Disclaimer: I do not own any part of The Nanny.

A/N: Those of us who are fans of Niles and CC, this is just another crazy story about their very strange…connection. Set in a partially alternate universe so not completely in sync with the show. Read and Review please!

Powerful Connection

Chapter 1

20 years ago:

"Hello, hello!" The pretty young woman practically sang. "You must be Maxwell Sheffield. Sara has told me so much about you. I'm CC Babcock." She extended her hand, Niles took it and they seemed frozen in time. "Please let him not be Max." CC thought.

CC Babcock was a woman in her early twenties. Niles was immediately taken with her. CC had pale blonde hair that was a very straight. In her heels she was just barely taller than Niles. '"Five feet ten inches tall, I'd guess, without the heels." Niles thought to himself. She was beautiful. She had sharp angular features, sparkling blue eyes and a smile that practically lit up the foyer. "Miss Babcock. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Niles, Mr. Sheffield's butler. He's in the office, if you'll just follow me."

"Five nine actually," CC said under her breath.

Just then Sara came in from the kitchen. "CC! I'm so glad you decided to meet with Maxwell."

"Hello, Sara!" The women embraced with genuine affection.

"Niles, CC is my closest friend! We grew up together and went to college together. She's been abroad until just a few months ago. She's an absolutely brilliant financial mind."

"Well…I'm flattered, Sara." CC almost blushed and couldn't decide if it was the butler's eyes on her or Sara's gushing.

"Niles, I'll take CC into see Max." Sara offered.

Niles smiled at the women. "Very good, Mrs. Sheffield, it was a pleasure meeting you Miss Babcock." Niles smiled and thought, "I guess she's not too terrible."

"I'll try to be less than terrible." CC tossed off as she and Sara started toward the office. Niles stopped dead in his tracks wondering if he's said it out loud.

"Well, I never thought I'd live to see it." Sara began.

CC's curiosity was obvious. "What's that?"

"Love at first sight." Sara answered.

CC stopped and gawked at Sara. "What?"

"CC, I've known you a very long time. I've only seen that look once. You're taken with our Niles, aren't you?"

CC scoffed at her friend. "Please, Sara, he's the butler, I'm a Babcock." She started toward walking again.

"I don't think he'll hold that against you." Sara quipped and led CC in to meet Max.

After a short interview and a few negotiations, Max offered CC a job as his executive assistant and she accepted.

"Nniiiiiiiiles!" Max bellowed.

Sara rolled her eyes. "Max, I really wish you'd use the intercom. That's why we have them."

Niles came into the office. "Yes, Sir."

"Niles, please pull the car around, I'd appreciate it if you'd drive Miss Babcock to her hotel please." Max instructed.

Niles nodded. "Of course, Sir." Niles headed out of the office to get the car.

After a few minutes CC came out of the office to find Niles waiting in the foyer. "Miss Babcock, are you ready?"

CC couldn't help but be pulled into those deep blue eyes and her thoughts drifted. "I'm ready to take a bite out of you, that's for sure."

Niles broke into her thoughts. "Miss Babcock? Are you ready for me to take you home?"

CC's voice was lilting as she stepped closer to him. "Take me wherever you'd like."

Niles eyes got big and he thought to himself, "Is she flirting with me?"

Before he could give it much thought she spoke. "Yes…" CC started out the front door.

Niles frowned confused. "Yes, what?"

CC was a little shocked. "I'm sorry…I thought…never mind." CC broke eye contact.

It had been nearly two years since CC started working for Maxwell and she'd already increased the bottom line tenfold. One thing Sara was right about, she was a brilliant financial mind. As for being 'taken with our Niles' CC still denied it at every turn. In fact CC and Niles had taken to tossing insults at each other the way 'regular folks' exchanged pleasantries. Sara said it reminded her of kindergarten.

"Hey Betty Crocker, what did you make for lunch?" CC cackled as she entered the kitchen.

Niles grumbled at her. "I put your kibble in a bowl by the door, how did you miss it?"

Maggie was sitting in the high chair next to Niles and giggled. "CaCa" and pointed at CC.

"Why thank you Miss Margaret, I hadn't thought of that one." Niles tweaked Maggie's nose

CC's eyes narrowed. "Why you little…"

"You little what, CC?" Sara asked as she came down the back stairs into the kitchen.

