A Turn In Time
Niles didn't exactly know how or why he'd gotten there, but he somehow found himself lying on the floor of a bar's bathroom – and he knew it was a bar due to the music (70's music, if he wasn't mistaken) booming in the background and due to the stench of cheap alcohol, barf and cigarettes.
Niles groaned as he sat up and rubbed the back of his head, which, for some reason, hurt as though someone had hit it.
Come to think of it, his last memory before blacking out was of being surprised by an irate C.C. Babcock and being hit with a baseball bat. He'd known she was stressed for her father's upcoming visit, but boy he had never expected to be knocked unconscious because of him joking about blowing up the most important man in her life and sitting him in his usual chair!
Was this part of her revenge? If so, it was rather twisted of her...
Figuring that he had to get out of that filthy bathroom (and go to a hospital, considering all the time he'd been out if it was night already), he staggered to his feet and rubbed his tired eyes.
The moment he opened them, however, he came across with a... terrifying?... no, that was not the word. It was more like it was shocking. Right there, reflected on the dirty surface of the cracked bathroom mirror, was his own twenty-five year old self. Gone were his wrinkles and the extra fat that had come with the years, instead he was once again the tall and thin man he had been in his youth.
But how was it possible?! He had to be dreaming... it had to be a dream! There was no logical explanation for what was going on...
BAM
He was started out of his musings by the bathroom door being swung open. His eyes immediately travelled to it; it was almost comical to see Niles almost losing his footing when he took in the sight before him.
Well... maybe this was the answer to why he was there.
Just before him, stood none other than C.C. Babcock – a younger C.C. Babcock, mind you. The woman didn't look a day older than eighteen, and she was holding both an unlit cigarette and a glass of whiskey in her hands.
But it wasn't seeing a younger C.C. what surprised him the most (even if part of him feared that he'd either lost the plot or that the blow in his head had killed him and he was in the purgatory). No... what surprised him the most was her whole appearance.
The woman was wearing black leather pants and a jacket; a tight fitting top that reached just above her belly button and combat boots. To top the bizarre sight, he noticed she had a belly button ring, her nails were painted black and her long blonde hair was tied in a ponytail. She was wearing a black choker and there were numerous silver rings on her fingers.
It was as though Miss Babcock was a character from "Rebel Without A Cause".
"Hey, you," she called, walking toward him, undulating her hips. "Have you got a light, pretty boy?"
Niles almost automatically made to slap at his pockets, checking for a cigarette lighter he knew he wouldn't have, but at the same time too mesmerised to not do something as he stared at the woman in front of him. He stopped himself almost straight away, however, and let his hands drift back to his sides.
"Uh, no, no… sorry," he replied, his throat feeling oddly dry.
Young C.C. raised an eyebrow, lifting a cigarette up and teasing at it with her lips, "Pity."
She settled her glass on the counter next to the sink, and eyed him up and down, lowering the cigarette again.
"You do realise you're in the lady's room, right?" she asked.
Niles blinked, checking around him – he'd ended up in a women's restroom? Well, of course he had, why else would Miss Babcock have come in? It was just his luck that he'd been too distracted to really notice before.
"Uh, I am, aren't I..." he mumbled slightly uselessly.
"Jeez, how much have you had?" the young woman seemed almost amused by his confusion. Perhaps it was masking her own at finding a man in the room.
"Not as much as you, I'm sure," he said dryly, staring down at her glass. It was obvious that the young woman before him had no clue of who he was – otherwise she would have never called him "Pretty Boy" – but bantering with her was almost an instinct.
The woman arched an eyebrow, retrieving a seemingly broken lighter from her back pocket. "Then you must be a lightweight – I've had a number of drinks tonight and yet I didn't end up in the wrong restroom," she shot back.
Niles didn't exactly know what to reply. This Miss Babcock was clearly a teenager, but she drank and smoked just like the older Babcock did...
Maybe this was when she'd taken this vices... maybe this was the beginning of her addiction to booze and cigarettes. There was a part of him that so very much wanted to snatch the glass and the cigarette away from her hands – maybe if he stopped her now, she wouldn't be a slave of those vices as an adult.
He merely observed her fight with her lighter until the little thing decided to work, finally allowing her to light her cigarette and fill her lungs to the brim with nicotine.
"Are you going to stare at me all night?" she said in an unimpressed fashion, turning to the mirror and fixing her clothes.
He couldn't help but notice she had one hell of a body...
"Uh... no... I... might I ask you a question Miss...," he stopped himself just in time. She hadn't told him her name, so he couldn't reveal that he already knew it – it would only lead to questions he couldn't answer.
"Babs," she replied taking a drag of her cigarette.
"Pardon me?"
"Call me Babs – and yeah, you can ask me a question," she said, gulping the last of her Whiskey.
"Thank you... Babs," the name sounded so odd coming from his lips... "What... what year is it?"
The woman gaped at him for a few seconds, as though disbelieving her ears. She then frowned. "Are you sure you are okay, buddy?"
"Yes... yes... I... well, I seem to be slightly confused – it's probably the alcohol," he lied.
The woman looked unsure, but she ended up shrugging and tossing a flippant, "It's 1979."
Dear God... 1979! That meant that the woman before him was merely eighteen years old!
An eighteen year old who had just retrieved a little flask from her jacket pocket and gulped down some more Whiskey as though it were water.
