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By 7 pm, CC was a hot mess of emotions. Not only did she have a two hour phone conversation with Doctor Bort, but she also made her arrangements to have her penthouse packed within the next few days. She needed to find a place to stay, make travel plans and reply to John's offer. But despite all, he was more anxious over the fact that she had willingly invited Niles the Butler to her penthouse to cook for her.
At 7:05 there was a prompt knock on her door. "Hold your horses, Rubbermaid."
Chester sped past her and was barking at the door as she made her way across her living room. When she opened her door, she was met with Niles in a black button down shirt and a pair of jeans that seemed to fit him in all of the right places.
Niles on the other hand, was just as surprised as she was when he saw her in a pair of jeans and an old college sweatshirt.
Chester was still barking at their feet but the two couldn't quite seem to break eye contact.
"You're late." She bit out in attempt to regain control.
"I should have figured that the vampire herself would be demanding fresh blood right on the money."
He made his way to the kitchen as if he had done so every day before. Compared to the rest of her penthouse, the kitchen was meager in size. But it wasn't as if she had done much cooking in it anyways. It only served as a place to heat up her microwavable meals and prepare tea. As Niles tinkered around the kitchen, CC watched him with dismay. He managed to find everything that he needed from pots and pans to silverware. The ingredients for the meal were contained in the bag he had brought with him and soon the kitchen smelled like it never had before.
Other than the sounds of him cooking, there was a sense of silence that seemed to fit them. Different from their bickering but still calming. It wasn't like them to meet outside of the mansion especially since Miss Fine's arrival a few years prior.
The fact that he agreed to come cook for her tonight was surprise enough for both of them as well as her asking him to cook for her to begin with.
CC leaned her back against the counter as she sipped her wine. Niles was washing a pan that he was already finished using to save some time once the meal was complete. Nothing unusual from his typical cooking routine.
"So," CC began as she looked up from her glass of wine. "How pissed do you think Maxwell will be in the morning?"
"Hmmpf" Niles responded as he continued to scrub the pan. "Pissed is putting it lightly." He finally looked up at her. "Although, he is the type to just let it boil and pretend as if it doesn't bother him." Niles dried his hands off on the towel on the counter. "And then take credit for all of the work you have done thus far."
"Isn't that the truth." She tipped the wine glass back as she finished off the last of it.
"Have you decided where you are going to stay once you get to London?" Niles asked as he leaded against the opposite counter.
It was strange really how this conversation was going. It was truly unlike them to get along so well.
"I haven't given it much thought really. I'm not even sure when I will be leaving."
"So you will be working whole heartedly for Sheffield Productions until that day comes." He smirked.
"Like Hell I will. He may get away with treating you like that but I'm done. I have worked too hard for that company to not even have my name on his business cards. I should have left a long time ago." She bit off as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"At least you have the leisure to do so." Niles pouted slightly. "I on the other hand will be washing the boss's underwear."
"You couldn't leave Maxwell if you tried." She smirked, challenging him.
"You think I couldn't leave that household if I really wanted to?"
"Oh come on Niles!" She threw her arms down at her side. "He would be calling you back within the hour. And Nanny Fine would be banging down your door, let alone the rest of the Fines tracking you down just for your food."
"Like you did tonight?" A slow smile reached her lips and her eyes twinkled the way they always did when he was able to one up her. This time however she didn't seem to mind that he got one on her.
"That's beside the point; you offered to cook for me." She turned to pour herself another glass of wine. "Wine?"
"Yes please." He crossed the small kitchen to take the glass from her hand. Their fingers brushing lightly as he grasped the wine glass.
"I bet you, you don't leave Maxwell's service within the next year."
"What are the stakes, Babcock?" Her eyebrows rising slightly. She couldn't believe he was actually going to take his bet.
"If I lose then I will hire you as part of the company in London."
"Are you serious?"Niles asked as he set his wine glass down. He gave her a serious look as if she had just told him that he had won the lottery. Her eyes met his and she nodded."And if you win?"
"That's up for you to decide now isn't it?" She challenged.
"Fine. If I lose then I will cook for you for a year." She threw her head back and laughed at his end of the bet. "What's so funny?" He asked as he pulled their dinner out of the oven.
"Maxwell Sheffield best be finding a new Butler because both of those options involve you moving to London and working for me."
"It seems he should."
"How did you manage to get here anyways? I figured Maxwell would have had you at his beck and call all evening especially after what happened this afternoon."
"I may have convinced Mr. Sheffield that you had finally lost your marbles and perhaps another doctor's visit was in order." Another gleam enchanted his bright blue eyes.
"Liar."
