Back to Fan FictionThis takes place early season 4, and is an answer to all my "what if's" about An Affair to Dismember.
What if Max hadn't been so engrossed in his work.
What if Fran had gone to Max and told him about the proposal.
What if Fran told Max to "put up or shut up"...he wants to marry me, it's time to open your mouth and tell me why I shouldn't leave you.
What if Max picked up on the "WOW" Nigel gave Fran as she walked down the stairs, and showed up at the club.
No offense to the talented writers on The Nanny. I just wanted to play with my favorite episode a bit.
by
FJS
(franniesheffield@bellsouth.net)
"Nigel, I do wish you'd let me know you were coming." Max was leafing through a stack of paperwork, never even making eye contact with his brother. " I'm just swamped with work at the moment, but Miss Fine offered to be your 'Welcome to New York' ambassador". He looked up and smiled at his younger brother.
About that time Fran descended the stairs in one of her sexiest mini dresses. Max looked and her and smiled admiringly, then turned to leave the room.
"Wow" Nigel exclaimed. Max stopped dead in his tracks and turned to watch his brother and Fran. "The mayor's made some great changes to your fair city".
Fran looked from Max to Nigel with expressionless eyes. "Welcome to New York".
"What's up luv? You're not the same girl I met in Paris." Max cringed at the mention of Paris. "I can see it in your eyes".
Fran looked up at him "What?"
Nigel looked into her eyes and took her face in his hands. "A need, a yearning, a desire that is yet to be fulfilled".
Fran looked over Nigel's shoulder at Max. Didn't that man realize she'd rather be going out dancing with HIM? She looked quickly back at Nigel. "Oh, I bet you say that to all the girls. And if you don't, you should try it!" She smiled at him. It wasn't his fault she was being forced to go out without Max.
"Get ready to feel much better, luv, your mine now".
Max's mouth fell open. What the bloody hell did he mean she was his?
"You're pretty cocky for a tall, charming, rich, gorgeous guy"
Max couldn't believe what he was seeing. Was she falling for his lines?
"Not to mention, one hellava dancer!" Nigel and Fran smiled and waved at Max as they closed the door behind them.
"I'm sorry, Nigel, but I'm just not gonna be the life of the party tonight". Fran's smile had faded once again.
They climbed into a cab and headed to a club that Max had recommended they try.
Back in the mansion, Max was having trouble concentrating on his work.
"Maxwell, what is wrong with you? You've moved that stack of contracts back and forth three times, and you haven't signed anything yet!" C.C. was getting impatient with her partner. They had a lot of work to do, even taking dinner in the office to avoid stopping.
"Sorry, did you say something, C.C.?"
"Ever since your brother left, you've been totally distracted. What's the matter, think your baby brother can't handle the big, bad city?" She lauged.
No, more like my sweet nanny might not be able handle my big bad brother. "No,nothing like that. Miss Fine is showing him around."
"Oh, I feel so much better!" She rolled her eyes and turned back to her paperwork.
You know, C.C., I think I'll head out and join them. You can handle this, can't you?" Maxwell was already heading towards the office door.
"No, Maxwell, there's too much to get done! Nanny Fine can show Nigel a good time without you there."
That's what he was afraid of.
"C.C., you can handle it. That's why I have you as my partner. I'll see you tomorrow." With that he headed upstairs to change. He made sure to wear the suit she liked him best in, and to dab on some Aramis for her. His brother was more outgoing, and closer to Miss Fine's age, well, maybe, and he knew he had to pull out all the stops.
He hopped into his Porsche and headed for the club. He just hoped they were still there. He gave the valet his keys and walked inside. There they were on the dance floor. Fran looked like she was just making the best of it, trying to have a good time. Nigel, however couldn't keep his eyes off of her.
"I love to watch you move". He leaned forward and whispered something into her ear.
She looked up at him with a shocked expression. "Oh, no, Nigel, I can't do that. I just can't."
Max wondered exactly what she couldn't do for him, but he had a good idea. He knew his brother.
