Starcrossed

"Benedict!" his mother yelled with joy!

"Merry Christmas, mum," the son chuckled while taking his mother into his arms.

After their brief hug, she turned to Makenzie—a rounded pile of presents in her arms—and squealed, "And my future daughter-in-law! Lovely of you to come, dear. You look radiant."

"So pleased to have been invited."

"Of course! We couldn't have a proper Christmas celebration without the newly engaged couple! Now, both of you will be coming to the gala tonight, correct?"

"Wouldn’t dream of missing it," Ben faked a smile, his glance darting down to his amused fiancé, who'd picked up on the well hidden sarcasm of his statement.

"Your sister and the kids will be by soon," Wanda happily announced, leading the way deeper into the home that had recently become familiar to Makenzie. "Oh, they are little darlings, my dear. There is no Godparent more proud than Benedict."

"I can't wait to meet them. He talks about them constantly."

"As they do him," the mother replied cheekily. "Sometimes to their mother's limit."

Makenzie again caught the hidden message behind the said words. The children must love Ben to the point of annoyance. They probably thought he hung the moon and all the stars himself. She would probably think the same if in their position. Actually, she thought as highly of him even now.

"Tim! Ben and Kenzie are here!" she called up the staircase.

A loud thunder of footsteps came from the den then practically sprinted down the steps. Timothy passed his son with a single phrase of welcome before taking the girl into his arms.

"It's been ages, love! Don't stay away so long next time. We'd love to see more of you," he chuckled and beamed at the sight of her, his new favorite young person.

"How wonderful to see you as well! I'll try to come around more often," Makenzie grinned as fractions of her built anxiety lifted a little at a time.

The second the kids arrived, Benedict's limbs and lap were tugged, pulled, and occupied. He introduced the children to their new Godmother with pride and greatest delight. Being the beautiful angel she was, they took to her immediately- shocking all except Benedict. Once all expected family members were present, they gathered in the decorated dining room.

Conversation was much different than at Gran's but not uncomfortable. Everyone wanted the full story of how the lovers met and what they had been up to. They all watched and listened as the two teased, challenged, and flirted throughout the romantic summary of their story. Makenzie was the bold soul who offered her private news, at the perfect moment of the meal. His family was quiet for a while but processed the information with grace and no one treated her any different than before, after the first few minutes of initial shock. Wanda was first to change the subject to Ben's work schedule; everyone's expressions turned to those of pride and awe of what their Benedict was achieving.

"About time you did something with your life," his sister teased. "And I haven't seen a more perfect match in ages. The two of you complement eachother entirely. Don't you think, mum?"

"Yes," the protective mother agreed in a breathy thoughtful murmur.

They had exchanged gifts at Gran's, and it had been a charming time, but the couple had decided to save two or three presents each for his parents' home. Each had a child in their lap the entire time yet neither cared. Wanda adored the new ring Tim had bought her, fancied the scarf and glove set from the kids, and nearly cried after opening the collage of Benedict's extraordinary year Makenzie had made- everything from the Sherlock set, to private Hobbit set photos, to his many premieres. Even Benedict couldn't believe all he had done the last twelve months.

"But there's not one of us," he announced to the creator.

"Then open yours," she grinned with tired eyes full of mischief.

Once the Santa paper had been ripped off a thick rectangle, he found his favorite photo of them in a simple but elegant silver frame. His eyes scanned the photo's details he already knew by heart from his laptop main screen.

"It's to take with you when you travel. That way I can be with you every night," she explained with pure optimism in her voice.

But he understood far more than the words she was saying. This photo in the nice frame was supposed to get him through the nights she was at her worst and he couldn't come home to her. It was for the first weeks after she planned to be gone, to help the process along during travel. Despite his initial emotions towards the gift, he acted pleased before hugging and thanking her. "A fantastic idea" he had told her.

Her mildly morbid gift of sadness was followed by his gift of hope.

"Alright, your turn." Ben handed her the long skinny box with pride and excitement.

"This better not be anything expensive," she warned with a full smile, unable to be cross with him. Makenzie's breath hitched at the sight of another old friend perfectly tucked against white velvet.

"Well, what is it love?" his mother asked with an outstretched neck.

With starry eyes, Makenzie looked up at Ben to make sure this was what she thought.

"The necklace my mother wore on her wedding day," she nearly cried with joy. "You found it? But where? It's been missing for ages.

"Your dad and I did a bit of cleaning at his place one day. Dug through some boxes he hadn't touched in years and… there it was."

She stared down at the Victorian style diamond arrangement in awe. This very piece of jewelry had been mentioned a few times but she never imagined her dream of wearing it down the aisle would come true. Without another moment's hesitation, she moved his face with one tender touch and kissed him as deeply as she could with an audience.

"Woo-woo," his sister teased with a blush. "Alright, you two! You'll be in London soon enough. And you can get a room there!" This made everyone in the room laugh for nearly a minute, more quick jokes added between breaths.

"Go on then, dad," Benedict chuckled with his own deep blush. "Open yours."

The family finished their Christmas morning presents and prepared for an amazing lunch, the girls helping Wanda whenever they could. The smells, endless chatter, and magic that seemed to go with the day went on for a couple hours. Again, Benedict found himself sitting on the sofa having a man-to-man chat with his father this time.

"She's a keeper, that one," Tim grinned with waggled eyebrows. His playfulness was short-lived when he added, "For as long as possible, anyways."

"She's going to make it," Ben declared with hopeful certainty.

Placing a hand on his son's shoulder, the father replied, "Son, I know you want her situation to go a certain way. But sometimes, no amount of money or fighting spirit can change fate."

