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 6
Christmas morning came very early in the chalet. Maggie and Grace woke up Brighton first. Then they headed into Max's room and practically pounced on his bed. Then they had to decide if they should get Niles, Fran or CC next. "Fran!" The children all decided. After waking Fran they couldn't decide about their next course of action so they deferred to Gracie. She was still the youngest and would be more easily forgiven. Grace decided that CC would enjoy bursting into Niles' room and disrupting his sleep. Gracie lightly knocked and then threw open the door. No CC. Her bed wasn't made, but she wasn't in it either. Everyone shrugged and decided to head into get Niles. Gracie again threw open the door. This time, no Niles. His bed was neatly made, not that it would be unusual to find his bed made, this is Niles we're talking about. The five just stood on the upper balcony outside the rooms trying to figure out what to do next.
"Hey! Are you gonna come down here or you want us to bring the presents up there?" CC called from the living room below them.
The children bounded down the stairs followed closely by Fran and Max. "Hey, what got you two up so early?" Fran asked.
"The burning desire not to have you jump into my bed!" CC replied.
"The coffee is ready and there's hot chocolate if you'd prefer." Niles announced as he joined the family from the kitchen in his Christmas pajama's and matching robe.
Max sat on the sofa and the children sat around the pile of gifts. CC sat in the overstuffed chair she'd favored since their arrival at the chalet and as Niles stepped forward to take a seat Fran nudged him. "I noticed that your bed was made, Niles." Fran asked suspiciously.
"Fran…when have you ever seen my bed unmade when I wasn't in it?" Niles raised his eyebrow and took a seat on the floor just in front of CC. Fran joined Max on the sofa.
Niles started handing out the gifts and when everyone had a good stack to start on the paper started flying. The adults were nearly as bad as the children except that CC and Niles tried to keep their mess to a minimum knowing that someone would have to clean it up. It was a little over an hour later and all the oooss and aaaahhhhhs over the clothes, jewelry, toys and trinkets had finally started to die down when Gracie noticed a few more little boxes tucked back under the tree. "Hey…" Gracie started. "There are a few more presents!" Gracie managed to get a hold of them and read off the tags. "Let's see…Niles, Daddy, Fran, and CC." Grace handed each their corresponding gift, then looked at Maggie and Brighton. "Grown up stuff."
CC looked at the other 'grown ups'. "Who goes first?"
Max put his hand on Fran's. "CC, you go ahead and open yours."
"Who is it from?" Fran asked.
CC looked at the tag and Niles' blushed a bit. "It's from Niles." CC tore open the paper and found a small blue velvet box. "Is something horrible going to jump out of this, Benson?" CC nudged him with her leg.
"I'll never tell." Niles responded.
CC opened the box and let out a slight gasp. "They're beautiful, Niles." CC whispered in shock as she looked down at the breath taking earrings that seemed so familiar.
"Lemme see!" Fran called from the sofa.
CC turned the box around and showed everyone the gorgeous triple tear drop dangle aquamarine earrings. "Those are beautiful, Niles." Fran smiled at her friend, who seemed a little embarrassed. "Me next?" Fran asked.
"Fran, why don't we let Niles' go next?" Max offered.
Fran sunk back into the sofa. "Ok…go ahead Niles..." Fran looked strangely at Max. "Who is yours from, Niles?"
"Its uh…from Miss…it's from CC." Niles caught himself. He tore off the paper and found a similar blue velvet box. "Gee, Babs, did you get me earrings too?"
CC nudged him with her leg again. "No, just open it."
Niles opened the box and fell silent. "CC…they're…wonderful, thank you." Niles felt his cheeks getting oddly warm. "Where have I seen these cufflinks before?" He thought to himself.
"Come on, Niles." Brighton started. "Let's see whatca got?"
Niles snapped out of his inner thoughts and looked up. "Oh…sorry, cufflinks." Niles turned the box around showing off the sapphire stud cufflinks.
