Back to Part One of Alternate Universe

Alternate Universe

Part Two

by

Anakin
(anakin.david@free.fr)

Fran and Maxwell were walking on the beach, a few steps behind the children who were laughing, and talking animatedly.

"You know, Miss Fine, I haven't seen them like this in a very long time… Thank you…"

"Oh, come on, Mr. Sheffield… Really I did nothing they did it all by themselves…" she said, shyly.

"No, Miss Fine. I really mean this, since you entered our lives, things have changed, and all for the best. I guess I needed a breath of fresh air, and it was you. We owe it all to you, Miss Fine."

Fran stopped walking and looked at him. He stopped too. Fran reached up to tug a lock of his hair in the right position, and he raised his hand to stroke her cheek lightly, before bending to kiss her there.

"Hey girls, look at that!" Brighton murmured mischievously, gesturing towards Fran and their father in the distance.

"He's going to kiss her!" Maggie squealed.

"… On the cheek." Grace finished.

"Can you imagine if Dad started dating Fran?"

"You would be offended?"

"No! I'd love that! I even suggested that to Fran when we first met!"

"Really?"

"Well I might not have any girlfriend yet, I'm a man, and I can see Dad needs a woman in his life…"

"And we need a mom…" Grace said, a bit sadly.

Maggie squatted next to her little sister.

"Oh Gracie, you'll always have us…"

"I know, Maggie, I love you, but in the past few months, Fran has behaved more like a mother than any other person we've met, and yet, she came out of nowhere. I love her, and I don't want to lose her…"

"I don't think you'll lose her, Gracie…" Brighton said, smiling. "Look at that…"

In the distance, they saw the two adults talking, Fran looked very serious, she said something to Mr. Sheffield, which he seemed to be listening to with a lot of attention, then he smiled, took her two hands in his, and kissed them, before kissing her on the cheek again."

"I don't know why, but I feel something nice has just happened…" Brighton concluded, still smiling.

They observed Fran and their father as they approached them. When they were only a few yards apart, Maxwell smiled, and announced.

"Children, how would you like it if Fran became your nanny?"

"What do you mean?" Maggie asked, unbelievingly.

"I have accepted the job offer your father gave me a few weeks ago, I am to live at your place, and be with you, every time you need me." She said, smiling.

"Yeaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" the three chorused before flooding Fran with embraces and kisses.

Maxwell looked at that happy scene smiling broadly, his heart meaning to explode in his chest: yes, he had made the good choice…

***

Dinner had gone well, C.C. had been extremely voluble and relaxed, and they had shared several good laughs, but now came a more peaceful atmosphere as they had reached the end of their meal.

The orchestra was now playing soft tunes, and when the rotating room reached the dance floor, he stood up and extended his hand, very gentlemanly.

"Dance with me?"

She looked at him a little surprised, and accepted his invitation.

She quickly discovered Niles was an extremely good dancer, his shoulders and arms were hard with firm muscles she had not suspected he had. She had all the time to observe him under an angle she had never had the chance to try out, and she liked what he saw.

Niles was the happiest man on Earth. He had been a little anxious at first, but the outcome had been great. C.C. Babcock had only gained in beauty and intelligence, and he was able to see a side of her he had not seen since Mrs. Sheffield had died…

Wait a second! It dawned upon him like he had been struck by lightning. C.C. had started to act distant and cold when Sara had died! As well as imagining Mr. Sheffield as her ideal husband…

He realized suddenly all the weight the woman dancing in his arms had had to carry all of a sudden when Mrs. Sheffield had died. For the sake of her boss and the sake of their business, she had taken responsibility when he couldn't, and right after her death, it must have been a hell of a job. C.C. Babcock had been a true hero. His respect for her, and his love grew tenfold. He plunged his eyes in her pale blue ones and tried to probe her inside. What he saw was like discovering a frightened little girl under a table after a storm, but she concealed it almost at once.

He stopped dancing and looked at her.

"Don't do that, C.C. I know you…" he said gently, caressing the side of her cheek.

The alcohol clouding her mind and making her defenses drop, she stared back.

"Niles, it would be awfully nice of you to drive me back…"

"Of course."

He knew when the charm was broken, and as he knew he had made tremendous progress tonight, he didn't insist and escorted her to the town car.

***

Maxwell opened the cabinet in the lounge, and helped himself a glass of Brandy. Just then, Miss Fine came down the stairs after having put the children to bed.

