Disclaimer: I don't own any of the fabulous characters from 'The Nanny'.
A/N: I've always wanted to be wooed this way...sigh...
Phantom of the Mansion
Chapter 4
Hanukkah
"I don't have to be here for this, Max. I can go to a hotel or a spa or something." CC volunteered.
Fran shook her head from her place on Max's desk. "Oh, Miss Ba...CC, you're part of the family. I would love for you to be here for Hanukkah. My parents and Yetta are still in Boca so we need a few extra mouths to feed or Niles will make way too much food."
Niles came into the office just in time to hear the last part of the conversation. "Absolutely, Miss Babcock, I agree you must stay. You're all moved in and comfortable here and it's just silly for you to pack up and leave for Hanukkah." Niles served the tea he'd brought in. "It's no longer a matter for discussion." Niles turned and left the room.
Max looked up at Fran. "He does still work for me…right?"
"Oh, Honey," Fran started patting Max's arm. "Niles never really worked for you now did he?"
The three of them all laughed knowing how very true Fran's statement actually was. Niles, who stood just outside the office, smirked knowing that dear Fran had never ever been so correct. He made his way into the kitchen.
About two or three days into the Sheffield family Hanukkah celebration, CC was called out to do a few emergency auditions to replace a cast member. She got to the theatre only to be told that the upper rehearsal rooms where being used for other auditions. "As long as it won't interfere with us, I don't care. I just want to get finished and get out of here." CC went right up onto the stage and sat next to the piano player she'd hired for the day. "I'm sorry Rick to pull you away from your vacation, but we really need to get this settled fast."
"It's no problem, Miss Babcock. I just hope that the upstairs auditions don't cause us any problems." Rick responded.
"It's a really big theatre and the sound proofing should take care of any over flow. There would have to be one seriously big voice up there to really cause a problem." CC opened her files and called in the first singer. She was a lovely girl, looked right for the part. "Ok…Jenn give us the second bridge and chorus of 'Restless Heart.'" CC instructed the woman.
The girl did her level best, but it was a little too high for her range. CC decided to move on and keep the girl on file for possible use somewhere else. The auditions went on like that for nearly three hours when CC had finally made a decision. She'd had a couple of the women hang around and do a second song and easily made the cut. It wasn't until just before she was ready to leave the stage when she'd heard it...again. CC looked up to the rooms above hearing the music just above a whisper.
"Night-time sharpens, heightens each sensation."
Rick noticed CC's sudden reaction. "Miss Babcock?" CC held up her hand to silence him.
"Darkness stirs and wakes imagination.
Silently the senses abandon their defenses."
CC stood in shock at the voice from Halloween rang out through the theatre. She felt her heart start pounding in her chest. "Rick…how do I get upstairs?"
"Upstage left, spiral stair case then across the cat walk to the light booth. Merry Christmas!" Rick called as he left the stage and CC chased the voice which continued with its chant…
"Slowly, gently night unfurls its splendor.
Grasp it; sense it, tremulous and tender.
Turn your face away from the garish light of day,
turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light,
and listen to the music of the night.
The resonance of that voice ringing throughout the theatre enveloped her. CC wasn't even sure where the voice was coming from but she needed it.
"Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams!
Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before!
Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar!"
CC reached the light booth and turned to see the Phantom standing center stage.
"And you'll live as you've never lived before."
He looked up at her and sang out to her.
"Softly, deftly, music shall caress you.
Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you.
Open up your mind let your fantasies unwind,
in this darkness which you know you cannot fight;
the darkness of the music of the night.
Let your mind start a journey through a strange, new world!
Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before!
Let your soul take you where you long to be!
Only then can you belong to me."
CC wanted desperately to reach him but found her legs unwilling to move. She stood and watched as he seemed to almost fade into the upstage darkness. Her breathing was shallow and ragged.
"Floating, falling, sweet intoxication!
Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation!
Let the dream begin; let your darker side give in to the power of
the music that I write - the power of the music of the night."
CC finally made her legs move and ran back across the catwalk and down the steps to the stage only to find she was alone with the whisper of the voice. There on the piano sat a single red rose tied with a black satin ribbon.
"You along can make my song take flight help me make the music of the night."
When CC got back to the mansion she was visibly shaken, but not frightened; she was excited. She let herself in the front door, hung up her coat and made her way to the kitchen. "Hello, hello!" She called as she blew into the kitchen just as Niles stepped down the back stairs dressed in jeans and a dark green long sleeved polo. "Hey, Niles, where is everyone?"
