This is getting a little bit out of hand really!lol 2 updates in 1 day!lol I've pretty much planned the whole thing now ;) So I may be done soon-ish...depending on how much writing I can get done in the next few days!;) I hope you enjoy this chapter...it's a little bit lighter than the last one!;) I'm not feeling too rough at the moment,so I'll at least start writing the next oneshot!:) If it isn't up in the next couple of hours,it'll definitely be up tomorrow afternoon! Read&Review please!:)

Disclaimer: I still don't own a Butler Boy...*sighs*

Chapter 4: You've got mail

Niles couldn't sleep very well that night. Somehow he always kept picturing C.C. in her empty apartment. He knew that he had hurt her by cancelling their phone call, but there was nothing he could do about it.

He spent the next morning with Mary,they had breakfast in a little B&B before they headed towards the city centre to go exploring. Cambridge reminded him a bit of Oxford, the colleges looked very much the same, yet it was different, bigger,more commercialized somehow,and he found himself longing for the beauty and the peace of Oxford. It was mid-afternoon when Mary left him to interview a couple of people and he decided to put his plan into action. He found the next pay-phone and rang Maxwell. He talked to Gracie for a little while, missing her just as much as she was missing him. He also caught up on some gossip with Fran and when he finally made it through to Maxwell,his request practically burst out of him.

"I need Miss Babcock's e-mail address!" he demanded,shocked at his tone.

"Sure,old man. What do you need it for?"

"Oh, just wedding stuff..."he lied "I need the help of a woman."

"Why didn't you ask Miss Fine?" Maxwell replied,curious about Niles' sudden interest in C.C.

"I would, but this is supposed to be a tasteful wedding. Now,can I have her e-mail address?"

"Of course..I'm sure she won't mind."

"Thank you." he said while scribbling it down on a piece of paper "And please tell her to check her mails."

And with that he was off to find an Internet Cafe, which turned out to be harder than he thought. The library had closed at noon and although there was wireless access in many cafes,it didn't help him one bit,because he didn't have a laptop with him. He was already growing desperate,when he decided to stop by the tourist information, to ask them. The woman at the desk was rather helpful and told him that a popular place was in a news agency on King's Parade. He thanked her and was on his way. King's parade was only two minutes away and soon he found himself in front of the news agency.

"Excuse me, can I use the Internet in here?" he asked,doubtful because he hadn't spotted any computers.

"Yes,Sir. It's just down here." the cashier said and pointed down a flight of stairs "Use computer number 5."

Niles nodded and headed into the cellar. It looked like an unlikely place, it was dark and he had trouble finding the light switch. But when he did and the room was illuminated,he saw a number of computers. He sat down and switched on number 5 and waited until he could go online.

C.C. still hadn't quite recovered from her shocking revelation the previous night. Inside she was still deeply shaken and only glad that she didn't have to deal with the actor any time soon.

"I'm back,Maxwell." she announced,walking into his office "Sorry I'm late...I got a bit lost in thoughts."

Checking her watch she realised that she was,in fact, half an hour late. She had forced herself to stay true to her word and had gone on a lunch break...and now it was nearly twelve o'clock.

"No problem,C.C. Listen, I had a phone call, I think you should check your e-mails."

She stared at him, confused, for a moment before walking over to the desk and picking up the laptop they sometimes used. She was intrigued by this lack of information and prayed that it would take her mind off Niles. The moment she went online there was a voice that greeted her: "You've got mail", she smiled to herself. There was indeed a new message in her inbox,but she didn't know from whom it was.

