"I think I'm going mad."
"Is it madness? Is it?"
Tom threw his head back in laughter. "Nice. Nicely done."
"Thank you," Sophia responded, the smile evident in her voice, even through the phone, a continent away. "I thought it worked."
"It did, it truly did," Tom said still chuckling. He paused and sighed heavily. "How much longer do we have?"
Sophia laughed. "You've only been gone three weeks, babe."
"Ughhh…" Tom groaned. "It feels like a fucking eternity."
"I know. It does on this side too."
"What're you doing today?"
"Well…my day's kinda half over…"
"Fuck. Time difference. Sorry. My brain is not functioning this morning," Tom stated, laying back on the sofa in his trailer.
"Don't be sorry, baby. It's okay," Sophia assured. "You've been working hard."
"Yeah, I guess."
"What's the matter, Tom?" Sophia asked. "You're not…you today…"
Tom laughed, a hand over his eyes, the other holding the phone to his ear. "You read me like a book."
"I'm good like that. Spill."
"I don't know," Tom responded with a yawn. "Just kind of out of sorts. Nothing in particular is actually wrong."
"Promise?"
"Promise. On my life."
"You better not be lying then."
"When have I ever lied to you?" Tom asked, his smile practically sparkling. "Name once."
"Well… you didn't tell me Evans was in the film you're working on."
Tom laughed again. "I didn't really lie, though. I just didn't mention it. I don't need my girlfriend fangirling over my nemesis."
"Really? You think that little of my self control?"
"Hey. I have a hard time controlling myself around him. I get it."
"Well feel free to lose your control and send me videos."
Tom let out a loud guffaw, practically folding in half with laughter. "You are absolutely devious, woman!"
"You don't seem to mind too much."
"I don't," Tom agreed. He sighed. "Speaking of devious…"
"Oh God."
"What!? I haven't even said anything!"
"It's your tone. Your tone says it all."
Tom smirked. "I was just going to say…that…I don't know about you…but… I could really go for a scandalous FaceTime date soon."
"Oh, I see what this is all about…" Sophia retorted. "Lemme just sneak into the bathroom and snap you a pic of my boobs while I'm at it."
He shrugged. "I wouldn't say no…"
"Damn you, Hiddleston," Sophia said, trying not to laugh. "God damn you."
"It's not like I don't have a healthy album already saved…"
"YOU SAVE THEM!?"
"WHAT!? Of course I save them! I…need them."
"You're supposed to delete that shit."
"No. I'm…thousands of miles away for an extended period of time. I'm a man. I have needs and…I need those."
"Oh my God if you lose that phone…"
"I'm not going to lose my damn phone. Calm down."
"What if someone steals it? What then?"
"Then…I have to question what the hell said person was doing in my pocket," Tom retorted. "No one is going to see them but me. Swear."
"I swear to God, Tom…you will never get laid again…"
Tom snorted. "Right. I almost believe that."
"What?"
"Nothing. I just think you should use more believable threats."
"What? You think you have some kind of power over me?"
"Are you saying I don't?"
"I hate you."
Tom laughed. "So she always says when I'm right."
"Go to hell."
"I'm there. It's called Canada without you."
"Stop it. You don't get to charm your way out of this."
"Yes I do. I charm my way out of everything," Tom stated as there was a knock on his door. "Just a second, baby." He pulled the phone from his ear and got up to find the PA, Kevin standing before him. "What's up, Kev?"
"They need you in makeup," Kevin stated.
"Alright. Give me a minute. I'll be right there." Kevin nodded and left as Tom pulled the shaky door shut and went back to his call. "I gotta go, darling. Time to get to work."
"Alright, baby. Call me later."
"Of course. I love you."
"I love you too."
"Even though I save all your dirty pictures?" Tom asked with a chuckle.
"Yes, even then."
"Good. I'll sneak some shirtless pics of Evans to make it up to you."
"SCORE!"
"Hey! You could at least pretend to be less excited."
"Sorry. I mean, ew gross."
"Better. Goodbye my darling."
"Bye baby. I love you."
"Love you too." Tom sighed and hung up. It was kind of amazing the way she could cheer him up. It kind of made him love her more.
"Hey…you're Sophia right?"
Sophia turned to the voice behind her as she walked out of the gym. Not recognizing the face, she gazed at the man behind her. "Yeah…do I know you?" she asked with a laugh.
"No, no. Not really," he laughed in return. He extended a hand toward her, a hand attached to an arm completely covered in tattoos. "I'm Cam."
"It's nice to meet you, Cam," Sophia said, shaking.
"I work at the Lucky Voice."
