Disclaimer: All rights belong to their original owners. No copyright infringement intended. A/N: Hello, hello! Here is chapter four, so I hope you guys enjoy it. Also, I would like to thank all those who have read/reviewed, it means a lot so thank you very much!

Monster in law: Chapter four

~~o0o~~

"Are you stupid or just crazy? He is my ex- boyfriend" C.C. yelled hitting Maxwell hard on the some arm she had dug her nails a few minutes ago. In the past, she wouldn't have dared to even raise her voice to him, but back then she was in love with him or at least this was what she used to tell to herself until she realized what real love was in the face of Niles.

"Ow" Maxwell yelled in pain, holding his arm. "You would stop this? You are gonna leave me bruises." God help us, an angry pregnant C.C. is much worse than a simple angry one, he thought. "No, I'm not stupid or crazy. I know about the past relationship between you two and I know this isn't easy for you, but I also know that it's over. So just put the past in the past and gather the opportunity, C.C. After all it's not like someone walks into this house and offers us ten million dollars every day." Maxwell said at his friend with soft voice, trying to show her that everything would be okay.

"Okay, I must say you have a point but what about Niles?" She asked crossing her arms against her chest. She needed a few more reassurances before entering this kind of crazy deal with Maxwell, especially when she'd already been burned once before by Colin, and it had been a very bad experience, but she also knew that the deal was just too tempting to pass up.

Maxwell looked C.C. in the eyes, raising his eyebrow slightly. "What about him?"

"I don't think that he will be very "happy" about …THIS." C.C. said, giving him a 'duh' expression.

Maxwell let out a deep sigh. "C.C. THIS is just business and I'm sure Niles will understand, but even if he don't, I know you would find a way to convince him."

She ran her hand through her blonde hair, trying to organize the thoughts inside her mind. "Yes, but still-"

"Oh come on now C.C., where is the old C.C.? The strong, the fearless."

"She is here, right before your eyes." She said, pointing at herself, anger flashing in her eyes.

"You know what, lady? I don't think so. The C.C. Babcock I know doesn't mope around and she certainly doesn't give up on anything that she wants. Well, I suppose it's true, married life made you soft and…weak."

Truth be told, C.C. wasn't fearless. No one was truly fearless. If someone claimed to be fearless, they were big fat liars. But weak? C.C. Babcock was many things, but weak was certainly not one of them, quite the opposite in fact.

"I'm not weak. I never was and I will never be." She yelled at him.

"Then prove it. Go in there and make sure that he will give us his money." He yelled back.

She took a deep breath and let it out then nodded her head in acceptance. "Okay, I will do it." She didn't do it for him through. She did it for herself, and to prove a point. She had to prove to herself that she was still the old C.C. the Bitch of Broadway. That she could do anything that she set her mind to do, even if that thing was a crazy thing like be good with her ex- boyfriend Colin in order to make him invest in their play.

"From now on I will be so good and sweet with him that even you wouldn't recognize me."

Maxwell nodded, satisfied. "So, we shouldn't let him wait then."

"Fine. Let's get this over with." C.C. replied as she started walking towards the office.

~~o0o~~

"Can I get you anything? Maxwell asked Colin politely a few minutes later inside the office. Tea? Coffee?"

"Rat poison?" C.C whispered through her teeth so no one else can hear it.

"Coffee would be nice. Just black, no sugar." Colin replied softly.

Maxwell nodded. He left the office and came back a few minutes later holding a tray with a steaming pot, and a cup. He poured the steaming liquid in the cup slowly to make sure not to spill a drop and handed it to Colin.

"Thank you Max," Colin said, accepting the cup. "But where is this old butler of yours?" He questioned as he took a small sip of his tea. "Hmm, what's his name? Oh let me think ...Files?"

C.C. rolled her eyes.

"No, wait …Biles right?"

C.C. bitted her lips.

"Oh no, no, no…Piles?"

She exploded.

"Is Niles, you idiot." C.C suddenly yelled, making him jerk so violently that he was lucky his cup didn't slip from his left hand and onto the floor.

He raised his head and looked at C.C. with a shocked and confused look on his face. "What did you say?"

"C.C.!" Maxwell whispered, shooting her a warning glare then nodded slightly his head in Colin's direction, a signal for her to fix this.

She rolled her eyes and mouthed to him; "Alright, alright" She then smiled and spoke in a sickly sweet voice. "I said Niles, his name is Niles."

"But I clearly I heard you say-" Colin started to say with a quizzical look on his face.

"Oh, you obviously overheard." Maxwell cut him quickly, trying to save the situation. "Right C.C.?"

