"Hello! Hello!" CC said cheerfully as she entered the Sheffield's the next morning.
Niles turned from where he was arranging flowers in the foyer. When his eyes met hers, a strange expression went over his face. It was gone as suddenly as it appeared, and he scowled at her.
"Doesn't your kind only come out at night?"
"Oh, Niles, stop being an old grouch and come take my coat."
He sighed heavily but came forward and held out his hands.
"You look extra cranky this morning," she commented, sliding one arm out of a sleeve. "Did someone piss in your cornflakes?"
"Very funny," he grumbled, taking the coat from her.
When he didn't elaborate, CC raised her eyebrows in curiosity. She studied him as he silently put her coat in the closet. He looked tired. There were dark circles under his eyes, and he moved slowly. She briefly wondered if something was wrong before sharply telling herself it was none of her business.
"When you have a minute, could you bring me some tea, Niles?"
He seemed startled by her voice, almost as if he had forgotten she was there.
"Tea?"
"Yes, tea, you imbecile. What's wrong with you?"
"It's the shock of seeing your face," he snapped. "Haven't I asked you to wear a mask...or at least a paper bag when you come to work? You could give a man a heart attack."
"Ditto," she said, echoing one of his favorite phrases. "Don't forget my tea."
XXX
Before the morning was over, CC was both ravenous and bored. Halfway through trying to read Ian Woon's script without falling asleep, she realized that she had forgotten to eat breakfast. The more she tried not to think about it, the hungrier she got. Just when she had decided to put the script aside and go swipe something from the kitchen, Niles's voice filled the room.
"Lunch is ready, sir. Would you prefer to eat in the office or the dining room?"
Maxwell frowned in thought before he asked, "What will we be having?"
"Vegetable soup."
"That's a little messy for the desk, isn't it, Maxwell?" CC asked, straightening. It was as good an excuse as any to get her away from Woon's play—and it was true.
"Yes, you're probably right. We'll eat it in the dining room. Thank you, Niles."
"Don't mention it, sir," the butler replied dryly.
Maxwell let go of the intercom button and continued to work, but CC got to her feet and stretched. Her body popped softly as she brought her hands high over her head and straightened her back.
"Aren't you coming, Maxwell?"
"In a minute. I just need to get this down before I forget."
"Would you like me to wait?" Her stomach rumbled so loudly that this time he couldn't help but hear it.
"No," he said in amusement, "you go ahead."
Her cheeks reddened but she just nodded and made her way to the dining room. It was empty, with the exception of Nanny Fine, who was holding up a spoon and fixing her hair in the reflection.
"Hi, Miss Babcock," she said, her voice friendly.
"Hello. Where's the dust mop? I thought he said there'd be soup."
"He'll be here in a minute. Sit down. Rest yourself."
"I'm not you, Nanny Fine. I do have work to do."
The nanny dropped her spoon. "Hey, I have work to do."
'Then why aren't you doing it?"
"We've all got to eat. Geez, Miss Babcock, why are you so cranky?"
CC's answer was interrupted by the appearance of Niles. In his hands was a large tray containing a pot, some bowls, and some spoons. Without acknowledging the women, he put the pot on the warming station and disappeared back into the kitchen.
"So, how is the planning for the party coming, Nanny Fine?" CC asked, pretended to be interested.
The nanny's face lit up. "Great. My sister, Nadine, has agreed to cater. I've already had lots of people tell me they are coming, and all of the children will be away at their friends' for the night, so we can party as late as we want to."
CC made a non-committal noise as Niles came back into the room carrying a tray of drinks. There were two cups, some water glasses, a pitcher, and a glass with brown liquid and a lemon. Niles sat all of these down on the table then went back to the serving station.
"It's going to be so much fun!" Nanny Fine gushed before adding, "Thank you, Niles," as he put a bowl of soup in front of her.
CC had to admit it looked good, nothing like the thin, orange goop she got from a can. The broth was a light golden color, and the pieces of carrot, potato, and turnip were large and cubed.
"The girls and I are going out shopping for our costumes this afternoon after school. Do you wanna come?" Nanny Fine asked.
Ignoring the bowl Niles put down in front of her, CC told her, "I'd rather pluck out my eyes and eat them."
Nanny Fine smirked. "Looks like someone beat you to it."
"What?"
