Parallel Universes

By AllTheSnakes

Hi, people. I'd like to thank you for all the nice reviews. Even if I write to put some fantasies out of my mind, it's really great to see that other people are enjoying.

I intend on doing an epilogue for this story, because… well, I think we should see how things get to be.

Chapter 9: Look who's home!

CC opened her eyes just a little, the dizzyness quickly going away, and a sense of comfort and belonging absorving her.

She recognized the scent of her sheets: the scent that was hers and Niles'… It was like she was… home again?

Their bedroom was recognizable every morning, to her, but before this crazy experience – the last two mornings, when nothing at all was recognizable – she had never really paid much attention to details. In fact, her life seemed to be so easy, so right, that there was no sense in cherishing the little details that really made it what it was.

Now things were different: she had to live without it for some days, and she had decided to do anything to have her former life back.

Just feeling this scent, right now, even if it could be just a moment of her desilusional mind, was making wonders to her. She was even afraid of what she would see, when she really opened her eyes… because this dream-like trance, engulfed in the smell of her and Niles as a couple, as so wonderful…

'CC? Darling? Thank God you're finally awake!'

She fully opened her eyes now, and saw Niles coming in her direction, the phone in his hand.

Hope was taking the best of her: she recognized that way of looking at her, the open concern on his face, the longer hair, the elegant clothes, the sweet melody of his honey voice…

She decided to try it slowly, and made a sweet sleeping and confused face.'Niles…? What happened?'

He knelt by her side, his face very close to hers. 'I was going to call a doctor. We were having a kind of… argument, you walked to the bathroom door, freezed for a moment and then fell'. He took her hand with his left, the wedding ring shining for a moment, while the other caressed her hair. 'Don't you remember?'

Now she was sure: she was, definitively, back. Here he was, her husband, worried about her, taking care of her the way he always did – and she loved.

She had to seize the opportunity to put things back to normal, so she looked at him straight in the eyes, while answering. 'The last days were so confused… I was not thinking clearly… It was like I was not myself'.

'You mean… you were… sick?', his brown was furrowed with something between surprise and expectation.

'Don't look at me as I am a lunatic', she frowned at him, and had to contain a laugh when he tried to mask his feelings in something that was not a quite recognizable expression.

'No, darling, of course not… I just… not quite got it'.

She smiled at that way of saying things without being clear. He had the power to make her talk, with those invitations to clarify her side of things to him. 'I felt so strange…', she got out of his reach, in order to sit on the bed. 'I didn't exactly enjoy it, but it was like I had to live another life for some time… I had to act in unusual ways…'

'But… why?'

Niles had seated on the floor, by the side of their bed, and was just looking at her as a wounded puppy. CC didn't intend to give him a detailed explanation about the last two days, but he was worthy something very close to the truth. 'I had never noticed how these little things we share are part of my happiness. I always took all of these for granted, and suddenly I felt like I needed to know how it would be if I didn't have you. And you know what I discovered?', he just shook his head, and her throat was suddenly tight. 'I discovered I have the perfect you for me', she put her hands on the bed, a silent sign for him to take hers in his – what he did. 'I wouldn't have you any other way, baby. No matter what I say or do, no matter my crazy acts, you are the only one I need'.

'So…', his eyes shone with hope and some unshed tears, 'it's over?'

'What, baby?', she made space by her side, because he got up enough to sit on the bed, never letting her hands go.

He took the hands to his mouth and kissed them. 'The doubts'.

She smiled and let her own tears flow free. 'Yes, darling. It's over. I never doubted our love, but… I just thought that maybe things could get better… Now I can see how perfect we are for each other, and how wonderful we have been together'. She noticed his warm smile and sighed. 'I don't know if I'm being clear… we are not perfect, far from it; but we are perfect for each other… and that's what really matters, isn't it?'

She took his face in her hands and gave him a slow and passionate kiss, making him sure she was back, and for good.

When they separated for air, she noticed his slightly insecure face. She smiled sweetly.

'I have never felt so at home, baby'.

And then smiled wickedly. 'Show me how much you've missed me'.

Niles gulped, not founding his voice to answer, and just proceeded as he was told to do, taking off his shirt quickly and kissing her with new force.