"Right" She agreed as the corners of her lips started to ache from the effort to keep her fake smile on.

He didn't quite believe them but he didn't want to push the matter further, either so he decided to leave it there. "Anyway, Niles… or whatever his name is, where is he?"

"I give him few days off, he-" But before he could finish his sentence he heard Fran's nasal voice calling for him. "Excuse me, but it's my turn to go upstairs and check on the twins."

"Oh, yes, of course." He said trying to sound indifferent, but truly feeling trill inside him for the unexpected opportunity.

"But, Maxwell, you should be here," C.C. exclaimed nervously. She wasn't entirely comfortable being in the same room with Colin while Maxwell was there, much less when he wasn't.

"I'm sure you'll manage just fine without me." Maxwell quickly replied, storming out of the room before C.C. could offer up any further objections.

There was silence for a minute or two before Colin filled up the empty silence.

"Wow C.C., I must say you are continuing to surprise me today." He said, watching her raise her eyebrow at him in question. "To be honest, I never had you for the married kind of woman. So who is the lucky guy?" Colin asked with curiosity in his voice as his eyes lowered to her left hand and his head nodded at the engagement ring and wedding band wrapped around her ring finger.

A bright smile illuminated her face as she glanced at the rings on her hand and thought of Niles for a moment, then she looked to Colin and proudly said, "Colin...I'm married to Niles, I'm married to the Butler."

He looked at her in complete and utter astonishment before bursting into throaty laughter. "Good to see you haven't changed, C.C. Oh, my god, you are so good. You almost made me believe it for a minute."

C.C. could feel anger rising inside her again, but she pushed it down. "I'm not joking Colin." She told him with a casual tone, watching as his mouth hanged open and his face took an expression of utter shock.

"You married the butler? I must say…This is something I never; in a million years would have anticipated as a possibility." She could have sworn that she had seen jealousy clearly in Colin's eyes, but what did he have to be jealous about? He was the one who had dumped her in the first place.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear nervously, only to have it fall back down again. "I think we can agree that there were a lot of things both of us never anticipated as a possibility."

He took the hint."I'm not going to lie... I was an asshole to you back then." He replied back to her, with his eyes even more focused upon her face now."But I've changed a lot since then."

She let out a loud laugh before she mumbled something that sounded like 'yeah right'.

"I know what it sounds like, but it's true. You see, I'm getting to a point in my life where I'd like to settle down." He took a step forward in her direction and she immediately took a few steps back until she felt the desk behind her, wanting to keep some distance between them.

"Good for you then." She cut him before the situation get out of hand. "Now, let's talk about the play." She said, hoping that her change of subject would distract him and with that she began to move toward the desk to collect her papers.

~~o0o~~

C.C. had spent the past two hours, reading, and talking to Colin about the play. Though she did not look at him, she could feel his eyes traveling over the curves of her face and body. She tried to ignore it but after a long while of him doing that she couldn't take it anymore.

She sighed inwardly and rose from her chair."You haven't heard a single word I've say about the play, have you?"

"Of course I have." Colin huffed offended.

"Okay, then, well what do you think?" She asked in a challenging tone, putting her hands on her hips.

Colin stood up from his chair and cleared his throat."I think you should have lunch with me." He requested with a serious look on his face, taking a step closer to her.

"Wh…What?" Her eyes widened in shock and a small gasp escaped her mouth. He couldn't be serious. She thought to herself. She was ready to turn him down when he added, "Look, I know this is sound like some lame attempt to hit on you, but I assure you it's not. I'm just hungry and you look like you could use a good meal too. We can go to a nice restaurant and continuo talking about the play there."

C.C. brows furrowed a bit and she eyed his face suspiciously, trying to read his expression, looking for any kind of clue to tell her that he was laying a trap for her, but she didn't found any.

"Fine Colin…I'll have lunch with you, but this only a business lunch, nothing more." She replied with a warning tone. She needed him to understand that. She needed him to understand that she was serious and meant what she was saying to him. As much as she wanted his money she knew that she was walking a fine line and she really didn't want the line to get crossed.

"I understand and believe me; you have nothing to worry about. We are on the same page." He replied, flashing his best practiced smile that aimed to convince her.

She swallowed and nodded in agreement, forcing the bad thoughts to the back of her mind. She just wanted to get this over with.

A few minutes later, she pulled her coat from the small closet by the door and got her purse. Collins stood next to the door, waiting for her to finish. Once she did he asked, "Ready?"

C.C. took a deep breath and shook her head. "No, but I guess I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

Colin let out a loud laugh and opened the door for her.

To be continued…