Hello everyone!:) Thank you so,so much for all your lovely reviews, I couldn't quite believe it! (feel very free to keep that up!lol) Ok, there are a number of things I wanna say here...first of all I forgot to mention last time that the song Niles sings "Drawn to you"is from "The Anastasia Affaire"and it's very worth listening to it! Now for this chapter I have skipped a little ahead, you'll see what I mean, so it's no longer in chronological order! The song that's playing on the radio and that Niles is humming along to is, in my head, "Since I fell for you", listen to it, there's a rather lovely Barbra version on youtube! Ok...and finally, I don't know when I'll be able to update next...I shall attempt to do one more before the weekend but then I'll be in Oslo for 1 week and my mum gets to keep the laptop...so it's very likely that there won't be an update for a week,just to warn you!lol And also, just in case you were wondering,there are 6 more chapters left to write!;) Please,please, please read and review!Tell me what's wrong with it or what you liked etc., I'm keen to hear it all! I shall now bugger off and watch "The Nanny" on SuperRTL!lol

Disclaimer: I don't own anything apart from my newly acquired earrings that are true C.C. Babcock style!^^

Chapter 16: Exit Niles, Enter Chandler?

"So Miss Babcock, tell me, why did you arrange an appointment today?"

C.C. who had been studying her hands in her lap now looked up at the psychiatrist sitting in the armchair opposite her. Dr. Bort was several years her junior and C.C. could remember that this had been an issue to begin with. The Babcock women, though just as beautiful as dangerous, were known to struggle at least once in their life, however, none of them were known to face their demons. But when Sara had died and C.C. had found herself strangely attracted to Maxwell, she had decided that maybe therapy sessions were in order, as a means of gaining absolution for an otherwise inexcusable behavior. Dr. Bort wasn't a well known therapist which had comforted C.C., seeing as it would increase the likelihood of no-one ever finding out what she was doing. The downside, however, was that Dr. Bort was young and with her 29 years much too inexperienced in C.C.'s books. Unfortunately for her she hadn't found out about that little tidbit until the woman herself had opened the door and asked her into the office. And since Babcock women weren't really known to flee either, C.C. was stuck.

In their first session she had eyed Dr. Bort just as closely as she was doing now. Nothing from her curly auburn hair to her soft doe- eyes had reassured C.C. that she had chosen the right person but then she noticed something the therapist hid behind her youthful appearance, something that could be found in the small details, a kind of deep calm, something that slowly crept up on C.C. and made her want to trust that woman. But she had soon learned that she couldn't use the sessions to justify her behavior, for Dr. Bort would stop her every time, as well as that therapy was a hard and long process, especially seeing the state of denial she was in. And slowly C.C. began to wonder if it had always been there, that vigilant look behind the reading glasses or if it had recently developed like the wrinkles and frown lines that were now drawn across her face, marking her like the histories of her many patients.

"Miss Babcock, what is it that you wanted to talk about?" Dr. Bort asked again, absent-mindedly playing with the pencil in her hand.

"I'm in a relationship!" C.C. blurted out before she could stop herself.

"And what about that relationship don't you find satisfying?" the therapist probed.

"What makes you think I'm not happy?" she snapped defensively.

"I never questioned your happiness, Miss Babcock, I merely asked which aspects are not satisfactory?" the woman repeated and C.C. could tell by the glint in her eyes that her choice of words was already carefully being analyzed.

"I know what you're trying to do," C.C. said, crossing her arms in front of her chest "but it's not going to work. The man I am currently seeing is Chandler Evans, he just so happens to be a very well known investor."

"Am I assuming correctly that he'll be financing the upcoming play?"

"Yes, we met at a backer's party where he approached me."

"What does he lack, Miss Babcock?"

"Lack? The man is almost as rich as I am, he's terribly handsome and well known in my social circle."

"Then why, may I ask again, are you here?"

"I-" C.C. stammered, suddenly at a loss for words.

