Benedict Cumberbatch Imagines Prt. 2

Destiny (4)

The following morning, Ben woke up at the crack of dawn. The house was filled with silence, no noise coming from outside his room. Carefully, he grabbed his belongings and quietly left without saying goodbye. Once outside, he sat in his car and let a tear fall down his cheek. He swiftly wiped it off and turned on his car.

You woke up just in time to see him drive off. You felt horrible from last night. You had no idea he had a fiancée, especially that she had passed away. You tried calling him and texting him that day, but he wouldn't answer. Fairly enough, you understood. You thought you had brought up memories he might had wanted to forget about and you knew he needed some time.

**

After two weeks of not texting or calling or casually seeing each other. You received a text from Ben. He explained that he needed to take some time away. He didn't go into detail but you had already imagined that.  You were glad he was ok, but you didn't have the best news for him. Instead of calling, you sent him a text.

Mr. Cumberbatch, I am truly sorry about what happened that night. Due to those reasons, we've come to a conclusion that our meetings can only be professional and not of any other sort. I would love to see you again, if and only there is any help you need with your taxes or other accounting problems you may have. Again, I'm sorry for what happened. I hope everything is well.

Ben read the message in confusion. He didn't reply quickly since he read the message over and over again. Ben sat up on the bench he was on. People were running and walking around him. It was barely the afternoon and he was at the Santa Monica pier again. Ben read the message one more time and replied.

We? To my understanding, I don't remember agreeing to this or saying any of this. I think I know what's going on. I apologize for leaving out of the blue the following day and not communicating with you, I probably left you worried. Now on the case of our meetings, I completely understand. Instead of saying that you and your boyfriend/boss agreed to only have professional meetings with me, next time just tell me he won't let you see me.

With that, Ben put his phone in his pocket and covered his face with his hands. This was the end and he knew it. There was no going back. It was the best thing to do anyways. He couldn't get closer to you and he wouldn't for your own sake and his own. Ben somberly got up and went to grab a taxi.

**

Weeks had passed, Ben wasn't sure how many, but he knows it's been a very long time since he saw you. It  was now the middle of July. Waves of people came around the world to visit the dirty Los Angeles. Ben woke up from another dream, another nightmare. It's been the third one this week. He has them frequently now. Ben stood in front of the mirror and saw the bags under his eyes.

He was not okay. Ben needed to see you, but he tried to keep his space. He opened the blinds to his apartment to only see the sky was a dark gray color. "Fuck," Ben grabbed the side of his head as another headache came to him. It was going to be a very long day.

He tried to preoccupy himself with a little tv as well as reading a book. He had skipped his meals, yet he wasn't starving. He had woken up at 10 in the morning and looked to see that his clock only read 12 in the afternoon. Ben sighed, he grabbed his keys and headed out his door.

He had no idea where he was going or how long he was going to walk, but he just needed to do something. He was making a 30 minute walk to the pier, but he stopped midway and thought of another route. He began to walk the  opposite way to the pier.

An hour later, he walked up to the driveway of your house. Ben was soaked because it began to rain midway he was to your house. He didn't expect to see so many cars in your drive way. From afar, he saw you standing around with your friends, they were all cheering and happy. Ben quirked his brows.

One of your friends looked outside to the driveway, only to be scared by Ben standing in the middle of the rain. She spoke her concern to everyone else. You turned around to see a very somber Ben. Instead of calling your boyfriend, you just went over to him. You grabbed an umbrella before stepping outside.

Ben saw you walking out and made a small turn to go away, but you caught up to him. "What are you doing here?" you asked concerned, instead of being mad. "I..I'm sorry. I wanted to talk to you about something a long time ago, but I see you're celebrating. I'm sorry," he began to walk away, but you stopped him. "Yeah, Austin proposed to me last night," you looked at him concerned, "What's going on Ben?" you grabbed onto his arm.

Ben sighed, his tears blended with the water dripping down from his hair. You instantly let the umbrella go and hugged him. "What happened that day Ben? Why did you do it?" those words slipped from your mouth. Ben began to cry. You were now more than confused.

"I swear to you, it wasn't my fault. I didn't do anything. It was your m–" Ben broke down crying. You hugged him even more. Ben slipped his hand into his pocket and retrieved an engagement ring. He grabbed onto your hand and looked at the ring filled with diamonds. You stood in place. Ben took off the one that you already had on and put the one he had in his hands. You quirked your brows, getting a little freaked out by Ben.

"You want to know why I never made an appointment again?" he could barely speak. "Why?" you questioned. "Because I couldn't bare to see the love of my life, sitting in an office, unable to remember who I was. This ring is yours, it's been yours for four years. Of course, you don't remember me or this ring or what happened," Ben sniffled.

You pulled your arm away, "Ben, this must be a mistake." You began to take a step back but he stopped you. "You were a student at NYU, that's where we met. You were my student in my literature class, your were planning to be a literature professor just like myself. Your life for the past 4 years have been a lie, it's been fabricated. You aren't from California. You're a New York," Ben explained.

"This is ridiculous, let me go," you tried to loosen your grip. "It's not, it's the truth that I have to live with and what your parents and fiancé and your doctors have told you. You aren't 25, you're 26. You knew my favorite wine because I drank that on every date we went on, because I had it in my home every time you would come by. My poor darling girl, you've been told lies for four years," Ben still grabbed you by the arm.

You stopped trying to get away from him. You just stared at him with a blank expression. "A few minutes ago you asked me something," Ben mentioned. You thought for a second and repeated the same question, "What happened that day Ben? What did you do?" Ben nipped at his bottom lip and looked down to the floor. "I..I don't know why I asked that. I meant to ask why did you leave so soon when you were last here," you kept looking at him.

He raised his head and shook his head, "You're asking what happened the day you forgot everything."