Disclaimer: I don't own any part of The Nanny…yet.
A/N: What would happen if the world as you knew it, changed over night? Well, that's what happens in this little tale. Niles/CC and Max/Fran.
REVERSAL OF FORTUNE
Chapter 2
"Max," Fran started pulling CC's head up in shock. "I think Miss Babcock should move in here with us until she's back on her feet. She's here every day for work anyway. And the two of ya's work so late, it makes sense, doncha think?"
Max smiled at Fran. "I think it's a wonderful idea, Fran." Max looked at CC and Niles. "Niles I think you should help CC get her things packed up and help her get settled in the large guest room."
"Very good, Sir." Niles nodded. "Miss Babcock, would you like to go to your apartment now or wait until the end of the day?"
"Go now, CC." Max tossed out. "We don't have that much to do until we get the orchestrations back from the composer anyway. Niles don't worry about Fran and I, I'll take her out for lunch."
Niles smiled again. "Yes, Sir. Miss Babcock give me half an hour to call your stables and change my clothes and we can go, alright?"
"Ok, Niles. I'll be in here, just come and get me when you're ready to go." CC answered.
"What's all that about stables?" Fran asked as she perched on Max's desk.
CC looking at her contracts answered. "Max is going to let me use the property in Pennsylvania to board my horses since I can't continue keeping them where they are now."
"What property in Pennsylvania?" Fran asked.
CC looked up as Max smiled innocently. "Oh just a property I've had up there for years. I'd forgotten about it really. Good thing Niles remembered."
Niles came down the back stairs dressed in a light cotton sweater and jeans with two or three empty duffle bags over his shoulder. "If you need anything while I'm gone, Fran, you have Miss Babcock's phone number."
"Sure thing, Mr. Money bags." Fran tossed as he headed to the kitchen door stopping him in his tracks.
Niles turned in shock. "What's that supposed to mean, Fran?" Niles didn't know if he should be hurt or offended.
"I may not be as smart as you or CC or even Max, but I know that Max doesn't own any property in Pennsylvania. I do however recall a certain butler friend of mine saying something about a 150 acre horse ranch in upstate Sullivan County, Pennsylvania." Fran tossed Niles the 'Fine Evil Eye'. "Spill it Mista."
Niles groaned and pouted like one of the children. "Oh alright. It was one of the first things I did when I found out about the lottery. I put a deposit on the property. It's not mine yet, but it's all finished but the paperwork. It's still in operation and the caretaker, Forman and ranch hands will all be staying on. It's just the ownership that's changing hands. As far as Miss Babcock is concerned it's just some property that Max has. She hadn't even heard about her boarding problems until after I'd already bought the place."
Niles hated lying to Fran, but he couldn't let her know yet that he was well aware that CC would have a problem housing her thoroughbreds even if CC hadn't found out about it when he bought the ranch. "It's alright, Niles. I think it's great that you bought that ranch. I know how much you've wanted a place of your own in the country. I'll bet it's just beautiful up there. You have actually seen it, right?"
"Yes, Fran. I went there to visit on my last long weekend. It's quite beautiful there." Niles winked at his friend. "So, you'll keep my secret?" Fran nodded. "Thanks. I'd better go." Niles left the kitchen.
"Oh, Niles…you've got it so bad…" Fran shook her head. "I hope CC realizes how lucky she is."
"Ready when you are, Miss Babcock." Niles stood in the door way of the office. "If you need anything, Mr. Sheffield, you know where to reach me."
Max looked up. "I think Fran and I will be just fine, Niles. You take your time and get everything CC will need to keep her comfortable here."
"Don't worry about us, Max. Niles and I will manage. You and Fran have a lovely evening." Max and Niles were both quite shocked at not only CC's well wishes for Max's evening but that fact she called her 'Fran' instead of Nanny Fine. "Come on, Niles, we'll pick up something to eat on the way."
Niles turned and followed CC to the foyer where he accepted his coat from her and slipped into it as she put on her coat and they headed out the front door. Niles opened the door of the town car but CC put herself in the front passenger seat.
"Miss Babcock, are you sure you're alright. You've been acting rather strangely since the news of your…broker." Niles was treading softly not wanting to endure her wrath or cause her upset.
CC sighed. "You know Niles; I'm trying to look at this as positively as I can." CC didn't mean to leave it hanging, but there really wasn't anywhere to go. "I used to be rich, and now I'm not. I'm still the same smart and well educated woman of breeding that I was three days ago, I just don't have a big bank account. It doesn't really change who I am, right?"
Niles wasn't sure if this was a test or not. "I can't say for sure, you definitely seem different."
"I know I must, Niles. But are you any different?" CC turned to face him a bit. "Two days ago you were Niles, butler to Maxwell Sheffield, Broadway Producer. Then you won 85 million dollars in the NY lottery. Now, you're Niles, the very rich butler of Maxwell Sheffield, Broadway Producer. But you're still the same man."
"Yes, I suppose that's true. But the sniping and name calling to which I've become so accustomed is gone. I'm not sure how to handle it." Niles smiled at her.
"Well how could I really make fun of you for your 'low station' in life when you could buy and sell me many times over?" CC smiled back at him. "I guess I could still call you Hazel and Belvedere though, since you're still technically doing the job and all."
