Hello everyone. This is my first Nanny story and it's a diddy of a one-shot song-fic. Sort of. I actually mingled the lyrics with the story. The lyrics will be italicized for you. I saw this done in another story and it worked really well so I thought I would try it. I apologize if the lyrics don't match up, but I heard this song and I immediately thought of Fran and Max. The song is "Wonderful" by Annie Lennox. Towards the end the chorus repeated and some of the words didn't fit with how the story went so I left some out.

Here's a little background on this story. It's been a year since the "Thing" and Fran has been thinking about a certain British millionaire A LOT. She's been terribly zoned out and it's beginning to worry Niles. This story is basically about Fran thinking about Max and finally getting to hear what she has been waiting on. The song lyrics will be intertwined with Fran's thoughts and sometimes they will be spoken. I'm playing a little bit on Maxwell's slow oblivious side. I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Nanny or "Wonderful."

"speech"

'thoughts'

It had been a year since the "thing" and Fran was beside herself thinking about the man that she loved so dearly but did not know if he felt the same way. Fran sat on the couch while everyone was gone, thinking about the object of her affection. 'Oh Maxwell, I wanna have you 'cause you're all I got. I date all of these guys and yet none of them mean as much to me as you do. Don't wanna lose you 'cause it means a lot. I never really wanted to marry all of those men that proposed to me. I just said yes to make you come around because it would hurt me too much to leave you…'

"Miss Fine. Miss Fine. Miss Fine." Niles was trying to get her attention. "Oh hi Niles." "Miss Fine are you all right? You seem a little zoned out." "Yea Niles I'm fine. I was just thinking that's all." "Mr. Sheffield and the kids should be home shortly. Just thought you should know." "Thanks Niles." Fran resumed her thinking when Niles walked off to the kitchen. 'She looks so sad. I wish that man would just make a move already. It's not like we don't already see it. I'll have to discuss it with him later.' Niles thought as he made his way to the kitchen.

'Oh I wish you were just here so I could possibly have something to do to take my mind off of him. All the joy this world can bring doesn't give me anything when you're not here. Idiot me what am I thinking. When you're here it makes it much worse.' Niles stood by the piano as he watched Fran think. Her facial expressions kept changing and he began to worry about her. 'Oh Maxwell Sheffield what have you done to this poor woman now,' he thought while watching her.

'Oh I'm such a stupid fool. Maxwell how could you be so uncool? But then again how could I be such a fool to fall in love with someone who I'm not even sure loves me.' "Niles I know you are standing there." 'Oh drats! She caught me,' he thought before responding. "Yes Miss Fine?" "Mr. Sheffield…" "Let me guess, you think that Mr. Sheffield doesn't really care for you?" "How did you…" "Don't worry Miss Fine. I can assure you that he does." "Thanks Niles." 'But I feel…'

About that time Maxwell and the kids came in from their "bonding" time as Fran called it. Of course the kids came right in and went upstairs to their rooms. "Hello Niles." "Hello Sir." "Where is Miss Fine?" Niles turned and pointed to the couch where she had been glued for the past hour. "Oh Niles. She looks so distraught. Is she feeling okay?" "I don't know sir. Why don't you ask her?" Max gave Niles a dirty look and walked over to Fran. "Miss Fine. Miss Fine. Miss Fine." She finally looked at the man giving her so much grief and smiled that fake smile of hers. "Hello Mr. Sheffield. I didn't know you came in. Where are the kids?" "Hello Miss Fine. They ran upstairs as usual but more importantly how are you feeling today?" She looked at him and said, "Wonderful." 'Yes I feel…' "Just wonderful." "Well I'm glad Miss Fine. You seemed so distant a minute ago I thought something was wrong." "Oh no. I was just thinking that's all. I'm fine now." She stood and began to walk into the kitchen. "Sir, you don't actually believe that do you?" "Niles she said that she was fine. Of course I believe her. Why do you not?" "Never mind sir." Max walked off to his office and Niles went to find Fran.

Fran was as usual in the kitchen eating ice cream when she was sad or thinking about him. 'God it makes me feel so blue every time I think about you. That accent, that hair, everything about you. All the heat of my desire just starts smokin like some crazy fire. I mean come on here, look at me. I parade around in these short skirts and you act like it doesn't affect you. Granted it does get me out of things but that's not the point. And where I stand in relation to you, you have got to be kidding me. I just don't know anymore. Can't you see my heart burning in my hands?'

