Starcrossed

Sophie and her boyfriend were already drinking, sneaking a rude amount of the limited spiked punch. The dance floor portion of the flat was lively, a lively playlist Benedict had put together himself. Enough people had brought dishes to fill up all kitchen counter space, any party food imaginable. A few romantically involved couples had found dark corners of the main floor; he kept the top floor private when having guests. All in all, everything was going perfectly. As he looked around, Benedict couldn't see anything he could fix or make better. Thus began his search for his fiancé.

The ginning man walked through a few different clusters of people, shaking hands and thanking a few for coming. Some of their private guests had heard the word "party" and invited a few of their mates. This was alright until almost each room felt a few bodies short of crowded. How had their little party turned into this? After walking into one of the less crowded rooms, his eyes lit up. It was as if a light was literally shining down on her. Today had been one of her good days.

"There he is," Amanda sang with a devilish smirk

"I can't apologize enough for how many people are here. Only a fraction were invited. I'll be shocked if something important isn't nicked by the end of the night."

No one laughed at this harder than Martin who finally gasped for breath, "I heard a couple guys plan how they were going to get your sofa out the door without anyone noticing."

"Bloody hell!" Benedict was gone in a flash once more.

The remaining three shared a hearty laugh.

"Did you really hear someone say that?" Makenzie asked, unable to resist the possibility of seeing Martin at one of his famous pranks.

"Of course not. He's just so bloody gullible!"

"In all fairness, it is his house." Amanda leaned into Martin with a small giggle. "I can only imagine what you would be like with twenty plus uninvited guests at a private New Years Party."

"I'd kill them all," Freeman passionately announced as if the scenario had really happened.

"How did the Carlton/Ventham Christmas Party go? Was it horrible?" Amanda prompted, wanting all the juicy details of the party Martin never let her go to. "Is it as horrible as I've heard?"

"I wouldn't say horrible. Ben's parents are lovely-"

The moment Ben returned to his place beside Makenzie, Martin hinted in a low voice, "Also might want to check your good kitchen knife set, mate." After a short groan, Ben was on again. The women noticed but neither said anything- let Martin have his fun.

" Lot's of high society people I didn't know, or had never seen other than telly. Oh, and we got to mess around with Ben's childhood rival. Rather, I got to as he watched in delighted horror."

"Oh, that must have been fun. I bet you were brilliant!"

Amanda had become one of her best friends for this very reason. She was in the public eye, famous, and all that, but she was also the mischievous bold kind of woman Makenzie always wanted as a mentor- someone older to have a bit of fun with. Amanda had accepted the role without question, also admiring Makenzie for reasons the girl still didn't know or understand. They only saw eachother about twice a month yet kept close contact via mobile and took every possible opportunity to visit.

"Knifes are still there," Benedict panted, out of breath from nerves and his sprint to the kitchen.

It was then that the three shared in a chorus of laughter. It only took another second for Benedict to realize he'd been had. Why was he so easy to prank? This was just as embarrassing as the bloody Star Trek "neuron cream". Once the laughter had died down, Makenzie rose to her tip-toes to kiss her man on the cheek.

"That's it," he growled, leaving the group with wide grins still plastered to their faces. Ben went into the front room and yelled, "If you weren't invited leave! NOW! If I didn't personally call you, then you shouldn't be here. Understand? That's it. Yes. Make your way to the door. Thank you." A heard filed to the door as Ben took the same message back to the kitchen and dance floor.

"Whatever are you going to do with that one?" Amanda sighed with great amusement.

"Keep him," Makenzie beamed.

"Makenzie? Oh, there you are," a buzzed Sophie lit up at the sight of her best friend. "Fantastic party!" Soph's attention suddenly left her mate to wander to the couple next to her. "Martin! Amanda! Didn't even know the two of you were here." Though she had learned to control almost all of her inner fangirl, slightly drunk Sophie was a different matter. "Wonderful to see you again." It took everything in the blonde not to hug her favorite celebrity couple.

"How much have you had to drink?" Makenzie faked a giggle, concerned but not worried. After all, Sophie was a grown woman who knew her limits and could do as she pleased.

"Enough to know that this guy," she gave an ungentle tug to her boyfriend's shirt, "is getting lucky tonight."

"Oh, came into the wrong conversation, didn't I?" Ben half cringed.

