Juggling (Book Two)

Lots of Noise!

It is a couple of months later — August to be precise — and plans are coming together for the wedding of Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch. Outfits have been fitted, venues booked and guests invited so now all that has to be done is the wait. The pair are being wed on the fifth of September at Kew Gardens in London late afternoon before an awesome reception also at this fabulous destination. Darren is twirling the invitation in his fingertips deep in thought:

You are invited to the wedding of Thomas William Hiddleston and Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch at Kew Gardens on Saturday 5th September. The formal ceremony will begin at three o'clock and the reception with a meal will start soon after.

Please feel free to bring a plus one but please alert us beforehand.

From Tom and Benedict  

He is upset that Tom is getting married due to the fact that before he "died" they were technically engaged but he is not going to ruin this special day for his past lover. He loves Tom too much to do that.

\~.~.~.~.~/

It is mid-afternoon and the group of friends (minus Benedict) are hanging out in Tom's apartment. They are all chit chattering about random topics such as a political scandal which has been brewing in the news, Elli and Nate's future plans and social media — Steph and Lauren are attempting to make Tom persuade Benedict to get twitter. "Come on Tom!" Lauren exclaims, "Can you imagine how pleased the fans would be?" She pouts but Tom shakes his head.

"No." He asserts yet kindly, "You know how opinionated Ben gets, he would get into all sorts of trouble. It is the same reason why Amanda does not allow Martin to get Twitter."

"Hey! Benedict is not as bad as Martin." Steph reasons and she has a point but Tom stands his ground plus Ben does not want any form of social media anyway. Everyone knows the trouble he got into on Reddit. The front door squeaks open silencing everyone from their babble as Benedict enters with a huge grin on his face. "Ears burning?" Steph comments and Lauren giggles at this but Ben does not seem to hear. He rushes over to Tom and kisses him lovingly.

"Hey!" Tom says as they pull apart, "Why are you in such a fabulous mood?" He questions suspiciously.

"I got the part!" He screams out and everyone starts congratulating him.

"Well done darling!" Tom praises but then knits his eyebrows together in a confused fashion, "Wait what part?" Benedict does not respond with words but shoves a sheet of paper full of text into his fiancé's hand. The room continues to erupt with speech and laughter but Tom zones out as he reads through the information. He sighs sadly. "Ben...the dates." He loosely points out.

"Yes what of them?"

"The beginning clashes with me filming Thor..." He trails.

"And? Only for a short while." Benedict retaliates while feeling slightly irritated that his partner is being so negative about his new adventure.

"A short while?!" Tom snaps suddenly losing it, "A whole month Benedict! Where will Emmy go?!" The room falls silent so he continues with his rant. "If it were only a couple days it would be fine but it is entire month! She cannot be without either of her fathers in such a long period of time."

"She is not my daughter..." Benedict mumbles just loudly enough so Tom can make out what is said. Realising things are about to heat up, Lauren scoops up the small child from her chair and carries her out of the apartment with Stephanie following with the baby supplies. This leaves only five occupants in the room: Benedict, Tom, Anthony, Elli and Nate. The atmosphere becomes uneasy. It is so silent that you could hear a pin drop. Anthony is sat in the armchair with his legs crossed staring at his hands meanwhile Nate is sat with his arm wrapped around Elli who is massaging her swollen belly.

Tom can feel tears gathering in his eyes and vision is becoming blurry. The words 'she is not my daughter' replaying in his mind over and over like a song that is on repeat. "H-h-how can you say that?" He croaks as the first tear cascades from his eye and slides down his cheek before falling off his face and onto the floor. "She is much your daughter as mine. She will grow up calling you dad..." Ben slouches gloomily feeling guilty about what he said because Tom is right. Emmeline Rose treats them both the same and it is the only thing she is going to know for years to come until some cheeky child at school points out to her otherwise. Benedict plods up to Tom and attempts to wrap his arms around him in means of an apology but is rejected. "No."

"What did you say?" Ben blubbers feeling hurt.

"I said no!" Tom yells his face full of anger. "No! Non! Nein! Não! Ingen! Óchi! Нет! Just no! How many languages will it take for you to realise-" He is interrupted by Elli groaning in pain and everyone turns to her.

"The baby!" She shrieks and Nathan jumps up in panic.

"Hospital now!" Benedict instructs and takes control of the situation. Nate and he help Elli to her feet as Anthony rushes out of the apartment to tell the others and Tom just stands there breathing heavily with his feet planted to the floor. He cannot believe he lost it like that in front of everyone. "You coming Tom?" Ben asks like the event moments ago did not occur.

"We should just leave them to it..."

"Nate's car is being mended remember and I don't trust him driving my car with his American driving skills." He rushes.

"Hey!" Nathan objects but is hit on the arm by his screaming girlfriend.

\~.~.~.~.~/

At the hospital, Tom and Benedict are sitting on a bench just outside the room where Elli is giving birth. They can hear the motivating words from the nurses, the wailings from her and the anxious speeches from Nathan. Tom is rubbing his hands together nervously and it is getting on Ben's nerves so he reaches across and grasps onto the hands gently. He does not let go. "Oh TW..."

"I'm sorry Ben." Tom apologises in a low soft voice.

"It does not matter." Ben states, "When did you stop taking your medication?"

"How did you-"

"I am not stupid Tom. We all know that you get mood swings and your hormones go all over the place temporarily when you come off them." He explains but keeps his eyes forward.

"A couple of days ago." Tom admits shamefully, "I thought I would be okay...I wanted to be off them for the wedding. I am sorry."

"What for?" Benedict questions, "I don't mind that you want to stop taking them because I think you are right. I think you are ready to stop taking them but you should have talked to me about it so we can work around that. It is a known fact that going on or off anti-depressants meds makes you feel shit. We just have to do it in the right way." Tom tilts his head and leans it on his fiancé's shoulder and Benedict tilts his head towards his. They sit like this for a few minutes until they hear the bawling of an infant followed by the heavy beating in heart monitors. They sit up straight suddenly with worry in their eyes.

"Elli!" Nathan shouts in panic...

A/n oooooooooooooooooh...*dramatic music*. What is going to happen next??? I should probably know as I am the writer...

Am I the only one feeling a little sorry for Darren? *sighs* I will have to make it happy for him in some way I just cannot think how?

Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter please give it a vote if you will be so kind and follow so you get updates on my other books as well :)

Love you guys ^.^