Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to any of the characters of 'The Nanny.'

A/N Pretty much my all time favorite TV couple. I know it's a long time coming, but I really wanted to finally get the story out on paper. Well, I guess it's not really paper but you understand…

Christmas in Switzerland

Chapter 5

It was Christmas Eve and the entire family was very excited. They spent the morning skiing and after a hearty lunch at the lodge they all decided to head into town for a little last minute Christmas shopping. Max had long ago made arrangement for all their gifts to be sent so that they would have the same Christmas in Switzerland they would've had in New York only well in Switzerland!

CC and Niles drove the jag at Max's insistence and he and Fran took the children in the Range Rover. They met in the center of the little market place and decided they'd split up and meet back there at 5 o'clock to head to the lodge for dinner.

The kids went off together in one direction. Max and Niles went off in another, leaving CC and Fran looking at each other for a second. "Well, Miss Babcock? Shall we shop?"

CC tilted her head back a minute. "Alright, but I'm setting some ground rules." Fran rolled her eyes. "First you have to start calling me CC. Next, I want you to know I'm really happy for you and Max, yes really. Lastly, everything I buy is a secret from everyone…deal?"

"Whoowee!" Fran shouted. "Let's go shoppin'!"

There were many bags loaded into both cars when the gang finished their 'last minute' shopping. They enjoyed a filling lunch at the lodge and as they started to head out to the cars they saw a sign advertising a 'Christmas Carol sing along' in the club.

"Daddy, look!" Gracie pointed. "Can we go and sing a few carols?"

Max looked around at their group. "I don't know, Grace."

"Please, Daddy? We always sing carols at home. Niles' plays and we all sing it's a family tradition. But, there's no piano back at the chalet."

"Oh…come on, Max. It's Christmas!" CC lightly smacked Max's arm.

CC and Niles led the way to the club they remember fondly. "It's just up here." Niles waved his arm and Max and Fran led the way with the kids. They found a table large enough for all of them and sat down to wait.

"Hi, everyone," a man with an accent spoke to the room. "I'm sorry about this, but our piano player came down with the flu and we couldn't get a replacement in time." He sighed and the crowd groaned a little.

"Niles can play!" Grace jumped up volunteering for him.

The gentleman looked toward where Gracie stood waving her arm. "I'm sorry, Miss?"

CC stepped forward and after a quick check with Niles repeated Grace's plea. "We have a piano player right here. He can lead the Caroling."

"Well, alright then." The crowd applauded. "Right this way, Sir." Niles stood and CC followed him to the piano. He took his seat on the bench and patted the space next to him for CC to sit as well.

The man turned to the crowd again. "Well folks, it would seem the sing along is on!" The man handed Niles the list so that everyone would be on the same page signing the same songs.

Niles was pretty good with a crowd. "Hello, everyone, I'm Niles. Let's get started, shall we?" The first song on the list was 'Deck the Halls', followed by another favorite 'Jingle Bells.' Niles added some fun bits when he divided the singing into ladies only, or just the guys, one time he said thirty and younger just to see if Fran would sing. Then it came to the last song on the list, 'White Christmas.' Niles looked at CC and winked when he decided to at least start this one on his own.

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know.
Where the treetops glisten,
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow.
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write.
May your days be merry and bright.
And may all your Christmas's be white."

Everyone joined Niles for a second chorus, but CC couldn't help but just watch him as he sang.

Everyone gave Niles a well earned round of applause and they quickly filed out of the club. Max, Fran and the children made their way to the piano where Niles still sat on the bench with CC by his side. Max took the opportunity to lightly nudge Fran.

Max clapped his hands on Niles' shoulders. "Good show, old man."

"Yeah, Niles…you were a big hit!" Fran offered.

"That was even better than at home!" Brighton whipped out.

Maggie and Grace nodded along. "I agree, Niles. Wow you really can sing."

"Thank you, Maggie." Niles felt the blood rise in his cheeks.

Fran looked at Max. "Well, we're gonna head back with the kids. We've got gifts to wrap. Are you two gonna hang here a bit?"

CC answered. "Yea, I think I'd like a night cap. What about you, Niles?"

Niles nodded. "I could use a beverage after all that singing." His eyes found CC's

"Well, just don't be too late, tomorrow is Christmas. The children will be up very early." Max groaned.

"Come on," Fran coaxed. "Let's go."

Max and Fran had barely taken the kids out of the club when a very dapper looking man approached them at the piano. "Excuse, me…Niles…is it?"

Niles looked up at the man standing to his left. "Yes, I'm Niles, may I help you?"

"Actually, I believe you can," The man said. "I have a small club back in the states, New York. And I think you'd be a huge hit there." The man leaned on the piano. "It's a slightly older crowd and they aren't looking for the new wave music that's so popular now."

