The Cumber-Cover-Up

When it became clear that Benedict Cumberbatch's marriage to Sophie Hunter was a ruse, and that she was not in fact pregnant with their child, Ben became desperate for help. A cover-up of a cover-up. His PR had put him in this situation, and he was not ready to trust them to get him out.

"What if, and this is so crazy only a fanfiction writer could come up with it, but what if Sophie was a cover-up because you were dating someone else?"

Ben shook his head in utter confusion. "What? How would that be any different-"

"No listen!" She hit his arm to get him to shut up. "Someone you couldn't be seen dating publicly!"

"Like...a married woman? Or....a relative?" He scrunched up his face as he tried to comprehend what Lila was suggesting.

"No, you perv! Like...someone a celebrity couldn't date, you know? A normal person, a muggleborn, a non-celebrity regular, average human being who doesn't belong in the public eye." She swallowed as she waited for her point to sink in.

"Oh," he sounded disappointed, but still deep in thought as her idea bounced around in his head. "Oh!" Ben repeated, but with realization as an idea struck. "You mean, like you?"

"No! That's not what I meant! I mean, I would be an example of such a person, but I did not mean me specifically." Lila blushed at the mere suggestion. While she had entertained the idea ('fantasy' is more realistic) of sleeping with her employer on occasion, it was just a passing thought in the ever-active mind of a part-time professional fanfiction writer.

'Part-time professional fanfiction writer' you ask? It's weird, but really it has a simple answer: it doesn't pay enough to be a full time job (in face, it doesn't really pay at all). In need of a second form of income, Lila found herself applying to any part-time job she was qualified for. After failing as a waitress, secretary, data entry typist, and a nanny, Lila was grasping at straws when she went to what would be her last job interview. Public relations had never interested Lila; in fact she thought PR was lame and a little annoying. As her 90 day visitation visa quickly ticked down the days, she was ready to do anything than risk being sent back to her homeland in the States.

A change of scenery was just what she needed after a breakup and a failed attempt at grad school. England seemed like her safe haven and decided to start over in the country she had spent four years studying in undergrad. Where better to live than in the country whose history you have a university degree in?

London was not the cozy Victorian shithole she'd read about in school, or the struggling city rebuilding after WWII; it was nothing Lila was prepared for. The first few months were hard, living off the meager income of her writing and what was left of her savings. Her flat mates were kind enough and had tried getting her a job in their respective workplaces, but Lila had not succeeded in landing any of these positions. In a last ditch effort, she applied for an opening as an assistant at the PR firm her flat mate's cousin worked. She knew it was a long shot, so when she went in for an interview she gave it her best (meaning she lied...just a little).

So maybe Lila couldn't ride a horse and doesn't have experience with social media (besides facebook), or managing difficult people. So what? People lie in job interviews all the time. That wouldn't be an issue if you're just filing papers and taking calls, right? If that's all she was doing, no - it wouldn't be a problem. But Lila happened to interview at just the right time (or wrong time, really) when the company was reorganizing and she ended up as an 'Assistant PR Manager' (whatever that is).

It sounds daunting, and Lila felt she should be scared, but she was thrilled just to have a job! No more skipping meals to pay rent, or walking halfway across town instead of taking the tube. She could eat a full meal and not worry about saving half of it for her next one. Lila was just happy to have an income.

***

"What's that you're writing there?" A deep and oddly attractive voice said, and sent a shiver down her spine. It's like she had been caught writing a note in class by her attractive, young literature professor. She could only hope he looked as good as he sounded.

"Nothing it's just, uh," she closed her notebook and turned back to face him. The cheekbones, the jaw, *gasp* those eyes! It was like... Like nothing Lila's vivid imagination could have thought up. She swallowed hard as her brain pieced itself back together again and tried to make sense of the angelic dork looking over her shoulder.

"Really," it was almost like he was growling, but in a friendly and slightly intrigued manor. The bored musings of someone waiting for a meeting.

"It's, uh, nothing. Just something I'm working on." She stuffed the notebook further in her bag, mentally finishing the sentence she had been writing. May or may not have been a sex scene.

He raised his eyebrow as if to say 'I don't believe you but I won't ask' and smiled slightly before slumping down on the couch across from her. Lila wondered if he was also here to interview for the same position. Maybe they could be co-workers? That would be too distracting...

---And that was how Lila met Benedict Cumberbatch. She insisted on calling him 'Benny' right from the start despite his protests, but he eventually grew to appreciate it and expect it from her. In turn, he accidentally called her 'Lillian' their second time meeting because he'd forgotten her name, so it became their little joke. The two were not fast friends off the bat despite this comradery, but it gave them a more personal working relationship.