(11) Look Alive, Sunshine

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Nina woke up on a couch in the same clothes she'd put on twelve hours ago minus her shoes, which were dumped on the floor next to her. Why was she on the couch...and who put the water and tablets on the table?

She groaned softly, sitting up and rubbing her head. Ouch. She took the tablets and stood up, almost tripping over her own shoes on the floor, and then tripping over another pair of shoes she hadn't noticed.

She wandered slowly across to where she thought the kitchen was but instead she found the bathroom, and the kitchen was on the other side of the hallway to where she'd remembered it to be. "That's odd." She muttered, walking into the kitchen, the cold tiles chilling her feet.

"What's odd?" A familiar voice said from behind her. Nina yelped, a hand flying to her mouth as she whipped around to see a tired looking Tom leaning on the doorway. "Morning, love."

"How did I end up here?" She leant against the kitchen counter, her head spinning slightly. "What did I do last night?"

"You got drunk. Very drunk." Tom laughed softly to himself. "Your evening consisted of singing Aerosmith on karaoke, trying to dance on a table and then somewhere along the way you passed out laying across Benedict and I, and we woke you up enough to get you back here. You burst into tears as we arrived at the hotel because you'd apparently left your keys locked in your room and there was no one around at reception so I took the liberty of half walking, half carrying you up here..."

"Oh my god." Nina groaned. "How long do we have until we have to be on set?"

"About an hour." He grins. "I'll make us some tea while you...um...get yourself straight."

*****

Nina had decided to go for the whole 'I'm hungover and wearing big sunglasses and I don't care if it isn't even sunny' look. Tom looked as handsome as ever, swapping his grey shirt for a blue one with a pair of slim black jeans and his black jacket. "I know you're tired love, but whatever you do, please don't poke me in the eye with the comb."

"Ye of little faith." Nina muttered, a small smile on her face as they clambered into the car awaiting them. She decided to pull out her phone and check it as Tom chatted away with their driver about something to do with the weather. Forty eight texts from Kyle. Nina stiffened up slightly, glad that Tom couldn't see how wide her eyes were.

K: What are you up to? xo
K: Nina where are you? xo
K: Nina, please answer your phone. xo
K: Nina this isn't funny

The rest of the texts were pretty much him accusing her of various things and she sighed. What was a relationship with no trust? Nina sniffed, scrolling through the ret of the texts.

"Are you ok, Nina?" Tom looked across at her, briefly breaking off his conversation with their driver. A lone tear sat on Nina's face and she whisked her hand up to wipe it away.

"I'm ok. I promise."

"No, Nina, you're really not." Tom had a concerned look in his eyes as he seemed to abruptly change the subject. "Do you talk in your sleep often?"

"Only usually when I'm..." Nina groaned softly. "Drunk."

"I wasn't going to say anything to you or anyone at pain of your embarrassment, but last night I heard you talking. Something about pianos, singing, Kyle and thread? Does that mean anything?"

The threads that held their relationship together. "No, no, I..." She looked out of the window at the country lane they were passing through. "I don't know, but then again, what do I know when it comes to love?"

"I'm sure you know plenty, my dear." Tom smiled, reaching over to squeeze her hand reassuringly. "You just haven't found anyone to show it off to yet."

"Are you implying that I shouldn't be with Kyle, Mr. Hiddleston?" Nina cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh...no, no! That's not at all what I meant." His cheeks went a light red. "But I've not known you long, I've never met your Kyle, and Benedict is the Sherlock here, but somehow, Nina, I don't think you're happy with him." He sat back with a soft grunt as his head hit the headrest. "Sorry, was that too opinionated?"

"No, no..." Finally. Someone else had said it. It felt somewhat easier to accept it from someone else's mouth. Someone she felt she could trust a little more. The fact that that someone was a movie star that had girls all over him - as did Kyle apparently - was completely irrelevant.

"Do you see those flowers over there?" Tom leaned towards Nina's side of the back seats, squinting. "Are they forget me nots?"

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, sorry." He sat back in his seat again, smiling to himself. "That was a bit abrupt."

"Mm." Nina looked back out of the window as the car drew to a halt. She could only pray that Benedict and the others wouldn't tease her about her...antics the previous night.

*****

As she was walking she bumped into another woman and as she turned to apologise she realised it was the red haired girl from last night. "Oh, hey! Nina, isn't it?" The girl smiled and Nina felt like her perfect white teeth were possibly blinding her.

"Yeah, that's me. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Oh. No, I'm fine." She held out her hand for Nina to shake, which she did gently. "I don't think I ever told you my name. I'm Annabeth but please, call me Annie. I can't stand my full name."

Nina smiled awkwardly. "Well, my full name is actually-" She was interrupted by someone walking into her, and she felt a steady pair of hands on her shoulders from behind.

"I didn't hurt you, did I, love?" She knew exactly who it was standing behind her. Quite close to her, she noticed. "Oh, hey Annie."

"Heya! Well, I'll see you guys, I'm sure you're going to be busy." She giggled, twisting her hair around her finger, and wandered off to do whatever it was that she did.

"She seems nice." Nina shrugged, partially to remove Tom's hands from her, turning to face him to see that he was trying to suppress a laugh. "What?"

He raised an eyebrow. "She was flirting with me all day yesterday."

"Oh my." Nina smiled, adjusting her shades which had slipped forward slightly. "Should we get to work on you then... Captain Nicholls?"

[A/N] any guesses at what nina's full first name might be? and am i the only one laughing imagining nina being drunk and collapsing on hiddlebatch? i am? okay. but, y'know...drop a vote anyways?
yours truly :) x

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