This is the first part of the final chapter.
It has two parts because the show ended in two parts and I felt like it had to be like this.
More than a woman
Chapter 21: More than a woman – Part 1
CC was occupying Niles' bed in the mansion, watching while he made sure (if she was not wrong, for the fifth time) things were packed and ready for transportation, later.
Yes, they were leaving New York today.
She sincerely wanted to be grumpy about it, with all the variables involved and the changes already happening. However, she was so excited about everything that being the Grinch seemed far from possible.
She couldn't help but grinning like an idiot, in fact.
And Niles was definitively not helping her to sober.
Well, he had driven her to drink, in the past, and maybe she should keep that idea of him not helping her to sober in mind for a future zinger. Maybe next time she asked Butler Boy some booze just to see him look at her with an expression that meant, at the same time, Are you crazy?! and You are not crazy, are you?
CC smirked to herself: he often brought up the best in her, but sometimes he brought the worst and still it felt like the best.
About the moving process, for example: they hired professionals to pack most of the expensive things in the penthouse, but Niles offered to help CC with every personal item. She didn't like the idea from the start, but soon realized it gave them the perfect excuse to be out of the Sheffields, together and exchanging stories to know each other even better.
And she, in a turn of events that was happening more and more often, entered his room and offered to help when the time for packing his things arrived.
'So, where do we start?', she had asked without preamble, closing the door behind her.
Niles, who was standing in the middle of the room, turned, raised a brow and pointed at the dog in her arms, 'It depends on which tricks you two intend to do'.
CC wanted to volley something back, but the image of Niles in a white shirt, no tie – top buttons open! – and sleeves rolled up was kind of too much. So, she gave him the once over while throwing a heated glance, 'I wonder which tricks you have under those sleeves, Mister'.
He realized what she meant and smiled shyly, 'Stop it, woman. I have a lot to do, here'.
'Uhum', she agreed and both met halfway for a kiss.
Chester got restless, and they separated, giggling.
'See? Even the dog thinks it's a bad idea you staying around when I have work to do'.
'And now you know why I couldn't let slip away this opportunity to mess with your work time. Who knows when you'll decide to do any work again?', she shrugged, 'And, as a man who has a way with words should know...'
He raised his brows in curiosity.
She stated candidly, 'Payback is a bitch'.
Niles laughed and pulled her to his arms, kissing her forehead, 'I appreciate you being here, love'.
Touched by the tenderness but not willing to show it, she hurried to clarify, 'We're going to live together. I must have some blackmail material against you, now that you have so much against me'.
'I don't know what you're talking about. Everything you told me just made me more fascinated by you', he leaned his head, 'Maybe I have seen so many bad witch acts that now there are just good witch ones'.
'You wish I was not a bad girl, anymore'.
'Not really'.
They kissed again, this time making sure Chester had the back of his ears scratched.
'I have another very legitimate reason to be here', CC tried to sound stern while grinning, when they separated and Niles looked at her as if she was some kind of treasure, 'I have things in this room, too, and someone is not getting his paws on them if I can prevent it'.
'Did you hear it, Chester? She does not want your filthy, filthy paws on her things', he smirked and lowered his voice, 'Just mine'.
'You know very well I mean my underwear'.
'You don't want me to touch your underwear? That's new'.
'If you intend to touch them time enough to feel the fabric, and then tear it away from my body, I'm more than ok with it; but I swear to God, Niles, if I find out you...'
'Why don't you lay down and rest while the poor man who just wants to show how much he cares through small gestures gets some work done?', he rested a hand on the small of her back to smooth the interruption, 'You can order me around and find flaws on everything I do from the bed all the same'.
She obeyed, but squinted at him, 'You're really lucky I'm a lady and, therefore, able to leave the offenses aside and lower myself to your level to guide you through something that involves valuables'.
Niles chuckled and helped her to sit with a flourish – not that she needed any help, but he seemed interested in holding her hand.
CC put Chester on the bed to have both hands free and pull her man by that enticing white shirt, making him sit by her side.
They kissed again, this time longer, once the dog was distracted sniffing the mattress.
