Chapter 7
"'Cause there we are again in the middle of the night.
We're dancing around the kitchen in the refrigerator light
Down the stairs, I was there, I remember it all too well."
C.C. awakened slowly, languidly blinking her eyes a few times to adjust to the thick blanket of darkness around her. The only light in the room came from a silvery sliver of the moon that sliced through edge of the curtains and created a thin veil across the bed. The sound of Niles' soft breathing lulled her, comforted her. She would have fallen back asleep quickly had it not been for the growling in her stomach; she had never been able to sleep on an empty stomach, but it had gotten even more intolerable since she had been pregnant. C.C. smoothed a hand across Niles' warm bare chest and kissed his forehead softly. She pulled herself closer to him and inhaled his distinct sweet scent. Her stomach growled again, refusing to allow her to forget her hunger for long.
"Niles?" she whispered, timidly at first. "Niles…"
She shook him gently. He groaned.
"Is it a full moon again?" he asked without opening his eyes, his voice thick and groggy.
C.C. could not help but to chuckle before giving him a soft punch on the shoulder.
"I'm hungry, Niles," she explained, feeling like a child.
"Please don't eat me," he replied with a yawn as he opened his eyes. "I'm sure we can find some scraps and bones leftover from dinner in the kitchen."
"Can it, Butler Boy," she hissed, pinching at his ribs.
"Let's go downstairs and find you something," Niles said with a chuckle.
Muffled laughter rang in the corridors as they descended the stairs together.
"What are you in the mood for?" Niles asked as he opened the double doors of the refrigerator and peered inside. "Kibbles and Bits… Gravy Train…?"
C.C. shot him an icy glare as she lifted herself to sit on the counter.
"Ice cream," she answered with a grin, placing a hand over her swollen belly. "With hot fudge and nuts and whipped cream and…"
"I get the picture," Niles cut in.
She watched as he busied himself with gathering the ingredients. After placing two scoops of ice cream into a bowl, he began to pour the hot fudge on top. C.C. shook her head adamantly.
"What?"
Again she looked at the bowl and shook her head.
"You want more ice cream?" he asked with amused realization.
C.C. nodded enthusiastically.
"Very well," he replied, adding another scoop to the bowl, to which C.C. again nodded.
Niles chuckled and added the remainder of the toppings to her liking.
C.C. slid herself off the counter after finishing the sundae.
"We feel better now," she said, indicating her belly.
"I'm glad," he replied softly, kissing her on the lips and then leaning down to place a kiss on her stomach.
C.C. took both of his hands in her own as a warmth seemed to spread in her chest. She rested her head on his chest, feeling relaxed and at home, she thought to herself. She laughed as Niles began to hum and sway slowly with her. He wrapped one arm around her and then twirled her gently in circles around the kitchen, the refrigerator light shining around them like a spotlight.