Chapter 9

"Come on, Niles!"

"Alright, Little One, I'm hurrying as fast as I can!" Niles couldn't help but laugh a little under his breath at Amelia's eagerness to get to school for the first time.

Well technically speaking it wasn't her first day of school ever – she'd gone to kindergarten last year – but this was her very first day of elementary school! Today, she'd get the opportunity to start that most important foundation in her life; education.

Stewart and Maxwell had insisted that the milestone was so huge, C.C. and Niles should take the day off to go and see her go in, and they had readily taken up their offer. Neither could imagine not being there to wave her off for the first time.

Niles was convinced Amelia was going to be just like her mother in terms of work ethic – she already seemed to be so at home, meticulously going over her books and puzzles whenever she played with them, so it seemed a good sign that her daughter was so looking forward to her first day.

She'd practically dragged C.C. away from the car, perhaps convinced that having her mother with her for the big moment when she actually had to go inside was enough. C.C. had a firm hold of her daughter's hand, and they were waiting a few feet away from him, prepared to walk in the direction of the school. He grabbed the little lunchbox and backpack that had been left on the back seat, slamming the car door shut and locking it before going to join them.

"A certain princess nearly left her lunch and books behind," he widened his eyes and pulled a face at Amelia, making her giggle, and he crouched down to help her put the backpack on, before slipping the lunchbox into the zipped compartment at the back. "We couldn't have that, now could we?"

"No," the little girl dragged out the word, sounding to the butler very much like a higher-pitched version of his girlfriend.

Both Niles and C.C. shared smiles as Niles returned to standing height. To them, Amelia was, without a doubt, the most beautiful little creature on the planet.

They'd have another powerful businesswoman in the family yet, and the thought made C.C.'s heart almost burst with pride.

The three of them at last began the walk across the road towards the school, each taking hold of one of Amelia's hands so they weren't separated from each other despite the crowd of parents saying farewells to their children, and they laughed and joked together for a few moments before coming to the entrance – the exact place where they were to leave her.

They let go of her hands, and as she turned to face them, they knelt down in front of her.

"Have you got everything you need?" C.C. asked, taking hold of her daughter's hands and craning to look back at her backpack, as though she were considering turning Amelia around, undoing the back and making sure everything was inside for one last time.

"Yes, Mommy," the little girl smiled, her blue eyes flashing in the sun. "We made a list, remember?"

Niles knew C.C. remembered. They'd checked it over several times the previous night. C.C. had been very particular about making sure Amelia had everything she could possibly need, even though it was only her first day. Pens, pencils, crayons, an eraser, a notebook, a ruler – everything went into the bag, stored away neatly for convenient access. Niles had been almost worried that she was overthinking everything, but he helped her go through it and she relaxed when it was done.

He knew it was just a little hard on her, that was all. She was a fantastic parent who adored her daughter, but she was always afraid that that wouldn't be enough. That's why he had to stop and remind her occasionally.

"Yeah, I remember," C.C. nodded at her daughter, trying to make sure her voice didn't break, before beaming and opening her arms. "Come on, give me a hug."

Amelia threw her arms around her mother's neck, and hugged her tightly. C.C. hugged tightly back, and kissed her daughter's locks. Niles heard her breath hitch, and he angled his head. As he did, he noticed a few tears leaking from the corners of C.C.'s eyes.

He was trying very hard not to cry himself – seeing C.C. so overcome with emotion, and knowing he was going to miss not having Amelia around during the day, and being so proud of everything he knew she was going to do and be…

And yet to C.C. it still seemed like only yesterday that she was bringing a tiny little baby home from the hospital. She was growing up fast, and time flew.

It was certainly doing so right then, as a bell rang from the direction of the school and the children all began to file in.

He placed a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, "C.C.; the bell. It's time to let go now."

"I don't want to let go…" the former producer burst into loud sobs.

Sighing, and being very gentle, Niles peeled C.C. off her daughter, and made a substitute by allowing her to cry into his shoulder while he himself received a hug from Amelia.

"Be good, Mia," he told her softly, kissing the top of her head. "Do what the teacher says, and have fun. We'll be back to pick you up later."

"Okay, Niles," Amelia nodded and smiled, before turning away and calling over her shoulder. "I love you."

C.C. angled her head to call out to her daughter as she cried, "I love you too…!"