This had clearly been her life for some time.
But what could he do about it? If he snatched the glass and the flask and the cigarette out of her hands, at best she'd mistake it for an attempt at getting one last drink. At worst, she'd assume he was attacking her and either scream for help or try to defend herself.
Maybe he could try something else. Perhaps distract her from it. At least for a moment.
But how was he to do that?
He could try faking needing help – she already thought he was drunk, anyway. He could pretend he needed help getting somewhere, so she'd have to go with him? No, that was far too Ted Bundy-esque, even if he didn't intend to cause her any harm.
Maybe he could try asking her to dance. It was a long shot she'd say yes, considering they'd only just met under slightly unfortunate circumstances and she thought he was inebriated, but there was always the chance that she wouldn't shoot him down. She didn't know who he was yet, after all. Besides, when he knew her, they were always able to communicate properly when dancing. Perhaps it would still be the same, even if they were younger and didn't know each other as well yet.
He had to try and find out. As long as he didn't chicken out before she went back into the bar.
"Well, it was nice to meet you...?"
"Niles," he said quickly.
"Niles," she repeated, smiling softly. "You know, you are awfully quiet for a drunk. Anyway I have to go."
The woman turned for the door and practically dashed out, Niles hot on her heels. He couldn't let her go, not when she was a mere drunk teenager, alone in a bar. Maybe there was a reason for him to have gone back in time, and maybe it had to do with her.
"Wait!" he called after her, catching her attention.
"Uh... why are you following me?" she asked, giving him a wary look.
Niles opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly, a number of men – bikers, if their appearance was anything to go by – surrounded them, like a pack of predators would surround their preys.
"And who might this punk be, Babs?" the tallest one said, wrapping an arm around her waist. C.C. discretely moved away; Niles could sense the man made her uncomfortable.
"And why do you care, Spike?" C.C. spat, "I told you – stop following me around."
"You are my girl, Babs, I gotta take care of ya," the man replied, but C.C. frowned once again.
"I am not your girl anymore," she gave a quick glance toward Niles, and – before he knew what was happening – she wrapped her arms around him and stamped a kiss on his cheek. "As a matter of fact, I am his."
Her words and the kiss stunned him into a shocked silence. Somehow, he managed to wind an arm around her waist in return – maybe it was a sudden sense that he needed to protect C.C. from whatever was going to happen next. He didn't fully know.
All he could do was watch.
All the gathered bikers stared, and the one who had spoken to her - Spike - coughed out a laugh.
"This guy?" the biker's voice was incredulous as he pointed at Niles. "What's so special about him?"
"He doesn't follow me around when I told him "no" several hundred times already, for one thing," C.C. retorted.
"Well, you know I only do that to make you see that I don't take no for an answer," Spike leered at her, leaning forward in a way that made Niles pull C.C. away, and step in between the two.
The other bikers began to laugh and jeer. Niles wasn't a short man, but this guy looked like a bear stood on its hind legs. Even Niles himself didn't really know what he was doing, but he knew it was better than letting this brute drool all over C.C..
"If a lady tells you "no", you listen to her," he stated, firmly and clearly to the biker, who only folded two tree trunk-like arms in reply.
"Why don't you step aside buddy?" another biker said. He was not as big as Spike, but he was still quite a menacing-looking guy. "This doesn't concern you."
There was a chorus of agreement among the rest of the bikers.
"It concerns me if my girlfriend is involved," he said, almost not being able to believe that he was actually referring to C.C. Babcock as his girlfriend. But the woman needed him – God knows what these men would have done to her if she had been alone.
"Your girlfriend?" Spike scoffed, taking a step towards him; they were standing inches apart, but Niles wasn't willing to move. He may look like a twenty-something year old, but he still had the mind of a forty year old. "The girl is mine, punk, so you better get your ass out of my way if you don't want to have trouble."
Niles felt a surge of anger coursing his body. This man was clearly a cretin; he had no idea how C.C. had gotten herself involved with his kind, especially being the keen and intelligent woman she was. If she stayed in this world of vices and jerks then she'd never be anything – she'd get lost in it or, God forbid it, something worse.
"I'm afraid I wasn't clear enough – although I wouldn't be surprised if your little brain didn't catch what I said – leave this woman alone," Niles didn't know where the bravado had come from, but C.C. – who was cowering behind him – squeezed his hand in gratitude.
Maybe this was why he had come. C.C. was clearly a lost teen, one that was going down the wrong path. He needed to help her understand that this was not what she was meant to be – that she was meant for greater things.
But for now, he still had to get rid (or at least escape from) a gang of angry bikers.
"Did you just insult me?" Spike glowered.
"I certainly wasn't complimenting your brute force nor your poor intellect," the butler retorted, eliciting a chuckle from a very impressed C.C..
Spike took another, extremely menacing step towards him. He was almost right on top of him now – there was almost no room to escape. Well, no room for him to escape, anyway. If he could keep the bikers distracted, C.C. could get away. Maybe if she was lucky enough, she'd run into somebody who could help him.
That is, if she looked. If she was like the Miss Babcock he knew, there was always the chance she'd take her shot and leave without looking back.
But this wasn't about his personal safety. It was about hers, and he had to take the risk.