Niles wasn't sure he'd be able to speak after what the man just said. "I…uhm…I don't know, Mr…?"

"Cranston. Linus Cranston. Here's my card Mr….is Niles your last name or your first?" Mr. Cranston asked.

Niles laughed a little and CC answered. "It's just Niles…like Cher."

"I see." Mr. Cranston smiled. "Give me a call and let me know what you decide. Even on a part time basis, Niles." Mr. Cranston left them.

"Niles! Did you hear that! That man wants you to sing in his club! It's your lifelong dream come true!" CC wrapped her arms around his neck. "Isn't that great?" She looked at him. Niles seemed a little shell shocked. "Niles? It is great isn't it?"

Niles stood up and moved around the piano a little. "I don't know. It's all I ever thought about as a child, up until…well the arrangement." Niles wasn't sure what he felt now.

"Niles," CC stood and pulled him back to the bench next to her. "Fran and Max are on the fast track to marriage, thanks to a certain nosy butler I know. The children are practically grown. Maybe it's time for you to think about you."

"I don't know, CC." Niles sighed. "Not trying means not failing. What if I do this and I'm not quite as good as I think. I'm not sure I can handle that."

CC put her head on his shoulder. "Listen to me, Niles. I've been in the business for twenty years. You've got it. The choice is yours. But it's your dream. Don't you deserve to have your dreams come true?"

Niles kissed her lightly. "Care for a little song before we go?"

"You have to ask?" CC gave him a gentle push.

Niles fingers moved slowly over the keys and his rich voice sang to only her.

There's always tomorrow for dreams to come true.
Believe in your dreams come what may.

There's always tomorrow with so much to do.
And so little time in a day.

We all pretend the rainbow has an end.
And you'll be there my friend someday.

There's always tomorrow for dreams to come true.
Tomorrow is not far away.

We all pretend the rainbow has an end.
And you'll be there my friend someday.

There's always tomorrow for dreams to come true.
Tomorrow is not far away.

"Come on, Babs. Let's get back. I have a few gifts still to wrap." Niles stood and helped her to her feet.

CC held his arm tightly. "Niles, was that song from 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?"

When Niles and CC got back to the chalet everyone had gone to bed. "Looks like it's just us Rubbermaid." CC chided Niles.

"Well, I could definitely go for a piece of that cheese cake." Niles smiled mischievously.

Niles slipped off his boots at the door and padded to the fridge. CC did the same and followed close behind him. "I don't believe it…those vultures…it's gone!" Niles looked back at CC who just grinned at him.

She pushed him gently aside and reached into the vegetable drawer and pulled out two carefully wrapped slices of cheese cake. "Ta da!" She whispered.

"I love you!" Niles blurted excited about the cheese cake.

CC smirked at his now embarrassed expression. "I'll bet you say that to all the witches who bring you cheese cake. Get the forks and meet me on the sofa."

Niles did as he was told and grabbed a bottle of water for them to share. "How did you know that song was from 'Rudolph'?" He took a bite of his cheese cake. "It's so much better when it's been hidden." He waited for her to answer. "Well…the song?"

"It was the only Christmas special we were ever allowed to watch." CC took a sip of water. "I guess that kind of explains a lot, huh?"

Niles chuckled. "My favorite is 'The Year Without a Santa Claus'. I love the Heat Miser and the Snow Miser." CC laughed at him. "What?"

"Niles…that didn't come out until the mid seventies, you were well into your…adulthood." CC didn't want to go down the 'age' road.

Niles frowned at her. "So, what's your point?"

They chatted a little bit more while they finished their cheese cake and the bottle of water. Then they remembered that tomorrow the children would be making the rounds very early and they each still had a few gifts to wrap.

"I'll walk you to your door." Niles offered his arm.

CC laughed lightly and took his arm and they made their way up the stairs. "You are such the gentleman." When they reached her room they stopped. "I'll see you in the morning, Niles."

Niles looked at his watch. "Merry Christmas, CC." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "I wanted to be the first to tell you that."

"Merry Christmas, Niles." CC watched as Niles took the few steps more to his door and she went into her room.

Niles finished wrapping his last few gifts and dropped exhausted into bed. He was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.

"Honey…have you seen my cufflinks?" Niles asked his wife.

"I think Lauren had them this afternoon when she and Danny were playing 'Peter Pan'." She answered. "I'll go check her room." Niles' wife leaned in and kissed his cheek. As she turned and left the room, a blonde lad of no more than four came bolting up the hallway. "Danny…what have Daddy and I told you about running in the house?"