There had been a reason, hadn't there? Why else would she set another date for therapy after she hadn't been for over five years? Maybe Niles was right and she was merely a glutton for punishment… ugh, there was that infuriating butler again.

"I know that frown, what are you thinking about?" Dr. Bort questioned.

"Nothing, just wondering why I'm suddenly siding with the help." she muttered and upon glancing down noticed that her therapist made another note. "Well, Dr. Bort," she continued, rising to her feet while smoothing her skirt "it appears that I have been wasting your time, I don't seem to remember why I came here in the first place."

"I don't believe that for a minute, please, sit back down and tell me how you and Mr. Evans met."

"I already told you," C.C. said annoyed "he was at the backer's party and approached me, said he wanted to discuss a possible business deal over dinner. "

"Did he take you out at that very moment?"

"No, the party was still in full swing and it wouldn't have been professional of me to leave. Besides, later on that evening the damn butler purposefully served me hors d'oeuvres that contained sage so I ended up being rushed to the hospital."

"Did he stay with you?"

"Yes, claimed the whole thing had been an accident, that he hadn't known…"

Miss Babcock," Dr. Bort interrupted "I didn't mean the butler, I meant Chandler Evans."

"Oh…" she said, blinking several times, her mind still clouded with the images of Niles by her bedside, apologizing profoundly "no, only the butler and the nanny came along. I spoke to Chandler the following day and he asked if I was still available for dinner, a sage- free meal guaranteed."

She smiled at the memory, though she wasn't sure if it was because of Niles' apologetic face she couldn't forget, or Chandler's wonderful sense of humor.

"What happened at the dinner?"

"We chatted, we talked about business, we even danced a little and then he took me home and gave me a peck on the lips."

"You sound disappointed." Dr. Bort interjected.

"No, I mean, he was…is the perfect gentleman…" her voice trailed off.

The therapist nodded lightly, her arched eyebrows asking her to continue.

"But there's something missing." A little voice in her head said which she refused to listen to.

"He's safe."

"You're saying this as if it's a bad thing!" C.C. accused, her lips forming a thin line.

"No, you're interpreting it that way." Dr. Bort said gently "It's not wrong to want something else, maybe something that's different than the life you're used to."

C.C. dug her nails into her skirt as she tried to organize her thoughts, to think about the choices she would have. One thing was very clear, she wouldn't allow some quack to take away the possibility of love, of marriage even. From now on she would just have to try harder with Chandler, make sure he was hers and hers alone.

"Apologies again for wasting your time, Dr. Bort," she said once more, rising to her feet "you will have received my cheque by tomorrow morning."

This time Dr. Bort made no attempt to stop her, if years of private practice had taught her anything it was that time could be the therapist's best ally.

A couple of weeks later C.C. hadn't noticed the change in her relationship with Chandler, if she knew anything at all, then it was that she had wasted no time nor effort to show the man how much she wanted him. And after the stunt that Niles had pulled she took particular pleasure in rubbing it in that she now had a partner while he was still alone. Sometimes when the weariness of a long day's work overtook her she sensed something behind the butler's barbs, something else than their normal animosity. But try as she might she wasn't able to put her finger on it…incapable to realize that it was jealousy that soured the butler's words, though he visibly attempted to pass them off as nonchalant comments. Granted though it wasn't as bad as it had been with Maxwell - somehow her infatuation with her boss and his long-time friend had hit him harder, it was a deep betrayal he still hadn't quite forgiven either one of them. This affair now with Chandler was nothing compared to it and yet it irked him. It was mainly in the small things, the fact that Chandler could make her smile, the way her eyes lit up when she talked about him and yet he was intrigued by the obvious pleasure she found in telling him about it. Had his mind not been so occupied with his feelings of jealousy, it might have even struck him as odd that C.C. never even attempted to show Maxwell what he was missing.