"You should go and kiss them goodnight." she said, softly.

"I haven't done that in ages…"

"So it's a good occasion to start anew, don't you think?"

He smiled.

"You're right."

And with that, he climbed up the stairs and went to his children's room.

A few minutes later, he was back. Despite the warm air of the summer, Fran had started a small fire in the fireplace, and had switched the lights off. She was sitting on the floor, looking at the fire absentmindedly, the changing flames casting phantasmagoric shadows on the walls and her face. Maxwell took another glass and filled it before he came to sit next to her.

"'Care for a drink, Miss Fine?"

"Oy, I'm not too good with alcohol, you know." she said, smiling, but taking the glass.

"Don't worry, I'll be the one to drive!" he replied with a wink.

They sipped their beverage slowly and in silence, both observing the crackling fire.

Fran felt a soft calmness invading her insides. She felt safe, at peace.

"So, Miss Fine? Tell me a little more about yourself…"

"Oy, would you like the short version, or the long version?" She joked.

"Whichever you want to tell me."

"We'll go for the average one, then… I'm from Queens…"

"That I had gathered with the accent." He smiled.

"I was working in a bridal shop with my boyfriend, but one day I realized he really was not worth the effort, so I dumped him and took classes to become a hair stylist."

"That's a wonderful story about will, Miss Fine."

"Talking about will, Niles told me you came here against your parents' will?"

"Yes, my mother still despises me for that, but frankly, I don't care."

"May I ask how was your wife?"

He sighed.

"She was a kind and attentive wife and mother…"

"How did you meet?" she resumed, encouraged by his reply.

"When I arrived in New York, Niles and I were living in a one bedroom, sharing a convertible, and eating sandwiches most of the time because I had invested all my savings in a theatrical production company. Fortunately, it didn't last long, and after a couple of successes, we could move in to a more decent flat. I started attending soirées, premieres, and events like that. Niles would always come with me, as my faithful butler."

"Did that bother you?"

"At first it did. Niles was my friend, he was my parent's butler's son, but he was never intended to become a butler…"

"He told me that he became your butler because he wanted to stay with you, and help you."

"Indeed, and I respect him for that, but sometimes I just feel like I've kind of spoilt his life in the process…"

"He doesn't feel that way, you know. He likes you very much."

"I know, Miss Fine…"

"Anyway, go ahead…"

"Yes… One night I was attending this party, and for once I was alone, Niles was so sick he had to stay in bed. I knew very few people, and I was feeling a little blue. I went to the bar, and there was this beautiful bartender. She helped me a glass of whisky, and we started talking. She was very bright, and the more I talked to her, the more I felt my heart had found his mate. She was studying to be a lawyer, and that summer job helped to pay her studies. Although her parents were quite wealthy, she had insisted she would pay at least part of her studies. We talked until very late in the evening, when everyone had left, I asked her for her phone number. We started dating, and got engaged three months later. We married the next year, and 8 months later, Margaret was born… She stopped her studies and stayed home to educate our children."

"8 months? Maggie was a preemie…"

"Ahem… Not really…"

"Oops!" Fran chuckled.

"My mother never really approved of Sara, but I didn't care. She was the love of my life, and nothing would ever change that… That is until…" his face darkened.

Fran put a comforting hand on his arm. He looked at her briefly.

"She had decided to take a stroll through the park. The children were at school, it was a beautiful sunny day, and I had to work on contracts with C.C…. She never got to the park… a mad car hit her as she was crossing the street, she died in hospital a few hours later…" he had trouble containing his emotions.

Fran squeezed his arm once again, then gathered him in her arms. He abandoned himself to her gentle caresses, seeking comfort and understanding, tears stinging his eyes.

***

Niles parked down her penthouse. He exited, toured the car, and went to open to her.

She got out and almost bumped on his chest, their breaths only an inch apart.

He stepped back to keep a safe distance between them, but suddenly, she grabbed his lapels and kissed him hard.

Surprised at first, Niles kissed her back wrapping his arms behind her back.

When the kiss ended, he searched her eyes.

"Miss Babcock, what was that for?"

"I'm drunk, Niles, I don't know what I'm doing." She said ironically.

"I don't think it was the reason why you kissed me, Miss Babcock."

"And what do you think it was?" she snorted. "Because I am in love with you? Please!"

"I think you want me…" he said, encircling her waist.

