NILES PLUS FRAN: The Unimaginable Happens

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these wonderfully fabulous and well-rounded characters. If I did I'd retire and move to Boca with my grandma Yetta and...oh goodness I'm living in television world again. Slapping self now

Please be kind, this is my FIRST Nanny fic.

"Ohhh....Niiiles,"

Fran sighed putting her head down on the kitchen counter at the Sheffield residence.

"There, there Miss Fine," Niles replied soothingly, patting Fran on the back as he prepared the evening meal of chicken dumplings.

Fran lifted her mass of shiny dark curls up from the counter.

"But I don't know if he'll ever come around...he's so cold and indifferent and...British!!" She cast a glare in Niles' direction.

Niles chuckled, "You can't measure us all with the same ruler, Miss Fine...if I were Mr. Sheffield, I certainly would have cracked the first time you sat your mini-skirted self on MY desk."

"Aww thanks Niles..." Fran smiled pleasantly at him, "You're a true friend...you really mean that though??" Her voice reached a high pitch at the end of her question.

Niles cringed slightly, pausing in his work. "Why of course," he said in his husky baritone voice.

"Huh, well I wish Mr. Sheffield felt the same way. Ya know Ma's already making plans to have my tombstone read 'FRAN,THE UNMARRIED DAUGHTER: LOVED BY ALL EXCEPT A HUSBAND'."

Niles laughed throatily, "Oh dear, I hope it doesn't come to that, I have the highest hopes for you two. Not to mention the longest-running bet ever with the next door butler in your favor."

Fran pouted as she leaned over the counter, "But what can I do to change him around? I mean it has gotten to the point where he doesn't even pay attention to me anymore—"

She was cut off as Mr. Shefield entered the kitchen dropping a coffee mug in the sink.

Spotting Niles he said, "Oh Niles, do tell Miss Fine to step in my office when you see her."

He left the kitchen completely unawares that Fran had been sitting behind the counter the whole time.

Fran stared agape after him, "Ya see what I mean?? Honestly!"

"Well at least he still has you on his mind," Niles offered as he bent over to put the chicken in the oven.

Fran sighed, blowing a curl out of her face as she propped her elbows on the counter.

"Careful there," Niles warned her as she was about to put her elbows in some sticky chocolate residue.

"Hmm?"

Niles came by and wiped up the mess with a towel.

"Oh thanks."

"Anytime..." He suddenly leaned in towards her, his aquamarine eyes twinkling.

Fran looked up startled, "What?"

"Well, I do have an idea...that might help your situation."

Fran took a sip of coffee, holding the cup to her lips as she spoke, "What's that?"

"We could...pretend that you and I have a thing going on—"

He was interrupted by Fran's spitting out her coffee and choking at his remark. He tossed a napkin at her and continued.

"—and Mr. Sheffield would be insanely jealous especially since it's me. Little ol' Niles. He wouldn't believe it at first so we'd have to make it –" He broke off as he looked at Miss Fine.

"Whaaat?!" He cried exasperatedly.

Fran was laughing so hard she was shaking and no sound was coming out of her mouth--which was highly unusual for her.

"Anyway..." Niles continued yet again, "we'd have to make it seem real enough,"

He paused a moment in reflection.

"Of course I could lose my job over this but..."

He searched for the words.

"Bloody well! I've been looking for a change and I want you two to get together as much as your mother."

Fran paused in mid-laugh and gave him a look.

Niles retracted, "All right, no one on this entire Earth wants you two together more than her BUT I'm in a close second."

He stopped for a moment. "So what do you say? Are you game Miss Fine?"

Fran wiped tears from her eyes, "Oh haha!...I don't know Niles...ah ha haha!..." she trailed off incoherently.

"I still don't know what's so funny," he replied, his normally cultured English accent sounding a bit pouty.

Fran put an arm around his broad shoulders and kissed his smooth cheek, "Thanks for the offer. I'm going to go see what Mr. Sheffield wants."