Your Guardian Angel

Chapter 18

"Alright, that is enough talking!" Ben's booming voice called as he walked out from his office and into the lecture hall. The voices gradually went silent as he turned on the projector and started writing up on the screen.

He was testing out a new concept this semester and he wanted to see how his students would take to it. Judging by the confused and frustrated faces he was seeing, they weren't taking it well. Still, he continued on, making sure that the furious typing sounds his students made had stopped before erasing and moving on.

By the end of the class, his students were rubbing at their heads.

"I know this is a lot to take on and learn, but we will be covering this the remainder of the semester. Don't worry, there will only be two or three questions about this on the final, should I decide to put it there at all. If you have any questions, please, do not hesitate to reach out or stay after class."

He ended up staying almost two hours after he told Cassie he would be home. There were so many students that had questions, he just had them all sit down and basically taught another lecture. While the rest got it, two or three of them stuck around to ask more.

"Mr. Cumberbatch, I'm sorry, but I really don't understand," a girl practically on the brink of tears told him. "I want to, but this is so difficult." This girl always looked like she was going to cry when something he taught was difficult. He doesn't understand how she got into this class. He even went as far as checking her academic records to see if this was a mistake. Unfortunately, it wasn't. He must have met with her every week since he introduced the Syllabus.

Even for that, she was on the brink of tears.

He gave her a sympathetic smile. "Lauren, I know, which is why this will be taught for six weeks. I'm new at teaching this as well, so feedback and questions help me to help you understand it better. Listen, I do have to get home, but schedule a consultation with me this week and we'll go over it again. I promise, this isn't the end of the world."

He gave her his charming smile before packing up and taking off.

When he got home, the house smelt amazing. "Smells incredible, darling!"

A male voice called back, "Why, thank you, Sweetie!"

Ben's head sharply turned for a moment before recognizing it as Sam's voice. He went into the kitchen to see Sam cooking at the stove and Cassie sitting on the counter with a glass of water. "Hello, Sam, I didn't realize you were coming over."

He went over to Cassie and gave her a kiss. "Sorry," she told him, "he just...well, showed up."

"Yeah, that's my fault," Sam said as he wiped his hands on the towel. "May went out with her girlfriends and I got bored! So I showed up with groceries and asked if I could cook for you guys!"

As Ben put a hand around Cassie's waist, and her arm around his shoulder, he said, "No need to apologize! I think we've both been exhausted from work to the point we haven't had a home cooked meal in a while."

"Cass was just telling me about her new job! You must be proud, Ben."

"I'm always proud of her," he pointed out matter-of-factly. "But of course I am beyond the point of proud for this. She worked very hard for it. I should know, I'm the one who taught her." That earned a slap on the shoulder and giggle from his girlfriend.

"We're all proud, Pumpkin," Sam told her and ignoring Ben's comment. "What about you, Ben? Cassie tells me classes have been tough this year."

Ben let out a sigh. "Yeah, it's a bit grueling, really. We've got a new Dean and he's a bit of a stickler. He's trying to change up things in the middle of the school year which is jarring, I will admit. Honestly, he's reminding me a bit of the one at Oxford."

As he grabbed a drink from the fridge he continued, "Then I'm teaching a new method this semester and my students are stressing themselves out over it, especially one."

"Lauren?" Cassie asked, although she didn't have to.

Ben nodded. "Yeah. Came to me almost in tears, as usual. I don't understand how someone with near perfect grades doesn't understand anything I've taught so far. I've never had a student like this."

Sam turned the stove to simmer and leaned against the counter. "Sounds like to me you've got someone who chooses not to understand. Saw it a lot when I was there once students found out they could sleep with their professors." He glared at Cassie.

She scoffed, "Hey! I already took that course, for your information, and I passed with flying colors! I only...you know...forcefully became his T.A. But that was for revenge purposes only!"

"And look where it got you," Ben teased with a smirk. He then turned back to Sam and sighed. "I think you're right. She has been...putting on recently. Cass knows this, of course. Still, it's a bit unnerving. Don't want to get into trouble over something I didn't do."

Cassie hugged him around the shoulders and he leaned into her. "We talked about this. If she says anything about you both, I know the truth."

"And what truth is that?" Sam tested.

Without hesitation, Ben told him, "That I love your daughter."

Cassie smiled happily at her dad. Since Sam could see it, he was content. "Good enough for me. Now, let's eat before this overcooks!"

They had dinner at the table with lots of wine and lots of laughs. The two men eventually resulted to Manhattan's, which Ben had made particularly strong. Eventually, it got to the time of night where May had called Cassie asking if Sam would be home soon.

Well, that was difficult to answer as he and Ben were drunkenly arguing about who the greatest rock band of all time was. May said she would be right over to pick him up and, thankfully, she was. Although they meant well, the argument was escalating as drunk debates tend to do.

May had to drag Sam out of the house and finally left it to the couple to have some piece and quiet. Sort of.

"Why aren'you drinking?" Ben asked, trying his damned best to not slur any words.

Cassie held up her glass of water. "I am!"

Ben rolled his eyes and muttered, "Cheeky. I mean, why aren'you drunk an'naked?"

She playfully rolled her eyes. "If I tell you, you won't remember in the morning and that would be incredibly unfortunate." She had a smirk as she said this. She really couldn't wait to tell him what she found out this morning - planned on it when he got home - but her dad more or less spoiled that plan.

"Fine," he grumbled. "Will you at least come to bed with me?"

The next morning, Ben woke up groaning and shielding his eyes from the sun coming through the blinds. Before he knew it, it was dark and he opened one eye to see Cassie closing the blinds for him. "Baby, you didn't have to do that," he mumbled into his pillow.

"Trust me, it'll save us both the headache," she answered with a small laugh.

"Ha - ha," he sarcastically said. "How are you not hungover?"

"I didn't drink, remember?"

He was silent for a minute. "No. I don't remember much of anything if I'm honest."

"Which just makes my point from last night," she said as she straddled his sheet covered hips.

With his eyes still closed he found her hips and squeezed them. "What point?" He asked.

He could hear and feel her shuffle around before saying, "You wouldn't remember if I told you why I wasn't drinking."

Curious now, he popped open an eye lid, but almost immediately opened the other when he saw a sonogram in front of his face. "Wait...hold on a minute." He sat up with her still straddling him and took the picture as he rubbed his eyes.

He looked at it almost aggressively. "Is this a dream?" He asked. "Legitimately, is this a dream?"

Cassie took the sonogram and set it to the side. "I promise it's not. You, Mr. Cumberbatch, are going to be a dad."