A/N: Wow, has it been a while! I don't know if I want to say "I'm back" but… I'm here for now! Let me know what you think of this one.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Nanny or any of its characters including but not limited to: Fran Fine, Maxwell Sheffield, C.C. Babcock, Niles, Margaret Sheffield, Brighton Sheffield, or Grace Sheffield. The story, however, is my creation from my own imagination and any similarities to any other story are purely coincidence.
The Moment
Chapter One
kateandharvey
"C'mon, Ny-ules! Ya haveta know! These things don't just happen! Especially with Miss Babcock!" The brunette nanny waved her arms about, overcome with shock and yet still attempting to pry details out of the butler.
"I'm telling you, Mrs. Sheffield… I don't know. It did just happen." The butler was still in shock over the previous night's events himself.
Her neatly manicured hand stroking long fur, the blonde socialite spoke to what appeared an empty room. "Chester… What am I going to do?"
The furry canine's head rose from where it was originally pointed towards a bird on the terrace, and he looked at his master.
He blinked.
She stood and began to pace. "Really, Chester. It just… it just happened and now I'm lost on the next steps I should take. This time, it wasn't like the others. It was…" the socialite stopped dead in her tracks and sighed in an uncharacteristically feminine way, "…magical. Beautiful." She turned towards the furry companion, now seated on the floor, "It was Niles."
"Really, ... If I knew what happened I would tell you. The truth is, I don't."
"I got up this early ta get an answer of 'I don't know'?" The nanny's eyes grew as they rolled at her friend.
Niles sighed. "I don't."
"Well, what do ya rememba?" Fran's eyes turned from annoyance to concern, "Were ya drunk?"
Niles shook his head. "No. Neither was she." The butler sighed, "I don't really know how to say it. We weren't sloshed, we were bickering like normal, but…"
"It was like it was in the air, Chester." Her hands slowly grazed the countertop of the island as her eyebrows furrowed with concern. "It was just… " she sighed yet again, "…in the air."
"I knocked on her door, and she opened it. She looked horrific, really… A worn old bathrobe with tissues coming from the pockets and falling out of where they were tucked inside… blue striped pajama pants and fuzzy slippers with little bows. Very un-Babcock, you know." He described.
"Well, what did she say?"
The corner of his frown grew just a flinch as he recalled, "I didn't ask for any help."
The nanny's brow furrowed and she took two steps back. "Well geez, I was just tryin' ta help a friend out! I mean, I know ya didn't ask but-"
He shook his head, "-No no. That's what she said."
"Oh." The brunette stepped closer yet again. "Then what?"
She imitated a British accent, "'Mr. Sheffield mentioned that you were feeling a little under the weather. I figured I'd bring you some soup,' he said." I immediately told him, "It's Saturday."
"She asked if she should be worried about eating it, if there were substances in it she should be worried about."
"If it did, he would know me too well, Chester."
"Then, Mrs. Sheffield, I shrugged and confessed it was me that was worried about her wellbeing."
"It was so out of character for us, Chester. It didn't follow the program. I got uncomfortable."
"It slipped out before I could stop it. Luckily, she put us back onto equal footing with a retort."
"I mentioned that yes, his life would be dull without me around for him to prank." She walked over to stare out the window to the terrace, and the furry canine slowly trotted to stand just to her left, looking out the same window. She shook her head. "He looked me dead in the eye, and-"
"-told her that wasn't the reason." He shook his head, oblivious to the nanny leaning onto the countertop, eager and hanging on every word.
"It was like I couldn't keep us on equal terms," her eyes became glossy as she stared out into the bright Sunday morning. "I didn't know what to say, so-"
"She invited me in. I went without question. The air was-"
"-magnetic." She turned to glance at the countertop once again. "I walked over to put my soup in the fridge."
"I followed her into the kitchen, and I leaned against the counter. I watched her place the soup into the refrigerator." At an instant, his eyes perked, and he looked at the nanny as if he was looking through her. "I remember being intoxicated by the curve of her neck that peeked out from her robe as she shuffled spoiled food and TV dinners around to fit the container."
"When I turned around, he was right behind me." Now standing by the counter, she slowly traced her fingertips over it; studying the counter as if it was her lifeline. "I was startled, and I backed up against the island out of reflex."
The butler swallowed roughly. "I was so different. It was as if-"
"He had no filter." She looked into her empty penthouse, both hands planted on the countertop. "His eyes were so sincere."
"We were suddenly so close. I gulped." He stared into the kitchen as the nanny's eyes burned holes into the side of his face. He shrugged. "It just slipped out."
His hand found its way to my face and he breathed, "God, you're beautiful."
"And then…" He was transfixed, his eyes staring into the empty space of the kitchen.
She looked at Chester, still sitting by the window, but looking directly at her. "And then…"
"WHAT? And then what?" The nanny cried, throwing her arms onto the kitchen counter.
The butler sighed and his glossy eyes turned towards the brunette. "I kissed her."