"Niles, stop that, it was a nice evening, but it won't happen again."

"Oh yes it will, Babcock." He said, preventing her from escaping his embrace.

"Niles, leave me alone!"

But instead he kissed her.

He loved the warmth of her mouth, and how despite her previous words, she responded to his kiss. She was one hell of a good kisser, and she had far more than one effect on his body. He groaned and they came out for air.

"Niles?" she asked, huskily.

"Babcock…"

"Come upstairs."

The next thing he knew, they were furiously disrobing themselves in her apartment. He laid her on the carpet of her lounge and let go of his passion for her in a frenzy he could barely contain.

Panting, he rolled on his side, pulling her in his arms. They remained silent for a while. Then he faced her, caressing her brow, going down to her cheek, and scrutinizing her look.

All her inner defenses gone, C.C. Babcock stared back at this man she had despised for so many years, not even knowing him. She had just discovered a brand new side to him, and she realized she had never known such a fulfillment with a man. She plunged into his blue eyes and saw the utmost love and dedication. The feelings she discovered she had for him suddenly scared her deeply and she looked away, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"C.C., what's wrong?" Niles asked softly.

"Niles, it was wonderful…"

"Wait till you know me better…" he winked.

She took a deep breath.

"This is why I don't ever want to share that with you again." She said firmly.

"What?" he exclaimed, raising on his elbow.

"You've heard me well, Niles. Now go."

A fit of rage invaded him.

"Babcock, you can't play with people's feelings like that! You can't just drop me like an old sock!"

She stood up and went to the bathroom to grab a robe, ignoring his protests. When she returned to her lounge, she heard the entrance door slam, and Niles was nowhere to be seen. She collapsed on her sofa and started crying softly.

***

After the first evening talking about Sara, Fran & Maxwell started an evening conversation routine, where they would speak about themselves, the day, or sometimes play cards together.

The children had noticed the gap narrowing between both, and they were happy about it. They enjoyed the vacation immensely, although there was no TV set -- which had first annoyed them. They were really having a blast, spending most of their time on the beach with the two adults.

"You know guys, I guess I cannot remember when I had so much fun…" Brighton started, watching his father and Fran fooling around in the water.

"I do…" Maggie said sadly.

"Yeah, actually I do too, and it bothered me just about 2 seconds."

"What are you two talking about?" Grace asked.

"The last vacation we had was when Mom was alive." Maggie answered.

"Maggie, I loved Mom, and I still do, but it's been 7 years now. I guess it's high time we stop mourning. Remember what Jesus said when He met the three women going to His grave crying: 'why are you crying over the one who's alive'. I guess Mom herself wouldn't be pleased to see us sad and acting like we were not a family."

"Fran makes us feel like a family…" Grace said.

"That's why it would be great if Dad could come to his senses and marry her." Brighton concluded.

"I don't, know, Brighton. I mean I love Fran but…"

"But what? She's not our Mom, but she acts like she is."

"Brighton is right, Maggie. Dr. Bort was so surprised I made so much progress, he asked if my dad was invoking Mom's ghost."

Maggie looked at them.

"Fran is going to be our nanny, I guess that's enough."

Grace looked deeply in Maggie's eyes.

"Maggie, Fran is the closest I'll ever get to a Mom. If Dad likes her, why can't she be more than a nanny for us?"

"Maggie, I guess Mom would approve of Fran…"

She thought for a second, watching Fran and her father as they exited the water laughing.

"I hadn't seen dad that relaxed and happy in a long time." She said watching her father play with Fran in the ocean. "Ok, I agree with you guys, let's hope Dad will see in her more than a nanny too."

***

Niles slammed the door enraged. Why wouldn't she let her defenses down for once!

He had felt they had shared something very precious and very rare, and yet, she had rejected him. Maybe he had been wrong from the beginning. Maybe she was heartless and opportunist… But yet…

He realized he was pacing in the lounge. He stopped and went to help himself a glass of whisky before sitting down on the sofa.

After thinking about what had happened, Niles had started to doze off and was sound asleep on the couch.

C.C. came in through the front door and watched him sleep. Her heart sank. Maxwell was the perfect mate, she had been trying to seduce him for a very long time, and yet, he was on a family vacation with a foreign woman that looked more of a tramp than a distinguished high society lady like her. She wanted Maxwell, but she hadn't predicted she would fall in love with the butler…

He looked peaceful.

