The Devil Comes for CC
CC had been working in Maxwell's office for hours trying to get the latest show together. She was exhausted but there was so much left to do. Of course, Maxwell as an idiot and couldn't do anything for himself. She leaned back in Max's chair for a minute to rest and her eyes slipped shut. She struggled to open her eyes again but it was a loosing battle. Several minutes later she was wrapped in a deep sleep.
CC didn't know what woke her up, but something in the room made her feel uneasy. She slowly opened her eyes and saw that the office was filled with a red glow. She jumped up and looked around thinking there was something on fire but she couldn't see any smoke or tell where the glow was coming from.
"CC Babcock!" she heard a voice say all of a sudden. It was loud and she couldn't tell where it was coming from. She jumped away from the desk and started to back up towards the door. She grabbed the handle and started to open the door but it wouldn't budge.
"Do not try to escape me, CC Babcock! This is the devil!" the voice boomed as CC stuggled with the door.
"The devil?" CC cried as she ran for the sliding glass doors. "Niles, you're responsible for this, aren't you? Stop it!"
"Niles isn't here!" the voice boomed as CC pounded on the glass. "No one is here to help you now, CC!"
"Niles wouldn't help me anyway!" CC cried as she collapsed on the couch in tears. "What do you want?"
"You, CC! I want your soul!"
"My soul?" CC asked. "You want my soul?"
"Yes. In exchange for that black soul, I'm willing to give you the man of your dreams. Just sign the paper on the desk!"
"And if I don't want to?" CC whispered.
"Then I'll kill you." the voice purred. "I can't allow you to defy me."
"Alright! I'll sign!" CC shouted as she jumped up and scribbled her name on the piece of paper. It was either sign or die, and she didn't want to die just then.
"Done!" The voice shouted and then silence filled the room and all of the lights went off and then came back on again.
"What have I done?" CC murmered as she stared at the paper which read IOU one soul. "What have I done?" She pinched her arm. "Wake up! God I hope this is a dream."
CC came into work with an uneasy feeling the next morning. She had tried to convince herself that she had dreamed the entire thing but if she had, then where did the paper come from? She still had it in her purse. She didn't know why. She was just afraid to let it out of her sight. She was just afraid period.
"Hello, Maxwell." CC said as she came into the office and headed for the couch. "Have any of the backers called yet?"
" Not yet." Max said as he looked at CC with a strange light in his eyes. "CC, let's take the day off!"
"What? Why?" CC said with a smile, a bit of a confused loo on her face. "What does Nanny Fine have planned for you?"
"Nothing. I would just like to spend some time with you today, CC. You're such a beautiful woman. I can't believe some man hasn't been smart enough to sweep you off your feet before. Will you have lunch with me?"
"Lunch?" CC said as she looked at him even more confused. "Why, Maxwell, I.... I would love to!"
"Good! Come on." Maxwell said s he put an arm around her and they headed for the door. "I know the perfect place. It's a nice little romantic restaurant. I think you'll like it."
"Romantic," CC said. "Maxwell I don't know what's gotten into you. But I like it."
Late that evening, CC was in the office trying to gather her work and her thoughts. Maxwell had shown her the best time of her life that day. They had gone from lunch to shopping to just wondering around the city looking at the sights. It was the happiest day that CC could remember having in a long time. Yet, something was missing. CC was heading for the door to go home and try to figure out what it was when the door slammed and the lights went out. A second later the red light from the night before filled the room.
"CC Babcock!"
"What the..." CC looked around. "Oh you're back."
"CC Babcock," the voice boomed. "I have fufilled my end of the bargin! Maxwell Sheffield's heart is yours! Now your soul is mine! In two nights I will come to claim it!"
"What?" CC shrieked. "That's not fair! I only get to be happy for one day and then it's over?!"
"I never promised you anything as far as the time you would have with Maxwell. You have two days. Then your soul is mine!"
"What am I going to do? I have two days left to live!" CC sobbed as the voice went silent and the lights came back on.
"NILES!!" CC shouted as she ran into the kitchen. "Niles, help me!!"
"What's the matter with you, woman?" Niles said as he finished putting the last of the dishes away. "Are the villiagers after you again with torches?"
"NO!" CC sobbed as she hit him in the arm, right before she collapsed into a chair. "Niles, I'm going to die!"
"What?" Niles said as he stared at CC in shock, not quiet believing what she had just said. She looked fine! How could she be about to die? "CC, what's wrong?" Niles said as he sat down beside her. "You haven't been sick. Why do you think you're going to die?"
"I made a deal with the devil, Niles" CC whispered as tears started to run down her face. She could hardly stand to look at Niles knowing that in two days, she would never see him again. "He offered to give me the man of my dreams in exchange for my soul! He said he would kill me if I didn't agree! I had to sign! I didn't want to die, Niles but now he's coming to get me! I'll be dead in two days!"
"CC, calm down." Niles said as he put his arms around her. Normally he would have made a joke but CC was so paniced he couldn't bring himself to. "Honey, where did you see this devil? Have you been hitting the bottle a bit to hard?"
"No," CC cried out angrily. "He was in the office! He locked the doors and I couldn't get out! What am I going to do, Niles! He made Maxwell fall in love with me and now he's coming to get my soul! I'm going to die, Niles!" CC sobbed.