The song ended and they moved back to their table. Nigel looked her up and down. "I hope you don't mind me telling you one more time just how, how sexy you are."
"No, still diggin' it!" Fran smiled at him. Right words, wrong Sheffield, she thought. About that time she heard the voice of the right Sheffield.
"She is, isn't she?" Max pulled a third stool over to their table. "I hope you both don't mind, I, er, finished up with enough of the paperwork that I thought I'd join you."
"Well, Max..."Nigel started, but Fran cut him off.
"I'm so glad you could make it, Mr. Sheffield, and you don't look so bad yourself!" She smiled at him, and for the first time that evening, her eyes showed a hint of sparkle.
Max looked over at the band and back to Fran. "Would you care to dance, Miss Fine?"
"I'd love to, Mr. Sheffield" "You don't mind, do you Nigel?" Nigel opened his mouth to protest, but Fran had already reached for Max's extended hand, and he led her to the dance floor. Nigel watched them with his mouth open. What had just happened?
"Having a good time, Miss Fine?"
"I am now", she said softly. Mmmm, Aramis. He wasn't wearing that earlier!
"So what sights have you shown my brother this evening" He knew that was a loaded question.
"Well, we just had the driver take us around the city a little. Nigel was in the mood to dance, so we didn't do a lot of sightseeing".
"So, is he as good a dancer as me?" Oh, did that sound pathetic!
Fran smiled at him. "Oh, you aren't gonna start that jealousy mishigas again, are ya? Not after..." She decided not to bring up "the thing" right now. She was in the arms of the man she loved.
He frowned at her. "Not after what, Miss Fine?"
Think, Fran think, quick! "Not after YOU were the one that made me go out with him in the first place."
Max pulled her a little closer. He thought she was going to bring up "the thing" for the hundreth time this week. "You're absolutely right, it was my idea. I really appreciate you showing him around for me." He gave her a kiss on the forehead.
They walked hand in hand back to the table when the song ended. Nigel took her by the hand. "It's my turn to dance with you now!" He led her to the floor and held her close. He whispered into her ear. "I want you to come back to Paris with me"
"Oh, Nigel, I can't, I'm not that kinda girl!
"Oh, no Fran, you don't understand. I want you to be my wife. I can't help myself, I love you." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a box containing a diamond solitaire necklace. "This is for you". He removed the necklace from the box and started to put it around Fran's neck.
"No, Nigel, I can't. I can't accept it, it's too much, it's too soon. Besides, I..."her voice trailed off, and she threw another glance over to their table.
"You can't what, luv, the necklace or the proposal?"
"I need some time, Nigel. We hardly know each other".
"I'm returning home tonight on the QE 2. The ship sails at 2 am. I'll be waiting on the dock for you. If you don't show up, I'll know the answer is no." He leaned down and kissed Fran.
Well, at least he was a good kisser. And if Mr. Sheffield didn't want her, if she married Nigel she'd be the kids's aunt, and still in their lives. What was she thinking? It was time for a showdown with her boss.
"I have to talk to your brother first".
"Max? Why? He said there was nothing between the two of you!"
"I know what he said, but.. it's complicated. I need to discuss it with him...I owe him that much, after..." Well, Nigel didn't need to know all their business.
Fran walked back to the table with Nigel following. The music started up again. Fran looked at Max, and took a deep breath. It was now or never.
"Come dance with me" Max had seen most of what had happened between Fran and Nigel on the dance floor. What kind of game was she playing? He looked into her eyes. The look she was giving him terrified him. He led her to the dance floor. "No, not here." She looked around. "Let's go out on the terrace."
Max sensed something was terribly wrong, that if he made a wrong move, his life could be changed forever.
"I've missed you so much, Miss Fine" He took her in his arms and began to sway with the music.
She laid he head on his chest. "So how's the play coming" God, he smelled wonderful!
"It's coming along splendidly! We'll have to go shopping for a new dress for you to wear on opening night." His lips brushed across her hair. He loved the way her hair smelled.
The tears began to well up in Fran's eyes. Opening night...what if she wasn't here?