She retreated to the office in silence, where she sat on Maxwell's armchair. She had a terrible choice to make: either quit and leave a job and a partnership she loved and had worked so hard for; either she stayed, which meant she would have to see the butler every day. Her heart leapt at this thought.

Life was tricky… There she was, an authentic white-collar high society class woman, in love with a butler! How ironic!

Yes, she was in love with the butler. She thought at the previous night: she had hurt him deeply…

She sighed.

She was about to stand up and talk to Niles when the office door opened and he stepped in.

He bore the darkest look she had ever seen on him, and suddenly she was scared. Scared that she might have ruined everything… No!

She stood up on impulse, staring at him.

"Niles I'm…"

One look from him made her stop, but she gathered up her courage and resumed.

"Niles, I'm sorry."

His look changed from angry to slightly surprised.

"I'm sorry I said that, and I'm sorry I hurt you."

Now Niles didn't understand.

"It's hard for me to admit I fell in love with the butler…" she concluded softly, avoiding his eyes.

He took a few seconds to digest her words, then stepped ahead and encircled her waist.

"Why are you ashamed of it, C.C.?" He asked, softly.

"I'm not ashamed, Niles. It's just that it goes against all my primary feelings."

"Stop living by the conventions, C.C., I guarantee your life will be far easier and far less complicated." He murmured, his lips less than an inch apart from hers.

"I'm trying that now, otherwise, I wouldn't be about to make love to a butler in my partner's office." She said breathless, before kissing him furiously.

Niles was surprised by the violence of her kiss, but he was already addicted to the urgency of her demands. C.C Babcock was a passionate woman, he'd always known that, and he hoped he would be able to fulfill her needs as long as possible. Their passion increased and soon, only moans could be heard until they reached the point of no return…

When their passion subsided, he started at her.

"C.C., I love you…" he said with his heart and with his eyes, before kissing her. "You're the love of my life, I want you to know that. Whatever happens, I will always be there for you."

Tears formed in her eyes.

"That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me, Niles."

"Then marry me… I'm not rich, I'm not young, but I can insult you everyday we'll spend together, and I guess I've just proved I can provide all the excitement you're craving for. You're not an ordinary woman, C.C., I promise you won't have an ordinary life with me."

She looked at him, deeply touched by the tenderness of his words.

"At the risk of sending my mother to the hospital for a heart attack, I accept, Niles."

He smiled and kissed her.

"Thank you, Miss Fine…" he murmured.

"Miss Fine? I haven't said 'yes' two minutes and you're already calling me by the name of your mistress!"

"No! Miss Fine is the woman Mr. Sheffield went on holiday with. We met first, and she became a dear friend, she gave me the courage to speak to you, to tell you that I love you."

"You promise she's not your mistress?"

"I promise."

"Good, because from now on, you're mine, and mine only…"

"And do I know that…" he said, before probing her mouth.

***

Fran was in the living room, reading a book that obviously required all her attention.

Maxwell had been observing her for a while. He had been thinking of her a lot lately. He stepped ahead and came behind her.

His hand on her shoulders startled her.

"I'm sorry, Miss Fine. I didn't mean to embarrass you." He said, pulling his hand.

Fran regained her self-control.

"Oh don't! … I mean… You didn't embarrass me, I was just startled, that's all."

"It was a rather intimate gesture, I don't know what possessed me…"

"Mr. Sheffield… It did NOT embarrass me."

They stared at each other for a few seconds, then slowly, he bent down.

"I'm sorry, Miss Fine, I need to do this …" he murmured, and lay a soft kiss on her lips before sitting upright again, their eyes still locked.

"Mr. Sheffield, I guess it's best if we go to bed now." Fran said with the highest level of courage she had ever had.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that…" He shook his head, smiling to himself "Oh God, Miss Fine what kind of delightful spell did you cast on me?" He asked tenderly, caressing her cheek with the back of his finger.

She stared at him.

"Mr. Sheffield, why are you playing with my feelings?"

"I most certainly am not!" He protested.

"I'm a simple girl, Mr. Sheffield, I might take your messages for what they are not. So please, if it's just an amusement to you, stop that." She said softly.

He sighed.

"What makes you think it's an amusement to me?"

"You're a big Broadway Producer, and I'm going to become your Nanny…"

"So?"

"So maybe fooling around with the nanny was your idea of getting a nanny, if it was, then I'm sorry for the children, but I'd rather keep my old job and never see you again."

