AN: I am sooo sorry that I couldn't update sooner. Things have been really crazy lately. So to make up for it, here is a longer chapter that I had a lot of fun writing. Just a quick question. I was planning on keeping Burns like a Fire a oneshot but would you readers like to see one more chapter to wrap things up? Please let me know because I am starting to consider it now that things are starting to settle down again. Well on with the show! Enjoy!
Friday didn't seem to come fast enough for the Sheffield's and yet time seemed to fly by for CC who was beginning to get nervous about keeping Grace by herself for the whole weekend. It wasn't like she was going to be under the watchful eye of the nosy butler. She was going to be at her penthouse alone with a toddler for the whole entire weekend without anyone telling her when the child needed to be fed or put down for a nap. It was damn terrifying if she actually sat down to think about it.
At the moment however, CC was zipping around her penthouse making sure that everything was in order. There were little covers on all of the outlets. Anything small enough to be put in a child's mouth was out of reach. The gate was up around the fire place, the windows were locked, and her fridge was stocked. It was an odd sight to see in the CC Babcock home. The liquor bottles were out of sight right now she wished she could just take a drink to calm her raging nerves.
As soon as Sara stepped into CC's penthouse with Grace in her arms, Grace wiggled with all of her might to break free from Sara's grasp. Giving in to the young one's demands, she set the toddler on floor. Grace who was smart as a whip already as well as every bit as stubborn and motivated as both of her biological parents, already had a plan and wasn't going to stop until she got what she wanted.
This goal just happened to be to see CC. So she ran as fast as her chubby little legs would let her until she smacked right into CC's shins and wrapped her arms around one of CC's legs. CC shot a look at Sara to judge her reaction because Grace had never shown her such affection when anyone else was around.
"Looks like someone missed you this afternoon, Cee-"Sara said with a chuckle. "Hopefully she will start to settle down and be in a better mood for you. She has been rather feisty all afternoon."
CC who still had Grace pulling on her leg, bent down to pick up the anxious toddler before nodding to Sara, silently inviting her to take a seat on the couch.
"She seems just fine now, don't you Gracie?" CC said as she lightly bounced Grace on her knee causing an eruption of giggles from the precious little girl.
"I packed all of her things and she already had dinner. The doorman should be bringing them up shortly. I put a list of phone numbers in her bag should you need to reach us." Sara said almost forgetting that she was letting the child spend the weekend with her actual mother.
"We will be fine, Sara." CC claimed as she mustered up her confidence so she could sound like she actually had it all together.
"But should anything go wrong, you will need to be able to get in contact with Maxwell and myself."
"Where is Maxwell anyways? You would think that he would want to say goodbye to this little cutie?" CC asked as Grace played with her fingers and forced CC to clap her hands before giggling again.
Sara had to momentarily look away. Sure Maxwell was up to helping their friends but he wasn't completely thrilled about how they were going about this. He thought that if CC was willing to be involved in Grace's life more then she should be told the truth sooner rather than later.
"Oh you know Max. He wanted to double check some things at the theater." Sara said with a sigh trying not to make eye contact with CC.
"Hmmmf." CC huffed.
"I wanted to tell you, Cee, Niles is going to stay at the mansion this weekend if you need a break from baby duty."
"You don't think I can really do this, do you Sara Catherine?"
"Of course I do Chastity Claire. It's just that this is the first time you are keeping her overnight let alone for the whole weekend."
"If you had any doubts about me doing this then you shouldn't have offered to let her stay here. We will be fine, I promise you. Now shouldn't you be going? You don't want to keep Maxwell waiting." CC said slightly irritated that her best friend doubted her. Although it did make her feel a tad bit better when Grace fought Sara when she tried to take her out of CC's arms to say goodbye.
Once Sara left and the doorman brought in Grace's things, CC put in Grace's favorite movie and sat with her on the couch.
"See this isn't so bad, is it Gracie?"
"No!" Gracie said with a giggle in which CC tickled her some more to keep her laughing.
The little girl settled herself into CC's lap and leaned back against CC's chest. CC responded by pulling the blanket from the back of the couch and wrapping it around the two of them.
