CC wasn't aware of how many minutes passed. She'd been numbly staring at the view from the couch in the downstairs office when she suddenly shook her head and stood. She opened the terrace doors and went to the rail outside where she bent over leaning on the outer wall and took the deepest breath possible of the cold city air.

She'd allowed Chandler to walk. More than that, she'd urged him to go somehow. She wasn't sure how, but she knew she'd done it. She released the breath she'd been holding and briefly shut her eyes.

"-MISS BABCOCK!

"Dear God!" CC jumped and turned around to see Fran Fine closing the terrace doors behind her. "What is it?!" CC snapped at Fran.

Fran backed up slightly giving her a cautious look. "Well, you don't have to yell. I was just coming to check on you."

CC angled her head up and turned back to the terrace wall icily. "For what reason?"

"Max and I saw Chandler on his way out, and he told Maxwell to ask his butler why Sheffield Babcock Productions won't be using his theatre this season."

"Oh, my, God." CC turned blinking with a hand on her heart. "He's more upset than I thought." She walked to a nearby chaise lounge and let her body sink down into the side of it crossing her arms and closing her eyes.

Fran came to the lounge and sat at the foot of it. "CC? What happened?"

"Nothing happened! That's the worst part." CC leaned against the chair back tightening her crossed arms as Fran continued to stare. "I said I was keeping Sophie, and he somehow equated that to me being in love with Niles! Can you believe that!?"

Fran stared with her chin down and frozen for a few moments.

CC felt an absurd insecurity and asked more insistently. "Well?! Can you?!"

Fran's head turned carefully to the side. "Well…I don't think that you caring for Sophie has anything to do with the fact that you're in love with Niles.

CC nodded. "Yeah, I mean—wait -what?!"

Fran raised her voice becoming especially nasal. "Clean out your ears. I said you are in lo-"

"-Don't say it!" CC sat up quickly putting her hand up.

"Oookay." Fran looked around miffed before looking back at CC again. "Does Niles know about Chandler?"

"No, and don't you tell him either. And especially not in front of his girlfriend." She made a face. "I'll tell him when I'm ready."

Fran nodded. "Ok, but we should probably let Max know."

CC gasped. "Where is he?"

"Probably on his way to see Niles."

CC gasped again and they both got up from the terrace and hurried toward the kitchen.

CC and Fran came to an abrupt stop in the kitchen where Maxwell was speaking with Niles and Shay.

The three heads turned, and Niles looked at her. "Babcock. Is everything ok?"

"Of course. Why do you ask?" She pulled down a strand of hair behind her ear and nudged Fran.

"I just realized that it's been seconds since anyone has disagreed with me." He smiled and squinted an eye.

A crack about eating his own cooking crossed her mind but she was too busy realizing that Maxwell hadn't told him about Chandler yet. She nudged Fran again as Niles smirked.

Fran leaned into Maxwell, "Can I talk to you?"

Maxwell answered her quietly. "Yes, of course." He turned to follow Fran out of the room, and he looked at CC on his way out. "CC, I'm so sorry to hear about- "

CC's eyes grew wide, and Fran turned instantly to cover Maxwell's mouth with hers. Fran moved her head side to side in an exaggerated kiss.

When Fran stepped back, Maxwell appeared dazed, and he finished his sentence. "-Chandler."

"I tried." Fran shrugged and hit Maxwell on the shoulder with the back of her hand and he jumped still in his dazed state.

Concern flashed across Niles' face. It was the exact look she was hoping to avoid, and she straightened up and headed out of the room quickly.

In the living room, Stewart was lifting Sophie in the air as she giggled. He tried to hand the baby off to Noel as he lowered her.

"Not in this one-of-a-kind Versace." Noel smirked and turned away from Stewart before looking up at CC. "Say you've come to save me."

"No, I've come to save her." CC went to Stewart. "I'll put her down."

"Sure, spoil my fun, just like your mother." Stewart smiled handing her the baby.

CC gave him the most patient smile she could muster as she turned with the baby.

"Kitten?"

CC stopped and looked back.

Stewart lowered his voice. "You made the right choice."

Her eyes welled as she wondered which choice he meant, and she nodded. "Remember to tell mummy that."

"I promise." Stewart and Noel picked up their things and they headed for the front door as she made her way with Sophie on her hip.

Niles stood at the front door after just walking Shay out and he re-opened the door for them.

Stewart stopped at the door and shook Niles' hand. "Niles, old boy, take good care of my girls."

"Yes, sir." Niles nodded and caught CC's eye before he shook both men's hands.

She waved them out and then quickly headed up to Sophie's room feeling Niles' eyes on her all the way up the stairs.

(Later thar night)

When CC woke, it was dark outside. She'd meant to lie down for just a moment in the guest room that she'd been inhabiting. The nightstand lamp was lowly lit next to her bed, and underneath the lamp was a cup of tea.