He shook his head, smiling.

"Miss Fine… It's fate that put you on our path, and fate that made my children like you at first sight, but it was you who crushed all the walls that were surrounding my heart, and made me see that my life was not over, that my children needed me, and that… That I could fall in love again."

She couldn't believe what her ears had heard.

"What are you saying?"

"I didn't know what it was when I first saw you, Miss Fine, but something was troubling me. It's been nagging me ever since, and I've just realized what it was… I love you, Miss Fine. Crazy as it may sound, I love you."

Her world was reeling, she looked at him in big surprise, then suddenly her sight darkened and she fainted.

A few seconds later, she came out of it, as Maxwell was frantically shaking her, and was about to slap her. She raised her hand to block his.

"Miss Fine! Oh God, what happened?" he asked, relief clearly written on his face.

"Oy! That was a first! I fainted because a man told me he loves me!"

"Oh thank God! I thought it was more serious!"

"What?"

"Well, no! I mean… Err… I mean…"

She interrupted him, smiling, putting a finger on his mouth.

"Shhh…"

He looked at her with interrogative eyes.

"I thought you were playing tricks on me…"

"I'm not." He said softly.

"Yes, I know that now…"

She closed the distance between them and kissed him softly.

"I love you too." She murmured.

He smiled, kissing her lightly. A silent conversation started between them, punctuated by tiny kisses and smiles, then he kissed her more demandingly, gathering her in his arms before ascending the stairs to his room.

Maxwell closed the door behind them, encircled her waist, and met her lips in a heated kiss.

Almost like in her dream, they started undressing each other feverishly, their lips touching everywhere they could, exploring the other one's body, discovering a new world.

He paused suddenly, his eyes plunged into hers, bearing the utmost love and devotion, as hers mirrored too. He smiled slightly, before giving her the sweetest kiss she'd ever received. He stepped back and quickly took off the last item of clothing he had on.

The separation, even so short, made her body crave for his, her soul miss the touch of his, as if even the slightest gap between them were a sheer torture. He quickly swept her off her feet and carried her to the bed, picking up where he had left off, worshipping her body like it were a sacred temple.

Fran had never experienced such a degree of intimacy, and tenderness with a man in her life. His touch was like that of a feather, lighting parts of her body like candles on a romantic table. For the first time in her life she experienced what making love was all about.

He searched her skin to discover her most sensitive spots. The last woman he had made love to had been his late wife, but he felt he already knew Fran, and indeed, she was very receptive to any of his actions.

Again, he stopped his assaults on her senses, and looked at her, before he finally mingled his soul and hers.

The feeling Fran experienced was indescribable and suddenly her world erupted in an explosion of love. She was so blinded by her own fulfillment that she didn't notice he had followed her right away. He rolled on his side and pulled her atop him, kissing her head through her hair.

A few minutes passed, both enjoying the peaceful moment, then he murmured.

"I guess I'll have to rethink my proposition of you being the nanny of my children."

Fran's heart leaped, but as he resumed, she didn't have time to get any more ideas. He made her face him.

"Fran, I didn't know what life was anymore after Sara's death. In an incredibly short time span, among many other things, you taught me how to finally cope with that, but you have an even more heavier duty ahead of you…"

She looked at him, not understanding.

"Fran, I'd be lost again without you, the children would be lost, Niles would be lost… Hell, the whole household would be lost… I don't want you to be my nanny. I want you to be my wife."

Fran rose on her elbow, and sat down on her heels, her hands rising to her mouth.

"Maxwell…" she choked.

He rose too, coming face to face with her.

"Fran, would you marry me?"

"… Maxwell, it's all so sudden!" she managed to say, her mind blurred by the surprise of it all.

He saddened.

"If you need some time to think about it we can…"

"Oh yeah, right!" she interrupted him. "Like Cinderella is going to refuse a proposal from prince charming! Maxwell…" she became serious. "I love you, you are literally the man of my dreams"

"So your answer is…"

She kissed him softly.

"You know what my answer is, don't you?"

"Say it…"

"Yes."

Maxwell encircled her arms and pulled her atop him as he lay back.

"Thank you for saving me…" he murmured in her hair.

***

C.C. was sitting on the sofa deep in thoughts.

"Niles…"

"What Vampirella?"

"Maxwell is due to arrive today, isn't he?"

"Yes, Why?"

"How are we going to tell him?"

