We're getting close to the end, people. I think this story has two more chapters and that's it – things will be wrapped up.
I thank all of you that have been reviewing, following and favorite-ing (!).
Evidence
Chapter 14: Together
'Are you really sure you want to enter?', was the only thing CC Babcock had to say to Fran Fine, through clenched teeth, when she opened the door to the unexpected visit.
'Wow', the brunette raised her brows, 'I never expected warmth, and now I'm confused'.
CC realized, to her chagrin, that the nanny was referring to the contrast between her words and the pajama-like attire she was wearing. It was hard not to flinch at the realization that she would have to face that woman in a baby blue satin blouse and pants set.
The women kept looking at each other, as if they were measuring forces. CC didn't want to admit she was distressed by Fran intruding in a homey moment, and Fran was playing the waiting game, maintaining her position and curious to see how Miss Babcock would surrender, and in which terms.
Finally, the blonde stepped aside, 'Come in, Nanny Fine. I'll just make sure to fire the doorman later'.
Fran joyfully complied, 'Oh, it's not his fault. He knows me, I waved as if it was the most natural thing in the world that I came for a Sunday visit and...', she raised her arms and posed, '...here I am!'
(CC saw Fran was really at home, going directly to the sofa and choosing a spot soon after finishing her loud talking.)
Once she didn't have a choice, CC closed the door, went to sit at her armchair, assumed a repentant posture and said, 'If you came to talk about me not telling you that Barbra Streisand was going to the mansion last Wednesday, well, Maxwell forbid me'.
Fran had wide eyes and a hand over her heart in a second, 'What?!'
CC just smirked at the now panting woman and relaxed in the armchair. It was too easy.
(But still worth it.)
Fran realized she was being mocked, glared at the blonde and calmed down, 'Miss Babcock, you should know better than doing it. You could easily kill a Jewish girl with much less than that…'
'Your point being?'
Fran waved her hands in surrender and rolled her eyes, 'You know, I really can't understand what Niles sees in you'.
Even if it fitted reasonably in the conversation, Fran had planned that attack carefully, and got the telling reaction she had hoped to: CC froze for several seconds, blinking, in a failed attempt to hide the deer in the headlights look.
Then, she changed her posture from shocked to menacing, and her voice came out as a kind of growling, 'What the hell is that supposed to mean?'
Fran joined her hands on her lap and put a nice smile on her face, showing no fear and even some sympathy, 'You may not respect me, Miss Babcock, but I'm not as stupid as you think. I notice what's going on around me, especially personal things. And you two have not been exactly subtle'.
Now CC's back turned impossibly straight. After some more moments of silence, her voice sounded cold, 'I still don't understand. If you mean the hatred between us is not subtle, well, it was never meant to be. It's vital that people know we don't get along'.
Fran let out a noisy sigh. It was not like she expected a plain admittance, but she had the right to make her impatience obvious, 'What I'm trying to say is that things have changed between the two of you, and it is showing'.
More silence. Fran was starting to find it unnerving.
The blonde raised her chin in defiance and crossed her arms, 'I still don't get it'.
Fran recognized the wall in front of her and decided to go for broke, 'He has been escorting you home'.
'It was just a couple of times'.
'You asked him to do it'.
'It was late'.
'You've been locked in the office together'.
'It was a prank of his'.
'I haven't seen your revenge'.
'You'll surely see it soon'.
'You accepted a lift from him'.
'It was Maxwell's limo'.
'You went to the front seat with him'.
'I wanted to make sure he was not going to your mother'.
'You have been nicer to each other'.
CC got up, interrupting the volleying of tirades, 'If you came here to say nonsense, it's better you get out. It's my day off, I've been working like a dog, and my patience for you is even thinner than usual. I could surely…'.
'I saw you two at the dancing club last Friday'.
CC looked back at Fran for some moments (obligatory silent routine still going on), then sat down, 'Damn'.
Fran grinned and jumped at the opportunity, 'Oh, Miss Babcock, you seemed so happy together! So in synch! It was beautiful to look at!'
CC made a face and admitted shyly, 'We have some chemistry, I suppose'.
