As usual, I jumped ahead to the end, (Where the good stuff is.) So, I need to do a little explaining. This really is Part III of "I Do…Love You," for any fan-fic readers out there. The original sequel was never written, but on with the show, right? CC, Niles, Fran, and Max + Chrissan, Jonah, Eve, and Gracie have all headed back to New York and into that same Central Park Mansion. Chrissan, as you will come to know, is CC and Niles' daughter. Incidentally, her name means "golden flower," I'm pretty sure, in Old English. I've since lost the book of Baby Names that I acquired it from ;) Please Enjoy and remember that this is sadly the last fic I've written in over a year that was "Nanny" related. And I'm not lying this time…I hope…

Anything But a Trip to Paradise

by

Emily
(Stammfamly@aol.com)

Maxwell clapped his friend on the back as they walked out from the office. He was grinning from ear to ear. "I can’t believe this worked! How I could have ever doubted you, I still don’t know."

"It’s like I said before, ‘Earth Girls Are Easy,’!"

His friend shot him a look of contempt.

Niles looked back at him. "What?" he raised his hands in defense, "I had just seen said movie, I had a glass of wine, and CC got a little-"

Maxwell turned back to flipping through the Cruise Magazine. "Easy?"

Niles bit his lip. "Yes, and then you just happened to call afterwards."

He held up his hand, "Please, you two have been together for a long time now, no need to give me a graphic description of you marital life."

"Big words for one who didn’t even try to get ‘graphic’ for five years with the woman he obsessed over."

"Big retort from one who waited twenty years to even make a move towards the woman he obsessed over."

Niles sat down on a chair in the living room. "Yes, yes. I know. I was; how would your wife put it?" he thought. "Ah yes, a shmeggegy."

Maxwell stood over him. "Anyway. I still can’t believe it. We actually got Fran and CC to agree on taking a trip…together."

"It was my idea. I was the one who first came up with this deliciously,"

He caught sight of his wife, a side of her face reflecting in the mirror.

"Scrumptious recipe for pesto-breaded crab cakes. How does it sound to you, Sir?"

Maxwell cocked a confused eyebrow and shot the sitting man a quizzical glance. He followed his friend’s stare and saw his partner as well as another half-a-face peeking from around the corner. This one had long dark curly hair and a widow’s peak curving down over the center of her forehead.

Niles was still frozen, watching the reflection. "The crab cakes Sir, how do they sound as an appetizer for tonight’s dinner?"

Back in the part of the hall where the two yentas were standing, CC was grumbling. "My husband is such a woman. No one would ever spend his time talking about what’s for dinner at eleven ‘o clock in the morning."

Fran smiled. "Except the one and only," They looked at each other. "Niles." Both said simultaneously.

They settled back against the wall, "You’re right. It’s eleven, he should be talking about what’s for lunch, right?"

CC felt and heard her stomach rumble. "Yeah."

Fran rubbed her face. "What could they be talking about?"

"Niles just said it, dinner."

Fran shook her head, causing the neckline tresses to swing from side to side. "That can’t be it. I think it’s a code."

"For what?" CC asked dully. "I mean, it’s February. No trips planned. Unless it’s a ski trip?"

Mrs. Sheffield’s hand went to her mouth. "Oo, do ya think?"

"No, it can’t be. Niles knows I can’t ski. We’d probably spend our time in the lodge the whole time we were there."

"So the ski trip is ruled out?"

With an evil grin, CC replied in a deep sexy tone, "Oh, no."

"Wait, if our two husbands are talking together, that can only mean a couple joint trip."

CC’s jaw dropped. "Damn! No offense Nanny Fine, but I can’t stand you for that long."

Fran crossed her arms and glared at her from the corner from her brown eyes. "Nor can I."

"So, either we’re going on a joint trip, or my Niles has something pleasurably planned for me and him alone."

Fran held up a hand, wanting the subtle sex talk to stop. "There are children in this house you know."

"Hasn’t stopped us in the past." CC mumbled underneath her breath.

"No it hasn’t."

CC felt a hand slip around hers and pull her around to face the baby grand piano and the butler. "Are your little ears burning?" He asked her, wagging a parental finger in front of her nose.

She grabbed it and squeezed. "Yes, and what of it?" she let go and brushed past him.

"You can’t escape that easily, CC. We’re married and no matter what you do, you come home to me at night, remember?"

She walked back up the stairs, her eyes lowered. "Oh, how could I forget?" she raised them to meet his gaze as her tongue slowly ran over her upper lip. "With you as husband and lover."

