A/N: The remaining chapters, except for the last one, will be told in flashback - back to right after Niles and C.C. were married, where Niles decided to take C.C. back with him to England to meet his family. Each of the flashback chapter titles will be a lyric from the song "All Too Well" that ties into that chapter. I can't sleep, so this chapter happened...
"You almost ran the red 'cause you were looking over at me."
"Are you sure you know where you're going?" C.C. exclaimed, a deep frown marring her face.
"Of course I do," Niles insisted.
He didn't feel as confident about it as he wanted her to believe. He had grown up traveling these roads, it was true, but he was surprised to find that some roads had changed since then.
"Hmm," she hummed skeptically. "I don't understand why we had to rent a car. We could have just taken a taxi wherever we needed to go."
He sighed heavily but did not reply. He had explained it to her already, at least twice; his parents' home was in a more rural area, and transportation fees back and forth to town would have been expensive.
"I like this song," C.C. commented quietly, seemingly forgetting her argument as she turned up the volume on the radio.
Niles' eyes widened playfully as she began to hum the song.
"You like this song?" he asked with surprise evident in his voice. "Does Fran know?"
She cut her eyes quickly to him
"No," she replied sharply. "And she doesn't need to find out."
Niles chuckled at this.
"Your secret is safe with me."
C.C.'s humming soon turned into singing along somewhat loudly as the song reached her favorite part.
"Could it be that it was all so simple then, or has time rewritten every line..."
Niles joined in to sing the rest of the song with her, both of them ending in laughter.
"Fran can never know about this," C.C. warned jokingly.
"You have my word," he replied with a grin.
Niles took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the fresh, sweet country air.
"We're almost there," he commented.
"Good," she answered simply. "It is so beautiful here."
"I hoped you would like it."
Niles was mesmerized as his wife reclined her head against the head rest and smiled softly. Her skin looked so smooth and glowing in the afternoon sunlight, and her golden hair seemed to shimmer as it blew in the gentle breeze blowing through the windows.
"Niles, stop!" she shouted suddenly.
His attention snapped back to the road, and his foot slammed on the break as he almost ran the red light ahead. Thankfully, no one else was around. Once she was certain they were okay, C.C. began to laugh as her heart still raced.
"The only stop light in the area, and I almost ran straight through it..." Niles grumbled.
"Then keep your eyes on the road next time!" she teased.
"I apologize. Something distracted me..."
C.C. rolled her eyes.
"I'll show you a distraction."
To be continued
A/N: The song they sang together was, of course, "The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand.