Hello everyone!I'm terribly sorry,but I have already managed to write another chapter-so here it is. We're slowly approaching the Fran era...which I find very complicated, since I seem unable to write her character!-_- Anyway, I currently have 2 mates from England staying at my house so I honestly don't know how much writing I will get done this week, but you know me, I will definitely try!;) R&R please!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the "Nanny" DVDs!;)

Chapter 12: Nanny Needed

"Maxwell Sheffield." she thought.

C.C. Babcock was lying in bed, eyes wide open as if her glance could cut through the darkness. Days before she hadn't been able to sleep, so plagued had she been by dreams of her best friend's death that she kept waking up several times during the night, severely shaken and covered in sweat.

"Maxwell Sheffield." she repeated, this time out loud, allowing her deep voice to fill the silence of the room.

The name resonated from deep within her, even after it had tumbled past her lips. Never before had a man caused her to feel such warmth, such security… it was pathetic really, but she was craving him, as badly as alcohol. It seemed ridiculous now that she hadn't noticed before how perfect the man was: those soft, brown eyes, the dark curly hair, the glorious British accent, not to forget that he had enjoyed the best upbringing and was a wealthy, successful businessman. Well, of course he had been off limits because of Sara… clearly this was the only reason why she hadn't noticed him like this before… but now they were drawn together, united by their grief and she'd be damned if she was going to give this up.

The repetitive ringing of the alarm clock instantly drew him from his light sleep. As he stretched his tired limbs it took him a moment to remember why he felt as if he had a gaping hole in his body. C.C. and Maxwell… he closed his eyes again, banning the images from his mind. It couldn't be, it wasn't right… and yet it made perfect sense somehow, Maxwell had everything he didn't, and now he also had the only woman he truly wanted. Slowly he swung his legs over the side of the bed until his bare soles made contact with the carpet. He didn't feel like getting up, but then again he didn't feel like sleeping either… so why couldn't he just sit there, completely devoid of thought and emotion? Eventually he found the strength to get to his feet and he walked across the room to pick up his clothes, before heading into the bathroom. He washed and shaved in his regular routine, which was soothing because it was so dull. He did up his pants and put on a clean shirt, when he caught a glance of himself in the mirror. He looked old, his face was full of wrinkles and his chest clearly wasn't that of a young man anymore. What had he been thinking? C.C. was at least 10 years younger, if not more. He sighed, lifting his hands to button up his shirt and put on his tie and waistcoat. He could've passed as a wealthy aristocrat, had it not been for the washed-out grey of the waistcoat and the rough fabric of his starch-collar shirt.

He silently walked through the house, careful not to wake the sleeping family. By the time he made it to the kitchen his condition had worsened, there was not a chance that he would make it through the day. He slumped down over the counter, not even attempting to cook something. He could've slapped himself for his own stupidity, for his naiveté to believe he could win her heart. But surely if it had all happened so quickly, it could be undone at the same pace, after all, he was a stubborn old man.

"She's cold." he told no-one in particular and was amazed to find that he felt better, if only by a fragment. "She doesn't know how to handle kids." he said and walked over to the fridge to pull out the ingredients for today's breakfast. "I think her hair is turning grey already." he continued, happily frying some eggs.

And so it went on and on, Niles listed all of C.C.'s flaws, sometimes aloud, sometimes just in his mind, always staying clear of the ones that would make him feel bad.

"She's a snobby, stuck-up socialite who should've choked on her silver spoon."

The anger and the adrenalin that were now coursing through his veins finally made him feel alive again. Maybe this would work… it had only been a mild case of infatuation and he had been blinded by it, but now that he was aware of all her flaws again, this would be easy, he could keep her at bay.

"Good morning, Niles." Maxwell said, breezing into the kitchen "Do you need some help there?"

Niles swallowed, determined to ignore the pang of pain he had felt upon hearing his employer's voice addressing him.

"I have everything under control, Sir." he said coolly, not bothering to turn around.

"Very well, I just wanted to let you know that C.C. will be joining us for breakfast."

"I will have a plate ready for Miss Babcock." he said quietly.

"Niles, is everything alright? You seem a little down…"

"I'm perfectly fine, Sir."

"Niles, if you need a friend, I'd be-"

"Let's not overstep our boundaries again, Mr. Sheffield. Breakfast will be ready in a minute."

And he marched past Maxwell carrying a tray with a heavy teapot and a plate with croissants. He looked up in surprise when his eyes fell on high heeled shoes, shoes he knew could only belong to one person.

"Miss Babcock!" he greeted curtly, setting the tray down on the table.

"Good morning, Niles." she replied happily, somewhat oblivious to his mood "I was so tired of having breakfast on my own, so Maxwell invited me over to join you from now on."

"Why, does he want to make us all unhappy?" he asked rhetorically while busying himself setting the table.

C.C. remained silent for a while before she said defensively: "Maybe he thought his butler didn't have enough work to do."

The loud thud of the mug hitting the table cut through the air as loudly as a rifle shot, shocking C.C. as well as drawing Maxwell towards the scene.