He tried pushing her hand away urgently, trying to convey that he was ushering her towards the exit without taking his eyes off Spike (he knew he was done for if he did). But there didn't seem to be any reaction from C.C., for all of his attempts. She didn't move. If anything, she seemed to tighten her grip on his hand. Almost like she was silently telling him she wasn't going anywhere.
"I'm gonna give you one chance to take that back," the biker growled threateningly. "And then me and my boys are gonna take your scrawny ass and haul it over the bar."
"Then there is not much of an incentive for me to take my words back, is there?" he continued. "If you are going to attempt to "haul my scrawny ass over the bar" anyway, I certainly won't take back what I said."
Spike's anger made his face spasm and contort, making it look like it was deformed. The man was fuming, and so were his cronies; he had to find a way to get them to safety, fast, or both he and C.C. were lost.
Suddenly, as the smell of C.C.'s cigarette wafted to his nostrils, a lightbulb ignited inside his head. And just in time, really – he barely had time to snatch the cigarette from her hands before Spike grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer.
"You are a dead man," the biker snarled.
As he spoke, C.C. was forcefully held by one of Spike's friends, and Niles couldn't help but see red when he heard her cry out in desperation as she tried to break free of her captor´s grasp.
"Take a good look at your pretty boy, Babs, I assure you that when we are done with him he'll be mistaken by Quasimodo," Spike said, briefly turning his attention to the terrified teenager.
But that was his doom – when he faced Niles again, the butler pressed the still lit cigarette against his eyes, and Spike let go of him as he howled in pain.
And it was chaos; C.C. took the brief distraction and hit the man who was holding her in the groin before taking hold of Niles' hand. She yanked at it, and he took the cue to follow her outside, where her motorcycle awaited.
"Get them!" they heard Spike yell as they got onto the motorbike and sped off.
Niles secured his arms tightly around C.C.'s waist as the bike gathered speed, and it was only a matter of seconds before he heard bikes roaring to life behind them.
"Can you make this thing go any faster?!" he asked, desperate, into her ear.
"I'm trying my best!" she shouted in reply, over the noise of the engine. "Just keep quiet and don't distract me, I'll try and lose them!"
There didn't seem to be much else that he could do. He kept his head down on the young woman's shoulder as the bike went along, faster and faster.
But in one of the mirrors, he could still see the lights of the bikers behind them, gradually growing larger. It wouldn't be long before at least a few of them caught up. They'd either overtake and block the way, or they'd come up alongside and try to run them off the road.
Neither seemed a pleasant scenario, and the pounding in his head and in his chest were a definite reflection that everything in his body agreed with him about that. She went faster and faster but the bikers were getting closer to them – they could already hear Spike's voice in the distance, screaming orders at his gang.
"God, we are not gonna make it..." Niles murmured, tightening his grip on C.C.'s waist.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," the woman retorted and made a sudden (and very dangerous) U-turn, starting both Niles and the bikers that were pursuing them. Of course they imitated her actions, but her manoeuvre had bought them a couple of priceless seconds.
She then took a turn in a street Niles didn't know – the route seemed old and unkempt, but the younger woman knew it well. It was full of potholes, and the ride was certainly not a pleasant one, but the terrible state of the route slowed the bikers.
Eventually, the road bifurcated, and C.C. took the left roadway. Niles began to realise where they were going – they were going upstate, where her family's mansion was.
He remembered driving her there in the limo once or twice, and he only hoped they weren't too far away.
"We are almost there," she screamed, almost as if she'd read his mind. "My home is ten minutes away. Hang on tight."
She then pressed the accelerator and the motorbike roared. They truly had to hang in there...
One more little push.
And, by some miracle, that one little push was enough.
They drove up over a hill, around one more little turn into a smaller road, before passing through an open wrought-iron gate, and suddenly the Babcock estate was sprawled out before them, the magnificent house just a little further along the driveway.
The bikers would never think to look for her here. She seemed, for all intents and purposes, the type who would live in a tiny little cramped apartment somewhere, perhaps crashing on a sofa instead of sleeping in a proper bed, and listening to the sound of gunfire and sirens outside her window. Not sleeping on silk sheets in either one hundred percent Egyptian cotton, or the finest satin pyjamas, the only noise to be heard around being the padded steps of the family butler on the carpet outside, as he does one last sweep of the house before he himself retires.
The bike pulled up to one side of the house, next to several extremely expensive cars. It was too dark to look at them properly, but Niles knew some by shape alone. A Jaguar, a Chrysler...he thought he even spotted a Pontiac Firebird! Perhaps Stewart, or maybe even Noel, was into collecting.
The engine rumbled as it fell into silence, and for a few moments, Niles didn't know quite what to do.
"Uh, the bike's not moving any more, so...maybe you can let go of me now?" C.C. suggested.
"Oh! Right, sorry," Niles released her, and climbed off the bike.
He supposed he should pretend to be impressed by the look of the house. He knew he had been there before, but that technically hadn't happened yet, and looking as nonchalant about it as he was could make her confused.
He looked up, towards the upper floors of the house, and gave a low whistle.
"You come to places like this one often when you're hiding from angry mobs?" he asked jokingly.
The woman fidgeted with her hands, looking down at the floor, as though she were embarrassed by something.
"I... I live here," she practically muttered. "My real name is Chastity-Claire Babcock."
