A/N: Thanks to Lucky Starz, Kittensbreath, mewkazurinu2004 and ladyrbin for reviewing chapter 14. This chapter is somewhat short. I have never used lyrics in a story before, but I decided to give it a try. The song is Make Me Believe by Martina McBride. Anyways, hope you all enjoy. Good things are soon to come!

Chapter 15- Make Her Believe

Niles continued to sit there in silence with his phone to his ear. He was still completely stunned and taken aback by the serious tone in Fran Fine's voice. It was so shocking; that he was speechless as Fran continued her rant.

"Niles Brightmore, what in God's name is wrong with you? Clearly you've inhaled one too many bottles of Lysol, Mister!"

Finally Niles was able to muster a few words.

"What do you mean, Fran?"

"You know exactly what I mean. You and Ms. Babcock! Clearly you want to be with her and she wants to be with you, so what in the hell are you waiting for?

"What brought this on Fran?"

"Oh don't try and change the subject, the point is, you are making a terrible mistake."

"How so!"

"You know good and well what I mean. This whole inheritance thing, holding it against Miss Babcock when she was just trying to help you have a better life. I never thought I would say this, but I actually feel for the woman."

"You knew about the inheritance?"

"Of course I knew! C.C. told me about it as soon as you quit. Oh, you should have saw how distraught she was when you left. Driven to drink I tell ya, but I stopped her before she put the whole tumbler full down. I would tell you to forgive her, but honestly there is nothing to forgive, she has done nothing but love you these last few months. You know the real reason she left Sheffield-Babcock productions?

"I thought she was just ready for a change."

"There is so much more behind the story. She supported you the whole time, Niles; she wanted that play produced more than you know. Maxwell, of course, found out about the inheritance and immediately figured she was trying to betray the company since your play got picked up by Andrew Lloyd Weber. Maxwell fired her and she still held firm to the belief that your play should have been picked by Max and she told him that she could do whatever she wanted with her money and that if she wanted to, she could burn it in a fireplace for all she cared."

Niles sat in silence, taking in her words. He still wasn't sure what to believe. He hoped, however, that this conversation, which clearly would last a while, would help him to better understand her motivation and her true feelings.

Fran continued, barely stopping for breath.

"Oh Niles, you should have seen her today!"

"You saw C.C.?"

"Today, at the shopping plaza. I was looking for a birthday present for Val; her birthday is in a few weeks. Anyways, I saw C.C. sitting down alone, so I went and sat down with her. I gave her our wedding invitation. I need to put that in the mail for you as well. Anyways, when I looked into her eyes, I could just see the longing, the sadness, the regret, all of it. Niles, it was absolutely heartbreaking. And for some reason, seeing her cry is even more heartbreaking than normal, probably because it doesn't happen too often. "

"Fran, I just don't know…"

"Don't know what? Damn, I know you have been falling for this woman since the first day you saw her. You wrote an entire play dedicated to your love for her…"

"You knew that it was about her."

"Yes it was one of the only scripts I have actually read, and there you go trying to change the subject again! Niles, don't let this stupid sum of money stop you two from having the happiness you deserve. I believe Miss Babcock had all good intentions when giving you that money, but even if she didn't, I haven't questioned for one moment that she isn't off the wagon, completely in love with you! Think about Miss Babcock and how she has been brought up. What is the only thing she has ever received from her family? Money! For so long that is what Miss Babcock associated with happiness, because that is the only thing she has ever had and the only thing she could associate love with. That is how her family showed any sort of affection. This fact makes it seem less surprising that she would show her love for you through the use of money. Of course it backfired on her and she realized the power of money can also be used through negative means and turn things upside down in the lives of others. As rich as Miss Babcock is, why is she still the unhappiest person I know? Because she has never experienced real love, until she realized her feelings for you. She didn't even know how to define them for so long. Don't you see Niles, she needs you and you need her. How old do you think Miss Babcock is? Close to 40? Well, all these years she has just been waiting for someone to love her. Be that person, Niles! She deserves to be happy and so do you. Please Niles, I can't bear to see you two like this any longer!"

Niles continued to take her words in. He pondered every detail in his mind about what he just heard and remorse poured through him as he realized just how stupid he had been. The thought that she had actually cried over him made his heart ache tremendously.

He had never taken into consideration all these things that Fran had said because emotion had gotten the better of him when he had his outburst. Ironically, the supposedly rational voices in his mind were more clouded with emotions and feelings than his heart. For once, the heart had been the rational one, understanding and forgiving.

With a little help from some outside troops, those voices in his heart that had lost the battle the night before, had just won the war today.

Niles understood now what her intentions were and how she really felt. Fran had a way of doing that, making people look beyond the surface. As naïve as she was about many things in life, she was an expert when it came to matters of the heart.

Niles knew, then and there, what he would need to do.

"Fran, I think I need to go. "

"So, soon, don't you hang up on me! I have only begun to say what I need to say to you, Mister!"

"Fran, I think you have said enough. There is somewhere else I need to be right now."

With that said, Fran knew, then and there, that she had finally gotten through to him. It would surely be an emotional reuniting for the two of them, but she couldn't wait to see them back together as it should be.

"Niles, my work here is done!"

"Thank you so much Fran."

"For what?"

"For making me see."

"Honey, I think you knew all along, you just needed a little push."

"Well, anyways, thank you again."

He was about to hang up.

"Niles."

"Yeah?"

"Good luck!" Fran said reassuringly.

"Thank you, Fran."

And with that the two of them hung up their phones simultaneously. Fran did what she had to do. She hated seeing these two people so distraught. It was time they had some happiness in their lives.

Oy, I hope it all goes well. They better be sitting next to each other, hand in hand at my wedding, that is all I can say.

And with that thought in mind, she grabbed the half-gallon of Breyer's Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream and plunged her spoon into it, while praying that the reuniting of these two went smoothly.

….

Niles scrambled in his apartment, looking for his keys and his wallet. He needed to go to C.C.'s now before the time became too late. As much as he loved her, out of courtesy, he wouldn't show up at her door at an outrageous hour of the night.

It was about 9 pm at this point, and he knew it was getting late. He would have shaved, but considering the only thing he could think about was getting to her this very second, shaving seemed extremely low on his priority list.

Finally he found what he was looking for and practically sprinted to the door and down the stairs on the way to catch a cab.

He hopped into the first open cab and gave the driver the address. The driver could clearly tell that this man was on edge and debated asking him what exactly was the matter, but decided against it.

He, instead, just turned on the radio to a low volume. Niles listened and the lyrics stuck out in his mind.

Baby I'm trying to find a place inside your heart

Oh but it's hard to start a fire without a spark

If you wanna be the man that rocks me to my knees

Baby just make me believe

Baby just make me believe

Baby just make me believe

Instantly, they reminded him of C.C. It was as if this song was written for her. Waiting for so many years to finally be loved.

The song reached its end as the taxi pulled up the C.C.'s apartment building. Niles paid the cab driver and headed up the stairs.

He rode the elevator alone, as he pondered what he would say to her when he saw her.

As much as he thought about the words he would use, nothing sounded right in his mind, as he realized this wasn't something he could plan for. It would happen spontaneously, in the heat of the moment.

He did know one thing, however. He would make her believe!