A/N: Alright, just another little prompt I was given aaages ago by ozzlover but only managed to work on now. Sorry it took me so long! The prompt was: "I was thinking like 20 + years in the future (after Cloud Chasing) idk...maybe at their daughter's graduation partially... Some fluffy family moments and than maybe some alone time... Them still in love and throwing barbs at each other". I hope it isn't too different from what you imagined! :)
Cirrus
There was only a thin layer of clouds in the sky that day and the sun shone mercilessly down on any exposed surfaces. Even trees provided little shelter because the rays slipped through the branches, heating the ground the visitors were walking on. And there were many that day, as it was always the case when a graduation took place on the campus.
C.C. Brightmore maneuvered the pavement expertly in her heels and was more bothered by the humidity that made her dress cling to her body; something her husband didn't mind in the slightest.
He, too, had taken precautions against the weather and unbuttoned his shirt a little and was carrying his suit jacket over his arm.
"We're on time, Babcock, stop worrying." he pointed out a little breathlessly when they turned a corner and the large building they were headed for, shifted into view.
"I know, I know," she replied in her snappy, no-nonsense tone and continued to march forward.
"Well, apparently you don't the way you keep glancing at your watch and hoofing it as if a prized carrot will await you if you get there in record time."
"Well, excuse me for not wanting to miss our daughter's graduation."
She rolled her eyes but he only chuckled.
"C.C., I wouldn't want to miss it either. Trust me, we'll make it."
He gently took her by the elbow and forced her to slow her steps down until she was matching his pace. His wife nodded and gave him a small but tense smile and they both stayed silent until they reached the cool of the building.
"Emily said the ceremony will be held out in the yard."
"Mmh..." C.C. hummed "good thing we're in the know...in case that giant sign over there wasn't tip-off enough."
"Oh stuff it, woman..." Niles muttered embarassed but she continued laughing.
"Told you should've worn your glasses. Will you even be able to see Emily now?"
"Yeah yeah..." he rolled his eyes and gently pushed her out of the next door and into the overfilled yard "speak of the devil."
A tall, beautiful young woman with braided dark-blonde hair suddenly turned her head in their direction and then came running towards them.
"Mom! Dad! You made it!"
Niles quickly pulled his daughter into his arms and then released her again so that C.C. could do the same.
"Did we miss anything, kiddo?" she asked, her eyes sweeping adoringly over her daughter while her hands automatically adjusted her graduation gown.
"No, nothing. We've all just been standing around. Apparently they're running late or something...coz of the weather."
"You'd think they'd have taken that into consideration when they were planning the event."
"I know," Emily sighed, looking just as annoyed as her mother.
"I guess they should've hired either one of you if they wanted this thing to run smoothly," Niles commented, half mocking, half proudly.
"Of course," his daughter grinned.
"Do they provide refreshments somewhere?" C.C. suddenly asked, still fingering the fabric of her daughter's gown "It's too warm here."
"Yeah, I think there's a stall inside somewhere."
"You think we'll have a minute still?" her mother asked, casting a longing glance towards the building.
"Sure, this could take a while."
"Alright, we'll be back in a minute." C.C. nodded and started heading back to where they'd come from.
Niles muttered "menopause" to their daughter and then followed suit.
"Please," C.C. chuckled with a hint of insecurity that she had developed in recent years "that's long behind me."
"Well, I'm glad that those mood swings are over," he grinned but tugged her closer to his side to press his lips to her temple in an effort at reassuring her.
Inside the building their eyes needed a moment to adjust to the sudden lack of light, but even when that had happened did they fail to locate the drinks stall Emily had mentioned.
"Maybe they've moved to somewhere else now?" Niles guessed, turning into one of the corridors.
C.C. silently tagged along, peering into the deserted classrooms.
"My God this takes you back, doesn't it?"
"It's alright, darling," Niles quipped, patting her hand "don't hurt your brain trying to remember events so far in the past."
"Hey, it's been even longer for you. Though it is surprising that a butler like you even had an education, especially one at such a prestigious University."
"Yes, how lucky I was..." Niles commented dryly and then sighed "Nothing here either."
"Useless bunch of idiots," C.C. rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips "what now?"
"I guess we'll have to wait."
"Marvelous..."
Niles smiled a little and then went on to inspect a row of lockers.
