[A/N: Apologies for the short chapters, but they get longer (because it's me and that's what I do) as the story goes on. Special shout-out to KB91-raise your hands if you think she should post her N/CC stories to this site! Everyone's hands are raised, KB91. We love you.]

Chapter 3

He's not a magic man or a perfect fit
But had a steady hand and I got used to it

She knew he was standing at the back door. How could she not? She wasn't referring to some sort of metaphysical I always know where you are nonsense, but two factors came into play: Niles usually arrived in a room moments after she did, especially if she happened to be alone, and she'd heard him stumble over the recycling bins. Stupid clumsy butler.

So what happened with the French tutor (Philip? Felix?) was less of an occurrence and more of a performance. On the whole, she'd been appalled when he'd grabbed her hand and began kissing it. His stereotypical behavior of the French paramour bored her, and while she couldn't claim to be Nanny Fine's friend, she didn't want to actually hurt her. CC Babcock was not the other woman.

But then—oh, but then—she thought of how Niles might take this. She never missed an opportunity to make him jealous (no, she'd never stopped to consider why, so don't even ask her) and who better to make him jealous than a well-muscled, gorgeous (young) Frenchman?

So CC played with the French guy, giving him her arm. She played with Niles, kissing the French guy. She played with the French guy again, telling him to stop it. On the whole, she had some fun. By the time her French toy left the room, CC was over it. Time for her next game.

Predictably, Niles hurried into the room and slammed the back door behind him. He didn't seem surprised that CC didn't jump at the noise—she knew he'd hurry into the kitchen as soon as possible. A true yenta would have run off to tell someone else what he'd just witnessed. Maybe not Nanny Fine, not yet, but surely, a seasoned yenta would have told Maxwell. But Niles had other things pulling his strings. CC fancied herself one of them.

So she let Niles think he was tricking her. In all honesty, she really hadn't known what to do next. Nanny Fine deserved to know she was engaged to a cad but interpersonal relations weren't her thing. She had no idea how to go about it. So instead of Niles telling Maxwell, she would tell him.

It had taken a great deal of willpower, though, not to respond saucily when Niles informed her, oh so wisely, that boys never wanted a toy until another boy wanted to play with it. Oh, really, Niles? Where did that leave you, then?

But that was a dangerous card to play. That could devolve quickly into whatever they were becoming more and though CC didn't know what they were, she knew that the idea of more confused and frightened her.

So she'd trotted into the office, Niles predictably at her heels, and informed Maxwell of the newest French transgression. Niles had her favorite drink ready for her by the time it was over. He'd even brushed his shoulder against hers and she understood the gesture. No hard feelings. No harm done. Nothing new. Revert to normal.

Only Niles didn't seem normal anymore. Sometimes she found him beaming like a fool at her. Other times there was real anger in his eyes. She could no longer predict his behavior as she'd gotten quite good at doing.

Then came the real zinger, the one shaped like another woman that zinged right at her, zinged past her defense system, zinged through a tiny chink in the wall, and zinged right at her heart, deflating it like a sad balloon the day after a child's birthday party.

Despite how much Niles had made fun of her lackluster love life, he was the one who had remarkably little to show. There were flings (Nanny Mueller—what the hell was that?, Fran's cousin at Sylvia's birthday party) but no real relationships. CC had once almost thought—no. It didn't matter.

So it surprised her when Niles and this woman whose name she hadn't bothered to learn (why bother to learn something you won't need to know after a few days?) actually went on several dates. This was new. This was, actually, something CC never had to deal with before: Niles with a girlfriend. She wasn't entirely sure she liked it.

And why, CC? Oh, and why. Well, CC told herself defensively, sometimes breakfast was late. Sometimes Maxwell needed something brought to the theater and Niles was already out. Sometimes Niles didn't follow her into rooms now.

And sometimes, CC fumed as she waited in the empty kitchen, there was no coffee when she needed some damn coffee.

She worked for a catering company. How quaint. CC made fun of it, as was her right.

But then she started talking about children and marriage and she wondered what the hell she was doing.

Molly. Isn't she just a cute little button of a woman. And then it just came to her: Molly Maid. She doubted anyone could fault her for realizing that connection. But to be fair to all parties, she was the one who kept bringing up marriage.

Still, she maintained that Niles didn't have to take it where he did. He asked what she'd say, she made a joke about a feather duster, and that should have been the end. But then he got serious about it. Niles was seldom serious about things around her. He could be practical—are you having lunch here, Babcock? He could be concerned—are you feeling all right, Miss Babcock? He could even be nice—let me get you some tea, Miss Babcock. But serious—no. They didn't do serious. Serious was like more: confusing and frightening.

So CC did what CC always did: gave him a flippant remark and tried to leave the kitchen. But the butler did what the butler never did: reached out, grabbed her, damn near tried to force an answer from her.

So she, again, did what she always did: made a joke about him being a servant and tried to give a cruel laugh. It all fell flat. The butler suddenly did what the butler never did: refused to play by the rules of their game. (Game? Was that a fair word to use? No. But what other word was there? CC had once perused a thesaurus, came up empty-handed.)

She told him to let her go. He agreed to if that's what she wanted. It wasn't. But he still did.