When C.C. exited the bathroom she noticed Niles was nowhere to be found. Odd, she thought, I wonder where he went. She walked over to her luggage and started rummaging around for her shoes and jewelry.

It was only a few seconds before she heard the door to the room open. She turned around as she was putting on her earrings and saw him entering the room, a strange expression on his face.

"Ah there you are. Where were you? Looking for something to dust bust?" She asked with a smile and his expression didn't change.

"I went for a drink." He said simply and sat down on the sofa, not meeting her gaze.

C.C. knew instantly that something was off with him. She crossed over to stand in front of him. "What's wrong?" She asked.

He met her eyes briefly then looked away again. "Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe we just shouldn't go." He said.

She was surprised and confused at his words and change of attitude all of a sudden. "What are you talking about? We flew all the way out here for this."

"I know. But now I think I'm going to make a fool of myself."

C.C. smirked. "You do that on a regular basis. Why should this be any different?" She asked.

He shot her a look. "You aren't exactly helping, you know."

She sat down next to him and turned to face him. "Oh Niles it will be fine, stop worrying. Where did all this come from anyway?" She asked.

He looked away from her. "Nowhere, it's just…." He trailed off.

"Just what?"

He turned back towards her. "I ran into a guy I went to school with down at the bar."

"And?" She asked. "Was he a jerk or something?"

"Well he congratulated me on losing my baby fat and told me he was surprised I was married because he thought I might have been gay. If that's how this night is going to be I'd rather pass."

C.C. frowned. Nobody was allowed to insult her Niles like that except for her.

"Who is this guy?" She asked.

"Jeremy. Just some jock I went to school with."

"Exactly. He's just some guy so don't worry about him. Trust me we will show him. Now come on husband, it's time for us to go." She stood and pulled him up with her.

Niles couldn't help but smile at her. It was the first time he could recall this woman ever trying to comfort or reassure him.

OoOoOoOo

Niles drove them the short distance to Barkley High School and ran around to the passengers side to open the door for C.C. when she stepped out of the car Niles took the chance to really look at her for the first time that night, now that he was no longer lost in his own thoughts.

Niles closed the car door then turned towards her and took her hand, kissing the back of it. Without releasing her hand he said, "You look beautiful tonight. Thank you for doing this for me."

C.C. was surprised by his actions and could feel a blush heating her cheeks. She gripped onto the hand that was holding hers. "No need to thank me," she smiled warmly at him, "I know we bicker a lot Niles, but you are my friend."

Niles feigned shyness. "Aw shucks." He said and playfully swatted his hand at her.

C.C. laughed at his playfulness. "Alright, come on you old softie."

He held his arm out to her and she took hold of it as they walked into the building.

A woman sat at a long table just inside the entryway and smiled brightly at them, asking for their names.

"Niles Brightmore, and my wife C.C."

The woman handed him a name tag and pointed them towards the school gym where music could be heard from down the hall.

Niles observed the halls of the school he hadn't been in in more years than he would care to admit. He hadn't always had the best times here but hell it was high school. Not many people do. But admittedly not all the memories that came rushing back to him were bad. He passed the small stairway where he had his first kiss Christine, or Chrissy as he always called her. She had been his first love but of course it had ended after graduation when he had moved to America.

He didn't realize he had stopped until C.C. spoke.

"You alright, butler boy?" She asked.

His head snapped around to look at her. "Yes, sorry. Lost in thought."

She glanced at the stairway for a moment then asked. "What were you thinking about?"

He decided it couldn't hurt to tell her. "That was where I had my first kiss. Her name was Christine."

C.C. looked at the stairway again then smiled at him. "Aww, little baby Niles and his first kiss." She cooed.

He shot her an amused look then rolled his eyes. "At least someone actually wanted to kiss me in high school."

Now it was C.C. who rolled her eyes. He smirked at her and took her arm again, leading her into the gym.

