Anything and Everything

Prompt: Boy

Set in Spain, after the bombing

A/N: I promise tomorrow’s drabble will not be sad

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Serena walked outside, mugs of tea in hand, looking around for Bernie. They’ve only been back from Holby for a few days after the bombing and Cam’s funeral. And the row with Marcus, who’d tried to blame Bernie for everything once again, which made Bernie withdraw into herself until Serena had taken her back to the hotel.

Now Bernie was sitting by the pool, her feet dangling in the water, staring into nothing. Serena joined her, handed her a mug. “Tell me about Cameron.”

Bernie’s smile was small and sad, but it was there. “He was such a clever boy …”

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I got the Verification Required scam for the first time today. THIS ISN'T FROM TUMBLR. Report and block it if you get it.

Prompt: Writer

Set during the secondment in Ukraine

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Bernie has never considered herself much of a writer, although she’s still better at that than at public speaking. Serena, however … Serena could make mortality rates sound like beautiful prose.

She loves reading Serena’s papers in The Lancet or the BMJ. Her writing is distinctive — if you know Serena, you can see her personality shine through even in scientific texts.

When Bernie goes to Ukraine, one of the few things she packs is a stack of medical journals with papers written by Serena. She reads them almost every night before bed, and she doesn’t cry at all when she does.

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Prompt: Complete

Bernie is in Kyiv

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Bernie sat in her flat in Kyiv, scrolling through messages on her phone, an unlit cigarette between her lips, vodka on the table. Cameron. Charlotte. Serena. Serena. Serena. All asking the same questions she kept asking herself.

Why are you there and not here?

Why promise to stay, then run off again?

She replied to her children, explained that it was a great opportunity. For her. For the hospital.

She thought about replying to Serena, but what could she say?

I’m sorry for being a complete idiot?

You scared me half to death?

Easier not to say anything at all.

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Prompt: Initial

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Bernie stared at the large box on her desk as if it held ten pounds of live explosives. Marcus had finally managed to return her personal possessions, only two months after she’d moved out.

“Have I missed your birthday?” asked Serena, entering their office.

Bernie shook her head as she opened the box, praying that Marcus had packed the one thing that really mattered. There, right on top! Relieved, she picked up the leather-bound book and ran her fingers over the embossed initials, her eyes suspiciously moist.

“What’s that?” Serena asked. “Who’s EB?”

“That,” Bernie breathed, “is my great-grandmother’s diary.”

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