The Queen's Gambit: Black and White (Benny & Beth)

New York

Beth was jittery and nauseous as soon she steps out of the car in front of Benny's place.

2 weeks had already passed since the game in Moscow happened. For the first time, she finally got the choice to meet people she wants to meet, not someone who was scheduled to meet her for the past two weeks, which had been her routine for those weeks.

Meet some crucial figures in the afternoon, interview, and then return to her hotel late and sleep dead after drinking her sleeping pills.

It forces her mind to rest.

And now, here she is standing in front of the entrance to Benny's basement of an apartment.

"Are you going to go in? or we're just wasting our time here?" She turned around to roll her eyes at Jolene. She begged her to drive her here.

"I'm going," she said to herself more.

Making her way down the step leading to the basement room.

What was she doing here?

The plan was not a plan at all. Beth should have called him; maybe he isn't there, and she's just going to make a fool of herself waiting.

Beth shook off all those thoughts and continue to descent downstairs.

He didn't even come to her welcome party at a hotel near Kentucky. She remembers craning her neck to look for him amongst the crowd of people who welcomed her.

She instantly spotted Harry with Math and Mike and ran towards them. Harry saw her first and opened up his arms before Beth threw herself at him, hugging him.

"Thank you," She said.

She did the same to the twins.

"Where's Benny?" She asked Harry.

Harry shooked his head.

Of course, he's still mad; I did push him away.

She was about to talk to them more when someone ushered her away from them, demanding her attention. Beth wanted to deny it, but she didn't really know why she didn't.

Jolene was there too; after the party, she insisted on staying with her, but Beth said she's fine and she'll see her soon before going back to her hotel room.

There was a magazine on her table; the hotel must have prepared it.

She was looking on the page of the article written about her when she finally saw what she always wanted when Life interviewed her. Mr. Shaibel's name was her mentor and the one who taught her the game. Although she felt some of the points about it still point out that she's a female in a world where men dominate, it's much better than the last one.

She was about to lay in bed when the phone rang.

She was reluctant to answer it, but it might be Jolene or anyone she knew checking up on her.

Besides, she told the hotel that she wouldn't be accepting any calls from reporters.

"Hello," She answered.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but there's a Benny Watts on the other line for you?"

Benny?

"Patch him in," there's a short silence where Beth can feel her heart ticking like a clock.

What does he want?

"Let me speak first" Is the first thing he said when connected to her.

"Okay"

"You're a terrible person; you know that, right? I asked you to be with me here in New York, but you refuse, and you rather-"

"I am sober since Moscow, well even before that," Beth interrupted.

Beth heard him sigh

"Please, let me finish."

Beth bit the inside of her lip before tucking herself in her knees, resting her forehead on her knees telephone on one ear.

She feels her stomach tying, and her heart seemed to have made her way in it because she felt sick.

" I told you I miss you; you didn't answer me. You've been ignoring my calls for days and only call me back when you needed me. Don't you wonder how that made me feel?"

Beth caught her breath.

"Awful?" She offered, not lifting her head from her knees.

Benny sighed.

"Why?"

There were a few minutes of silence before she answered him.

"I don't know," she said quietly, "I'm humiliated and scared, and I just don't know what to do."

"So, you pushed me away because you're scared?"

"You're the same too, Benny."

"But I let you in. I didn't push you away for christ's sake, Beth; I want you to come here; I told you I miss you."

"Don't you see how these emotions are so unpredictable? I don't want things to be predictable because anything is possible if things are unpredictable."

"Beth, do you like me?"

Beth closed her eyes.

She likes Benny; she wanted him there with her in Moscow.

She wanted him.

But it's always about chess with him.

She was scared that what he's feeling is the same as what she felt with Beltik.

She like Benny.

She doesn't want to be abandon.

Beth heard Benny sigh.

"Come to me if you made up your mind Beth. I'll be here."

He hanged up.

And that left Beth feeling terrible than she was already feeling.

Beth was in front of his door. She raised her hand to knock, but she retracted it.

Maybe he isn't here

She turned her back and was about to go back upstairs and confess to Jolene that she chickened out.

"Are you knocking or not?" his voice rang out from the other side of the door.

Beth turned around rather quickly.

The door opened, revealing Benny with his hair ruffled, still sporting that mustache. He looked the same before she left.

"I chickened out," Beth confessed. "How'd you know it's me?"

"I saw you were coming down; I was waiting behind the door."

"Oh"

Beth looked at him. Gods, how she missed him.

"So, what now?" Benny asked.

Beth shook her head, then sighed.

"I don't suppose I have a choice but stay and say I made up my mind."

He smiled at her.

"You sure?"

Beth smiled back and nodded.

"I am."

_____________

A/N: Cause I wanted them endgame, nothing more... I love the show so much I watched it 3 times and felt like watching it again.