"Oh my God! Of course!" Sophia exclaimed. "I totally recognize you! You bartend like every night we're there."
Cam nodded. "Manager. Don't have a choice."
"Manager? Very fancy."
Cam laughed. "This…is…probably completely outlandish but…I was actually kind of wondering if…you'd like a job."
"What?" Sophia asked, shaking her head. "Me?"
"Yeah. See…I was thinking. If we got bartenders, who could actually sing, it might make getting the crowd involved…a little easier."
"You want me to bartend?"
"Yeah."
"I have never bartended in my life."
"It's not hard. I'll teach you. Look, the owners are…on my ass about making this work. In fact, they actually specifically wanted me to get you because they were in the other night when you and your friends were. You get the crowd really energized and…ready for a fun night…and it's good for business…"
Sophia laughed, still not completely sure she understood what was going on. "So…did you just stalk me to find out what gym I worked out at or…"
"No! God, no. This was a complete coincidence, I swear," Cam assured with a chuckle. "This was all luck on my part."
Sophia sighed. "Can I think about it? I mean…really, I'm an actress and…I audition…a lot. And I wouldn't want to leave you guys in a hard spot if I actually somehow miraculously got a part in this city."
"No problem," Cam assured. "Why don't you come in tonight? We can talk, hash out some details, see if it's something you'd be interested in."
"Okay," Sophia nodded.
Cam quickly pulled a pen and a scrap of paper out of his gym bag and scribbled out his number. "Here. Call me if…something comes up or you can't make it or something… Or if you…want to get a coffee or something…sometime."
Sophia laughed. "Um, that's really sweet, but…I have a boyfriend."
"Friends can get coffee," Cam said with a shrug.
"True," Sophia agreed. She looked at the card in her hand. "I'll stop in tonight."
"Perfect. See you then." Cam winked a green eye at her before turning and heading the opposite way down the street.
"He just…offered you a job?" Benedict asked as he, Sophia and Maggie sat at a late lunch that afternoon.
"Yeah. Is that weird?" Sophia inquired. Her expression was one of confusion. "I mean…I thought it was kind of weird."
"It is really weird," Benedict stated with a nod.
"It's not THAT weird," Maggie argued.
"It's kind of weird," Benedict retorted with some weird combination of a nod and a shrug. "I mean…if I had to guess, I'd say it was more likely he was trying to pick you up."
Maggie rolled her eyes. "Every time someone talks to her, you think they're hitting on her."
"He did ask me out for coffee…"
Benedict's eyebrows arched and his eyes opened wide toward his fiancée as he pointed at Sophia. "There! See! Told you. Don't go."
"I can't just go and see if it's legit?" Sophia asked with a laugh. "Maybe there really is a job. God knows I need one."
"You're not a bartender, Soph. You're an actress."
"Thank you, Ben. I know but I don't know if you've noticed, my auditions haven't exactly been going all that well," Sophia stated.
"That doesn't mean you give up…"
"I'm not giving up!" Sophia exclaimed. "I'm getting a job in the meantime. I mean…it could be fun. We hang out there all the time."
"Yeah and our buddy Cam has apparently been watching you which isn't creepy at all," Benedict stated sarcastically.
"Well if he's been watching me all that well then he knows I'm with Tom," Sophia stated, popping a forkful of salad into her mouth.
"Speaking of, how is our lovely Tom?" Maggie asked. "I haven't talked to him since he left."
"He's good," Sophia said with an instantaneous smile. "As perfect as always."
"You still think he's perfect?" Benedict asked with an arched eyebrow. "How long has it been now?"
Sophia sighed and thought a moment. "I don't know…like…four months or so."
"Have you fought at all?"
She thought again. "Once. Grant, remember?"
"Oh yeah. He walked in the bar looking like a puppy that had gotten kicked across a football field," Benedict stated.
"You were so drunk you didn't even realize he'd gotten there," Maggie stated with a laugh.
"Still…I recognized the fact that he looked upset, thank you." Benedict turned back to Sophia. "That's…the only time? You've never fought other than that?"
"No…not really. I mean…we argue…on occasion…but it's never a big deal."
Benedict shook his head. "I'm too good at this. Maybe I should give up acting and be a matchmaker."
Maggie rolled her dark eyes. "Oh Jesus Christ," she sighed. She looked to her best friend. "Do you see this? This is what I have to put up with. This is what you left me alone with for over a year."
Sophia laughed and shook her head. "I'm not sorry. You two deserve each other."
"I don't know how to take that," Benedict stated, folding his arms across his chest.
"Me either…" Maggie glared, mimicking his actions.
Sophia just laughed again. "Have you guys even started planning the wedding yet?"