They rose to their feet (well, Niles pulled C.C. to hers) to watch her go, disappearing up the steps into the school with the other children. The former producer continued to weep openly against Niles, and he wrapped his arms around her back.

"It'll be alright," he murmured in her ear, stroking one hand up and down her spine. "You'll see her again in a few hours."

"I know," C.C. sniffed, turning her head and resting her cheek against his shoulder. "It's just that…she's growing up so fast, Niles! Soon she'll go to high school, and then it'll be college or university, and then she'll graduate and get a job, and get her own place and have her own family…"

Niles chuckled, "It would be like you to get pre-empty-nest syndrome. You have years and years in between before all of those things happen, Babs."

"I thought it would be years and years between bringing her home from the hospital and coming here today and yet here we are," she replied. She wasn't crying anymore; that was a step in the right direction.

"I know, sweetheart. You can't stop her from growing up b-"

"That is not helping, Hazel," C.C. said, pulling away from him and giving him an unimpressed look.

"That's because you didn't let me finish, Babcock," Niles retorted, reaching out for her hand and entwining their fingers together as they slowly made their way back to the car. "You might not be able to stop her from growing up, but you can enjoy her as she does so."

"I do that already! It's just... time has gone by so fast... I still remember when I was pregnant with her as if it had been yesterday!"

The butler sighed and unlocked the car. He hated seeing her feeling so miserable – Amelia growing was something no one could stop, and it truly was hard on her. C.C.'s life had been centred on her baby girl for years – she'd changed her entire life around for her – and now that she wasn't a baby any more C.C. was feeling like she was losing her. Not entirely, of course, but she no longer depended on C.C. for everything, and that was a bit of a blow for her.

Well... maybe the idea that had just popped in his mind might help!

He opened the door for her before getting into his own seat and turning the engine on. He reached out and patted her thigh affectionately. "Hey, don't worry, it will get better. And I think I have a little idea that could cheer you up!"

C.C. arched an eyebrow as she wiped a few tears that had managed to escape from her eyes. "What do you have in mind?"

Niles smiled at her warmly before pulling out of the parking space and taking off for their home. "You'll see, Babcock – let me surprise you, for a change."

It was difficult to keep quiet on the way back. But every time C.C. tried to ask, again, what Niles had in mind, he simply told her to be patient, and that she'd find out soon enough. She'd find out as soon as they were home. She wouldn't want the surprise ruined. And of course, his expression gave away nothing whatsoever.

It was just lucky that the traffic was light – if she'd had to wait for hours to find out what he had planned, she might have either died from suspense, or killed him out of frustration. But eventually, they pulled up in front of the house, and Niles took her by the hand to pull her inside, all the way into the living room.

Gripping at her upper arms, he manoeuvred her so she would sit on the sofa, in front of the TV.

"Now," he said, undoing his top button and loosening his tie. "I want you to close your eyes."

C.C. looked suspicious, "The last time we did something like this, we ended up unable to walk for hours, and I'm not really in the mood right now-"

"Not that," Niles said, a hint of frustration in his tone. "I have a different kind of surprise for you, but you'll see it right away if you have your eyes open!"

Oh. Well, that was a fair enough reason, and he was clearly more than sincere. So she did as he'd asked, and closed her eyes. She then felt fabric over her eyes, and a tightness at the back of her head, and came to the conclusion that Niles had loosened his tie to slip it off entirely, in order to use it as a blindfold.

She heard him walking away, almost like he was going to one of the cabinets.

He was, she heard one of the doors opening.

What could he possibly be doing?

She kept listening as he moved around the living room – he laid what sounded like heavy books on the coffee table before her, he then turned on the TV and slipped a videocassette into the VCR. She also felt a blanket being wrapped around her shoulders only moments later and he used the opportunity to peck her cheek.

"I am almost done here," he whispered to her ear. "Give me one more moment and everything will be ready."

She nodded and he kissed her again before scurrying away. C.C. made a safe bet that he'd gone to the kitchen, and the smell of freshly made microwave popcorn soon proved her right.

Moments later, he took a seat next to her and carefully wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Ready?"

"I've been ready for millennia, Niles," C.C. said, rolling her eyes (although he didn't see this due to the blindfold). "Come on, Father Time, don't make me wait!"

Niles chuckled but he complied with her wishes. He gently removed her blindfold and the world finally came into view. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust, but eventually she realised just what was going on.

