Hey, everyone. I know this isn't the next chapter of The Lady's Gentleman (that will be uploaded soon, I'm just working towards an essay deadline right now, which has been taking precedence), but I came up with this idea one day whilst on the train to university, and I couldn't let it get away from me. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Nanny, or any of the characters, settings, etc.
She knew it was stupid. She just couldn't help it.
Out of all the movies she could've picked, she had no clue why she'd picked this one. She supposed it had been easy enough to just grab from the shelf. It was fairly short, too, and when her own child was old enough to watch things and comprehend more than just moving colours, it was bound to be seen at least a dozen times. And it wasn't like it was an action movie, or anything that could potentially send her blood pressure skyrocketing. At least, that's how Niles seemed to view possible shows and movies any time they put the TV on these days.
But it had been so long, she'd forgotten it could potentially do this, too. She wiped her eyes furiously. Damn cartoon elephant, with his mother locked away in a too-small cell, and only able to cradle him through the bars on the door to sing him a lullaby, and oh God it was happening again.
Bambi hadn't affected her like this! Then again, she reminded herself, she hadn't been pregnant when she'd watched Bambi. Knowing her luck, if she tried to watch it now, she'd probably bawl her eyes out. She was just grateful there was nobody around to witness this particular unwanted display of emotion. Maxwell was holding the fort down at the studio, Nanny Fine had gone shopping with her parents, taking Grace and the twins with them, and Niles was outside watering the plants.
Even now, she didn't really like other people seeing her this…vulnerable. It just wasn't her. And her job called for her to be tough-talking, anyway. If anybody at the studio had seen her like this, she'd never be able to deal with them again. She was a grown adult, for Pete's sake; how could a room full of professionals possibly take her seriously if she couldn't stop snivelling? Stupid hormones. C.C. was beginning to think that maybe Maxwell had had a point when he insisted that she went on maternity leave early into her pregnancy, just a month or two after the move to California. The only problem was that it had left her bored out of her skull, which of course led to her putting the damn movie on in the first place.
At that moment, the door to the back yard opened and closed. Crap. Niles had finished outside. She turned back to the television, blinking rapidly, and switched it off with a flick of the remote.
"It's getting close to lunchtime; are you hungry?" her husband called out, no doubt hovering near the doorway which separated the living room from the kitchen, just in case her answer was 'yes'.
"No, I'm good…"
It wasn't a total lie, but there must have been something in the way she said it because the next thing she knew, Niles had made his way over.
"Sweetheart, what's the matter?" concern permeated every word as he came closer. He must have caught a glimpse of the last of her tears before she turned away to look out the living room window.
"Nothing," from the minute the word had left her mouth, she knew she'd answered too quickly. In hindsight, she realised if she'd told him she was hungry, he'd have gone straight to the kitchen and she'd have bought herself time to wipe her eyes. But it was too late for that now.
Her husband seated himself close to her on the sofa, one arm around her shoulders and back, the other hand resting gently on her steadily growing stomach.
"It doesn't look like 'nothing' to me."
C.C. discreetly sniffed, continuing to look away from him, "Yeah, well…your eyes aren't what they used to be, back when you scrubbed floors for Queen Victoria."
Niles cocked his head to one side, "If everything's alright, then why aren't you looking at me?"
There was a silence as his wife struggled to come up with a reply.
"Because your face is hideous?" she eventually offered, still not even glancing in his direction.
Now it was certain he'd know something was up. There was no way she'd ever take that long to come up with a witty retort if everything was okay.
His mouth hardened into a line, "C.C.."
One huffed breath through her nose and she caved in, turning back to face him, "Oh alright, fine. I put on some stupid Disney movie and it set me off a little, that's all. I just didn't want anybody to see me like this."
The butler's features softened as he watched the producer wipe her eyes, "Of course not; we couldn't have anybody thinking you might actually be human."
C.C. lowered her hand from her face, giving him an unimpressed look. Niles offered a small, apologetic smile. He drew her in closer still, so their bodies were pressed together, and kissed her shoulder.
"It's just a few hormones, it's perfectly natural," using one arm, he gave her a good-natured squeeze. "You remember how Fran was when she was pregnant with the twins; laughing one minute and crying the next."
"Yeah, I guess. I just wish I had something to keep myself busy while I'm here," she rested her head against his, frowning. "We've still got months of this left, you know!"
"Some of that time will be spent doing other things," he rubbed the small bump in her stomach gently. "Preparing for the little one should be our priority, really."
C.C. rolled her eyes, "Niles, we've already painted, repainted, and bought furniture, supplies, and toys for the nursery. All our medical appointments and childbirth classes are scheduled, and I've already got all my maternity wear. What do we really still need to do in the meantime?"
"Well, for one thing, I need to make sure that you're eating enough, and you need to make sure you're actually resting."
"Yeah, but I'm going out of my mind just sat here 'resting'," she sighed. "I need to feel like I'm doing something. Preferably something that doesn't leave me sobbing like a little girl, either."
Niles considered this. He glanced down momentarily, towards where his hand was settled, before returning to meet her gaze.
"How about I get on the phone and see if Mr. Sheffield can bring home a little paperwork to keep you occupied? I don't think signing your name on forms should prove too taxing, even for you."
She smiled at him faintly, "You're off your game; implying I can't write was weak, and you know it."
"I'm being gentle because I can tell you're not really up for it right now," he gave her a gentle tap on the upper arm with one finger. "But you still haven't answered my question."
C.C. thought about it for a moment. She was secretly appreciative that he knew she missed her work and was willing to help her get back to it faster, even if only in a small way. But the two of them just talking had proved to be a pretty decent distraction already. She didn't feel overwhelmed by sadness anymore; the hormones had moved on and something else had just struck her fancy.
And she just so happened to be in the perfect position to get it.
"A few files wouldn't be so bad, I suppose, but…" she bit her lower lip, and caressed his forearm with the tips of her fingers suggestively, "you know what would be even better right now?"
Niles' eyebrow quirked in intrigue, and the arm that had been resting on her stomach began to slip further around her, towards her waist and hips.
He murmured to her tenderly, desire already darkening his eyes, "What?"
C.C.'s seductive grin dissolved into a sweet smile, and she batted her eyes at him, "That Ben and Jerry's you have in the freezer that Nanny Fine and her mother don't know about."
Niles' look fell away into a smirk which told her she'd be paying for that one at a later date, but he unwrapped his arms and got to his feet anyway. He sauntered off in the direction of the kitchen, pausing only briefly as he went past the back of the sofa in order to plant a kiss on the top of his wife's head.
Smiling triumphantly, C.C. relaxed into the sofa again, and switched the television back on.
Maybe she could get used to this whole 'hormonal' thing after all.