Chapter Text
“What is this I hear about a new consult to AAU?” Serena Campbell furrows her brow as she speaks to her friend and close colleague, Ric Griffin. “I’m the bloody Medical Director. I get the feeling you and Henrik are intentionally being pensive about the information.” She sighs, “Besides, I don’t really understand why-”
“We’re doing it as a favor to you, Serena.” Ric tries his best not to roll his eyes. He pays the woman at the counter for his coffee, as well as paying for his friend’s as well. “How is Bernie?” After his meeting with Henrik Hanssen on the first day of the woman's return, he had been on holiday.
“Her injuries were a bit more serious than originally thought. Broken hip, for one. Which...I’m never going to let her forget.” Serena smirks a bit to herself, “Henrik and the guys over at Ortho did a fantastic job. We’re still trying to get the intestinal bacteria under control, as well as her fever.” She shakes her head, “It’s only been a week, but it feels like it’s been so much longer.” Taking a sip of her coffee, she watches as her friend fixes his to his own specifications. “You’re skirting around the initial question, Mr. Griffin. How is it a favor to me?”
“Well, with your position of Medical Director, your time is best served in multiple places at once. Yes, I’m aware that you enjoy the surgery aspect of working on AAU, but you still need to have eyes everywhere. It isn’t ripping your job from you, you’re still my co-lead. It’s merely lightening the load.” Ric reasons with his friend as they stroll over and step onto the elevator.
“Obviously trained in general surgery. Does this individual have any other specialties?”
“Former an ED consultant at another hospital. They’ve had some Trauma training as well. Which, as you know, would be a great asset to have back in our ward.” Ric answers honestly, “it took quite the amount of pleading and a few spread sheets for Henrik to agree to it, but I think he secretly was on my side at the start.”
They continue in idle chit chat for the rest of the way, glancing to the usually vacant office across the way from theirs, on the opposite side of the nurses’ station. Serena raises an interested eyebrow. “Female?”
Ric hums approvingly, “is there a problem with-”
“Oh, no. Absolutely not. Quite the opposite.” Serena begins to smile. She settles herself, hanging her jacket and carrying her coffee with her. “I’ll go introduce myself.”
“Good idea.” Ric gives a smirk, one of the smirks she knows all too well. Like he’s being clever and knows something else, because he does. He loves knowing things she doesn't because he knows it drives her crazy.
Serena hates it when he gives that smirk. She also isn’t a big fan of secrets. Not in her ward, and not with her staff. Secrets cause headaches and, usually, paperwork once it gets spread to the rest of the hospital as gossip. No, she isn’t fond of them. She pauses at the nurses station, leaning over a bit to speak to the head nurse for the ward, “Anything on the new hire?” She turns, her elbow leaning against the desktop as she watches the back of the woman who has since exited the office and made her way over to a patient.
"Rather statuesque, if I do say so myself." Donna offers, watching the consult over the desk, "but it's been a calm couple of hours. Xav isn't the least bit thrilled, but he hasn't said anything to me just yet...I can just tell."
That's actually a really great way to describe the woman's figure. Tall and thin, she takes care of herself...or at least she looks like it. Effortless. Serena glances to the room containing her partner, just behind the desk. Yes, this young woman's figure reminds her of Bernie's. Strange. Finally mustering up the courage, Serena steps over toward the woman.
"By the sound of that gait and the looming presence over my shoulder," Charlotte Wolfe turns around from her patient, making a few notes within the confines of the binder in her hands. "Serena, I was wondering if you were ever going to show." She slides the binder into the basket at the end of the bed, giving her a teasing look.
"Charlie...you're the new consultant?" Serena is pleasantly surprised. "You never said a word." The corner of her mouth turns up and wraps a proud arm around the young woman.
"Well, half the time I never even mention what I do as a career, so it wouldn't necessarily come up in natural conversation." Charlotte shakes her head a little, "besides, Mr. Griffin said it would be more fun if I didn't say anything at all and I'm inclined to agree with him."
"Third in charge of the department on your first day..." She takes a look around the room, “and one of the youngest, aren’t you...” It wasn’t so much a question for Serena, just an observation. “Are you comfortable with that?”
“Should I not be?” Charlie raises an eyebrow.
“Oh, darling. I apologize. Of course you shouldn’t be bothered about it one way or another. I just...know how some of the doctors can be around here. F1s and...” Serena pauses, thinking of Donna’s insinuations about her boyfriend. “I just want your first day to be a positive experience for you.”
Charlotte nods a little, motioning toward the room behind the main desk of the area, “Don’t worry about me. I’ll get on. You head in to Mum. She’s been asking about you all morning.” She had a feeling the woman would attempt to coddle her if she ever worked within the same facility. When she receives an uncertain look from the woman, Charlie offers a kind smirk, “You don’t need to worry about me, Serena.” She makes an ‘X’ over her own chest, signifying her promise.
Serena nods as she moves away, a gentle smile playing in the corner of her mouth as she makes her way over to the secluded room behind the nurses’ station, pushing open the door to see the blonde with cards in her hands, Jason sitting on the edge of the bed. “Hey, you two.”