"Sorry, Mommy, but Lauren is chasin' me." The young man stood with his hands firmly on his hips just behind his mother and waited for his older sister to fly down the hall after him. It didn't take long before the long dark blonde tresses and sparkling blue eyes of her six year old rounded the corner.

The woman scowled at her oldest child. "Lauren Marie, why are you chasing your brother?"

"He called me Merry Maid, Mommy. Just cause I was tellin' him to clean up his room." Lauren had her father's lopsided grin and bashful demeanor which made it difficult for her mother to scold her.

"It's not nice to call your sister names, Danny. Especially since she's right, you do need to keep your room more tidy." His mother bent down to face the boy who so shared her features.

Danny was a handful from day one. Niles always said so. "That boy is gonna be trouble," He'd say. But he had his mother's scowl and fiery disposition and Niles just couldn't stay mad at the boy when he flashed him that devilish grin.

"I don't like it tidy, Mommy. You don't let Daddy keep your office tidy." Danny tried to use logic with his mother.

She stood up. "Daniel, just because I don't let Daddy clean my office, doesn't mean you don't have to clean your room. Now," She turned to her daughter. "Lauren, where did you put Daddy's cufflinks when you two were through playing with them this afternoon?"

Lauren raised her eyebrow and beamed with her father's lopsided grin. "Daddy left them out on his dresser. So, I put them back where they belong."

"Well, Princess, that's probably why Daddy couldn't find them." Her mother winked at her.

"Come on Danny, we better get ready, Gracie will be here soon for movies and games." Lauren took her little brother's hand and they went down stairs.

Niles' wife returned to their room. "Laurie says she put them back where they belong because you left them on your dresser. Niles watched his wife glide across their room to the jewelry tower and slide out the drawer where his cufflinks 'belong' and pull them out. "See, Sweetie. It's a good thing Danny didn't have them. We'd need a team of crack investigators to sift through the rubble in his room."

Niles kissed his wife. "Thank you, my love. These are my favorite cufflinks. You got them for me that first Christmas at the chalet…"

Niles shot up in bed and looked around his room. His clocked showed the time as 2:48 am. "Wow that was the most realistic dream I've ever had." Niles breathing was returning to normal and he decided to try to get a little more sleep.

CC tossed and turned when she finally went to bed after wrapping her last minute gifts.

"Honey…have you seen my earrings?" CC asked her husband.

"I think Danny had them this afternoon when he and Lauren were playing 'Peter Pan'." He answered. "I'll go check his room." CC's husband leaned down and kissed her neck. As he turned and left the room, the long dark blonde tresses and sparkling blue eyes of his six year old came bolting up the hallway. "Lauren…what have Mommy and I told you about running in the house?"

"Sorry, Daddy, but Danny is chasin' me." The little girl stood with her hands firmly on her hips just behind her father and waited for her younger brother to fly down the hall after her. It didn't take long before a blonde lad of no more than four rounded the corner.

The man raised his eyebrow at his youngest child. "Daniel Joseph, why are you chasing your sister?"

"She called me Merry Maid, Daddy. Just cause I was tellin' her to clean up her room." Danny shared his father's lopsided grin which made it difficult to scold him.

"It's not nice to call your brother names, Lauren. Especially since he's right, you do need to keep your room more tidy." Her father knelt down to face the girl who looked so much like CC.

Lauren was a handful from day one. Her father always said so. "That girl is gonna be trouble," He'd say. But she had her mother's scowl and fiery disposition and he just couldn't stay mad at her when she flashed him that devilish grin.

"I don't like it tidy, Daddy. Mommy doesn't let you tidy her office." Lauren tried to use logic with her father.

He stood up. "Lauren, just because your Mommy keeps her office like a pig sty, doesn't mean you don't have to clean your room. Now," He turned to his son. "Daniel, where did you put Mommy's earrings when you two were through playing with them this afternoon?"

Daniel raised his eyebrow and beamed with his father's lopsided grin. "Daddy, I put them back where they belong."

"Well, my son, that's probably why Mommy couldn't find them." His father winked at him.

"Come on Danny, we better get ready, Gracie will be here soon for movies and games." Lauren took her little brother's hand and they went down stairs.

CC's husband returned to their room. "Danny says he put them back where they belong. CC watched her husband walk to the jewelry tower and slide out the drawer where her earrings 'belong' and pull them out. "See, my love. It's a good thing Lauren didn't have them. We'd need an archeological to go through her room."

CC kissed her husband. "Thank you, Honey. These are my favorite earrings. You got them for me that first Christmas at the chalet…"

CC shot up in her bed. "Wow…that was so real…" She looked at the time on her clock. "Two forty-eight. I'd better go back to sleep." CC lowered herself back into bed and drifted quickly back to sleep.