Hello, Hello. Well, long time no read...lol I must confess I am kind of stuck with Fabric and have been close to abandoning it altogether several times...however, I hate giving up on things so it's on momentary hiatus until I overcome my issues with it. lol In the meantime, however, I have this update for you and have planned the first 10 chapters already. I hope you'll enjoy seeing Sam, C.C. and Niles again. ;) Read and review, please.
Disclaimer: Only Samantha is mine!:)
Chapter 1: Rhapsody Variation 18 - Rachmaninoff
Her skin was as soft as it had ever been. He still remembered it vividly, the first time he had touched her intimately. No years of unrequited feelings, no years of marriage and separation could ever make him forget that thrill. Her skin was cool and pale, in stark contrast to his that was warm just by being so close to her. And just like then he now couldn't resist its pull either. His left hand wandered higher to undo the first few buttons of her silky pyjama top, while his other gently tugged at the collar. Soon his lips devoured what his eyes had been craving; skin so soft and pale and perfect. C.C. sighed deeply in return, a content smile washing over her features.
"Good morning," his voice was low and quiet.
"Morning," she sighed again when his lips traveled to the nape of her neck "what are you doing?"
"Kissing you…"
His lips found that special spot and she shivered.
"I know that but…" she closed her eyes, it was terribly difficult to think straight when he was seducing her like that "I know you, Butler Boy, you want more."
"Can you blame me?" he still sounded hoarse, as if he was coming up with a cold, only that she knew better.
His lips traveled to her jawline, his hands turned her over so she came to lie on her back, his eyes had already become dark with desire.
"It's already morning…we can't…" she sighed, secretly knowing that trying to resist was futile.
"She's still asleep, we have time, we'll be quiet."
There was a gap in his plan and she knew she should be arguing, but her thoughts were heavy and his touch was mesmerizing.
"God, I love you."
She crushed her lips to his and threw her arms around his neck. That too thrilled him to hear, the desperation in her voice, the raw need. When Niles Brightmore looked at his wife, he didn't see that the years had turned her beautiful blonde hair grey, or that her curves had become a little more pronounced, nor the wrinkles that lined her face. All he saw was the same beautiful woman he had fallen in love with, the woman who could challenge him and drive him to despair and whose happiness he could measure by the sparkle in her eyes. Her name was C.C. Brightmore and she was his. As his fingers swiftly undid all the other buttons of her shirt, he hurried to forget about the problem that had caused them to be separated for years. They had recovered from it, slowly, held together by C.C.'s daughter Samantha, that should've been his but wasn't. It was somehow ironic, really, how she had been both the reason he had left and the reason he was now here again with C.C.
"I love you," he whispered again, partly an apology to the mistakes of the past, and caressed her stomach with his lips.
What had started as a slow seduction soon turned into heated passion. She bared herself before him and he dove into her, his chest pressed against hers, his face pressed against her neck. She wrapped her legs around him and firmly held him in place, her favourite position, he knew, because it made her feel as if they could actually become one. Her mouth claimed his when she reached her peak, giving herself to him quietly with a gentle intimacy they had acquired over the years. When they were spent, he rolled on his back, drawing her body against his.
"You broke the rule," she whispered scolding, but her blue eyes were dancing with happiness.
The rule that they wouldn't make love with Sam in the house, or when there was the possibility that Sam might be awake.
"You could've tried to resist me, Babcock," he teased, wearing his boyish grin "but then you never could."
"I hate you," she growled, a smile forming on her lips.
"Hate you more," and he kissed her tenderly.
She returned the kiss and then broke away to stifle a yawn.
"Sleep some more, my love, today's going to be a long day."
She nodded and rested her head on his chest, there were a few moments of silence and then she whispered: "Happy Anniversary, lover."
Nine years…nine spectacular years...
