CHAPTER THREE
Niles couldn't sleep. His thoughts were at CC and what happened to her. Was it really possible that she got raped? Who would do that? And why?
I hope her baby is okay ... my baby ... our baby ...
His heart clenched. Her baby is also my baby.
We're going to be a family ...
He prayed that she and the unborn child were okay.
And he promised himself to give CC everything she wanted.
"I'll tell her that I love her", he said and finally he was able to sleep.
But not for long.
At six o´clock his alarm buzzed and he had to wake up, after three hours of sleep.
He took a quick shower and headed downstairs, where the family was already sitting around the table. They didn't eat, they just sat there and said nothing.
"Good morning", Niles said quietly.
Fran lifted her head and looked at him, her eyes tired and sad. "How is she?" she asked.
Niles looked at the children. He didn't want to tell Fran and Maxwell in front of them. So he just shrugged. "She's not okay, but she will be", he answered.
Fran let out a quiet sob.
"I'll visit her later", Niles told them. "May I, Mr. Sheffield?"
"Of course", Maxwell said quietly. He was sqeezing Grace's hand, who's eyes were red and wet.
"I'll be gone all day", Niles said and Maxwell nodded, telling him, it was okay for him.
"Where did they find her?", Maggie suddenly asked.
"I know nothing, Miss Margaret", Niles said. "But I'll tell you in the evening."
"I'll come with you", Grace sniffed, but Niles, Fran and Maxwell shook their heads.
"We'll visit her in the afternoon", Fran promised the children.
"Mr. Babcock!", the young nurse said as she saw him. "I've been waiting for you already!"
"How is she, miss?", Niles asked quietly.
"Call me Linda", the nurse said. "And your wife is fine, but there's another problem -"
"The baby?!", Niles interrupted her.
Linda shook her head. "The baby is fine too", she said and then she turned around an shouted "Dr. Hastings!" in CC's room.
The doctor came out and shook Niles' hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Babcock", he said. "Linda has told me your wife is pregnant. I've made several tests, and the baby is fine and will be fine." He smiled. "Your wife is strong and so will be your baby."
"And what happened to her?", Niles asked and the doctor sighted.
"As I already thought ... she got kidnapped and raped."
Niles felt as he would fall into a deep hole without an end.
Who would kidnap a pregnant woman and rape her?
Who would kidnap and rape CC Babcock?
"Can she remember who -?", Niles asked soundlessly.
"So we'll come to the problem", the doctor said and let Niles sit down. "She probably hit her head and now she has kind of amnesia - she can't rembember what happend the last two months. She woke up today and thought it was June."
Niles couldn't escape out of his hole.
So for her the night had never happened.
She didn't know they slept together.
"Does she know, she's pregnant?", Niles asked low.
"Not yet", the doctor said lowly. "But don't tell her what happened the last two months. She has to find it out for herself. That's important."
Niles nodded.
His hope was gone. She had forgotten their night.
They couldn't be happy. Not together.
I can't tell her now, I love her, Niles thought.
"You can go in now", Dr. Hastings said and Linda helped Niles up, letting him lean against her.
"You can eat or drink something whenever you want", she told him and led him into CC's room.
"Can I be alone with her?", he whispered and Linda nodded, closing the door behind her.
Niles walked to her bed and looked down to her.
She was breathing slowly and her face was painfully distorted, but she was breathing without help. Her bruises still looked very bad.
He sat down on the edge of her bed and she opened her eyes.
They widened as she saw him.
"What are you doing here?" She sounded unhappy.
His heart almost broke. "I heard a witch crushed into a plane and fell", he answered. "I knew it was you, so I wanted to tell you, that your broom didn't survive."
CC rolled her eyes and looked at him. "What happened to me?"
"I don't know", Niles lied. "They can't tell."
"Probably I got attacked", she said. "I have no bag anywhere, they must have stolen it ... Niles, good you're here. Could you do me a favour?"
I would jump into a volcano, if you'd ask me to.
"Sure."
"Could you go into my penthouse and pick up a few things for me?"
"I'm afraid your cauldron is a bit too big for the taxi, but I'll pick up your crystal ball, okay?"
CC rolled her eyes again. "No, not that. I meant books and stuff like that."
"Your collection of herbs?", Niles suggested.
"No", CC said. "But books and clothes, a toothbrush, uhm, a hairbrush, make up and my laptop." Niles' eyes widened, but he nodded.
"And a few tampons", she ended.
You won't need them, Niles thought, but nodded again.
"Oh, forget the tampons", CC suddenly said, and, as if she had read his mind, "I won't need them."
Niles' eyes got bigger and she laughed.
"Uh, yes", she said and her look got soft. "Niles, I'm pregnant."
"I know", Niles said. "But how do you know?"
"Don't be silly, dust buster", CC said. "A woman knows when she's pregnant." She gently stroked her tummy.
Niles wished he could do it too.
"How do you know?", she asked.
"You told me a few days ago", Niles lied.
"Oh yeah, the amnesia", CC said and laid back. "Tell me what happened the last two months."
"I can't", Niles said. "You have to think about it for yourself." Please remember the kiss and our night ...
CC pouted. "Okay", she said. "So you'll go and pick up the things, and I'll think about the last two months."
"Okay, I'll pick up your cloak and your magic hat ...", Niles murmured and he left the room.
CC hadn't even ask about the father of her child ...
