Thanks for your reviews, guys. :) This chapter marks the half-way point of this story. I hope you're still enjoying this. Quicker updates come with your reviews! :)

Chapter 8:

Niles didn't go home for a while the night they had sex for the second time. That in itself wasn't all too surprising, Niles always found a way to prolong his stay at the restaurant to avoid having to return home and find Nora still awake. But on that particular night he was filled with such a sense of euphoria that he walked an extra round around their block before he eventually headed upstairs. The apartment lay still and quiet as always, only Evil Eye trotted lazily to the door to greet him.

"Hey buddy," he greeted him and bent down to pat his head.

The cat, clearly not used to friendliness from that particular owner drew away and flattened himself to the ground where he hissed angrily.

"You're in a bad mood today…" Niles laughed easily and took off his coat and shoes before walking into the living room.

There he poured himself some Whiskey and then turned around to his armchair but of course Evil Eye had sneaked in and claimed the place for himself. Niles took a sip of his drink and placed the glass down on the table by the armchair, before sweeping the cat up in his arms.

"You just want another cuddle." He sing-songed and rubbed his knuckles teasingly over the cat's head once more.

The little beast growled lowly before sinking its claws into his hands and jumped off his arms and onto the ground. Niles merely chuckled again and sat down to enjoy his drink. As he swirled the liquid around in his glass his thoughts drifted back to C.C. She was beautiful, he sighed, couldn't quite fathom how he hadn't fully appreciated it before. He loved the way her breathing quickened when he stood a little bit closer to her, how a sigh escaped her lips after the slightest caress of his hand. Maybe it was wrong but it felt nice getting some sort of response to his actions that wasn't a peck on the head or a squeeze of the hand. He shook his head and continued to empty his glass in small sips. There was more to him and C.C. Babcock, more than the sexual desire he had originally perceived. There was excitement and trust, a deeper unspoken understanding that he had never expected to receive from her of all people. He sighed and felt how his good mood evaporated. Nora doesn't deserve this. It was all well and good to be excited about his encounters with C.C., if it hadn't been for the tiny fact that he was a married man. He sighed again and rubbed his face. This encounter had been different, they had been different. Now if only he wasn't such a coward, if only he had proof that C.C. was experiencing the same…then what? He groaned and buried his face in his hands. Then he'd just leave his wife to live happily ever after with his former arch-enemy? It was ridiculous, the whole idea was preposterous and yet…He couldn't forget the way she had looked at him when he had presented her with the slice of cheesecake. The gratitude and vulnerability in her eyes at him overwhelming and certainly not something one saw every day with C.C. Babcock. He shook his head and stood up. There was no use going back and forth considering ridiculous fantasies and mad schemes. He walked to the bedroom where he stripped himself of all his clothes and crawled into bed with Nora. Her body once again reminded him of the situation he was in and he turned his back on her. Sooner or later he'd have to come to a decision concerning their relationship, the sooner the better, really, before he managed to hurt her even more.


The next morning he awoke to loud noises coming from the kitchen. He mumbled something grumpily and incoherently and then turned around and pushed his head underneath his pillow to block out the sound. When semi-quietness had enveloped him again he mentally went through his wife's schedule. What had he forgotten about? Ah yes, the dreaded Tupperware party. Of course Nora would be busy even more than usual, especially since she had been looking forward to this event for weeks. Niles sighed against his pillow and stretched until his toes curled against the cool sheets. It seemed as if another long working day loomed on the horizon, anything to make sure he wasn't back in time to attend any of the fun activities. Slowly he turned and slipped out of bed; arching his aching back and then putting on his robe proceeded to the kitchen.

"Excited, darling?" he mumbled into her ear and hugged her from behind.

"Yes, very." She smiled but her hands never stopped working.

"I can see that I'm not needed here right now." He teased gently and placed a kiss against her neck before stepping away.

The dishes cluttered noisily against each other when Nora turned quickly to face him. "You know that isn't true, love, I'm just trying to get everything finished in time for the party."

He smiled gently at her while inwardly releasing a sigh. "Of course I do know that." His arms circled around her waist again "I was just teasing you."

"Oh I'm so sorry," she laughed softly and leaned forward so that her forehead was lightly resting against his shoulder "I guess I'm just too stressed to realize."

"It's ok," he re-assured her and pecked her hair softly "just don't worry; your parties are always a success. I'm going to go and take a shower, alright?"

"Sure," she smiled and nodded "and when you return I'll have some breakfast ready for you."

Niles nodded and with one last glance at her disappeared into the bathroom. The tiles were cold beneath his feet and he hurriedly closed the small window that caused the whole room to be colder than he preferred. In passing he glanced at the mirror and noticed little red scratches across his shoulder blades. His body shuddered in a mixture of pleasure and guilt. He'd have to talk to C.C. about this…

By the time he returned, dressed in fresh clothes the whole kitchen resembled a battlefield. Cups, plates and pans were everywhere and several countertops were glistening with oil or had some kind of doughy mixture dripping from them. He chuckled mildly at his wife who was usually so organized and whose hair now looked more like a bird's nest.