CC looked past him and saw Fran move out of the shadows of the hall and into the light, motioning for her to keep talking and flirting by pursing her lips and ‘chatting’ with her fingers.

She saw him become swept up in the heat of the moment. "Let’s escape to our house, where you can tell me all about your memory and how you can’t forget."

Fran stepped up behind him. "Funny you should mention ‘escape’ again Niles."

He turned around and found that his best friend and the woman that he loved surrounded him. "Yes," he chuckled dryly. "That is funny, isn’t it?"

CC heaved a heavy sigh. "Looks like your ‘duster’ led you astray once again."

As Fran came to face him along with CC, she licked her lips disgustedly.

"C’mon Niles, you can tell us. What were you and Maxwell talking about just now?"

Fran suddenly felt like she was being watched. She turned and looked down as her husband disappointedly watched the interrogation.

"Dinner," Both Englishmen told their wives and left the room, but not before waving a polite good-bye with a hand.

Fran and CC tromped down the stairs and flopped down into the chair and couch. "Oh. We won’t get anywhere playing games like this." Fran told her.

CC sighed. "That wasn’t a game. He has hardly touched me since we came back to New York."

Fran sat up, intrigued. "Really? Why? " She put a hand under her chin. "He certainly seemed willing back there."

"Oh, he’s ready and willing. And I won’t say that we haven’t had some time together, but it’s not what we had a year ago." She smiled with the memories of sexual abandon. "We were all over each other. Now it just seems like there’s no fire or,"

Fran leaned forward, "I know how that is. It took Max a long time to finally come back to me after the twins’ birth. Even after that, there wasn’t any passion. It was just ‘business as usual’."

Now CC sat up. "Oh, we have plenty of passion. But there’s no reckless abandon. No shed at Wal-Mart, or bathroom at Bloomindales."

"That’s because you have a child now. You two subconsciously want to keep it on the down low to set a good example for Chrissan."

CC was amazed. "Very well put Nanny Fine. I don’t give you credit for how much you know."

"Actually, that’s what Grace told me when I went through the same thing with Max." Fran smiled.

CC stood and stretched, "Speaking of the angel." She walked out of the room and came back with the carrier that held the sleeping beauty.

"How old is she now?" Fran asked as she leaned over the baby, peacefully snuggled up against the bear with the British Flag intricately sewn into the paws.

CC sat at the edge of the couch, her maternal juices flowing fast to her heart as it swelled to the largest size possible in her ribcage. "Uh, five months this Tuesday I think."

"Aw, she’s almost half a year old."

"Next March, she’ll be one."

"Hard to believe."

"Yes it is. It’s hard to believe that she’s my daughter."

Fran stood and put her hands on her hips. "No, it’s hard to believe that we let our husbands get away with lying. Dinner my touchas!"

CC stood yet again. "You go Nanny Fine! You go and tell Maxwell and Niles that they can’t get away with that type of stuff with us! You go now!"

Fran smiled at the boost of confidence. "I will go!" And with that she took off in the direction of the kitchen.

CC eased back, picking a waking Chrissan up and cradling her as she settled back into the couch.

"That’s right Nanny Fine, you go and do all the work for me."

Her daughter sucked in a breath and shook her head with a smile on her face.

"What? Just because I have a daughter it doesn’t mean that I have to be Miss Goodlady all the time. I like to be a little self-centered now and again.

The baby smiled and let out a giggle.

"That’s right." CC’s voice became higher pitched and squeakier as she Eskimo kissed her daughter and saw her laugh. "And one day you will be just like mommy! Sophisticated, intelligent, and sassy."

Niles walked into the room.

"Or you could end up like your father. Domesticated, using detergent, and polishing the glassyies."

Niles smirked. "Very funny. Funny, funny, funny." He sat down opposite her.

"So, what are my two favorite girls doing today?"

"Not talking to daddy."

Niles was a bit taken aback by this. "Why?" He asked in a low tone.

"Because he won’t talk to mommy. Like mother like daughter."

"Is this about what I think it’s about?"

CC looked over at him for the first time. "Maybe."

"Look, I will tell you eventually. Can’t you just wait?"

"Well, I can wait. No one ever said that I was impatient. Why are you here anyway?"

* * *

"Fran, I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you what you think we were talking about!"

Fran followed him around the kitchen island. "Why?" She asked through a whine.

Maxwell turned to find her standing there, with the Hagan Daz carton in her left hand.

He could feel his guard being taken down as she sauntered over to the sink and pried open the lid, the low neckline beginning to have its effects on his mind, the slow sway of her hips in those tight jeans playing with his eyes.

