Starcrossed

Monday

-Good afternoon BC

-Good morning to you MD

-Having a good day of classes? BC

-Yeah. Things are alright. You're parents are brilliant, Ben. Really, they are. MD

-I'm rather fond of them. Did mum like the mantelpiece bit? BC

-Don't think she could have smiled brighter. We were all so proud of you MD

-Tried calling last night. You didn't answer. Everything alright? BC

-Yes, all is fine. Just wanted to give you your space. Keep you concentrated for this trip. MD

-I'm busy but not too busy for you. You know that, right? You wouldn't be crowding me whatsoever. In fact, a little distraction now and then would be welcomed from the California circus. Maybe a photo or two ;) BC

-Alright :) I'll see what I can do after school. MD

-God I miss you… xoxo BC

-Miss you more :( Break is over. Round, I mean, class 4 about to start. Xoxo Love you MD

-Love you, Kenz. Can I come by your place tomorrow? Skype tonight? BC

-I'd love that! Only if your shirt is off and hair without product ) MD

-Oh, you. It can't come soon enough BC

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Tues

Makenzie was grading papers on her sofa while Ben did a few internet searches at her feet. The room had been quiet for several minutes, their last conversation being about the home work assignment being graded- small talk at best. He was nervous about something but she couldn't deduce what. When she caught him blankly staring at the screen for a whole minutes, staring at nothing, Kenzie gently pushed his knee with her toes.

"Everything alright over there?"

"Yeah, everything is fine." The half whispered words proved otherwise.

"You don't have to lie."

He met her eyes for the first time in a while then closed the laptop screen. The man was gathering his courage but for what she could not say. This was the most time they had spent together since the Thor premiere- their first small argument. It had ended quickly yet the topic had lingered over them like an annoying cloud ever since, not hurting their relationship but threatening a storm in the near future.

Placing both hands at her ankles, he gave a quick smile then announced, "I'm partly here on business."

"Alright?"

"It's the CineCity film festival, tomorrow night, in Brighton. It's a very intimate group- drinks and small talk sort of thing." She knew what he was going to ask as he took a hopeful breath. "And I'd love for you to come as my date… Not just a friend."

Why couldn't he demand it? Why didn't he just call a tabloid photographer to follow them around? Why was he being so polite with her? Hadn't she caused him enough grief over the subject before the Thor premiere?

"I thought we had this conversation," she began, almost too quiet for him to hear.

"That was almost three weeks ago." Ben's tone was gentle but held a distinctive desperate undertone.

"Not even a month ago."

"Another month of hiding hasn't changed your mind?"

"Hiding? I'm the one that's hiding. Do what you want, go to your parties and shows, enjoy the spotlight- please! I couldn't possibly be more proud of you, honestly. But I'm still not ready to be BenedictCumberbatch's girlfriend- not to the public. We're together, stronger than ever. I'm so completely in love with you Ben-"

"As I am you. So please let me show you off to the world. Be my girl and let the whole world see."

"It's not that simple."

"Of course it is. You'll have proper protection. This is still England, not bloody America. People are still decent towards celebrities, not stalking us every moment of our lives. And my people will make sure you're not bothered at school. We could even-"

"No!" She finally cried in a raised voice. "I can't. Please try to understand."

"I do but-"

"You really don't."

He placed the laptop on the floor then moved as close to her as possible, even moving the papers from her lap to the table. Wiping the tears from her face, he realized that something was wrong. His Kenzie didn't cry over something so trivial.

"You bought a lid for the small rubbish bin in your bedroom toilet. Is there something to hide?" Her look of shock made his stomach turn. Was that a yes or a no? "Maybe a test… or-"

"Or my birth control pills? Or the used feminine product I'm sure you don't want to see when you go in there?" She was hurt now. "Were you hoping I was pregnant?"

"I wouldn't mind it but it's something we haven't talked about. It is rather soon but if you did get-"

"I'm not," she whispered, teary eyes staring into his full of confusion.

"Alright, thank you for telling me." He was still being too kind, his gentle soothing tone fighting to work its magic on her. "When have you always imagined yourself having children?"

Was he really doing this right now? Then again, she had asked for it in a way.

"I've always wanted to be in a committed relationship before bringing a child into this world. Give them the highest chance of a proper home." Something she knew she would never be able to give.

