Disclaimer: I don't own any part or character from The Nanny…

A/N: Travelling causes some stress and some worry for the dynamic duo

Max had sent the limo for them at JFK. The airport was full of people, jostling them about, trying to make flights, and the speakers overhead we already belting out Christmas Musak.

Niles pulled CC through the crowds, holding on so tight to her hand she thought it might break. She didn't say a word though, as she was so tired, she felt if she did, she would just be swallowed up and would never to be heard from again.

"Snap out of it" she admonished herself. "Damn pregnancy hormones" she chided herself again. "Niles" she said loudly. He stopped and turned towards her "What is it?" his voice laced in concern.

"I can't keep up." she said quite out of breath. "I keep having sharp pains in my side, and the baby keeps kicking me in the ribs."

"How regular are these pains? How intense?" Niles put his hand on her belly looking at his watch.

"I'm not in labor you idiot! I'm just winded. Just slow down, and I'll be fine."

"Look, ok, we don't know if you're in labor or not. So, yes, I'll slow down, but I want you to tell me every time you feel this sharp pain ok?" He gave her a big hug. She smiled inwardly. His simple presence had made the entire rest of the world just disappear. She laid her head on his shoulder. Now, if only she could rest a little. "No you don't, Love. We don't have much farther, but we've got to find David so we can get your home ok?" she nodded softly, letting him take her hand again.

Niles was never so happy as to see David pull up to the passenger waiting area as he was that day. Waving at him, he handed him the luggage as he took CC by the shoulder and opened the car door for her. She scooted into the car and easily let herself sink into the leather seats. Niles instructed David to take them directly to Dr. Wilson's office.

CC hadn't been having regular pains, but had been regularly having them, so Niles had called the doctor from the phone in the limo, and he had been able to fit them in as they got to the office. After examining CC, he took a few notes while CC got dressed again.

They both looked at him, CC grabbed Niles' hand and waited. "Bad news is that you're experiencing contractions." They both gasped. "However, you aren't dilated at all, and the contractions aren't regular nor strong enough to indicate your labor has started. Your blood pressure is a little high though, and I'm pretty sure that the stress of the travel just didn't agree with you."

"So what does that mean, Dr. Wilson?" Niles asked.

"That means that I'm prescribing complete bed rest for the next week and we wait and see. If the contractions don't get under control, well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Complete bed rest?" CC repeated incredulously.

"Yes. You'll see to it, right Niles?" Niles nodded.

"Alright, that's it for now. Remember to take it easy, and come back and see me next week."

"Ok doctor"

Niles took CC's hand as they headed back down to the car. Once they were settled in, Niles told David to take them to he mansion. CC looked over at him quizzically

"Complete bed rest, remember? I can't be at the house and the apartment at the same time, so you're moving in with me." His tone was serious, but he was smiling.

"Don't be so happy about it." she grumbled.

"Oh believe me, I'm not looking forward to having you underfoot." He snuggled in closer. "The very thought makes me shudder" he pretended to be disgusted. She could tell from his eyes that he was actually delighted with the situation even though he was worried about her.

When she was all settled in his room, Niles went down to speak with the Sheffields.

"How's CC doin'?" Fran asked him.

"She was going to take a nap. The trip was hard on her. In fact, that's what I wanted to speak to you about. The doctor says that she has to rest this week. She started having contractions…"

"Wh-at?" both Fran and Max said at the same.

"It's early yet for that isn't old man?" Max continued.

"Yes it is." Niles answered. "That's why she's upstairs actually. We stopped at the doctors on the way home, and he was able to fit us in. He has prescribed a week of bed rest and no stress. That means that I'm ok with you giving her contracts to look over and such, but she can not deal with directors, backers or anything of the like. Are we clear?"

"Of course, Niles. I think I can handle everything anyways, and CC's health is much more important than anything going on at the theater."

"Thanks. Things were going so well…my parents like her, she likes them… we're getting along great… and why this? Why now?" Niles was finally able to let the stress he was feeling come out. He sat down, and let himself crumple on the couch. Soft tears were running down his cheeks as he held his head in his hands.

"Oh Niles" Fran went over to him and hugged him. "She's just tired. The doctor said she wasn't in any danger right?" and she waited for him to nod. "So you just take care of her, you're good at that. Many woman have to watch their stress during pregnancy. God knows CC thrives on the stuff, so we'll just all have to me more attentive." She gently stroked his back and stayed with him until his emotions had subsided.

Maxwell had stood to the side, more than slightly uncomfortable with the scene before him. It made him realize how lucky he was to have Fran in his life. When Niles did stand up again, Max walked over to him and in a very unbristish-like attitude, gave him a very friendly hug. Niles was somewhat taken aback, but didn't question it too much and actually hugged back.

When they broke apart, Max said, looking a bit uncomfortable "You know it's not in my nature to show it, old man, but you are my best friend, and I treasure you as a brother. If there is anything you need, I'm here." looking at Fran, who was almost as surprised as Niles, he said "We're here. You're a part of our family, mishpocheh. We love you both dearly." Niles didn't think twice and grabbed them both in a huge bear hug. Very un-british of him, but oh so rewarding!

When Niles had left to go and check on CC again, Fran turned to her husband "And just when I thought I had you all figured out, you go and do something like this, Mister!" she playfully grabbed his tie "I'm so proud of you!" She leaned up and kissed him on the lips, and then held his gaze as they rubbed noses.