Then suddenly one day, fate had a twist in store for them that Dr. Bort hadn't been able to plan better had she tried. The annual Broadway Guild Awards banquet was approaching and C.C. had been bragging about it for weeks, seeing as she had a partner in Chandler. Niles was just sweeping the den when C.C. breezed through the door, no doubt eager to collect her tickets. He stole a secret glance at her, clad as she was in a tight black dress that stopped just above her knees, but instantly tried to cover up by tossing a zinger her way. She wasted no time in hurling an insult back at him, bringing a smile to his face at her, so often mocked, rapier-sharp wit. After a moment he remembered a letter addressed to her he had found stuffed in the mailbox and handed it to her. He heard her opening the envelope and after hearing her laugh the smile was wiped off of his face.

"Things are heating up with Chandler," she proudly declared "he sent me the key to his apartment. "Dear C.C., you're suffocating me, here's your key back!"

It took all his strength not to look up at her with newfound hope, so instead he resorted to his regular tactic.

"Oh, cheer up Caca, not every owner loves it when the dog tries to be dominant."

But for the first time in a very long while he was confronted with a speechless, blonde socialite. She didn't seem genuinely crushed that the relationship with her and Chandler had come to an end, merely struggling to find fault in her own actions. And as she listed the many phone calls, the gifts and everything else Niles tried to figure out what had gotten into the usually so distant woman, because he somehow refused to believe that it could have been love.

Trying to stop her rant and to get the Babcock spirit back he admired so much, he mocked: "Oh poor thing, no date for the awards ceremony, I can't imagine anything more humiliating."

"Oh yeah?" she asked, suddenly a seriousness in both her tone and her eyes "how's this? What are you doing Saturday night?"

This one he had not seen coming. A Babcock asking a domestic to be her escort? For a moment he felt the weird desire to laugh out loud, but the lingering sincerity of her request stopped him. Still wondering why she didn't asked Maxwell, he said:

"What makes you think I'd be caught dead at an awards ceremony with you?"

He was almost certain that she would refuse him now, suddenly come to her senses and realize that she was talking to Niles the servant, but she still didn't change her mind.

"250 bucks?" she asked instead.

"It's a deal." he agreed, shaking her hand.

When Saturday night finally arrived he felt as nervous as he hadn't done since his graduation from Oxford. Somehow he thought that a lot would depend on this particular evening. He was sitting in the town car Maxwell had given him for the night and was nervously adjusting his tie. Just as he was about to check his watch, the door opened and C.C. took her seat next to him. It took her one look at him to find fault and unnerved, she reached out to him and criticized: "Your tie's all wrong."

"Why thank you, Miss Babcock, you look great too." he muttered under his breath.

Though upon taking a second glance at her he regretted losing his temper, for she really looked quite beautiful and he had wasted the perfect opportunity to tell her so.

"Stop dreaming, Bellboy and drive us to the banquet, we're already late."

"Yes, because you spent all that time attempting to fix your face when we both know it's a lost cause." he shot back, unable to help himself.

C.C. merely scolded him with a look, before directing her attention to the contents of her purse. The truth of it was that she was nervous and she hated not knowing why. Winning would be nice for a change but she hadn't thought of herself as someone who'd get that nervous.

"Have you got your acceptance speech ready?" Niles asked, trying to make conversation.

"No, why bother?" came her short reply.

As his temper flared up once more he found himself saying something he regretted even more than that quip about her appearance.

"True, it must be easy for someone who doesn't have any real friends and caring relatives."

"Niles!" she said and because that single word was devoid of anger he knew that he had managed to hurt her.

"I'm sorry, Miss Babcock," he apologized sincerely, hoping that she'd believe him "you just have a way of getting to me."

She remained silent and after quite some time asked: "What made you ask about that speech in the first place?"

"I just think you'd deserve to win, having worked so hard for it," he replied with a shrug "besides, I know how much you rely on your career, I would too if I had such an unfulfilling love life."

"And I almost thought you had managed to say something nice." C.C. said but assured him with a smile that she hadn't taken his comment to heart "Plus I know you're just jealous, seeing as you were not even once romantically involved in your entire life."