"Sweetheart, please don’t make me have to choose between my pride and that." He pointed at the ice cream and the meaning of her possession of it.

"Why? Do you think you think you can’t make a decision between that and this?"

At the same exact time both Niles and Maxwell confessed. "I can’t take it anymore! Yes, there is a secret and no, it’s not about tonight’s menu. We’re taking both you girls for a week long cruise in the Caribbean."

Fran couldn’t find her words. CC was completely taken off guard.

"I/Mr. Sheffield have/has to scout a new location for a movie I’m/he’s co-producing. It’s very hush, hush, I/he haven’t/hasn’t even told CC/you yet."

"A cruise? Oh Honey!" Fran forgot about the project at hand and began jumping up and down for joy. "This is the best idea that you’ve had in a long time!" She exclaimed as she hopped into his embrace. "This will be the first time I’ll be away from the twins since they were born!" She pulled him down for a French ‘Thank-you’.

"I hope you understand the Davises are coming along too. Now that CC knows she’s being left out, she’ll want in, no doubt." Maxwell told her, happy to be back in his wife’s good graces once again.

"CC, forget about it! We’re getting a free Cruise out of it!"

CC came storming through the kitchen doors, Niles following behind, desperately trying to calm both his daughter and his wife at the same time.

"Stay out of this Niles." She snapped. "Maxwell! How dare you pull this on me! We’re partners after all. I never thought that this would happen, you going behind my back with an independent filming company. Really, you’re in Broadway! Have you forgotten?"

"We’ve been back for two months, and if your aging memory serves you right, you got out of Broadway for a year contract to see if film better suited your new Californian style." Niles whispered quickly over her shoulder.

"Thank you for reminding me Niles. Maxwell, I’m sorry for that last part, but everything else is true!"

Max and Fran parted as he turned to face his partner. "Do be quiet CC, go home and relax. The Cruise begins tomorrow and believe me, it will do you some good. Sylvia, Maggie, and Michael have been kind enough to watch after the twins while we’re gone and I’m sure they could watch after Chrissan. Don’t worry, just relax." He turned back to his wife. "It will be a trip to paradise and a second honeymoon for all of us."

CC turned, seeing and sensing that privacy needed to be given to at least one of the couples in the room. She touched his shoulder, and let him lead her out into the hallway and into the foyer.

"Let me just get the carrier, and then we’ll be off."

Niles waited for any reaction in her unusually silent behavior. When he saw not a movement of a cheek muscle, he walked briskly over to the coffee table and set Chrissan in the blankets and placed the teddy bear in her little embrace.

"Here you go honey. Don’t worry, we’ll be back. I’m sure it will be hard, but Mommy and I will let you stay with Mrs. Fine."

He came back and set down the carrier on the foyer marble. "CC, is anything wrong?"

"Niles," she came out of her trance and looked at him. "Am I doing something wrong?"

Niles arched an eyebrow. "Of course not."

"Then why haven’t we been reckless and carefree like we used to be?"

Niles took a breath and took her chin in his hand. "What do you mean Angel?"

She shoved his doting hand away. "I mean when did we get so passionate and mushy? When did the spark go out?"

"You mean to tell me that you think the spark is completely gone?"

CC looked down at her feet. "Well, no…not really."

"Then what is the problem?"

"Why can’t we just go off, spending the whole day together, making love in places other than our bed?"

Niles smiled and nodded, happy to finally figure out what had been plaguing her mind.

"So, why don’t we?"

"Well, we have other things to worry about." He pointed to the sleeping baby at his feet. "We’re parents. We’ve moved on from that level where the whole idea of getting caught was a turn-on." He looked at her from the side. "Do you want to go back there?"

"No…not really. I just need to know that there’s still something there. The last five months have been peanuts compared to that one crazy month together before we were married."

"You want all that back, do you?"

CC smiled shyly. "Maybe."

He picked up the carrier and opened the door for her. "Well, maybe this week, history will repeat itself."

* * *

Max fell back into the comforter; fed up with the idea that packing should take over an hour to do. "Darling, you’ve been in there for over three hours now! Just pack already!"

"Oo! I’m just too excited! What outfit do I have that will be perfect for this Cruise? I mean, there’s nothing in my closets that just sings, ‘Copa Cabana’!"

Maxwell rubbed his face and punched the pillow again with a fist.

"Of course, I could always just bring a simple one piece that would do for the entire week." She stepped out in a pale pink peignoir, that flowed over the floor as she glided to his side.

She leaned over him, letting her free curls fall down over his bare skin. "How’s this?"