When she woke up again he was no longer by her side. It was a habit of his to slip out of bed in the morning while she was still asleep so he'd have breakfast ready in time when she'd join him in the kitchen, but it was a habit she still disliked. Niles didn't know so, however, or he would've made sure that his wife would never wake up on her own again. But she couldn't tell him. Their relationship that had grown strong again in so many ways was still a little weak in other areas. One of which was any mentioning of the night he had left her. It only reminded her of the deeply- buried anger and sense of betrayal and it saddened him, his eyes growing so full of sorrow that she couldn't even bear to look at him. It was always wiser to let the past rest. And so she directed her thoughts back to this morning when he had made love to her. Their chemistry had luckily remained intact. She smiled softly and silently climbed out of bed, straightening her hair as she walked past the large mirror.
Just as she'd thought he was in the kitchen, humming to himself while preparing breakfast. She remained unseen for a moment and pressed a hand to her beating heart. To see him every morning still with her calmed her and put her mind at ease for the remainder of the day. No hollow silence, no little note, no loneliness…just him and her and Sam. Watching him maneuver around in the kitchen always brought back thoughts of their first night together again when he had taken her on the counter. The morning after she had found him in the kitchen as well, bare-foot in a pair of dress-pants and his shirt undone, it had indeed been an image to behold.
"Why did you bother with clothes?" she had asked him, a teasing twinkle in her eyes.
"Well, Samantha…"
"Is at Noel's as you well know…"
She had stepped closer, wrapping her arms around him from behind, relishing the feeling of his naked skin against her hands.
"Yes, but still…someone could see us and…"
His British reserve had made her chuckle, especially since she knew how passionate he could be in the bedroom.
"That's very considerate of you," she had mocked him, placing light kisses on his neck.
"Trying to make breakfast here, C.C…." although his tone had been scolding, she knew that he wasn't really that bothered.
"I thought you had finally sorted out your priorities…thought I came first…"
What had started as a teasing remark had left a sting in his heart, she had noticed it by the look in his eyes.
"Niles, I didn't mean…" she had hurried to explain.
But he had turned to her and crushed her body to his with an intensity that had taken her breath away for a moment.
"Niles?" her voice had been quiet and small.
"I love you Chastity Claire Brightmore." He had told her firmly and she had shrunk into his arms.
Now two years later they were certainly on safer ground and breathing had become easier since they had started to tease each other again in the old fashion. He was already fully dressed and showered, visible by the light moisture of the curls at the back of his head.
"I didn't hear you in the bathroom," she commented, making her presence known.
He turned around and smiled at her, placing a soft kiss on her lips.
"I didn't want to wake you, besides, I know you and Sam will claim the bathroom for yourselves later on." he grinned.
"Can you blame us?" a small voice came as their daughter appeared in the kitchen "We have to look pretty for the special occasion."
"You always look pretty," Niles replied smoothly and briefly touched her head in an affectionate gesture.
"What do you want?" Sam instantly shot back, narrowing her eyes at him in a very Babcock-like fashion.
"She's your daughter, alright," Niles quipped, grinning at C.C., before returning his attention to the stove "and nothing, Samantha, what would I want?"
"Oh I don't know," the girl chuckled, pulling herself up on the counter "maybe bribe me again so I'll be your Best Man?"
"You did what?" C.C. exclaimed and slapped Niles' back with the tea towel "I thought we had an agreement, Brightmore."
"Oh, you were in show business, Babs, your agreements don't mean anything." he replied.
"So you went behind my back and tried to bribe my daughter?"she questioned.
"I did what I had to do."
"Oh I'm getting you back for that." she growled, stepping closer.
"I'm counting on it, Brightmore." he grinned in return, pulling her close for a kiss.
"Ok…this just got gross…I'll be in the living room." Sam declared, leaving them alone.
The preparations for their vow renewal ceremony took longer than those for their actual wedding. It had been a rushed affair at the hospital shortly before the birth of Jonah and Eve, Maxwell and Fran's twins. She still had her makeshift veil though…somewhere. This time though the ceremony would take place in a small chapel and they'd be surrounded by only their closest friends and family. Nonetheless, C.C. couldn't help but feel as nervous as if it was a proper wedding.
"How do I look?"she asked her daughter who rolled her eyes.
"Still good, just like 5 minutes ago."
