(AN:`Sorry, fanofgrissom, I tried to get this posted before the late hours of the night, but I couldn't seem to get it done.)

Chapter 8

"So, do you like it here?" CC asked Niles, as they stood in the kitchen of F&G's Dude.

"Yeah, I like it. The owner is nice, and understanding, and the staff are really good workers." He told her he liked it, but she could tell he was holding something back.

"But....." She encouraged.

He sighed. "But, I miss my family." He looked pointedly at her as he said this, and she suddenly felt a knot in her stomach.

"Oh." She replied.

"So," He sighed, "Is there something specific you're interested in?" He asked her, trying to give her special attention.

Before CC could answer, a waitress burst through the door.

"Niles!" The woman yelled excitedly, and, in CC's opinion, came to stand a little too close to him after hugging him.

Niles hugged the woman back reluctantly, and looked nervous.

"Niles, I was so worried about you!" The petite, more like girl than woman, told him.

"Well, I'm still here, Nancy." And Niles smiled a fake smile, then cleared his throat. "Nancy, this is CC. CC, Nancy."

CC stuck out her hand. "Pleasure to meet you."

Nancy shook it. "You too." Then she paused before continuing, "So, Niles, is this the girlfriend you keep insisting you have? The one from New York?" Nancy asked with a hint of rudeness in her voice.

CC looked Nancy up and down. She was about 5 feet, if that, with a waist that looked like a negative two, and long, brunette hair that went to her waist. Her hair was perfectly straight, and looked as if it was silky smooth. CC's first thought was that Nancy seemed like the type of girl that said "like" all of the time.

Niles cleared his throat again. And, before he or CC could of an answer to her question, (because as of the last few hours, neither knew what their relationship could be defined as) Nancy was talking again.

"Niles, I tried to talk to you last night. I knocked on your door twice!" She said, completely exaggerating, "And I was so worried about you!" She hugged him again, and Niles stiffened.

The rest of the day went on like that, Nancy talking like the air-head she was, and when Niles would turn his back, CC and Nancy exchanged death glares.

As soon as they got in the car, CC asked him, "Who was that?"

Niles chuckled. "That was Nancy, and she practically drools when I smile." He continued, "She's asked me out at least 30 times since I've been here, and after the first seven, I told her someone else already had their hooks in me."

CC opened her mouth, and before she could say anything he interrupted, "No! I didn't show her the picture!"

And she laughed.

"I don't want someone like Nancy anyway." He continued, "I don't want someone who drools at my feet, and lives to 'serve' me. I want someone who'll stand up to me, who won't take my crap, and keep me straight." He paused before he continued, "I don't want it to be me and my assistant, I want it to be me and my wife against the world. And, Nancy's the assistant."

"Who's the wife?" She asked him before she thought about it, and now it was out there.