Chapter Text
1:
Serena stood at the window watching the world go by. It was what she did when she got nervous. In the waiting room, waiting for news on her own, she'd had to do something to steady her nerves.
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Four and a half years had passed since their wedding and honeymoon. Serena and Bernie were approaching their fifth anniversary together and were as still as formidable a team as they ever were. Their journey together had been so full of ups and downs in that first year- from almost losing Elinor and Jason in the accident, to Elinors drug addiction, the wedding that had almost never happened. It had been far from smooth sailing but in truth neither of them expected calm seas, they had known they had stormy waters approaching them, and they'd ridden every storm out on the crust of the waves and come out the other side, battered and bruised but together and fighting.
In the four and a half years since their wedding their lives had changed more than they'd every thought possible. For the first year everything stayed as it was- the two of them ran AAU together and spent as much time together as they could. But then the changes had started to happen.
Elinor had been seeing someone from her university, but when she got pregnant he'd done a moonlight flit. Serena had become a grandma six months later when Elinor gave birth to her daughter, Ruby. Serena was far to glamourous to be called granny though, so she was always Nanny. Ruby was now a very energetic three year old who looked like butter wouldn't melt but she had a very mischevious side.
Serena and Bernie had never enjoyed something so much than when Ruby had been a baby and they'd been babysitting her. Bernie was just as much a part of Ruby's life as Serena was. They both felt so much love for her; even more so now because she was that little bit older and she understood that bit more.
Serena and Bernie enjoyed being grandparents to Ruby; but that was the only change. The next year Cameron had a baby with his partner. He'd met her during his foundation training at St James Hospital. They were both engaged now, with a highly energetic 18 month old son, Toby. Bernie became a grandma for the first time.
As their families had grown, so had the love they had. They would both spend so many nights cuddled up in bed exchanging stories of their grandchildren together. Yet another thing that bought them close together.
Then had come the true test. Hanssen had organised for Bernie to be sent back to Kiev for six months. Their trauma unit had needed fixing up again. Bernie had not wanted to go but Serena had encouraged her. It was amazing how much different that trio had been. The last time Bernie had been in Kiev, she'd been full of regret at the fact she's left Serena behind, but whilst out there now, she could focus on her job, knowing she had a family and a wife waiting for her when she got home.
Serena had missed Bernie so much while she'd been away but she knew it was only for a few months and the two of them had spoken on the phone all the time. When Bernie returned last year, Charlotte and Elinor had thrown a party, and broken some news to their mums, they were both pregnant.
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Six months on, and here they were. Elinor had given birth last week to her second child, Serena had another granddaughter. Elinor had named her Jade. And now here she was in the waiting room while Bernie was in the delivery suite with her daughter. Waiting for the news of the joyous arrival.
Standing at the window, watching the world go by, she didn't hear the door open. She only became aware someone else was there when the pair on hands touched her waist and turned her around.
'Hey.'
'Hey. I can't believe you're still here. It's been 9 hours.'
'Bernie, where else would I be? Wherever you are is where I need to be. So, did it go okay?'
'Yes, Charlottes fine. She had a girl. We have a granddaughter.'
'Congratulations.'
Serena wrapped her arms around Bernies shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. The two of them had four precious gems for grandchildren. They loved them as much as anyone. Their family. It was what mattered to them most.
But while they were so happy now, fate would soon be cruel enough to send them more testing times. Could their love withstand more heartache or would their story end in heartbreak?