"CC, it's alright. Nothing's going to happen to you." Niles said as he held her tighter. He could feel her getting more hysterical by the minute and he was afraid she was about ready to snap. He was sure that she hadn't actually seen the devil but something had oviously happened to freak her. He had thought about checking her into Betty Ford, thinking she'd finally gone over the edge. But she didn't look like she'd been drinking.
"I don't want to go home! I want to stay here!" CC whimpered as she clung to Niles.
"Alright." Niles whispered as he scooped her up in his arms. You can sleep in my room."
"You'll protect me, won't you, Niles?" CC whispered. "You won't let the devil get me."
"Of course I'll protect you. You're going to be fine, CC." Niles said as he softly kissed her. "You're going to be just fine."
"Niles, do you know what today is?" CC whispered as she laid her head back against Niles' chest. She had been sleeping in his room for two nights now and to her surprise, she had loved every minute of it. Niles was so strong and secure. She just felt safe when she was with him. He was always there to hold her and chase away her fears. Now it might all be over though.
"The devil's coming for me today, Niles." CC whispered as she started to cry.
"You've seen how Maxwell has been treating me lately. There's no way that's natural! He didn't even look at Nanny Fine when she came into the office yesterday in that short skirt and halter top! Even you looked at her Niles. The devil made him fall in love with me and now I'm going to die! I don't even want Maxwell anymore, Niles. I want...."
"Who do you want, CC?" Niles whispered as he held her against him and gently kissed her.
"I want you, Niles." CC murmered. "I want you but the devil's going to take me away from you! I don't want that to happen! I love you, Niles! I wish I never would have had that stupid crush on Maxwell. What was I thinking!"
"I love you too, CC." Niles whispered as he kissed her again. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll find a way to save you from the devil. You aren't going to die."
"CC, it's going to be alright." Niles said as he sat with CC in the office. "The day's almost over and there's no sign of the devil. He must have forgot about you, honey. Now why don't you just calm down and come with me to my room? I have something special to give you."
"Oh really," CC said with a huge smile on her face. "And what do you have to give me in here?"
Just then the lights went out.
"Niles, it's him!" CC screamed as she grabbed Niles in a panic. "It's the devil! He's come to get me!"
"Yes, I have." the devil said. "CC Babcock, prepare yourself for this is your last minute on the earth!"
"NO!" Niles yelled as he jumped up. "You can't have her! I won't let you take her! I love her!!"
"What?" the voice said in confusion. "What the...Never mind! She signed over her soul to me and I will take what is mine!"
"That's where you're wrong." Niles said as he pulled out the paper CC had signed. "This says that CC owes you a soul. It doesn't say it has to be hers. Take mine. Just leave her alone!"
"Niles, NO!" CC yelled as she jumped up and grabbed him. "I can't let you do this! This is my fault. I'll go."
"CC, I can't set here and let you die." Niles said as he kissed her. "I have to save you and this is the only way. I love you, sweetheart. Promise me you'll always remember that. I'm probably going down there anyway. So what if I go a bit early."
"I love you, Niles!" CC cried as she started to sob. "This isn't fair! Why are you doing this to us? We just found each other!"
Just then they heard a loud thump and all of a sudden, Fran's voice flouded the room.
"Brighton Sheffield, what do you think you're doing with that radio and talking in the freaky voice?" she shrieked.
"Miss Fine?" Niles said.
"Niles? What's going on?" Fran said as she glared at Brighton. "What's he done this time?"
"He said he was the devil! He said he was going to take my soul!" CC screamed.
"What?!" Fran yelled as she wacked Brighton in the head. "Brighton Sheffield, you little monster, what were you trying to do? Give Miss Babcock a heart attack? Do you know what would happen if she had died of fright over this? Your father would go bankrupt! That man can't do a thing right without Miss Babcock around! Get to your room, young man!! You're grounded! Wait a minute! You have a TV and computer in your room! Get to your father's room! Nothing interesting even happens in there!"
"What's going on in here?" Max said as he came in the office. "Why was the door locked?"
"Brighton said he was the devil. He claimed he made you fall in love with me. He said he was coming to get my soul!" CC muttered.
"What?" Max yelled. "He told me your therapist called and asked me if I could show a little interest in you! He said you were in the brink of a breakdown!"
"What?!" Fran yelled. "You told your father Miss Babcock was having a breakdown?! What if he had called the men in little white coats to come and get her? He would be bankrupt before nightfall without her! Then where would you be?! Out of a trust fund is where! Get to your father's room! You're grounded for a year, young man and every afternoon after school you're going to be going to visit YETTA!!!"
"Help me! Someone help me!" Brighton moaned as Fran drug him away. "I'm sorry. It will never happen again. I'll be good, I promise! I'm just a kid!"
"I have no idea what just happened in here." Max said as he looked around in confusion.
"I'll explain it later, sir. I think I need to get Miss Babcock to bed before she really has a breakdown." Niles said as he wrapped his arms around CC and started to lead her towards the door. "Come on, CC. You're safe now."
"The boy. It was a joke of the boy's." CC muttered as Niles led her to his room and sat her down on the bed.
"Yes, and now he's going to be answering to a higher authority for it." Niles said as he got something out of the dresser and then dropped down on one knee in front of CC. "CC, I can't believe that I'm finally doing this. I love you. Will you marry me?"
"Do we have to invite the boy to the wedding?" CC said as she stared at the ring.
"No."
"Then, yes, I will marry you, Niles!" CC said as he slipped the ring on her finger. "I love you."