get into if we spent the day in bed instead of going in to work tomorrow?
Bernie felt Serena shift, still keeping their bodies flush, and felt a kiss land on her chin. “We’ll square it up with Hanssen later.”