Disclaimer: We do not own any part or character from The Nanny…cause if we did…hoo haa!
A/N: Hey y'all, Ichbin and I have done another improve on a scene. N/CC get…well you can read the title too…Let us know what you think…
Caught in Canada
"Niles, I got our bus tickets. I can't believe the limo won't be fixed until next week and we have to take a bus back from...where the hell are we again?" CC walked up to him running a hand through her hair, exhausted and disheveled.
"Canada, CC…" Niles shook his head at her. "It's really not a third world country, you know."
"I know that, Tidy Bowl. I meant what city? Can this even be called a city?" she chortled. "Why did Maxwell think that we want to do a play about our great neighbors to the North, I just don't understand."
Niles shrugged. "It's Gatineau. It's not really that far from the capital you know. It doesn't seem that bad…really." She looks so amazing with the flush from the cold on her cheeks.
"Ga-tin-o? What kind of name is that? I thought the capital was called Ottawa?" CC took out the little guide book she had taken from the bus station. "Oooh, guess what?"
"What?" Niles looked at her and couldn't hide the smile at her sudden enthusiasm.
"It says here that Gatineau has a casino!" CC looked at the clock at the station, "The bus doesn't leave here for another five hours...you want to go check it out?"
Niles sighed heavily. "I don't know if that's a good idea. I mean…we know what kind of luck I have at the casino."
Putting her hand softly on his forearm, CC waited for him to look up at her. She greeted him with a full blown smile and replied "I'll be with you Niles. There's no way you can lose. Remember how lucky you were on the cruise?"
Niles felt the warmth grow in his cheeks. Not lucky enough. "Yes, I suppose it might be fun at that."
"Come on Butler Boy, grab the bags. I'll get us a taxi." CC waved at the young man near the bus depot, "Excuse-moi jeune homme, j'aimerai un taxi? Nous desirons aller au Casino." **[Excuse me young man, I would like a taxi? We would like to go to the Casino.]**
"Sure, Lady, climb in." The young man chuckled at CC's too perfect French while Niles looked on mouth agape.
"I didn't know you spoke French." Niles slipped into the taxi beside CC.
"There's a lot you don't know about me, Hazel." CC said simply. They didn't say anything for the rest of ride, but enjoyed the view of the fall colors. When they got near the Casino, CC poked Niles on the side "Look, they have one of those fountains...just like in Geneva."
Niles paid the driver and helped CC out of the taxi. ""Merci beaucoup. Passez une belle soirée" **[Thanks, have a nice evening.]** Then he turned to see the same gaped mouthed look on CC's face. "Guess there's a lot you don't know about me too, huh, Babs."
CC chose to let the comment slide, and couldn't help admiring the man before her. She grabbed her own bag from Niles, and they walked into the casino together. Walking up to the coat check, they got the tickets for both their coats and bags, and then walked up to the cash booth to get some chips. CC gave her platinum card setting them up with a fair chunk of change. Looking back at Niles, she handed him the bag of chips and said half jokingly "Ok Niles, time for you to make yourself useful!"
Niles raised an eyebrow are her comment. "So that's it is it, you're just using me to play games." Niles started toward the roulette table. "Shame really, I have so many better uses." Niles muttered softly.
"Come on Niles, don't be a sour puss." CC answered after him. "I thought you liked to gamble?"
Niles stopped dead in his tracks and CC nearly slammed into him. "It's the not gambling, CC…" Niles turned and they were nearly nose to nose. "It's the winning. I enjoy the game play, the chase if you will. And the eventual capture of something worthwhile."
CC saw in his eyes that he meant something else entirely. She was fairly certain he was no longer referring to any casino game she knew. God, he has the most amazing eyes. What? "Uhm, ok Niles...so let's go win then?" CC said in a very unsure voice as she tried to regain her composure.
"Whatever you say." Niles allowed his gaze to move slowly over her face before he resumed his way to the fifty dollar roulette table. Taking a seat, Niles gave the dealer a large stack of chips. "Twenty five dollar chips, please" and the dealer gave him a 'table color' in return. "Thanks." Niles dropped one chip on number 8 and another on number 12. "That should do it."
CC stayed next to Niles for the next twenty minutes as he won round after round. She couldn't help getting caught up in the excitement and she noticed that they had started to gather quite a crowd. Most of the people around them were locals, and she could hear their enthused local slang as they cheered Niles on. All eyes were watching the little ball as the roulette wheel slowly came to a stop. "Le monsieur gagne encore." **[The gentleman wins again]** The whole crowd roared, and CC couldn't believe it when she found herself being spun around in none other than Niles's strong arms.
"Well, Babs. Is that enough for you?" Niles pulled her close and whispered in her ear. "You know…you didn't even ask…"
"Ask?" CC was extremely flustered by the feel of his breath on her neck, pulling away slightly so she could actually speak, "Ask what Niles?"
He couldn't help but smirk. "About the numbers, CC." Niles rattled off the sequence of numbers he continually played. "Eight, twelve, two, twenty-six, eleven, five, and seventeen."
CC thought for a while "The only thing I can come up with is 26/11...that's your birthday isn't it? I don't know the other numbers though...well, the 2 could be...but how..?"
