Given and Denied

Chapter 24

I rolled over in the bed sleepily coming around from the deepness of my slumber and became immediately aware that I was being watched. Flickering open my eyelids I could just about make out the shape of somebody standing over me and was quite startled for a moment.

"What the fuck is Alan Rickman doing here?".   A voice whispered loudly and urgently into the fuzziness of my sleepy brain.

"What?".  I yawned lazily, allowing my arms to stretch up above my head, before I opened my eyes even wider.

"Alan Rickman!".  The voice harshly whispered again.
"He's at this very moment in our kitchen making toast and wearing my dressing gown!".

"Oh....... Er..... Hullo Marcus".  I smiled up at the figure.   "You're back then".

"Yes, I am and not before bloody time too by the looks of things! So? What's been going on in my absence?".  He asked, now seating himself down onto the edge of my bed.

"Oh well, nothing much....... Only I........ I Took a severe beating last night".   I lazily yawned.
"I tried to beat him back, but he was just so strong. I reluctantly had to admit defeat in the end".

Marcus widened his eyes and brought his face closer towards mine.

"He...... He.... Beat you?".   Marcus whispered.

"Yeah".   I said.  "But it was okay, he bought pizza for us, so suppose I had to forgive him really".

"For beating you?".  Marcus's whispered voice was suddenly louder.
"Buying pizza and making someone breakfast in the morning, does not excuse anyone for beating anybody!".

I smiled up at him.

"Oh, it does. He was so  good at it. A real expert in fact".  I stretched out again and yawned. "But I feel so stiff this morning though. You see, I was on the floor for most of it". 

Marcus stared at me and I could suddenly see that he had real concern in his beautiful eyes.

"Oh God....... Gwen. Did...... Did he really hurt you?".   He now asked gently.

"What? When he beat me?".  I smiled.

Marcus nodded his head.

"Well, my pride was a little hurt I suppose........... So yes, I'd have to admit to that".  I answered.

"No, what I meant was did he hurt you physically".  Marcus said.

I frowned at him.

"Alan  wouldn't hurt me".  I said, shaking my head. "Physically or mentally. I seem to be able to do that all by myself. The stuff that I've put myself through lately........ Honestly Marcus, You just would not believe".

Marcus stared even harder at me now.

"Look, you don't have to cover up for him you know. Big time movie star or not, he still has to face up to the consequences of his actions".  Marcus said seriously.

I now swung my legs from out of the bed, as the aroma of toast wafted in from the kitchen and I started to feel very hungry and also quite sad as thoughts of poor Maya had now entered my mind once again.

"Well, try telling Jules Ryback that then!".  I snapped.  "He's the one who's carrying on as if nothing has happened".

Marcus stared hard at me and watched as I put on my own dressing gown.

"Did you know that he's back on the film set again?".  I huffed.  "And David McIntyre has the audacity to want me to go back there and act with him!"