"Benny boy!" This time, Sophie wasted no time in hugging the man who had become similar to a big brother. "Smashing party, sir! Really. You've outdone yourself." Soph gave a wide grin to everyone before pulling her date away to another room.

"She is pissed!" Ben gasped while trying to hide his building laughter. "I've never seen Sophie-"

"She usually doesn't drink this much. I think love is in the air… or something." Makenzie gave a single glance backwards to see which room the two landed in, just in case something was to go wrong. With less people present, it would be much simpler to keep tabs on them.

"Speaking of love being in the air," Martin began, a playfully cross expression on his face.

"Oh, Martin! Leave it be," Amanda hissed before blushing.

"Amanda and I were cleaning up after our little Halloween party and deduced a few things."

"I have no idea what you are referring to, John," Ben replied, immediately going into character.

"I know what sex in the bathroom looks like mate," Watson replied with a half grin, only going into character a little.

Instead of scolding, Amanda simply gave Makenzie an apologetic look. Their silent conversation ended much sooner than the one between their men.

"It's taken care of now. But I just wanted to make sure it was the two of you. If anyone else pulled a stunt like that in my house…"

"Like the number the two of you did in mine about an hour ago?" Benedict interrupted with one corner of his mouth upturned.

Martin's face went blank for a few seconds before his posture changed to one of innocence and ignorance.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he managed with a straight face. "Do you know what he's going on about?" he asked Amanda in a rather comical manner; she only shook her head with crimson cheeks glowing.

"Call it even," Ben grinned with his hand outstretched.

"No. Because we actually cleaned up." He took his mate's hand anyways. After all, it was about time Ben made a few irresponsible and childish mistakes for love's sake. For just a fleeting moment, Martin recalled some of the stunts he and Amanda had done when they were just starting. Sex in a best friend's loo was nothing compared to-

"Just a few more minutes," the girls almost said in unison.

Each grabbed their man by the hand and pulled them to the front room, where guests had figured out how to turn the telly on to watch the fireworks at Big Ben.

"Ten!" someone shouted from near the telly. "Nine!" Others quickly joined in. "Eight!" Amanda shouted while taking Martin's hand in her own. "Seven!" Benedict pulled Makenzie to the back of the room where it was a bit darker.

"Six!" He pushed her against the wall without a sound and without being noticed. "Five!" A passionate but playful twinkle filled both sets of eyes. "Four!" He ruffled his curly hair with an intense stare. "Three!" His hands cupped her face as her eyes slid closed with anticipation. "Two!" Their lips met in a fiery blaze both had been desperately craving all night. "One!" Their kiss deepened as hands settled wherever they were.

"Happy New Year," he whispered in that low tone against her neck as the words were shouted by everyone else.

The lovers parted with stars in their eyes. Makenzie brushed a stray curl from his eyes before giving him one last chaste kiss.

"I love you," she giggled, a moment too perfect to be real.

"I love you," he echoed with long and deep smile lines, light eyes full of joy.

Martin and Amanda stayed behind, after everyone else had left, to help clean up. Rubbish bags full of plates, cups, and the like were piled just outside the back door for tomorrow. Several dishes of untrusted food were thrown out, the pile of empty containers growing. More bottles and cans than they knew were at the party were put in their own large rubbish bag. It was nearly two thirty when the team called it quits.

"Again, thank you for all of your help," Ben yawned, pulling Martin in for a manly hug.

"Can't wait to see you again," Amanda sighed like a shy little girl, her face beaming with love for her new friend. The girls shared a fond embrace before walking to the door.

"Let it be sooner than two months, yeah?" It felt like ages since their Halloween party- much too long to be apart from such wonderful friends.

"I'll see you at the Sherlock premiere," Ben said to Martin before the door was open.

It was a charming scene, friends saying goodnight to friends after a wild New Years party. Amanda was first to walk out with Martin right behind. Ben slightly turned to find his fiancé, wanting to hold her in his arms as their friends walked away- just like he had imagined doing for so long. But when his eyes fell on her, just a few steps behind him, her bulged eyes and fearful expression couldn't be missed.

"Kenz?" The girl simply looked up at him with pleading eyes. "What's-"

Despite her not having a single drink or much to eat that night, Makenzie got sick right there in the hall. Martin and Amanda heard Ben's worried cries just before it happened and returned inside. They watched as Ben pulled his girl away from the mess on the floor.