'Some? I confess I still find it hard to imagine how it is going to work, because, you know, to me you have always been the worst enemies, but now that I have seen it, it's easy to realize it has been in the air for years. I mean, how did we never noticed, with all those fireworks every time you were in the same room? They make all the sense in the world, if you really think about it!'
Again, the sudden straight back, and the blonde was silent. She seemed nervous and uncertain of what to say, and Fran understood the silences were about choosing how to answer at what the businesswoman must be seeing as an unexpected exposition.
Finally, she made her decision, and relaxed her body a little, 'Listen, Nanny Fine: I don't know why you have come to me to talk about it, instead of just spreading the news to the whole city, but I must thank you. This thing between me and Niles is great, but it will probably be short lived, and the less people to know about it, the better'.
'Short lived?', Fran was genuinely surprised, 'Why do you say that?'
CC stopped, licked her lips and, again, seemed to choose the words carefully. 'We're too different, and we have had plenty of opportunities to show how little we respect each other, as the years went by. Whatever is it that we're going through – and believe me, none of us know what it is –, it's clear that we're just having some fun while it lasts'.
Fran frowned. She felt like it was not a conversation, anymore, but an opportunity for Miss Babcock to reinforce the things she believed.
And it was not what she intended when she decided to come here. 'Are you sure Niles agrees with that?'
More silence. The blonde's eyes said nothing, just a furious search for the correct answer, and Fran was sure, again, that something she didn't know was going on there – that need to not say the wrong thing was not usual, even for a woman generally tied to appearances, as Miss Babcock was.
Fran had seen her being a lot more open and spontaneous about things, and her relationship with Niles – whatever it was – must be something huge, if she was treading through it with such care.
(In a way, it was what he has been doing, too, letting his best friend out of the loop; the difference was that Fran had no idea why Niles was hiding it, while this conversation with Miss Babcock showed her reason was she didn't believe it would last enough time to bother with revelations.)
The blonde spoke suddenly, 'If he doesn't agree, he is even more immature than he appears to be. I mean, look at us', her voice trembled for a moment, but she gulped down the emotion and resumed, 'We're too old to believe we've just found the perfect match. Especially after all those years of barbs and pranks. Things just don't happen like this'.
Fran just observed while CC forced out a sarcastic little laugh to finish her saying, and felt sad: the brunette was not sure she had seen so much denial in a person before, and it made her loose her confidence about making any effective approach. How could she say anything that made a difference when that woman had just said she didn't believe in the best thing that had happened in her life?
(Fran knew it had to be the best thing, not just because she guessed Niles was Prince Charming when he wanted, but especially because Miss Babcock had permitted herself to push aside their previous differences and her social convictions to go through it with him.)
CC noticed Fran's pitied eyes on her, felt that she couldn't take it and got up, 'If we have things cleared, I think it's time for you to go'.
'Yes, it is', Fran agreed with the sadness showing in her voice, got up and started for the door.
CC opened it for her and said, coldly, 'Thank you for coming, Nanny Fine. You have finally done something properly'.
Oh, well, that was too much.
Fran turned to her and raised a warning finger, 'Just one thing more, Missy', the other just stared silently at her, noticing the glare, 'I may be not classy or refined as you are, Miss Babcock, but feelings are my territory, and you should think about what I tell you on that: when we find someone who cares as much as Niles do for you – to the point where he managed to make you realize you care for him back –, it must mean something'.
CC licked her lips, looked away, thinking, and looked again to Fran, 'Yes, it does. It means we're crazy'.
Fran smirked, 'Yes, you have the same kind of craziness. And sometimes, Miss Babcock, that's all that matters', feeling her irritation fade, she reached a hand to touch the other's arm, 'Don't close your eyes to a beautiful thing just because you think it's too late, or you're too old for it. If I did the same, I would just have to kill myself. And God only knows how much this world needs us all'.
And with that line, Fran proudly turned away and went to the lift.
ncncncncncnc
CC stayed frozen for some moments and then closed the door, shocked by the guts that woman had: she had come to talk to her about feelings, and how obvious hers and Niles' were; she admitted she was old to some things, but thought it was not a reason to give up happiness; she believed Niles cared for the cold and insensitive woman who had been his enemy for years, and she said they had been both caring for each other for more time than they had realized themselves…
Fran Fine had taken a moment from her weekend to come and discuss personal things with CC, and had let out so much information the blonde could barely process it.