He was still trying to focus on the question that she had asked. "I don’t know, I’d like to see it in action."

She kneeled on the bed and stopped. "Oh, such a command from the director. Well, I’ll be polite and oblige."

He pulled her close, still amazed that she could have this affect on him. And not just her appeal, but her love for him and his love for her made every time the first time.

Fran lay next to him, sleeping peacefully on her side of the bed. She smiled in her dreams and pursed her lips. He embraced her and placed his lips on those same pursed ones.

She opened her eyes and drew away. "And who says dreams don’t come true?"

Maxwell smiled and continued kissing her.

* * *

Niles and CC arrived bright and early in the morning, much to the chagrin of the Sheffields.

Maggie and Michael greeted them, explaining that Sylvia would be around later, and not to worry.

"Please, this woman doesn’t know how to not worry!" Niles chuckled as he watched CC handing over Chrissan to someone else for the first time.

"Now, here’s her teddy bear. She cannot live without this bear. She can have him in her crib at night, but not in the morning. She’s so grumpy, she’d tear off his ear if he’s in there from eight to nine."

Niles suppressed a grin. "She takes after her mother."

CC glared at him, then returned to instructing Maggie. "And this," she held up the giant bag that held all the bottles of fresh mother’s milk. "Four times a day. Twenty minutes on low in the microwave then test it with a drop on your elbow. If for some reason that you run out, then," she picked up another bag, "Carnation Good start. Fill the bottle halfway, add a teaspoon of regular skim milk, and fill it to the top with Carnation."

Michael leaned over to Niles. "I’m glad that’s over."

"Oh, we haven’t even begun."

"Alright, that handles food." She took a pocket notebook from her purse and licked the tip of the pencil that had been stuck between her ear and temple. "On to Bedtime."

Maggie smiled; hoping for CC to see how happy she was that Miss Babcock was entrusting her with her only child. "I really appreciate this Miss Babcock. I need the practice." She looked up to her husband.

"We need the practice." He corrected her.

CC didn’t seem to hear the sentimentality in their voices, for she continued with the list. "She goes to bed at eight, no later than nine. She can sleep anytime during the day, but has to have a nap sometime after lunch and before snack. I’m sure you can tell when she needs to be changed, but only this special brand called ‘Soft Wipes’," she reached down for the tub. " Will do for her diaper rash. I have ten boxes at home and I brought three. A tub should last a month, but I brought extra just in case Sylvia brings candy with her."

Fran and Max came down the stairs, Fran in a bright yellow calypso ruffle top with beach designs splashed all over it and a yellow wrap skirt. Max was in a simple Hawaiian shirt and baggy shorts.

"Niles," Fran whispered as CC went on about the feeding times. "Do you think she went a bit overboard on the rules?"

"Careful, don’t want to jinx ourselves before the cruise."

"True."

"Thanks again Miss Babcock. I’m sure we’ll be fine. I just hope that I can remember everything you said." Maggie walked with Chrissan up to the stoop as the couples went outside.

CC turned, smiled, and faced her. "I know everything will be fine, because here are the directions and rules for everything I just said." She handed the notebook over to her. "And make sure that you show her our family picture every night before she goes to sleep. I don’t want her to forget us."

She could feel the tears returning to their ducts as they had that morning. "Bye, bye Chrissan. Be a good girl, I promise to bring back something from the boat."

Having stored the luggage safely in the trunk of the limo, Niles came up beside his wife and took his daughter in his arms.

"We both love you very much. We’ll be back, don’t worry. Seven days will just fly by like that." He snapped his fingers and the baby giggled.

He handed her back to the young couple. "No stress put on both of you or anything like that, but if my daughter even so much has a scratch on her, I’m going to hurt both of you." CC threatened through gritted teeth. She then smiled a radiant smile and walked down the steps.

Michael beckoned for Niles. "She doesn’t really mean that, does she?"

"Not really, but keep this in mind. She has been in the ‘Funny Farm’… twice." He left and followed his wife, wanting to say the same words to them, but too polite to say so.

* * *

"I hate flying, I hate flying, I hate flying, I hate flying, I hate flying…"

CC looked over at the trembling man sitting next to her, strapped in as far as his body would allow. He was slumped in the chair; eyes fixed on one crease on the back of the leather First Class seat.

She smiled and cracked the magazine that she was flipping through hard. He jumped.

"Oh, did that frighten you? Did you think it was an engine blowing up?"

Niles looked outside. "No."

"Look at the Sheffields, they’re enjoying this flight."