A few hours later after a cartoon movie, a quick snack and a sippy cup filled with chocolate milk, CC found herself filling up the bathtub while Grace sat on the carpet in the bathroom. It was obvious that Grace loved the extra attention that CC was giving her because she wouldn't leave CC's side the whole night.
Once she had Grace in the tub, she said "Alright go easy on me, kid, this is the first time at giving a kid a bath."
Grace just laughed and played with the who was kneeling beside the tub reached beside her and grabbed the little duck and pushed it to Grace. "Fuck!" Grace said. CC's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she heard the swear word come out of the toddler's mouth.
"That's duck, Grace. Can you say duck?"
"Fuck!"
"No, it's a duck"
"Duck?"
"Yes, it is a ducky. Do you know what a ducky says?"
"Quack, Quack."
"Very good."
It didn't take long before Grace began to get sleepy so CC lifted her out of the tub for proceeding to change her into her pajamas. The original plan was for Grace to sleep in her playpen which was set up in the guest room but CC just felt wrong about leaving the two year ld in an unfamiliar room by herself so she carried Grace on her hip into the guest room and with her free hand she pushed the playpen out into the hallway and into the master suite.
Grace however had other plans when it came to bedtime. Whenever CC tried to put her into the playpen she whimpered and fussed and clung tighter to CC which made CC feel horrible because it was obvious that the child was exhausted. Figuring that a little more time wouldn't hurt she took Grace over to her own bed where she crawled in with her.
Within just a few minutes, Grace was fast asleep curled right up into CC's side. As exhausting as the evening was for CC, she wrapped her arms around the little one before breathing in the scent of the baby shampoo and closing her eyes.
The Sheffield Mansion- Saturday Morning
Niles was awake bright and early like he normally was except this morning he didn't have any plans. He didn't have to make a big breakfast or clean or wait hand and foot on someone. Deciding to take a walk through the park, he laced up his shoes and made his way to the front door. He was cut off by the phone ringing.
"Sheffield residence. This is Niles speaking."
"Well, hello there son." The voice said.
"Stuart, it is good to hear from you. How is everything on your front?"
"Things are well here. I was just calling to see how my two lovely girls are and since neither really understands what is going on, I figured I would check in with you."
"She still doesn't remember but things are looking up I suppose."
"Oh really? What has changed since the last time I spoke with you?"
"They have been spending time together-CC and Grace. She has been taking time out of her day to spend time with our child. I guess it started after Grace's last birthday but they spend a little time together each day. And Grace is so fond of her. Sara told about how attached they both are to each other."
"That is spectacular, son, it really is."
"Grace is changing her again. I had to hope that something like this would happen and now Grace is spending the whole weekend with her since Mr. and Mrs. Sheffield are out of town."
"The whole weekend, you say? Well isn't that something. I told you that she would come around eventually."
"If only she would have that same kind of connection toward me."Niles sighed, missing his wife and his best friend.
"But she does, dear boy, she does. She talks about you every time I speak with her. Sure she is just telling me about how you make her miserable and all of the pranks you play on her but she doesn't shut up about you. Just keep doing what you are doing and eventually she will come around. I promise you."
"Thank you, sir."
"You don't believe me, do you?"
"I just miss her. I miss CC, the CC that I used to know. The one that didn't mind that I was a butler and the one that I could joke around with, without have to prank in the process."
"I know it isn't easy on you but things will get better."
"I really hope so."
"Do you have plans for this weekend then?"
"Not particularly, no."
"You should stop and visit with my daughter and granddaughter. Maybe she will surprise you."
"I doubt it. The transformation won't happen overnight, sir."
"It won't hurt to try now, will it boy?"
"I suppose not."
"Let me know how things turn out. I will be in touch."
"Yes sir."
"She will come around Niles. Just give her some more time."
And with that the phone went dead and Niles was left speechless.
Around ten o'clock Grace was changed, dressed, fed and ready to start her day. While CC flipped through the morning newspaper, Grace sat on the floor playing with her blocks. It wasn't ten minutes later when there was a knock at the door. CC got up and looked through the peep hole with Grace clinging to the back of her legs.