"I don't believe in-"

"I know. Fate is nothing but rubbish. But whatever's meant to happen will happen.

"You don't know the girl I know. She's too stubborn to let anyone else decide her fate. If I could just get her the best medical treatments and medicines, I honestly believe her will to live would win out over the..." He couldn't even say the word. Cancer, such a horrible word.

"I hope she does make it. Honestly, truly. She's a treasure, my boy. The kind of woman that only comes around once in a lifetime, and to very few men at that. She obviously didn't stay with you for your millions. She's nothing like what your mother and I thought you'd go for." Their eyes met, Ben's filled with curiosity- where was the old bugger going with this? "She's even better than we'd planned."

"Thanks, dad," Benedict smiled before wiping whatever tears had built in his eyes.

Christmas lunch was wonderful, full of a different kind of conversation than at Gran's but still lovely- much more posh, Makenzie thought to herself. The meal was expensive and not what she was used to but she enjoyed it anyway and took each foreign tradition as it came, Benedict's sometimes apologetic glances helping her through. Once lunch was over, everyone helped clean the three used rooms up a bit; with everyone working, even the children, it only took an hour.

"Benedict, you and Makenzie go on to London and make sure the rooms and banquet hall are prepared. I want everything looking perfect tonight. She can have a lie down while you do the checking." After Ben left the room, she turned to her future daughter-in-law with a sparkle in her eye. "I can't remember him ever being so happy on Christmas. Not since he was a teenager. And I know it's all because of you, my dear. Do you have a wedding date set?"

"We're still not sure how my treatments are going to work and that particular timeframe but we were thinking… May. His schedule is still busy until then."

"May," Wanda sighed with her hands clasped at her heart. "There's so many people who have been waiting for Benedict's wedding. Most had given up." One of her slender hands moved to Makenzie's cheek. "He was just waiting for the perfect one. And I think everyone will see that tonight."

"Oh, we haven't gone public yet."

"Well, you have two choices my dear- and I won't be hurt either way. Take the ring off for the night and come as his date, or make tonight the night that the world finds out about the future Mrs.Cumberbatch." She paused with a wide smile still across her lips, simply imaging what festivities were to come. "Talk it over in London, my dear. The two of you will know what to do."

---

The good-byes had been said but it would only be another few hours before they were reunited.

"So let me get this straight. Your family hosts a posh Christmas party in London every year? Celebrities, family friends, the whole nine yards?"

"Well, we don't 'host' it, we just throw it all together. It's been the same faces for years. A few are added, a few never show, and some manage to sneak in. I think Tom was invited this year."

"Hiddleston Tom?" Kenzie gasped, still suffering from various star-struck moments.

"That is, if the two of you can keep your hands off eachother," he teased, playing along with their little joke that something was going on between her and the other famous actor.

"We'll see what we can do," the girl sighed, as if put off from the ridiculous request.

Their cab pulled up to the hotel entrance. The two helped eachother gather their bags and luggage, making their way to the front desk immediately. All of their reservations and plans were still promising, the party already going to be a success. Ben was given their room keys and thanked for the annual business given to the hotel. Minutes later, they were unpacking their things into the beautiful suite.

"Are you tired, love? Need a good lie down before tonight?"

"Yeah, just let me unpack and get settled," she said, a strange smirk filling her face.

Benedict plopped onto the bed in his own sleep pants, a bit tired from the morning and looking forward to a much needed Christmas cuddle. He flipped the telly on to catch the news while noises came from the loo. Yes, this was the best Christmas he had spent to date. Between her enjoyable family celebrations to his family Christmas morning endeavors—usually much more dramatic than their charming time together today—the man needed a quick nap. The door opened but he was focused on the flatscreen hanging in front of the bed- until a quick coughing sound won his attention.

Makenzie was standing in the doorway with a satin red corset, green garter belt, black stockings, and glittery white pump he had never seen before. He gapped at her for several seconds before a mad dash to find the flipper. The moment the telly was off, his eyes darted toward the irresistible figure before him.

"We didn't get to have our Christmas shag lastnight," she announced in a shy yet seductive manner. "Sorry about that. But today, I'm feeling much better." Her sweet slow words continued as she took a few slow steps towards the bed. "A good lie down is in need. But not before we tend to our unfinished business. We have another five hours before the party starts- more than enough time for a quick shag, a nap, then get dressed up to the nine's." By the time the last word was said, she was standing at the side of the mattress and he was already standing on his knees just in front of her.

His eyes took every detail of her in one last time before pulling her onto the bed with him. Giggles and pulse-raising promises filled the room until they began. And what a memory it was. Both were asleep just minutes after their love-making session had ended, regrettably not enough time for a round two. They woke an hour later then began the shower and dressing process.

---

When eight thirty came around, they entered the ball room just late enough to be noticed. Benedict and his mysterious beautiful date. Her white gloves hid the ring but the lovers still knew it was there, and that was all who needed to know. They were the center of attention all evening. When they danced, whispered between bites of food, and disappeared for a few minutes in the middle of the festivities nearly everyone noticed. Though discrete, everyone could see that they pair were getting serious if not already there.

The hall itself looked like something from a dream. Green holly, red candles, white lights, a small live band, and a feast table longer than she had ever seen made her feel as if she was the star of a Christmas film. With the perfect setting and a lover at her side, there was nothing she couldn’t do tonight. There was nothing she wouldn't do.

One thought echoed above all others in her mind. If this was to be her last Christmas, she was going to make every last second count. It was their night, everyone else was simply there to fill the room and complete the exquisite setting.