Disclaimer: We don't own any part of character of The Nanny…but if we could choose…well I think you know.

A/N: Ichbin and I had a special request from ChocoLover1331 to do a 'missing' scene that comes sometime after Niles says, '…20 minutes at the slots, my baby by my side…' in Ship of Fran's. Here's what we came up with…so to speak…and it took on a life of its own. Let us know what you think. – US

The Suite

Chapter 2

"Wh-a-aT?!" CC screamed in confusion. "Get OUT!" she continued, angry that he was there, angry that he had showed up at just the wrong time, and angry at herself for letting her breath catch at the sight of him leaning against the door frame. She couldn't help herself, and before she knew it, her eyes drifted over his broad shoulders, his tight chest and travelled quickly down and back up his form taking him in. She bit back the sigh of appreciation that wanted so desperately to escape her lips, and focused instead on the self-satisfied look on his face and steeled herself for another round with the bane of her existence.

"I said, get OUT!" CC repeated, glad she had turned on the jets earlier so that the bubbles provided her with some semblance of modesty.

Niles watched her scan his form and couldn't hide his smirk. He knew he had her right where he wanted her, in more ways than one. "Is that anyway to speak to the object of your desire?"

CC huffed, "You wish, Butler Boy."

"Do you know another Niles?" He asked smugly.

Making sure the bubbles were still thick enough to keep her assets to herself, she chose to ignore his comment and turned slowly in the tub. "For the last time, get out!"

"As far as I'm aware it's my name on the registrar for this room. And since you never asked me for the key, I wonder what the staff would say if I asked them how you managed to get in here." Niles made no move to leave, but neither did he approach her.

The sight of him was completely disconcerting, making it hard for her to think. If only she hadn't just been making out with him in her head moments before, it would be so much easier to be indifferent. Now, still reeling from her own ministrations, she recognized the situation she was in. For one brief moment she wondered what it would be like to just invite him in, indulge in the passion she knew they shared. Me? With Dustbuster? She shook the ridiculous notion from her head. Quickly looking around the room for a towel, she noticed they were hung behind the bathroom door, well beyond her reach.

"Ok, you win," she sighed. "Just hand me a towel before you go, so I can get out."

Niles tilted his head at the radiant creature sitting beneath the bubbles in what was technically still his Jacuzzi tub and let his thoughts wander. I'll never forgive myself if I miss this opportunity to force her hand and make her admit there's something between us. "I'm not letting you go that easy, Babs. After all, it wasn't five minutes ago you seemed pretty happy with my attentions." Niles grabbed a towel off the back of door and, keeping it away from her for now, sat on the edge of the tub. "Why not just admit it, you want me." Niles smirked at her just a bit, but couldn't hide the desire in his own eyes.

CC just looked at him, her eyes getting wider as his words penetrated her conscience. She felt herself blush when he mentioned what she was doing when he walked in, but immediately chased the thought from her head. She had caught a faint smell of his cologne when he sat down and had to force her eyes away from his chest to look up at his face. Did she want him?

"Ok Niles...I'll admit that I'm attracted to you," she said flatly. "Now, give me the towel." She reached her hand out, waiting expectantly.

"Not enough, Babs, try again." Niles looked at her in earnest.

Leaving her hand outstretched, she repeated in a measured tone, "Give me the towel, Niles."

"Why won't you just admit it?" Niles asked in a voice mixed with his own deep desire and just a hint of sadness.

"What difference does it make? So what if I want you? So what if I can't get that kiss off my mind?" CC shrugged her hand back and sank down a bit under the bubbles. "Why is it so damn important to you?"

Niles stood up and tried to read her face. "I think it's more important to you. It was my name that slipped from your lips. Not Max, or any of the parade of men you've dated in the last few years. You tell me why it's important." Niles left the towel at the edge of the tub and started out of the bathroom. "When you've realized what it really means…you know where I'll be." He closed the door behind him.

CC looked at the closed door for a minute and then looked out at the sea again. Somehow, the night sky had lost its luster and the stars did not seem as bright. She didn't know how long she sat the in tub, but when she felt a chill run through her, she realized there were no more bubbles, and the water was no longer even warm. CC slowly got out and wrapped herself in the towel. So much for enjoying the Jacuzzi, she thought to herself.

CC didn't even dry herself off, she just sat on the edge of the tub, watching the water and the few remaining bubbles flow down the drain. Again, she lost complete track of time until she found herself actually shivering from the cold.

Standing up slowly, she dropped the towel and entered the shower, blasting out water as hot as she could stand it. CC let the water run over her hair, her back, feeling it pelt against her skin. Once her teeth actually stopped chattering, she didn't care that it hurt, didn't care that she would likely burn from it. She was so tired of dealing with everything; this was almost as good as drinking. In fact, with the steam and the heat, CC really felt light headed, and she let a small, distorted chuckle escape her lips at the thought that even now, as she felt herself slip into oblivion, she could only think of HIM.

Niles laid on his bed and let his mind wander over the events that were still so fresh in his mind. There must be something there. I know I'm hardly worthy of her, but she must feel something. I mean what she was doing…touching... Niles swallowed hard…herself. God, I wanted to take her in my arms and… Niles was pulled out of his thoughts by a loud thump from the bathroom. "CC!" He called as he ran to see what happened.

Niles threw open the bathroom door and blinked at the steam that greeted him. "CC!" He yelled when he saw her lying on the shower floor. He opened the door and quickly turned off the water and lifted her into his arms. Her head bobbed a bit and she whispered his name softly. "It's alright, Love. I've got you." Niles comforted as he carried her into the bedroom and laid her on the bed. He thoroughly checked her skin for scalds from the intense heat of the water and sighed when he saw no signs of damage. "Dear God, woman," he started and brushed her hair from her face. "What on earth were you trying to do?"

