By late afternoon, CC entered the mansion entryway with DD floating in behind her, only to find Niles sitting in the living room with one of his old butler pals, Andrew. She loathed him almost as much as Niles himself. Honestly, it wasn't the man's fault, It was really just his association with that big hand-wipe. That and the fact that he always looked at her as if he knew more about her than he should. She wondered just what the windex jockey had been saying to the man.

CC called from the entryway as she opened the closet door. "Don't you work here or something? This is the second time today that I'm hanging up my own coat, Niles."

"How rude of me." Niles stood and walked over, and CC stopped and jutted the hangar in his direction. "Finally." She rolled her eyes looking up.

"DD! It's so nice to see you." He leaned over to give DD a hug and CC noted that DD's shoulder length hair was practically the same color as Niles'.

"Niles, you're looking well." DD gave Niles a kiss on the cheek and CC felt herself grow extra annoyed.

"Yes, that is a bit of a miracle considering what I have to put up with around here." He jerked his head at CC as DD let out a laugh. "Here let me take that for you dear."

CC finished hanging up her coat as he took DD's. "It's about time you did something," CC sneered.

Niles took DD's coat and draped it over the arm that was sticking out of the closet as CC turned back to them. "Hang that up too." He grinned as he turned back to DD.

"Niles, you dog. You haven't changed a bit." DD drawled in a perfectly drawn out old money accent like her mother's.

Niles took the petite look alike of CC by the hand and led her to the living room. "Speaking of dogs you'd like. Come, meet my friend, Andrew."

Andrew had been sitting on the couch, but now stood and took DD's hand making direct eye contact. "It's so nice to meet you."

DD smiled and examined him returning the look. "I'm sure it is. Where on earth has Niles been keeping you?"

CC rolled her eyes as she slammed the door shut. "For God sake, DD, stop flirting with the help!"

DD continued to smile. "I bet you really could be of help."

Andrew laughed to himself still holding her hand. "Can I get you a drink, Miss Babcock?"

"Yes, and call me DD."

CC walked between them breaking their contact. "No need, we'll be in the kitchen." She grabbed DD by her blazer sleeve and began to pull her away.

"Mr Sheffield is in there having another heart to heart with Miss Grace," Niles singsonged.

"Not again." She stopped and turned toward Niles. "Ok, handi-wipe, you hit the pavement. We need the living room so, we can talk."

"Niles shrugged you are more than welcome to stay, but keep your barking to a minimum, I'd like to hear my friend," he whispered to her lowly.

"No way, Buella. Get out," she whispered back.

"CC, really, let them stay." DD smiled at Andrew. "I don't mind."

CC now grabbed Niles, calling over her shoulder. "We'll be right back."

She dragged him into the office with two hands on his arm and then pushed him at the desk shutting the door. "Listen I want to finish this visit up with my sister ASAP, and I don't want to leave to do it."

"No one said you had to leave," Niles snapped back. "You're more than welcome to use the terrace or your usual perch is free." He pointed at the couch.

CC had her arms crossed, and leaned toward him with her blue eyes flashing. "No!"

Niles, started to go for the door. "That's on you, I'm going back to the living room now."

CC backed against it with her arms across it. "I'd like to see you try to get past me."

Niles walked up very close to her, "And I'd like to see you stop me." He reached a hand around her to grip the knob, and she put her hands behind her back to hold it herself, bringing their bodies very close to one another and they stared at each other defiantly for a moment before CC spoke.

"What do you think you're doing?" CC lowered her voice as they both became very aware that his arm was snaked around her holding the knob behind her.

"Don't get excited Babcock, the only way out, is through." He turned the knob and pulled on it. It opened slightly before CC pushed back, and the door slammed closed again.

"Over my dead body!" CC shut her eyes tightly to erase the vision of him.

"Have it your way," Niles answered her before pulling the door open again. And again CC leaned back on it, and it slammed.

"Stop it!" She gritted her teeth.

"No you stop it!" Niles growled. They did it again in rapid succession three more times.

"No you."

"You!" CC leaned to the side still holding the knob behind her trying to get him to loosen his grip and he snaked his other hand around her holding the knob with both of his.

"Unhand me, servant!"

"I will not," He yelled.

She opened her eyes meeting his and suddenly something passed between them as their eyes locked. He was leaned up against her, both of his arms around her-technically holding her, and her breath caught in her chest as his seemed to do the same.

There was an instant jolt of some sort. A questioning look arouse from both of them and Niles suddenly let go of her and the door knob. He jumped back as she pulled her head back from him and it hit the door.

"Ow!" CC let go of the doorknob and held her head.

"Are you ok?" He moved back to her slightly but his hand hovered as if afraid to touch her.

She looked up at him on an angle holding her head. "No! And it's your fault."

He stood still for a moment before shaking his head. "Let's see it." He put a warm hand on hers and moved her hand down slowly, then carefully ran a finger over the spot she'd held.

It sent a chill down her spine and she stepped around him quickly and moved to the desk. Leaning back on it, leaving him with his hand suspended in mid air. "I'm ok."

They stood looking at each other silently for a moment as he put his hand down. She wondered what just happened. "Niles? I uh.."

"May I ask, just what in the dickens is going on in here?! I could hear the door slamming all the way in the kitchen!" Maxwell opened the door quickly hitting Niles in the back of the head.

Niles held his head and jumped away from the door now standing next to CC as they both looked at Maxwell. "Ow!"

CC straightened up after glancing at Niles, "Since you asked, Niles is hogging the living room, with his friend while I'm trying to finish up a visit from my sister."

"What sister?"

"Maxwell, you know who DD is," CC was exasperated.

"Well, that may be true, but she's not out there now. And neither is any friend of Niles."

"What?" Niles followed Maxwell out of the room tailed by CC. "That's impossible."

The three of them entered an empty living room. "The two of you can stay in here to your heart's content. I'm going back to the office." Maxwell then muttered to himself. "Am I the only one who actually works for a living?"

CC looked at Niles. "Now look at what you did."

"Me? All you had to do was go someplace else".

It was quiet for a moment and Niles looked at her again. "Do you suppose they left together?"

"Knowing DD?" CC crossed her arms before remarking flatly, "Yes."