Sparkling Diamonds

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked painfully, trying to hoist myself up but unable to do so as a wave of pain washed over me.

Benedict pushed some of my hair off my face, making a tsk-ing noise when he saw the cut that I had upon my temple. He looked up to Bianca and said, "Can you get me a towel or something?"

"Not until she tells me what the hell she is doing here," I moaned, closing my eyes a moment to catch myself before I passed out.

"Ben asked me…" Bianca started when my eyes snapped open and I glared at her so hardly that she stepped further out of the bedroom.

"On a first name basis, now?" I spat, my lips cracking even further as I felt blood seeping from my lips.

"Let's get you to a hospital," Benedict said, trying to hoist me up to my feet but it clearly wasn't working as I just collapsed back into his arms once more.

"No," I said. "My husband will be suspicious."

"You know you can't keep on living like this," Benedict whispered in my ear.

"Just for another week or so and then I'll have a little more freedom," I replied as softly, now dipping in and out of consciousness. When Benedict tried to hoist me back on my feet, it had taken a little more then enough energy out of me. Before I dipped out, I glared at Bianca. "You have some explaining to do."

And with that, I closed my eyes and disappeared into the inky blackness of my mind. I thought of nothing while I was passed out. I would have liked something to have accompanied me during the darkness of the hours that passed but I had nothing. I was alone as ever, floating around the corners of my brain.

I don't know the exact length of time that had passed but I knew that there had been a long space of time between when I passed out in Benedict's arms and when I woke up in a strange bed in the dark of the night.

My lips were still cracked but no longer covered in blood; my tongue was moist, but not with my blood. Slowly, I opened my eyes. I soon realised that they were covered with sleep and I tried to reach up to wipe the force that closed my eyes.

I was sooner minded of the pain that had occurred to me the last time that I was conscious and instantly put my arm back down. Strangely, I felt that it was heavier…well, it shouldn't have been so strange because if someone had broken their arm, more or less fractured it, they would have a cast.

So when I managed to force my eyes open to look at the world around me, I saw that there was a massive fibreglass cast upon my arm. It was pink in colour and instantly thought it was Bianca's doing. Damn her for picking such an outrageous colour. Nothing would suit such a fluro pink and I would stand out like a sore thumb.

And what had I said about them taking me to a hospital? It would raise suspicions with my husband and the last thing I wanted him to do was get in more of a mood then he would be when he beat on me. He was something to be put up with, not a force to be reckoned with. I didn't have the energy or time to deal with him right now.

I soon realised, when I looked around me, was that I was not actually in a hospital room but in Bianca's bedroom. It was clear that I had still been to the hospital, though, because of my cast.

The windows were covered by the blinds, blocking out the street lights of London below. It was dark, but I wasn't sure what time of the night, or morning, it was. I groaned as I turned to see a clock on the bedside table that read 2:01am. Great. That told me how long I had been asleep for.

My moans must have woken the person that was strewn across one of the lounge chairs that had been pulled into the bedroom and cast beside the bed. I couldn't tell who it was because my eyes still were focussing from the hours that I had spent in the darkness.

Soon, the noises I heard coming from the couch seemed attached to a man -- fitting only Benedict in this situation. When my eyes did clear and i had managed to turn my head to the seat, I was surprised to see Martin waking from an uncomfortable slumber.

"Martin?" I questioned, hearing how croaking my voice was.

"Morning," he groaned as he straightened himself out and ran his fingers through his hair. "'Bout time you woke up."

"How long have I been asleep for?" I said curiously.

"Too long," Martin said. "A good two days, I reckon. Some guy came thumping on the door last night but Benedict managed to fend him off. Give us a few more days break before 'Sherlock' starts back and I'm glad to say they've postponed the shoot. Haven't quite recovered from my trip over from New Zealand."

"I can't say I've experienced the same as the time differences between us and Sweden isn't much of a difference," I commented, trying to sound light-hearted to brighten the situation that lay between us --- with a visit from my husband and all.

"So I guess I'd like to thank you for postponing the shoot," Martin said, standing from his seat. "Really appreciate it."

I smiled weakly at him as I said, "You've become a little more talkative then I remember."

"Eliza got to me," Martin laughed softly.

"Once you get to know her, she's like a completely different person," I commented, studying Martin as he hovered closer and closer towards the door. "You really like her, don't you?"

Bashful, Martin looked down at his feet and shoved his hands into his pockets, saying, "Is it really that obvious?"

"Only someone who has known her for a while will know the effects she has on others," I said. "And I've known her for a long time. Enjoy the ride because God knows you could be the one."

"A bit too early to say that, I think," Martin said as he finally reached the door and was about to open it when he turned back to me. "I am just surprised that you have managed to stay with that man for so long. Would take a lot of courage to do so."

"Some peep don't seem to think so," I replied. "Stupidity…loyalty, fear. They're all the things that have kept me there."

"Well, let's hope that you have the courage that I know you have to step out of that situation," he said so softly that you would have thought he didn't want me to hear it. "Because who knows how long you will have left before you finally break."

"I have a stronger will then you might think," I said in return and as softly as Martin had spoken.

"Even a superhero can't stay strong forever," said Martin, leaving the room and closing the door softly behind him.

I was left alone with what Martin had said rolling over me. Who was I to think I could put up with my husband forever? Something needed to be done but did I have the strength and the courage that Martin thought that I had to get through the ordeal if I pursued that particular path.

I needed to be rid of my husband, to leave him behind. I couldn't be hurt by him forever -- I mean, look at me. Here I was in the bedroom of Bianca's house with a broken arm, beaten and bloody from a beating that I could have avoided. Something needed to happen and it needed to happen fast.