Seeing that it was Niles on the other side of her door, CC opened the door.
"What are you doing here, Lemon Pledge? Sara put you up to this, didn't she? Ugh I can't believe her. Grace and I are just fine so you can leave."
"Miss Babcock, wait! Mrs. Sheffield did not put me up to this. I am here on my own free will although I am sure that I will regret it later."
She opened the door a little wider and when he bent down Grace ran into his out stretched arms. He stood up and followed CC who guided him inside.
"So what are you doing here then?"
"Can't it just be that I missed this precious little one? This was supposed to be my weekend with her you know."
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were looking forward to it that much. I could have just let her stay another weekend."
"It's fine, really. I just wanted to see her for a bit."
"Oh ok. I should actually clean up the kitchen a bit. We had a little too much fun with breakfast." CC stepped out of the living room and into her kitchen before leaning against the counter and closing her eyes.
She didn't realize that Niles had followed her. "I was actually on my way to the park before I stopped here. I was thinking that maybe we could take her out for a walk through the park."
"You want me to go with you? What is with you today, dust buster? Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm just fine. I just thought that since it would probably be impossible to get her out of here without you, that maybe you would like to go with us."
"I don't even have her stroller."
"No need to worry Cruella, I brought the town car and the stroller is in the trunk?"
"You figured that I would give into this didn't you?"
"It's a nice day. What can I say?" He flashed his sly grin and he caught CC's eyes with his own.
"Give me a few minutes to change and get ready."
"More like an hour."
"That's not a good way to get a woman to go anywhere with you, Niles?"
"Well it is a good thing that I am not going with a woman now isn't it, Babs?"
"Very funny, Niles."
A little while later, Niles and CC were walking through the park with Niles pushing the dark blonde, blue eyed toddler in the stroller. After walking a little bit, CC spoke up "You know, Maxwell didn't even come with Sara to drop her off."
"It honestly doesn't shock me all that much Babs."
"Come to think of it, I don't think I have ever seen him treat her the same way he treats the other children. I wonder why that is?"
"He wasn't all too thrilled to have a third child."
"But even so, he shouldn't treat her any different from the other children. She doesn't deserve to be treated like that. There is even a difference in the way Sara treats her compared to the other two. Gracie is too sweet and too young to have to deal with that."
Niles realized that CC was comparing Grace to her own childhood. He had heard often from both CC and her father about how they wished that time had been different for the both of them.
"That's why I spend so much time with her, Brunette."
"It wasn't why I started spending time with her but it is making me want to spend even more time with her."
They kept walking and passed several people coming the opposite way. One older lady stopped them as they were walking.
"Oh what a beautiful child! She is just absolutely precious. She is going to be an absolute heartbreaker one day. But with good looking parents like the two of you, how could she not be!"
Niles' eyes just about popped out of his head as he tried to keep his cool. He was even more surprised when CC responded with "Thank you. She most definitely takes after her daddy here."
His heart was pounding so hard and he had tears in his eyes. This was how it should be. This should be his routine on Saturdays except he should be waking up next to her instead across the city. They bid there farewells with the older woman and kept walking.
"Niles?"
"Yes, Miss Babcock?"
"Can I ask you a personal question?"
"Of course, Miss Babcock."
"Did you ever want this? A child of your own? A family?"
She really hit the nail on the head with that one. "Well yes, of course."
"What is stopping you?"
"Besides my station in life? My one bedroom in a mansion owned by my employer who I practically took care of my whole life?"
"Seriously Niles, all of that aside. I am sure you have had your opportunities."
"I did. Once."
"What happened?" Niles looks at her with a vulnerable look weary if he should actually tell her. "I won't use it against you, I promise."
Finally he gave in. "I met a woman. A fantastic woman really. She changed me. She was amazing. Even talked about having children one day."
"What happened to her?"
"There was an accident. She lived but things were different after that. We fought a lot and it didn't work out between the two of us."
"I'm sorry, Niles. Do you still think about her?"
"Every day." They were silent after that for a while. "We should probably get the little one back in time to take her nap." Niles said and they made their way back to the car.
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