Niles picked up a few books, a few clothes, her toothbrush and hairbrush, mascara and lipstick and of course Chester from the penthouse. Then he drove back to the mansion to leave Chester there and pick up the laptop.
Before he entered CC's room again, he switched on the laptop and deleted all the drafts that had changed his life.
Then he entered it and froze.
Fran was sitting next to CC and talking to her.
Niles got pale - did Fran know, that she got raped? About her amnesia?
And did CC know that Fran didn't know about her pregnancy?
Niles slowly went to the women.
"Oh, rubber duck brought my things", CC said happily. "I owe you a big thank you."
"No problem", Niles said and sat down next to her.
"Nanny Fine visited me, I'm still flattered", CC said and laughed her famous laugh.
"Why wouldn't I?", Fran asked. "I was really concerned 'bout ya, but I'm happy that ya are okay. Well, I have to go now, I promised Gracie to pick her up from school."
Fran stood up, but CC grabbed her wrist. "Nanny Fine, Niles", she said. "When I was alone, a nurse came in ..." CC looked up. "She told me, my husband, Mr. Babcock, will come and visit me soon. I pretended to know what she was talking about, but I have no idea. Please tell me", she begged. "Who is he? Since when and to who am I married? I mean - it sounds plausible ..."
She lowered her hand to her belly, but Niles quickly grabbed it to stop it from touching the small bulge. He shook his head softly.
Fran looked puzzled. "Miss Babcock, you aren't married!"
CC got pale and she looked at Niles.
"Calm down", he said with a light smile. "I am Mr. Babcock. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to see her this night." But suddenly his smile froze. "I thought you told them I was her husband, Miss Fine!"
Fran shook her head. "I didn't! And Mr. Sheffield also didn't!"
"But why do they think, we're married?", Niles asked and softly looked at CC's face.
Fran smiled. Why, because the two of you have something special between each other, she though. Oh, Niles, how ya look at her ... how you hold her hand - oy, please don't tell me, ya feel something for her. She's not the right woman for you ...
"Pretend it's real", Fran told them. "I've gotta go now, bye."
She left the room quickly.
CC looked after her and then her eyes rested on Niles. "I don't understand anything", she said, sounding calm.
"Oh, something new", Niles said sarcastically.
"Shut up", CC hissed and took her hand out of his. She noticed that her heart was racing an her skin was burning, longing for another touch from him. "Tell me, why didn't you let me touch my belly?"
"Fran doesn't know yet, you're pregnant."
"Okay", CC nodded in unterstanding. "And now tell me, why I'm pregnant. I'm not married. Do I have a boyfriend?"
"No", Niles said quietly.
Tears were building up in CC's eyes. "You mean - I had a one-night-stand and now I'm pregnant?"
Niles pressed his lips together and nodded lightly.
"Oh god", CC groaned and covered her face with her palms.
My love, Niles thought as he stroked her head gently. I wish I could tell you, that you aren't just a one-night-stand for me. I wish I could tell you right now, that I love you. But I can't.
"You know who it is?", CC asked him between her hands.
"I have a guess", Niles said quietly.
"Tell me."
"I'm not allowed to. You have to figure it out for yourself."
"You know", CC put down her hands. "I was thinking about the last two months. And I can remember something."
Niles' heart jumped. "Yes?"
"Darkness", CC whispered. "Fear. Pain."
Niles frowned. She was talking about the rape.
CC looked up to him. "They kidnapped me", she said. "They chained me, they touched me. They hurted me. They ..."
Niles nodded.
"They raped me?", CC whispered and laid back. "Is this how I got pregnant?"
Niles smiled at her. "No", he said. "You got - uhm, raped - yesterday."
CC got more pale. "This happened yesterday?"
Niles nodded. "You probably can't feel anything, 'cause you're on painkillers. But if you did, you'd die. Look at you, you're covered with bruises ..."
"Okay", CC said. "Okay. So they raped me when I was already pregnant?"
"Since it happened yesterday, I dare to say yes", Niles said and rolled his eyes.
"And who is the father?", CC tried again.
"I won't tell you", Niles chuckled.
"And if I guess right?"
"Then I'll tell you", he promised.
CC smiled and took Niles' hand.
"Are you the father?", she whispered.
Niles' jaw dropped and he stared at her.
"Are you?", she asked and pulled him down at his collar, touching his nose with hers.
He didn't answer, he just kissed her lightly, his lips brushing softly over hers and moving gently with her lips.
When they stopped, CC's cheeks were red and her eyes wet.
"Are you?", she whispered against his lips.
"Yes", he breathed and CC smiled.
"Thank god", she sighted and then she pressed her lips against his again and kissed him passionately.
Niles laid down next to her, wrapped his arm around her, and kissed her back, putting all his love and desire into the kiss. They kissed minutes, just stopping a few times to catch for air and looking and smiling at each other. "I remember that", CC mumbled and locked their lips anew.
After minutes they stopped again, and CC smiled at him broadly. "I can remember", she said. "All of it. The kiss in the den and what happened after it. Everything."
Niles ebraced her and held her tight to his body. "Thank god", he breathed against her ear, repeating her words from before.
They stayed in their tight embrace, just feeling the sensation of their entwined bodies.
Soon CC's breathing got slower and Niles felt her relaxing in his arms.
She was asleep.
Niles closed his eyes too and searched her ear with his lips.
"I love you", he said quietly.
"I love you too", CC whispered back.
