As holiday number 1 is nearing its end I seem to find more and more time to write, hence this update!:) It's very hard for me not to get stuck in the fluff between Niles&CC but I will try and get the balance right,after all, there needs to be an explanation why they end up being the way we all know and love em from "The Nanny" ;) I'm heading back to London in 3 days so I don't know yet when the next update will be...if I've got tons of time on my hand I might just manage another one before it...but it's more likely that the next day one will be in 4-5 days. (the way it looks it's gonna be a much longer chapter than this one) In case anyone wants to know, I have now planned this story through till chapter 22 where it will probably end. Your reviews make my day so please keep it up!:D
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or anything you recognise.
Chapter 7: B.B. Babcock's Visit
From that moment onward they spent a lot of time watching the baby together. When C.C. had turned up for the first time while Maxwell and Sara were out, he had believed it to be a random occurrence, but then it had happened more often and he had decided not to question it, for he was certain if he did, she'd recoil immediately. He didn't flatter himself by thinking that she came to spend time alone with him, but he did know how fond she was of Maggie. The more often they watched the baby, the closer they grew to be and the harder it was for C.C. to get up and go back home. On one of those days she was simply incapable of tearing herself away, and so their secret was discovered when Maxwell and Sara returned home. While her husband believed the muttered excuses, Sara was pleased to find that her friend was struggling to speak, thus giving away that there was more to the situation than met the eye. Niles watched the blonde woman hurriedly retreat and even though he was sad to see her go, he still had to smile at the evening they had shared.
"Hello, Hello!" she exclaimed the minute she breezed through the door, causing Niles to look up from changing Maggie's diapers "I know they are out, but I think I might have found a good script at last, I'll leave it on Maxwell's desk in the office."
He nodded and continued what he was doing. "There we are, all nice and clean again." he said, picking Maggie up to put her back into her bouncing chair.
"How pathetic, as if the girl is going to care." C.C. commented, reentering the room.
"Of course she does, babies do not like it when they've made a mess. Only because you're used to it-"
"Stop it, Bellboy." she warned.
"Just watch her while I throw this away and get her milk ready."
C.C. nodded, already taking off her jacket before sitting down on the couch, facing the baby.
"That man." she sighed, shaking her head while her fingers softly pushed down on the chair causing it to bounce slightly.
He returned a moment later with a bottle of warm milk in his hand. "Do you want to feed her or shall I?" he offered with a smile.
"You hold her, I can't afford to get baby spit all over me, this is an expensive blouse."
He rolled his eyes knowing very well that if it came down to it she really wouldn't mind that much. He carefully lifted Maggie out of her chair again and gently held her in his arms. C.C. took the bottle from him when she noticed that he was having difficulties juggling everything, giving him the chance to playfully tickle the baby's tummy. Maggie giggled happily and Niles closed his eyes with a sigh.
"I love the sound of baby laughter; it's so beautiful and sincere."
"Eugh, don't go all corny now, it's just a laugh." C.C. complained but even her eyes had softened.
She moved a little closer, leaning her arm against Niles' to lift the bottle to Maggie's lips. As the little girl happily began to suck on it Niles asked:
"Didn't you say you wanted me to feed her?"
"I said I didn't want to get baby spit all over me. I think it's time you should get your hearing checked, you're getting old!"
"Oh that's rich coming from an immortal." he replied.
After Maggie had had her bottle she was beginning to get a little sleepy and so Niles placed her in C.C.'s arms, as he always did, and covered her with a blanket.
"Sleep well, little girl." C.C. said, who looked ready to fall asleep herself.
Niles smiled to himself as he took her in, her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail and she looked exhausted yet perfectly glowing. Even after the baby had fallen asleep C.C. didn't attempt to leave and so they sat in comfortable silence until the front door opened and Sara and Maxwell strolled in.
"Niles!" Sara's voice brought him back to reality and he shook his head, trying to focus again "Did you and C.C. have a good time?"
"Yes, it was alright. Although I wish she wouldn't just come by unannounced, perhaps we should hang up some garlic to stop her." he smirked and then headed for the stairs.
"Niles?"
"Yes Mrs. Sheffield?"
"Why don't you just tell her how you feel?"
"But I do! Every time I see her the insults just write themselves. Goodnight!"
One day a couple of months later it was a regular start to the week. C.C. had spent most of the morning with Maxwell discussing their options for a new show, somehow they just didn't manage to reach a consensus and with Andrew Lloyd Webber having produced "Cats" rather successfully it was vital they'd find a new musical as soon as possible.