"You're right he never would have believed that. I had to tell him that you were probably off somewhere drinking yourself into a stupor and someone should make sure you didn't end up on a stripper pole somewhere. Although-" He looked her up and down. His jeans seemed to fit a little tighter as he took in her natural beauty in nothing more than a pair of jeans and the college sweatshirt.
"Don't even go there, Dust Buster."
"Aww Caca, you always ruin my fun." Niles gave her one of his beaming smiles.
"Like I am really the one stopping you from having any fun, Mr. Virgin."
He pulled out her chair for her as she sat down at her dining room table, glass of red wine in front of her. Her plate of food was then put in front of her. Out of common courtesy she waited to start eating until he sat down himself. It seemed they had finally found their peace and it only took her quitting and preparing to move to London for them to realize how much they enjoyed the others company.
"You know, Niles, I wasn't lying when I said I was going to miss your cooking." She said as she took a helping bite of her food. "This is delicious."
"Well to be perfectly honest, this is the first time I have ever put it on a clean plate." His smirk was back on his face. She briefly recalled the time when they had teamed up against Nanny Fine and he admitted to putting her coffee in a clean cup for the first time.
"I was thinking."
"Wait!"
"What?"
"You were thinking?"
"Oh stuff it, Niles." She jabbed her fork towards his face but he flinched out of the way.
"Carry on then. What were you thinking about?"
"I haven't made living arrangements for when I get to London yet and I will be damned if my mother finds out that I decided to relocate to London without summoning Mummy Dearest." Niles nodded as he continued to eat.
"So what are your plans for when you get to London?" He asked without losing eye contact with her.
"I was going to ask you, actually." Niles looked at her questionably as he blinked.
"Oh?"
"You know, the best place to live. Neighborhoods, areas of town, fundamentals, Niles, fundamentals."
"There are a few places that I could recommend but I don't nearly know them as well as I know the area near my family home and the Sheffield estate of course. My father would be able to give you a better understanding of the London area if you ask me."
"Your parents still live around London?"
"They do. Nothing too spectacular but they are able to live comfortably. If you ever have any trouble, I am quite sure that they would love the company and be more than willing to help in any way that they can."
"Are they anything like their annoying son?"
"If you are asking if they are a handsome couple, then I must agree. They are very much like their son."
"Hmmf." CC replies as she takes another sip of her wine.
"If you don't find anywhere to stay right away, I'm sure they would love to have you as a house guest. Mum has been dying to meet you after all the stories she has heard."
"What stories?" Her eyebrows shot up and her voice squeaked almost angrily.
"A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Just tales of our normal banter and bickering."
"So you told them how you torture me?"
"Of course I did! How else would they know that they raised their son right?"
"The fact that you take pride in that is insulting." CC stayed silent for a minute and thought about the offer Niles put on the table. "They wouldn't mind if I stayed with them for a few days while I get things settled?"
"I doubt they would have an issue with it. There hasn't been anyone there with them in many years. I try and visit when I can but I am sure they would love to have a fresh face in the house. I couldn't see them turning you down. Even after all the trouble the Sheffields have put them through they would still probably offer any of them the spare room in a time of need." Niles shook his head. "Despite everything, Mum still calls Mr. Sheffield on occasion. She practically raised him until they found Nanny Meuller."
"Really? I didn't know that. So your family goes way back with the Sheffields then?"
"A line of Butlers to serve a line of rich heirs."
"I'm sorry Niles."
"No need. You presence everyday made me realize that there can be some fun to the job." A wink from Niles was sent her way. "If you would like me to give Mum a call before you leave, I can ask for you."
"Would you? I really wouldn't want to be a burden but I don't want to settle on a place unless I am absolutely sure that I am going to love it."
"Like I said, Mum has a desire to make people as comfortable as possible with the occasional trick or prank."
"Like mother like son?"
"Indeed." Niles stood up from the table and gathered their dinner dishes.
"You don't need to clean up. This isn't Maxwell's kitchen. Even I can put dishes in the dishwasher."
"If you insist." Niles took the time to observe CC as she cleared their plates and put them in the dishwasher. It was a rare sight seeing her being domestic but he savored it none the less. It took him by surprise that she was actually considering staying with his parents but maybe just maybe it would be the push he needed to make a new life for himself.
"I am sorry to say this Miss Babcock but I must be getting back to the mansion." Niles sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. " If I am not there to serve his evening snack and glass of warm milk, Mr. Sheffield will have my head."
"See I told you, Butler Boy, you can't stay away from him for long. And here I was going to offer you dessert and a movie."
"I will make it up to you. Tomorrow evening- restaurant of your choice." With that she saw him out and couldn't help but catch the look of adoration on his face.