"Don't," Benedict said sternly. "Don't do that to me. Don't bring up this conversation in public. It will end poorly."
Sophia immediately frowned. "Um…my bad?"
"He's just touchy," Maggie stated. "He's ready for it to be done and over with and…I'm more taking my time."
Benedict rolled his eyes. "You make it sound like I just want it to be over. That's not it at all. I just want to actually get married which seems to be what you're having problems with."
"I have no problems with marrying you. I'm still here, aren't I?"
Sophia tried to distance herself from the spat across the table and looked to her buzzing phone. As she opened the text window she instantly shrieked with laughter. She looked up in time to meet the eyes of both Benedict and Maggie. "Sorry. Tom."
"Do I even want to KNOW what he sent to illicit that reaction?" Benedict asked.
Sophia turned the phone toward her friends. On the screen was a picture of Tom and his co-star (her crush) Chris Evans. Chris had a giant, charming slightly smarmy smile strewn across his face, while Tom looked more frustrated and annoyed. The text that accompanied: "Now I hate you." "He's so cute."
"Which one?" Maggie asked with a chuckle.
"Both," Sophia stated. "But mostly the one with the cheekbones."
"Hey! I'm the one with the cheekbones!" Benedict exclaimed. "He can't take cheekbones!"
"Tom has good bone structure too, dear. It can't be ignored," Maggie stated.
"This is bullshit. It's all Tom Tom Tom. All the damn time. I can't take it."
"Aw, Benny. You're pretty too," Sophia giggled.
"DON'T call me that. You know I hate that."
"Which is precisely why she does it," Maggie laughed as Sophia grinned mischievously.
"You're dead to me. Both of you," Benedict stated, standing from the table. "I'm going home." He walked a few paces away before turning back, snatching the check up in a huff and walking away once more.
The girls just sat and laughed momentarily. "We should go," Maggie stated. "He'll just stand at the door pouting and waiting…"
"Why?"
"Because I have the car keys."
"I mean…it seems like it'd be alright…at least until I get something else," Sophia stated, phone clutched to her ear with her shoulder as she walked up to Tom's building. She walked into the lobby and dug into her purse, searching for the keys as she awaited the elevator. "Where are my fucking keys?"
"Tell me you did not lose the keys to my apartment," Tom stated with a chuckle.
"Got em! We're good!"
"I cannot leave you alone for two seconds."
"You've left me alone for three weeks, asshole."
Tom laughed. "Good point. You win."
"Always do."
"That's not true."
"Yes it is."
"No."
"When have you ever said no to me?"
"I just did."
"You know what I mean."
Tom laughed. "Maybe I've never said no because you're not a…completely ridiculous human being and you don't ask for crazy things. Hell…you don't ask for anything. I have to convince you to take things. Shit, I'm surprised you didn't try to refuse the flowers I sent the other day."
"They were pretty. There's no way I was…" Sophia stopped mid sentence as she walked off the elevator and the door of the apartment came into view. "Oh my God…"
"What?" Tom asked. She didn't immediately respond. "Soph, what's wrong?"
"The door's open," Sophia stated softly, her eyes locked on the cracked door.
"What door?"
"The door! The front door to the apartment!"
"You mean the lobby?"
"No, Tom! Your apartment. The door is open. I know I locked it when I left."
"What are you doing? Don't go in there!" Tom exclaimed. "Hang up and call the police. I'm gonna call Ben and send him over."
"Tom…"
"Babe. Go downstairs and call the police. Call me back okay?"
"Okay…"
"Sophia, I'm begging you, do not be stubborn right now. Normally I find it adorable, but if someone's in there…"
"I'm on the elevator, Tom. I'm going downstairs."
"Okay. I'll call you back once I get a hold of Ben or Luke or somebody ok? I'll get someone there."
"Okay." Sophia sighed as she heard a dial tone as she punched in the emergency number she could feel tears burning in her eyes. This was not what she needed. Not at all.
"Soph!" Benedict shouted, running toward the girl as she stood in the hallway in front of Tom's apartment.
"Ben," she sighed as she was engulfed by his arms.
"Are you okay?" he asked, pulling back and taking her face in his hands.
"Yeah…yeah I'm fine. I didn't go in. I just…"
"What's going on?" he asked, draping his arm over her shoulders.
"I don't know. The cops are looking around. The place is…absolutely destroyed…" Sophia stated heaving a sigh. "I don't know what to do."
"There's nothing you can do, darling," Benedict stated. "Did they take a statement?"
"Yeah. I need to find some place to stay tonight because they're not gonna let me stay here."
