Once again to those who have read, thank you, thank you, thank you! When I saw on my reader traffic that this had 200 plus hits, I like, had a heart attack. This is too much fame for my young self to handle – LOL. Also, thank you to those who reviewed and came up with suggestions. Keep them coming! I really don't know how to stretch C.C. being adorable. XD Chapters are going to come both faster and slower – faster cause I'm going to speed up before school starts, and slower cause my dad is addicted to Farm Town on facebook. Oy.
I do not own anything of The Nanny.
C.C. was in a deep sleep as Niles slipped out of her bed and replaced his arm with one of Gracie's teddy bears that she lent her. He went to his room and dressed in his uniform and make breakfast. Sure, Maxwell agreed to play along being the butler for the whole C.C. situation, but Niles wouldn't dare to put the health of the family in the hands of someone who didn't even know where the water was.
Today seemed like a pancake day, Niles decided, so he went through the lower cupboards to take out the pack of "just add water" pancakes that he had bought from Costco. They were remarkably convenient things.
He made four for each person––and if there was someone who couldn't finish them, either Fran or Sylvia would snatch it away. Syrup and butter was prepared, and a small platter of fruit salad.
While preparing C.C.'s meal, he couldn't help but to decorate it with a happy face using small slices of bananas, imagining the delight on her face when she saw them. He smirked at the picture and then shook it off as Maxwell and the children entered the dining room.
"Good morning, Niles," they greeted as he handed them their plates one by one.
"Good morning sir, children," he greeted back.
"Helloo everyone," Fran chimed in, once again "inappropriately dressed for breakfast" and twenty minutes late––like always.
"Hello, Ms. Fine," Niles matched as he placed her plate of pancakes in her hands as she passed by and went to her seat.
"Where's C.C.?"
"She's still asleep, I'll be bringing her breakfast to her later instead," Niles answered, leaning on the counters and waited for anyone who needed a request fulfilled.
"Aww, Niles, see? You're doing just fine with this whole mess," Fran encouraged.
"I'm sure we'll have the old C.C. back in no time," Maxwell added, but failed to lighten up everyone, for all the children groaned. Fran smirked as she stuffed herself with her buttered and syrup-ed pancakes.
Gentle footsteps were heard out in the hall as it gradually came to the door. C.C. came in, still dressed in her pajamas and rubbing her eyes awake.
"Daddy?" She called in a quiet tone, as she was slightly red. "Where's the bathroom?"
"The door under the stairs," he directed as she waddled away, still half asleep.
"This feels awkward," Maggie said while cutting her pancakes. "The house is usually chaotic. Now it's just… quiet."
Clattering of utensils against plates filled in a few seconds of silence before there was a high-pitched scream coming from a distance.
"Daddy! Help!" the muffled cries came as Niles sighed and walked out to aid her in whatever she needed.
"Spoke too soon, honey," Fran laughed as she continued to munch.
Niles came to the bathroom door and knocked. "What's wrong?"
"I'm bleeding!" She yelped in horror.
"Bleeding? How could you be––OH MY LORD." Niles gasped as he covered his mouth. "Um, stay put, I'll have Ms. Fine help you," he said trying to sound relaxed.
He turned around to fetch her just as C.C. called for him again. "Wait!"
Niles turned to the door and leaned towards it. "What?"
"Am I dying?" Her voice was quiet and frantic and very much frightened.
"No, you'll be fine, just wait there."
"Okay!" C.C. said nervously.
Niles crashed back into the dining room. "Ms. Fine!"
"Huh what I didn't do nothin'!" Fran babbled as she looked up at Niles in alert. He cupped his hand around her ear and whispered something. Fran's expression dropped into a blank stare. "Oh."
Fran scooted her chair back and stood up awkwardly. "Well, um, excuse me for a bit."
Maxwell and the children stared curiously as Niles and Fran fled.
"I'll tell you, Niles," Fran said as they hurried across the living room. "I'd get excited if Gracie had her special friend come over, but with Ms. Babcock, it's just creepy."
Fran knocked on the bathroom door, her head cocked downwards. "Um, C.C., you alright in there?"
"I don't know!" C.C. replied in meek frustration and confusion.
"Well hang in there, honey, I'll be right back."
"Okay!" C.C.'s breathing was getting desperate; it made Fran and Niles snicker.
"Oy, leave this to me," Fran patted Niles' shoulder as she quickly skipped up the stairway and Niles returned to the dining room to clean up after everyone.