'I'm really glad you're here', Niles whispered between kisses, 'Thank you', more kisses, 'In fact, you make me happy every time you wish to be in the same room with me', his eyes set on hers, 'Sometimes the most wonderful moment of my day was seeing you going to the kitchen to exchange zingers while I made coffee, because it felt like you had gone there just to stay with me for a while'.
She intended to answer that she went there to make sure he didn't put something in her coffee, but both knew it was half true – she looked for him in the kitchen for the same reason he went to the office: because they missed each other.
'Gee, Niles', she said, the grin on her face bigger than ever, 'Stop the sugary and give me something to do'.
He looked at her with tender eyes, 'If you really want to help, you can pick the things in the bedside table'.
Her eyes went wide, 'You want me to pack the things from the most guarded spot in your room? The one you, a man not able to keep a secret for more than half an hour, just let me see after almost three days of relationship?'
'The same'.
'Why would you want me to pack exactly that?', she glanced at it, 'You didn't put some rubber animal there just to scare me, did you?'
'Oh, please, I wouldn't'.
'Yes, you would'.
'Of course not. We're intimate, now. I have a lot of material for new tricks'.
She still didn't really believe him.
Niles took her hands, 'All right, let's see: I have already folded and piled the clothes, because that was the part where you could laugh at my expense, and I wanted to prevent it; you can do it while staying in the bed, using the folders and boxes right here, so it's light work for a pregnant woman; you're very good organizing papers, and I'm sure you'll create some way to order my photos and notes better than myself could', he shrugged, 'Besides, I don't have any secrets from you'.
CC pursed her lips, 'You're really brave'.
'Why, sweetheart?', Niles asked, leaning for a peck on the lips, 'Because I share everything about me with you?'
'No, lover', she crunched her nose, 'Because you insist on the sugary'.
He rolled his eyes at her laugh, shook his head and got up, intending to start his work by double-checking the breakables that he had already wrapped.
Chester used CC's legs to jump off the bed to go after Niles.
The blonde braced herself for some goofy routine when Niles realized the dog was following him: maybe he would put the animal back on the bed (and CC knew her pet enough to be sure he would not simply accept that); maybe Niles would try to avoid the dog, glare at him, give up and ask her for help (and CC knew herself enough to be sure she would not grant him any help so easily).
That would be nice. She would certainly have some good fun at her husband's expense.
(Dear… My husband.
Niles is my husband.)
She got out of her contemplative mode at the sound of the butler's voice, 'Why are you in the way, buddy? Has your mistress trained you to make me trip?'
The Pom, happy at the attention, looked back at Niles with that expression dogs get while they wait for their humans to decide what is the next exciting thing they will do together.
Instead of feeling trapped or showing any crankiness, the man smiled, 'All right, you may stay close, but where I can see you. Deal?'
And he resumed working while making small conversation and some eye contact with the animal, having Chester by his side as much as possible and not behind him, and telling the dog absurd things about CC as if she was not there.
It made the dog feel included, excited to no end, and CC an watery-eyed grinning idiot, pondering on how she would go through nine months of unbalanced hormones if she got overwhelmed at any sweet scene like that, when that stupid butler showed his caring, protective and problem-solving side.
And she must get used to it, because Niles always took care of things, and things now were a whole new life with her: their marriage, their routines together, their dog (he had adopted Chester as obviously part of the deal of being with her), and their baby.
(I am having a child. We're going to raise a kid together…)
CC, who spent her childhood guilty for the fights the adults picked around her, always feeling like she should hide something about herself she didn't quite understand to appease them; who spent her teenage years knowing exactly what she should hide and why, what didn't make things any easier, once it demanded her to suppress who she really was; who struggled, as a young adult, to understand and accept her own desires, discover which self-image was hers and not some social/familiar demand, and learn to find out what it means to impose herself without being cruel and/or demeaning to other people...
(She still had to work on this last part. However, getting rid of lifelong self-defense mechanisms is not an easy task.)
… now saw the last piece of the puzzle falling into place, ending a phase and starting something much better.