"Mr. Sheffield...Max, we need to talk" "This is really hard for me, and I hope you won't get mad, or think I'm trying to push you into anything".
Max could hear her voice breaking. She was crying, and calling him Max?
"What's wrong, Miss, um, Fran?" Using her first name might not have been a good idea, but he thought it might make her feel better. "Did Nigel do something to upset you?"
She sniffed. "No". He pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to her.
"Did I do something? Niles? One of the children? C.C.?" She wasn't talking, this wasn't good.
"I need to know...when you..." Oy, this was going to set him off. Should she start with "the thing" or Nigel's proposal? Double Oy! "When you took back saying you loved me..." she felt him stiffen and pull back from her slightly. "Did you take it back here, too?" She laid her hand on his chest over his heart.
She was still crying. "What brought this on right now?" "Why here?"
"You're brother is leaving tonight".
"Is THAT what this is all about? You'll miss your new friend?" Max was getting annoyed.
"No. He..he wants me to go with him".
"WHAT?" "What the bloody hell possessed him to ask you that?" Fran was quiet. "You told him no, right?" Silence. "Fran?"
"I told him I had to talk to you. Even though you took back...the thing...I felt I owed it to you to tell you that, um....he asked me to..." The tears were falling harder now.
"To, what?"
"To marry him and move to Paris with him".
"He asked you to...and what did you tell him?"
"I told him it was too soon, that we didn't know each other yet. He wants me to think about it, and meet him at the boat if I change my mind."
Max was stunned. Too stunned for words. Was she actually considering leaving him?
"Max, I need to know if there is evah gonna be a chance for us. I know right now you don't think so, but I really need to know. Am I just hanging around waiting for something that's nevah gonna happen?"
"Do you love him?"
"I'm not IN love with him. He's your brother, so, yeah, I guess I DO love him." Max still said nothing. Typical. "Look, I love those three kids as if they were my own. I love 'em more every day. I'd love nothing more than to be their mother someday. But if that's not gonna ever happen, if WE aren't ever gonna happen...this might be my last shot at someone like you..uh, him. No, I'm not IN love with him. But he says he loves ME." She looked him in the eyes. He looked like he'd been stabbed in the heart. "And, in time, I'll maybe I'll come to love him as much as" It was now or never. Come on, Fran, you can do this. "As much as I love you." There. She'd said it. "At least I'd still be in the kids' lives...even if I'd never see..." she couldn't finish the sentence. Saying it out loud made it too real. If she left, she'd never see this man again. Could she really stand that?
"Look, I hate to back you into a corner. I SWORE to myself I'd nevah, evah to that to you. Stick with the "friends" thing, let YOU set the pace. Well, mista, it's time to make a decision."
"Fran, I...I don't wan't you to leave us, to leave me"
"Why?"
He pulled her close and nuzzled her neck. "Don't leave me", he whispered.
"WHY?" She turned her head and placed her lips on his neck, then whisperd in his ear. "Say you don't love me". THAT oughta get him!
"You know I can't say that."
"But you can't say the other either. Ok, mista, you are gonna hear it all, because if I'm leaving tonight, I owe you the truth." She couldn't believe she was doing this. "I have loved you for three years..been IN love with you for two of those three years. I've watched you on your dates, gone on my own dates, telling myself I wasn't good enough for you. THEN, you finally start acting like you care, and you tell me you love me. That few hours before you took it back were the happiest of my life. The time since then has been pure hell. You ACT like you love me all the time! Your eyes say it, your lips scream it every time you kiss me, you sabatoge every date I've gone on, hell, for four years!" She grabbed him by the arms and shook him. "How much do you think I can take?" She then began to sob uncontrollably.
Max lost it. His eys filled with tears at the pain he'd caused her over the years. He'd been so focused on his fears, his needs, he'd totally forgotten about how it was affecting Fran.
"Fran, don't cry, please." He kissed the top of her head, her cheek, her neck, her throat. Then his lips found her mouth. She let out a moan as his tongue parted her salty lips and found hers. She had her hands on his chest, and started to push him away, then wrapped her arms tightly around him and returned his kiss.