"You know you're supposed to put that into the food," he commented softly and removed some of the dough from her hair.

"Yes, I know. I just had a mixing accident."

Niles nodded and offered to go to the store to buy some new ingredients for her, anything really to be out of the house.


C.C. Babcock was in hell, there was no doubt about it. After they had addressed her insecurities about being a good wife in their second meeting with Dr. Bort, the therapist had put her in touch with a colleague who regularly attended Tupperware parties. She had suggested that C.C. should get out of her business driven environment to see if such a calm and peaceful affair would be to her liking. C.C. had known from the beginning that she wouldn't really have a good time, but hadn't felt like having to explain herself again and had so agreed. Now she found herself squished somewhere between a girl in her twenties and an elderly lady who both smelled of lavender, a fact that made C.C. both concerned and slightly nauseous. The hostess though was a nice woman and quite pretty in C.C.'s eyes with her petite frame and dark hair. She was soft-spoken and polite if also a little bit too shy for C.C.'s liking. The party had been running for over an hour and several exciting tales had been swapped over the various items presented. Her thoughts had repeatedly drifted back to Nick who would probably have several jabs waiting for her when she returned. She wasn't exactly the household goddess and she was certain that the incident with the salad out of the bag would probably be brought up again. The party was nice, practically housewife heaven but nothing for C.C. or Nick for that matter. She knew that her insecurities regarding this topic came from her mother and her upbringing and not from her husband. He never expected a home-cooked meal or a wife who would go round cleaning the house every day. But still…a part of her wanted to give those things to him. Acting on a whim, she took out her cell phone to text him. But then she remembered that he was in a business meeting and that her complaints could wait until she was home. So instead she sent a text to the man who was listed right beneath her husband in her cell. Niles.

"I'm in hell."

It only took a moment before she received his response. "Where else would you be, Satan?"

She tried not to chuckle and pretended to pay attention to the next object that was presented. "I'm at a Tupperware party…"

"You have my sympathies."

She was just writing out her response when an uncharacteristic shriek from the hostess required her attention.

"Darling, you're already home." She smiled and went to greet a man who mumbled a reply. "Don't worry you can help us wrap up sales."

C.C. had trouble pinpointing all the emotions that went through her all at once when she recognized the man to be Niles. There was a sense of amusement that stemmed from their text exchange and knowing him to now be trapped as well, but it was a completely different hell to know now who the woman was he was betraying and to be stuck with her and him. She wanted to leave the place as quickly as possible, knew however, that it would only make her look suspicious. Niles seemed tired and distant, not at all the man she remembered meeting at their last few encounters. He greeted all the women politely and almost chuckled when he spotted her, but it also soon died as realization washed over him. The minutes became heavier and heavier as her desire to run only grew. She felt unable to sit still, felt watched, as if everybody in the room knew what they had been doing. But instead of letting the panic get the better of her she tried to focus on Niles. His white shirt had a light stain near the breast pocket, a possible spill while cleaning up; his face was as handsome and sharply cut as ever with a gentle stubble grazing his skin.

"I'm sorry, darling, I'm really tired. Mind if I just go and have a shower?" he asked after a while and Nora smiled happily.

"Of course not, go right ahead."

She watched him go without giving her a second glance and felt strangely abandoned. As much as she knew that he was just being careful, there was something that rubbed her the wrong way because he ignored her.

"Nora?" she called and stuck her hand in the air in a school-girl fashion "Is there maybe a toilet I could use?"

"Of course, dear," Nora nodded "down the hall and second door on the left."

"Thanks," C.C. smiled and stood up and walked down the corridor while smoothing down her skirt.

Once inside the toilet she leaned against the sink and flipped open her cell. "Are you really showering?"

It took him a very long time to reply and C.C. had started to fervently chew her lip, fearing that she had been abandoned altogether. Finally her phone beeped.

"Yes, just finished. Is the party still going?"

"Unfortunately…" she replied "I'm in the guest toilet, come and find me."

"I'm only in a towel…"

"Then put something on, Niles, I really don't care, I've seen you naked."

He didn't reply but a few moments later there was a sharp knock on the door. She opened it only wide enough for him to slip inside and then closed and locked it again.

"I can't believe you're here…" he whispered and she gave a little smile in return, her eyes too busy taking in his naked chest that was still glistening with beads of water.

Acting on a whim she pulled him closer by his towel and crushed her lips to his. He responded instantly as if set aflame by her actions and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her so tightly against him that she was certain there'd be water stains all over her skirt and blouse. But as quickly as the fear of discovery had come, the quicker it was abandoned when she felt his teeth lightly tugging on her bottom lip. She gave a sigh of consent that was accompanied by a delicious shudder of her body and parted her lips for him. His tongue first felt her lips, tasted them, before it ventured into her mouth to spar with her own. With her desire growing she gently dug her nails into his chest while whispering moans against his lips. Still holding her securely with one arm, he pulled his other back to gently withdraw her hand from his chest and intertwine their fingers. Then he slowed down their kiss to a soft exploration until they broke apart for air.

"I should go back…" she whispered and he nodded and smiled wordlessly and, placing a kiss in the corner of her mouth, he left.