Fran fed him another pot sticker with the chopsticks. He chewed and swallowed, leaned over across the armrest and kissed her. Then she’d pick up yet another piece of Chinese food and the whole thing would start all over.

Meanwhile, CC was picking at her steak with disinterested taste. "We just had to order steak and shrimp."

"Well, it was the only one on the menu that looked good to me. How could I have known they would be hard as rocks?"

CC didn’t hear him. "We could’ve had the ‘China Platter’, or the ‘Italian Cuisine’, but no. We had to have the ‘Surf and Turf’!"

"I give up. Let’s just switch gears. This is our honeymoon really; we never had one to begin with. We may as well make the best of it."

CC nodded and wrapped her fingers around his. She looked up the aisle to the bathrooms and cracked a wicked grin.

She unbuckled and leaned over so that her lips brushed his ear. "Hey Niles?" she whispered saucily. " Ever been a member of the ‘Mile High Club’?" her tongue darted out and flicked his lobe.

He looked at her, his tense position relaxing as he remembered what the ‘club’ was comprised of.

"Why no, can I become a member?"

She pressed the release button and the restraints came off. "Only if you don’t mind the initiation." She stood and walked down the aisle to the bathrooms behind the cockpit. He made sure to watch for which door she chose. Once he knew it had been long enough, he walked nonchalantly through the open way between the seats and opened the first door to the left.

"CC," she grabbed his belt and whipped it off.

"Uh, huh?"

He pushed her against the wall and kissed her hard, feeling the animosity and sexual attraction become overwhelming. She ran her nails over his back, slowly at first then faster as the clothes started to come off, the tenderness gone and the wild flavor of hot lips against even hotter skin eagerly replacing it.

"This is what you wanted?" He asked her as the heat rose and it felt as if there was only the rough feel of his body moving with hers.

"Oh, yeah." She breathed as the first attack subsided. Feeling those primeval urges once more she threw her body at his and held on for dear life.

* * *

Maxwell checked his watch again. "Fran, they’ve been gone for three hours. The plane is going to land in less than an hour from now."

His wife smiled. "What? Do you think she threw him out of the plane to show him that flying isn’t so scary after all?" She thought about her question for just a minute, then decided, "Must have been the shrimp."

Max bit his lip. "No, no. That can’t be it."

Just as Maxwell was about to call for assistance to find the missing couple, CC and Niles walked down the aisle single file, keeping interlocked fingers in the space between them. They sat down in the row opposite the Sheffields, Niles on the aisle, aside Max.

"Where have you two been?" Max asked, studying CC’s bare skin that was without a trace of makeup, and Niles’ sudden exhausted appearance.

CC colored and slipped on her headphones, but Niles was more than happy to tell his friend what had happened. Using innuendoes of course.

"So what happened? We were thinking of sending out a search party for the two of you."

"I joined the ‘Mile High Club’…three times."

Maxwell looked over at his wife, who just stared at the couple sitting next to them. "You’re kidding!’

"No." He answered firmly with a raise of his eyebrows. He then turned back to his own wife, pulled the headphones off, and whispered something in her ear.

She giggled nervously. "Oh, Niles! Stop it!" CC playfully slapped him.

"I don’t understand." Max mumbled as he heard the flight attendant tell the passengers that the descent would start and that they should take the proper position for landing.

"Sweetie, remember that movie, ‘National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation’?"

He thought it over. "Yes."

"Do you remember what happened in the first part of the movie?"

He smiled. "They were flying to Vegas and that Clark fellow and his wife went into the bathroom in order to…" He stopped and glanced over at the giggling couple. With a look back over at Fran, his face contorted into a look of pure disgust. "You’re joking! Right Darling?"

Fran made the same face. "Unfortunately, I’m not."

The chatter stopped just as the nose of the plane dipped downward and began its descent.

* * *

Fran poked her head out of the taxi window. There it was the biggest Cruise Ship she had ever seen. It reminded her of the full on shot of the Titanic, though she hoped they would have a better voyage than the real one.

"Sweetie, it looks just like the ‘Love Boat’! I wonder if there are any stars on board."

Maxwell made sure to make direct eye contact with both Fran and CC as he finally told the truth about the trip.

"Funny you should mention that boat. I’ve been sent here to scout this ship as the set of ‘Love Boat: The Movie’."

CC stopped gazing into her husband’s soft blue eyes to meet Maxwell’s dark, serious ones. "Maxwell? Why do we want to work with old has beens in an old has been show? And why would they, whoever the hell they are, think that a television show like the ‘Love Boat’, could be made into a movie?"