All he wanted to do was please this woman. He DID love her, and he knew she sensed it. But she wanted to hear the words. He had to stop thinking. He got lost in her kiss and he heard the words escape his mouth.
"I love you. God, I love you, Fran" He needed her. He couldn't let her go.
As Fran heard the words she had been waiting for, she pressed herself into Max as far as she could. She could feel how much he wanted her. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. She ran her hands through his thick hair as she continued with the kiss. Neither one wanted it to end. When they stopped for air, touched foreheads and looked into each other's eyes and caught their breath. They knew they both wanted more.
Max broke the silence. "Maybe we should go finish this conversation somewhere more private?" Fran nodded.
"What about Nigel?" Fran didn't want to hurt him by telling him that she wanted to go home and sleep with his brother 30 minutes after his proposal.
"We'll tell him you aren't feeling well, and that I'm taking you home." He kissed her gently.
"I don't want to hurt him."
"I know you don't. Didn't he say if you didn't show, your answer was no?"
"Yeah, he did." She looked up into his eyes. "Max, please don't take this wrong, but you aren't saying all this just to get me to stay, right? You won't change your mind as soon as the ship sails?"
"I guess I deserved that. No, I won't take it back this time. I love you." He kissed her again. "Let's go home". He looked at her face, and straightend her smudged mascara. "There, good as new".
"Thanks. Love you." She knew she'd told him earlier, but felt he needed to hear it again. He took her hand and led her inside. Nigel was waiting rather impatiently at the table.
"Well, it's about time, you two. I thought you'd ditched me!" He reached for Fran and pulled her to him. "Did she tell you, Bro?"
He looked at Fran. "Yes, she told me"
Nigel hugged Fran tighter. "Just a couple of more hours, and we'll be on that ship together, right, darling?"
Fran looked helplessly at Max. She didn't know what to say. "Um,Nigel, I'm not feeling too good right now, so Max is gonna drive me home. Uh, I'll see you later, ok?" She knew she meant much, much later.
"See you soon, luv!" He leaned down and kissed her. Fran kissed him back, but not with the passion she reserved for Max. "Bye Max! Take care of her!"
Max shot daggers at Fran and took her by the hand. "I certainly will, Nigel!" "Have a safe passage". With that he led Fran out to the valet stand. "Why did you have to kiss him?"
She squeezed his hand. "Max, I was kissing him goodbye." she said softly.
He handed his valet stub to the attendant and took Fran in his arms. "Are you allright?"
She laid her head on his chest and sighed. "I will be".
The attendant brought the Porsche around, Max helped her in and got behind the wheel, and sped off towards home.
When the arrived at the mansion, everyone appeared to be in bed for the night. As Max unlocked the door, he reached for Fran and pulled her in for another kiss. Max pushed the door open with his body, never releasing the woman he loved. He pulled her into the foyer, pushed the door closed behind him, and turned the lock. He pulled Fran's jacket off, leaving it in a pile on the floor, then deposited his own on top of it.
"I think we have a conversation to finish" he breathed into her neck.
" A long overdue conversation" she moaned.
"Are you sure, Fran?"
"Absolutely, Max!"
They were so wrapped up in each other, they never even saw the open mouthed butler watching them from the living room.
He scooped her up and carried her upstairs to his bedroom door. He looked down the hall towards the children's rooms.
"Don't worry, Max, they're all spending the night with friends!"
"So we have all night? Max looked hopeful.
"All night!" "Let me just go to my room and change, and I'll be right back". Fran hurried to her room and put on her sexiest negligee and dabbed on some more perfume. She looked in the mirror. Might as well take off most of this makeup. "Well, here goes!" She put on her slippers and padded down the hall to Max's room. He'd left the door ajar for her, so she went right in. She didn't see Max, but saw the scene he'd prepared for her. Candles, champagne, strawberries, whipped cream, chocolates, and a fire in the fireplace. Did this man know how to romance a girl or what?? About that time Max emerged from his bathroom.