Trying to be objective, CC managed to select the information that was really relevant and urgent: Nanny Fine was sure there was something important going on between her and Niles, because she had seen them having fun together, in a lot of situations.
(It got more and more disturbing. It was like they have been watched, and now Fran, of all people, revealed she had a lot of information she didn't intend to use against them….)
CC realized she was confused by the sick feeling that conversation created in her; she frowned and supported herself at the door, concentrating on discovering why it was happening.
She had got used to be with Niles and show him how she was feeling without measuring her words and actions since they had their spontaneity conversation, and it had lifted a burden from her shoulders. She had discovered they could easily establish understandings between them when they just said and did what they really wanted, and she had been enjoying it for a while.
(If not just because they were often in sync, but it was nice to hear Niles praising her or just adding clever considerations to her day, too; she felt like he had shared with her just the 'bad' half of himself, all those years, with the occasional glimpse of the 'good' half. Lately, she was having both – the borderline offender and the witty gentleman, and she was having a lot of pleasure in knowing that, if she gave the right steps, he would let her 'tame' him from time to time.
Being in sync had this advantage: she knew exactly which were the right steps, and she intended to do them slowly, savoring every moment, and knowing that, even when he seemed to be out of her control, he was just choosing a way to surrender.
It was strange and rewarding to know they had been at odds since they met, but couldn't enjoy their lives without their twisted interactions. It made her feel connected to him through something just the two of them could really understand.
CC huffed: Fran's presence made her feel the old need of over-thinking her responses, of not compromising, of saying what she thought was the proper thing; it made her feel like she had to hide how great it has been to be involved with Niles, as if telling people would destroy the freedom they had.
How many times had they been nasty to each other because there were other people around? And not any people: the ones that were part of their daily routines!
Why did that woman have to come here and say those things?!)
CC turned to her apartment and gave two steps, hesitantly. She felt strange about it all; she had tried not to analyze the situation, but now Nanny Fine had come and it was like she had exposed what was happening, and CC couldn't stop trying to understand what was going on...
(Of course, there was clear evidence things had changed, and even without dedicating her time and energy to analyze it, CC would never deny that; but it's different when a person comes to your house especially to point it out to you that you are not the same person she knew…)
She noticed movement, lifted her head and saw Niles.
He had been hiding in her bedroom since the doorman announced Fran was going up.
(He could have just gone to the corridor and waited there, but for some reason both of them found interesting that he had the opportunity to stay in her bedroom.
In fact, CC had hoped she could get rid of the nanny very quickly, and meet Niles to show him where she usually spent her nights.
Maybe she would even mention how often she thought of him while there…)
'She's gone', he said, not asking, and raised a hand to touch the wall by his side.
'Can you believe that woman?', CC commented, pointing outside with her head. She was sure he had heard all the conversation, being the snoopy he was.
(And she hoped that, if she pretended she hadn't noticed his serious expression, and the fact he seemed to be supporting himself on the wall, the bad feeling would go away.
It didn't, obviously.)
He noticed her stare over him, cleared his throat and lowered his arm, but maintained his position at the entrance of her living room, at an unnatural distance from her.
(Wasn't it strange she felt like he should be closer to her?)
He was visibly uncomfortable, avoiding her eyes and with his fingertips joined in front of him, now, 'She is a good friend, and… I understand she worries about things… changing around her'.
CC just nodded, wishing she had the braveness needed to ask what he was feeling. They had been so open to each other, for so much time, and now she couldn't bring herself to speak her thoughts, even if she felt like it could bring back the calmness they had before that visit…
They had been sitting at her sofa, increasingly closer to each other, since he had arrived. It had been so natural and fluid that now she could feel in her skin the effort he was making to keep his distance.
(The fact he decided to come had been a surprise, to her, and a pleasant one: he had called in the middle of the afternoon, saying he had got out of the mansion to buy things, and that he was close to her building, and asking if he could go up to see her.