He made her lay on the bed under his body, while he started to take off her clothes, giving her small kisses all the time; suddenly he stopped, looked her deep in the eyes and commanded, his voice possessive and betraying his earlier despair. 'Tell me you'll never do that again!'

'Never!', she answered quickly, grabbing him forcelly for another deep kiss.

He could feel by the heat of her gaze, by the rhythm of her tongue on his mouth, by the way she touched him, that he had his amazing wife back, and now life could go on, as if nothing strange had happened the last days.

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

Ncncncncnc

'Miss Babcock? Oh, witch, will you stop this? I'm in no mood for this kind of joke! Don't die on me, please! What will people think?'

It was Niles' voice, CC would recognize it in any place.

More than this, it was his scent all around her – a scent that was all Niles and some cleaning thing; the scent that made her know he was next to her without looking; the comforting scent of the man that carried her up the stairs every time she slept in the office, while working, or from too much drinking, in an investor's party.

The voice could be heard very close to her ears, and the strange movement she was feeling in her body indicated… that she was, in fact, being carried in his arms!

Maybe she was not dreaming; maybe it was him – her Niles. Maybe she was back to her own life.

His rambling went on.

'Can't you take a no for an answer? I should let you there, you know? No, I should have called the police once you started the strange approachings. I should have known you've gone crackers… But, no, stupid old Niles, I had to take you and make sure you're all right. Even knowing how wicked you can be, I had to let you get closer and use your charms…'

She concentrated: he had called her Miss Babcock, what was a good indication she was really back home. He kept talking to her, while he held her securely in his arms, her head resting on his left shoulder. In fact, he was not exactly talking to her, specially not in that condescending way the other Niles did; he was disapproving her behaviour, saying how wrong she was and how stupid he was for still caring.

It was her Niles!

Now he was putting her delicately on a bed. She dared to open her eyes.

It was the guestroom he always arranged for her to stay at the mansion.

He rested his hand softly on her forehead, as if he could sense her status by doing it. His eyes quickly noticed the movement of her lashes and, seeing her eyes open, he swiftly took his hand away, as if she could burn him.

Even trying not to show his worry about her, it was easy to see the relief on his face. 'Thank God you're finally awake!', he had now his hand on his chest, and his eyes searched hers, as if he had to know how she was feeling, now, just by distance.

She felt a strange pain in her heart when she noticed, for the first time, how much he cared, and the imense effort he had to make to hide it.

In her mind, she was suddenly aware of the absurdity of it all: there was a guy that she saw almost every day of the last fifteen years; he seemed to be around to tend to every need she had – even if she declared how disgusted she was for being served by him; and yet, she had obliged him, all of this time, to pretend he didn't care for her… so she would not crush his feelings under her total lack of warmth…

Weeell… wasn't it the stupidest thing ever?

She noticed he was looking at her, painfully unsure of what to do. She didn't answer him, so he didn't know how to proceed.

CC made a confused and just a little wary face. 'Niles… What happened?'

'You should tell me, witch!', was his quick answer, showing all the relief he was feeling, for she had articulated a rational sentence.

She frowned and, just a second after, he was kneeling by her side, his face at a respectable distance from hers, but enough to look her straight into the eyes. 'Are you in pain? Do you want me to call a doctor?'

He was very worried, and she decided to make things clear – old style. 'Do I have to spell it for you, Tidy Bowl Man? I asked what-the-hell-happened'.

His eyes were wide for some moments, and then he gave her the sweetest smile she had ever received from this Niles. 'You're back!', he murmured, with tenderness, forgetting how sick she seemed, a moment ago, and focused on how normal her answers were sounding, now.

More normal than he had heard from her in the last two days!

She could never be hard on him, seeing his happiness for seeing her again. So, she sit on the bed. 'You mean… you noticed I was strange, didn't you?'

'It was not very difficult', he answered, his hands joined before him, his usual professional pose almost kicking in. 'You were all sweet and understanding… and didn't sound fake at all while doing this'.

She made a yuck face, and he laughed.

After a beat, he asked, seeming tense. 'Don't you… remember anything?'

She shruged. 'In fact, it is all a blur'. She pretended to be suspectful, just to put the well-known façade. 'Have you put some drug in my coffee?'