They stood looking at each other, then looked at the table that was prepared. At the same time they both asked:
"How'd you get that done so fast?" "Niles!" They laughed. He must have seen them come in.
Max took Fran in his arms. "You look beautiful, my darling". He marvelled at how easily the words just jumped from his mouth. Fran had been right all along, although he'd never admit it to her. Just quit overthinking their relationship, listen to his heart, and they'd be fine.
They spent the night feeding each other, loving each other, exploring previously forbidden parts of each other's bodies, until they finally fell asleep, exhausted in each other's arms.
They awoke to the smell of coffee. Niles had cleaned up from the night before, and left them coffee with bagels and cream cheese.
Fran was lying with her head on Max's shoulder. He'd forgotten how wonderful it was to wake up to the smell of perfume. He turned his head and kissed her gently. "Good morning!"
She yawned and stretched. Max smiled at her. She looked like a cat waking up from a nap. "Good morning!"
"Hungry, darling?" Max started to get up to fix her a bagel.
She grabbed his arm and pulled him down to her. "mmmmm" she began nibbling his neck.
He took her in his arms and began some serious nibbling of his own, and they heard it. The children were home, and worse, they were right outside in the hall. They scrambled to get dressed. Max knew he'd have to get the children downstairs so Fran could get back to her room.
"Sorry, darling, I'll get them distracted so you can go get your clothes" He kissed her as he got ready to leave. "I love you."
"I love you too...now go, before they find me in here. We'll have some major 'splainin' to do!"
Fran heard the four voices of her family head down the stairs. She hurried down the hall to her room and shut the door behind her. Safe! She jumped into the shower and then joined her family in the dining room for breakfast.
"Good morning, everyone". She took her usual seat.
"Good morning, darling" Max froze, Fran's mouth formed an O. The kids stared.
"Darling?" "Ok, what'd we miss?" Brighton was the first to pipe up.
Max took Fran's hand. " You didn't miss anything. Fran and I have decided to start dating." Fran squeezed his hand hard. " And I told her I loved her."
The kids all rolled their eyes. They all knew about "the thing".
"Oh, and this time I'm not taking it back".
The kids all voiced their congratulations and then the topics turned to the usual breakfast banter. Fran and Max shared a glance. The kids had known it was just a matter of time before the two of them were together.
After the kids left the table Fran and Max were left alone to talk.
"It might be a while before we get another night like last night". Max looked apologetically at Fran.
"I don't think there will evah be a night like last night." She looked at him with her eyes sparkling.
He squeezed her hand and leaned over to kiss her gently. "We'll just have to find time when the kids are out of the house." Fran nodded. She knew they had to be a good example to the children, especially at the age Maggie and Brighton were getting to be.
The next few weeks were hectic, with the new show opening. As promised, Max had taken Fran shopping and bought her a stunning dress to wear. The morning of the opening, Fran became ill. At first they thought it was just nerves. Strange, though, Max was always the one to have a nervous stomach at openings. After a couple of days, they decided it was the flu. She couldn't eat, although she felt ravenous all the time. She was tired and irritable most of the day. After a week of this, Max had taken just about all he was going to take.
"Fran, let's go. You're going to see a doctor."
"I'm not going anywhere! I'm sick and I'm tired and all I want to do is sleep. Now leave me alone!"
This was not like her, not like her at all. "Fran, sweetheart, please, you aren't acting like yourself. Just humor me and come with me, please?"
"If I go and I prove to you it's just the flu and I'll be fine will you please just let me rest?"
"I promise!"
Fran got up and showered. What was wrong with her? How could she talk to him like that? She'd had PMS before, but this time it was really kicking her butt!
"I'm ready, honey. Look, I'm sorry I'm being so crabby. I know it's no excuse, but I'm really having a bad time with my PMS this time. Please forgive me?"
He hugged her. "Of course, darling!"
When they got to the doctor, he put Fran through all kinds of tests, drew blood, checked everything that he could think of. When he was done, he let Fran get dressed and told her it would be about 30 minutes for some of the results. When the doctor came back in, he told Max he should wait outside.