"I'm so sorry. Please forgive me!" she begged with the most unnecessary look of shame. "I didn't even feel it-" She turned back around to repeat the unexpected action.

Ben held smoothed back her hair after she faced him once more.

"She's burning up," he quickly announced. It didn't take a medical expert to notice her ghostly pale face, trembling figure, and unfocussed eyes. "Did you drive?" he asked the other pair.

"Yeah, we'll drive you," Martin assured before running to the car. It was cold tonight and the car needed unlocked and heating before their sick friend got it.

"Come here, darling," Amanda cooed, taking the girl into her arms. "I'm going to clean up a bit. You need to call her family, grab her coat, and get anything else that would be useful."

Ben gave a quick nod then ran up the stairs to fetch the necessary items. His mobile was pulled from his pocket as he searched for items on the list he had quickly and mentally prepared. With a quick few taps on the screen he began throwing things onto the bed. Finally the other end picked up.

"James! It's Makenzie. She's having an episode. I've never seen one this bad. Get to London, quick as you can."

Three hours later, Benedict shifted in his seat beside Gran, the terrified father pacing just in front of them. It was going on five thirty yet he wasn't tired. Every so often, the men's desperate eyes would meet. Their hearts pumped in unison as their thoughts echoed from one to the other. She had been doing so well. Hope had just been in reach. And now they were each feeling a bit of whiplash from the unexpected danger and threat of loss.

"I need the family of Makenzie Daniels," a nurse called from a half open door. All three moved at the same time, racing to hear any news of their Makenzie. "Are the three of you her immediate family?"

"I'm her fiancé," Ben announced without caring who heard.

The nurse glanced up from her clipboard to see if the face matched the familiar voice. It was him! Wasting no time, she flipped the page, eyes searching for something written in the unreadable ink.

"I'm sorry, sir. Really I am. But her privacy sheet doesn't have your name on it."

"But they are engaged," Gran reminded the young woman as polite as she could manage.

"She's not wearing a ring," the nervous woman argued, reluctantly keeping to protocol. She watched as a light seemed to go off somewhere in the actor's mind. The lack of a ring seemed to make sense to him. "I think if you were engaged, sir, everyone would know it," she tried to joke, but her teasing was only matched by an instant deadly stare. "Sorry." It didn't take long to realize her great error. That wasn't the cleverest thing she had done in her life but it had already been done, and apologized for. "The two of you can follow me."

"I'm coming," Ben sternly announced, already beyond offended. "We were at a party and we obviously haven't gone public," he whispered rather harshly. He gave a quick look around the room before continuing. "She took her ring off to better keep the secret, one I would appreciate if you didn't tell to a single soul."

"I believe you, really I do. But we aren't allowed to-"

"It's fine. I'm obviously wasting everyone's time." His eyes found James and Gran, frustrated but accepting. "Let me know the second I can see her."

James simply put a hand on Ben's shoulder before disappearing with the incompetent nurse. With a deep breath and tearing eyes, Ben returned to his seat. Luckily, the hospital wasn't very busy tonight. The staff should be available to take care of her quickly. Leaning over to bury his face into his shaking hands, Ben couldn't stop silent tears. She had to make it. She just had to.

Stupid him. He wanted to do something nice for her but hurt her instead. Again, he'd made her do too much. But he had asked and she said she was alright- she was even excited. He had put the whole thing together and she only needed to socialize and have a good time. Then again, his girl's will had always been much stronger than anyone could possibly expect from a woman in her situation. A perfect young woman… dy-

He forced the thought away with a fierce wiping of his eyes. She couldn't see him like this. He needed to be strong for her, for them both.

What were they telling James and Gran? Was it as bad as they thought? Was it worse than anticipated? There were too many possibly to narrow it down to just one. SherlockHolmes could have deduced it all. If only his powers of deduction weren't an act for a telly show. Another aggravated sigh escaped his lips as his mobile buzzed. In hopes that it was James or Makenzie giving him permission to find her, he pulled the device from his coat in a flash.

But it was just Amanda asking if they had found anything out. Yes, they had found out how ignorant some rules were. He didn't respond to the text.

He didn't know exactly how long it had been, Each second seemed like thirty. Every minute was an hour. Though he knew it had only been a few minutes, the unknown tortured him. All he could do was wait. The man had only paced around the room a few times before the rude nurse returned. A simple nod of her head told him all he needed to know.