Hey there, everyone - I hope you've all had a very Merry Christmas! I'm still in the UK until mid-January, so I'm hoping to get a few more pieces put up in my spare time. I did mean to put this up earlier, but unfortunately a very important family commitment prevented that from happening. Anyway, it's here now, and I hope you enjoy it! Especially you, EspoirDio, the receiver of this Secret Santa gift.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Nanny, or any of its characters, settings, etc.

"No!"

The blonde-haired producer hoped this would be the last time she'd have to say it, but then again, she'd had that same thought three 'no's ago. Sometimes Maxwell Sheffield just didn't know when to quit, and he was proving that fact right then and there.

"But why not, C.C.?" her business partner sounded exasperated, but not yet ready to give in. He turned to her husband, who was busy rifling through a box labelled 'Christmas decorations'. "Niles, back me up, here!"

The butler pulled a face at his employer's request, raising his eyebrows, "I'm sorry, sir. You know I can't do that."

Maxwell's expression went from annoyed to optimistically hopeful, "Not even for your oldest friend?"

Of course, that hopefulness would come from a gamble at emotional blackmail.

But he should have known better than that. Niles looked up, into the middle distance, as though feigning weighing up his options.

"Hm. Let's see. Take sides with my oldest friend, who is making me hang up his Christmas decorations, or my wife, whom I love, and is carrying my child…" he nodded briskly at Maxwell. "That's a difficult one, I must admit, sir."

He then returned to his task without another word, leaving the dark-haired man stood there in the middle of the living room, hands on his hips and looking as though he was about to start sulking. C.C. bit back a grin behind the newspaper article she was reading.

God, there was something so attractive about Niles backing her up like that…

At any rate, it didn't appear that Maxwell was going to win the argument any time soon. Not that he really had to keep it going in the first place. He could find anyone to play Mary and Joseph in his little Nativity production! Especially seeing as it was the little one's – well, now the oldest one's – new school asking him to do it. The staff had jumped at the chance to host a Christmas production for the parents orchestrated by someone who had actually worked on Broadway. And there must have been lots of kids there who'd want the parts, even if the two he'd already picked had both been put out of action for whatever reason. Some football injury and a family commitment or something like that.

But he didn't have to pick on them for this, even if it would save on the cost of sewing a pillow into the inside of Mary's costume.

Maxwell began to pace, going around the back of the sofa to avoid where Niles was knelt, busy untangling tinsel, and where both his business partner and his wife had their legs stretched out as they relaxed on the sofa. Fran had the twins in her lap, and was gently bouncing them on her knees. She'd already agreed to let one of them be placed in the manger as the Baby Jesus for the second part of the evening; her husband had already made a point of telling them so.

He was just getting worked up because he couldn't convince the two people he wanted to recruit who were old enough to voice their objections.

He made one more attempt at persuasion, sounding more disappointed again, "Oh, really! Do neither of you have any Christmas spirit?"

Figuring she wasn't going to be left alone to read the paper, C.C. folded it shut and dropped it on the side table next to her, "Of course we do, but is it really such a crime to want to spend that Christmas spirit at home?"

Crawling on his knees away from the box, Niles went to her side and clutched at her hands, staring up towards their employer, "Please sir, it is our first Christmas as a married – well, as any form of couple!"

Maxwell looked at the two pairs of blue eyes staring up at him and rolled his own, "Oh, would you please stop being so overdramatic? It's not Christmas yet, this is just the build-up. You two will still get time to yourselves."

C.C. was about to retort that that seemed unlikely, given that Niles' job would probably require him to work a lot over the holiday, and that the two families were so close it would most likely be difficult to get time alone even when no one was working. But she was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening and closing, followed by someone immediately heading into the kitchen. They all knew who it was. Sylvia had been coming in and out of the house all day, and she always went to the kitchen first because Niles had been cooking all morning for the fast-approaching holidays.

Gathering the twins securely in her arms, Fran slowly got up and went to greet her mother. The former nanny had said earlier that she hadn't told Sylvia that one of the twins was to be in the play yet, so she must have decided that now was the time. The others could hear their voices in the other room for a few minutes, before both women walked back in. Sylvia was clearly upset by something that had just been said, but not so much that she hadn't helped herself to the food that Niles had left on the side earlier to cool off.

"My Jewish grandchildren, performing in a Nativity play!" she cried in between bites of the snack held in her fingers. "This is not our custom!"

"They're not even a year old, Ma, they're not gonna remember!" Fran rolled her eyes, before gesturing off into the rest of the house. "Anyway, it's for Gracie, and for Maxwell!"

C.C. carefully observed the food held in the older woman's hand before deciding to get involved, "You're a fine one to talk about observing Jewish custom, Sylvia."

