Parallel Universes

Chapter 10: Epilogue

Sorry, there's no excuse for this delay but real life trying to mess with my head…

Well, here it is the epilogue I promise.

Niles entered the penthouse and smiled to himself – his wife was listening to that song again.

He knew that, every time she did this, she was immensely happy, and soon would share the reason of her joy with him.

He threw his coat and briefcase on the sofa and went to see her.

She was in their bedroom, brushing her hair and singing passionately:

Tell me lawyer

What to do

I think I'm falling

In love with you

Defend me

From the way I feel

She saw him by the door, grinning at her, and made her best Tina Turner's sexy stare, putting a leg on the bed to show one of her best atributes.

I confess I'm a fool for man

With a clever mind

But your intellect ain't no match

For this heart of mine…

He went to his wife to embrace her. 'If I didn't know you, I would say you're trying to seduce me by flattering me'.

She kissed him and answered, smiling. 'Never, darling. I'm just trying to distract you so I can have my ways'.

'Well, you can just tell me what you want, and maybe I'll agree with it. You know, I'm not that difficult of a person…'

'Oh, but I am'.

They laughed together, but soon both sobered. 'I decided that I want to go ahead, Niles'.

'Go ahead? With what?'

'With a complete life of our own. With children'.

She could feel him tensing for a second, his blue eyes set on hers. 'Are you sure?'

'Yes, I am sure. I never thought about it with such a force, but… that experience I had…'

'The one where you acted as if you were not yourself…'

'That one. It made me realize that I don't want you to change, because I love you exactly by what you are – confident, brilliant, somewhat egotistical, stubborn…'

'Hey!'

'You know what I mean!'

'All right. And the point of this declaration is that…?'

'The point is that I know that we can make it right. We can raise a child finely, because we can deal with each other's differences'.

He smiled at her. 'I must say I'm pleased to hear that'.

'It's a very serious decision, Niles, and I need to know if you really are into it'.

He made a very grave face at that. 'CC, I… have been waiting for some time for you to realize you can stand up to me whenever you wish… I never took offense or felt really bad when we disagree… And I was always sure that we could make wonderful parents, but I wanted to wait until the conditions were perfect…'

'It would be never a better moment, Niles'.

'I know. And I'm happy that now you know it, too'. He smiled and kissed her tenderly. 'Wanna start right now?'

'No way, Mister!', she put her hands on his chest. 'You'll make me dinner, first'.

'Aye, aye, Sir', he answered, making a military salute. 'I'll get started', and soon he was out of the room, grinning madly.

CC stayed, looking at the mirror for some moments more. She wished her counterpart was having success in her life. If their realities were in any way parallel, any good thing she did here would reflect there, and all that she wanted was to know that she was, no matter where, was happy.

Ncncncncnc

Niles entered the solarium of the mansion with a smile, seeing Babcock humming a song he couldn't quite recognize, while shuffling though some contracts.

He stopped at the door of the office, smiling at her relaxed posture, and trying to figure out the song. Finally, the humming became lyrics:

Been beat up and battered round
Been sent up, and Ive been shot down
Youre the best thing that Ive ever found
Handle me with care

He nodded emphatically when she looked at him, what made her frown playfully; he smirked and she grinned in response, singing pointedly at him:

Reputations changeable
Situations tolerable
Baby, you're adorable
Handle me with care

She lowered her eyes; Niles noticed she seemed almost shy.

'Do you know how the lyrics…?'

'Yes, I do. Want me to sing it to you?'

She looked at him with lowered lashes. 'I would appreciate'.

And he did, in a soothing voice, as if they were sharing a secret:

I'm so tired of being lonely
I still have some love to give
Wont you show me that you really care?

Both smiled sweetly, CC felt a flush on her cheeks and passed by him, entering the office to organize some papers that were already neatly organized on the desk.

'You have a great voice, Butler Boy', she said, sweetly but without making eye contact.

He turned to her, following her moves and understanding the propose of each one of them. 'If I didn't know you, I would say you're trying to distract me, by flattering me'.

She answered smiling. 'Never, Butler Boy. I'm trying to charm you so I can have my ways'.

'Well, you can just tell me what you want, and maybe I'll agree with it. You know, I'm not that difficult of a person…'

'Oh, but I am', and she gave one of her throaty laughs.

He grinned, looking at her with real fascination, and when they locked stares, it was clear how both were happy for their improved relationship.

'I decided that I want to go ahead, Niles', she blurted out.

'Go ahead? With what?', he tried to sound more open than confused.

'With my plans of being more of a human being'.

She saw him tensing for a second, his blue eyes set on hers. 'Are you sure? I mean, you have built this persona for such a long time…'

'I never thought about it before, but… That experience I had…'

'The one where you acted as if you were not yourself…'

'That one. It made me realize that I can have a lot more, if I accept some… things'. She was suddenly shy again, but were brave enough to keep looking at him in the eye. 'It will not be easy, and these weeks when we are being closer are showing me that I want more, but I still can't decide how exactly to do it without changing what I am… well, it's confusing, and maybe I'm not prepared to discuss it yet', and she went back to the papers that didn't need to be organized at all.

'Miss Babcock…'

'Yes?'

'I had some insights, too, thanks to your… odd experience'. He breathed deeply and started to talk with all the sweetness he could muster. 'It made me realize that I don't want you to change, because I admire you exactly by what you are – confident, brilliant, somewhat egotistical, stubborn…'

'Hey!'. It worked: she was grinning, looking at him again.

'You know what I mean. You're a whole package, and I learned to… appreciate that'.

'Why, thank you. And the point of this declaration is that…?'

'The point is that I know that we can make it right. We can build a relationship finely, because we can deal with each other's differences. We've been doing it for a while, in fact, even if we just acknowledged it recently'.

She smiled at her. 'I must say I'm pleased to hear that'.

'But giving a step forward, in our case, is a very serious decision, Miss Babcock, and I would really like to know if you really are into it'.

She made a very grave face at that. 'Niles, I… have been waiting for some time for you to realize you can stand up to me whenever you wish… I never took offense or felt really bad when we disagree, once I realized how complete we are together… And I was always sure that we could make wonderful partners, but I wanted to wait until the conditions were perfect…'

'It would never be a better moment'.

'Wanna start right now?'

'No way, Sir!', he said, forcing himself to give a step back. 'We're alone in the mansion. So, I'll make you dinner, first, woo you properly, and then we'll see where this leads'.

'I understand. It is, in fact, what I expected of you', she answered, nodding at him approvingly.

'I'll get started', and soon he was out of the room, grinning madly.

CC stayed, looking at her reflection on the glass doors.

She wished her counterpart was having success in her life. If their realities were in any way parallel, any good thing she did here would reflect there, and all that she wanted was to know that she was happy.

Because the happiness of a CC Babcock, no matter where she was, had to be top priority in a fair world.

The End