"Hello, Miss Babcock. Mr. Sheffield took Fran and the children out for lunch. How were your auditions? Did you find a suitable replacement?" Niles asked casually as he went to the fridge.
"Yeah, actually I found not only a great replacement, but another understudy for her and several for our potential use list." CC leaned on the counter. "Have you eaten lunch yet, Niles?"
"I was just going to make a sandwich, would you like one?" Niles offered politely.
CC shook her head. "How about I take you to lunch, I need to ask your opinion about something."
Niles leaned out of the fridge a little suspiciously. "Well, sure, I guess that would be nice. Do I need to change?"
"Nope, you're perfect, let's go." CC turned and headed to the front door leaving Niles to ponder her 'you're perfect' statement.
"Right behind you." Niles closed the fridge and followed CC into the front rooms.
When they reached the small grill, it was a sight to behold. It wasn't your typical CC Babcock place at all. There were no places to sit and just enough room to stand inside to speak to the cook. "Hey, Joey, give me two of my usual!" CC tossed out to the man who barely fit into the building. He looked like a linebacker but had a twinkle in his eye.
"Sure, Missy, whose your friend?" Joey asked.
CC smiled at the man's endearment. "This is Niles. Niles this is Joey, he makes the best cheese steak in the city."
"It's my pleasure, Joey," Niles said in his best 'butlerease'.
Joey barked out a very loud laugh. "Well, I doubt that, but any friend of Missy's is a friend of mine, it won't take a minute."
Niles leaned into CC. "Missy?" He smirked and she narrowed her eyes at him.
"We never quite got past the Miss Babcock thing. Missy kind of stuck." CC explained.
Niles nodded and grinned at her. "It's pretty warm out, do you want to take it home or into the park?"
"I think the park sounds like a good idea. I don't want the family to hear what I need to talk about." CC turned slightly away from Niles.
"Miss Babcock. Are you in trouble or frightened or something?" Niles was worried.
CC put her hand on his forearm. "In the park, Niles, it can wait until the park."
Joey wrapped up their order and handed it to Niles who nodded. "I'll put it on your tab, Missy. See you next week." CC waved and she and Niles left the little restaurant.
"That guy gives you a tab?" Niles asked purely out of shock.
CC nodded. "I'm in there at least once a week. I pay him the end of every month. It's easier for me and works out better for him." They walked into the park and found a bench in the sun to sit and eat.
"Wow, this is a great sandwich." Niles practically gushed getting a bit of melted cheese on his cheek in the process. CC laughed quietly at her fastidious friend. "What?" CC shook her head and tightened her lips. "What's so damn funny?"
CC reached up and wiped the now firm cheese from his face. "You got melted cheese on your face, Mr. Clean." They smiled at each other and their eyes locked briefly until CC broke her gaze. "Niles…do you remember the night of Thanksgiving?"
"You mean when you took off outside in your nightgown after some ghost?" Niles was annoyed a little, it was a freezing night.
CC sighed. "It wasn't a ghost, I'm telling you it was him…the Phantom from the Halloween party."
"Ok, for argument sake, let's say, you weren't dreaming and he was there. What were you thinking going after him?" Niles inquired.
"He was at the theatre today." CC dropped in his lap.
Niles eyes grew large. "I thought you were auditioning women?"
"We were. Someone had rented the upper rooms for auditions too. I was finished and was just leaving the threatre when I heard him. Then I started to go upstairs and just as I reached the light booth he was down on the stage. I wanted to go to him, but I couldn't move. Then when I finally got back down there he was gone…all but his voice." CC's eyes were looking off in the distance not focused on Niles until he spoke and pulled her back.
"I don't like it, CC. This man is stalking you. Aren't you even a little afraid?" Niles tossed their trash in the can next to the bench and slid a little closer to her.
CC shook her head. "No. Not at all, I don't feel the least bit threatened or in danger. It's exciting, Niles. And strangely, he's never been anything but a perfect gentleman. I haven't known many of them in my life." Her eyes met his again.
"Still, Miss Babcock, I wish you'd be careful." Niles took a very protective attitude.
CC smiled at him. "Thanks Niles. We'd better get back. Won't the family want their late afternoon nosh before dinner?" Niles laughed at how well CC seemed to be fitting into the new Sheffield household.