"What's that supposed ta mean?" the Fine matriarch snapped, her eyes directed at the producer.

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that your seventh pig in a blanket of today?" C.C. indicated to what remained of the food still in Sylvia's hand.

There was a pause, and the older woman looked like a deer caught in headlights.

Eventually, she came out of it and pointed at Niles, "…If you weren't knocked up and married to him, lady, I'd've dumped you in the ocean by now."

For the nth time that day, the older woman turned around and left again. She'd most likely be back for dinner. They heard the front door closing behind her, and Niles turned to look at Fran.

"I had no idea your mother was so against the idea of the twins mixing with other faiths and traditions, especially seeing as half their family is Catholic."

"She's not really upset about that," the former nanny explained, making herself comfortable again. "She's ticked off because if we're going to help with this play, that means that she, Yetta, Sammy, Nadine, and Daddy can't come over the day before Hanukkah starts and stay the night."

This seemed to spark a reaction in Maxwell, which both the blondes noticed. They'd seen that look before – it was rare, but they'd seen it. It was the look he got when he'd had one of his better ideas. The couple silently held their breath, hoping whatever the producer had to say, it wasn't anything that would force their hand. C.C. was already mentally kicking herself for getting involved in the spat between Fran and Sylvia, who could have voiced her objections until the entire family was forced to pull out of the production, thus offering them a way out without having to argue anymore.

They waited, to see if what he had to say would let them off the hook, or if they were going to be dragged in so deep they wouldn't be able to find a clear way out.

They could only hope…

"Which they'd probably still try to do anyway, if they found out you two were here to receive them…"

But there it was! How the universe loved to conspire against them with things like this!

The butler and the blonde producer stole a thoughtful glance at one another.

What were they to do? Spend a night taking on the lead roles in a Nativity at Grace's school when they could be at home, or stay at said home in order to play substitute hosts to the Fine family?

The answer was, of course, obvious.

"Alright, how do I look?"

The first word that had immediately sprung to mind when C.C. saw herself in the mirror backstage was "ridiculous", but she felt a second opinion might change her mind. It wasn't like she was the producer that night, anyway; she was the actor, so she had no choice but to leave the decision to Maxwell. He and Fran had been taking a look around the school's stage and chatting with the teachers, leaving their friends to get ready.

Well, one of them to get ready, anyway…

Her business partner broke into a beaming smile as he took in the sight of her in the blue dress costume, but at the same time somehow completely missing the irritation clear and present in her features, "C.C. you look marvellous! Every inch a virgin!"

Fran eyed C.C. up and down before glancing around the room, "Yeah, baby bump an' all. Where's Niles?"

The blonde woman sighed heavily. She couldn't believe that she was just about to have to explain this, especially considering everything had apparently been fine when they arrived!

She turned in the direction of a door in the wall. It was closed, and marked 'Custodian'.

"He's been in there for at least fifteen minutes," she told them. "He said he needed to check something in his costume, but now he won't come out."

The Sheffields exchanged a worried look, before approaching the door. Reaching out a little hesitantly, Maxwell knocked.

"Niles? We'll be starting up fairly soon," he called. "Can you open the door so we can talk everything over one last time?"

"Find yourself another Joseph, and go on without me!" came a slightly muffled reply.

After a moment of stunned comprehension, Maxwell's mouth hardened into a line, "Come on, Old Man, you can't change your mind now!"

"Yes, I can!"

"Oh, no you can't!" the dark-haired producer shouted back. "I have spent too much time and effort for you to just go and-"

This was when C.C. decided it was best to step in, "Maxwell, maybe you should leave this to me. I'll handle it."

Her business partner screwed up his face, as though deciding whether or not it would be a good idea, before nodding, "Alright, C.C., I'll leave it up to you. Just make sure that we have two actors ready to go on in under ten minutes."

"That I can do," she ushered them away. "You two just go on ahead and make sure everything's set up. We'll come and find you when we're ready."

The two Sheffields nodded, wished her luck, and hurried away towards the stage, where the other – considerably younger – actors were waiting to go on.

Letting out an irritated sigh, C.C. turned, and tested the doorknob. Finding it unlocked, she opened it, and stepped inside.

Her husband, dressed in full Joseph attire, was stood towards the back of the little closet, arms folded and eyes cast down, towards the corner.

C.C. gave him an unimpressed look, and gestured towards the open doorway, "Come on, Niles; it's either this or the extended Fine family. You can't shut yourself away all evening."

"Watch me," he replied shortly.

The producer took a step further in, and shut the door behind her, "I'd rather watch you out there, where you're needed. I know a closet full of cleaning implements must be a huge temptation, but right now we have more important things to be focusing on!"

