Ashes and Rebirth

Part Three of the Phoenix Fire Series.

by

Ceniana
(Ceniana@gmail.com)

C.C. let out a groan looking over the landscape of the cemetery. "Nick, did you do as I asked?" She tilted her head towards her grandmother’s old driver, and he nodded.

"Yes, Miss Babcock, but it was trickier than I thought." Nick smirked as the people gathered for the burial service. "I felt rather strange."

C.C. couldn’t hide her playful smile. Nick and she had stolen Gram’s ashes last night, replacing them with ashes from Stuart’s fire place. It was a rather cold thing to do, and at times, C.C. felt strange guilt pains. "I hope they hurry up and get this over with."

Niles held open the door for Maxwell to step out. "It’s bloody cold out here today."

"If you get closer to the Babcocks, sir… I’m sure they have a kettle boiling for their newest spell for the dearly departed." Niles’s eyes drifted towards C.C. and Lucas.

"That’s a good idea, old man." Maxwell smirked, hiding a soft chuckle.

Lucas felt his teeth chatter, standing next to S.J. … or Stuart Junior.. Noel’s son. "Gram would be having a fit right now." S.J. let out a long hiss towards his cousin. "Do they all know about you or what?" he looked up into Lucas’s clean shaven face.

"Why?" Lucas smirked at his younger cousin.

"Grandma B.B. didn’t demand you leave… She just growled at Nick this time." S.J. let out a small laugh, covering his mouth once his father glared at him.

C.C. let out a grumble. She could hear the priest but the words gave her no comfort. Her eyes drift towards his deep blue eyes. "Niles." Her heart started to beat again as he flashed a smile towards her.

Lucas watched his parents exchange looks, letting out a long sigh. "What am I going to do about them?" Lucas mumbled under his breath.

C.C. felt her head swim and couldn’t hide her growing smile knowing the ashes being put next to her grandfather’s body were not Gram. "What’s wrong, kitten?" Stuart walked up beside her.

"Nothing…" C.C. reached out, taking one of the long stem roses. "I’ll be along in a moment." C.C. tilted her head as Stuart walked toward his limo.

Niles had remained behind, letting out a long sigh. "She was a rare thing for a Babcock." He reached C.C.’s side, touching her cheek.

"She had a heart." C.C. let out a whimper, fighting the tears again.

"You do, too." Niles turned his head, making sure the limos had all left. He knew Maxwell waited for him in his limo, but his phone call to Fran could last hours. He pulled the whimpering C.C. into his arms.

C.C. felt her whole body let go. In his arms, she couldn’t control her emotions any longer, letting out a soft sob.

Niles felt his whole body shiver as C.C. pulled him even tighter against her chest. He wanted so badly to drag her away to some private corner where she could really let go. Niles lifted up his head, seeing Lucas. He had been so quiet sneaking up on them. "We… we have to get going." Lucas blushed.

C.C. nodded quietly, still in Niles’s arms. She never wanted to leave the one place she had always felt safe. Lucas quickly backed away towards the limo, hopping inside, smiling at Tish.

"Do you think people can ever fall out of love?" Lucas leaned forward towards his one time nanny.

"I don’t believe you can… I think we take with us pieces of old loves…"

"Someone better not!" Nick let out a grumble as Tish laughed lightly.

"Men…" Tish shook her head, looking over at Lucas. "Why? Is C.C. alright?" Tish started to move towards the door, and Lucas took her hand.

"Give her a few more moments."

C.C. found herself staring into his deep blue eyes. "Why are you here?" She closed her eyes, feeling him once more touch her cheek.

Niles couldn’t speak. His mouth trembled searching for some words of comfort. "You think Mister Sheffield wanted to drive the limo himself? That silly man can barely drive his own car in New York traffic."

C.C. let out a laugh, wiping away her tears. "Sometimes you’re less of a mean, miserable, old man."

"Ditto." Niles smirked, letting go of her hand. "Are you going to be alright, Miss Babcock?"

C.C. managed to flash a small smile before walking back towards the limo. Niles felt his heart race, pulling out the small picture of C.C. holding Lucas. "You fight the fights that need fighting." Niles mumbled, putting the picture back in his pocket and walked towards Maxwell.

C.C. let out a groan. "What does Gram have in her will, Nick?" She sat next to him in the passenger seat.

"You know Gram… even in death, she’ll move all." Nick pulled out, letting out a long sigh.

C.C. felt her cheeks blush, looking at her siblings and their children. Lucas had taken his place next to Nick in the back of the room. "Come here, Lucas." C.C. took his arm smiling.

"Are we going to get started sometime today?" B.B.’s annoyed voice rang out in the small room.

D.D. let out a groan and eyed her so called husband standing next to her mother. "Nice to know you cared so deeply for Gram, Mother."

"The old witch was nothing more than a thorn in my side." B.B. let out a long hiss as everyone in the room let out a loud groan.

The lawyer walked in quietly, eyeing the gathered group. "Greetings, everyone."