"Do you think they're still together?" he asked, trying to distract her.
"Mmh?" C.C. frowned, absent-mindedly trying to see what he was pointing at.
"Candy and Big D 4ever..." he read out the inscription that had been carved into one of the lockers "Do you think they're still together?"
"By God I hope not. Imagine anyone with those names multiplying."
"Oh because C.C. is so much more imaginative." he grinned, nudging her playfully.
"Hey! C.C. stands for something!"
"So does Big D," he chuckled.
"You know what I mean," she sighed impatiently "it's there to cover up that hideous first name of mine."
"Well, then, Chastity...people in glass houses..."
"Fine...fine...shut up Mr I-like-to-make-my-last-name-a-huge-mystery-for-no-reason."
"Got you interested though, didn't it?"
"Yeah and then mostly disappointed so if that's your strategy of getting women you should seriously work on it."
"There's no need for that anymore, is there?" he asked, his tone melting into a softer one as he pulled her closer.
"Now don't get all mushy," she teased but leaned more into his body at the same time.
"Tell me, Babcock," he started in a lower voice, tilting his head so he could trace kisses up her neck "back in your college days...did you ever make out in the halls?"
"That's pretty difficult considering I went to an all girls school."
"Difficult...kinky..." he grinned, raising his hands as if weighing the options.
"You're impossible," C.C. chuckled and playfully pushed him away but he would have none of it and tugged her closer again.
"Perhaps it's time you experienced it then, Miss Babcock."
"Brightmore, actually," she corrected, the words soon morphing into sighs as his lips started their pursuit once more "I'm a married woman."
"Terrible minx..." he growled, turning her so she was pressed against the wall.
Her body trembled and quivered against his and her hand moved to grasp the hair at the back of his neck. She tried to remind herself that they were here for their daughter's graduation, but a lazy voice at the back of her mind whispered that they'd make it back in time. It coaxed her into relaxing until their mingled moans filled the air and she was grasping at the wall for support.
There, she vaguely registered an object that was sticking out of it but her mind was too foggy to really understand what it was. It was only a couple of minutes later, when her elbow collided with said object, sending sharp pain shooting through her and alarm bells shrilling throughout the whole corridor that she realised that she had somehow managed to set off the fire alarm.
Dazed still as well, Niles withdrew, panting heavily with his shirt untucked. "What did you do?"
"I...I..." trying to catch her breath she feebly pointed at the object and tried to smooth down her clothes.
"Let's get out of here," Niles muttered and taking her hand they both jogged down the corridor and back out into the yard where a cluster of confused students, parents and staff members had formed.
"What happened?" C.C. asked breathlessly when they located Emily among the rest of the people.
"Something set off the fire alarm..." she muttered, before noticing her mother's dishevelled hair, the cut on her elbow and her father's loosened tie "oh God...you didn't. Didn't we agree that this delay was bad enough already?"
C.C. had the good grace to blush while Niles was still struggling to wipe a mischievous smile off his face.
"Do you think she will hate us now?" C.C. asked, when they were finally seated an hour later.
"I think she's got used to our escapades over the years. I think she's much more likely to be embarassed...and perhaps a little traumatised."
"Thank God my parents never had sex..." C.C. muttered under her breath.
Niles chuckled amused and squeezed her hand. But when the ceremony started they both grew quiet, feeling a mixture of adoration and nerves for their daughter's turn to collect her certificate.
When it finally happened, Emily took to the stage confidently, holding her head high and her eyes firmly set on the scroll. Once she had collected it, she proudly turned to find her parents in the audience and grinning at them she walked off stage once more.
"Can you believe that a little more than twenty years ago I could still entertain her by pretending that clouds had animal shapes?" Niles chuckled, wiping some moisture from the corner of his eye.
"Mmh..." C.C. sighed before her lips curved into a grin "well, on the bright side, soon you'll be at that age where she can entertain you with games like that."
He chuckled half-heartedly and her grin faded away into a softer smile.
"She's perfect, you know? The right combination of my determination and aspirations and your desire to chase the impossible. I'm glad you didn't give up."
"So am I," he replied softly, his eyes still glued to his daughter, even though she had almost disappeared from view and was chatting with her friends and added almost more to himself than to her "my little cloud chaser."