Fran opened the door to her room and went through her drawers to find her supply of pads. "Wait," she paused. "Is hers heavy or…? Oh I'll just take the large," she solved as she continued to go through.
She returned downstairs with the "stuff" in her hands. She tried the knob and found it was unlocked, but didn't open the door entirely. Who wouldn't be hesitant? You're about to help a grown woman who usually despises you with her special friend.
"You alright in there?" Fran checked for the last time.
"I don't want to die, Nanny Fine!" C.C. cried. Fran set her mouth to the side and thought, looks like she at least remembers her name for me. Fran came in and laughed beneath her breath in nervousness.
––Here the author spares readers the miracles of womanhood.––
"You mean all girls go through this? What did we ever do?" C.C. asked innocently, probably a third horrified as she cringed, sitting on the closed toilet seat. She scooted around, feeling uncomfortable.
Fran sat on the lid of the trash can (probably trying to seal away the…scent), still pretty awkward. It's not everyday her nanny duties went this far. "Well honey, that's the miracle of being a woman."
"But why?"
"Crap, I'm the one who has to give her 'the talk'," Fran cursed as she turned away. "Well, um, C.C.," She started, trying to sound as comfortable and casual as possible. C.C.'s eyes shifted left and right, having a gut feeling that she wasn't going to be very pleased (not that she was in the first place.)
"Eventually in a human's life, they will start to––oh who am I kidding you'll come back soon enough, this whole speech is useless," Fran gave up as she shifted back away.
C.C. sat there a little confused. "I'll come back?"
"Damnit," Fran snapped her fingers." Oh, hehe, nothing sweetie, I'm just a little crazy in the head." She laughed nervously and looked away to wince. Sure, there wasn't anything wrong with letting C.C. know that she was just suffering a teensy-weensy memory loss, but how were they supposed to break it to her? "Everything you know, feel, and think is a lie, sweetie"?
C.C. made a face, looking displeased. "Everyone always hides things from me. Do you guys not like me?"
"Aww, sweetie," Fran reached out as she put her arm half around C.C.'s back. "It's not cause we don't like you." She looked off to the side. Well, it was true mostly everyone in the household didn't like C.C. and therefore hid from her most of the time, but that was only for the normal C.C.
"Its just there are some things little girls aren't supposed to know," Fran explained. Especially when that little girl has been in rehab a few times.
There was a pause and finally C.C. looked back up at Fran. "Thank you, Nanny Fine."
"Aww now where did that come from? Are you mood-swinging already?" Fran joked.
"Well I was just thinking about how mommy wasn't the one to pick me up at the hospital. You know I don't really like mommy."
"Aw why?" Fran realized seconds later that that was a stupid question to ask.
"Well, mommy isn't very nice, and I can't do anything, not even cry, even though she hurts me a lot."
Fran held at her heart in sympathy. Nothing hurts like a mother's rejection.
"But with you guys, I get help and I have lots of fun," C.C. said with a more cheerful tone.
She was so pitiful it was hard not to have a heart-ache while listening to her. Fran was touched, and she really did wonder… what the hell happened to C.C.?
Fran hugged C.C., mock-crying. "Oh, C.C., you're another reason why I really need to have kids."
C.C. looked off to the side, not exactly knowing what that really had to do with anything, but hugged back anyhow.
--
Niles was in the kitchen in front of the sink, washing the dishes as Fran chomped on a sandwich on the table.
"Can you believe all this, Niles? Ms. Babcock is just entirely different. The world has gone mad." She paused as she took another bite. "I just hope it doesn't go sane any time soon."
Niles snickered. "Yes, we'd all like to keep her."
"You make her sound like a dog."
"Mm, that's the closest thing I get to a zinger these days."
Fran laughed as C.C. came in through the door. "Daddy, can I have some chocolate cake?"
Niles wiped the dishes and stacked them. "Hungry so fast?"
"Please Niles," Fran said as she wiped her mouth with a napkin and left her chair. "The cravings come quick, so whip out the chocolate!"
Yeaaah, sorry the chapter's a little short. What I have planned next doesn't really go with this chapter xD
I'll be updating slower cause well, you know. Dad and facebook. It's a pain in the arse. As George Lopez says, "Can't do nothing!"
So yeah, reviews and feedback greatly appreciated, suggestions are welcomed.
-Rei
