Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to any of the characters of 'The Nanny.'

A/N Pretty much my all time favorite TV couple. This time it's Max and not Fran who 'meddles'.

Yenta Max

Chapter 1

Max was up very early for a weekday and Niles, as usual, was in the kitchen preparing breakfast when he burst into the kitchen. "Niles, old man, I didn't expect to find you here this early."

"I'm always here this early, Sir." Niles spoke flatly.

Max noticed that Niles has seemed a little out of sorts lately. Well, not lately, but ever since CC had moved into the guest room. "What's bothering you, Niles?

"Nothing, Sir. I'm quite, well, I assure you." Niles didn't look up from his work.

Max crossed to where Niles stood, in his usual place at the kitchen island. "Niles, how long have we known each other?"

Niles stopped his work only for a moment. "Since we were boys, Sir."

"That's right, Niles. I know technically, I'm your employer, but we are still friends. You know that, right?" Max was slightly uncomfortable with this conversation, but he realized, with a little help from Fran, that it was long overdue.

"Of course, Sir." Niles was getting a little uncomfortable himself. After all, this wasn't the type of conversation grown men, especially grown British men usually had. "I'm not sure what you're getting at, Sir."

"I just wanted to …I want you to know if you ever need to talk…about anything. I'm your friend first and your employer second." Max finished and clapped Niles on the back.

Just then CC came down the back stairs into the kitchen. "Hey, Martha Stewart, have you started the coffee?"

Niles and Max shared an understanding look and Niles answered as politely as he could. "Of course, Miss Babcock, may I get you some?"

CC stopped dead in her tracks and looked back and forth between Max and Niles. "What?" Noticing the slight smiles on both their faces she asked, "Am I dying?"

Niles snapped up the opportunity and retorted, "No one could be that lucky this early in the morning."

Max holding in the laugh he desperately wanted to allow to burst forth he excused himself to the dining room. CC made a face. "It's too early in the morning for witty repartee." She joined Max in the dining room.

Fran was in the kitchen with Niles chatting about one thing or another, when the peaceful air was broken with the sound of Max calling… "Niiiiiiiiiiiles."

"Geez, what'd you do?" Fran asked pitifully.

Nile lifted himself out of the chair and buttoned his jacket. "I can't even imagine."

Niles entered the office and stood before Max's desk. "Yes, Sir?"

"Niles, old man, I need you to take these papers down to the theatre and give them to CC." Max pointed at a small stack of papers.

"Why can't she fly up here and get them? They must have a spare broom around that theatre somewhere?" Niles quipped.

Max looked up at Niles with the 'I-really-don't-have-time-to-deal-with-this-stuff-now,-Niles- face' and said, "Please?"

Niles was a bit taken back. He fully expected to be chastised for referring to CC in the witch vein again, but was really caught off guard with the 'please'. "Alright, Sir." Niles answered and looked at his watch. "But it's going to make dinner a bit late."

Max answered. "I'll have Miss Fine call out for something, why don't you take the rest of the night off."

"Oh, thank you, Sir. Does, the Man Beas…Miss Babcock need the papers immediately or do I have time to change?" Niles tried to refrain from using a derogatory name for CC this time, but old habits are hard to break.

"Sorry, Niles, she needs them now. She's been dealing with dancers all day and these papers have to be signed and out this evening or we're dead. ." Max thought of what Niles may be thinking. "Both of us, Niles; please help CC however you can."

"Yes, Sir. I'll leave straight away." Niles picked up the small stack of papers and left the office.

Max waited until he heard the front door close behind Niles before he dialed his phone. Fran chose this point to take her usual place on the corner of Max's desk. "Hey…who ya callin?"

Fran asked.

"Shhh," Max began. "CC? It's Max. Niles is on his way with those papers. I can't help it. I couldn't get away. I barely had time to call you now. I know, but Niles knows all those dances too, use him. No, I'll have Miss Fine call and order something. Keep him as long as you need. Bye."

Fran looked at Max in shock. "Max, what the hell are you doing?"

Max smiled at Fran. "I love it when you call me Max." He stood and placed a hand on either side of her legs.

"Then why can't we tell anyone? I hate lying to Ma, and Val and especially Niles. We're best friends. He wanted us to get together as much as Ma…well, maybe not as much as Ma…" Fran got that pouty look that Max loved so much.

Max leaned in and gave her a soft kiss. "Fran, I want to help Niles and CC first. It hurts me to watch the two of them circle each other like wolves. Especially when I know they're crazy for each other."

"I still think you're out of your mind. Niles would've said somethin' to me. He tells me everything." Fran reminded him.

"Fran, Honey. I've known Niles…" Max realizes exactly how long he has known Niles. "Well a very long time. He's never said anything to me either. But I know. I know he feels the same way about CC that I feel about you."

Fran throws her hands up in concession. "Alright, I give up. I don't see it, but maybe you're right. You've known both of them a lot longer than I have. I just hope that what you're trying to do doesn't get one of them killed and the other sent away for it."

Max leaned in and kissed her again, this time more fervently. "Just remember, the sooner we have them resolved, the sooner we're 'resolved'."

Fran thought for a second. "Anything I can do to help?"

Max laughed. "For now, call Mr. Wong's for take out."

Niles parked the town car out in front of the theatre just as it started snowing. "Finally, the roads are always slippery when it first starts snowing." Niles grabbed the stack of papers and went into the theatre. He found CC sitting at a small desk up on the stage. There were a handful of dancers who seemed to be having some difficulty mastering something.

"Niles! What the hell took you so long?" CC barked at him as he started up the stairs of the stage.