The surname was more than enough to give the hint to just how rich and powerful she was, so Niles feigned a gasp of surprise as the woman walked to her front door, beckoning him to follow her.
"You live here?!" Niles exclaimed as C.C. rummaged her pocket for her keys. "And you hang out with lowlifes like those guys?!"
"Well I-"
"There they are, boys!" Spike's voice echoed through the night, starting both butler and socialite. Oh God… he must have followed them! He'd surely followed the trail they'd left behind, and he was furious! Spike stalked past the open gates, ready to pounce on both C.C. and Niles. "Hiding in rich people's mansions? That's pathetic!"
Suddenly, the door opened behind Niles and C.C., and a tall man Niles recognised as Henry, the Babcock's butler, stepped out. He was dishevelled and wearing pyjamas, but judging by the stern look he gave C.C., Niles suspected this was not his first rodeo with the reckless teenager getting into trouble.
"And pray tell what's going on here?!" the older butler bellowed, looking between the bikers, Niles and C.C..
"Don't worry, buddy, we was leaving – just getting' those two over there," Spike gestured towards Niles and C.C.. "Go back inside and we'll be gone."
"Oh, absolutely not!" another voice – this time from a woman – said. Nanny Bobo walked out of the mansion, too, carrying a black, fluffy nightdress, which she promptly gave to C.C.. "Put this on, Miss Chastity."
"How did you call the bitch?!" Spike said.
Both older servants looked scandalised.
"Pardon me?! You should address Miss Babcock with the respect she deserves – she lives here," Henry said, diligently taking both C.C.'s purse and keys.
"Hang on a sec," Spike looked back and forth between C.C. and the two older servants, before pointing at the house. "She...lives here?"
"That she does, sir," Henry puffed out his chest in a clear show of defiance against the ruffian before him. "And she is the only one among this rabble who does. So might I suggest that you take your...friends here, and leave, before I call the gamekeeper? The dogs haven't had a run in a while because it's not hunting season, and I know Mr Collins' trigger finger has been itching, as of late."
Spike laughed, and took a step forward, "You think I'm gonna be frightened of some old man with a gun and a couple of dogs?"
"Six dogs, to be precise," Henry said. "Four large Norwegian Elkhounds, and two Alsatians. The latter are for security, but the others will certainly bite if told."
Some of the bikers actually began to look uncomfortable.
"I dunno, Spike," one muttered to his leader. "None of us brought anythin' heavy. We was lookin' forward to beating this guy by hand."
"We ain't goin'!" Spike exclaimed, crossing his arms and staying firmly in place. "Rich or not, those two are gonna pay," he pointed at Niles and C.C., who were still standing at the door, unable to move.
"Fine, have it your way," Henry said, ushering both Niles and C.C. into the house. The commotion had awoken the entire servitude, so there were a number of maids, footboys and cooks standing at the door, too.
C.C. was on the verge of crying – she had never expected one of her escapades to turn into such a mess! Not only had she guided a gang of thugs to her home, but she had also awoken the entire household in the process. It was a blessing that her parents were travelling, because if not it would have been so much worse…
"Mr Bates," Henry called, and a young footboy came forward. "Go get Mr Collins – it seems we'll have to do this the hard way."
The boy nodded and ran back into the house, leaving a tense silence behind.
"We ain't leavin'!" Spike barked, stepping closer to the mansion. "At least not without her," he pointed at C.C..
"And what is this racket?!" Noel suddenly called, coming outside with a phone in his hand. It took him a second to realise what was going on, and when he did, he turned towards his sister and he rolled his eyes at her. "Ah, you got into trouble again – why is it always you, sister?"
C.C. shrugged, not being able to even look at her brother in the eyes.
Noel heaved a sigh and turned for Henry, who looked just as fed up as Noel did. "I'll take care of it, Henry, thank you."
The butler nodded, but remained close to C.C., protecting her in case any of the bikers attempted to get close to her.
"Now, gentlemen," Noel said, glancing at the bikers. "I've just called the police, and I assure you, being one of the most powerful families in the United States gives us priority – so, if I were you, I'd get on my bike before the police gets here, don't you think?"
Many of the bikers exchanged a worried look before running back to their motorcycles; they weren't going to win this fight. Only Spike lingered, as though he were trying to process what Noel had just said.
"Wait a moment," he rose a hand. "You is one of the richest families in America?"
"Indeed, so I'd suggest that you go. My sister won't be a concern for you any longer, I assure you."
"Why didn't you say anything, you stupid bitch?!" Spike suddenly screamed at C.C., over Niles' shoulder as he stepped in front of her to shield her from the biker's fresh rage. "We could've made a killin', havin' you with us!"
"I'm astounded that she hasn't mentioned you before now," Henry replied dryly, taking another step in front of Niles and C.C.. "Now, I must ask that you join your companions and leave. Preferably before Mr Collins gets here, and certainly before the police get here."
"I'm not goin' anywhere," Spike snarled. "I like it right here, and as long as she and the scrawny runt there are here, I'm staying too."
Suddenly, from somewhere around the side of the house, the sound of dogs barking could be heard. A tall, broad-shouldered man came from the darkness, surrounded by dogs straining at leashes.
Spike actually began to look hesitant, as Mr Collins came forward, barely holding back the dogs. In the light from the one downstairs window not covered by curtains, Niles caught a glimpse of glinting metal – the gamekeeper had brought his gun, and it was slung over his shoulder.