"I have done everything, I have…" Niles was pressing out, every word forced and dripping with anger.

"What's wrong with you, old man?" Maxwell asked, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Nothing," Niles said in a clipped tone, shrugging it off "seeing her face so early in the morning just makes me nauseous."

And with that he exited into the kitchen.

C.C. didn't hear Maxwell's concerned voice as he asked her if she was alright, nor his mumbled apologies to defend the butler's words. She only came back to reality when she felt his soft, warm hand brushing over her cheek.

"Are you alright?" he asked again, worry evident in his brown eyes "I don't know what got into him."

She placed her hand on top of his, running her thumb over his knuckles.

"I'm fine." she replied.

C.C. wondered if Niles knew anything about the kiss she had shared with Maxwell and if he was angry because of that. Be that as it may, though, shouldn't he be happy that she had now moved on to something whose warmth, unlike alcohol, was not an illusion?

"Niles, why aren't you married?" a now 12 year- old Brighton Sheffield was asking him.

The butler instantly stopped what he was doing, leaving the oven door wide open until he felt the heat against his trouser leg.

"Because he hasn't found the right woman," Maggie cut in, who was sitting next to her brother at the kitchen table "which I find admirable. I will only marry a man who truly loves me."

"Sorry to tell you, Sis, but that will only happen in your dreams. Look at you, no-one's even noticed you yet, if you ask me, the only man you'll get will be interested in that trust fund dad's set up for us."

"Oh shut up, Brighton." Maggie replied, shooting him an angry look.

Niles picked up the cake tin and shoved it into the oven, throwing the door shut with as much force as he could muster.

"Will you stop arguing for once?" he said annoyed.

"Why?" Brighton challenged.

"Yes, why?" Maggie asked as well "He gets to insult me and I just have to take it?"

"He's your brother, Miss Margaret." Niles tried calmly, "you're family."

"And with C.C. in the house that's as close to a family as it gets." Brighton commented dryly.

"Now now, your father is still here, isn't he?"

"I'm not sure, have you seen him lately?" Brighton asked innocently.

Niles sighed, uncertain how to respond to that. Maxwell had been busy with work, as a matter of fact ever since C.C. had returned. Their romance, or whatever it was that they shared, was mostly taking place in the office, a place that Niles tried to avoid as often as possible, unless he wanted to throw a couple of good zingers her way. As for the rest, the fewer he knew the better. But the point was that he had no idea how to respond to the boy's question for his anger was completely justified, anger that was mainly projected onto C.C. while he bore his father's unreliability with a resignation no 10 year old should have.

"I think Niles is in love but the situation is very complicated." the youngest Sheffield suddenly said, eyeing her ice cream spoon thoughtfully.

"Unrequited love, how romantic!" Maggie exclaimed to which her brother only rolled his eyes.

"There is no-one I'm interested in, Miss Grace." he said nonchalantly, having half persuaded himself of that.

"But Niles," Gracie said, hopping off her chair to stand in front of him, causing him to kneel down to be eye-to-eye with her "have you learned nothing? You shouldn't repress your emotions; otherwise your subconscious will conjure up the most bizarre dreams."

"Oh God, the last thing I need is to dream about her." he muttered.

"Dreaming of whom?" C.C. asked who seemed to have the most immaculate timing when it came to these kinds of situations.

"A woman he's in love with." Maggie was only too happy to explain.

"Yes, thank you, Miss Margaret." Niles said, gesturing for her to leave the kitchen.

"Oh Niles, who is the lucky woman?" C.C. asked, sarcastically.

"No-one." he merely said, then addressing Gracie: "You should get ready for therapy."

The little girl leaned forward to give him a hug, whispering: "I can see it, Niles."

And giving C.C. a rare smile, she left the kitchen, taking her brother along.

"What? You're telling the girl and not me?" she asked, feigning annoyance.

Niles merely shrugged and grabbed a cloth to clean the counter. "Is there any specific reason you came in here for?"

"You know," C.C. continued undeterred "I think you're just bluffing, I think all you got is her."

And she picked up the feather duster to hold it under his nose.

"Well, Miss Babcock, it seems you have no idea what she and I can do." he retorted smoothly, snatching it from her hands and allowing his index finger to linger on the engraving.

C.C. sighed as she watched him go; this was as close to a good conversation as they got nowadays. But she had more important things on her mind, how to deal with that blasted nanny problem? You see, C.C. had booked a marvelous holiday for Maxwell and herself, once their relationship had hit the first bump in the road. The man had seemed awfully distant lately, almost determined to keep her at arm's length and the only couple of times she had managed to get closer to him again, they had been interrupted by one of the kids. And she couldn't allow that, no, she simply wouldn't allow a bunch of spoilt, snobby kids to take away the one person who was willing to show her some affection. She had spent a number of sleepless nights sitting up and planning how she could possibly get Maxwell back and then it had occurred to her: a holiday, preferably on a tropical Island, far away from the tourists, just her and him and the beach. It had been fool-proof really, had it not been for that darn butler and his insistence that he couldn't look after all three kids by himself. Determined not to beg with her nemesis, she had instead chosen to work her charm with Maxwell who had at least developed the glorious idea of hiring a nanny to look after the kids, not just while they were away, but also in general. At first this had sounded like a wonderful idea, until C.C. had seen the kind of women arriving for the job. Some of them were so young they could've easily needed a nanny themselves, but others, though young, still qualified for the job.