"Well, actually CC, the plot is quite interesting. They’re going to use the same captain and crew they had in the original series, but use old sitcom stars as the passengers. That way everyone gets to see their favorites, like that ‘Family Matters’ nerd and the star of ‘Webster’."

"Oo, I hope they have that Butler from ‘The Nanny’. I wonder what he’s been up to since that show ended." Fran put in.

"Not much." Niles answered for her.

"Could they get Fran Drescher?"

Fran smiled. "No, I read an article in ‘People Magazine’. She’s out of the spotlight for now. But she is however working on a pilot for MTV."

The driver let the four off with their luggage and they all boarded the ship.

"Isn’t it beautiful up here?" CC asked in a soft voice as they walked along the deck. Ever since the plane ride, she had been floating on air. "I just love the sea breeze."

Niles watched the wind wrap the soft printed material around her legs. The Tropical dress she had purchased at the last minute reminded him of the outfit she had worn that day after the showdown. Even more so as she hummed, "I’m as restless as a willow in a windstorm…" under her breath.

The Sheffields excused themselves to go to their rooms and unpack so that Niles and CC could walk freely around the deck.

Max picked up Fran and opened the door, crossing the ‘threshold’.

"I booked the King Suite just for us." He whispered while he set her down on the gigantic King bed.

Fran smiled, looking around at the palatial surroundings. She got up, just as Max was coming for her.

"Sweetie, they even have faucets shaped lion’s heads."

Max sighed and caught her around the waist as she leaned on the bathroom doorframe.

"Oh, honey. Are you getting any ideas?"

Her husband pressed his lips on her temple and continued down along her neck.

"You’re right, I don’t need an answer." She turned in his embrace and brought his head up level with hers.

"Fran, I love you."

"Well then prove it."

She leapt into his waiting arms and giggled. "I’m pretty stubborn, you might have to give me more than one reason why you love me."

He rubbed his nose against hers. "Of course I will."

As they collapsed down on the bed in a tangle of arms and legs, the phone rang.

Fran looked up from the ongoing kiss. "Isn’t there supposed to be fireworks instead of a ‘ding’?"

"There will be, right after I take this call Darling." Max picked up the phone.

"Hello? No, this is not a very good time! It isn’t a very good time at all!" Fran could see the vein pounding in his temple at the interruption. His face grew redder and redder as went on with the conversation. "Uh, are you sure? There is no other person to handle this?" While waiting for an answer he smiled over at his wife, looking and feeling neglected. "No one? No one in this whole bloody ship can take over? I’ll be right down. Yes, thank you very much. Uh, huh. Okay. Good bye."

Setting the phone down in a huff, he sat down. "Fran, I’m sorry, but this will just have to wait until I take care of business. The director’s here and demanding my full attention right now at the moment."

"But Max, you said that this would be our second honeymoon. You know, no work?"

"I know, but I wasn’t counting on Earl to be here. I’m sorry again." He got up and smoothed his hair before grabbing his jacket and walking out the door.

Fran got up and decided to sun herself by the pool. There was something that she just didn’t understand. "An Earl is directing this movie? Maybe an Al or a Steve, maybe even a Peter, but an Earl? The series was American for cyrin out loud!"

* * *

Fran met the bubbling couple down at the pool, Niles applying sunscreen to his wife’s back. CC lay stomach down with arms crossed under her chin as Niles sat behind her, dabbing the lotion here and there, then taking all the time in the world to rub it in.

"Hi guys! Mind if I join ya?"

Niles reached out a hand and swung a beach lounger around for Fran to sit on. "Sure. Dumplin, is that okay with you?"

CC looked up through her sunglasses. "It’s okay with me as long as you keep with the SPF 30."

Fran stretched out on the chair and tried hard not to look surprised at the married couple sitting next to her. It finally dawned on her that Niles had changed into his trunks and a short-sleeved Hawaiian shirt that he left unbuttoned and flapping in the wind. Meanwhile CC had changed into a figure flattering whole piece blue bathing suit with a dropped back, hence the need for lotion. She couldn’t see the front, but could speculate that it was a scoop neck.

"When did you have the time to change into these clothes?" Fran asked, gesturing to their attire.

"Oh, we found our Bridal suite and our luggage. Thanks again for taking them. It saved us a lot of much needed time." CC giggled at the end as his hand slipped under the suit’s fabric. "Jeez, watch your hands in public, Mister. Anyway, where’s Maxwell? I thought this was your ‘second honeymoon’?"

Fran sighed. "It was. But the director called him away. Damn reach-us-anywhere cabin phones."

CC raised herself on an elbow and let the sunglasses slide down her nose. "Really? Who’s the director?"