"I look forward to it." Niles eyes diverted from the road to her profile and saw the smile fade. It concerned him. "You promise me something, Miss Babcock, alright?"
Without looking at him she responded. "What's that, Niles?"
"You promise me that you'll still be CC Babcock, the bitch of Broadway. If you lose that edge, the Broadway world may just roll up and die." Niles looked at her profile again and waited for the smile to return. It didn't. "Max relies upon you for so much. He wouldn't be where he is today if not for you. It would do you well to remember that."
CC looked at his profile now. "The way I hear it Max wouldn't be here if not for you."
Niles frowned. "I clean his house, lay out his clothes and cook his meals. He could find anyone to do that."
"Don't hand me that crap, Niles. This is CC Babcock, the bitch of Broadway, you're talking to. You got him through Eton, you got him through Oxford, introduced him to Sara and then there's that other matter." CC left Niles to wonder for a moment.
Niles went a little pale. "What matter might that be?" Niles couldn't believe she actually knew of the 'other matter'. Even Niles never mentioned it he was certain Max didn't.
"The matter where you saved his life." CC dropped without turning her head.
Niles feared he may have literally crashed the car had they not been at a stop light. "I don't know…"
"Save it, Niles, I know the truth. I know Nanny Meuller told the story about how she breathed life into his little body, not true. I heard it directly from Sara. Yes, that's right; I know that Sara was there. I know Max couldn't swim well, but insisted he go out further to impress the 'little blonde girl', even though you warned him. I know he got caught in something, weeds or whatever and you swam out to pull him in. I know that he was unconscious when you, not Nanny Meuller breathed life into his little body. I know a lot of things, Niles." CC let that sit as they continued to her apartment in silence.
"Would you like to pack up a few boxes while we're here Miss Babcock?" Niles asked as he tossed out the trash from their take out dinner.
CC surveyed her apartment. "I guess so. I'm not sure if I even want to bother keeping most of this stuff, though."
"I don't understand. You have excellent taste and you're things are lovely. Why not keep them?" Niles wasn't sure how to handle this new CC Babcock.
"There just things, Niles, I don't really have a fondness for any of it. Well, there are a few things I do really love. Some of which I don't even remember where I got them. Like this sterling silver picture frame. It's not the most expensive item in my place, by far, but it's one of my favorites. I can't remember where it came from." CC lifted the picture frame that held a photo of the Sheffield children and turned it over. "'April 20th, 1990'…my birthday… 'Happy Birthday, -N.'" CC's head popped up and found the sheepish lopsided grin meeting her gaze. "Niles, why didn't you tell me it was a birthday gift from you?"
Niles shrugged. "It's just a picture frame."
"Well, still." CC sighed. "I guess for now, let's just pack up everything and I'll sort through it later. There should be boxes and bubble wrap in the front closet. I asked the manager to bring some up for me."
Niles checked the front closet and found a few boxes and bubble wrap. "Here we are. He even left you a few rolls of packing tape. I'll take care of the things out here; you start packing up the things you want to take to the mansion."
"I hope I have enough luggage to carry it all." CC thought as she headed into the bedroom.
Niles remembered the empty duffle bags he'd brought with him and took them through the narrow dressing area into her master bedroom. He stopped just short of entering. "Miss Babcock, I brought along a few duffle bags in the event you didn't have enough room in your suitcases for all your things."
"Good thinking, Niles, bring them here would you?" CC called from the dresser across the room.
"Uhm…" Niles had been in her bedroom before, but only when he was carrying her and she was passed out. "Are you sure that's appropriate?"
CC turned and smiled at him. "Niles, you've been in here before. What's wrong with you?"
"I've never been in your bedroom when…when you were awake, Miss Babcock." Niles was literally blushing and it would've made CC laugh aloud if it wasn't so gosh darn sweet.
CC crossed half way to him. "Ok, I came half way, you come the other half."
"You couldn't think of a better way to say that?" He took her the duffle's and left her to figure out exactly what he meant.
As they were making their last trip with CC's clothes they saw the Calhoun's carrying a few boxes out of their penthouse next door. "What's going on here?" CC asked her former neighbors.
"We're moving!" Mr. Calhoun practically sang. "Apparently the people who bought your place from the Cleveland's wanted the entire floor. We got a call from some real estate agent and the offer was incredible so we just jumped at it."
CC forced a smile. It wasn't the Calhoun's fault that she had to move. "I think that's great. You have wanted to get a house with a yard for a long time. Guess you'll be starting that family now, huh?"
"That's the plan, Miss Babcock. I hope everything works out for you too." Mrs. Calhoun wasn't really fond of CC. She was a jealous sort and well CC was quite a looker.
CC nodded. "Thanks. Let's go Niles." CC and Niles took the last of her clothes to the town car. "Do you think the guest room closet is big enough for all this stuff?"
"Miss Babcock, you've never seen the 'big room' have you?" Niles asked her.
CC shrugged. "I don't know. I usually stay in the guest room two doors down from your room." CC cringed a little admitting that she knew which room was Niles'.
"Well, there will be more than enough room for your things. I promise. Do you need me to stop for anything or do you think you have everything you need?" Niles asked not looking away from the road.
CC glanced at him. "I have far more than I need, Niles. Thanks."