He grinned to himself and silently began to wonder if maybe this evening wouldn't turn out to be so bad after all.

Once they reached the big hall in which the banquet took place, Niles suddenly became a completely different person. If C.C. hadn't known the subtleties of his facial expression so well, she could've sworn her escort wasn't Niles the butler.

"C.C., how wonderful to see you!" an elderly gentleman exclaimed and placed a kiss on her hand "And who is this lovely young man?"

Niles nodded politely and waited for C.C. to reply, seeing as he wasn't quite sure what she had planned to say.

"This is Niles Brightmore, he is a friend of Maxwell's." she finally answered and he smiled.

"I'm sure Maxwell will be attending as well?" the man continued, as a woman joined his side.

"I'm afraid not, he's been otherwise engaged." C.C. replied and Niles could tell by the sour expression that she didn't like it one bit that Max had taken Fran and the kids out to dinner.

"What a shame!" the woman said, her sparkling eyes solely focused on Niles "Maxwell is always such wonderful company and has accomplished so much over the years. But I can see you have found another handsome fellow to accompany you."

Though cringing inwardly, Niles reached for her hand and brushed his lips over it.

"Niles Brightmore." he introduced himself politely, before withdrawing his hand and hooking arms with C.C. "And Maxwell would never have done as well had he not had this smart and beautiful creature by his side."

He registered C.C.'s eyes instantly snapping towards him, before she made up an excuse and led him away.

"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed.

"Correcting their mistake." he simply said.

"This isn't the moment to be chivalrous, Niles!"

"Miss Babcock, we both know how much Sheffield production has flourished since you joined! Now where's this Babcock pride when you need it?"

Though his tone had been fierce throughout his speech, his eyes had held so much admiration and warmth that she felt choked up.

"I don't need anyone to defend my honour!" she snapped.

"I'm very aware of that, glad we're finally on the same page again." And he winked at her and walked towards their table, knowing she would follow.

When the first waiter walked past he ordered drinks, aware that C.C. and he both needed it.

"So is there anyone in this room who isn't a big phony?" he asked when their drinks had finally arrived.

She took a sip of her red wine before replying with a big smile on her face: "I doubt it."

"I know you were raised in this world, but I'm still going to ask, how do you stand it?"

"I'm wondering that myself sometimes." she mumbled quietly, but took another big gulp of her drink when she noticed another couple approaching.

"C.C., darling!" a young woman said, pulling her into an embrace while magically accomplishing never to really touch her.

"Cynthia." C.C. said stiffly, though the huge smile on her face didn't give anything away.

"Is it true? I mean, we've heard so many stories about men worshiping you, yet no-one's ever accompanied you, so naturally we were beginning to wonder…" Cynthia continued without even introducing the man by her side.

"Marshall." C.C. said politely to the man who seemed to be in as much pain as she was.

For the first time Niles understood some of her behavior and her desperation not to turn up without an escort, though he didn't want to believe her resignation in the matter.

"I'm Niles Brightmore and I can assure you that all the rumors have been true, I mean, what man wouldn't be glad to have such a woman by his side?" he asked, snaking his right arm around her waist.

C.C. gave him a look that suggested he shouldn't lay it on so thick if he wanted to survive the night, but he just gave her body a light squeeze.

"Well, she's certainly got good taste in men, you are terribly handsome." Cynthia said as if C.C. wasn't even in the room "What is it that you do for a living?"

Luckily he was spared an answer when a man entered the stage and began tapping against the microphone. Niles followed the awards ceremony with great interest, eagerly expecting the category C.C. was nominated for. He could tell by the way she kept twisting her fingers how nervous she truly was and just as the nominations were announced he reached over to squeeze her hand.

"And the winner is Miss C.C. Babcock, Sheffield-Babcock productions!"

Niles instinctively pulled her into an embrace and kissed her cheek, before pulling away again. It was only for the fragment of a second that her eyes lingered on him, needing reassurance, before she gracefully got to her feet and strode towards the stage.

