Disclaimer: I don't own any part of The Nanny…yet.
A/N: Just another idea I couldn't let go of…N/CC and M/S…later M/F LOL Let me know what you think. - D
First Impressions
Chapter 8
Niles made his way around to the front of the house and grabbed Chastity into his arms. "I'm sorry, for whatever she may have said or done to upset you."
Max pulled up in the car and stepped out. "Niles…why don't you and Chas ride in the back…I'll drive to Sara's parents."
"Thanks, Max." Nile opened the door for Sara to ride in front with Max and then he and Chastity got in the back.
They settled into the back seat and Niles pulled Chastity into his arms and she rested against his chest. "What did my mother say, Chastity?"
"It wasn't her fault, Niles, really. She's just trying to protect you…and me too, for that matter." Chastity sighed.
Niles rubbed her arms softly. "Please tell me what's upset you."
"It's not so much what she said, Niles as that I know she's right…about my mother." CC turned in his arms. "Everything your mother said about BB's world was dead on. My mother is a snob and a bigot. All that matters to her is appearances, and what other people think. Nana and Grampy tried to keep me grounded. I used to visit here all the time when I was little. But BB put a stop to it when she decided that I was 'growing up wrong'. I've begged her for years to come back and visit. If Daddy hadn't insisted I wouldn't be here now." Chastity feared her tears would fall again. "I don't know what kind of person my mother used to be, or could have been, but I know the kind of person she is now…and your mother was right. She'll never let me continue seeing you."
"Shhhh…" Niles pulled her into his chest and tried to calm the fears he knew were more than valid. His grandparents had already prepared him for the inevitable clash with BB Babcock. "It's alright, Chastity. Let's not worry about it yet. We've still got three weeks before you're parents come to pick you up."
"Niles…" Chastity looked up at him with the tears still filling her beautiful eyes that now were clouded with sadness.
"Do you promise you'll wait for me? Will you wait until I'm old enough to leave my parents?"
"I'll wait for you forever, Chastity Claire…I love you." Niles leaned down and placed a soft, sweet kiss on her lips. "Now…no more tears…we don't want Sara's parents thinking we've been fighting…" Niles smiled.
Chastity wiped her tear streaked face with Niles' hanky. "Thank you, Niles, I love you too."
Roberta and Ernest Westerly were not as easy going as their daughter, but nowhere near as stuffy as Max or Chastity's parents. "You should all stay here. No sense in driving back to the country tonight." Sara's father suggested.
"Daddy, where will you put them…this isn't like our house." Sara asked as the thoughts ran through her head.
Ernest smirked at his little girl. "Don't you worry, Princess, I'll find somewhere for them…"
"Come on, Chas…" Sara started. "I'll show you my room while Daddy runs Niles and Max over the coals a few times."
"Sara…" Her mother laughed. "Your father will do no such thing."
"Right, Mom." Sara leaned up and kissed Max on the cheek. "Good luck, Max." Chastity gave Niles a similar send off and she and Sara headed up to Sara's room.
"Alright, Roberta, leave me to rake the boys over the coals." Ernest frowned sternly at Niles and Max.
"Oh, Ernie…" Roberta kissed him lightly. "You can be so childish."
"Boys…" Sara's father directed Niles and Max to the sofa. "I suppose you know what I'm about to ask you?"
Max and Niles exchanged glances. "Uhm…" Max swallowed. "No exactly, Sir."
"Well," Ernie sighed. "What I'd most like to know is…who you think will win the Dubai Shergar Cup at Ascot next week?"
Niles's eyes shot to the top of his head and Max frowned with confusion. "Uhm, I'm not sure I understand the question, Mr. Westerly." Max responded.
"I'll get this one Max." Niles smiled at his friend. "Well, Sir…as I understand…"
Sara and Chastity sat on Sara's bed. "What did Niles' mother really say, Chas? You seemed awfully upset.
"Oh Sara, it's nothing that I didn't already know I guess. Why do you think I've never told my mother I was seeing anyone here? She asked every time she called."
Sara shrugged. "I just figured you didn't want her to know."
"That's true, but there were reasons. If I'd told her I was seeing someone, she'd have a full list of questions to ask. Then if I answered even one, less than 'correctly'…she'd have been on the next plane to England." Chastity flopped back onto the bed. "My mother's a snob, Sara…I've never doubted it…the difference is…until this summer…it didn't really bother me."
