Yes, this is multichapter. Not too long as my previous fiction (What can we make of it?), so - don't worry.
Chapter 2: Staying the night
By: AllTheSnakes
Quickly she knew that everything was already settled: the Fine family was going home, the children would tag along Maxwell and Fran till their bedroom door, and she was staying the night in her favorite guest room. It was ok with her – she was a wreck, after all she had gone through.
'Can you show me my room, Butler Boy?', she asked, and the tired tone make Niles jump to her side.
'In a minute. Let me take your bags at the front door'.
'Ok.'
People said good-night, she answered back, in automatic. She was really tired, and just now she was really noticing it. Niles appeared again, bags and all, waited for her aknowledge him, and started to the front stairs.
'They are not too heavy, are they?', CC asked, trying to be conversational.
'I'm used to you making me carry the heavy load, miss Babcock', he smiled at her, 'And now I live for that'. He looked at her and looked away, and she was a bit out of words at that.
They reached the bedroom, he opened the door and let her in. He entered after her and put her bags on the floor.
'Well, I hope I have remembered everything. In case you need something, you can knock on my door. It is across the corridor, second to the left'.
'Thank you, Niles. I'm so tired I think I will be like dead the moment I hit the bed'.
'That's what we all wish'.
'I must be really tired to make it so easy for you!'.
'I guess so. I am going, so you can have your rest'. He started to the door, but she stopped him.
'Wait!', she said and he obeyed, very attentive. 'I'd like to ask one last thing, for tonight'.
'Of course. What do you need?'
'I… well… It is very strange, but… I really apreciated… No, I really enjoyed that thing downstairs'.
'Thing? Which thing?'
CC was blushing. 'Well… I am usually not a huggy-person, but… When you hugged me, it was very… ok. Oh, my God, can I be sillier?'
He smiled broadly, 'It is not silly, miss Babcock. You went through a stressfull situation. You must be out of your self… Well, what I am saying? Outer of yourself…'. He gave a step to be closer to her.
'Niles, I don't want you to think… anything wrong, you know. It is not because I was at a stressfull situation that I will be all sappy about it…I really think that you… your presence and your words and that were very special… And very rare to me.'
'Don't worry, I would never think you are weak or confused or anything like that', he assured her, 'I know that you are really a very strong woman, but I really think that, when they need, friends could go at it…'.
She was smiling, 'Since when are we friends?'
'Since I was drowning in preocupation because you could be in serious danger… well, even if I wanted to deny it, there's no way you could not notice'.
'Yes, you may be right. I was thinking of you, too, when I was in the car. I wanted you to be there'.
'I thought we were having a close-to-friendship talking here, Babs, and suddenly you wanted me there to freeze?'
'Oh, not like this!', she waved her hand in emphasis, 'I just thought that I would be far more secure if you were there, saying funny things and distracting me from the danger'.
'Oh, I am sorry I misunderstood… It was really sweet… Well, in a very-Babcock-style… But I am really fond of that, already'.
'Fond of the Babcock style? Oh, God, you're crazy'.
'You wanted me there to be tormenting you while you were facing danger and certain death… Think of it – you're as crazy as I am!'
They laughed heartly at that.
'So…friends?', he asked.
'Definitively, friends!', she answered.
They kept looking at each other. Niles remembered:
'What was the point, here? I mean, why did we start talking about this?'
'I was saying I enjoyed that thing and I wanted you to do that again'.
'Oh, I remember. What was that thing, again?'
'Ugh! A hug, Niles!'.
His eyes sparkled: 'Oh, you liked the hug? Sweety, sweety CaCa!'. She made a 'no-no' look. 'We're friends, now, so you know I don't really mean this!', he said and imediately took her in his arms. She had no time even to think of taking it back, she was already enveloped in a warm hug.
There was no need to talk. She relaxed and gave in, letting him know how much she felt good near him. He caressed her hair, and she was slightly surprised with the much of tenderness she could feel in the touch.
She could feel the bodies melting into one another. It was not just a hug, CC knew better. He was only wearing a white shirt, and she could feel his heat under her arms. It felt delicious. She rested her head on his shoulder and felt and strange urge to cry.
He seemed to feel her turmoil, because he started slowly swaying, like they were dancing. She giggled.
'Do you like it, don't you?', he asked, in her ear. 'Promise you will let me embrace you like this in a dance floor, in a near future'.
'You're taking advantage of me, Butler Boy'.
'On the contrary, Babcock. In fact, I think you are'.
He could feel her smiling again, and kept like that for a while.
Time passed by, they could not say how much, and they unwillingly broke apart.
'It is time for your rest, miss Babcock', he said, very low and sweet, 'Have a good night'.
'Thank you, Niles. You were wonderful to me. Have a good night, too'.
They separated and she went slowly backwards, reaching her bed and sitting on it. He, too, made his way backwards to the door, exactly as she had done that same day, when they said their goodbyes. This time there was a door behind Niles, and he stumbled a bit when he reached it – it was very difficult to concentrate in another thing but her eyes silently saying sweet things to him. He smiled at her, knowing he was being foolish, and decided that he had nothing more to loose, after all.
'Bye', he said, mocking his own sad tone from earlier.
'Bye', she, said, laughing, because it was too hard not to laugh when she remembered that pathetic scene at the door. Well, she could laugh now, because they were here together, laughing together. But at the time, to be apart was the saddest thing in the world.
He exited, winking at her, and when he closed the door she layed down and let herself be taken by the wonderful feeling of having such a special friend.
