Benedict Cumberbatch: Life With Ben

Chapter Fourty: Alice?

Hours had passed since the removal of Sam from my room. I wasn't in the mood to be dealing with his excuses. I was in terrible pain and I felt exhausted. Baby wouldn't stop crying neither. I wanted to scream. Benedict read my face and sighed. His sigh was full of love despite being angry at the appearance of Sam, especially because of the pain and distraught, Sam had brought to our lives. Ben crouched down beside the bed and placed his hands, shakily on my cold cheeks. His touch was just like the touch when we first met. His hands cupped my cheeks and he smiled. "We can do this, you, baby and I. That's all we need" he whispered luxuriously, as he looked into my eyes. "I was thinking more; you, Alice and I" I whispered back looking at the baby in the incubator. "Alice? Who's Alice?" Bens face grew puzzled. "Alice, our daughter" I giggled weakly. His face lit up. The crinkles by his eyes thickened and his smile grew wide, "Alice Elizabeth Cumberbatch?" He asks and I nodded smiling wide.

As my smile grew permanent on my face, footsteps approached the door of my room. One, two, three, four, five, six. Six pairs of feet came towards door, before walking in, to expose their faces. Steven first, followed by Mark, then Martin and Amanda with Georgia and James followed in. Smiles were smacked all over their faces when they saw the new member of the Cumberbatch squad. Amanda walked over and placed her hand carefully against the incubator. "She's tiny..." She whispered and Ben nodded in agreement. He pecked my lips before thanking everyone for coming. "Congratulations, Ben, mate!" Martin grinned before giving Ben a man hug. Ben thanked him and then spoke to the children.

"Claud? How are you feeling?" Mark asked sitting down in the chair next to my bed.

"I'm okay, thank you Mark. I ache though" I smile, attempting to sit up, but Steven managed to stop me.

"Here, let me help you" Steven said soothingly. I nodded and he placed pillows behind my back and slowly lifted me up. "My, there's not a lot to you, is there" he joked, poking my arm.

"Skin and bones." I laughed, slightly wheezing.

Mark shook his head "This will not do. As soon as you start filming, we will be sure to build you up" he smiled and laughed.

"Claud, do you know how long recovery is from a procedure like this?" Steven enquired as he sat on the edge of the bed and brushed a strand of hair out of my face and glanced down at my stomach.

I sighed and said simply "6 weeks."

"So that's the end of January, so you'll be okay still do the filming in April?" Steven asked, trying not to seem rude.

I nod and chuckled sleepily, "Of course I will be. I just need to rest for a month or so"

Steven nodded and Mark clocked my sleepy tone and kissed my cheek before announcing to all of my visitors "I think we should leave Claud and Ben now. They need to rest now." With that everyone nodded and left quietly.

This was my life now for the next 6 weeks; people coming and then leaving as soon as I yawned. It was horrible. Christmas was hard as well. We had planned to go to Wanda and Timothy's house for Christmas dinner. That didn't happen as I wasn't allowed out of the hospital until Boxing Day, but when I did get home, Ben wouldn't let me do a thing. I couldn't even make myself a drink nor have a bath on my own. I might as well have been wrapped in bubble wrap!