'I wouldn't stoop so low', he played along, knowing very well this was a game – a very important one, because it was the one that would stablish that things were back to normal with her.

'Sorry, I just thought it became you'.

'It's more like you to drug yourself just to make me seem responsible'.

'I would never trust you with any responsability'.

'Touché'.

They smiled at one another, eyes burning eyes.

The game was over, and both were winners.

Niles blushed and looked at his joined hands; CC kept looking at him, as if she hadn't seen him for days.

'I'm glad you feel like yourself again', he murmured, without daring to face her.

'Me too', she sweetly answered, and for one single instant, their eyes met again. Niles cleared his throat. 'So… you don't remember anything? Really?'. He suddenly found the sheets very entertaining.

She smiled wickedly. 'It seems important. Is there anything I should know?'

He faced her, but the look was deer in the headlights. 'Well.. you… you won't believe'.

'Try me'.

'You… was kinda… sorta… nice to me'.

'You're joking!'

'I'm not!', now he was facing her openly, showing his sincerity.

'And how did you feel about it?'

That was the last question both were expecting.

CC realized she was ready to care for his feelings – or at least let him show them to her.

Niles realized she was really interested in knowing – it was not just a sick mind game, he was sure.

He decided to answer her with his heart open. 'It felt strange. It was too different from what we do every day, and made me feel like I didn't belong'.

'If I didn't know you better I would say you prefer me than this other CC you had around for the last days'.

'You know me very well, Babs. I wouldn't accept an exchange of you for an out of nowhere sweeter version of you. It's not how we are, and it's not what I have learned to… relish about you'.

He blushed deeply, and she couldn't stop her happy grin.

'I see you're a BB not just for Butler Boy, but for Bold and Brave, too', her gaze was hot on him. 'Bold for telling me these things, and brave for prefering the heartless me over that softened version'.

'I hope you're not misunderstading me', he answered, looking her in the eye and having the appearance of a man that is facing a terrible challenge, but decided to face it no matter what. 'I'd like you to be more perceptive of me as a person; I just didn't quite got the way it happened. I don't believe in things we don't work hard for'.

'I like it the hard way, too'.

There was a wave of comprehension that seemed like electricity washing over both of them. Their gazes met and they never had to say anything: both knew they shared an unique way of communicating, and that this thing between them was beyond words.

'It's always like this… isn't it?', she asked, very serious, and she knew that he knew she was refering to their silent understandings.

'Yes', he answered, in the same tone. 'It's always exactly like this'. His voice was very secure, now. 'And that's how I knew you were not quite yourself, and that I had to wait for you'.

CC was silent at that. Nothing could sound so right.

And she made the decision. 'Let's see to it, then', CC said, with a sweet smile. 'I promise I'll pay more attention'.

Niles remanined silent, just smiling in adoration at her.

And then her smile turned into a wicked grin. 'Is it the right way, Butler Boy, or will I have to draw it to you?', and she gave that throaty laugh of hers.

He was silent for some moments, not believing his ears, yet – it was just too wonderful to be true.

But then realization hit him hard: it was exactly what he was waiting for, since this crazy thing started; the CC he really wanted, the one he had learned to love, the one he didn't see for the last two days… but now was back, full force.

'Don't worry, witch. I've been paying attention already. I'll know what to do. And I'm sure you will, too'.

'Do you trust me to?'

'Always have. I was just waiting for you to look at me the right way'.

'Like this?', she asked again, trying har not to giggle.

'Yes. Exactly like this', he grinned.

He got up from his knees, and went slowly to the door. 'I think we had enough for today. See you in the morning?'

'You better'.

He walked to the door and opened it, still, smiling at her. 'Missed you, Babcock'.

'Me too', she waved at him. 'And now, go. I'll call you if I need anything, even if it's just to annoy you'.

'I know'.

And with that he closed the door after him.

Niles could barely believe she was back – his heart seemed ready to explode.

This woman that waved at him smiling was his CC, and he knew her enough to read her as an open book. Her crazy acts were just what he needed in a daily basis, and she was back to give it to him, and probably more, now that she had discovered he wanted her the way she was.

And that he would never have her any other way.