"What's the matter, doctor? Is it something bad? Why can't he stay?" Now she was worried. "You can say anything in front of him" She smiled at Max. "He loves me".
"Very well, if you're sure. This sort of thing is usually better told to the patients in private."
Max's heart sank. She couldn't be sick, she just couldn't be!
The doctor looked at Fran. "First of all, congratulations, you're pregnant." Fran went numb, and barely heard the rest of what the doctor had to say.
"We found you to be slightly anemic, which we can correct with the vitamins I'm prescribing for you. As for the nausea and tiredness, that should pass in a month or so."
"A month???" Fran didn't like the sound of that. Another month of this?
"We'll schedule an ultrasound for you to see how this pregnancy is progressing" The doctor smiled. "Any questions?"
They couldn't move, they couldn't talk. Pregnant? Fran was afraid to look at Max. It was Max that mercifully broke the silence. "We...we're having a baby?" "You're sure, doctor?"
"Yes, we always double check those results." "Here's a prescription for prenatal vitamins, and an information package that should cover any questions you may think of once you get home." "You can make your ultrasound appointment with the nurse on your way out."
"Thank you, doctor". Fran didn't even recognize her own voice. A baby? They were only together one night! Oy, she wasn't looking forward to being alone in the car with Max after this news.
Max put his arm around Fran and kissed her forehead. She was fighting back the tears when she looked at him. "Maxwell, I.. I know we didn't plan on this. How do we explain this to the kids? Ma's gonna kill me!" "Daddy's gonna kill you!"
"I know we didn't plan on this, darling, but nevertheless, we're having a new baby, in, what, seven months?"
"Something like that"
"We've been talking about our future together and getting married, so now it will just happen sooner than we had planned." Max took Fran's hands in his. "I love you, Fran, and I want you by my side for the rest of our lives. Marry me. Today. We can go by city hall, and be married this afternoon."
"Max, I don't want you to do this just because of the baby."
"Fran, I've been thinking about our marriage for a couple of weeks now. I don't want to get married because of our baby, just get married sooner. What do you say? Will you marry me?"
"Niles will kill us!" she grinned. "So will Ma and Daddy."
"So afterwards we'll have another ceremony at the house. I want my wife carrying my child, not my girlfriend."
Fran sighed. She'd let him off the hook before, and regretted it. Not this time. "Yes, Max, I'll marry you!"
He pulled her off the exam table into his arms. "Let's go make that appointment for the ultrasound and get out of here."
They left the doctor's office and drove to Cartiers to pick out rings, then to city hall. They were able to get the license and see the judge right away. Lucky for them the judge was a huge fan of Max's plays. The ceremony was short, but memorable. The judge let Fran and Max make up vows to each other.
They left the judge's chambers in silence. Fran reached for Max's hand. "What are we gonna tell Ma?" She looked worried. "I really don't wanna tell anyone about the baby yet, at least until after the ultrasound."
"That's a good idea. Let's give them a chance to get used to us being married first."
Fran's eyes started dancing. "Oh, my GOD! We're married!!!" She had finally recovered from the shock of finding out they were having a baby.
"Yes, we are, my darling!" "Do you feel like a bite of lunch before we head home?"
Fran put her hand on her stomach. "I don't think I can keep anything down yet, but we can stop if you need something."
"No, I think I'd like to get you home so you can lie down. Niles can fix me something later."
Max helped her into the car, and headed them home. He parked the car on the street and they walked up the stairs to the door.
Max opened the door, and stopped Fran from going in. "Wait, we have to do this right, Mrs. Sheffield." He reached down and scooped her up into his arms. "I love you." He kissed her gently and carried her into the foyer, where he slowly put her down, still kissing her.
Max turned around to close the door, when he heard a familiar voice.
"There you are, luv! "Niles said you've been sick. What's wrong, did you miss me that much?" Nigel was walking into the foyer from the living room, heading towards Fran.
"Nigel!" Fran took a step back and looked toward Max.
"What are you doing back here so soon, Nigel?" Max was not happy to see his brother soon after trying to woo Fran away from him.