Smiling wider, the nanny indicated CC's bowl with her spoon. Puzzled, CC looked down to see two round eyes with irises the color of the sky staring up at her from between the vegetables. They looked so real that CC let out a strangled scream.
There was a clatter and CC's gaze went to Niles, her heart pounding in her chest. The butler was pale and clutching the side of the serving station. A large ladle was on the floor, the tile around it splattered with liquid. Niles looked as scared as CC had felt.
"Niles," she managed to gasp.
His eyes met hers, and she saw his jaw tighten. Without saying a word, he turned and left the room.
CC watched him and barely heard Nanny Fine say, "He got you that time, huh, Miss Babcock?"
XXX
He was a fool. A complete and utter fool. What was wrong with him? That joke on Miss Babcock should have been funny. It should have brought him evil satisfaction. Hearing her scream should not have made a shot of terror pulse through him so strongly that his stomach clenched and his palms dampened.
He blamed that damn dream. It had been bothering him all day, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake it loose.
It was foolish, really. Why was he dreaming about Babcock in distress, anyway? Usually, he liked her in distress. Besides, when he dreamed about her, it was normally a different kind of dream, one that made his heart pound for an entirely different reason.
Thinking of those dreams warmed his cold blood. They were both embarrassing and stimulating—and a lot easier to understand.
He knew he had to go back into the dining room. Soon, Mr. Sheffield would be expecting Niles to serve him, but he had to take a minute first. Miss Babcock's scream had sounded so much like it had in the dream that it had badly shaken him. To make things worse, she'd seen his reaction. There'd been questions in her eyes when he met them. He should have been laughing at her, and it was humiliating that she knew he wasn't.
Damn her, anyway.
"Niles!" Mr. Sheffield's bellow traveled to him from the dining room.
Running a hand slowly down his face, Niles called back, "Coming, sir. I just need a new ladle."
XXX
Darkness surrounded him. It was so thick that it felt as if he were drowning in it. He had to force his breaths evenly in and out. The deep silence had an evil, malevolent feel to it, and Niles could feel eyes assessing him. Somehow he knew that those eyes would have no trouble piercing the dark.
Niles's palms began to sweat, and dampness gathered on his forehead, wetting his hair. He couldn't remember ever being so frightened.
"Who are you?" he yelled with false bravado. "What do you want?"
Silence answered him.
"I know you're out there. Show yourself."
"Niles!" The pain filled scream raised the hairs on his arms.
"Miss Babcock?" he called out.
A cry of despair traveled back to him.
"Miss Babcock, I'm coming."
When she screamed again, he started running. The fear was no longer for himself. His mind conjured up terrible images. Miss Babcock was strong and stoic. Anything that could make her scream in pain and terror had to be horrifying.
"Please, please, no," she cried, her voice shaking.
In desperation, Niles fought the darkness. He had to get to her. He hated her; he adored her. He wanted to hurt her; he wanted to make sure no one would ever hurt her again. He wanted her to leave forever; her leaving would shatter him beyond repair. Conflicting truths pounded down on him as he quickened his pace.
She screamed his name again. It pierced through the panicked fog in his brain and focused him. He had to follow the screams.
The screams suddenly got louder, and he could hear her sobbing pleas. Triumphantly, Niles quickened his pace, determined to reach her.
Unexpected light stabbed his eyes. It was so bright that Niles dropped to his knees and threw his arms over his face so it wouldn't blind him. He struggled to get to his feet, Miss Babcock's sobs echoing around him.
His legs wouldn't obey him. He fought on valiantly, refusing to give up and determined to keep fighting until all the strength was gone from his body...
...Niles jerked awake with a gasp. His pulse pounded and his lungs felt as if they were being squeezed in a vice. He forced them to work, calming as he recognized the familiar shadows of his bedroom.
Another dream.
It was the fourth night in a row that the nightmares had plagued him. Some of the details changed, but it was always charged with terror and full of darkness. Babcock screamed for him over and over again, and the agony in her voice drove her forward. The dreams were so real and so frightening that Niles always woke disoriented and full of panic.
"Damn you, Babcock," he grumbled.
He glanced at the clock to see his alarm would be going off in just a few minutes. With a sigh, he tiredly rubbed his eyes before reaching over to shut off the alarm. Forcing thoughts of the nightmares out of his mind, he tiredly slipped out of bed to begin his day.