Niles was in the kitchen clearing away the dishes from breakfast while mentally planning what he could make for dinner. He was kept company by Sara who was playing with little Maggie and holding her hand as she tried to sit up.
"I can't believe how fast she's growing." Niles commented, glancing over at mother and daughter.
"Tell me about it! It won't take long before she'll be a sulking teenager, worrying about boys and knowing Maxwell he'll be just as busy as he is now and will miss it all." Sara sighed, running a hand through Maggie's blonde curls.
"Mrs. Sheffield, it's not really my place to say anything," Niles began but when Sara merely raised an eyebrow as if to ask when this had ever stopped him, he continued "but he is working too much. Doesn't seem to please Babcock either…but then, I doubt there's any man who can accomplish that." He chuckled to himself as he imagined the look she would give him had she been there to hear it.
"You know, Niles, you keep mentioning Chas an awful lot for someone who claims not to like her."
Luckily he was spared an answer when the woman herself walked through the kitchen door.
"We're out of coffee again." she said testily, slamming her mug down on the counter.
"I'm assuming it's a full moon, so your kind needs all the caffeine they can get to make it through the day." Niles mocked while refilling her mug.
She picked it up again with a nod of thanks to him, turning around to Maggie who made her smile involuntarily.
"Why did you really come down here? For the coffee or to check if our godchild is alright?" he probed, knowing that he was approaching dangerous territory.
C.C. had made it clear to him several times that she didn't like it when he referred to Maggie as "their" godchild, because it sounded as if they shared something which was too close to the truth for her. So while Niles was purposefully pushing it, she was doing the same by simply calling Maggie "the girl".
"You know, Dust Buster, you are really beginning to bug me today." C.C. snapped but the tension in her body all but subsided when he said: "All in a day's work." accompanied by a wink.
Sara was eagerly following their exchange, her eyes narrowed as if to take in every small detail. So when the doorbell rang, she jumped to her feet.
"I'll get it." she called to Niles and rushed out.
Niles didn't comment this time when C.C. sat down at the table to play with Maggie. Instead he walked over to the fridge and began to take out a couple of ingredients. C.C. wasn't paying attention to what he was doing and only looked up when a plate landed in front of her.
"Are you trying to poison me?" she asked, suspiciously eyeing the sandwich he had made.
"Maybe." he tossed out easily "Eat it, I'm sure you'll like it, I put something special in there for you too."
Taking his last sentence as a threat she carefully picked it up, half expecting to see some bugs crawl out.
"I doubt there's anything coming from you that I'd like." she said, taking a first bite and having to suppress the urge to sigh as the fresh salad tickled her taste buds.
"Why don't you try me, Babs?" he growled.
"C.C.!" Sara said stone-faced, flinging open the kitchen door "I think you need to come out quickly."
"What is it?" she asked, her heart instantly beating faster as all the dreadful possibilities that might explain the look on Sara's face ran through her mind.
"Just come." Sara said again and practically pulled C.C. to her feet, causing her to drop the sandwich on the plate.
Nothing could have prepared her for the shock. There, on the living room sofa, sat her mother B.B. Babcock, nursing her usual Gin and Tonic. C.C. felt how all her muscles tensed at once, forcing her into the usual, arrogant Babcock posture.
"Mother." she said formally, the word feeling odd on her tongue.
"C.C., how wonderful to see you!" the woman said, not even getting up to greet her "I came to see how your career was going. Sara opened the door for me so I had some time to catch up with her."
"Couldn't you have called?" C.C. asked icily.
"Since when do I have to call when I want to see my daughter?" B.B. asked frowning confusedly.
A moment later Niles entered the scene via the dining room, carrying a crying Maggie in his arms.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Mrs. Sheffield, but she wouldn't calm down, she probably needs her mommy or her aunty." he said, handing the baby over to Sara.
"Oh, you're the butler!" a cold voice suddenly exclaimed and he turned his attention to the woman sitting on the sofa.
She was in her mid-fifties, her grey hair tied into a firm bun and she had a face that was nearly wrinkle-free. And yet Niles couldn't help but think that she looked miserable and bitter, something that none of the Botox injections she clearly must have had, had managed to erase. Yet her blue eyes looked oddly familiar and with a start he realized the connection between her and C.C., though he hoped never to see the latter one's eyes so devoid of emotion.
"For a minute I thought he was your husband which would have been appalling considering how common he looks. Tell me, servant, why are you neglecting your duties of answering the door?"
Niles stood still, his mouth agape, wondering if a person like her could actually exist.