She would never forget the moment when she had opened the door for Renata Mencina. Very annoyed in the first place, because the butler was nowhere to be found, her mood had decreased considerably when her eyes had taken in the curves and smooth skin of the woman in front of her. She was a petite brunette, with chocolate skin and warm, dark-brown eyes. She wore a pair of golden sandals and jeans, combined with a white top, which not only showed a lot of cleavage but also gave a view of her perfect, tight stomach. C.C. could've vomited on the spot. To top it all off, Niles had suddenly appeared, greeting the woman with a kiss on the hand and muttering something about what an honour it was to finally have a beautiful woman in the house. Thinking about it now, it wouldn't surprise her if it had been the damn butler himself who had invited that particular nanny over. But she had gotten rid of her, as she had done with all the other ones following her, whom C.C. considered too pretty. Some she could bribe by money, others were persuaded by threats and her influence and others, well, let's just say they became the victims of strange little incidents. She had then taken matters into her own hand, choosing nannies who were not only twice her age, but also not very nice to look at. But luck didn't seem to be on her side, either Maxwell considered them too old to work with three children, or Brighton had been especially misbehaved, scaring them off.

"Niles!" someone called him and he looked up from dusting the piano, to see his employer march towards him. God seemed fairly happy to punish him today.

"Yes, Sir?" he asked.

"I'd like a word in private, old man." Maxwell said, frantically searching the room with his eyes.

"Well, shall we go into the office then?" Niles suggested, crinkling his forehead in confusion.

"No, she'll find us there." Maxwell whispered and before Niles could say another word, he was pulled along and shoved into the wardrobe.

After Maxwell slammed the door shut they stood so close to each other in the tiny, dark space that their noses were nearly touching.

"I wouldn't mind an explanation, Sir?" Niles asked as politely as he could, given the ridiculousness of the situation.

"It's C.C.," his employer began, shifting around to avoid the sharp edges of the coat hangers "she's been getting far too attached lately."

"Oh Sir, what makes you say that?" Niles asked innocently.

"You know very well what I mean, old man."

"No, do enlighten me."

Maxwell grumbled in frustration, before replying:" She only wants to spend time with me now, it's difficult to persuade her to even leave the house and all she talks about is this holiday she has planned for us."

"I take it you're not exactly interested in going, Sir?" Niles asked.

"Not really, I mean, I don't want to leave the children with a nanny they have only just met and quite frankly I don't want to get C.C.'s hopes up. Yes, she's been wonderful after Sara's death and she probably needed me as much as I needed her but now… it's gone, you know? And I can clearly see now that I just needed something to distract me from grieving, but C.C. isn't exactly the motherly type… she'll never be able to take good care of my kids and so I think I'd rather stay alone."

"I have a feeling though, Miss Babcock has other plans." Niles interjected.

"I know, I know. Could you just make up some excuse why I can't go away on holiday with her?" Maxwell suddenly blurted out.

"I'm sorry, Sir, even I only poke the bear to a certain point." Niles politely declined.

Right then a loud noise shattered the silence causing both Maxwell and Niles to jump out of the closet. Brighton Sheffield was lying sprawled out on the living room floor, a rope wrapped around his neck.

"What's gotten into the boy?" Maxwell asked through the loud screams of the current nanny.

"Sometimes negative attention is better than no attention at all." Niles quietly said and walked over to help the boy off the floor.

"Niles, I might have to come and talk to you again about the…problem…" Maxwell said and Niles grinned:

"Certainly, Sir, but if I may say so, next time a different location would be preferable. There are only so many times a man can come out of the closet."

C.C. had just landed in New York City a couple of hours ago and was already busy getting ready for the soiree that was taking place at the Sheffield residence. She looked relaxed and slightly tanned, but was looking forward to finally seeing Maxwell again. The week she had spent on the island had been lovely, if also a tiny bit dull, having no-one to talk to and lots of time to think.

Adding the finishing touches to her make-up and putting on her earrings she was ready to go. The party was already in full swing when she arrived, Niles looking his usual dapper self, opened the door, a big smile on his face. Deciding to simply ignore him as he would only enjoy it to torment her, she walked over to the buffet table and filled a glass with champagne.

"You look very handsome, C.C." Maxwell's voice suddenly said and she turned around to give him a peck on the cheek.

A moment later though excited whispers passed through the crowd and C.C.'s attention was drawn to the staircase on which an unfamiliar brunette woman was posing for her grand entrance.

"Who is that?" she asked pointedly.

"That's," Maxwell began, following her eyes and a small smile appeared on his lips "the nanny."