Disclaimer: I don't own any part or character of The Nanny…if I did…well I think you all know just what I'd do…
A/N: Just something that popped into my head while I had a LOT of lonely time on my hands. Let me know what you think! ~D
Day Dreaming
Niles hadn't been on vacation even a full day before it started. "Why must I go through this every time I'm away?" He found himself asking the empty cabin. Niles rented the small cabin every spring break for two weeks when Maxwell took the children off on some family romp. It was a one bedroom, one bath log cabin just a three minute walk from the dock into the private lake. Niles loved it there. It was quiet, serene, beautiful…and oddly lonely the last few years.
Niles stood at the kitchen counter washing some salad greens for his lunch. He looked out over the deck to the path that leads to the lake. Suddenly he felt her arms wrap around his waist and a soft whisper in his ear. "What's for lunch today, Baby?"
Sighing his answered softly. "I thought a nice grilled chicken salad. We could eat it out on the dock, if you like." He turned in her arms only to find himself staring at the refrigerator. "Damn it all to hell!" Niles turned back to his work…alone.
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That afternoon, just after lunch Niles sat reading in the Adirondack chair on the dock. He looked up from his book and blinked a few times at her sitting on the edge of the dock with her feet dangling in the water. He couldn't help himself and asked her, "When did you get here?"
She turned, the setting sun reflected off her hair as she smiled at him. "A few minutes ago, you were sleeping and I didn't want to disturb you."
"I wasn't sleeping," Niles said softly. "I was reading."
She stood and walked slowly toward him. The sun setting behind her cast her into silhouette. "You were sleeping, my love." Her hand softly brushed his forearm.
"I suppose…" Niles started as he shaded his eyes to look up at her, finding her gone. He sighed and lifted himself from the chair to make his way back to the cabin…alone.
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Niles laid in the king size bed tossing and turning. His dreams filled with the woman who by day occupied his thoughts. He finally settled into the dream he relived every night.
"Niles, sweetie, why don't you just wait until morning and come to bed." The voice rang out from the bedroom.
Niles smiled at the voice. "I'll be in shortly, Love. I want to get this ready for the oven in the morning or we won't be eating until seven o'clock!" Niles finished all the preparations for the Thanksgiving feast they held every year for their children.
"What took you so long?" She offered on a sigh.
Niles slipped naked into bed behind her pulling her equally naked form into his arms. "I don't want to leave you or this bed any earlier than necessary, Love. Now that everything is ready, I can linger here with you until at least 8."
"Mmmmm…" the soft voice hummed as she rolled to face him. "I like the sound of that." She kissed his lips, softly at first but the kiss quickly became more urgent. "I love you, Niles."
"I know, Love. I love you, too." Niles replied as his left hand slipped down her back to her thigh.
She gasps lightly and…
Niles popped up in bed covered in a light sheen of sweat. "Damn!" He flips the sheet aside and throws his legs off the side of the bed. "You would at least think I could keep her around in the dream!"
He lifted himself slowly from the bed and padded into the kitchen to fix a light snack. He'd barely made it to door of the bedroom when he saw her standing at the breakfast bar sipping a small glass of juice. "Hey Baby," she offered softly. "I wondered when you'd come looking for me."
"I'm always looking for you." Niles moved slowly toward her. "Would you like me to fix you something?"
She smiled softly at him, the glow from the open fridge illuminating her in a lavender tank and short set. "You're the only thing I'm interested in."
Niles can't help but turn slightly from her gaze at her words. "Well, I'm glad that you're…" Niles looked back at where she'd been standing only to see the empty space and closed refrigerator. Niles sighs, "I guess I'm not really hungry." He turns and returns to his bed, alone.
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Niles sat on the sofa in front of the fireplace reading his novel. The fireplace stood dark in the summer air, but it was still a pleasant place to relax. "What are you reading?" The voice he was so familiar with asked from just behind him.
Sighing Niles answered, "It's a book by Wayne Dyer called Intentions."
"It sounds really deep, what's the sudden interest with intentions?" She leaned over him.
Without looking up Niles answered. "I've always been interested in intentions, mine, yours…everyone's."
She leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "Well, I always thought my intentions were quite clear."
"When you're here…they are…" Niles allowed his voice to drop off and he waited for a response. When none came he turned to where she'd been to find her again, gone. "But you're never really here." Niles went back to his book, alone."
N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N
Two more days passed and Niles found himself again out on the dock, reading in the Adirondack chair. When he looked up from his book to catch the setting sun across the lake he saw her again. This time she stood on the end of the dock watching the sun set with her back to him.
Niles shook his head and asked her, "When did you get here?"
Without turning she answered, "A few minutes ago, you were sleeping and I didn't want to disturb you."
"I wasn't sleeping," Niles said softly. "I was reading."
He stood and walked toward her, careful not to take his eyes off her. She seems so real, so present, how can this be another daydream? She extended her hand to him and he instinctively reached for it. "You were sleeping, Niles."
When he felt the warmth of her hand in his, he audibly gasped. "You're really here."
"Of course I am. Where else would I be?" She frowned when she spoke. "Niles…what's wrong?"
"I…I just can't believe you're really here." Niles pulled her tightly into his arms. "My God, I've missed you."
She pulled back and took his face in her hands. "I've missed you too, Baby. I told you I'd be here, why do you seem so shocked?"
Niles kissed her warmly. "I've been seeing you for days. I saw you in the kitchen, in the bedroom, in the living room and here on the dock. Yet, every time I got too close, you'd disappear and I was alone."
"Oh, Niles," she started. "I'm always with you. I just, couldn't be here any sooner, you know that."
"I know, Love. Really I do. I just couldn't convince my heart and my mind that you weren't already here." Niles kissed her again. "Now, what can I make you for dinner? You must be starving."
"I swear, Niles. All I want is for you to hold me in your arms until we have to go back to reality." She clung to him. "I missed you so much. More than I ever thought possible."
Niles stepped back and took her hand in his. "I missed you too, Love. Now, let's see if I can't deliver all it is you want." They started back to the cabin.
"Niles…" She stopped briefly. "Why do you choose this same cabin every year?"
Niles smiled. "It's private. It has a very well appointed kitchen and it's just the right size."
"It's just the right size for what?" She asked him as they continued on toward the cabin.
Niles opened the back door of the cabin allowing her to enter first. "It's just the right size for two, CC. It's just right size for two."