C.C. sighed and stood up to look at herself in the mirror. She wore a white, knee-length linen skirt that probably would have appalled her mother had she not known that it came from a rather posh brand, accompanied by a silky white blouse. She herself now almost felt that it had been wrong to be dressed completely in white, for with her silver hair she looked oddly bright. Sam gave her back a comforting pat and then left her alone with her thoughts.
She didn't see her daughter again until she was standing in front of the altar holding Niles' hand. He too was dressed in a semi-formal outfit and was beaming at her as if he was seeing her again for the first time. Sam, to their surprise, had chosen to be both the Maid of Honour and the Best Man and was therefore sporting a skirt and blouse, as well as a waistcoat and top hat. It had been a combination that had made both of them laugh and thus lessened their nervousness.
"We are here today," the official began "because Niles Andrew Brightmore and Chastity Claire Brightmore would like to renew their vows of love for each other. Mr. Brightmore, would you like to begin?"
Niles nodded and cleared his throat before taking both of her hands in his.
" Ah C.C., we're still on this strange journey together." He chuckled softly "And even after all these years it amazes me still that you granted me the right to marry you. We've sparred, we've laughed, we're growing old together but I still love you. Even when I made the biggest mistake of my life I couldn't help but marvel at your strength. You raised our daughter," he took a moment to smile at Sam "all on your own and let her blossom into this beautiful, young girl. You are the most remarkable woman I've ever known and I promise to love and respect you until the day that I die."
A stunned silence followed his vows that was only interrupted by an annoying little cough that D.D. Babcock, sitting in the last row, omitted. C.C. hadn't expected him to address their past on this particular day and so she reached out to touch his cheek and give him some of the comfort he needed.
"Mrs. Brightmore?" the official asked almost hesitantly "Would you like to share your vows now?"
Earning an encouraging smile from Niles she nodded.
"Niles," she caressed his hands "as always you sell yourself too short. You have been a constant source of strength for me since the moment I first met you. Yes, our relationship may seem strange to most onlookers, but in an ironic twist of fate you were always the most reliable man in my life. You've been a wonderful father for Samantha and an incredible, if also sometimes annoying, husband. It's time to let the past go and face the fact that you will always be stuck with me, Brightmore. I love you, then now and forever."
Throughout her speech the crowd had visibly relaxed and some of them were even chuckling.
"Mr. Brightmore, you may now kiss your wife."
And he wasted no time in doing so. Gently he swept her up in his arms and kissed her, tenderly at first and then with growing intensity until a cheer from the guests reminded him of where he was.
"You two are unbelievable!" Fran commented, the first one to congratulate them once they had left the chapel and were seated at a nice table at the Rainbow Room.
"What do you mean?" Niles asked with an innocent grin, his fingers intertwined with C.C.'s.
"After all these years…" the brunette shook her head "and you still have to tease each other."
"Just part of our magic," C.C. voiced in what she hoped to pass up as a dry tone.
But her husband knew better and turned her head to place a lingering kiss on her lips.
"If you'll excuse us," he then said and got to his feet "but I believe I owe my wife a dance."
C.C. looked momentarily surprised but then followed him. It seemed that Niles had already planned this in advance for the moment they stood on the dance floor the song stopped and another CD was put on. Niles wrapped one arm around her waist and soon they were dancing to Sinatra's "Fly me to the moon".
"I thought the song was appropriate," he quipped, a teasing smile on his lips "you can transport two people on that broom of yours, can't you?"
"Leave it to you to ruin a perfectly good moment," C.C. replied dryly.
"What can I say?" he grinned.
"You can shut up and kiss me."
And so he they broke apart for air they noticed that they weren't the only dancing couple anymore, but that pretty much all the guests had joined them.
"Will you look at Sam?" C.C. chuckled, eyeing her daughter who was dancing with the dark-haired producer.
"Like mother, like daughter," Niles said, winking at her.
"Just dip me," C.C. chuckled.
He turned her under his arm one last time and then dipped her, holding her firmly in his arms. Their eyes met and they each seemed to know what the other one was thinking. They hadn't been this happy in quite some time.