"Ye better leave, hooligan!" the gamekeeper bellowed as his dogs barked like mad. "I gon' let 'em get ye if ye don't get outta here!"
To his credit (or maybe, stupidity) the man remained in place, his eyes drifting back to the blonde. If she hadn't bee protected by a wall of servants and family, he would have beaten her up right then and there.
"Go away!" Mr Collins said once again, actually loosening his grasp on one of the dog's leashes. "I'm warning ye!"
"Come on, Spike, it ain't worth it!" one of the bikers called as he turned on the engine. "The bitch is out of reach – let's scram."
And finally, the man screamed in frustration but went away. He knew he had no chance against six dogs and an armed man.
"This ain't over, bitch!" Spike snarled, glaring at C.C.. "Someday I'll find ya, someday I'll teach you a lesson."
And with that, the gang sped away, leaving a shaking C.C. behind.
Slowly, all the servants except Henry and Nanny Bobo went back to bed. They were furious with C.C. for having exposed herself to danger like that, but right then was not the time to reprimand her. The woman was still very much in shock, and she clung to Niles for dear life.
"You two come to the kitchen," Nanny Bobo said. "I'll make you some hot cocoa."
Niles nodded, and gently guided C.C. inside as he followed the nanny to the kitchen. He was glad they hadn't kicked him out – he was certain those bikers would have killed him if he had been left outside – and right then he was far too worried about taking care of C.C. to care about anything else.
He sat her down on a chair and allowed Henry to wrap her in a blanket before going back to her.
"Thank you," Noel – who had followed them into the kitchen – said. "For bringing her home."
"It was my pleasure," Niles said, smiling weakly as he rubbed C.C.'s back. The adrenaline was wearing off, and she was fading away fast.
"You can stay here, if you want," the older Babcock continued. "I know it would be dangerous for you to go back out and..." he glanced at his sister, who had her arms wrapped around Niles' middle. "... and I think she needs you tonight."
Nanny Bobo gave them a strange look as she peeled C.C. away from Niles, "I'll help this one get ready for bed. I'm sure Henry can see to it that our young gentleman friend is given a guestroom for the night."
"No..." came a sleepy mumble.
Everyone's heads snapped towards the source – it was C.C., barely awake as she was propped up by Nanny Bobo, and looking up with bleary eyes.
"He can stay in my room," she said softly, yawning. "It'll be fine...all I wanna do is sleep..."
Nanny Bobo looked hurriedly at Henry, and at Noel, "Miss Chastity, that really isn't appropriate! I'm sure if either of your parents were here, they'd say-"
"But they're not," Noel piped up. "They are both at separate ends of the world, and I am in charge while they are gone. And I don't see why, for one night, we can't bend the rules a little. Especially considering C.C. is hardly in a position to be alone at this time."
"I won't make any trouble, I promise," Niles cut in, despite fearing that this conversation, although it mentioned him, might be something he wasn't allowed to have a say in. "I will keep myself to myself, and leave as soon as I am asked. Quite honestly, I am also very tired, and only want to rest."
Noel turned to him and smiled. "My friend, if there is something certain about you, is that you are a gentleman."
"Indeed," Henry piped up. "You've most certainly earned your good reputation."
"Then I guess it's settled – you'll be sleeping in C.C.'s room tonight," Noel clapped his hands in a concluding fashion and turned for the door. "Now, what do you say if we all go upstairs? While Nanny Bobo takes care of my sister I shall provide you with some pyjamas."
As Niles, Noel, Nanny Bobo and C.C. moved upstairs, Henry said his goodnights and retired, promising to make sure to double check the alarm. The party then separated as they got to the second story of the house, where both C.C. and Noel's rooms were located. Niles followed her brother while Bobo made sure to get C.C. into bed.
"Well, here you are," Noel said, handing him a set of clean pyjamas. "They are mine, but I think they'll fit you just fine."
"Thank you, sir," the butler replied.
"Oh, please, call me Noel – by the way, I never asked your name!"
"It's Niles," the butler said, smiling at his host.
"Well, Niles, thank you for helping my sister," the older Babcock gestured toward the door. "I shall not keep you any longer – her room is the second door to the left."
The two men said their goodnights and Niles went down the hall to the second door to the left, just as Noel had instructed. He knocked softly before entering, and only after Nanny Bobo had given him permission to go in, Niles opened the door.
The room was impressive, he had to admit. He hadn't seen it the time he had driven Miss Babcock, but it was just as lavish as he had thought it would be. It was enormous, had everything a young woman could possibly need, and all the furniture was made of the finest mahogany.
The four-poster bed was located against the back wall, between two windows and C.C. was already inside it. He soon noticed that Bobo had made sure that she wore the less revealing nightgown she had.
"You can get changed in the en-suite bathroom," the nanny said politely, but her voice soon became stern. "If I even suspect..."
"Don't worry, Madam, I assure you I won't cause any trouble," Niles cut her off, craving to go to C.C., who was still awake and shaking.
Nanny Bobo pursed her lips, throwing the curtains across angrily, "Hm. Very well. I shall choose to believe you. But I shall be listening very carefully."
"As is your right," Niles nodded. "Goodnight, Madam."
