Chapter 3

"Maman, Dad, I'm home!" Niles yelled into the empty house.

Then his parents came running into the room.

"Niles, my baby!" Marie yelled, hugging him.

"Niles, my boy," Joseph began, "Sit down, and tell us about your trip."

So, Niles sat down and told them all about it. Then, his mother asked him a question that made him very uncomfortable.

"Niles, has Miss Babcock been the object of your affections all these years?"

"Uh.... Maman, I don't really..."

"Is she the reason you've never married?" His Mother was insistent, and always one to get straight to the point.

"Marie, that's enough now," Joseph scolded, "Let the boy get some rest. He must be exhausted."

"Thank you, Dad." Niles said, and then headed up to his room.

Back in the US, CC was sitting in her chair in her living room, reading the latest Soap magazine.

"Jason could die on General Hospital this week!?" She read aloud, amazed. "Wow."

She had been home from the mansion for hours. She hadn't been feeling well, and left about 7:30, even though her and Maxwell were supposed to be working late on a 'special project.' Just then, her phone rang. Still engrossed in her magazine, she was still reading the article when she picked up the behind her.

"Hello?" She spoke into the phone, her brows furrowing, still trying to figure out how Jason could die.

"Hiya, Babs." Niles' voice came through the phone.

Her magazine was immediately closed, and her whole attention was focused on the man talking to her.

"Hi." She was surprised at her own voice, it was quiet, and small, almost like a little girl, and she couldn't help the smile that crossed her face.

"Hi." He replied, laughing at her voice. "What are you doing?"

"Reading a Soap magazine. Do you know that Jason might die on General Hospital?" She asked.

He laughed. "I'm more of an All My Children, guy." He replied, and her smile got bigger.

"What are you doing?" She asked him, her legs swinging over the arm of her chair, and her free hand going straight to her hair, twirling it.

"Nothing much. I just got in, Maman and Dad were happy to see me, asked me about my trip. Then, Maman was really investigating."

"About what?" She asked him.

"She was asking if I had any special woman in my life."

"Oh." She replied, silently wondering, Do you?

"I thought about getting your picture out of my bag and saying, she says, leave me alone." She could hear the smile on his face, and her heart went to her throat.

"What are you still doing up? Isn't it late there?"

"2:00 AM." He answered, as if it was nothing.

"2:00!? I better let you go, Lord knows you need your beauty sleep." She teased.

"Don't go!" He replied quickly, and they both went silent for a moment. "I....uh....I mean, it's only nine there, right? I won't be able to sleep anyway."

"Oh. Alright."

"So, why are you home? I thought you said you and Mr. Sheffield were working on a project late tonight?" He questioned.

He was actually listening?

"We were, but I left early. I didn't feel good."

"You haven't been eating right, have you?"

She thought about protesting, but quickly realized she knew better. "No, I haven't."

"I thought so. Eat something!" He told her.

"I will, Dad, geez!" She played, he laughed.

"Alright, well, I'll let you go. You need to prepare for the full moon later on. I'll talk to you tomorrow?" He asked his question quietly.

"Of course." She replied, happy he wanted to keep talking.