"So you'd like to be married before having one?"

"Not exactly," she sniffed into the sleeve of her jumper. "Not sure how I feel about marriage. I mean, a ring and a piece of paper are just that aren't they? I'd take a ring symbolizing eternal commitment long before a walk through some church and legal documents."

"Why so?" Benedict was genuinely curious.

"I don't know," she lied. "Look at Martin and Amanda. They have everything a married couple do."

"Fair argument," he smiled, not going to push the conversation along any further. The man pulled his woman onto his lap, cupped her face in his hands, dried the last of her tears, then asked, "Why don't you want to go public? What's so bad about everyone knowing you're mine?" He continued when she didn't answer. "I want to show you off more than anything. Did you know that?" Ben was practically singing to her as he spoke the comforting words.

"You were born into all this, Benedict. I just want one normal semester of teaching before I became the girlfriend of the world's most popular celebrity." She shushed him when he modestly tried to argue. "No, you are. It's true. Everyone knows who you are after this year. It was truly your year and you're only going to go up from here, my love. There will be all sorts of events we'll share. Just not yet. This is already middle of November. Give me until Christmas holiday, yeah?" She pressed her forehead to his. "Then you can show me wherever you like, find me whatever protection you find necessary, and we can begin the tabloid jokes."

"A few more weeks of being a normal school teacher? That's what this is all about?"

His questions should have been condemning but instead he was genuinely trying to figure out where exactly she was coming from. His soft loving words tormented her and filled her with another wave of hidden guilt. Her quick nod gave him the answer he so desired. Ben kissed her forehead then cradled her small frame against his.

"I'm sorry. So very sorry."

"It's alright," he sighed, finally feeling a bit of relief from cracking the emotional puzzle. "My Makenzie Daniels." His little amused sound lifted the rest of her nerves. "Don't you know by now how much I love you? You could have just said. No need to hide anything. Never any need to hide."

"The way you didn't hide your coming here for business?" she teased.

"You're a clever girl," Ben breathed with a smile, wrapping his arms tighter around her. "You would have figured out that we'd have the going public conversation then make me stay somewhere else just to avoid it."

"Sleeping a few miles away wouldn't have been so bad," she grinned against his chest.

"It would have killed me."

"There are worse things," she hummed, her thoughts wandering elsewhere.

"Than not being able to shag you? Nonsense," he growled, literally pulling her from her thoughts to the floor in a giggling pile of limbs.

"Yes," the vixen answered, now straddling him.

"When does Soph return?" he half moaned as his hands traveled up her shirt.

"She's at a work thing in London until eight," she replied, trying to keep her sounds of mirth at a minimum for as long as possible- another minute or two tops.

"More than enough time," he grinned, flipping them between the sofa and the table.

"Right here in the front room?" Kenzie giggled with disbelief.

"Unless you prefer to be shagged elsewhere." Oh he loved his spontaneous beauty.

"I've always wanted to be had on a kitchen table," she confessed in that seductive voice that filled him with fire.

Since words were suddenly impossible to produce, Ben gave a little growl while picking her up to carry her to the next room. He closed the blinds, set her on the sturdy old table, then a wicked little smirk crossed his lips. It had been three long weeks since their last time but he was about to make up for it.

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"Why are you so nervous?" Kenzie asked as innocently as could be managed, playing it cool in attempt to calm her boyfriend.

"It's only you father," he replied in a cross undertone.

They put the helmets under his motorbike seat along with their riding jackets- he had bought Makenzie her own as a present a few weeks back.

"Compared to the, not one but two, celebrity parents I met for you? In a posh restaurant no less." She paused before giving him an assuring smile. "I'll be surprised if he's not watching a match or an American film on the telly right now."

Ben released a heavy sigh, "Fine. You're right. I put you through worse."

"Besides," that cheeky gleam in her eye pulled on his heartstrings, "he's only thirteen years older than you."

Her flirty comment surprised him, reminding him of their unnoticeable age difference. Makenzie was so much on his own maturity level that he often forgot the fourteen year gap between them- enough years for him to be accused of "robbing the cradle". The boastful girl winked at him before approaching the front door. He was exactly between them in age. What did that mean? It put him in a rather odd position but he loved her and wasn't about to stay away just because of their age difference. It was her fault, he decided. If she wasn't exactly the person she was, he wouldn't have considered becoming involved with someone her age. But Makenzie Daniels was different. Her sudden knocking on the door made his anxiety return.

