A/N: Thank you so much to ladybrin, lynnylou31, LongVodka, and AliceCullenSisters for reviewing. Especially to LongVodka for all the ideas...this chapter could not have been completed with you. So here's Noel, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Read, love, and review.

My big brother, Noel, was my best friend as my child. We would pull pranks on D.D., my older sister. Every year, he would take me to the horse show. We would sit in the stands in wonder as we watched the majestic creatures prance about. I knew if I ever needed anything, my big brother would be there. He could always make me laugh with "mummy died" jokes or tickling me till I felt like I couldn't breathe. Even when I first met Niles, I felt like a kid again and something about the butler reminded me of my brother. In fact, I was definately sure the two men would get along if not become best friends.

No one could imagine my delight when my brother called and announced he was coming to New York City to visit me. I wasn't even sure when I saw my brother last, so I was very excited to see him again. However, my brother isn't the type to come visit his baby sister on a whim. I couldn't help wondering what, exactly, was his motive for walking on to the Sheffield doorstep. I decided to wait in the livingroom for him that afternoon. "It's twelve thirty," Maxwell said looking at an old photograph on the shelf above the fire place. "Where's this brother of yours?" Clearly, I didn't know because I was eagerly awaiting his arrival. Luckily, Niles decided to clean the living room; thus, he was waitingwith me. Then you began asking me whether my brother was short, married, and ugly. I would have lied to you, but you aren't my brother's type so I had nothing to worry about. Hell, I was glad I could brag about him.

Once I heard the doorbell ring, I knew my brother had arrived. Niles raced to open the door as I placed the silver platter down on the table in the living room. "C.C." I heard my brother say as he walked through the door. He was wearing black pants and vest with a grey jacket. I couldn't remember the last time I saw him so happy before that visit. The last time I saw him was almost nine years before that, and he was much thinner and paler with rings under his eyes.

After our bizzare handshake and proof of strength, he commented that I had worked out. He handed me a small packet and I sniffed it warily. "I smell Lady Stinson," I said hiding my emotion and interest, "mummy gave you this." Although Noel was never partial to either of our parents, I had no idea if he knew about my fight with our mother or if my father had told him anything.

"She gave you the Beamer," he retorted almost defensively.

"She gave you the Benz."

"C.C." he said calmly and in grave seriousness, "mummy died yesterday." I gasped placing my hands on my hips. If she died, all my problems would be sold. Of course, I wouldn't wish death upon a person, but it would make things easier in my case. I would be left with nothing, but that didn't matter. I would gain the freedom that my relationship needed.

"What'd you get?"

"Gotcha'!"

"I walked right into that one," I said chuckling. I noticed Niles and Maxwell were looking at us as if we were crazy. To relieve their confusion, I explained, "He used to keep me in stitches with the 'mummy died' stuffed." I looked over at Niles, who was smiling. Either he was pleased to see me so happy to be with my brother, or he appreciated having someone else teasing me.

He didn't reveal why he came to visit me until after you got on Jeopardy. We went to lunch at a tiny cafe with a patio. We sat outside under the shade as the warmth of the sun beamed upon the Earth. "So Noel," I said coolly taking a sip of water, "what brings you here? I'm going to guess you didn't come to put the nanny on a game show." He chucked as he looked at a woman with mousey brown hair pushed through the crowded New York City sidewalk. My brother released a heavy sigh as she scurried by.

"I heard about your falling out with mummy," he responded nonchalantly. "We've actually been forbidden to talk about you in her house; naturally, I talked to our dad about everything, and he explained everything." His deep blue eyes showed no sign of anger or sympathy, but he wasn't the type to take sides. The neutrality in his facial features was reassuring. I knew he understood what I was going through, and he wasn't going to judge me.

"What else?" I asked crossing my legs and straightening my posture as if I was closing a backer. He was obviously on a mission but what was unclear. All I knew was that involved Niles and me. Luckily, he talked to both parents so he would follow orders from whichever parent had my best interests at heart.

"Well," Noel began trying to avoid speaking like his teaching at the university, "Mummy sent me to talk some sense into you, but I came to see how you were doing. I'm sure she has been trying to make your life a living hell."

I nodded in understanding although I was sure he came to see if Niles was actually good for me. "What did mummy say?" I asked coolly. I knew whatever my mother told my siblings wasn't pleasant, but I was curious to see what crap she was feeding to my brother and sister.

"Nothing unexpected," Noel answered. I arched my eyebrow and leaned back in my chair, beckoning him to continue. He finally said, "She called him a 'filthy domestic', and you were a disgrace to the Babcock name." His tone was solemn as if he was speaking at a funeral. I should have known that she was going to try to get my family on her side. She never had much power over my decisions so she was going to send my family to do her dirty work. Luckily, Noel wasn't that kind of man.