CC was on a very informal set of clothes, without make-up and not prepared at all, but she couldn't think of saying no.
Especially because it was obvious he had gone out of his way in hopes of being with her – there was no way he had anything to buy for the mansion on her neighborhood.
He had just missed her, probably as she had been missing him. She had, in fact, spent the last hours pondering over the possibility of making an excuse to call the mansion just to hear his voice.
He had arrived, his eyes told her how amazing he thought she was in that informal style, they greeted with a long warm kiss (the one they should have shared in the limo), and next thing CC knew she was pulling Niles by the hand, so he could be side by side with her in the sofa and chat about this and that, while holding hands and starting again their whole game of slow advancing touches.
Good zingers worked for them, before; now, they had small but satisfying doses of tenderness to do the trick of killing the emptiness they felt when parted, too.
CC never thought a relationship in which they gave tiny steps forward at a time could be so delicious. She loved being with Niles, discovering things about him, revealing herself a bit at a time, confirming how much they already understood about the other and how similar their tastes were.
Every time one of them cracked a joke or dared to touch the other with a bit more intimacy, both felt the electricity shoot through their bodies, warning them of the intensity of it all and making them crave for more.
She felt safe in his presence and defied by his wit, and the mix of familiar and unpredictable made her the happiest she remembered being with anyone else.
It made her admit, even if just to herself, that her interactions with him, even if twisted, had been the most gratifying thing in her life for more than a decade. It was great that now they had a good side, too, because it gave her a feeling of wholeness she had never knew how much she needed.
But, of course, when they were there, in their little world of pleasure, exchanging kisses that were getting more and more intense, the interphone rang.
It was the doorman warning CC that 'her friend' had arrived.
They were interrupted, as always, when things seemed to be getting on track.
It was Sunday, they were at her penthouse, and still the people of the mansion could pull them apart.
Maybe they were cursed…)
'I think I… should go'.
CC came out of her reverie at his words, 'What? Why?'
Niles had talked while looking at her, but at her surprise he looked away, 'I just came to say hello… It is not my day off… It's getting late…'
CC followed him with her eyes while he nervously adjusted his clothes and made an obvious effort to not look at her again.
She had a sudden urge of crying. He was making excuses to go away…
…and he clearly did not want to.
It was hurting him to say those words, but for some reason he thought that was what he had to do.
Again, she didn't find the braveness to say anything to him.
Realizing her lack of response was not going to end soon, he fidgeted a bit and said, tentatively, 'And, if you don't want people to know about us, I should go and really buy something… to justify my time out of the mansion…'
As soon as he finished speaking, Niles fussed with his clothes again, and CC let out a watery smile.
She had mixed feelings: he confessed he had come just to see her; however, he was distressed at mentioning it.
CC gave a step into his direction, trying to get closer physically, and spoke softly, 'You really have to go?'
He licked his lips and threw a quick glance at her, 'I can't stay'.
She gave another step, 'You could. We can think of something. An accident would be easy to provide'.
Niles stretched an arm into her direction, and CC thought he was going to pull her into his arms, acknowledging her zinger.
However, he opened his hand and made a gesture for her to stop, 'Don't. I must go. I'm not feeling quite well'.
She frowned in worry and gave another step, grabbing the hand closer to her, 'What? Are you sick?'
Niles looked at their joined hands, and then raised his other hand to envelop hers. He shook his head and looked her in the eye, 'I must be truthful to you, Miss Babcock. I'm not comfortable with what I've heard'.
'Oh', was all CC could say.
Obviously, he had no reason to feel good about the things she had said to Nanny Fine. She was not happy about saying them.
CC brought her other hand to join theirs and make sure he was not taking his away.
She didn't know what to say to him, so she had to do something. The gesture was comfortable just if she got closer to him, and she hoped the fact she was trying to maintain him with her through that touch helped him understand how difficult it was for her to see him keeping his distance.
Niles gave her the time to adjust her position and accepted her proximity, even if he still seemed uncomfortable. Their eyes met, and he breathed deeply before speaking, 'I know we never discussed it, but I always felt like we were… something to each other'.
'We are', she protested, quickly, and gave another step forward.