That was why Niles telling the Sheffields and everybody else to get quiet and out of his way, so he could hear her answer at the elevator's doors, opened the gates in CC's soul and made her sure they were ready to be together: it was proof he had chosen her and was able to put the Sheffields aside for her, when needed. That sealed her confidence that they were ready to keep their sanity among those loonies with whom they shared their routines.
Then he said he loved her in front of everybody without fear of being rejected – and she was enchanted by the idea that Niles felt safe regarding his feelings for her, and trustful of her feelings for him.
And then he took care of her while she threw up and wanted to share everything she was going through, and those small gestures filled her with a new happiness, related to the realization that she was not alone, anymore.
The change in the couple was palpable: Niles and CC, since joined forces, had matured emotionally and were able to recognize what they expected from one another. It got them closer enough to deal comfortably with what was still pending. They had gone well beyond the phase in their lives when hard feelings and misunderstandings would keep them apart.
Now nothing could tear them apart.
Because she knew he would always do the best for her.
Because he knew she really wanted to stay with him.
She could still not believe how that night had changed things for the better in the most surprising ways.
oo0oo
CC had looked for Niles after making the exams – including a pregnancy test, that she asked more as a joke than anything else – and found him in a crowded waiting room, sitting slightly apart from the Sheffields.
He saw her the moment she appeared, got off the plastic chair eagerly and took her hands, 'Are you all right? How was it with the doctor?'
'It's everything all right. I made some exams. Doc will bring the results to me when they're ready'.
'Have you told him where we would be, so he can find us easily?'
'No, Niles, I gave him the number of the penthouse. He was young and cute, and with Nanny Fine knocked up by a Broadway producer it comes to me to marry a Doctor'.
'Hey', he pouted, 'I have a degree in Law. Don't I stand a chance with you, if you want a fancy professional?'
'Nah', she crunched her nose, 'The truth is that I'm tired of up-class men. They're boring. I want the guy who can be the cultured gentleman and low servant'.
He opened a huge grin and hugged her, moved.
CC was smiling at how comforting – and cute – it was that Niles liked her preposterous praises, but she looked over his shoulder into the waiting room and something got to her, 'Hey…'
Niles backed off to look at her face, 'What? Are you nauseated again?'
'It's under control, now', she dismissed the thought, 'What did you do? Maxwell seems...'
He smirked at her confused face, 'I pestered, as agreed'.
She opened her mouth in delight, 'Good!', she started pulling him, 'Come on. Let's go somewhere else'.
They ended in the cafeteria.
Her nausea could use something light to settle her stomach, and Niles had such an entertaining tale on how he asked Maxwell about happy vomit and then chided the producer when he dared to mock his woman that CC managed to walk there, choose a small table, eat a snack and feel a bit better.
He had chosen to sit in front of her, what she approved – it was better to have his attentive eyes on her than him hovering while she concentrated on eating.
And that way she could see the shining of his eyes when he seized de opportunity to tell her the episode of the rose in the party, while she was stuck in the elevators with Fran and a seller misunderstood Maxwell's not that soothing words.
She laughed hard at the mental image of Maxwell Sheffield obliged by Niles' pout to buy a red rose and give it to his partner.
As soon as she finished her coffee and chastised Niles for trying to snatch Maxwell to himself in the first opportunity without the women around, he chuckled and took her hand.
Their eyes met, he got up from his chair and sat by her side.
He looked at their joined hands as if they were some kind of miracle.
CC grinned (like an idiot, obviously): that relationship was teaching her to enjoy tenderness - what was, in itself, a miracle – but what really moved her was the notion that now Niles' pranks and zingers existed for her amusement, too.
When they joined forces against Nanny Fine, being a team with him made CC feel safe and invincible. Now it seemed they would be a team forever, and she was feeling like she had the best ally of all.
It occurred to her that she couldn't even remember anymore why she had resisted so much at the notion of marrying him.
And that was when she had the idea of pulling the biggest prank ever: going to Fran's room to pester her about nothing and everything until she managed to extract from her the solution for the nausea – getting married right there, even if the other woman was in labor.
Contrary to all expectations, the moment she finished explaining her idea, Niles didn't react immediately in defense of his friends.