"Goodnight," the nanny replied, a hint of ice in her tone, before turning to C.C.. "Goodnight, Miss Chastity. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call."
"G'night," the younger woman mumbled in reply, pulling the covers up around herself further.
Nanny Bobo frowned deeply, but turned and left them to it, closing the door behind her. Niles thought he heard her muttering about how she had never seen such inappropriate behaviour before, and in such a grand house, but she didn't appear back at the door and demand that he leave in the moments that followed, so she must have trusted him enough to give him one chance to prove himself.
He turned to C.C., his voice gentle, "I'll just get changed, and be back in a moment."
He thought he saw her nod in reply, and went into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He couldn't help but think about how this en-suite was bigger than his bedroom at the Sheffield mansion, but he knew there were more important things to worry about for the time being. Namely, making sure C.C. felt safe and comfortable enough to rest.
He changed quickly, and went back into the bedroom, settling his pile of neatly folded clothes on the chest of drawers at the end of the bed.
For a few seconds, all he could do was stare at her.
He was about to spend the night sleeping next to C.C. Babcock. The thought of it was odd, and yet he felt strangely eager for it. Not to try anything, of course. Just to be there, next to her, while they both slept.
"Are you getting in?" C.C. asked, starting him out of his thoughts as she patted the space next to her.
"Oh... yes, yes of course," he stammered, carefully slipping into bed with her. The bed was king-sized, but the woman clearly wanted to be as close to him as possible; she curled up against his side as soon as he was settled against the pillows, and she rested her head on top of his chest.
Niles then wrapped his arms around C.C. and held her close, feeling her relaxing in his embrace.
The way in which he held her was incredibly intimate, yet not sexual in any sense. It was innocent – essentially, they were cuddling.
"Thank you," she whispered, entwining their hands.
Niles had known C.C. Babcock for a decade now, and if there was something he rarely did, was thank people. It was a proof of just how much this had meant to her – well, he'd do it again and again if he had to.
He'd do anything for her...
He had been in love with the woman for maybe a year now, but he had never attempted to even mention those feelings to anyone but himself. He had always thought C.C. wouldn't consider him a suitable candidate for her due to his station, but seeing how reckless she had been during her youth, he allowed a bubble of hope to form in his heart.
"Anytime," he whispered back, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.
The woman chuckled, snuggling closer to him. "Hm, that was nice. Do it again."
Seeing nothing wrong with kissing the top of her head, Niles did so again, but just when his lips were about to reach their destination, the woman moved her head, causing his lips to make contact with hers.
It was a good few seconds before he pulled away. Whether that was out of shock or something far more related to attraction than that, he didn't know. But when he did eventually move, he moved as swiftly as possible. If C.C.'s former nanny and self-appointed chaperone was anywhere around, he didn't want her to suddenly burst through the door and accuse him of corrupting her charge.
Not that she could become more corrupted. He had a feeling she had moved her head on purpose to allow the kiss to happen. He didn't mind, it was just a feeling.
But he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt when he at last spoke, "I'm sorry, I, uh...think you might have moved a little quickly, just then..."
C.C. quirked an eyebrow, "So what if I did?"
Niles tried to look unimpressed, but found that he couldn't, "Your...chaperone out there, could be listening in right now."
"It was only a kiss – it's not like she's gonna walk in and find us wrestling naked," the young woman turned towards his torso, and idly traced patterns on his chest with one finger. "You deserve it. For defending me from those jerks at the bar."
Niles smiled down at her, and wrapped her tighter in his arms, "It was what any decent person would do. Although you might want to consider finding less...exciting places to spend your time from now on."
The woman laughed, her fingers fiddling with the buttons of his pyjama top. "I'll just give it a week or two and I'll be back," she said flippantly.
The man had to do a double take. Had she just said she'd go back to that place? After what happened that night?! Was she insane?!
"You are joking, right?" he asked, noticing with growing unease how she undid one of his buttons. "Right...?"
"Why would I be joking?" she chuckled, dropping a kiss on the side of his neck as she undid another button.
Meanwhile, her other hand travelled downwards, making it painfully clear that, indeed, her aim wasn't to sleep.
Although a small part of him wanted to give in and just let her have him – God knows his desire to have her was just as strong as hers – a bigger and more mature side of him knew it was wrong, terribly wrong. To start with, he might look like a twenty-five year old, but his head was the one of a forty-two year old, and in his eyes having sex with a young teenager being his age was unrighteous.
Secondly, the woman had learnt absolutely nothing from their brush with danger! She actually wanted to go back to the club, get drunk and waste her talents away. That way of life would only end up in disaster and sorrow, and he'd be damned before letting her throw her life away.
He pulled away from her and sat up on the bed, frowning.
"What's wrong?" she asked, surprised by his strong negative reaction. "I thought... well... I thought you wanted… – I mean, all guys want to-"
"Do tell me, have you used all your common sense or you are naturally stupid?" he snapped, glaring at her.
The woman tried to hide the hurt his words caused, and she sat up, too, not being one to show weakness nor cower when attacked.
"Excuse me?! How dare you-"
"Yes I dare!" he almost screamed. "I dare because I just risked my bloody life for you and you still want to go back to that blasted club! You still want to waste your life away in a cheap sinkhole!" he gestured around the room while his other hand did the few buttons she had managed to undo. "Look around you – you live in a mansion, you have opportunities that most people would kill for, you can attend any Ivy League college you please... and yet you choose partying?! Do you know how many people – people like me – have to give up their dreams in order to make a living?"