With that step she had pulled him by the hands, and he had come to her without resistance, letting the joined hands be the link between their bodies.
He wanted to be together as much as she wanted, CC was sure, but they had that conversation he had heard haunting them.
Their hands were joined between their hearts, as if they were anchoring themselves through that link: they felt joined, they didn't want to let go and they would not let what was troubling them be bigger than the needed effort to express in words what was happening.
CC prayed he was ready to express it, because if they depended on her voice, they would be lost. She felt like the knot in her throat would stay there forever.
Niles didn't disappoint her.
'Yes, it's undeniable we are something to each other, and still…', he tilted his head in a gesture that showed how conflicted he was, 'When I think of us, I don't know what we are, but I know it is important; maybe, it's the most important thing in my life, and I don't want it to end, ever', he caressed her hands and added, 'I don't know why you said those things about us not lasting to Miss Fine, but the fact is you said them, and you sounded so convinced I can't stop thinking you… believe them'.
CC just shook her head.
'I know sometimes words are not true, to you, and I can accept that. I have paid attention to every word you said, in the last decade or so; I have analyzed them, looking for clues at what you really thought about things… about me. You have no idea how difficult the task is, with the kind of things you say daily. And I'm not even referring to when we hear you revealing something about your nocturnal habits or witchery routines – just the daily stuff is enough to scare the sensible man…'
Niles smiled at her and CC smiled back, feeling again how nice it was to have both sides of this man.
(And it seemed this was the day she discovered people paid attention to her, and not to criticize her. Maybe there was a bright side to this situation, after all.)
Niles resumed, 'Words are very strong, to me. I like to hear conversations, I like to gossip, I like to chat, I like to be the one who says the witty things, I like to sing… I always threw zingers at you because I am not able to keep words inside me, and I got shamefully excited every time you dedicated your time to give it back to me, because some way it meant you were giving me your attention'.
CC gulped down, sympathetic at his courage to confess those things, and barely believing nothing terrible had appeared, yet.
'Since we decided to be spontaneous, the things I've been saying are more and more about how much I… have… feelings for you. Good feelings'.
They smiled shyly at each other, and she caught herself moving her hand to touch his chest, over his heart. She rested her open right hand on it, and his left one went with it, covering hers, while the other pair descended, still together, to their sides.
She could feel the agitated beating under her palm and feel the effort he was doing to say the things that needed to be said. She wished she had the same strength, one day.
CC felt like they were in the verge of something that would free them, but while they didn't reach the point of no return, they would still stumble over a lot of obstacles.
He breathed deeply and spoke again, 'I always tried to bottle inside the real things I felt for you because I feared you would destroy every one of my dreams if I told you about them. Deeply, I believe words have a strong effect on people. Mine could make you laugh, but could make you hate me, too; yours could reveal you enjoyed our interactions, but they could show me how absurd my desires were, too. I spent years looking for creative ways to call your attention without revealing too much, so I wouldn't risk hearing something I couldn't live with'.
He caressed her hand on his chest, and CC felt her own heart beating quicker and quicker. Wherever they were going to, it seemed they were going to arrive there soon.
'Maybe you believe what you said. Maybe you think of this', Niles' thumb made a loving caress in her lowered hand, 'as something we should face as a fire that will extinguish itself after a short time', he shook his head, 'I can't agree. I feel like it will burn forever, because it has been burning in me for what feels like forever, and I can't imagine it disappearing… I can't imagine life without it, anymore…'
He lowered his eyes and, in a slow process, started letting go of her hands.
CC understood exactly what he meant, when he gave a step behind – it felt wrong when one of them decided not to be in touch.
Their eyes met again, and both knew they had the same unsettling sensation about denying the evidences they wanted to be together.
And, even if she regretted the situation they were in, she couldn't put her finger in the problem, and kept silent, confused and afraid of saying anything wrong.
Understanding she would not answer to him, Niles looked away and passed by her, going for the door as if he needed an escape.
It was a reprise of their scene in the kitchen, when he had accused her of a lot of things, she refused to express what she was feeling and they parted – torn and already hurting for the lost opportunity.
CC found her voice, 'Please, don't be too disappointed on me'.
