Author's Note: Thank you for the great reviews, I'm so happy you liked it. I actually admit I had a 2nd and 3rd chapter in mind when I wrote the one-shot, so I was really really hoping you'd like it and ask for more. And so you did. And so you shall receive. Enjoy part 2 - 4 more reviews and you'll get to see part 3. ;)
Niles parked the towncar just down the street from the small grocery store. It was a small neighborhood place he had found down in Queens when he had dropped Fran off at her mother's apartment building, and it had the freshest meat he had found. He glanced in the rearview mirror at C.C., who hadn't stopped glancing behind them the entire time they had been driving from the theater. *Probably worried Colon will be following us* Niles cleared his throat, "I won't be long, but do you want to come in with me?" C.C.'s head whirled around and she quickly composed her features, "All right, I suppose I should, just to make sure you get the best duck they have for the dinner tonight." Niles chuckled to himself as he got out of the car and opened the door for C.C. to exit. *She probably wouldn't know a quality duck if it bit her on the nose.*
He held open the grocery store door for C.C. and grabbed one of the plastic baskets piled by the doorway and headed back towards the butchery. C.C.'s nose wrinkled at the variety of odd smells and spices in the building, and hurried after him, unable to help herself from glancing back at the door a couple more times to ensure Colin wasn't behind them. As Niles spoke to the man behind the meat counter, C.C. chided herself for letting Colin get to her like this, and for letting herself act so recklessly with Niles. *God, what he must be thinking of me right now, I'll be hearing zingers about this for weeks!*
While Uncle Marty (or was it Cousin Marty, Niles never could keep all of the Fine Family straight in his head) went into the cooler to get the duck, Niles watched C.C. fidgeting out of the side of his eye. He could almost read the thoughts on her face, anger at what had happened, embarassment at what she had done, dread at how he would use it against her. Yet Niles felt no desire to use it against her like he normally would. The only desire he felt was to get a repeat performance to see if kissing C.C. Babcock could possibly be as wonderful as he thought it had been. His thoughts turned to how he could arrange exactly that when Marty brought back the duck, neatly wrapped in brown paper. Niles thanked him, and placed it in his basket, and headed off to pick up the couple of other items he needed. He didn't bother to check to see if C.C. was following him, his mind was totally focused on a plan to get that repeat performance.
It wasn't until he was at the checkout counter that he glanced around to see if she was still with him, and was relieved to see she was, although she was nibbling on one of her nails in a very nervous manner - and very un-Babcock like of her. He would get her home to her natural environment safe from the Colin's of the world and she'd be OK. He frowned, wondering when on earth the well-being of C.C. Babcock ever mattered so much to him. He paid for his purchases, picked up the bag, and headed towards the door, hearing the click-click-click of her heels following behind him.
As they walked up the street towards the towncar, he saw a small older woman walking towards them on the sidewalk, and in a flash, he knew how to get his repeat performance. He hurriedly stepped into the small alley between the grocery store and the dry cleaners next to it, and reached out a hand to grab C.C. and pull her in with him. With a slight "oomph" she hit the brick wall of the grocery store. Before she had a chance to say anything, Niles dropped the bag onto the ground and put his hands on the wall on either side of her head. "That woman that Fran is trying to set me up with is coming his way, you have to hide me!" Before C.C. could acknowledge what he had said, he swooped in and began a kiss just as forceful and intense as the one she had given him earlier that day. C.C. practically melted against him, and her arms came around him and he felt her fists clenched against his back.
Time seemed to stop for both of them as they both gave themselves completely into the kiss, the only sounds that could be heard were the occassional moan of pleasure, although from which person it came, you couldn't tell, and the hum of traffic from the street. Suddenly, a nasally and all-to-familiar voice said, "Geez, get a room already, right Val?" Niles pulled back and he and C.C. both turned their heads slowly towards the entrance to the alleyway, where Fran Fine and her best friend Val were standing. Fran's expression changed quickly from disgust to complete shock as she said, "Miss Babcock? Niles? Whatcha doing in there?" Val helpfully piped in, "They were kissing each other, how did you miss that, Frannie?"
The four of them stood in silence not knowing exactly what to do or say. Both Niles and C.C. wished that "Duck and Cover" were an option available to them right now.
Fin