"My dearest C.C.,
I apologise for going behind your back to get your e-mail address, but I knew you would be at the Sheffields'. I simply couldn't leave things the way they were yesterday...I know that you are a proud woman, and I take the risk of offending you, but I know that I upset you yesterday. I'm terribly sorry I had to cancel our phone call,believe me, I was looking forward to it myself. Now the fact that I spent last night tossing and turning because I couldn't reach you and make you feel better,says enough in itself...believe me, I realise how highly inappropriate this is. I am engaged to Mary and yet I spend all my free time speaking to another woman...frankly, I don't know what to make of it myself,all I know is that I can't live with myself knowing that I have hurt you. We'll be leaving Cambridge tonight, so I could call you again tomorrow night? But I need to ask you something first...and all I ask is that you are honest with me. I thought it was a good idea if we stayed in touch, I thought it would make this transition easier for us, but I can't help but wonder now if we should continue doing this. Don't misunderstand me,please, I'm not trying to tell you to leave me alone... on the contrary,I am...just very confused. I don't know how I could manage a day without hearing from you, but if you decide that that's the only way for you to move on, then I will do it somehow. But just tell me...whichever decision you make, I shall comply. If I close my eyes I can see your sky-blue eyes reading this e-mail and glaring at the screen. I miss you,C.C., but I need you to tell me what's best for you. I've attached some photos so that you know what this old maid is getting up to without you.
Love,
Niles."

She could feel tears welling up in her eyes as the relief washed over her. He missed her still, he hadn't forgotten her...

"I am engaged to Mary and yet I spend all my free time speaking to another woman...frankly,I don't know what to make of it..." What did he mean by that? Should she get her hopes up?Was there the possibility still that he might love her?Pushing her thoughts aside for a moment, she opened the attachment. She was glad to find that there were only photos of him, she was certain she wouldn't be able to stand to see a picture of the happy couple. She picked out her favourite one immediately. On it he was standing by a river, his eyes shining with happiness while the soft breeze ruffled his hair. She sighed and, ignoring Maxwell's stare,began to type.

"Niles,
you are ,of course, forgiven for yesterday. I don't even have the right to forgive you as you have done nothing wrong. I'm sorry I reacted the way I did...but you have no idea how hard this has been on me. I can tell you all of this now,because I am only writing it. I never realised what a vital part you played in my life...I miss it all so much now,Niles: The pranks, the zingers, your smile...Trust me, when I close my eyes I can almost make believe you are here with me. If none of this has answered your question,then let me do it directly: Please don't stop calling!If I never hear from you again, I think I would die. I am fully aware of how inappropriate our behaviour is, but for now I don't care...as long as that means I get to hear your voice. But if it is making things unbearable for you,let me know... I wouldn't want you to be unhappy. Yours,
C.C."

He read her e-mail when they were on the way back to London. Mary had stopped writing on her laptop a little while ago to take a nap, and so he had used the opportunity to check his mails. He read her e-mail twice, in order to assure that he was taking everything in. The depth of her emotion touched him deeply and in that moment he wished he was in New York,so that he could hold her.

"Good God woman, you nearly moved a grown man to tears. I am glad to hear that you are obviously as attached to me as I am to you. I am sitting on the train at the moment, we're on our way back to London...Mary is asleep,so I borrowed her laptop. What are you up to? Did you eat something today?" he stopped for a moment, reading over what he had written "I still cannot believe I've only been gone a couple of days. I miss New York, I miss the Sheffields...but above all I miss you,my little witch. You always make me laugh...and apparently it's rather obvious too. Even my mother commented,saying that you're the woman who excites me..."

"I never realised you were a grown man,Butler Boy. Sometimes I look at you and all I can see is a little boy.I'm still in Maxwell's office and yes,I did have a lunch break.I will head home soon I think,but you know Maxwell...he'd be lost without me...especially now,that you are gone. So your mother thinks I can excite you,huh? What gave her that idea? But I am almost certain that I'd have ways to excite you, a shame you are never going to find out..."

"Two of my favourite nicknames in one mail,Babs. You sure know how to push my buttons. And to answer your question: I don't know what gave her the idea. I only told her that we've been talking to each other on the phone quite a lot...maybe she sensed something...I'm afraid to tell you that, as much as I'm enjoying this, we're approaching London now and I have to wake up Mary. You should go home soon and eat something, I will call you tomorrow,same time!I hope your big apartment won't seem too lonely till then.
Niles

P.S.: I am never going to find out? I'll let you in on a secret,you have already excited me more often than you know.