"It's starting to snow, Miss Babcock, I didn't think if I wrapped myself around a pole that you'd get your papers in on time." Niles tried to remain polite in front of the dancers.

"Ok, while I sign these I need you to help those half wits learn how to dance." CC didn't look up from the stack of papers she was rushing to add her signature to.

"They're Broadway dancers, what am I supposed to help them with?" Niles was shocked at her request.

"The waltz, the tango and the fox trot." CC listed off, still without looking up.

Niles leaned down. "They're dancers, shouldn't they know them?"

CC whipped her head up and she and Niles were nearly touching noses. "Yes they should, however, they do not. Now, when I'm finished I'll help, but I need to get these signed and to the messenger who will be here shortly. "Please, Niles."

Niles stood up and couldn't respond. He thought to himself, "Did she just say, Please, Niles?" "Alright, Miss Babcock. I'll see what I can do." Niles removed his overcoat and stood before the four couples. "Show me what you've been working on."

The couples started with the waltz. "Well that doesn't look too bad, a little smoothing out here and there and you'll be fine. Now show me the fox trot."

The couples moved through the steps and for the most part it was alright. "That didn't look terrible, a little stiff and too many of you are looking at your feet, but not bad. Ok, let's see the Tango."

This is where the real trouble was. They were stepping on each other and watching their feet and banging into other couples. "Well, I think we see where the real trouble lies. Let's start off with the easy stuff."

Niles quickly danced with each of the ladies and explained what he did to lead them to each of the men, and then watched the couples again. "Very good. See it's all about paying attention to your partner. Ladies you have to let him lead and men, you have to lead with confidence. Now let's try the fox trot."

Again, Niles quickly danced with each lady while explaining to each of the fellows what to do. "I know you can all do this. If I can learn these dances surely Broadway dancers can." He smiled as they all joined him in a light laugh. The couples moved through the fox trot with great improvement. "Very nicely done, folks. You see? I told you it's all a matter of working together."

CC stood and handed the pile of papers to the waiting messenger. "Are you sure you can get them there in a half an hour?" The man nodded. "You'd better." The man left and CC moved to stand next to Niles. "How are they doing?"

"Well, we haven't really gotten to the worst of it yet, but the waltz and the fox trot are good. Ok, show Miss Babcock what we've done so far." Niles and CC moved out of the way and the couples moved very easily around the stage doing the waltz and the fox trot.

CC smiled a little and thought to herself, "He did really well with them. They even seem to…respect him." When the couples finished the two dances CC asked, "What about the Tango?"

"We haven't done that yet. It's the most difficult of the three. It's easier to teach with a partner." Niles removed his suit jacket and hung it on the back of a chair. "Miss Babcock? Do you Tango?"

CC looked at him like he was crazy. "Of course, I did have a cotillion; I had to learn all of those dances. Why?"

Niles extended his hand to her. "It's easier to teach with a partner."

CC sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "Alright." She took his hand.

"Now folks, watch us very closely. The Tango is a very intimate dance you should be able to feel what your partner is going to do next." He looked at CC. "Ready?" CC nodded at him. She was still a little in shock from his description of the tango as 'intimate'. Not that she didn't agree; but they were dancing it together.

Niles nodded to one of the guys to start the tape. Niles and CC glided beautifully around the stage as if they'd done this dance together their whole lives. The dancers couldn't help but whisper at the two of them. It was a very sexy dance. Niles kept a firm grip on CC and his eyes never left hers. When they finished with Niles dipping CC the four couples broke into applause.

"Wow, Niles, Miss Babcock that was amazing!" One of the dancers said.

"Really sexy!" Cooed one of the girls.

Niles smiled. "Do you see what I meant about your partner?" Niles took CC in his arms again and stood with her back to the couples and explained how every slight movement of his hand was a sign to her; which way to go or which step to do next. "You now the steps, you're just not working together as a team. Each couple is a dance team, if you can't work together, you can't dance together."

CC stood in rapture of his words. Feeling the warmth of his arms around her, his breath on her neck, every movement of his hand on her lower back sent small shots of electricity through her. She found it strangely comforting and arousing and disturbing all at the same time.

"Ok, let's see if they can do it now." CC finally broke out of her thoughts and out of his arms.

Niles nodded. "Do it once slowly without the music and see how it goes." The couples moved together quite well. "Much better!" Niles offered them. "Ok, now let's see how it goes up to speed with the music." The couples tangoed beautifully, well at least compared to their earlier attempts. "That's very good. A few more days and you'll be pros…well better pros." The couples laughed and thanked Niles.

"Alright, you better get out of here before you're stuck in the snow. I'll see you here tomorrow afternoon. The actors have the stage in the morning." CC waved them off and returned to her little desk. "You can take off too, Niles. Thanks for helping with the dancers. You're a very good teacher."

Niles put on his suit jacket. "Like I told them, it's all about paying attention to your partner. That's especially true of the Tango. I surprised that you could follow me."

CC's head popped up. "What's that supposed to mean, Bell Boy?"

"I just mean, it's not an easy dance for a novice, and you did quite well." Niles turned his back knowing the word 'novice' would be quite effective.

"Novice! I'll tell you what, Mr. French, I could dance circles around you. You name it and I'll dance it." CC was never one to back down from a challenge.

Niles turned to face her. "Are you serious? You really think you can out dance me?" CC nods. "I'll tell you what, Babsy. We'll each pick two dances. We'll fairly judge each other and the loser buys dinner."

"You're on; I've got very expensive tastes, Butler Boy." CC smirks at him.

"I'm counting on it." Niles raised an eyebrow and grinned.