She sat up wearily, and then her memory of earlier came flooding back and put a small pit of disappointment in her stomach. She would need to email the wedding planner telling her to cancel everything. That part was a bittersweet relief. There would be no over the top silly wedding to plan with 500 of her parents' closest friends.

A vision of her standing in a small space with a small bouquet of flowers and perhaps a cream-colored suit with Nanny Fine and Maxwell standing behind her wandered through her mind. She sat up quickly and blinked her eyes. Weird thoughts. Weird thoughts she wasn't interested in.

She took the tea from her nightstand realizing that it was still warm as she brought it to her lips. She hadn't heard the dustbuster knock and she'd fully expected him to come running into her room to get the details as soon as he could. She stilled herself to listen for noise in the house. Was the world's nosiest man actually giving her space?

More than that, he hadn't woken her to take care of Sophie, which was even more unusual since he had her on a strict schedule of practicing childcare. She took a larger sip of her tea, and she could feel its warmth making the pit in her stomach slowly disappear.

Her curiosity about what he was doing got the better of her. After she freshened up and changed into more comfortable clothes, she left the bedroom quietly pulling the door shut behind her. She looked down the hall where there were no signs of life coming from Niles' room.

The dark upstairs hallway was quiet until she stood outside Sophie's room and listened from the door. She could hear Sophie's soft breaths and couldn't resist. She went into the room and observed in the glow of the nightlight. Sophie was snuggled in her white sleeper with pink trim. A small smile came over her. This sleeping fragile little person, looked so innocent and harmless, how could anyone have guessed how big the impact would be on her life.

CC backed quietly out of the room pulling the door partially shut behind her and headed downstairs. There was nothing on in the living room. The kitchen lights were off, and she could tell that everything had been cleaned and closed for the evening.

She saw Andrew's office door open and heard soft jazz music coming from the office stereo.

She walked into the dark office and beyond the leather couch that she'd collapsed on earlier in the day, she saw that one of the terrace doors was left open

Her pace slowed as she reached the door. She wasn't sure she should explore, but she found herself stepping outside.

Niles had been slouched back in a terrace chair next to the door looking outward with a cigar in one hand and brandy in the other. His eyes were focused far away on a horizon that didn't exist. Deep in thought, his casual look and demeanor were striking.

"You're awake." He sat up looking at her as she came outside; his voice was quiet as if everyone in the world was asleep. And in a very rare occurrence there was barely any sound outside.

He was wearing a blue short sleeved collared shirt and jeans. The fit on the arms was snug and she felt like she'd just intruded on a layer of him she'd never really seen, and it made her uncharacteristically hesitant.

"I'm sorry, I was just checking on the house." She began to go back in.

His eyes sparkled at her. "You're not disturbing me. Come outside"

She made her way to the terrace wall and leaned back on it facing him in the moonlight, their eyes were locked softly, and she wished she would have looked away so he couldn't see what she was feeling. "Thanks for the tea."

He settled back in the chair and put the unlit cigar on the small table next to him. "You look better rested. Seems you might be ready for something a little stiffer?" His voice was still soft despite the crooked grin he wore as he held out his brandy for her.

She smiled and a low burble of laughter escaped. "In a minute." She crossed her arms still leaning back. "I also wanted to thank you for the time alone tonight."

"The night's not over yet, brunette." His eyes smiled as he took a small drink of the brandy, of which he'd had plenty.

"Stop joking. I mean it." Her eyes: she should hide her eyes. But she quietly answered him with her chin down and eyes melting into him. There was no denying his low lazy voice did something to her and she could see that he knew it.

"I'm sorry. When you didn't make a crack about the lazy butler stealing Maxwell's cigars, I should have known that you weren't in the mood for play."

"Hmm." She smiled and realized that this Niles was not the Niles that left her the tea. "Did you steal them?"

"I didn't have to. These cigars are half mine now."

She was warming. Dangerously warming. "So, who's half are you smoking? Yours? Or mine?"

"Mine. But now, you ought to come get your half of the brandy." He raised his chin.

His eyes pierced her and she almost shuddered. The low rumble of his voice was touching her all over. Her body moved toward him, and she could feel her mischievous smile. They were in an odd dance. Who would be the first to miss a step?

He held the glass out to her, and she stopped right in front of him taking the glass and she brought it up slowly and sipped from it looking down on him.

Through his excitement and the low tone of their voices, he became serious. "Really, Babcock, how do you feel?"

She drank the brandy and then retreated to her former position leaning on the terrace wall. She could feel the smile fading from her face and she didn't really want to talk about or feel her feelings about the day's events. She wanted to feel what he was feeling now.

In her silence, the jazz music wafting from inside seemed to intensify. She finished all the brandy except a sip before she held it out from her place on the terrace. "Fine. I feel free."

Little points of light shone from his eyes as he answered quietly, his face earnest. "Are you sure?"

"Are you?"

"No." He shrugged looking at the glass she held. "And I've obviously had too much to drink. So maybe you should come to me."