"I've come back to claim the woman I love!"
"It's been over 2 months since you left! What, no action in Paris?" Max was livid.
"I tried to forget her, but I couldn't forget this sexy creature!" He continued walking towards Fran, and Max was having none of it.
"Nigel, you are talking about my wife!"
"You're WIFE? Since when?"
"Since this afternoon. We decided we didn't want to wait for a big ceremony."
"Fran, is this true, luv? You and my brother are..."
"Yes, Nigel, I tried to tell you that night that I loved Max, but you just weren't hearing me. I didn't want to hurt you."
Nigel glared at Max. "So, Bro, while I was making plans to marry her, you stole her out from under me?"
Fran laid her hand on Nigel's arm. "I was never yours in the first place, Nigel. I've loved Max for over two years now."
"And I've loved Fran, just been too damned scared of my feelings to admit it...until I thought I would lose her."
Fran walked over to Max and slipped her arm around his waist. "Can't you just be happy for your brother, Nigel?"
Nigel looked at the two of them. In spite of the argument, Max looked happy with her. Happier than he'd seen him since, well, since Sarah was alive.
"This is what you want, Fran?"
"Absolutely!"
"Then I'm happy for the both of you." He hugged them both.
"I'm going to take Fran upstairs, she's still not feeling her best" Max took her by the hand and led her upstairs. She started to walk into her room.
"Where are you going?"
"My..OH! Not my room anymore!" She followed Max into their bedroom. He helped her take off her shoes and into bed.
"You get some rest, I'll check on you in an hour or so." He kissed her and rubbed her abdomen before tucking her in.
"What, you aren't gonna join me?" She batted her eyes seductively.
He leaned over and kissed her again. "As tempting as that is, I left Nigel downstairs. You rest, and I'll be back up as soon as I can."
Fran closed her eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep.
Max joined his brother in the living room.
"Is she going to be allright, Max? She looked pretty tired".
"She's going to be just fine, we've just come from the doctor's office.
"I thought you said you just came from getting married?
"We did. We went to the doctor's first, then to city hall." Max knew he was getting in pretty deep, now. He'd agreed not to reveal Fran's pregnancy until after the ultrasound, and he was getting dangerously close to telling his brother.
"So you're telling me that she's so sick you have to take her to the doctor, but not so sick that you drag her to city hall to marry her?" It suddenly dawns on Nigel exactly what's going on. "She isn't...she's pregnant, isn't she?" "What else could cause you to want to marry her right away?"
"She doesn't want anyone to know, yet, Nigel. I promised her I wouldn't say anything." Max glanced around the room. He definitely didn't want Niles overhearing this conversation.
"So, brother, how long did it take you to make a move on her after I left?"
Max really didn't want to go there with his brother. Fran was adamant about not hurting him, but Nigel was pushing the issue.
"Nigel, it really doesn't matter. Fran and I are married and starting a family, that's what matters now."
"No, I want to know! How long? If she's already pregnant, you couldn't have waited too long!"
Max was becoming angrier by the minute. He couldn't hold it in any longer. "We actually have you to thank for us getting together so quickly, Nigel. If you hadn't tried to push Fran into running off with you, she never would have confronted me and forced me to admit how I felt about her."
"She confonted you? When?"
"The night you left, at the nightclub. Remember we went out to the terrace to talk?"
"I thought she was telling you goodbye."
"She told me about your proposal, and your wanting her to leave with you. She asked me to tell her right then and there if I saw a future for the two of us. Then she told me to tell her that I didn't love her. I couldn't. I'd been avoiding my feelings for her for over two years, and when I was faced with never seeing her again, my fears didn't matter."
"That's why the two of you left. She wasn't really sick, was she?" "You seduced her to keep her from coming with me!"
"Nigel, that's not how it was. She had already decided not to go, she just didn't want to hurt you. We thought it would be better to avoid a confrontation...like this one!" And I did NOT seduce her. That night was something we both wanted, something that was a long time coming."
"So that's it, then. She never really loved me."