"Yeah well Tom already made me promise I'd take you home with me," Benedict stated, "so problem solved."
"Of course he did," Sophia scoffed just as the man in question's face appeared on her phone. "Excuse me." She took a few steps away from Benedict and answered. "Hey."
"Hey. Is Ben there?"
"Yeah. Just got here."
"Okay, good. Are you alright?"
"I don't know, Tom!" Sophia exclaimed, trying not to cry. "They fucking destroyed the place. Everything's broken and thrown all over…"
"Baby, it's okay. I can get new things. It's fine. I'm worried about you, alright? Not stuff. Stuff doesn't matter. Anything in there can be replaced. You can't."
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes…just…shaken. I'm fine."
"God…this had to happen when I'm not home, doesn't it?" Tom said with a chuckle.
"I wish you were," Sophia said, her voice breaking slightly.
"Oh my darling," Tom cooed. "I do too, love. I do too."
Sophia wiped her eyes as Benedict approached her. "Hey," he said softly. "They want you to go in and get what you need. Then they're going to seal it up. We can come back tomorrow and look through things…try to find out what's missing…"
"It's not my place. How am I supposed to know what's missing?" Sophia asked.
"Hey," Tom spoke up. "I had the insurance…thing…sent to Luke. He'll bring it over tomorrow and look over things."
"I need to be there," Sophia stated.
"No you don't," Tom argued.
"I do, Tom. I have shit there too."
"Alright, alright. I'll have him call you when he's heading over, okay?"
"Fine."
Tom sighed. "Love, go get some rest, please? Just…don't worry about it right now and go get some sleep. Everything will work out."
"Yeah."
"Soph…"
"I need to go get some clothes and stuff. I'll talk to you later."
"Okay. I love you."
Sophia's head was such a mess at the moment she didn't respond, but handed the phone to Benedict and headed into the ransacked apartment.
"Hey, Tom."
"Is she really okay?" Tom asked. "She doesn't sound okay, Ben."
"She's… she'll be alright. I think she's just scared. Obviously. And if I know Soph she probably feels guilty for some reason."
"She has nothing to feel guilty about…that doesn't make sense…"
"Yeah, but you of all people know how she is."
Tom gulped but agreed. "Yeah. I know. Just…take her home and make sure she gets some rest. Please."
"I'll do my best."
"Thank you."
"I, um, I have tomorrow off, so I'll…head over with her and Luke. Try to get shit sorted."
"Thank you. I'd come home if it wasn't the middle of the week."
"It's fine. You only have a day off. A twelve hour flight wouldn't really make sense."
"I can probably get them to reschedule some of my shoot times…"
"If you want to, I mean… I'm not going to say you can't come home, but I think we can handle it."
"I know, I know you can. It's more about…"
"Soph?"
Tom chuckled. "Yeah. Yeah. It kind of always is."
"I've noticed," Benedict smiled. "At this rate you'll be married before Maggie and I."
"Scary part? I'd marry without hesitation. Right now."
Benedict chuckled. "Yeah well, might want to slow down. Seems a bit rash."
"I didn't say I was GOING to. Said I would."
"I know you would. And I'm fairly certain she'd say yes…" Benedict stated, looking up as Sophia reemerged. "Alright. I'll talk to you later. I'm going to get her home and get some tea down her gullet…"
"Gullet?" Sophia asked with a laugh. "Can I have a beer instead?"
"Sure. You can have whatever you want," Benedict stated. "Here's your girl back." He extended the phone back toward Sophia as they headed for the elevator.
"Hey."
"I love you. Whatever you're thinking, whatever you're telling yourself in your head to make you feel like this is somehow your fault, knock it off right now. Because I swear to God I will get on a plane in five minutes and come knock some sense into you."
Sophia laughed. "Don't threaten me with a good time."
Tom chuckled. "There's my girl. Go get some rest. I'll go try to take more pictures of Captain America to cheer you up. I don't want to, but I'll do it."
"I'd rather have you."
"I love you. Please listen to Ben and just go relax. Promise me."
"I promise."
"Okay. I'll text you later, but you better be asleep."
Sophia laughed. "I will try."
"Goodnight, darling."
"Goodnight. I love you."
"I love you."
Sophia sighed and shoved her phone into her pocket before looking up at Benedict. "I am under your command."
Benedict laughed as the elevators opened and they walked into the lobby. "I almost believe that…but I know you…"
"Honestly…I just want a beer and a couch right now. And cuddles…but that seems out of the question…"
"Well I highly doubt Tom or Maggie would mind especially under the given circumstances, but we'll see…"
Sophia smiled weakly as she climbed into Benedict's car. The next four month of waiting could end any time now.