"Maybe you do, but I don't," the butler muttered just loud enough for his wife to hear.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, sounding a little stern.

Niles gestured towards the door, "It means I can't do it!"

"Why not?" C.C. was beginning to raise her voice. What the hell was going on with him? Hadn't he already agreed? He'd been a little reluctant, but why the cold feet now? Especially when he knew what the alternative was…

"Because I know that…" he hesitated, before waving a hand in frustration. "I just can't!"

His wife took a step towards him, "That's not an answer, now tell me what is going on with you!"

There was a moment of silence, before Niles finally confessed, "I'm scared."

"Of a couple of parents and some kids?" the producer was confused, and couldn't help but scoff a little. "You might wanna get used to it, otherwise you are gonna be catatonic when we pick ours up from school in the future!"

Niles shook his head, "I'm not scared of them!"

"Then what are you afraid of?" C.C. asked, raising her voice so he'd have to listen.

Another silence, and the butler huffed out a resigned breath.

"…Remember back when you and Mr. Sheffield needed my help for the last school play you produced? I was terrified, and I was terrible. I made an embarrassment of myself. I am scared, C.C., because if I'm terrible again, the embarrassment won't just be mine, it will be yours, too. For having a husband who can't just go out onto a stage and say a few simple lines!"

C.C. blinked at him.

That was what he'd been afraid of all this time? That he was going to embarrass her even if he tried his hardest not to? She had to give it to him, the fact that he'd even thought it was sweet, but it wasn't like the play was really that important! They hadn't even wanted to be there! He'd gone over the very few lines Maxwell had given them, just like she had, and he knew them well enough to say them without reading them off the paper. That put them at least on the same footing as the rest of the kids in this thing, so they had nowhere to go but up in that case.

He didn't have any real reason to be as afraid as he was.

"…You're really thinking too hard about this, you know that?" she folded her arms and leaned against the wall, every part of her aching to roll her eyes, but managing to keep them where they were. "It's a Nativity, Niles. It's not going to be hard. Besides, what does it matter to me if this thing goes off without a hitch or not? This could be the most embarrassing thing we ever did, and I for one would not care one whit."

"You…you wouldn't think less of me?" it was the most unsure she'd ever heard him, and she knew she had to do something to reassure him, or at least get him to cheer up.

Of course, she had her go-to method for that. Well, actually she had two, but seeing as they were both running out of time and definitely within 500 feet of a school, what she had in mind was the safer option.

"Niles, I couldn't possibly think any less of you."

She had been hoping he'd crack a smile at her zinger, but after a few seconds of his expression remaining unchanged, she realised it wasn't happening, and her shoulders slumped as she sighed.

"Oh, come on; that was funny, wasn't it?"

Niles shrugged, looking away from her towards the door. C.C. frowned, now feeling more than a little guilty.

"I guess not," she bit the inside of her lip thoughtfully. It seemed she'd have to try a different approach. "Alright, let me put it this way: I have enough faith in you to know that nothing bad will happen when we go out there."

The butler glanced up at her, "You do?"

She pushed herself away from the wall, and made to wind her arms around his neck, "Of course I do. You're my husband, for better acting or worse."

He still didn't look convinced. But she couldn't give up – not now, not when they were so close to it all being over and them getting to go home.

"You won't mess up, I promise," she gently played with the hair at the back of his neck, hoping it was soothing. "And even if it is bad, we'll be bad together. I mean, it's not like we really wanted to be here, anyway."

She looked him straight in the eyes, one hand travelling to cup his cheek, her thumb stroking his skin.

"I'll be right there with you. Okay?"

Niles considered for a moment, took in a deep breath, and nodded, "Alright, I'll do it. But only for you."

C.C. gave him a beaming smile, and leaned forward to plant several small, soft kisses on his lips, not caring that the fake beard Maxwell had insisted went with Niles' costume made her skin itch a little.

"Excellent," she purred, leaning her head against his and the hand still playing with his hair slowing to a sensuous caress. "And, if you're a good little Butler Boy and do well out on that stage, I'll put out in our bedroom when we get home."

Her husband immediately brightened, straightening up and taking her hand, "Well, there's no sense in hanging around here all evening – we've got a show to do!"

Not even attempting to hold in her laughter, C.C. allowed him to take her back out into the other room.

At long last it was show time.

It may not have been anywhere near the weather they'd usually have hot chocolate in, but seeing as it was the holidays, after the play had ended and they'd been given the go ahead by Maxwell to go home, Niles had insisted on preparing a festive drink as a reward for their hard work. He brought the two carefully warmed mugs, peppermint candy canes already partially stirred in, to the living room, where C.C. had already made herself comfortable on the sofa.