He stopped, his heart constricted by an emotional pain he thought he would never go through for her – one that was a mix of fear, hope and relief.
He turned to CC, 'I am not disappointed. I just can't pretend I'm not hurt, even if I know I have no right to be', he sighed, 'You have no idea how miserable I am'.
She made an effort to answer with a sarcastic 'Really?', but her eyes were suddenly too misty, so she clenched her fists, pressed her lips together and looked up, attempting to control her tears.
Realizing she was making an effort to hide things – what they had agreed not to –, Niles decided he had nothing to loose: he had said what he needed to say, and there was no way he was letting things half done, here.
Thus, he came back and took her in his arms.
(Someone had to honor the agreements they did, and spontaneity must reign!)
CC hugged him back strongly, relieved she could let the damn tears flow and still have him there with her.
She heard him whispering, 'Please…'
'What?', she sniffed, 'Will you ask me not to use your shirt as a handkerchief?'
He chuckled and kissed her temple, 'Please, tell me you want me to stay'.
She was surprised, and hugged him with even more force, 'Would you?'
'Of course I would, silly woman. I just need to be sure this is what you want'.
'But would that be enough?'
'Enough?'
'Enough for you to believe you mean a lot to me, and that I have no idea why I insisted on saying those things to Nanny Fine when I felt they were wrong', she caressed his hair, 'After all the romantic things you told me, especially the part where I'm not good with words while you're almost Shakespeare, would it be enough that I just told you to stay?'
Strangely (well, not that much), the moment he recognized she was feeling better and already teasing him, his kisses migrated to her shoulder, 'I didn't say you were not good with words; on the contrary: you're so good with them you can convince even yourself of anything'.
'Oh, all right', she said, molding against him and enjoying his traveling lips, 'So, in terms of how we use words, I'm a heavy liar, as Nixon, and you're the talented peace-lover, as Gandhi. My point still stands: what I say is enough for you to believe me?'
Niles' soft hand pushing her hair to the side to have access to her neck distracted her, but not enough for her not to hear him, 'We just have to work on your spontaneity skills, and everything will be all right'.
She backed off but stayed in his arms, trying to hide her smile in a ready-to-be-offended scowl, 'What is that supposed to mean?'
'You should let things come out', Niles answered, pulling her by the waist to look at her face really closer, 'We have settled that we would do what came to mind, and it included saying how we feel. When you spent a lot of time thinking before each answer to Miss Fine, you broke our compromise and ignored all the progress we had made'.
CC got serious, 'Nanny Fine wouldn't be alive if I was spontaneous around her. As you told me once, I can't possibly do everything I want'.
Niles shook his head, 'Then, I'll have to give you the answer you gave me: are you sure you can't do everything you want with me?'
'It is different…', she pouted, and seemed again at a lack of words.
'Just tell me', he coaxed, 'Don't make the same mistake again'.
His soft words opened the gates, 'That woman interrupted us… I wanted to hide everything from her… I felt it was wrong that she knew about us… I kept looking for ways of not revealing anything, and I ended saying things that hurt you because I thought those things would send her away… And then I didn't know what to say to you when I realized you're such a stupid nosy butler who had heard all the stupid things I had said to her…'
He noticed her distress and interrupted, caressing her back, 'Calm down, witch'.
'What's the use of saying things if I make no sense?'
'But now you do', he smiled at her.
CC squinted and glared at him, 'How is it I make sense when I blab like a moron?'
'All these years of paying attention made me a Babcock-specialist', he winked at her, 'I understand you felt comfortable telling Miss Fine those things, and I understand you don't know exactly how you feel about that. I was bothered, but I was ready to leave it behind as soon as you told me what had gone through your mind', he got serious, 'Why didn't you just tell me you were confused? Why don't you share the complicated things? Don't you think I may be going through the same, here? Or do you really think I'm so awesome I have this all sorted out?'
She caressed his shoulders, 'Sometimes things are so complicated I can't say them', she shook him slightly, 'Not Shakespeare, remember?'
'Fair enough', he smirked, 'And that's why we agreed on not thinking too much, once this thing between us has been so difficult to grasp'.
At that, CC looked at him, unblinking.