"Miss Fine, you have nearly eaten the whole tub." "Oh sorry Niles. I guess I wasn't paying attention to how much I was eating. Well might as well finish it right?" They both laughed and Niles nodded. "Are you sure you're all right Miss Fine? I've never seen you like this." Fran just sighed. "Actually Niles I think I'm going to go lay down. Will you tell Mr. Sheffield that I'm not feeling to well. I've got a slight headache and I don't want it to get bigger." "Will do Miss Fine. Go upstairs and take a nap. I don't like you like this." She just smiled at Niles and walked upstairs. She hadn't thought about him until she passed his room.

'Oh Mr. Sheffield. Do you want me or do you not? You tell me you love me then you take it back. I just don't know. It's so confusing. Our relationship: does it feel cold baby or does it feel hot? I sure would like to know.' She finally made it to her own room after stopping at his door for a minute. She then took her boots off that Niles loved so much and laid down on her bed. 'I have to stop thinking about him so I can go to sleep.' Well as usual her wondering mind wouldn't let her sleep. 'Someday you or I may need comfort and I wanna hold you and be so held back. But I don't wanna feel like I need you. Sadly, it's where I'm at. I need to stop thinkin about you everyday or I will never be able to get any sleep around here.' She rolled over to face away from the door to try to fall asleep. 'How come I was made that way. It's so surreal. I'll never get to sleep this way. By the time I do Mr. Sheffield will come looking for me. Okay just shut my eyes and stop thinking. But I feel…' She finally drifted off to sleep while whispering, "Wonderful."

Meanwhile in Maxwell's office… "Sir can I talk to you as a friend?" "Ah yes Niles, what is it." He turned and looked at C.C. and said, "only if he leaves." "C.C. could you please excuse us a minute." "I guess but the minute I leave Nanny Fine will come in here and interrupt your important conversation." "I don't think so Ms. Babcock because she went upstairs to take a nap." "Ha! Look at that Maxwell. Nanny Fine is sleeping on the job." "Oh C.C. you know she doesn't work anyway." C.C. left in a huff at Max's comment. "Is Miss Fine okay Niles?" "Well that's what I came to talk to you about." "Okay." " Well Sir, lately I have noticed that Miss Fine hasn't been herself. She's just been sitting on the couch thinking a lot." "Do you have any inclination what she might be thinking about?" "You." Max looked up at him when Niles said that. "I think it's about you sir because she asked me a question about you or well started to but she only got your name out. I'm really concerned about her. I mean it's been a year since the "thing" and I think she's beginning to really think that you really don't love her." Max just looked down and sighed. "Will you come get me when Fran wakes up?" "Certainly sir." Niles caught on that he called her Fran and not Miss Fine. 'Finally he thought.' Niles left Max's office to wait for Miss Fine to wake up.

Later that day Fran finally woke up from a much needed and well-deserved nap. "Oh yes I feel wonderful." Fran slowly stretched and got out of bed trying to avoid going downstairs fast so she could avoid seeing him. "Well better go and face the music. Besides he's probably looking for me anyway but I hope that Niles told him." She opened up her door slowly and looked around the hallway to make sure he wasn't around. She thought that she might be in trouble because she had slept to long. Slowly, she walked down the stairs and saw Niles waiting for her.

"Why hello Miss Fine. Did you have a nice nap?" "Yes. He's not mad at me is he? I sure slept a long time." "No I told him that you had a headache and wanted to sleep it off. He understands. Would you like me to tell him you're awake?" "No not yet Niles." "Okay. By the way, how are you feeling now?" 'Don't you know I feel…' "Wonderful actually. My headache's gone. Thank you for caring." "Anytime Miss Fine." Fran went right back to her spot on the couch to resume thinking.

'God it makes me feel so blue every time I think of you. Yet here I am once again thinking about you. Niles probably thinks I'm some kind of mental patient. I don't know what is wrong with me but when I'm around you or think about you it's like all of the heat of my desire is smokin like some crazy fire. I need to get up and look like I am doing something. Oh come on here. I'm such a schlub. I mean look at me. I'm sitting on a couch in my own little world like nothing is wrong. What if something happened? Oh my I need to snap out of this.'