"Thank you!" she said, taking the trophy "I won't bore you with a big speech, all I have to say is that I worked my ass off to get here and I'm glad I got what I deserved!"

Through the somewhat shocked silence she could hear Niles' throaty laugh and with a radiant smile she looked at him and saw, for the second time that night, his eyes sparkling with admiration. When she rejoined him at the table he was still chuckling, before he said:

"I think that after a celebratory glass of champagne we should switch to non-alcoholic drinks."

She rolled her eyes and was just about to retort, when a woman at the next table signalled her to be quiet. Emptying her glass of champagne in one big gulp, she turned to Niles and whispered: "Can you believe this woman just shushed me?"

He had to stifle another chuckle, seeing as everyone in the closer environment must've heard C.C.'s loud complaint.

"Hush, Babcock, one scene's enough for this night." he whispered, a twinkle in his eyes.

Just when the awards ceremony was over and Niles was about to ask C.C. for a dance, the obnoxious Cynthia approached again. So instead of the blonde spitfire he adored so much, he found himself dancing with the red head.

"So Niles," she whispered, her head resting on his shoulder "is it true what I've been told? You are the Sheffields' butler?"

He swallowed, knowing that he couldn't very well deny it but also aware that C.C. would be furious once she found out.

"Yes." he admitted.

"I never would've judged C.C. as someone eager to flirt with the help, but let me tell you something, it won't last, if you ever get bored, you could just-"

"Thank you, but I stand firm in my loyalty to Miss Babcock." he said in what he hoped to pass off as a polite reply, disguising his anger.

He made sure to end the dance as soon as possible and when he returned to the table, C.C. instantly noticed that something was wrong.

"They know I'm a butler." he glumly told her, sparing the other details.

C.C. mused that she had never seen this man so defeated about his position before and he had had many opportunities, seeing how often she mocked him.

"Let's go!" she simply said and together they walked through the ballroom "Niles, it doesn't matter, I've had a wonderful evening." She said when he still remained silent.

At this he seemed to perk up slightly and at least began to smile again. On the way out Niles suddenly stopped and greeted a man that was foreign to her. As he proceeded to follow them to the car, Niles explained:

"This is Jim, I asked him to drive us back."

"You hired someone?" she asked incredulously.

"Of course, I knew I would consume a lot of alcohol, that's the only way to survive an evening with you." he teased and playfully elbowed her.

The most surprising thing happened when C.C. exclaimed during the car-ride that she wasn't ready yet to go home and that she wanted to return to the Sheffield mansion with him. Thanking Jim and paying him, he then walked towards the front door which he held open for her.

"Thank you, Niles." she said when he took her wrap as well.

"It's my pleasure." he replied, his voice velvety smooth and gentle.

She watched him as he loosened his tie and took off his jacket, completely unaware of the warmth that held her enveloped.

"And now, Miss Babcock, I was wondering," Niles began again, a boyish smile lighting up his face "if you'd dance with me, I never got a chance to ask you back there."

She smiled shyly and took his outstretched hand, allowing him to drag her towards the centre of the den. He switched on the radio and the smile on his face grew as he carefully took her right hand in his left and wrapped the other around her body. They danced like this for quite a while, until he finally let go of her hand and pulled her closer.

"You always look so strict, Miss Babcock," he whispered, twirling a strand of her golden hair around his finger "even when you're actually enjoying yourself, I wonder why that is."

"I have to appear professional." she stated, leaning in slightly, so that her cheek brushed against his.

"Why hide what a passionate, vibrant woman you are?" he asked softly, his breath washing over the shell of her ear.

"Well, you certainly hide very well that you can't only be a grouchy, old man, but possibly even nice if you try." she retorted and she heard him chuckle.

After that he was silent and only quietly hummed along to the song that was playing on the radio.

"I almost forgot," C.C. said, already attempting to move away from him, "I never gave you the $250!"

But he held her firmly in place, gazing into her sky-blue eyes.

"This one's on me." he said tenderly.