"Tell him what? How we ruined the love seat in the office and had to buy a new one? Well we used it for what it was, didn't we?"

"Not that!"

"What then? He doesn't need to know we changed the glass of the coffee table!"

"Niles, one more word and I'm going to think you're as moron as I think you are."

Niles smiled and came to kiss his wife on her neck.

"C.C., I think Mr. Sheffield will understand all by himself when he sees our entwined hands with a wedding band."

She looked at him with worried eyes.

"And what do we do from this point? Where do we live?"

"Well… dishonoring as it may appear to you, I want to remain Maxwell's butler. It was my choice, and I want to fulfill this. I'm perfectly all right with you being my wife and earning much more money than I will ever dream of, now the question is: are you alright with that?"

She kissed him on the nose, smiling.

"Yes I am. In a way, it feeds my need to be independent…"

"As for where we live, I could move in to your penthouse flat for a while, while we start looking for a place of our own, what do you think of that?"

She cuddled against his chest.

"A place of our own?" she murmured in a tiny voice.

"Yes, my love. A love nest for us, where I will worship you until the day I die."

"Niles, I'm scared."

"Scared of what?"

"The depth of my feelings for you…"

He kissed her head through her hair.

"Don't worry angel, I can live with that."

She looked at him and laid a gentle kiss on his lips.

Right then the front door opened, and Maxwell and the children made their entrance in a joyous mood.

C.C. and Niles stood up to greet them.

Grace was the first to tell Niles.

"Niles! Fran and Daddy are engaged!"

Niles looked at his employer who was holding Fran's waist tightly from behind, smiling.

"You finally took the step, Sir! Congratulations!"

"Yes I did, old man, and I think I won't regret it!" Maxwell replied, kissing Fran slightly on the lips.

"Niles, I can never thank you enough…" Fran said, leaving Maxwell's hand to step forward. "May I give you a hug?"

Both friends hugged deeply, then Niles stepped back and grabbed C.C.'s hand.

"It's me who have to thank you, Fran."

Fran frowned, smiling.

"Am I understanding correctly there?"

"Understand what?" Maxwell asked, understanding something he didn't know about had happened.

"Sir, may I present my wife?" he said, embracing C.C.'s waist.

"C.C.?" he said, opening big eyes.

"Maxwell, I hope you don't mind…"

"Mind? No I don't, it's just that…"

"It was our way of expressing our love, Sir. I understood that thanks to Miss Fine."

"Miss Fine?" he said, cocking his eyebrows and looking at his fiancée, who returned his interrogative look.

"Remember, Fran, when we talked in the kitchen about Miss Babcock."

"Yes?"

"You said I should do something soon, because insulting her was the way for me to release the sexual tension."

"Actually it's you who said that."

"Yes, but I hadn't realized that it might also have been her way to release what she really felt about me… So I planned this little scheme, sending Mr. Sheffield and you on a vacation, so I could have the house and Miss Babcock all to myself…"

Fran pursed her lips, on the verge of laughing.

"Oh Niles, don't tell me you hadn't also planned this for Maxwell and I to discover our common points?"

"Well that came as the topping of the cake…" he joked.

"So Niles, this is the Fran you mentioned?"

"Yes cockroach, she's the one who did it all…"

"Then I have to thank you for that, right?"

"Me?… I don't think so… Let's thank the nice little fairy who made all this possible and we're even, right?" Fran said shyly, suddenly overwhelmed by the amount of good words she had heard about herself.

"And that fairy is YOU!" everyone chorused, overwhelming the poor Fran who sought comfort in Maxwell's arms.

***

Fran was just exiting Grace's room when Maxwell stopped her from closing the door.

"See you in a minute, Darling!" he said before entering his daughter's room.

Fran stood outside, shaking her head. Now where was his room again? She had put her suitcase there on her way in, but the house was so big! She stepped cautiously ahead, and knocked discreetly at the first door she didn't know about…

Maxwell sat on Grace's bed.

"Dad, I love you, and I love Fran."

"I love Fran, too sweetheart." He said, as Grace cuddled in his arms.

"I don't remember Mom, I was too little when she died. Do you think she's jealous of Fran?"

"No my darling… I think your mother loves Fran, as we all love her, and I even think that she sent her to us, to me…"

"Don't let her go, daddy."

"I won't, sweetheart, I promise you that I won't. You know when people are engaged, they marry, and no one can separate them."