"Mrs. Sheffield offered to…" he muttered.
"Sara, dear, you've always been too nice. It is his job; he is getting paid for it." she said slowly as if he wouldn't understand her otherwise.
"Ma'am, I do believe I know what my job entails, I was properly trained." he muttered through gritted teeth.
"I'm sure you were." B.B. said patronizingly her now seemingly steel-grey eyes empty "But every servant forgets when he isn't guided by a firm hand."
Niles opened his mouth, a fitting retort forming in his mind when Maggie began to wail loudly.
"Shall I try and put her to bed?" he instead addressed Sara in a tone that barely concealed his anger.
"No, try C.C. It's always worked so well when you two were handling her."
Niles nodded and picked the baby up and was just about to hand it to C.C. when her mother spoke up again.
"Sara dear, what exactly do you mean by that?"
She was beginning to fidget nervously, as any normal human being would have done when confronted by a demanding Babcock.
"You see, Niles and your daughter are Maggie's godparents, so they have looked after her a couple of times."
C.C. was softly shaking her head, which didn't go unnoticed by Niles who almost forcefully shoved Maggie into her arms. He had known that she wasn't thrilled with her mother, but never in a million years had he expected her to behave like that. C.C. seemed frozen to the spot, utterly rigid and either not willing, or not able, to defend her friend and her actions. B.B. glanced over at her daughter who stood perfectly still, her finger stroking the child's hand mechanically and then to the butler who stood so close to her that his shoulder was touching hers.
"I very much doubt that, dear. Chastity knows better than to converse with domestics." she said, her eyes boring into her daughter's, forcing her to say something.
"Of course I didn't, mother. He wasn't watching the girl properly, so I had to step in, he had just entered the room again when Sara and Maxwell came home. He was probably trying to save his hide and made up this story." C.C. produced in a monotone voice, lowering her head.
She heard Niles' sharp intake of breath, before the warmth of his body left hers as he stepped back.
"Chas, what are you saying?" Sara demanded, fury obvious in the usually so calm blue eyes.
"I'm afraid she's right, Mrs. Sheffield." Niles said stiffly "Every word she said… why would a Babcock even look at a servant? If you will excuse me now, it's time I start preparing dinner, wouldn't want Mrs. Babcock to ever mistrust the quality of my training again."
And with a mocking bow he inclined his head and strode back into the kitchen.
"That domestic of yours speaks much too freely, Sara." B.B. pointed out but Sara ignored her this time.
"Chas, you need to go after him." she pleaded with the blonde woman.
"Never." C.C. said icily and Sara walked up to her, looking as if she was ready to slap her.
"For once swallow your ridiculous Babcock pride! Why are you listening to the clichés your mother is filling your head with? You know as well as I do that she's only so bitter because of all her love affairs with ser-"
"Sara darling!" Maxwell interrupted, entering the room with a huge smile of someone who didn't know what he had just walked into "I heard raised voices, is everything alright?"
"You must be the famous Maxwell Sheffield." B.B. exclaimed, suddenly as soft as a kitten "I'm Chastity's mother, delighted to meet you."
Maxwell shook her hand while confusedly looking from his wife to C.C.
"I can't tell you how grateful I am that you have taken her in. When Chastity told us about this…fantasy of hers to live on her own and earn her own money, well, we were just plain confused, I mean…she is a Babcock, the only thing she really needs to worry about is finding a husband." And she let out a shrill, phony laugh.
"Oh, it was no trouble at all. She's really good, as a matter of fact I'm thinking about changing the name to Sheffield-Babcock productions." Maxwell said who was slowly catching on that something wasn't right.
"That would include a raise in her salary naturally?" B.B. questioned, suddenly all businesswoman again.
"Yes, well…" Maxwell stammered "Why don't we continue this tonight over dinner?"
"I'm afraid C.C. and her mother already made other arrangements." Sara chimed in "As a matter of fact they should get going now, otherwise they will be late."
And she took Maggie out of C.C.'s arms, leaving her husband to see them out while she headed into the kitchen to join Niles. She found him standing there with his back leaned against the counter, staring at the table, arms crossed in front of his chest.
"My apologies, she shouldn't have treated you like that." Sara said quietly, putting Maggie back into the bouncing chair "It's all her mother's doing, I mean; you've just witnessed it yourself."
"Excuse me Mrs. Sheffield," Niles said formally "I do not wish to discuss this. Miss Babcock was right, I have been overstepping the line, but from now on I will remember my place."
And he picked up the plate with the half-eaten sandwich and threw it into the trash.