"So…what changed?" Sara asked knowing full well the answer.
Chastity rolled over onto her stomach. "Me." Chastity dropped. "There's nothing but more of the same old life back in the states for me, Sara. I've had my cotillion so now BB will start inviting 'appropriate young men' to call on me. It's just so Victorian."
"What are you going to do?" Sara asked her friend. While Sara didn't really understand the difficulties that Chastity would face with her mother, she knew it wouldn't be easy. Her parents weren't the snobs that some of her friends parents were. Not to mention, Max is from a wealthy English family.
Chastity sighed. "I don't know, Sara…but I'll do whatever I have to…I love Niles."
"Well, we'd better go and rescue them from Daddy." Sara stood and pulled Chastity up from her bed.
The 'boys' were sitting in the living room right where the girls left them when they returned. "So…did Daddy give you a hard time?" Sara asked as she sat next to Max on the sofa. Chastity stood next to the chair were Niles sat.
"Well, he did ask some pretty tough questions…" Niles smirked at Sara.
Ernie chose that moment to breeze back into the room. "Niles…Max…I'll show you to your room so you can wash up for dinner." Ernie winked at the girls.
"Daddy, where are you taking them?" Sara watched as her father lead to boys to the stairs.
"I'm putting them in Uncle David's room…he won't be here tonight and it has twin beds…is that alright, Sara?" Ernie gave his daughter a look.
"That's a good idea, Daddy." Sara sank back into the sofa.
Chastity waited until her father and the 'boys' were well beyond ear shot. "What's the matter with you?"
"He's putting them in the room all the way at the end of the hall." Sara frowned.
"So?" Chastity didn't quite get the problem. "Where did you think he'd put them?"
"The den…there's a fold out." Sara answered. "It's down here."
Chastity shook her head. "I'm still not sure I understand, Sara."
"My parents bedroom is right between my room and Uncle David's room." Sara sighed.
Chastity's realized what Sara was getting at. "Oh."
That night after a lovely dinner, Sara's parents gave the 'children' a little space and excused themselves early. "Max…I'd like to show you the library…it has an extensive collection of original manuscripts." Sara stood and pulled Max out of the den leaving Niles and CC sitting on the sofa.
"Well, that couldn't have been more obvious." Chastity whispered to him.
Niles laughed lightly. "Would you like to sit on the front steps? I think it's a full moon tonight."
"Yeah…Let me tell Sara…" Chastity was gone and back almost before Niles was up from the sofa.
Niles frowned. "That was fast."
"Well…I don't think they really need to know…" Chastity smiled.
Niles shook his head. "Didn't take them long to get past the shyness stage did it?" Niles opened the front door for Chastity and then joined her on the top step.
"Beautiful." Chastity whispered as she looked up at the moon.
Niles couldn't pull his gaze from her face. "Beautiful…yes." Chastity felt his eyes on her and turned to face him.
"Niles…" Their eyes locked and he leaned in and brushed his lips softly to hers. When they hesitantly broke their kiss, Chastity dropped her head to his shoulder. "Niles…I wish I could just stay here."
"I know, Love." Niles tossed out, bringing Chastity's head up from his shoulder. "What?"
Chastity looked at him a little in shock. "What did you say?"
"I said, I know, Love." Niles frowned. "Are you alright?"
Chastity's smile lit up the night. "You've never called me that before."
"I'm sorry, I didn't think…" Niles misunderstood and Chastity's lips on his would hopefully correct that. She ran her tongue slowly across his lips begging him to allow her entrance. He did and she deepened their kiss. Her hand caressed his face and when she pulled away from him neither spoke for what seemed like an eternity.
"I liked it, Niles. I reminds me of your grandparents, and mine." Chastity gazed at him and imagined what her life could be like with him. Riding every day and taking walks in the garden behind her grandparent's house. She knew he'd have to work, as Maxwell's valet, whatever that was exactly, but still…they could be together. She tried to imagine what it might be like waking in his arms every morning, and kissing him as she fell asleep every night. Her smile softened just a bit.
Niles flashed his boyish grin. "Now…what's that smile about?"
"I was just thinking…" Chastity put her head back on his shoulder.
Niles kissed the top of her head. "What about?"
"Our lives together." Chastity sighed and Niles was glad that she couldn't see the concern for her that slipped across his face.