Grace smiled and hugged her father.

"I love you daddy."

"I love you too, angel." He said, kissing her forehead before standing up and exiting her room to go to Maggie's.

"Goodnight, sweetheart." He said, stepping inside.

"Goodnight, daddy."

He went to sit on her bed.

"Maggie, I haven't asked you before I proposed to Fran, I hope it's OK with you?"

Maggie sat down, sighing.

"Well to be exactly honest, at first I was afraid that Fran would take mom's place into your heart. But when I saw you happy and smiling, and acting like a dad to us again, I didn't mind that much. I like Fran, she made us whole again, so I guess I don't mind about you marrying her."

"Maggie, you have to know that Fran will never take Sara's place in my heart. It's just another space she has created for her. When you meet a new friend, it doesn't mean you will abandon the old one, does it? It works exactly like that. Your mother will always stay in my heart, she was my first love, and always will be. Fran is my new love, the woman that filled the void in your lives, as well as in mine, and in my heart."

"Make her happy, daddy…" Maggie smiled.

Maxwell kissed her goodnight and went to his son's room.

"Brighton?"

"Yes dad?" came the muffled sound behind the door as he knocked.

"May I come in?"

"Sure!"

He stepped inside.

"Dad, I will be very honest with you. This house lacks another male, so when Fran and you have kids, it would be nice if you had a boy."

"Wow! Hold on a second, would you? We're not even married!" Maxwell chuckled.

"Oh, like it stopped you for Maggie!"

"You knew?"

"Well you know Dad, I'm a teenager now, and we do have sexual education at school… I know that a baby takes 9 full months, and Maggie was not a preemie…"

"Where did you hear that?"

"Dad, we spied almost all your conversations with Fran, back at the cottage…"

Maxwell was dumbfounded.

"Who taught you that?! They were private conversations, and it's certainly not me who taught you to listen to the doors!"

"Niles did… Don't be mad at him, dad… After all, you were not particularly there for us at the time…" he took his father's hand who was still hesitating between angriness and surprise.

"Dad, I guess my sisters told you that already, but Fran is the best thing that happened to us since mom died, so you'd better not mess up."

Maxwell searched his son's eyes.

"When did you grow up so fast?"

"When you left us, I had to…"

"I never left you!"

"Yes you did, dad… When Mommy died, a part of you died with her, and you withdrew. It was for me to support my sisters then… I'm glad you're back…"

He then hugged his father fiercely.

Maxwell began to understand why Brighton had been the happiest of his children when he had announced his engagement to his children. It meant he could go back to being a child.

"I'm sorry, son…" Maxwell murmured, his voice choking with emotion.

Brighton looked at his father, and smiled.

"I'll charge you over that, don't worry, dad!" he said playfully.

Maxwell smiled and left his son's room.

He stepped towards his room, passing, Niles's. Strange sounds came from inside. He cocked his eyebrows, rolling his eyes, and knocked discreetly.

"There are still children on this floor, I suggest you go up one floor!"

Niles came out from underneath the sheets, disheveled and panting.

"All right, sir… Mind if we take the guest room?"

"Take the bloody floor if you want!" Maxwell answered, a little bit irritated, heading to his room, and not seeing a very disheveled C.C. and Niles, draped in the bed sheets, stepping towards the staircase as discreetly as possible.

He finally entered his room to find it empty.

"Fran?"

He started touring his room, dressing, and concluded at his bathroom: no Fran in sight.

He frowned.

"Fran?"

He stepped towards the door, and opened it on a very upset Fran.

"Fran!"

"Oh Maxwell! I have tried almost every room in this house, and I couldn't find yours!" she said in frustration.

"Well now you have." He said tenderly, kissing her lips and pulling her inside.

"You'll have to draw a map for me…" she said pouting.

"I'll draw one so whatever direction you take leads you to this sanctuary, all right?" he said, winking.

She smiled.

"A sanctuary? A sanctuary for what?" she asked softly.

"Our love. Fran, I want that place to be the place we go every time we need each other, every time we have a problem, every time we want to be with each other, alone. It's our sanctuary, Fran. It's the place where our love will blossom, and where I'll honor you as you fully deserve it."

Fran was deeply moved by his words.

"It's like a dream come true, Maxwell..."

He smiled, then resumed.

"Then, my darling, if we agree, why don't we inaugurate it?" he asked roguishly, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her to the bed.

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