"Very good. The 26 and eleven are for my birthday, and the two is indeed for yours, February, second. Don't ask how I know…" Niles stopped her before she could speak. "As for the others, well…" Niles steeled himself and explained. August twelfth, is the first day we met, five is for the evening of the awards banquet and the seventeenth…that kiss in the den."
CC could feel the color drain from her face as he spoke and the shock settled in, "Wh-hy?" was all she could sputter out.
"They are all very important dates for the two of us." Niles turned and dropped a short stack of twenty-five dollar chips on the number 18, and winked at CC.
She took a few steps back as she studied his profile. 18? 18? He had this strange energy about him, and she could see him sort of dancing from one foot to the other. Is he nervous about something? 18? 18? "Uhm, Niles?" When he turned to face her, "Today is the 18th..."
"Dix-huit, en rouge. Le monsieur gagne encore." **[Eighteen, red. The gentleman wins again]**
Niles grinned. "That it is, CC. That's the day…I decided to tell you I was in love with you."
Before she could say anything, CC's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fainted dead away.
Niles dropped to her side instantly. "CC, you're making a scene." He whispered softly against her cheek, as the casino medic stepped up next to them. "CC, Love, they are going to take you to the infirmary if you don't open your eyes." Niles kissed her lips warmly and her eyes slowly began to flutter.
"What did you say? What did you just call me?" CC asked softly, still dazed from the fainting spell and the fall. Accepting his arm, she let him help her to her feet. Waving off the medic, she looked at Niles again, "You're in love with me?"
"Yes." Niles answered as a matter of fact. "You're not going to faint again are you? Because if you are, then I'm going to gather up our winnings and take you right up to a room."
CC couldn't help but smile at his very businesslike attitude to something that was so far from any business dealings she had ever had. Shaking her head lightly she said, "No, I'm not going to faint again."
"Oh, well darn, now I have to think of some other reason to haul you up to a room." Niles locked eyes with her and just waited.
What does he want me to say? What do I want to say? Thoughts jumbled over each other in CC's mind as she stood watching him watching her. Just look at him. It's Niles for goodness sake. Yes, it's Niles, it's always been Niles. Somewhere inside her, the decision made itself. "Do you really need a reason?" CC tossed back at him, daringly.
"Color out." Niles shoved his chips back at the dealer, his eyes never leaving CC's.
CC didn't really know how they had ended up in front of the door on the third floor of the Casino Hotel. She'd watched Niles cash out his chips at the table and easily take her hand to guide her to the front desk. CC stood mute while he booked and paid for a room, and then again followed him to the coat check area where he had claimed their bags and then led her to the elevator. And now, there they stood. CC watched him slide the key card in the magnetic lock and heard the audible click as the door popped open.
"CC," Niles turned to face her again. "We don't have to go in…if you're not…" Niles eyes dropped to the floor. God, please don't change your mind. It'll kill me.
"Sure?" Seeing him nod at her, CC let her bag go and brought her hands up on his chest. "I'm not sure Niles. I'm nervous, scared, confused..." She moved closer still, "and I'm excited, happy, flattered..." she dropped her eyelids quickly and then looked back at him as she moved right next to him, bringing her hands up to his shoulders. "And I'm not sure what exactly it means that you're in love with me," CC kissed him softly on the lips in a lingering promise, "and...and I know that if I don't go in that room with you now to figure this all out, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
Niles dropped his lips to hers again. "That's all I can ask for, Love. And I promise I won't push." Niles stepped aside and waved her into the room with a grand sweep of his arm.
The first thing CC noticed in the room was the view from the huge window that made up the entire far wall. "Look, we can see that fountain from here." CC pointed out towards the lake just across from them. "The way the water reflects off the lights, it's just beautiful."
Niles couldn't pull his eyes from her profile. "Yes…beautiful."
CC smiled at him, "Why do I think you're not talking about the fountain?" she asked playfully.
Niles stepped toward her, closing the gap between them just a bit. "You know me too well, Babs."
CC looked at him in earnest, "Actually, I don't think I know you that well Niles. All this time, I thought you hated me. I mean," her voice dropped, "I knew you wanted me," Her sultry laugh echoed through the room. When she spoke again, there was only seriousness, "I would never have guessed that you had any feelings at all towards me other than spite and disgust."
Niles moved closer still, and although he didn't dare, he could have reached out and pulled her into his arms. "CC…" Niles swallowed and he saw the sheer shock and wonder in her eyes. "Wanting you doesn't scratch the surface. I've known for quite some time how I felt about you. But, when two people are as different as we are, different lives, circumstances, situations…" He took one more step, still taking great care not to touch her. "It was toss out the spite and disgust, or take you in my arms and have you. And I didn't really think that was an option."
"You know, I have this image that I project, the whole tough business lady thing. Nothing can hurt CC Babcock, the bitch doesn't have a heart." She laughed cruelly at her own comment, making Niles wince at the pain he heard come from deep within her. "It's not true though, it's only an image."
CC took Niles' hand and placed it over her heart, keeping both her hands on his, "Know that if this is some sort of sick joke you thought up, the heart that's beating under your hand will break."
Niles wasted no more time and pulled her into a warm and soothing kiss, which immediately progressed to fiery and passionate. When they finally pulled from each other nearly panting, Niles spoke. "Love isn't a word I toss about aimlessly, CC. I promise you above all else, I will give my life to protect that heart."