The lights were dimmed slightly in the large room and the music was fairly loud, but not so loud that people couldn't talk. There were tables set up all over the room and Niles led C.C. over to an empty one where he took her sweater and draped it over the back of a chair. When Niles turned back to C.C. he noticed the low cut of the back of her dress and swallowed hard, staring at her smooth beautiful exposed skin.

"You'll be the death of me, witch."

C.C. looked over her shoulder at him. "You like?" She asked

He nodded. "Yes, I like. Maybe a little too much."

C.C. turned her head back around with a smug smile, happy her choice of wardrobe had the desired effect.

"So what will it be first, my love? Food, drink, dance or mingle?" Niles asked her.

A tingle shot up C.C.'s spine at him calling her his love. She knew he was just playing his part but it thrilled her nonetheless.

"Food and drink. You don't really seem the type to enjoy mingling."

"Not too much, no. We will keep the mingling to a minimum. I'm more interested in spending this evening with a certain blonde who accompanied me tonight." He winked at her. Was Niles really flirting with her?

"Now, lets go slop the hog." He said, and C.C. could see the playfulness in his eyes. Yes that was the Niles she knew.

They walked over to the food table and began preparing their plates. The food smelled and looked delicious, the event had obviously been catered and there were glasses of champagne at the end of the table. C.C. grabbed a glass and they walked back to their table. Niles set down his food and pulled the chair out for C.C. then went to get his own chair when he felt a hand on his shoulder and a voice in his ear.

"Do my eyes deceive me or is that really you old man?"

Niles turned around to see a familiar face he hadn't seen in years.

"Matthew!" Niles smiled at his old friend. Matthew was his best friend all throughout school. The two had been thick as thieves once upon a time, but like most of his relationships, they lost contact some time after he moved to America. Neither of the boys had been the best looking or popular, or wealthy and they both got picked on. Eventually the two had teamed up and played quite a few pranks of their own on their bullies. Thus began Niles' affinity for pranks.

"Niles my man! It's been too long! I never expected to see you at one of these. Are you still living in the states?"

"Yes, New York actually. I figured I should at least attend one of these so I could see how old everyone has gotten. Present company included." Niles replied jokingly and gestured towards his friend.

The two men joked around with one another for a few minutes before Mathew spotted the woman sitting behind Niles.

"And who is this lovely lady you so rudely failed to introduce, Niles?" He asked.

C.C stood and shook his hand. "C.C. Brightmore, Niles' wife." She smiled and Matthews brows raised in surprise.

"It's nice to meet you C.C I'm Matthew, Niles partner in crime from ages 14 to 18."

C.C. laughed at that. "It's nice to meet you too Matthew."

Matthew looked to Niles again. "You are one lucky man to have a lady this beautiful on your arm, mate."

"Thank you, I know I am." He glanced towards C.C. and noticed her cheeks redden slightly.

"Well it was great catching up old man but I think I'm going to leave you two to your evening and go eat some food." He clapped Niles on the shoulder. "Don't be such a stranger from now on, mate."

After Matt walked away Niles and C.C. ate their meal together in comfortable silence. Once they had both finished eating C.C. said "Matthew seemed nice. You two seemed like you had a lot of fun together."

"Oh we did. If it weren't for all my years of pranking with him you surely would have bested me years ago."

She smiled at him for a moment and then her expression shifted slightly into one Niles couldn't quite identify.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Oh, yes. I just….did you mean what you said to him?" She asked.

Niles looked confused. "Which part?" He asked.

She hesitated a moment. "When you said you knew you were lucky to have me on your arm."

Niles paused for a moment then reached across the table and gently took her hand. His eyes softened as he looked at her. "Of course I meant it. I can think of no one else I'd rather be with."

Her breath caught at the softness that had taken over his voice and expression and she wasn't sure how to respond. Thankfully she didn't have to as he pushed his chair out and stood, hand still holding hers.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked.

C.C. nodded and stood as well. "I'd love to."