Author's Note: This is for kateandharvey's challenge, and I went with #4 "A fic where CC grabs Niles spontaneously, slams him against the wall, and kisses him... Out of anger, preferably. ;)" because an idea popped into my head when I read the sentence. So this one-shot is for you K&H. I regetfully do not own the Nanny, or Niles, or CC, or Max... *sigh* This takes place shortly after the events of "The Yummy Mummy".

Duck and Cover

CC stood in front of Maxwell's desk, tapping her foot impatiently, "What do you MEAN I need to go to the grocery store to help out Dust Buster?"

Maxwell Sheffield sighed, wondering why he couldn't have one normal person working for him. "CC, I explained it to you, these contracts need to be taken to the theater ASAP, and Niles needs to use the car to run to the grocery store to get a fresh duck for the special dinner we're having for Mr. Carstairs tonight. I told you that Duck A L'Orange is his favorite dish, but somehow Niles never heard that piece of news until the last minute. We need Mr. Carstairs to invest in our new production, so serving his favorite meal makes perfect sense, and it's one of Niles' best dishes. Since the town car is the only one available because the limo is in the shop, you'll need to the share the car with him."

CC picked up the folder of contracts, and tucked them into her briefcase with a huff, "All right, all right, but I don't have to like it!" and stormed out of the office. Maxwell didn't find it necessary to tell her that he had just had almost the exact same conversation with Niles. He shook his head and put his glasses back on to finish reading the production notes for their latest production, a musical version of the movie, "Twister". The technical aspects of how to get a cow into a flying harness on a stage that small was quite perplexing.

N&C&N&C&N&C&N&C&N&C&N&C&N&C&N&C&N&C&N&C&N&C&N&C&N&C&N&C

Niles closed the cupboard door and finished putting together his grocery list. Of course they would decide to change the menu the day of the event and wait until the last minute to tell him, the one preparing the meal. Fortunately he did have most of the necessary ingredients in hand, just a few things to pick up, and of course, the perfect duck. He only hoped Miss Babcock wouldn't dally at the theater, he would need every minute he could find back in the kitchen to have the meal ready on time that night. He was just about to yell for her when the door swung open, barely missing him and C.C. Babcock barrelled into the kitchen.

"Let's get going, Tidy Bowl Man, I don't have all day." She didn't even stop and headed right for the back door. Niles only sighed, checked that he had his wallet and the towncar keys and followed her outside. He unlocked the door and C.C. climbed into the back seat, leaving him to sit up front alone as if he was her personal chauffeur. While normally a quick retort would have jumped to his lips, he was too distracted with putting together the timetable for cooking the meal that evening. He climbed into the driver seat and called back to her, "We'll stop at the theater first so the food will stay cold. Just don't take too long in there."

C.C. glared up at him, her blue eyes snapping at his, "Don't give me orders, Feather Duster, I know how to do my job, you just do yours." The drive to the theater was silent as Niles focused on driving and C.C. reread all of the contracts for any last minute changes that needed to be made.

When Niles pulled into the back alley of the theater, C.C. jumped out, and Niles quickly followed her. Before she could say anything he said, "I'll just go in with you to make sure you don't get held up with questions, we are on a timetable you know." She only nodded and headed for the backstage door. Niles glanced up and down the alley, these settings always seemed like the perfect place for a mugging, dark even in the middle of the day, and he didn't feel comfortable letting even Miss Babcock walk around here alone.

As he entered the area backstage, C.C. was already deep in conversation with the stage manager about what arrangements needed to be made over the next few days to stay on schedule. Niles just leaned against the wall, keeping an eye on his watch. He suddenly heard a deep hiss of breath, and glanced over to see C.C. staring out towards the audience area with a look of shock and horror, her skin turning pale before his eyes. Niles quickly stepped forward to see what she was looking at, and saw a man talking to the director, who was going through dress rehearsals with the cast. The man looked vaguely familiar to him, but it was hard to tell in the dim lighting and from the back. When he turned around to look back up towards the stage, Niles recognized him at once and got a sick feeling in his gut. It was Colon, no, Colin, that heel that had dumped Miss Babcock a couple of weeks earlier. What on earth could he be doing here? C.C. must have asked the stage manager the same thing, and he said, "Oh yeah, that guy has been coming in a couple of times a day hoping to catch you here, let me tell him you are here." Before she could stop him, the stage manager stepped out onto the stage to get Colin's attention. C.C. looked around her, furious at being put on the spot and having to deal with that rat here in front of all these people, and desperately looking for someplace to hide.

"C.C., Baby!" Colin's grating voice came up from the audience area and she knew she only had a few moments to act. There wasn't any place to hide on the side of the stage, and only Niles was there... *Niles...* Before she could talk herself out of acting, she grabbed Niles' arm, and threw him back against the brick wall, plastered herself to his front, grabbed the lapels of his jacket, and pressed her mouth against his. Her fury was fueling her, she was so angry at Colin for trying to interfere with her life after dumping her so cruelly, she pushed Niles back against the wall with all the might in her arms, and with her lips.

Niles stood frozen against the wall in complete shock, eyes wide open, having no idea how on earth this situation could have happened. After only a moment, he could see Colin making his way up onto the stage, and then the feeling of C.C. Babcock pressed so intimately against him began to register, as well as the soft but firm pressure of her kiss, and before he could help himself, his arms wrapped around her hips and pulled her into him more comfortably and he began to return her kiss with equal ardor. Another hissed breath rang out, this one from Colin as he spotted them against the wall. "Well, the slut sure didn't take long to move on to her next conquest. Fine!" He snapped, turned, and stalked away. Once his footsteps stopped echoing in the silence of the theater, C.C. pulled back from Niles with a gasp, both of shock and for breath, and took five quick steps backwards to put space between them. Unable to meet his eyes, embarrassed at her rash action, and confused by the strange feelings boiling inside of her, she grabbed her briefcase and headed for the backstage door. Niles quickly followed.

Glancing up at the mock playbill poster for their new show, "Duck and Cover", Niles knew he had just been used by C.C. to avoid a confrontation with Colin, but after the heel's parting comment, Niles found he didn't mind being used at all.

Fin