CC was vaguely aware that she was no longer in the shower. She brought her hand up to her head and winced at the pain in her shoulder, and was immediately aware of a warm hand where the pain had been. "Niles?" she whispered, carefully opening her eyes.

"Yes, I'm here. You fainted in the shower. What was the last thing you ate? Are you hungry? Do you want me to get you something?" Niles was going a mile a minute. Only an hour ago he'd been dreaming of her in his arms, then discovered her in the bath…now he was desperately concerned for her health.

"Slow down, Niles." CC tried to move, but her head was still a bit dizzy. "I'm fine...I didn't realize I had the water on so hot until was too late." Something was nagging at the back of her brain at what he had said. "Gimme me a minute," she said, and closed her eyes again to concentrate. His tone? No, he would be concerned finding me unconscious at the bottom of the shower. He asked me when I'd least eaten; a perfectly logical question given the circumstances. Before that, he had told me I had...wait...WAIT! "Love?" She said, and then opened her eyes to stare directly into his. "You called me Love."

"Did I?" Niles glanced away from her warm gaze.

"Yes." She noticed that he was no longer meeting her eye. "You did."

Niles stood from the edge of the bed and took a few steps away, careful to keep his back to her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, but I was worried about you."

CC actually saw the tension settle in his shoulders. He was really concerned about her, or he had been until a few moments ago. "I'm not upset. I'm confused. How could you...love...me...?" Taking a deep breath, a thought suddenly popped into her head. "Oh boy, am I stupid. It's an expression right? One of mother's boyfriend's was British and used to call everyone love. Geez...well, that will be one you can lord over me for a while huh, Hazel?"

Niles spun around to face her. His face held a much different expression than it had only moments ago. This face was just a little bit angry. "Is that what you think? I scoop you're limp, naked body out of the shower, carry you to my bed, lay you down and cover you up, and you think it's an expression?" Niles stared deep into her pale eyes. "Do you even know me, Babcock?" He dropped back onto the edge of the bed. "And don't you ever compare me to some boy toy that your mother took up with for some brief roll in the hay."

"Ok, Easy-Off, calm down." CC was taken aback by his outburst and really had no idea what to make of it. "I wasn't comparing you to the guy, just explaining about how... oh never mind." She went to get up and realized that she was in no position to leave at the moment.

CC looked at him sitting there, seeing the way his hand was balled at his side and she knew he was really angry; briefly catching his gaze before averting her eyes, she was pretty sure she saw hurt there as well. What have you gotten yourself into? She thought to herself. "Guess I'm the one that upset you."

Niles inhaled deeply and blew out a long slow breath. "No, I'm sorry. I over reacted." Niles glanced at her but couldn't hold her eyes for fear she'd see right into his soul. "I just…I really do care, CC." Niles forgot proper protocol for the moment. "And as for what I said, well…it's not a word I use lightly."

CC was speechless. Her mind was trying to process what she thought he meant, and it was making her dizzy again, so she closed her eyes. "…it's not a word I use lightly." So, he's saying...he's saying... She opened her eyes again. "So, you're saying...I mean…am I to understand...do you..."

"Love you?" Niles finally turned to face her and she nodded softly. "Desperately."

"What?" she questioned softly. "How is that possible? You hate me." CC looked up at the ceiling and then back at him again. "All you do is insult me. How on earth can you love me?" She sighed, completely confused.

Niles smiled at the look of absolute bewilderment that graced her beautiful face. "CC…" He started, softly tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm just a butler. You go through life with blinders on to men like me. I was taken from the moment I laid eyes on you. But it didn't take me long to realize that to you I would always just be Maxwell's butler. So, I had to find ways to hold your interest, to keep you needing me. So, began our little game of cat and mouse."

"...from the moment you laid eyes on me?" CC repeated, even more shocked than before. "You've been insulting me for over fifteen years because you're in love with me?" CC could feel all kinds of emotions rising inside her, but the one that was dominating now was anger. "That's rich Niles," she said flatly. She pulled hard at the cover, trying to get it to come off the bed, and after a little struggle, she pushed Niles out of the way, wrapped it around her and stood up. She paced back and forth a few times before stopping right in front of him. "So why are you telling me this now? You've kept this to yourself for all this time and now, what, you can't keep the secret any longer?" She was livid. "What do you want me to do with this information? What did you think would happen?"

Niles felt nearly as naked as he knew CC was beneath the comforter she held tightly around her. "This." Niles locked his gaze on the eyes he loved as they darkened with anger. "This is exactly what I thought would happen. This, CC, is why I kept it to myself all these years, all this time." Niles dropped to the bed again. "Why am I telling you now? Because I'm tired of feeling sick each time you leave the mansion with the newest potential Mr. CC Babcock. Because I'm tired of having to steal little bits and pieces of you when you need an escort or when we've had too much to drink. Because, like it or not, you, maybe only in your subconscious mind, called to me, pulled me in, if only for a moment." Niles broke his gaze and looked down at his hands. "Because I love you, CC. And whether or not I say it now, tomorrow or never again, it's not going to change."

"I...I...I can't hear this now." CC picked up the edge of the comforter and walked purposefully out of the room. She grabbed her suitcase on the way to the bathroom, closing the door behind her with an audible *click* of the lock. Dropping the suitcase beside the shower she sank down to the floor in complete and utter confusion.