"I love you," he said with honest eyes, a small grin, and in the low voice she loved. Benedict took her hand as they waited a few seconds for the door to open.

"Kenz!"

"Papa!"

Her hand left his just before the father and daughter embraced with dopey grins and soft affectionate grunts. Both pairs of eyes were closed as the much needed hug lingered. Benedict's posture straightened when the father's eyes opened, accidentally meet his. patted his daughter's back before releasing her. The girl stood aside to watch the first exchange between the two most important men in her life.

" , it is a pleasure," the parent said with a welcoming tone and an outstretched hand.

"The pleasure is entirely mine." He shook her father's hand firmly while looking him in the eye, proper boyfriend etiquette.

"The first time I saw you, you were playing Hawking, I believe?" A wide eyed Makenzie flushed with embarrassment. "That was quite the performance. And you've only improved since."

The men stood in awkward silence for a while, neither knowing where to begin. There was so much that needed to be said between them. His daughter had always been top priority and now she was dating not just a celebrity but a man as much his age as hers. It wasn't every day someone's little girl brought home BenedictCumberbatch, introducing him to the family as her new boyfriend.

"What does someone have to do around here to be offered a cuppa?" Makenzie announced more than asked to break the ice.

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"Benedict, may I speak with you?" stood from his comfy chair, his eyes moving from the nervous to his irritated daughter.

"Anything you have to say in front of-"

"On my way," Ben forced a smile towards his elder. The father left to give the kids, well his kid and her older celebrity boyfriend, a moment of privacy.

Makenzie felt his lips pressed to her forehead before a soft chuckle, "It's quite alright. Goes with dating every good man's daughter." A thoughtful pause. "I'd be worried if he didn't need to do this."

"But he doesn't have to. There's nothing he could possibly-"

"If you won't do it for him, will you do it for me?"

"You want to talk to him? Have the ridiculous man to man talk?" She was stunned that he wanted to do this. She'd put off bringing Ben here just for this very reason.

His hand caressed her cheek as he grinned and whispered, "Who knows? You may want me to talk to him too and you just don't know it yet." That peaked her curiosity.

"What exactly are the two of you going to be discussing?"

A deep little sound of pleasure escaped him before he stood.

"We'll be back shortly." The handsome bugger started walking away before reading her mind. "Oh, and Kenz." The blushing girl turned to face him. "No listening in."

"Fine," she scoffed, a bit more dramatic than she actually felt. They shared another brief loving stare before he disappeared down the hall and outside to join her father.

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Benedict had never been this nervous on a London stage. The only time that even came close to this was the day he walked into Makenzie's classroom the day he got her back. He opened the back door then walked towards her father, his back towards Ben looking over the beautiful scenery below. As confident as he could manage, the star walked beside .

"I never thought Kenzie would get to meet you, much less whatever else the two of you have been doing."

Damn, Benedict thought. Perhaps his girlfriend had the right idea by keeping the two men apart for so long. No, this needed to be done. He needed this just as much for his own sake as for the sake of her father. Could he really blame the man? One day he'd be the nervous father threatening any boy who even thought about shagging-

"I know this is a bit odd-"

"Odd is Makenzie taking on a boyfriend in the first place," the father chuckled, some inside joke with himself. "She's always been strong-willed and independent. Was never taken by the idea of a boyfriend. She always thought one would slow her down. And now here you are." The two met eyes for the first time, both of their stomachs ached with anticipation as to how the rest of the conversation would go. "Part of me still wonders how much of your relationship's foundation is that you've always been her favorite actor."

"Very little, I assure you. Even our first week together, she kept me at arm's length with a distant attitude." He was having to justify their actions. Ben already didn't like where this was going. Yet he completely understood the precious treasure the father was trying to protect. That's all this was. One man protecting the best part of this life he had, they had. They shared.

"How long did you wait to kiss her?"

Though he is being rather direct, Ben continued his own internal monologue. Why do I feel like I'm bloody seventeen again? No, seventeen wasn't even this rough. Or was it? Oh, that was ages ago.