His words seemed to have stunned her into silence, and he took the opportunity to continue before she regained her ability to speak.
"You shouldn't waste what you have," he told her firmly, lowering his voice in the fear that any more shouting would bring Nanny Bobo running, and he'd be out on his ear before he could stop C.C. from making the worst mistake of her life. "You're beautiful, you're clever, and you have the world at your feet. Don't throw it all away with parties, and drinking, and by falling in with the wrong crowd. You're better than that. Don't ask me how, maybe it's just a feeling, but I think that you can be great, and this is not the way to go about it. Use what you have. You're lucky to have it, and it could serve you so well. You really could have a fantastic future, and be the envy of so many people, if only you would see that going down this road is not good for you! So please, try to see. Because I hate to think that a brilliant woman wasted her life for the sake of a few nights of fun, when she could be so much more."
A long silence followed his speech. Niles wanted to hold his breath, but he was winded and needed to take several gulps of air afterwards.
He could only wait, and hope that his words were getting through to C.C.. He worried for a while that perhaps she might question how he seemed so confident she could really be and do so much. But he resolved to keep playing it off as a hunch if she asked. Plenty of people had had hunches before and turned out to be right, and he could just turn out to have the luckiest hunch of all.
That was, if she didn't kick him out entirely. He could find himself getting dressed and being escorted out. He didn't want to leave, even if they both had been angry - he didn't want to risk the bikers still hanging around, and he still, oh so much, wanted to be able to hold her in his arms for one night...
If only she would say something, anything at all, and put him out of his misery...
Just when the silence was becoming almost maddening, the young woman looked up at him with tearful eyes.
"You really think I could be all that?" she asked in a soft voice. "You really think I can have a fantastic future?"
It was a blessing that he still was short of breath due to screaming, because had his breathing been normal, he would have heaved a loud sigh of relief.
She was listening, perhaps for the very first time in her life. He supposed that, being a rich heiress whose parents were never home, she had turned to alcohol, parties and bad companies to fill the void left by an absent family. Well, if she corrected her ways and became a producer and he somehow managed to go back to his time, then he'd make sure to be the family she'd always needed and wanted.
Maybe, if he went back, he'd finally tell her how he felt.
But for now, he had to focus on the C.C. beside him.
He got closer to her once again and enveloped her in a hug before lying back down onto the pillows. The woman retook her place by his side, but this time she merely contented herself with entwining their hands together.
"I think you can be anything you want," he murmured before kissing her temple. "You have all your life before you – don't waste it."
He felt her tightening her grip on him and nodding against his skin. He really had gotten through to her...
A long silence followed, and the couple simply held each other close, lost in their musings. It wasn't uncomfortable or tense – it was actually incredibly relaxing. Their eyelids began to droop, and they both knew they were moments away from falling into a deep sleep.
"Stay with me?" C.C. pleaded when he shifted in bed.
"Always," he replied, bringing her close and giving her one last, chaste kiss on the lips.
And then, he descended into darkness, the smell of Chanel No. 5 still lingering in his nostrils.
-–
"Niles?" an annoyed and far too familiar voice said. "Come on, Hazel, I didn't hit your head that hard!"
Niles jolted upright to find himself sat on the kitchen floor, Miss Babcock kneeling by his side and the baseball bat she'd been holding lying on the floor just a few meters away from them.
"And it lives!" she exclaimed. "You are a sissy, Butler Boy – I didn't hit you tha-"
C.C. was suddenly cut off by Niles pulling her to him and stamping a kiss on her lips.
Now, in the present day, it was the producer's turn to be shocked by a kiss between them. And, like Niles had done in a situation which seemed like it had taken place mere minutes ago, she didn't pull away straight away. If anything, the tiny moans issuing from her throat as their lips melded together suggested that the last thing she wanted was for them to have to stop.
But stop, they had to. The need for air overcame them both. As the kiss ended, C.C. clutched at his arms, eyes wide.
"Well...maybe I did hit you kinda hard..." she said, swallowing and trying to slow her breathing.
"Yes," Niles replied, keeping his hands firmly clutching her upper arms so that it was unlikely she'd get up to leave. "But not in the way that you think."
The producer looked confused, "What are you talking about?"
He couldn't believe he was going to tell her everything – from the feelings he'd been keeping from her for the past few years, to the fact that he had been her mystery hero that fateful night. And how the latter had convinced him to address the former.
But she had to know. She might think he was insane, but he had to give it a try. And if she didn't remember the incident, or if it didn't actually happen at all, he could pretend that she had hit him far too hard.
There was only one way to find out which one it would be.
"1979," he began. "A young woman met a man in the restroom of a bar. After they ran away from a fight and ended a chase on the back of a motorcycle outside her home, she invited him to spend the night with her. And he told her to give up her life of partying, because she could be so much more. Is any of this sounding familiar?"
C.C. was suddenly looking unnaturally pale, and her knees gave out, making her collapse onto the floor, just by his side. He held her upright, making her rest against him, for it was clear that she was feeling more than slightly faint.
"How... how did you..." she mumbled, not quite knowing what to say.