"I don't know what came over me. One minute, I was feeling damned uncomfortable with him crying on my sofa and the next, I just had to hug him….I guess we're spending too much time together" he said pointedly to his wife "…I'm verklempt" he added at the end, with a smirk.

"Oy, stop being such a shmegegi already. You were doing really well up to that point."

He grabbed her from behind, resting his hands on her tummy. "I had to lighten the mood, the whole thing was getting way too Jewish for me!" he laughed. "Let me make it up to you?" he kissed her neck.

"Oh Max" she said seductively.

When CC woke up, she could feel that she was not alone. Niles was half sitting on the bed next to her, his arms crossed at his chest, sleeping peacefully.

She took a few moments to admire his features. Since they had decided to give the relationship a go, they had been in a whirlwind of activity. Very pleasant activity, she chuckled to herself, but still… she hadn't really had time to absorb it.

She looked at his soft features, tracing the contours of his face with her eyes. She continued down over his strong chest, and his hands…God she loved his hands… and let her eyes flow down over his genitals, making her smile smugly, and went all the way to his toes. He was wearing black and grey patterned socks that just suited him.

She rested her head back on the pillow, staying on her side facing him. What a pair they made, and would be parents soon too. As if on cue, the baby started moving around a bit. She waited to see if there would be any pain, and was very happy when she only felt the usual discomfort of kicking and not the huge pain in her side from before. She did feel a familiar feeling of pressure start quickly and she eased herself off the bed to go to the bathroom.

Niles had shifted on his side when she came back to bed, and she contemplated heading downstairs to get something to eat. She knew however, that there would be hell to pay when he woke up, and she just wasn't in the mood for that. So she sat down on the edge of the bed across from him and leaned over. "Hey Lemon Fresh?" she spoke quietly, more in a caress than to actually wake him.

She crawled up on the bed and started blowing in his ear, and then she couldn't resist and nibbled on the sensitive flesh of his lobe. She heard him growl, but he didn't wake up. She let her kisses trail down the side of his neck, and finally, lying down on her side facing him, she lightly placed her lips on his. His eyes fluttered open and then became wide open. "CC! What are you doing? We can't! You have to rest!"

"Oh come on, Tidy Bowl. I was just having a little fun." seeing the evidence of his arousal straining in his pants, she continued "you were obviously enjoying it!".

His look softened, and he sat back on the bed, taking her hand. "Of course I was enjoying it…but we can't…I love you CC, and I don't want to take chances with the baby, nor your health." he looked into her eyes.

"I know, I get that. But we are still allowed to kiss…not doing that will be way more stressful on my system."

"Ok, you win on that one." And she laughed as he pretended to have actually thought about it. "We can hug too, and snuggle…but nothing too exciting for you!"

"Puh-lease…like you could excite me" she rolled off the bed, averting her face so her expression wouldn't betray the barb she was trying to maintain.

"Can it Babcock. You and I both know that I can turn you into a quivering ball of flesh." and they both shivered at the thought, "but right now, we have to keep the bigger picture in mind." He walked up behind her and brought his hands on her tummy to punctuate his sentence.

Feeling things were getting a bit too serious, she turned into his arms and spoke "Hey, baby here kicked me really hard and no other pain. That's good huh?"

"Yes, but you're still spending the next week in bed. Now, let me get you a shirt…" and he walked into his closet and came back with one of his button down shirts. "You can sleep in this tonight…just button the top three or four and leave the others ones lose so you'll be comfortable."

"Yes sir!" she said in mock salute.

"I'll just go and get changed and then I'll get you something to eat." She nodded wordlessly. As much as she hated to admit it, she was enjoying all the attention. She sat on the edge of the bed and started undressing.

Niles stopped short upon re-entering the room. CC had her back to him and she was taking off her pants. From behind, you could hardly tell she was pregnant, just a bit rounder in all the right places. "Down boy" he thought to himself.

CC turned at that moment and saw the slightly pained expression on his face. "Ooh, this is going to be fun" she thought to herself. Keeping the evil glimmer in her eyes, she caught his look and deliberately started to unbutton her blouse.

"You don't play fair, Babcock" Niles pouted.

"Now what would be the fun in that, Bell Boy".

She opened the blouse and let it fall to the floor. She then reached back and unhooked her bra, taking it off slowly and letting join her blouse. She brought her hands up to massage the fatigue out of her breasts, never letting go of his gaze. She then turned slightly to grab the shirt that Niles had given her earlier and pulled it on, slowly and sensually. As she started to do up the first button, Niles walked up to her and put his hands on hers. "Let me do that, Love" he said.

He was able to do up three buttons, the fourth one would have been too tight. He took his time, his movements just as slow, enticing and deliberate as hers had been. When he finished, he leaned in and grazed her lips with his.

"You are so beautiful. Thank you for … well for everything." They hugged tightly. "I could do without the erotic strip tease when I can't touch you… but if I have to have that to have the rest, then, well, if I must, I must" he said with exaggerated resignation, and quickly smiled at her.

"You're so selfless. A real mensch" She walked over to the bed and lay down.

He lay down behind her, spooning and bringing his hand onto her belly.

"Hey, I thought you were going to get me some food?!" she tossed at him.

"I will. I just have to wait a few minutes…I can't go downstairs like this."

"Oooh, right. And spooning will help?" she laughed, and snuggled in a bit closer, making sure to wiggle her butt against him. He hissed and then stilled her with his hand, and they both enjoyed being together.