She gratefully accepted a cup as he slowly collapsed onto the cushions next to her, careful not to spill his own drink.

The producer rested herself against him, and took a contemplative sip, "I still don't get why Maxwell wanted us to take part. Apart from going on, saying a couple of lines, and then standing around a lot, we didn't really have all that much to do."

Niles gave a vague half-shrug, "Not really. Perhaps he just wanted us to join in on the celebration."

"Yeah, maybe. I did have a better time than I would've done having to listen to Sylvia asking if there could be any more shortbread when she's already finished the third batch," C.C. took another, larger sip of the hot chocolate. It was perfectly heated, and from Niles' own recipe. He had once joked that something so good and sweet would probably be rejected by the evil and bitterness inside her, but now he used any excuse he could come up with to make it for her. Not that she complained.

"Ditto," the butler frowned down at his own mug. "Especially considering I made that first batch to go with this hot chocolate."

She gave him a pointed look, "Well, it's lucky we agreed to do the play, really – we might not have even had this if the Fine clan had been over."

"I think you might have a fair point there," Niles' frown dissolved into a small smile the longer he looked at her. "…It really didn't go too badly at all, did it?"

"Not at all. There was no reason for you to be as nervous as you were," she returned his smile affectionately. "You were actually pretty good out there."

"You think so?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow and lowering his mug from his mouth without taking the sip he'd previously planned.

C.C. nodded in reply, "I do. And you know I don't say that to just anybody."

He gave her a lop-sided grin – the one she knew was kept only for her, "I know. It's a Christmas miracle."

She smirked back at him, "Consider it an early gift before the surprise of the main event."

"I think I can do that," he said, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

They both relaxed against each other and against the cushions for a moment, enjoying their drinks and the snug warmth, until Niles spoke up again.

"At least we won't have to do the same thing next year, anyway. Hanukkah won't be on the same day, so that means even if the school does ask for help, there's a chance that the family will be home to entertain everyone, and we won't have to do it."

C.C. gave a triumphant smile, and patted her baby bump, "Mm. In any case, by the time that rolls around, we'll have our own little tiding of comfort and joy, and be far too busy to play host to anyone."

"That is true," he snaked an arm around her and rested his hand over hers on her belly, rubbing it tenderly. "This little one certainly is a gift that keeps on giving."

Grinning, they softly clinked their mugs together, and sipped at their drinks some more.

"Now, seeing as we argued with the others for so long over wanting to enjoy our Christmastime, can we start actually enjoying it?" Niles asked, squeezing her hand gently.

C.C. intertwined their fingers, "I'd like nothing better, sweetie."

They leaned in, and gave each other a quick peck on the lips. And then another. And another. Niles released her momentarily, reached out to settle his cup on the coffee table, and returned to wrap his arms around her fully, and deepened the kiss before dragging his lips away to plant smaller ones along her jaw and up and down her neck.

"Speaking of which, I also seem to recall that there was a certain reward available for doing this play…" he murmured, apparently seeking a particularly sensitive patch of skin on her throat.

"Oh, well now you've spoiled the surprise of the main event…!" C.C. tried to sound disappointed, but Niles found the spot he'd been after and her breath hitched in a mixture of delight and anticipation.

He pulled away momentarily to look her in the eyes, nuzzling her head with his.

"Even if I didn't know you were only joking, I'd still consider that the most thoughtful Christmas gift anyone could ever give me," he said, smiling softly.

C.C. looked vaguely unimpressed in return, secretly holding back a smile of her own, "And if I didn't know you were only trying to get me into bed, I'd still consider that attempt at waxing poetic weak and horribly corny."

Niles' smile faded into a look of surprise, and he prepared to sit up, "Is that a no, then?"

She answered with a feigned thoughtful look between him and the floor space in front of them, before reaching out and settling her mug on the end table next to her, "Help me up and we'll see."

Her husband chuckled, and the arm around her back lowered to her waist as he helped her to her feet. Just before they started to exit the living room, C.C. suddenly remembered the mugs of hot chocolate, and went to pick hers up.

Niles stopped her, waving a hand dismissively, "Leave it. I'll clean up later."

The producer's smirk came back again as she left the cup where it was, "Afterwards, you mean?"

"Exactly," Niles replied. Together, they made their way to the bottom of the stairs, and he halted them in their tracks to look at her. "I think this is going to be a wonderful Christmas, you know."

C.C. rolled her eyes, before grinning, "Well, of course it is. You're with me."

Her husband couldn't help but smile fondly in return, "Yes. Yes, I am."

They shared another kiss – longer this time, and immensely loving, before making their way upstairs, arms around each other.

They didn't need to share any more words to know that it was going to be their best Christmas yet.