He still held her hand affectionately, trying not to be too distracted by the sheer happiness of simply being with her.
And he was failing, of course, if the silly smile on his face was a believable sign.
'I am calling a minister', CC informed him in a tone stern enough to get his attention.
'Uhm?', he raised his eyes to hers.
'You didn't hear a word I said, Dust Buster!'
'I did', he answered, grinning his head off at the familiar endearment, 'I was just thinking...', he licked his lips hesitantly, 'Are you serious?'
'Of course I'm serious! Have you ever seen me waste time in plans I don't intend on pursuing?', she smiled when he leaned his head in agreement, 'I want it to happen the sooner we can manage'.
He stared, in doubt.
'What?', she frowned, 'Are you having second thoughts?'
'My God, no!', he chided, shocked at the idea, and kissed her hand with a sweet smile, 'I'm just surprised. I expected you to be torn between a discreet signing of papers and an incredibly fancy ceremony. I would never guess something in a hospital room would do it for you'.
'Discreet signing of papers? Are you crazy? I want the whole society to see my bride!'
And there he goes grinning again, 'Mrs Sheffeld's delivering room surely doesn't qualify for the whole society'.
'But it qualifies for the people who matters to us'.
He made a precious O face at that.
She adopted a no-nonsense attitude, 'Niles, I'm presenting you a win-win situation, here: we marry as quick as possible, we intrude in the Sheffield's fairy tale, we frighten everyone, I get distracted while I wait for the damn exams to be ready', she lowered her lashes at him, 'Don't question my decision, baby'.
Now he looked at her as if she had said the most beautiful thing ever.
CC loved when Niles agreed with her or got hooked to her devilish ways, but she was not sure if she was getting things right, now: would it be possible that they were so in synch he had realized how wonderful it was that now they would be planning pranks together?
'So, the idea is joining forces for pestering as much as we can?'
'Yes'.
His eyes shone, 'I'm game'.
'Oh, Niles!'
They met halfway for a surprisingly deep and emotional kiss.
Deciding to pull a prank seemed a childish thing to motivate such a reaction. However, it was not about the decision itself, but the meaning of creating things together and ganging up against the rest of the world.
When they parted, they stared lovingly at each other.
Those public displays of affection were new for both of them, but felt so natural and spontaneous they could not bring themselves to regret them.
(There was a lot of love going on, really.)
CC spoke, 'Just for the records: it's nice to have it now, once the people who have been stupid around us for so long will be present, but I would be happy to marry you no matter where and when it happened'.
Niles started moving his hand to put it over his heart and show his shock, but was reminded she was not all right with any reference of a heart attack by her glare.
So, he took her hand to his chest, 'All right. Feel it yourself'.
The strong beating under her palm made CC's emotions take the best of her, 'What do you think of a Summer wedding, in the beach? It would celebrate the tropical paradises we've visited together'.
'That would be lovely, Dumpling', he smiled, caressing her hand, that he was covering over his heart, 'But you know I'll be deliriously happy marrying you even wearing hospital scrubs, don't you?'
'We must wear masks', she mused, 'It would make things easier for me if we could cover even your eyes'.
He squinted, 'Because you still want to retch when you look at them?'
'Because I can't focus properly when I look at them, and I'd like to have a clear mind for such a golden opportunity'.
'Oh, Babs', he pecked her cheek, 'Keep being nice like this and I'll even make you a veil'.
Her eyes went wide, 'Great idea!'
It was not that strange, thus, they were so emotional over their impromptus wedding, and ended up making quite the scene over a delivering Fran and surrounded by all the family: there was the revelation of CC's name (totally accidental, once she just gave some documents to the minister without a second thought), Niles getting in a long nostalgic tirade (totally improvised and artificial, once he was more a Stones' than a Beatles' fan) and both getting really moved over kissing each other for the first time after officially married (something that felt totally amazing, if you ask her).
And then her nausea went away and she was so excited she was making a huge effort to not zinger Niles over his chaste kiss having cured her – because even in her altered giddy state of mind CC knew comparing him to Price Charming was not really a zinger – when the Doctor entered the room.
And, when they thought things were finally settled, they had the surprise.