Niles had taken out the many photo albums of Amelia and the different home videos she'd taken over the years. The one that was in the VCR was actually the one her father had taken on the day of Amelia's birth...

"As I said before," Niles spoke, squeezing her shoulders. "She won't stop growing, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the present and the past, too."

She was almost too overwhelmed to say anything. She could only let out a little breathless laughter as a few tears made their way into her eyes and Niles pressed Play on the video.

"Come on, Kitten, it won't be long now!" Stewart's voice was encouraging on the other end of the tape.

"Oh, yeah?" video C.C. groaned in return. "Tell her that, so she'll hurry up!"

"Wow, and here I was thinking that motherhood had changed you," Niles remarked, earning him a wordless swat on the arm from C.C..

They sat back, cuddled together and watching it play out, occasionally looking through the pictures as C.C. would every once in a while grab a new photo album and hold it on her lap. It was almost like she wished that Amelia was right there, to hold on her lap, instead of a flat surface with her smiling face on it.

Niles knew it was probably still a bit difficult for her, but he held her close as they went through each and every single item, laughing as she told him stories behind each and every single one; Amelia's first trip to a play park, her first tricycle, her first birthday...

C.C. told him each and every single little detail. And it was almost becoming like he had been there.

He would have been there, if he'd known she was waiting.

Part of him wished that he'd found about her sooner – that he'd become part of their lives when Amelia was younger. C.C. must have needed help when Amelia was a baby, and the poor woman had had to do everything by herself!

She hadn't had anyone to help her with the herculean task that motherhood was, and from the stories she'd told him more than one time he'd have helped – supported her in difficult times. But he was here now, and he wasn't going away. He loved C.C., and as days passed by he became more and more attached to Amelia. Actually, he was beginning to feel Amelia was his own...

He knew it was wrong – and he certainly hadn't told C.C. – but he couldn't control his feelings. The girl had found her way into his heart, and he only wanted to keep her there and make her happy. It was more than the affection that one could have for the child of a significant other – it was a deeper affection.

He just knew this was his family; this was where he belonged...

But it was too soon – both to ask her for marriage and to make his feelings for Amelia known. For now he had to content himself with being C.C.'s partner and a sort of caretaker for Amelia.

"Oh my God!" C.C. exclaimed, looking down at one picture in the only photo album they hadn't gone over.

"What?"

"This picture!" C.C. exclaimed as her eyes welled up. "It's my first picture with Amelia."

And indeed... the picture depicted a clearly exhausted C.C. lying on a hospital bed and holding a new-born Amelia. Even there, that little human bundle looked like her mother – her little face was all C.C.. But the hair was obviously darker, and he knew the eyes, even though they weren't open, would be a certain shade of blue...

He couldn't help but think about how much he wished she had those eyes because of him. The jealousy came almost naturally, even though he knew that it was all in the past and couldn't really affect their future. Could it? C.C. had never really wanted Patrick, and Amelia didn't know him...

He couldn't afford to think like that. What had happened, had happened. He had to make the most of what he had, not freeze solid with fear at the miniscule chance that it could be taken away.

He distracted himself by thinking about how that little girl had brought them together, and resting his cheek against the top of C.C.'s head, hugging her hard.

"The first moment in a completely new era," he mused aloud.

"It really was, wasn't it?" C.C. angled her eyes up towards his face, having rested her head on his shoulder. She sighed as she smiled. "I love you, Niles."

He smiled down at her. Yes, the past hadn't gone the way he wanted, but he truly had a beautiful present.

A present that he wanted it to be his future, too...

But not yet. Their first anniversary was drawing near, so he'd have to wait and see. Asking complicated questions wouldn't do them any good, yet. He still wanted to see how C.C. felt about marriage – because even if their relationship was going well, he didn't want to rush things. Especially since C.C. had Amelia to consider.

It was a matter of patience. Patience and making the best of what he had.

"And I love you," he said, leaning down to peck C.C.'s lips.

They cuddled in the sofa for hours, only moving occasionally to either change the tape or to grab a snack. They were blissful in their little bubble of love – it was just them and happy memories. Memories which now, in a sense, Niles felt were his own, too.

Of course everything came to an end when the time to pick Amelia up came. And as they eagerly made their way to the car, both Niles and C.C. simply knew this was the life that they wanted.

AN: A small chapter to start the day! I'll probably be uploading a second one between tonight and tomorrow, just so you know :) Thanks for reading and, as usual, we'd love your reviews!

H&L