"She does have feelings for you...as my brother, her brother in law. She was never IN love with you."
"She told you that?"
"She did. This whole thing was my fault in the first place. If I hadn't taken back telling her I loved her in Paris, if I hadn't pushed her into going out with you, she and I would have been together a long time ago and this whole mess would have been avoided. I hurt her terrribly, and will spend the rest of our lives making it up to her."
"Max, I wish the two of you all the best, really. I've only got one brother, I can't very well stay mad at you the rest of our lives, now, can I?" "When are you going to tell Mother and Father?"
"Well, since I rarely talk to either of them, I suppose I'll just wait for one of them to call!" "They've both met Fran. Father adores her. Mother thinks she's out to steal the Sheffield fortune".
"She would think that. She obviously doesn't know Fran."
"No, she really didn't get to know her the last time she was here." Max grinned thinking of his mother's last visit. "I actually proposed to Fran in front of Mother, just to upset her".
"You didn't!" Nigel was also grinning now.
"Fran figured out I only did it to get back at Mother, and really made me pay for that one!" "I didn't realize at the time that she was already in love with me. I think it really hurt her, but she never really let on." "She told me she couldn't marry me on false pretenses." "I was still hiding behind my fear of commitment, or I would have married her back then"
"You're a lucky man, Max." Nigel shook his brother's hand, then gave him a hug. "Well, since there's nothing more for me to do here, I'll head on back to London. I'll check in from time to time to see how my new niece or nephew is doing!"
"You're flying back on the Concorde?"
"Yes, I have two tickets for tonight. I guess I'll have to cash one in."
"Have a safe flight. Give my love to Jocelyn when you get home. And remember, nothing about the baby to anyone until Fran says it's allright."
"You've got it. Give my love to your beautiful wife, and tell her I'll see her and the children on my next trip out." Nigel walked over to the sofa and picked up his suitcase. He hugged his brother again. "Take care of her, Max."
"Always!" He walked his brother to the door and watched him get into his cab. He looked up the stairs. Time to check on Fran. He climbed the stairs and walked into their bedroom. He looked at his sleeping wife, she looked like an angel. He sat on the edge of the bed and pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. She stirred gently, opening first one eye, then the other.
"Hi" Her face lit up when she smiled at him. He leaned down and kissed her.
"Feeling better?"
"Yes, I think so. How about you. Did you talk to Nigel?"
"Yes, he just left. He said he'd see you and the children on his next trip out. He knows about the baby. He figured it out when we went from the doctor's office to city hall."
"Well, it won't be long before everyone knows anyway. This is something we won't be able to hide for very much longer". She rubbed her hand across her abdomen and smiled. "He's not going to tell your mother, is he?"
"No, he's not going to say anything. I told him you wanted to wait until after the ultrasound, and he's respecting your wishes."
"What about us being married?"
"I told him I'd tell Mother and Father the next time one of them called".
"The next time they call? Oh, good, so we've got quite a while before we have to deal with them!"
"Speaking of telling people, the children will be home soon. I think we should tell them that they have a new mother, at least. We can tell them about the baby in a few weeks"
"Oh, I hope they'll be ok with this. They just got used to the fact that we're a couple."
"They'll be fine with it. They've been pushing for us to get married as much as Niles has!" "Why don't you get up and get ready to come downstairs. I'll have everyone assembled in the living room". Max took her hand and helped her out of bed.
"Ok, I'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes. Just let me fix my hair and make up." Fran gave her husband a kiss and hurried off to get ready. She heard the kids explode through the front door, heard Maggie yell "Shut up, Brighton!". She loved these kids. HER kids. She headed out into the hall and listened from the top of the stairs. She heard her husband playing referee to their arguments, she heard Niles come into the room, bringing them refreshments. She waited until things settled down a bit. When she was sure Max had prepared them for some wonderful news, she started slowly down the stairs. As she reached the landing, she saw them. Her family. Tears of joy streamed down her face as she looked at her husband and children. She took a deep breath and wiped her tears away. Then she headed for the the living room, to her new husband, her new children, her new life.
The End
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