Jason excitedly glances over toward the woman, “Good morning, Auntie Serena. Auntie Bernie taught me how to play a card game.”
“It’s just three card poker. Nothing terribly intense.” Bernie smirks a bit, propped up on her bed, “I met your new consultant today. Seems terribly familiar...can’t quite put my finger on it.” She teases a bit, looking down to the tray table covering the bed, “good turn, Jason.”
Raising an eyebrow, Serena moves closer to them, giving a casual peck against Bernie’s lips, something she used to do every morning when they were together. “Ric seems rather proud of that hire, must admit, I am as well.”
“Charlie is a surgeon. I asked some of the people I work with that also worked at St. James before,” Jason offers, shaking his head a little, “they said she’s quiet. Her father works there, but he works on a different floor and he has a different name.”
“You ran a bit of recognizance.” Bernie hums a soft chuckle, “and, I must say, your information is correct. Although, you probably could have just asked her about herself...I’m certain she’d be happy to tell you.”
“We had breakfast over Auntie Serena’s and Charlie said we could-”
“Okay, Jason. That’s enough.” Serena interrupts him, not wanting Bernie to necessarily know about the times when they would gather without her. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”
“I am. Patient satisfaction.” Jason offers a clever smile as he glances back to his hand. He lays down a couple more cards.
“Jason.” Serena warns.
“Okay, okay.” Jason sets the rest of his cards onto the tray as he stands, face up.
“Bluffing the entire time. Very good, Jason.” Bernie calls out, glancing over to the door as the young man takes his leave. She leans her head back, watching as Serena begins to collect the cards on the table. “Must admit, I’m going a tad stir crazy, Campbell.” Raising an eyebrow, “and I, apparently, have a chest injury now from...the sand or something. That’s what your Registrar told me. Duval, was it?”
“Has the pension of forgetting to be humble.” Serena finishes collecting the playing cards, putting them into the paper container.
“Why be humble if you’re good at what you do?” Bernie licks her lips, raising her eyebrows tiredly as she focuses on the woman in front of her. She’s teasing the woman, very obviously. She reaches a hand out, gently touching the back of Serena’s hand. “I heard from a little bird that you’ve...phoned in your absence quite a few times over the past month.” She pauses, “I wasn’t sure if you were going to show up.”
Serena averts her gaze, but turns her hand over to hold the other woman’s. She doesn’t know if she’s able to admit just how much the woman’s supposed death affected her. Snapping at staffers, crying in her office. It was easier for her to just stay home most days and drink. “Of course I’d be here.”
“Because the Serena Campbell I know didn’t miss a day of work until she asked for some personal time...or had to take holiday time.” Bernie continues to watch the woman, tilting her head again. “Glad I could help get you back...this department can’t run without you.”
“And I can’t run without you .” Serena swallows, suddenly feeling a bit silly. Her eyes return to that of Bernie’s, “but I guess you know that.”
Bernie bites her lip, as if hiding a smirk. “Your Registrar even told me that it would be a good idea for me to look into assisted living facilities for a short stay while I have-”
“Absolutely not.” Serena shakes her head, scowling toward the blonde, “No, no, no, you’ll come home...with me.” She starts to stand, leaning in to capture Bernie’s lips again, “Luckily, I think I’ve place for you on the sofa. As long as you don’t mind the occasional stay with Jason and his brood or fish and chips night.”
“He showed me a picture on his mobile of Guinevere...looks just like Greta.” Bernie releases the other woman’s hand as she moves to the end of the bed, “I don’t want to impose, Serena.”
“That isn’t imposing. Besides, Charlie and Cameron promised Jason we could do fish and chips night together.” She won’t complete that with even if you were dead, nor will she complete the statement with as a family. It isn’t in her style. “I just hope you’re prepared.”
“I can’t wait.” Bernie watches as Serena takes her time leaving. She waits a moment before glancing to the chair in the corner of the room. “Did you need to watch us the entire time?”
“I do wish I...could have gotten to know my grandson.” Adrienne says quietly, “his daughter is positively beautiful.” She stands, moving closer to the bed, “Elinor visits...she doesn’t think I know. Poor girl is so tied to being here.”
“You’re ignoring the question and I thought I was-”
Adrienne tilts her head from side to side, “You’re getting quite good at ignoring me.” She hums a soft chuckle, “Rena is growing on you again. She is the queen of ignoring people.”
“I’m sure if you ask my son, I’m liable to give her a run for her money.” Bernie focuses on the woman as she continues to pace, “you were able to speak to my daughter when I returned and...why did you do that?”
“I needed to see if she was able.” When the blonde gives her a confused look, Adrienne waves a hand to dismiss the course of conversation. “It isn’t important to you. I’m simply coming to see how you’re doing. Since I can see that you’re doing pretty well-”
“Mrs. McKinnie, please tell me why-” Bernie stops when the woman vanishes before her eyes. She swallows, not understanding what the woman meant by saying that Charlotte was able. Was this something they’d need to worry about? Should she ask or even mention anything to Charlie? She’ll wait. That’s all she can do now. Wait.