"I didn't try and she didn't encourage it until she was about to leave the airport."

The older man rolled Ben's words around his head a few silent seconds before stating, "You hurt her pretty bad last May. She never let it show, stubborn kid, but she really wanted you to be there."

"My schedule had been moved around just to make the trip then something of vital importance came up. But I did everything in my power, sir." This role as awkward teenager was odd indeed. Sir? Was he really going this far to impress? Well, manners never hurt.

"I see. Against my better judgment I gave her your flowers."

"Yes, she said you had. Thank you for doing that."

"I know this is uncomfortable for you, , but you must understand my position as protective father. My little girl's new boyfriend is an international celebrity. You could have any woman you want with a single glance across a pub, red carpet, anywhere. But you chose my little Makenzie." Benedict opened his mouth to argue but was immediately kept silent. "I know, she's not a child. But even you can't deny the age difference the pair of you have probably been ignoring for the last several months."

Ben continued the silence, telling himself that it was almost over. The worried parent took a deep breath then searched the sky again, as if asking it which questions were vital to ask and which were too soon to inquire about. He and the overcast sky above seemed to make a decision. 's body turned to face Ben, as if the decided question was the most difficult yet.

"Do you love her, Benedict?... Are you in love with her?" He suddenly looked as if he were about to cry. "If something were to happen to her, would you spend days in a dark room pinning for one more day with her?"

His words and tortured expression filled Benedict with an emotion he couldn't name? Some gut wrenching combination of fear, pain, and hope filled his heart and mind. Fear of anything ever happening to his perfect angel. The very thought of losing her brought such pain. And he hoped with everything inside of him that there would never be a day- was that hope or denial that such a day would ever come?

"That look on your face," the father grinned. "That said more than any words would be able to."

"I love Makenzie—I'm in love with Makenzie—more than even I know how to express. She's changed my life in every way in never expected. The thought of settling down had become stronger and strong over the last decade. But Makenzie has been making me ask myself questions and making plans that I never thought of until her. She's the best part of my day and calling her my own has become my greatest honor yet- so much more than any award or fame."

"And where do you see this going?"

Another difficult question Benedict wasn't looking forward to asking some young bloke in years to come. But it was his turn to answer. And he had to be honest. Lying to the man even more important to her than himself was the last thing he could possibly do.

"In my age and her getting settled into her own profession," blimey this was rough. "I would like to marry Makenzie, in the next year with your permission." When the father didn't speak, Ben added, "She's mentioned wanting a summer wedding when the time came so I thought maybe a Christmas engagement. The vows wouldn't even have to be made next summer. Nothing wrong with a long engagement."

"And you're certain she's the one for you? There's no one your own age, rank, or otherwise that would better suit you?"

"I've never felt this way with anyone. If something were to happen to her, I'd lose my mind and never love again." Too dramatic? Or was that what the father wanted to hear?"

It was a long time before spoke, his eyes wandering back up to the cloudy sky.

After a heavy sigh, he nearly whispered, "I'm alright with you dating my daughter for now. Ask me about a ring when Christmas is closer." Ben's heart leapt into his throat as a small grin became impossible to hide. "When the time comes, please actually talk to me before you pick out anything from a jewelers."

"We'll see eachother many times before that happens, sir."

"I'm expecting so. I can't exactly call you a young man, but know when you hold her in your arms or when you're making a decision for the pair of you… she's my world, my life, and my existence. Be good to her. And if you even have the least bit of doubt, leave her now and be gentle about it. I have a feeling that if you have any doubts whatsoever now, you won't make it when the first big thing comes along.

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Her two favorite men in the world walked back into the room laughing and shaking hands- a good sign.

Makenzie got up from the sofa, she'd nearly picked one of the cushions to pieces. She got up with her own large smile, pranced over to her father, then threw her arms around his neck.

"What did you say?" she teased him in a whisper that Ben couldn't hear.

"Nothing you wouldn't want me to."

"Noting?"

"Some things he needs to hear from you," he whispered back.

"I love you," she said loud enough for her boyfriend to hear.

"And he has my approval." The two young people hugged a few seconds before Ben spun her around twice in the small living area. "Congratulations, Kenzi. You're dating Sherlock."