Behind the Beret - being Bernie

Series Metadata

Creator:
Series Begun:
2016-04-24
Series Updated:
2019-12-20
Description:

[Description Update (March 2017) - In light of where the TV show has elected to go with the Bernie Wolfe character, this is now technically a 'slight AU' or 'canon divergent' story series. Everything after s18 episode 36 'Missing You Already' is considered to have not happened.]

Major Berenice 'Bernie' Wolfe, former patient on Darwin, has worked enough shifts at Holby City hospital to be known as much for her brusqueness and blunt bedside manner as she is for her surgical skill and calm under pressure. Some days, the only silver lining is that her private life is now, thanks to the divorce being finalised, considered 'old news'.

But that's not a life, and she didn't fight her way through to this point in her life in order to stop living... so she starts on her new life in Holby which isn't actually that different from her old life in Holby except, once you look past the beret and the bark, she's actually not that different.

And for that, Alex is very, very grateful.

{Warning - I like happy endings, but am not adverse to a little bit of drama along the way...}

Notes:

In addition to the 'show canon is abandoned after s18 e36 note' in the series description, the following assumptions are in place (this will be updated as necessary when new fics are posted or if the show goes even more rogue on me):

- the divorce completes while Bernie is still on Keller, but it has been neither quick nor painless

- she does transfer to AAU to co-lead it with Serena, although she continues to moonlight around other Wards on occasion, as well as the ED (Casualty)

- the trauma unit does not exist (I'd only write 100k on how Hanssen has to cope with her and the Board as he tries to get her to advocate for a trauma unit without making it sound unaffordable or telling the Board that they are antiquated... he resigns himself to that being an almost impossible ambition and instead hopes when she makes those points, the Board members fail to notice)

- I align to the show canon points on Bernie's backstory and her family if I can, but ultimately, I've fleshed out much of it myself, mostly before the show canon drips appear. Of particular note - Cameron and Charlotte (her children) were written into my story 'In the absence of Raspberry Ripple, a burger will do' before Cameron's on-screen appearance in episode 'Indefensible' (episode 44, series 18). They are therefore to be considered Original Characters in everything but name now.

- Both Bernie and Alex have managed to maintain enough of a relationship with the RAMC that they can return to active duty at a point in the future.

Stats:
Words:
297,743
Works:
11
Complete:
No
Bookmarks:
13

Listing Series