"They kinda match, don't they?" Grace announced.
"What match, Gracie?" Fran asked.
Maggie answered for her. "Yeah, they do. The earrings are light blue and the cufflinks are a darker blue. It's kinda cool."
Fran could see that both of her friends seemed oddly uncomfortable so she changed the subject. "Max why don't you open yours now…it's from me."
Max tore into the paper with the zeal of a child. He found a small red velvet box. "Do I denote a pattern here?" Max and the others laughed a little. He opened the box and found a 24 carat gold tie clip engraved with 'MAXWELL' across the front. "Thank you, Fran it's stunning."
"Well, I figured now that I'm allowed to call you by your first name, I don't wanna forget what it is." Fran winked and he kissed her lightly. "Now me, right?" Fran tore into her slightly smaller package. Tossing the paper aside she saw the little black velvet box. She swallowed hard and was suddenly very self conscious. "Uh…"
"Just open it, Fran," Max said softly. Fran opened the little box which revealed an absolutely beautiful 3 carat emerald cut diamond solitaire. Fran could feel the tears forming in her eyes. "Oh, Max." She whispered. No one seemed to notice when CC leaned forward and put her hand on Niles shoulder or that Niles placed his hand on hers.
Max took the box from Fran and slid off the sofa onto one knee. "Fran, I know that I've taken far too long to get to this moment. But now that I've arrived, I'd like you to join me on the rest of the journey. Will you marry me?" Fran didn't answer. In fact no one was certain that she was even still breathing. "Fran?"
"Yes!" Fran whispered, "Yes, I'll marry you, Max." Max slipped the ring onto her finger and kissed her. The children leapt up and grabbed Fran and their father in a huge group hug. Niles, still on the floor and CC still sitting in the chair exchanged a knowing glance.
When it looked like they could get near Fran, Niles and CC both hugged her and gave their congratulations to Max as well. Fran looked at the ring and then at Niles and CC. "I guess dreams really can come true."
Niles was more than prepared to cook the family Christmas dinner, but Max would have none of it. "No, old man. I've already booked a private dining room for the family at the lodge." Max smiled and clapped his friend on the back. "While I doubt it will come close to your usual Christmas feast, it will feed us and give you the day off, which you more than deserve."
After lunch the children decided to hit the slopes and Max and Fran just wanted to sit in front of the fire and 'snog' as Max described it.
"What do you think, Babs. Shall I call the stables?" Niles asked.
CC smiled. "That sounds like a great idea, Niles. But, only if we can get the same horses."
About a half an hour later, Niles and CC were mounted on Midnight and Enchantress again but this time they just let the horses walk so they could talk a bit. "So, how do you really feel about Fran and Max?" Niles asked.
"Niles…I couldn't be happier for them, really. I gave up on Max ages ago. I'm not sure I was ever really in love with him. I felt…kind of a responsibility…Sara was my best friend." CC didn't meet his eyes.
"I miss her, too. CC. I think Fran will make Max very happy." Niles reached out and took CC's hand. After a few more minutes of silence Niles released her hand. "Wanna race?"
CC looked at him. "You're on, Butler Boy. Try to keep up. Ready?"
"Go!" Niles called and he and Midnight took off.
Enchantress took off after Midnight again. "That's a girl. Let's go get our men!" When CC and Enchantress finally caught up to Niles, he had climbed down off of Midnight and was looking through the backpack he'd brought along.
CC looked down at him. "He's just so…" She sighed. "What are you doing, Niles?"
"I saw this cave when we were riding the last time. I thought it might be fun to do a little exploring." Niles took a flashlight out of the backpack and put the backpack over his shoulder. He looked up at her in the saddle and thought. "She's just so…" "Are you coming?"
CC slipped down off of Enchantress and into Niles' arms. "Not yet."
"Vixen." Niles cooed in her ear. "Let's go, maybe we'll find a buried treasure."
CC looked at him oddly for a moment. "Why would you say that?"
