Your Choice (Book Three)

Opening Night

It is opening night of Romeo and Juliet; Emmeline is nervous. So nervous she feels as she could be sick any second, her anxiety doesn't help. To make things worse, Tom and Benedict's flight back from the United States was heavily delayed so they have yet made an appearance at the school's theatre. Danni is helping Emmy get changed into her extravagant costume by tying the corset at the back and making a neat bow. "I am going to put a pin in so the bow doesn't untie." She explains and reaches for a pin from her supplies, she frowns when she receives no response from her friend. "Emmy?"

"I can't do this." She states with no emotion but a flat tone.

"Course you can, just like you rehearsed." She attempts to reassure, "You're a natural at this Emmy, believe me. If anyone can do this, it's you." Danni turns Emmy to face her and hugs her tight making her become less tense. The door creaks open so both girls look towards it expectantly, Vanessa and Harry wander in with sad smiles.

"They still aren't here?" Emmeline questions, they both shake their heads solemnly.

"Don't worry darling." Vanessa soothes, "Nate will try to get them here on time. Remember, Nate wants to see his son perform too."

"Of course... how is Max?" She asks her brother who screws his face up in thought.

"He's... nervous. But he is mainly worried about you." As if on cue, there is a knock on the door and Max's flustered head pops around the door, he blushes when he sees the mass presence in the room. "Speak of the devil." Harry mutters making his mother elbow him in the bicep. "Ow."

"We should go and take our seats." Vanessa drags Harry out of the room and Danni follows them while muttering something under her breath about needing more makeup brushes which is obviously words of fiction. Max drags his heels as he approaches his girlfriend to embrace her calmly; their bodies meld into each other in relief. They are both so nervous and the absence of their fathers isn't helping.

"You okay Em?" Max mumbles into her hair and Emmy nods. "No you're not." They pull apart as he places a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "They still not here?" She shakes her head sadly making him frown, he hates to see her sad. "It will be fine without them. I promise." Emmeline sighs as she pulls herself further away and wanders over the small window which has fogged up from condensation.

"It is opening night." She mutters and places her hand on the glass. "Hamlet, Othello, Jungle Book, Peter Pan, A Midsummer Night's Dream... I went to all of their opening nights at all ages." She turns to face him with a hurt expression, "Why aren't they here for mine."

"Come here." Max beckons softly with his arms outstretched. They embrace once more and share a kiss on the lips; inside Max is breaking, wondering whether his Em will leave to the States. Leaving him powerless and alone. He hopes that somehow Tom and Ben messed up the audition but that is unlikely. They are Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch after all.

\~.~.~.~.~/

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit-"

"Calm down love." Benedict grasps Tom's hand in his own as they sit in the back of Nate's car who is panicking also but his is more silent. "We will get there."

"Yeah but not on time!" Tom exclaims before turning to look out of the window at the traffic that stood ahead of them. "We've let her down... can you imagine how nervous she is?" Benedict mutters something under his breath about he knows how nervous she is because he is an actor for fuck sakes. Tom sighs and runs his thumb along his husband's hand while mumbling an apology.

You see the thing is that the auditions went incredibly well and Tom enjoyed every second of being in America and Benedict did too. The directors and writers and producers all seemed extremely happy with the way the two actors portrayed the roles in the auditions and it is very likely that they will get the roles. Tom and Benedict celebrated this notion with a bottle of champagne in their hotel room with some smooth jazz playing in the background until when Tom was closing his eyes to go to sleep he remembered something quite critical to this whole situation. Emmy. His daughter doesn't want to move to the States, not really; she only said those things to keep her parents happy and they know that. She has made a life in London with her friends and boyfriend and now her mum and brother. Tom doesn't want to take her away from all that. Yet he doesn't want to take away this opportunity away from his husband. He doesn't know how he is going to keep everyone happy.

"Ben?" Tom mumbles and Benedict hums in response. "I've been thinking."

"Uh-oh." He jokes under his breath but Tom does not find it humorous.

"No seriously... if we get these roles then what about Emmy? You know she doesn't want to go to America, she just said that stuff to keep us happy." He thinks out loud.

"We have all had to do things that we don't want to do. I was sent to Harrow so my parents could work and you were sent to Eton while your parents went through the divorce." Their blue eyes meet, both looking sad and tired. "We made an agreement that would never send her to a boarding school because of how miserable it made us." They both think back to their teenage years filled with abuse, rough and tumble of an all-male school for two soft souls who wanted to be actors. "I don't want her to be miserable either but..." He trails and grips his husband's hand harder, "I really want this Tom and I know you do too."

"If I may interrupt?" Nate's American accent cuts through Ben's British one. "She doesn't have to go with you, I am not just saying this because of my boy will be upset but because she will be too." He pauses for a moment. "Emmeline has her mom here now, she could live with her and her brother. You know that they would look after her." The car takes a left onto a quieter road away from the traffic. "You could give her the choice." He suggests keeping his eyes on the road.

"Thank you Nate." Tom speaks up first, "You are right. This should be her choice not ours." Benedict nods as his phone chimes making him slip it out of his pocket and sigh. "Who is it?"

"Elli." Benedict states and shows Tom the long message:

Where are you guys? Your plane should have landed ages ago, please tell me that you are going to get here on time for your daughter's opening performance. She is really nervous and so is Max (who kind of wants his father there as well even if he doesn't admit it). Nate has your tickets if you actually get here... the five of us are sat on the front row waiting. Also, I have just received an email telling me that you have both got the roles, congratulations.

"We got the roles!" Benedict exclaims and kisses Tom on the cheek.

"Nate, are we going to get there on time?" Tom asks the driver.

"We should do...but it is going to be tight."

\~.~.~.~.~/

Emmeline peers out of the wings to inspect the audience she smiles when she sees her mother, Harry, Elli, Izzy and Lulu but frowns when she sees the gap of three seats between them. She feels anxious and powerless without them, she turns and checks her phone one last time hoping for a message but still nothing so she passes the device over to Danni who promises to look after it and prepares herself for going on stage.

The lights dim in the audience and spotlights brighten on the stage as the narrator enters with an oil lamp in his hand. "Two households, both alike in dignity." He begins and Emmy's eyes scan the crown once more hoping for her two complete households to be sat ready for the play but there are still three empty chairs. "In fair Verona, where we lay our scene." The door at the back of the theatre creaks open and the sound of footsteps get louder and louder as they approach the stage. Emmy almost can't contain herself when she sees it is her fathers and Nate who look panicked and embarrassed as they take their seats in the front row. The narrator coughs awkwardly before continuing, "From ancient grudge break to new mutiny." The actors eyes search for their daughter in the wings and Tom smiles and taps Benedict on the arm when he sees his daughter poking out of the wings. "Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean." He waves slightly making Emmy calm down and feeling ready for her performance.

A/n so finally an update... *awkwardly shrivels into a corner*, I'm sorry.

But hey I updated finally!

Thank you so much for sticking with me :)