He Stole My Cab (Benedict Cumberbatch Fanfiction)

Chapter Forty Six

Benedict’s POV

We must of managed to fall asleep in the early hours of the morning for I awoke late in the afternoon with her curled up in my lap, her head against my chest and my arms tightly around her. As I looked down I saw that her eyes were wide open and I began to wonder whether she actually slept at all. My kiss on the top of her head caused her to turn around, a sad smile on her face. Tear stains made her cheeks shine contrasting to the lack of light in her eyes. “Did you sleep at all?” I asked softly as she trailed her hand over the stubble appearing around my chin. She nodded but didn’t make eye contact with me making me think she wasn’t being truthful.

After her screams I had held her whilst the silent tears fell down her unclosing eyes, all the while I tried comforting her but with each passing minute I began to wonder whether it had been a dream or not. The later it got the greater the paranoia grew. It’s funny that. How in the darkness even your own mind will turn on you, warping your vision and clouding your thoughts. The worst part being that there is no escape from yourself and in that way it’s even more destructive.

Silently she got up and walked to the bathroom, the lock sliding across the door, and the shower started running although I didn’t hear the glass door open or close. Reaching under my bed I pulled out my laptop, flipping it open and waiting impatiently for it to come to life. Opening safari I searched for the phone number of the hospital and dialled it into my phone. Listening to the water still running I pressed call on the phone.

With each unanswered ring my heart rate seemed to double and I fidgeted anxiously with the sheets. “Hello Kings Hospital, how can I help?” said a high pitched nasal voice
“Yes, hello, I’m phoning on regards of Jamie King, he was admitted last night”
“Are you a relative of his?”
“No I’m-“
“I’m sorry sir but we can’t give confidential information out to just anyone” she said impatiently
“No please wait, he doesn’t have any family that care for him. Please I’m the only person he has” I improvised as she went silent on the other side of the line.
“We have had trouble getting in contact with anyone for him” she said apprehensively. My stomach flipped at my good luck.
“Please can you just tell me his condition?”
“Ok fine. Let me take your name so we have you as a contact”
“Erm John Smith. I had very unimaginative parents” I added trying to cover up my thoughtlessness.
“And you know this man well?”
“Yes we grew up as friends together”
“Ok. One moment please”

I swallowed hard as I heard paper rustling on the other end of the line. “He is still unconscious”
“Unconscious?”
“Yes sir he has been seen he was admitted into our care”
He hasn’t left the hospital. He couldn’t have come here then. It must have been a dream. It took me a moment to register this information but relief soon rushed through me. “Do you know the reason for this?”
“I’m sorry sir I cannot disclose anymore information to you” Which was all very well as the water switched off in the bathroom.
“Ok thank you for your help”

I hung up the phone and returned my laptop to the floor before standing from the bed and making it up again. Absent mindedly I walked to the wardrobe before pulling on clean underwear, some loose jeans and a jumper as, despite the sun shining outside, I felt a chill within me. The lock slid back open and she entered the room wearing my dressing gown with the end just touching the floor, the arms half empty. Her hair was barely wet but she looked more relaxed. I picked my silk pyjama bottoms up from the floor, folding them and placing them beneath the pillow of the bed. Silence filled the room and I sat on the end of the bed and watched as she walked over to the wardrobe, opening and closing drawers until she found a pair of basketball shorts, which I bought upon watching basketball game but don’t think I have ever worn, and one of my t-shirts. The shorts came down to her knees due to her long legs but the t-shirt fell to her mid-thigh. She then pulled the dressing gown back on over her clothes before joining me on the bed.

My hand covered hers and I trailed my thumb over the back of her hand. She stared down at our hands. “How are you feeling now?” I asked softly, trying to look into her eyes. “Better” Silence filled the space between us once more. “I’ve been thinking and it must have been a dream. It must of” she said, more of a plea than a statement but I nodded back at her as she nodded at me, a soft smile now on her face. We remained sitting down for a little while longer until a deep groan filled the room as my stomach growled. My cheeks began to feel hot but it got a laugh out of her and I saw her eyes shine momentarily and as she stopped laughing they seemed a little lighter than before. “Lunch?”

We walked down to the kitchen and she sat on one of the bar stool at the island as I cleared away the broken glass from last night. She didn’t question it but instead turned on the radio. I began chopping up an onion as the adverts came to a close and a sweet melodic voice began singing slowly accompanied by a piano. Her arms wrapped around my waist from behind me as she swayed in time to the music. I turned and she took my hand in hers, placing my arm around her waist. She began moving us around the kitchen and I let myself go, following her steps, letting her lead me and trusting her solely. I twirled her watching as her hair flew out behind her head, the dressing gown flaring out to the sides and she titled her head back her sweet laughs joining the melody of the song. She stopped twirling as the song ended, her forearms against my now heaving chest looking up at me she placed a soft kiss against my lips before saying “I love you”.