CC brought the drink to him slowly. "Are you saying you want me to come to you?" There was no mistaking her emphasis on the word 'come.'

"To, on, with…I'm not a picky man." He glanced to the side, his voice still low.

And they both hummed a laugh as she stood in front of him handing him the glass with one jutted hip. He slowly took the glass and finished lazily. Then he stood abruptly. They stared at each other so closely. They'd never done this dance so slowly before. He brought his hand up and moved her hair back whispering. "We shouldn't."

Her head began to feel light. "Probably not." His body was closely pressed against her. A quick breath caught her against her will.

Niles eyes glanced around her collar bone and her neck. He brought his hands up slowly dragging his fingertips and cupping the back of her neck. His eyes rested on her mouth before he slowed and pulled his head back. "Babcock, I think- "

"Shut up." Her mouth crashed into his.

And he was stunned for a fraction of a second before his entire body took over pressing her. His arms were around her. Exploring her.

She didn't know what she was doing with her body or hands. She could feel his biceps then his shoulders, his mouth and firm full body contact. And she could feel everything around her, but there were only colors in her eyes as her body explored his.

Air…. they needed air. He ended the kiss, and she backed up. They were both stunned. This is where it usually ended. She took another step back and he fell into the chair. His chest heaved and her body hummed. She turned and went to the terrace wall again and leaned back.

The desire was thick in his eyes, and she felt even more heightened observing it.

He leaned forward. "Babcock, I think we should wait."

"For?"

He squinted an eye. "God help me, I can't find a good reason right now." He cocked his head. "Sobriety?"

She grimaced and he tried again. "How about that you were engaged and childless less than 24hours ago. And now you're a single mother. We probably shouldn't add to it tonight."

She laughed but she could still feel her eyes devouring him. "Well, that killed the mood. You're right. Let's shut this down and go to bed."

"Ok." Niles stood and started to shake it off in his compromised state.

CC laughed lowly. "Niles?"

He walked to her slowly and stood closely his blue eyes closing in on her.

"I didn't mean it," she whispered.

"Babcock, I- "

"Shh." She put her finger on his lips. If it was about their feelings, she didn't want to hear it.

He threatened to bite her finger softly. "Are you sure you're not just trying to escape?"

"No, and it doesn't matter." When she brought her finger down, the chill of his breath on her neck made her angle her head and he was upon her again, their mouths exploding into each other. She gripped his shoulders with both of her hands and turned her head as he planted kisses down one side of her neck and then the other as his hand ran along her thigh.

She arched into him. "I can't wait anymore." She leaned back on the terrace, and they began to unbutton things on each other as their mouths continued to meet.

They made it inside to the couch by turning around, pulling at clothes in one direction, and then the other. Shirts and pants fell to the floor until she fell backwards onto the leather couch arm where Chandler had sat earlier that day, and this moment erased any and every feeling she had about that.

She pulled Niles into her, and they moaned through their kisses until there was no holding back, it was like riding a giant high speed turbulent wave and they were about to crash.

And right before the crash, her mind went wild with all the possibilities that they had to explore, all the things they could do. It was like all the insanity and verbal foreplay was and had always been, leading here, right to this moment.

He said her named and the explosion that came produced a cacophony of feeling, sound, and visual effects behind her eyes. She opened her eyes to see and feel Niles over her, moving to her rhythm. She realized while she'd been wrapped up in the feeling of him. He'd been in the feeling of them.

They smiled at each other through their last breaths, and she put her hands on each side of his face and pulled him in for a deep kiss.

"I -I -I" She stopped herself, then redirected, catching her breath, and running her fingers through his hair. "I really enjoyed myself."

"-I-I-I too." He grinned before falling over onto the couch but maintained their connection with one hand on her thigh.

Her head fell back, and she shut her eyes waiting till their breaths weren't so audible. They'd kissed so…uninterrupted, deeply, thoroughly, and they'd followed it all the way through this time.

It was all surreal and it felt like they were forgetting something. -Like their bodies had skipped ahead and they were going to need to go back to whatever it was.

Maybe it was the brandy she'd downed, but she didn't care. She was living in the moment this time.

After a moment of recovery, she stood up and realized her legs were slightly wobbly. The couch arm steadied her as she grabbed Niles' clothes from the floor and pulled on his shirt, buttoning it once. She picked up his pants and threw them at his chest and crossed her arms laughing.

"What?" He opened his eyes as the pants hit him.

"For years I've thought that we could make all that..." She waved her hand around at him. "...go away. And for one split second, right at the top, right before the explosion, I thought this might have been able to do the trick. But-"

He pulled the pants on. "But?"

"It only made me want more." She dropped her hands and smiled wide as she finished.

"Brunette." The words were filled with amazement, wonder and lust. His wide-eyed love drunk stare lasered in on her. He stood from the couch, and she ran from the office toward the upstairs.