Starcrossed

From the premiere, they went back to the hotel to change for their last appointment of the night. The taxi ride was far more embarrassing for the driver than the passengers. Not only did the older man's eyes brighten at the sight of famous Benedict but his face soon turned a horrified crimson by the sounds coming from the backseat only a block from their point of departure. It wasn't five seconds after a destination was stated before they started. Though several moans and mischievous giggles were kept as quiet as possible, the lovers still made their taxi ride the driver's most memorable of the night.

"I could have made a fortune if only I had a video camera in this thing," he mumbled while accepting the fee, half joking but mostly insulted.

"Our deepest apologies," Benedict managed without laughing. He helped, or rather pulled, a giggling Makenzie from the car while adding, "And better luck next ride, mate."

"I aint' you mate. British prick." The last part was whispered.

Benedict heard and almost said something but a familiar snort of laughter from the sidewalk changed his mind. Perhaps if it was a different circumstance he would have taken then cab number and called someone. But this wasn't the evening to stir up trouble. He casually closed the door and bid the wanker good night. The still amused princess immediately clung to his arm.

"We deserved that one," she admitted, finishing that last of her giggles.

He shot her a quick look of disbelief but couldn't contain his own smug smile for long. Any other woman would have been insulted. His Makenzie found the ordeal comical and didn't even shutter at the rude profanity. Ben gave a low chuckle before leading her towards the hotel door.

"Come on," he grinned with complete contentment. "Let's get you out of that dress." The light growl he used for the last comment sent a wave of anticipation through her.

Minutes later, they were pulling out fresh clothes from the closet. It was time for another transformation, this time from premiere to telly interview- the opposite of their earlier change.

Kenzie grew aware of his presence before his gentle steps behind her.

"The answer is no," she smiled. The young woman felt on top of the world tonight. Everything was more than perfect.

"I didn't say anything," protested the man with a childlike scowl, as if his surprise had just been ruined.

"I could hear you thinking. And the answer is no. We only have an hour before your next appointment."

Before she could turn from the closet, choosing from the posh clothes she had bought from her shopping trip earlier, a pleasant shutter pulsed through her body. His lips at her neck forced her mind wonderfully blank. Even when she tried to speak, only a deep exhale came out.

"You're a bit overdressed for a night show, love," he teased at her ear in the seductive low tone he knew she couldn't ignore.

"Is that so?" she breathlessly played along.

"Allow me," he grinned against her skin, placing one more kiss on her naked shoulder.

The gentle tug of her zipper made her weak at the knees. It was that moment she realized that her boyfriend wasn't bluffing. His fingers skillfully pulled the zip down her side. She wondered how many times he'd done the zips and buttons of evening gowns. Benedict tore her from the unsettling thought when he pulled the expensive material down her body.

"Oh, you are being cruel," he moaned at the sight of her light pink corset and black garter belt.

"You weren't supposed to find this until we were in for the night." His flirty vixen smirked over her shoulder, those long thick lashes playfully waving at him. "Now, you'll just have to suffer through the night."

How had the tables turned so quickly? Just moments ago she was melting beneath his touch, going along with their unexpected foreplay. Or had she expected it? A new round of possibilities flooded though his mind in seconds. Benedict was having a Sherlock moment. She only allowed him to see her undergarments to tease him, knowing he'd be thinking about it the rest of the night. Hoping he could persuade her, Ben spun her around then ravished her mouth with the same urgency used on the plane.

"No, no, no," she taunted, pushing away from his hold after the first few heated kisses.

"Please, Kenz. We have nearly an hour." Ben grabbed her waist with that sexy look in his eyes. "I'd like to remind you what we did on the plane. And that was only fifteen minutes."

"And I'd like to remind you of the deal we made this morning. No pleasure until business is complete."

Oh they had fun tormenting eachother. It was their favorite game and both knew precisely how to work the other.

"Fine," he scoffed, releasing her a second time.

Instead of walked away victoriously as he thought she would, his unpredictable lover brushed her red lips to his ear as he had done to her just minutes ago.

"I'll make it more than worth the embarrassment you're feeling this moment," she whispered, using the exact convincing phrase he had used against her just before their plan shag. But instead of being caught, his embarrassment was from being denied what was nearly in his grasp.

"You're going to pay for that one, Ms. Daniels." His smug chuckle earned one of her flirty challenge accepted stares.

Ben loved any night he got to spend with the witty Jimmy Fallon. With his girl watching backstage and his mum watching online back home, he entered the stage with total confidence.

Their chat began with the over used question about his fans.

"We're moving towards the Cumber Collective," he blushed. That was the name he had given his fangirls for their sake more than his. He could only tell his closest mates how he really felt about their original self-given title.