Niles waited to see what she would say. It must be important, by the expression on her face.
'Ok', was her choice of words.
And she resumed their kissing from before, as if they were greeting again.
When they parted, CC had a smile on her face, 'We're making up without really fighting. This is nice!'
'I could live with it', Niles commented, in a dry tone.
She chuckled, making him drop the pretense and smile at her.
She had a hopeful air when she asked, 'Have you forgiven me?'
'Who could say I'd live to hear these words coming from your kind?', he grinned at her baiting her lashes charmingly at him, pecked her lips and answered, tenderly, 'There is nothing to forgive, love'.
Niles spoke and, after a moment, his eyes grew large at his own words.
CC just looked back at him, the smile on her face becoming bigger, 'This is you being spontaneous?'
'Uh… well… I guess so…', he was pale, 'If it is too much, I…'
'No… I like it'.
'Really?'
'Yes, it sounds good', she threw her arms over his shoulders, pecked his lips and said, tentatively, 'Love'.
He made such an awed face CC thought Niles would faint.
'Are you ok?', she asked, because he had turned even paler.
'Y-yes, I'm great', he was grinning madly, now, and gave her a loud kiss on the lips.
'Just listen to me Butler Boy', she warned, taking his face with her hands to take control and gain a longer kiss, 'I will still refrain from calling you sweet names when there are other people around', she kissed him again, 'I have a reputation to keep, and it includes demeaning names for you'.
'I don't care about the others', Niles answered, pulling her by the waist, and stopping his talking for a moment for another kiss, 'And I don't feel like the names you call me are demeaning, anymore'.
'Better', she said, barely believing they were able to keep the conversation going with all the fireworks (Damn Nanny Fine!) each time their mouths met, 'This way your old brain won't be confused by this new name-calling modality'.
'It means I have been wrongly interpreting what you say as endearment for all these years?', he innocently asked.
CC tilted her head and pecked his cheek to tease, 'We'll have to find out together, baby'.
She saw the fire in his eyes getting stronger and stronger during her tirade and, as soon as he registered the new nickname she used, he kissed her forcefully.
For a moment she thought about throwing their step-by-step rhythm into space and pull him to her bedroom.
(Or to the sofa. Or to her kitchen table. She thought no place could go wrong for them.)
Just in time to not loose control, Niles pulled away, panting, and took her by the wrists, 'Fire, Babcock. That's what I was talking about…'
She breathed and nodded at him, 'Yeah, I know. I feel it, too'.
His blue eyes were darker than ever, noticing she was aroused by the kiss and the manhandling, 'I really should go'.
'I feel like I should go with you'.
'Dear… What can we do about it?'
'I could come with you to buy something'.
'Like what?'
'I have no idea'.
They chuckled and he let go of her wrists, putting his hands on her forearms and caressing them, 'I really have to go back to the mansion soon, but I think it's a great idea you joining me for shopping. At least this way we could spend more time together… and prevent people to find out and interfere'.
She smiled, happy he had understood her point of view, 'Just if we can choose something that will mess with the Nanny's head'.
'Deal!'
She pecked his lips (she intended to do it quickly, but it was not exactly possible), disentangled herself from him and gave two steps into the direction of the corridor, 'Give me a minute to change into something more appropriate'.
He seemed mesmerized, 'You're beautiful, like this'.
She smiled shyly, 'Stop blurting out this kind of thing!'
'Why?'
She leaned her head in doubt, 'Because I may get used?'
He shrugged, 'Maybe you should get used'.
'You're really so out of your mind…'
'Probably we both are'.
CC tried to break the moment turning away and giving some steps into the corridor, but then she stopped and turned to him again, 'Niles?'
He was still at the same spot, his eyes glued to her, 'Yes?'
She licked her lips, 'I'm not good with words…'
'Oh, witch, it's enough you know some curses by heart…'
'Shut up and listen'.
'All right'.
She breathed, raised her chin and stuffed her chest, 'I have never felt so happy in all my life'.
And, before he could answer, she was gone.
Niles stayed there, and the only thing going through his mind was his awe at the amount of power that woman had over him, and the fact he was not afraid she would realized that, anymore.