Niles shook his head. "Oh, no. It’s enough that I got you here without your laptop. You are not working." His voice carried that no-nonsense tone.

"Niles, you can not tell me what I can and cannot do." She pulled the corners of her mouth in a coy smile. "Unless it’s about how far I can push your ‘limits’."

Slightly softened, he picked up the aromatherapy oils. "Enough of this lotion. You could stand directly underneath the hole in the ozone layer without any danger of burning with all that SPF I rubbed on your back." He pulled the plug out and waved it in front of his wife’s nose. "Better?"

"Oh, yes."

He raised his eyebrows and formed his mouth into an ‘o’ as she groaned while the oil filled all empty pores and tingled the already coated skin.

"Feels good, doesn’t it?"

She let her arms go out to the sides of her body and hang off the chair. Relaxing completely, she said quietly enough for only his ears to hear. "It’s good, but not as good as you."

Fran smiled and flipped her wrist in the air, laughing off the increasingly uncomfortable situation she was sitting in the thick of. She looked out off the deck and into the ocean.

"Are you sure I’m not imposing?" she asked once again. "I could go shop or something." She turned to find the couple gone, not a trace of their presence visible. It was almost like they were never there to begin with.

"Well, it serves me right. I probably could call Val, or check out the boutiques in the on ship stores." She got up and tied the wrap skirt around her waist, and with one long, depressed, "Oy," left the pool area.

* * *

"Oh-ho Niles!" CC let out a girlish giggle as they stood in line for the Billiards tournament. "You are just too much! But you know I don’t play pool. Why Billiards?"

"Do you remember the film, "Ghost?"

CC winked at him. "No pottery classes, so this was the best you could do?"

"Yeah."

It was their turn to sign up. Niles gave her a playful push to move and answered him by giggling even more. "Niles!"

The administrator looked up from his clipboard. "Let me guess," he speculated, observing their childish interlude. "Newlyweds?"

They both laughed and replied briskly. "Sort of."

"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Davis," he paused, gliding his finger through the columns of passengers. "Seems we have an opening for you two. Do you mind playing with someone?"

They shook their heads.

"Well then." He stood and motioned vaguely to the crowd of waiting singles standing by the window.

Niles and CC stared dreamily into the others’ eyes. For some reason, the "spark" had momentarily gone out. They needed something to put them back in the wonderfully sinful amorous mood that had afflicted both at the start of the trip. The thought of standing behind his wife, showing her how to successfully put the balls in the pocket, and slowly running his fingers over that firm rump of hers had given Niles the "Ghostly familiar" idea.

"Miss Frannie Fine will be your third."

Fran could see just how elated they were at having her there. What else was she to do? Go shopping? That hadn’t worked out. Nothing that looked good on the racks looked good on hers. Though she had found this white gown, but it was too short and too high a neckline for her taste.

And calling Val was a great idea. She’d forgotten that she was away with Fred, trying to get pregnant. She loved her friend dearly, but she wasn’t sure if she should actually reproduce and carry those genes to another generation. Oh well, if she had kids, they would be adorable and sweet. That’s all that mattered.

Now what was she to do, with nothing to buy and no one to talk to?

Niles and CC looked at each other, then back over to their friend.

"Are you thinking, what I’m thinking?" Niles whispered.

"Lifeboats?"

"Actually I was thinking-who the hell cares what I was thinking, let’s go!" He smiled, then his attentions came back to the administrator, waiting somewhat impatiently to take their third and get on with the game. "Cancel our spots. We’re not that bored anymore."

"Uh-huh." The man said knowingly as the couple darted out of the stuffy cabin and into the sea air.

"CC," Niles started as they walked hurriedly to a secluded area of the deck where no one would walk by or disturb them.

"What now?"

"Is this what you wanted?"

CC was incredulous. "Of course! You’ve asked that question several times now and it’s beginning to get on my nerves. Among many other things."

They came to the previously scouted row of lifeboats and Niles helped his wife into one of the covered ones. Once she was safely up, he pulled himself in, rocking the boat quite a bit more than his wife had.

"Hey, if the boat is a rockin, don’t come a knockin." Niles explained himself, as CC yet again giggled while she pulled off her sticky swimsuit.

She shuddered. "I’m so cold here in the shade."

"Well, I’ve got ways of warming you up." He wrapped his arms around her while both kneeled, happy that the boat was deep and recessive.

"I hope that the ship doesn’t go down while we’re in here." CC breathed as she lay down, letting him fully behold the naked wife that he so loved and adored.