CC's looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "Angel. Maggie looks just like you, Sara. I just didn't realize they learned to talk so early." CC shot a look that said 'I'll get you' at Niles.

"What did she say? I fully expect her first word to be Niles. He's with her more than anyone." Sara offered. "What'd you say, Maggie?"

Maggie didn't disappoint. "CaCa!" And again she pointed at CC, who tried desperately to smile, while Niles stifled his laugh.

"Awww…and you were worried that she wouldn't like you…" Sara started and CC glared at her. "Uhm…being mean to Niles all the time. Has she finished eating Niles?"

Niles nodded. "Yes, Mrs. Sheffield. I can change her and put her down for a nap now if you'd like."

Sara checked her watch. "Well, I was going to do it, but I have that meeting with the charity committee at the club. Thanks, Niles."

"It's a pleasure, Mrs. Sheffield." Niles lifted Maggie out of the high chair and carried her up the back stairs well observed by Sara and CC.

Sara turned and caught CC smiling as Niles left with the baby. "He'd be a great husband and father, CC, if you'd look past his 'station' as you call it."

"Sara, really I thought you'd finally realized that's never going to happen." CC turned and left her friend standing in the kitchen.

Sara shook her head and left through the back door.

Another three years passed in the Sheffield house. Maggie was sitting on the counter watching Niles make her a batch of chocolate chip cookies. "When's Mommy and Daddy comin' home, Niles?"

"Well, Miss Margaret, I imagine they'll be walking in the front door any minute with your new baby brother." Niles smiled at his young charge.

"Where's CaCa?" Maggie whispered to him.

Niles smiled. "Now, Miss Margaret, your mother told you that it's not nice for you to call Miss Babcock by her first name." Niles leaned in. "I think she's in your father's office.

"She's gonna hate there bein' another baby in the house." Maggie reached her arms to Niles for him to lift her off the counter.

Niles lowered Maggie to the floor just as Max called from the foyer. "We're home! Maggie! Niles! CC! Come and meet Brighton."

"Yeah! They're back!" Maggie took off into the den followed by Niles and CC came in from the office to find Max and Sara with a sleeping, blonde headed baby in her arms.

Sara bent down for Maggie to see Brighton a little better. "Well, Maggie, what do you think of your baby brother?"

"What a little dweeb," Maggie said softly and touched his head.

All four adults were shocked. CC smirked, Niles tried to contain a burst of laughter, Sara tried to think of something to say and Max knelt down and spoke. "Maggie, Sweetheart, where did you ever hear such a thing?" Max spoke softly and then glanced at Niles and CC who looked back at him innocently.

"That's what Sharon next door calls her little brother." Maggie gently rubbed Brighton's head. "But her brother isn't this cute."

The adults nodded in sudden understanding. "Well, Honey," Sara started. "Let's not call Brighton a dweeb for a little while then, ok?"

"Ok, Mommy." Maggie watched as Sara handed the baby to Niles. "I missed you, Mommy. Niles read me our bedtime story, but he doesn't do the voices as well as you do."

Sara smiled at Niles then quickly glanced at CC. "Well, it's the accent, Maggie. And Niles' voice is a lot lower than mine."

"Shall I take Master Brighton up to the nursery, Mrs. Sheffield?" Niles asked. "He smells a little…ripe."

"Thanks, as always, Niles." Sara touched Niles' arm gently. "That would be great. I'm going to take Maggie here up to her room and read her bedtime story then I think she and I will take a little nap."

CC had moved closer and watched Niles who seemed so natural with a baby. "He's a beauty, Sara. May I, Niles?" CC reached for Brighton.

Niles put Brighton in her arms and he immediately started to cry. Niles felt genuinely bad for CC and it showed in his face, which didn't go unnoticed by Sara. "I think he's just a little uncomfortable, messy diaper." Niles wrinkled his nose as CC handed him the baby.

"Yeah…that's probably it." CC turned and walked back into the office.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Sheffield." Niles looked after CC. "I didn't mean to upset her."

Max laughed. "Oh, Niles…you always mean to upset her." Max shook his head and went into the office.

Sara took Maggie's hand. "Don't worry, Niles, CC will be just fine. It's not your fault. And pay no attention to Max." Sara started up the stairs with Maggie.

"Well, Master Brighton. I suppose you just broke your first heart. If only I hadn't helped you to do it." Niles looked off toward the office again, turned and took Brighton upstairs.