Finally the waiter brought our food. He placed a plate of Ceasar salad in front of me and a plate with a turkey sandwich in front of Noel. The waiter said, "Enjoy your food and get me if you need anything." He turned on his heel before walking back into the cold, air-conditioned building.

I stabbed a piece of Romaine lettuce with my fork before placing it in my mouth. "Are you surprised I went against her?" I asked quietly. If I had asked D.D. my older sister, she would have given me a lecture on why we should listen and obey our parents; however, Noel would honestly give me his opinion.

"Not really," he responded, "You've always followed your own set of rules." He wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin and grinned. He took a long sip of coffee before placing it back on the white circular table. "You've always been the brave one and most independent," he explained with a smirk. No one, in my family, are particularly good at expressing our emotions. His announcement of admiration caught me off guard, but I wondered why he was so proud of me.

Noel stared blankly at his half-eaten sandwich then back at me. "You became a professor, and mummy was livid about that," I pointed out. I noticed his slight scowl as if being a professor wasn't enough. There was something else going on. "What aren't you telling me?" I asked, rather demanded, earning a small broken smile from my brother.

"Okay," he said almost nervously as I ate more of my salad, "About nine years ago, I met this really nice woman at a diner near the University. She was an alumna of North Western. Let me tell you, she was gorgeous. She had long mousey brown hair and electric blue eyes. After a couple visits to the diner, I gathered the nerve to ask her out. A relationship quickly progressed between us, and I finally got the nerve to introduce them to D.D. and my mother. Needless to say, my mother did not approve of the waitress. She said I shouldn't be dating a woman not in our class. She threatened to destroy my research and disown me. I was resilient until she threatened my colleagues. I broke up with the woman, and I regret the decision every day of my life."

"Oh Noel," I said placing a hand over my heart. "I'm so incredibly sorry." He took a bite of my sandwich and nodded thoughtfully. I wished my family was more emotionally open. Noel and I could have been a team. We could have supported one another. I hated that he couldn't be with the woman he loved, and it was all my mother's fault.

"It's not your fault."

"Why do you think class differences matter to her so much?"

We looked at one another. Both of our eyes were wide from our discovery. Class differences never bothered our father so it was obviously a personal issue. We had to figure out why it bothered our mother so much. We paid for our food before we hailed a taxi. We got to my apartment and he sat down on the black leather couch. I grabbed my phone off my glass coffee table and dialed the Sheffield's number.

"Hello, Sheffield residence," Niles's rich baritone voice answered.

"Niles, it's me," I said placing urgency in my voice, "Can you come over now?" I imagined my boyfriend crinkling his nose or nervously looking around. I knew he was supposed to be working, but we were on a verge of a breakthrough.

"Sure, give me twenty minutes," he answered. I assumed he either told Maxwell he was going to the store for ingredients for dinner or asking you to cover for him.

Twenty minutes later, he was at my doorstep. I opened the door and pulled him inside. "Don't worry, he's a good Babcock," I reassuringly told Niles. He left a chaste kiss on my cheek and sat down on the couch beside my brother.

"What's going on?" Niles asked. My brother and I told him about our sudden epithany about our dear mother. He listened intently as we explained on how it was a personal issue. We supposed her bias came from an ex-lover, but we weren't certain. At the end of our explanation, Niles quietly looked at us. " So how do we melt the Wicked Witch of the West?" he asked. He was ready for action which made my heart soar.

"Well, she hasn't disowned me yet," Niles replied, "so I could get her to tell me stories of her golden years."

"And maybe Daddy would know something," I said eagerly. Once we found out Mummy's secret, we could use the information to destroy her or make her come to her senses.

"Why didn't we think of this sooner?" I asked my voice full of hope and redemption. I would be so incredibly pleased if we could get our mother to let go of her prejudices. We could have a nice wedding with all our family and friends. We could go vacationing in the Hamptons with my family, and we could have some well-deserved normalcy,

Noel leaned back on the sofa and chuckled. "You know, I have no idea," he answered. We spent the rest of the afternoon getting my brother and boyfriend acquainted. Of course, they spent most of the time making fun of me then coming to my rescue. I could tell they had developed a fine friendship.

Niles looked at his watch and said, "I should probably get back."

"Underwear to wash?" I asked with a smirk. He stood up and kissed me lightly on the cheek before he walked to the door with a satisfied grin on his face.

"Wait!" Noel called as Niles opened the front door. "You two should come over for Christmas. The whole family is getting together. It might be fun." What he really meant by fun is chaos in the most unrefined sense of the word. Niles merely nodded before leaving the apartment.

Fran smiled as she remembered C.C.'s brother. The blonde woman was so lucky to have such a wonderful, kind family. "So did you go over for Christmas?" the brunette asked assuming that would be the next aspect of their love story.

"Yes, but there was more that happened before we went over," C.C. replied as she remembered how well her brother and her boyfriend got along. She only wished the more of her family was more like Noel and her father.