"I don't think so," Jimmy disputed with a knowing chuckle. How could any grown male celebrity not smile at the thought of having his fangirls call themselves his bitches?

Backstage, Makenzie's attention peaked at Jimmy's bold penis joke. Pianist. Penis. The man was a comedy genius. Everyone watched with utter glee as the two overgrown boys rapped in the style of Alan Rickman. Each lyric proved more hilarious than the last. She watched Jimmy give Benedict his next card, her daft boyfriend's eyes brighten with excitement.

"Snoop!" he announced.

Makenzie was bellowing with laughter by the time he Snaped "sippin on gin". For a moment, she wondered what his life was like when the particular tune was released. He was probably just a hyper rising actor who fancied a few parties during his first years of larger roles. Her entertaining boyfriend emphasized "laaaaaaaaiiiiid back" by slowly scanning his hand across the audience.

"I got my mind on my money and my money on my mind," he cheekily finished while handing the card back to the giddy host. Jimmy ended their rap-off by having Benedict do the first few lines of "Big Butts".

His humble moments began when Jimmy pulled out a pair of magazine covers featuring Benedict. The man looked at the photos as if they were of someone else that everyone only thought was him- then again, Photoshop did wonders to anyone. Fallon the drew attention to Ben's being number one on a hundred sexiest film star list. His ginning girlfriend wondered how he couldn't see a fraction of what his fans saw. The men then discussed Ben's several movies being released these last few months of the year. Benedict made a point to tell everyone that his Hobbit dragon character was pronounced "smowg" not "smawg" as everyone in the states seemed to butcher. The rest of the conversation was kept light and the audience made sure that Benedict knew he was adored as he exited the stage.

When the actor found his proud girlfriend, he was happy to find her radiating with love and pride, without the tears this time. They embraced before she spoke the words he adored hearing from those perfect lips.

"I love you more," he grinned, kissing her forehead.

They were in another taxi, without the love scene in the backseat, when his mobile rang. The conversation was quick though Benedict seemed hesitant in answering some of the questions. Something about next Tuesday morning. He ended the call with a thoughtful expression remaining on his face for several silent seconds.

"Everything alright?" She didn't expect his sudden look of slight amazement.

"Your accent has changed since this morning. I just noticed. It's been morphing all day and it just now turned completely American."

"Yours isn't properly British either," she blushed, bumping her shoulder against his. They shared a light chuckle before he continued.

"Apparently a big name heard I was on this side of the pond." Her eyes ordered him to explain. After a heavy sigh, the star announced, "I'm to be on the Katie Show on Tuesday."

"And you don't want to?" The corner of his mouth twitched upward.

"Not unless you'll stay with me until then." His girl nervously glanced out the window in thought. The New York City life reminded her so much of London. How could two places be so identical yet different? Perhaps they could be called twin cities. "Kenz?" His soft voice rid her of her thought tangent.

Their eyes met just before she confessed, "I really can't. It doesn't look good when new teachers use all their sick days the first the months of their teaching career."

"Even for their bigshot boyfriend?"

He was only teasing and she knew it. She completely understood his not wanting to be in the states alone after having such a wonderful weekend- and it was only their first full night here. Makenzie took his hand, planted a tender kiss on his cheek, then gave him a helpless stare.

"Why couldn't you be irresponsible?" Ben smiled, wrapping his arm around her.

"Because you need someone who can keep up with their work and yours." Her comment was rewarded by a tight squeeze. "Besides, I could never let you be the better English teacher."

"You've already surpassed my teaching abilities. At least your students like you."

"Perhaps yours would have fancied you more had you taught in a nunnery full of prude young girls."

Her playful jab forced his large smile to return. She loved the way his face crinkled during a genuine smile or laugh. The lines around his mouth and across his eyes served as a reminder of the years that separated them. But they also reminded her that she was intelligent and mature enough to win an older man's love. The good always seemed to equal, and often outweigh, the questionable aspects of their relationship. Somehow they were making it work. No, they weren't making it work; they were simply doing what was natural and that was proving to be more than enough to keep them stronger each day. The backseat was silent for a while until he released another thoughtful sigh.

"I'll have to stay behind on Sunday evening." Kenzie nodded in agreement. There was no use for him to leave only to return in two days. "But we have several options until then."

"Such as," she moved even closer into his side, those warm arms still wrapped tightly around her.

"We could stay in New York. We could go somewhere new- maybe some place you've always wanted to go. We could… stick our finger on a map and go wherever it landed." Ben grew quiet again as she felt his heart speed a bit beneath his suit jacket. "Or I could take you home." Raising from his shoulder, her look of confusion amused him. "My place in California."

"The one you were building last year?"

How could he not grin? She was more a fangirl that she would ever let him know. Maybe one day he'd see her in full fangirl mode. Then again, if she hadn't shown him that side of her on the Sherlock set, he was probably never going to see it.