He touched her hip and looked at her. "What an awful thing to say. I don’t think anyone would enjoy that."

She suddenly pulled him down to her and kissed him hard. "Enough talk, let’s start rockin this cradle of love."

"I didn’t think you were a Billy Idol fan." He commented as their lips met again.

* * *

Fran sighed and swung her arms restlessly as she walked down the empty deck. Completely depressed and totally lost in thought, she didn’t even notice the freely swinging lifeboat out of the corner of her eye.

Bored, she was bored. Billiards hadn’t worked out; the man she was paired up with didn’t even care about the six and a half carats wedding ring that she so proudly displayed. Fran not only did this out of pride, but it drove away a creepy character or two lurking about the deck, drawn to her only because of her persistent taste in clothing. Unfortunately, her partner was one of those lurkers.

She smiled. How stupid she had been for actually believing that Max would stop working for something as minor as this. It was only their second honeymoon. After all, the first hadn’t been a total loss.

"Fran! Fran darling!"

She turned to see her husband running to catch up with her…with a script in his hand. Fran’s quickly developing good mood faded.

"Max!"

"Fran, I’m so sorry about the delay. Earl insisted that I had to be there for the meeting with the cast, the meeting with the other producers, the list goes on and on."

"Don’t worry about it sweetie. Wait, did you say the cast?"

Max looked down at his feet. "Yes."

"Oh! Was-"

He stopped his wife before she could start berating him with questions about the stars. "Fran, I didn’t sneak out of the Editor’s meeting only to talk about what I’ve only been thinking about for the past three hours now did I?"

She kissed him softly. "No, no. You came here because I was here, right?"

He kissed her back. "Yes. That and I have to get back in forty-five minutes from now for the Movie Dinner Celebration."

"Gee, now what can you do with me that will take forty-five minute-wait, Movie Dinner Celebration?"

"Darling, concentrate on the important things, alright?"

Fran shook her head. "Now, who am I to complain?"

* * *

"Niles, remind me the next time we do that, I’m on top. I’ve got a splinter in my back."

Niles lifted her feathery shoulder-length hair up to see for himself. "You’re right. I’m sorry love."

CC took her hand in his and started the walk back to their compartment. The sun was low in the sky, sending rays of deep reds and oranges throughout the clouds, and reflecting all light off the water. Both stopped at an empty part of the railing and cuddled together.

"This must be the most popular spot on the boat." Niles commented, looking around to find couples of every age staring off into the ocean, the marvelous array of colors glinting in each eye.

CC snuggled closer into his embrace and brought his arms around to rest on her stomach. She leaned in, knowing that he would catch her if she were to fall asleep. Exhaustion was the number one thing on her mind.

"Niles?"

He looked down, unable to see her dancing blue eyes through the thickness of her hair. "Hmm?"

"Isn’t it the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen?"

He smiled. "It comes close, but nothing compares to you."

She turned her head to look at him. "What are you trying to say?"

Niles pulled his right hand up and brushed the view-blocking strands away from her face. "I mean to say that you are the most amazing thing I have ever seen. You’re also just pure ‘amazing’." Pausing to lift his eyebrows and crack a cocky grin, he continued. "If you catch my drift."

CC nodded and fully turned her body to face him. Throwing her arms around his neck, she softly covered his lips with hers. He held her close; for fear that the kiss would end, but felt ashamed when the sweet flavor of her tongue passed through his lips to tantalize his.

She pulled back, releasing him from her grasp and spun back around to watch the distant sun melt into the ocean, her back to his chest and his head resting against hers. "Oh, I fully catch your drift Butler Boy."

He laughed. Her pet name for him still had its effect even after half a year without any classic arguments.

"I wonder where Nanny Fine and Maxwell are?" CC mused quietly.

"I don’t see them here on this part of the deck. Maybe they’re in their room, having a romantic dinner in."

"Speaking of that, are you hungry?"

He pressed his mouth to her ear for a private whisper. "Depends, for what?"

"I don’t know. I’m in the mood for something sweet."

"Special Sundaes?"

They both broke out of the romantic interlude and back into reckless abandon. They ran along the deck, laughing and carefree.

"I’ll get the order through!" Niles tossed her the key and departed from the race down another deck, stopping to suddenly walk by some staff, then run after he had cleared them. Chuckling to herself, CC jogged to their compartment, let herself in, and then quickly began to rifle through her suitcase for the perfect outfit.

"I know I threw it in here this morning!" a sock flew past her right ear, then her "regular" pajamas. "Aha!" CC pulled out the can of whip cream and entered the bathroom.

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