Of course she remembered her mysterious saviour from all those many years ago... but how did he know?
She remembered waking up to an empty bed – both he and his clothes were gone. No one had heard him leave, and she had waited for him to come back... she had waited, and looked, and longed...
But he had never returned.
It had hurt so much – the man had said the most beautiful words anyone had ever said to her, and yet he had disappeared the following morning. She had felt that he knew her, that he knew exactly with whom he was dealing... and she had yearned to find her very first love.
Soon, pain had turned into anger – why had he left her? Where had he gone? But, no matter how hurt she was, C.C. had always kept his words with her.
And he had been right.
C.C. remembered the jolt her stomach gave when she'd first met Niles the butler on her first day of work at the mansion. The man was older than the Niles she remembered from her years as a teenager, but he was so similar... and he had the same name!
But then Maxwell had told her Niles had come with him to the States in 1980, and she had immediately lost hope of having found him. Besides, the butler had given no indication that he knew her whatsoever...
So why the change in his attitude now?!
"Who told you about... about it?" she asked in a trembling voice.
"No one told me," he whispered bringing her closer to him. "I was there with you, facing Spike alongside Henry, Noel and Nanny Bobo. I was there when Mr Collins came with his dogs and his gun, and I was there to hold you at night."
C.C. made a noise which sounded like a mixture of laughter, sobbing, and relieved happiness. Tears were starting to pool in her eyes, too. She hadn't told anyone else about that night – the only people who knew were the ones who were there. It had to have been him.
Even if it was impossible.
"How...?" she murmured. "How could it have been you?"
"I don't know," he said. "But it was me. Something must have happened, maybe when I hit my head. It sounds insane, I know, but I found myself back then, knowing everything I do now."
The producer blinked at him, and a few of her tears began to fall, "But...if it was you, and you knew about everything, then why did you leave?"
Niles sighed. He hadn't meant to go in the night, like he did. He couldn't help waking up. If he'd had the opportunity, he probably would have stayed at least a little longer – he wasn't sure if he could have lived with himself, staying with her as she was when he felt so much older. But that didn't matter now. He could explain everything, in full. And he could apologise for not being able to stay.
And maybe, he'd get another chance to ask to stay with her, and not feel so bad if they decided to do more than simply cuddle together at night.
"I didn't mean to go," he explained. "I suppose it was time for me to return to the present, because the next thing I knew, I was back here. I would have stayed the entire night if I'd been able, and tried to...I don't know, maybe explain what had happened. I wouldn't have just left, if I'd had the choice."
The woman seemed conflicted, as though trying to understand what he was saying. He had said he had just woken up from the past, so that meant that...
"... you were there... just now?" she said, staring into his eyes.
Niles shook his head yes, tightening his hold on her.
"So... the night that happened more than ten years ago for me... was last night for you?" she was struggling to understand the idea that Niles technically had just saved her from possibly the foulest brute she had ever met, while for her that night had happened fourteen years ago.
It sounded unreal...
Honestly, most people would consider he was lying, but she knew it was the truth.
She had told no one about that night – mostly due to embarrassment, and also because Noel, Henry and Bobo had agreed to keep the secret so as not to taint the Babcock name. In exchange for their silence (and also due to Niles' words) C.C. had promised to change.
She had sold her motorcycle the following day, changing it for a brand new Mercedes-Benz. She had stopped drinking (so often) and no longer went to parties with bad companies. She had focused her efforts in getting good grades and then getting into college, where she had graduated top of her class.
"... and it was all thanks to you," she finished her thought aloud, cupping his cheek and climbing onto his lap. She blinked a few tears and nestled her head against his shoulder. "Thank you..."
"Anytime," he murmured, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.
There was a sense of deja vú capering around them.
"Do that again," she smirked.
Niles smirked too – he knew what she had in mind.
Just as expected, their lips connected in a loving kiss only moments later.
The chaste kiss soon became heated, and before either of them knew it, hands were roaming and their lips were moulding together… and they were just about to-
"Good Lord! What's going on here?!" Maxwell's scandalised voice put a sudden and unpleasant halt to their kiss.
They pulled away, caught out by his sudden appearance, and stared up at their boss, arms still wrapped around each other as they caught their breath back.
"Uh..." Niles eventually managed to say. He had never dreamed that he would be caught in a position like this, especially not with C.C., and as such any form of practiced, witty reply was lost on him.
Luckily, it seemed that the producer was on top form that day, even though they had been taken by surprise.
"Just two people with a little catching up to do," she grinned. "About fourteen years' worth."
Through his shock, Maxwell looked confused, "A little catching- fourteen years? You two haven't known each other that long! And since when do you-"
As he was talking, the blonde couple picked themselves up off the floor, and C.C. interrupted their employer.
"We'll explain everything at some other time, Maxwell," she grabbed at Niles' hand, and started to head towards the door. "But for now, we're taking the rest of the day off."
The dark-haired man's mouth fell open as they walked right past him, "C.C.! Niles! You can't do that! I'm your employer and I say when and where-"
He was answered by the sound of the door closing, and his shoulders slumped.
"Well...I suppose I can let this one time slide," he said stiffly, before turning away and heading back to his office.
AN: Hello everybody! This is a short story H and I co wrote! We've read some comments asking for short stories, and we have plenty! We hope you've enjoyed it and please let us know what you think.
H&L