"Fran." "Oh hi Gracie. What's up?" "Time for dinner." "Thanks sweetie." Fran reluctantly followed Gracie into the kitchen. Before she went in, she took a deep breath. 'Here it goes,' she thought. "Hello Miss Fine. Did you have a nice nap?" "Yes I did actually Mr. Sheffield. I got rid of that pesky headache." "I'm glad." She just smiled one of her dazzling (fake) smiles at him and began to eat. 'Can't you see my heart burning in my hands.' "Miss Fine." He waited until he had her attention. She looked up at him and awaited his statement. "I would like to talk to you about something after dinner." "Okay. Look I'm sorry about sleeping that long. I haven't been sleeping well at night and it was the first time I had felt relaxed in a while…" "Miss Fine," Max interrupted. "It's fine. I understand that you didn't feel well. Don't worry about it." "Oh, okay." 'I wonder what it could be then,' she thought. She looked back at Niles who just shrugged. This time he actually didn't know something and he wasn't sure he liked it.

Dinner was over and Fran didn't want to go into Max's office yet. She said that she had to go to the restroom before they talked, and she sat in there contemplating what she was going to say. 'I just need to get it out and say everything before something happens.' Niles came around the corner and noticed Miss Fine was still in the bathroom. "Miss Fine are you all right?" "Yes Niles," she said opening the door. "I'm going to talk to him right now." She slowly stepped out and looked at Niles. He wasn't sure that he liked the look in her eyes but he decided not to mention it. "I'm gonna do it." "Do what Miss Fine?" "I'm gonna tell him what has been going on and I can't take it anymore." Niles just looked at her. "What Niles? Do you know what he is going to say?" "No Miss Fine. I'm sorry I that I don't know. I wish I did though. All I can say is good luck and I'll be glad when you're back to normal." She smiled at him and headed to Max's office.

Before she went in she stopped outside the door. She took a deep breath and turned the handle. "Oh hello Miss Fine." "No, listen. The past four days have been hell for me. It's been over a year since well you know, and I'm truly starting to think that you really meant it when you took it back. All I've done is think about you and I think I'm worrying Niles but that's not the point. What I came here to say was, do you want me or do you not because I don't know how much longer I can stay here feeling like this." "Oh Miss Fine." He could see the tears in her eyes as she told him how she felt. He walked up to her and hugged her. 'Huh…what is he doing? This is not helping anything.'

"Miss Fine," he said as he let go. She began to turn around and walk out but he grabbed her hand and said something she has been wanting to hear. "Fran." She slowly turned to look at him and he was looking right into her eyes. 'Oh my. What is he doing to me?'

"Fran…I…" She began to move closer to him. Outside the door our favorite nosy butler is trying to listen. 'Is he going to say it? Oh I hope so because I don't want Miss Fine to leave.'

"Fran, I love you." "YES!" They both turned and looked at the door and laughed. Fran leaned into Max's chest and began to cry. "Fran darling what is wrong?" She just looked at him and said, "I love you too Max." They both leaned in to kiss with as much passion as they could muster. Of course Fran's mind was wondering. 'Oh Maxwell when you kiss me like this all of the heat of my desire is smokin like some crazy fire. I love you so much.'

Outside the door, C.C. walked up to Niles. "Niles what are you screaming yes about? Did Nanny Fine finally quit?" "No and I wouldn't be saying yes to that." "Then what was it?" "Well if you must know Ms. Babcock, Mr. Sheffield told Miss Fine that he loved her and he didn't take it back." "Oh whatever Niles. Give him a day and he'll take it back again." C.C. began to walk into Maxwell's office. "Ah! Maxwell." "What?" "Why are you kissing the help?" "Because…" he looked at Fran, "because I love her." Fran looked at Max and smiled before giving him one last kiss before leaving. "I'll let you two get back to work. I'll see you later Max." "Bye Fran. I love you." "I love you too." Fran shut the door and saw a very giddy Niles. "Oh Miss Fine this is wonderful isn't it?" "Oh yes, Niles it really is wonderful."

Okay everyone, I hoped you enjoyed this little diddy of a songfic. At the end of the song the chorus repeats twice but since Max told Fran he loved her it didn't really fit. So I just added a little bit here and there. Feel free to leave me love and criticism. Thanks for reading!