"Say what?" Niles asked as he pulled tied the horses to a nearby tree.
"Buried treasure?" CC asked again. "Like from Peter Pan."
Niles smiled. "I don't know. We're going exploring in a cave, who knows what we'll find." Niles took her hand and they entered the opening of the cave. CC tightened her grip on Niles' hand. "Are you sure you want to do this, you seem a little frightened." Niles was genuinely concerned.
"No, I'm ok. I'm just not used to this sort of thing." CC assured him.
"Exploring a mysterious cave?" Niles asked as he flipped on the flashlight as they moved further into the cave.
"No, having fun!" CC laughed a little and Niles squeezed her hand. Neither of them heard the soft rumbling as they crept silently along the cave floor. Niles moved the flashlight along the ground and the walls hoping to find something of interest. That's when the rumbling got a little louder. "Niles? What's that rumble?"
"I don't know. It could be an underground water fall or something. It's too far away to tell." Niles looked at her and asked again. "We can go back if you're frightened."
CC smiled at him and just couldn't wait another second. She met his lips with hers in a warm and lingering kiss. His hands went to her hips and hers cupped his face. She softly slid her tongue along his bottom lip begging entranced which he gladly allowed. Their tongues met in a soft toying fashion and CC nipped a little at his lip. "Niles…I think we'd better stop. This isn't where I imagined our first time would be."
Niles smirked at her. "You've imagined our first time?"
"Oh like you haven't?" CC didn't really answer.
Niles pulled her back into his arms. "Hell yes I have." He whispered right next to her ear his breath warm on her neck. "And our second, and third and…" That's when the rumbling became over powering loud and took them both by surprise.
"Niles…what the hell is that?" CC was definitely frightened now.
Niles wasn't feeling particularly brave himself, but kept an even keel. "I don't know, but I think maybe we should get back to the horses."
"Max, it's not like Niles to be late for anything." Fran watched as Max checked his watch again.
Max ushered the children into the Range Rover. "Fran, I'm sure they just lost track of time. We'll go on ahead and I'm sure they'll meet us at the lodge."
When dinner came and went without Niles and CC, even the children were beginning to worry. "Daddy," Maggie started. "I think you should call the stables or something. It's not like Niles to go missing without calling."
"Yeah, Dad, I agree with Maggie." Brighton had a genuine look of worry on his face.
Max sighed. "Alright, I'll go speak with the concierge and see if he can look into it. Fran take the children out to the Rover and I'll join you shortly." Max left them at the table and went in search of the concierge.
"Ok, kids. You heard your father. Let's go to the car. I'm sure Niles and CC are just fine…" Fran slipped into her coat and thought to herself. "Please God, let Niles and CC be fine."
"Well, shit." Niles turned to find CC standing just behind him. "It would seem we've been trapped by a mini-avalanche."
"A mini-avalanche?" CC looked even more frightened. "What in the hell is a mini-avalanche?"
Niles wrapped her in his arms. "I think that somewhere further up the mountain there was an avalanche and the chain reaction brought the snow down in front of the cave."
"What about the horses?" CC asked him trying to avoid asking about the seriousness of their predicament.
Niles grinned. "I tied them up a good twenty feet from the cave opening. I'm sure they're fine." Niles looked into CC's eyes. "We're going to be fine too. I've got the flashlight and extra batteries. I brought a few bottles of water and even tossed in a few power bars just in case we got hungry."
"But, Niles. If they don't find us before night fall, it gets very cold out here. No matter how warm the day may have been." CC wanted to show that she had some knowledge of the outdoors too.
"Yes, Honey, I know. But the snow in the opening will act as an insulator from the outside temperature and the rock walls of the cave will release any heat they absorbed during the day. Plus this is a small section of the cave and there aren't any drafts. We'll be fine."
CC snuggled into him. "Plus we have body heat." She kissed his neck.
"There is that." Niles kissed her.
CC pulled back a moment. "Did you call me, honey?"
"I did." Niles kissed her again.