"Yes, the one I built last year, cheeky."

"It would be safe there wouldn't it? Away from paparazzi and such?"

"Should be, yeah. I still have another few years before I'm viciously attacked in LA. It's not like in London. Not yet."

His words tossed and turned in her mind. Going to his place would be another step deeper into their rapidly progressing relationship. Was it too soon for that? She'd already been to his flat and a premiere since their reunion. Everything was moving so quickly. But the familiar melancholy thought echoed from the back of her mind. Recently, sooner was far better than later.

"I'd like that," she finally whispered in the sweet melodic voice she used during most of their serious conversations. His full grin nearly produced light.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she confirmed.

Ben moved his hand to her cheek before kissing her lips, deeper than either had anticipated. He wanted her to come more than he thought and she hadn't realized how much she truly wanted to dive into his American life until then.

"Take me to your California mansion, ."

"After I'm reacquainted with that little pink satin number you've been hiding all night."

The lovers were naked in his bed when the bedside clock read two. Sunday morning had come all too soon. Her fingers traced his stomach muscles as he played with her sex hair. It had been minutes since their last conversation had ended. Once they fell asleep, the spell would be broken. They'd wake up to their last morning together until another few weeks. The morning was sure to fly by turning into the dreaded afternoon. Bloody time change; from the time she left California to the time she entered England would be half a day. Her early afternoon flight would put her landing at Heathrow early Monday morning- time enough to grab her things from home then get to school a few minutes before students arrived. Time suddenly became the enemy once more, as always happened the night before their parting.

"So this is the house you want to fill with children," she sighed with a soft bounce in her voice.

"Well, between here and the flat in London."

"Multicultural children," she sighed, the very thought of his children being raised similar to her own upbringing forcing a smile to her lips- even if they wouldn't be her children.

"All this talk about kids," he chuckled with a blush. "Are you trying to say something, Ms. Daniels?"

She rose from her position on his chest echoing his quiet laughter.

"It's just odd to be having this conversation with you," she giggled.

"Your serious boyfriend?"

"My celebrity crush I've been dating all of two weeks," Kenzie corrected.

After considering her words, he replied, "Well, it's only been official for two weeks but… We've been together so much longer than that. I mean, my mind was made up the morning I found you at Heathrow. That day was so bitter-sweet."

"Don't say that," she groaned, now sitting up in bed with her knees casually pulled up beneath her chin.

Benedict sat up beside her, entwined his fingers through hers, then whispered two words in such a genuine tone it made her heart race.

"Why not?"

This was the conversation she had prayed wouldn't come up this weekend. Yet here it was. The awkward chat had finally shown its ugly face after such a wonderful night.

"We love eachother yet hardly know anything beyond surface facts. There's still so many important aspects about eachother that we don't know yet."

"Like?" His deep exhale wasn't in frustration but curiosity, as if he hadn't anticipated this particular conversation between them.

"Where do you see yourself in another ten years?"

He laughed before plopping back down against the mattress, her following his example moments later.

"Married. Children. Still making films. Juggling my two lives, putting more effort into my family than the fame- hopefully some other face will have captivated the world's full attention by then. Maybe producing a few theatrical productions. Late night pillow talk with a beautiful woman I don't deserve." The way he looked at her, big hopeful eyes saying what was too soon to speak aloud, sent a chill through her body. "I have one for you. What's your religious views? You never talk about your faith."

Kenzie rolled onto her side with a heavy sigh before answering, "I used to go to church. Was raised to, actually. Then, just a few years ago, I gave up on faith of the religious sort. It's just silly beliefs isn't it? I mean, at the end of the day, life is only what you've made it. Everyone has the choice to work for where they are in life. Some things are given to us by fate perhaps but most of it is by our own doing. And if there were a God, surely he wouldn't let horrible things happen to the innocent."

"Sounds like something happened to change your mind about church." He asked with a statement but she heard his question just the same.

"Things change," she shrugged with as much optimism as possible. Then that little smirk appeared. "It's a bit unfair, really. I already know so much about you yet knowing you like this changes everything I thought I knew."

"Like what?" he teased, pulling her towards him. "Naked in bed just before another fantastic shag?"

"Your joking. Again?" As if she hadn't already been expecting one final go at him before the night was over. "I can't be that good," she laughed with scarlet cheeks.

"You've managed to change my mind about a thing or two," he admitted, a deep chuckle following the words.

"Fine then. You're right… I'm bloody brilliant in bed," she smugly announced, crossing her arms as if she was suddenly too good for the likes of him.

"Come here, you," Benedict growled before crushing her body to his.

Their giggles and little challenging remarks faded in minutes, the mood of the room changing a final time before California morning light filled the windows.