"Please, I have an appointment tomorrow." The Frenchman’s accent made everyone groan. D.D.’s husband had been forced upon her by B.B. when she admitted to being pregnant out of wedlock.

"Why is he here anyway? Why is she here?" D.D. waved towards B.B. and her own husband.

"To give you support, my dear." The man smirked, shaking his head. "It wouldn’t be proper for Fredrick to be here."

C.C. watched as her sister groaned. "Let’s get started, Richard." She turned her head towards Gram’s lawyer. "The sooner we get away from some people, the better!" C.C. waved Nick and Tish up by her and Lucas.

Everyone stood, transfixed as the T.V. was turned on. Lucy Babcock’s smiling face brightened the screen. "Well, well! The day some of you have waited for is here! I’m finally rid of you all!"

The room filled with soft laughter, looking at the screen. "She always did have a dry sense of humor." Nick grumbled, shaking his head.

"Now, Nick… I know you are the only one not laughing! Even my witch of an ex-daughter in-law is laughing, no doubt…" Gram winked, shaking her head. "Now, to the heart of the matter! I have left some personal messages for a few of you. I’m sure Richard will deliver them soon." Richard walked past, handing out tapes, and C.C. noted a few extra on his table.

"Now, you all know the ‘Morgan’ trust is worth more than the ‘Babcock’ trust. All of you are included… Not you B.B. or that mess of a husband you stuck your daughter with… I have something special for you."

C.C. let out a snarl. "Please, tell me we get to boil them in oil." C.C. let out another soft snicker as Lucas held back a laugh.

"Nick and Stuart will share guardianship of the trust."

"Nick?" Stuart tilted his head in shock as C.C. let out a huge laugh.

"Seems like you’re stuck with us, Nick." C.C. winked towards a blushing Nick and Tish. "For better or worse."

"Wonderful…" Nick let out a groan as Gram started again.

"I can see even from beyond the grave how B.B. thought she was going to share this duty with Stuart… well stuff it, you old heartless hag! I remember those five days I spent in a French jail when you made D.D. marry that worthless man…I remember every moment your children tried to turn to you for tenderness only to be denied. This will and the treasures I have given out are iron clad."

With that, Richard reached over turning off the screen. "The will divides things up between the two families."

"Families?" D.D. tilted her head towards Nick. "What is it about you, Nick?"

"I’ll send you all the details, but I have some of her personal property to hand out as well." Richard eyed B.B. who stood up. "Do you have a question, Mrs. Babcock?"

"I’m leaving… I hope the old witch burns in hell." B.B. turned, storming out of the room.

"Ahhhh, did the air get cleaner in here or is it just me?" Noel leaned over, causing C.C. to laugh again.

Lucas felt his lower lip tremble, and C.C. took his hand. "It’s almost over, kiddo." She whispered softly in her son’s ear.

C.C. heard all the legal talk. Letting out a long sigh, she walked back into the large estate where Gram had spent most of her life. People had already gathered at the estate. She walked into the room, tilting her head. His blue eyes stared into her soul, and she felt her whole body shiver. "Doesn’t Maxwell have some errand for you to run?"

"He told me to haul out some trash before we leave." Niles offered her his arm, and he was shocked when C.C. took it. "We need to talk again and soon, C.C." His voice was low but full of desire and longing.

"What do we have to talk about, bell boy?" C.C. smirked as Niles turned her around in his arms.

He wanted to scream out about Lucas. He wanted to drag her to some private corner of the house and show her how much he had regretted his decision years ago. "Please C.C.!"

"Alright… soon Niles… not now." She reached up, touching his cheek.

Richard let out a cough, having walked into the hall way. "Niles Butler?" He tilted his head towards Niles.

"Yes?" Niles blinked as Richard handed over the video tape.

C.C. felt her whole body shiver, looking down at the tape. "Niles… I…" Her mind raced, thinking what Gram might want Niles to know.

"Niles, old man! Are you ready?" Maxwell smiled, walking up towards his butler and old friend.

"Yes sir…" His eyes turned to find C.C. missing. "Bloody hell." He mumbled, following Maxwell outside. As he climbed in the back of the limo, he caught a glimpse of Lucas with his head lowered.

Niles closed his eyes. "Are you coming, old man?" Maxwell rolled down the window looking at Niles. "Is everything alright?"

"No sir, but hopefully soon." Niles eyed the small tape in his hand, climbing into the driver seat.

………………………………..........................................

C.C. let out a long sigh, walking back inside the condo. "Well, what now?" Lucas tossed his tape aside and eyed his mother. "What’s the next step?"

"Next step with what?" C.C. turned her head towards Lucas and walked over towards her small bar. She poured herself a healthy helping of bourbon. "Lucas… how many times do I have to tell you?"

"To stay out of it?" Lucas let out a snicker. "Mother, isn’t it past time you end this?"

"End what?" C.C. took a large gulp.

"Tell him how you feel!" Lucas rolled his eyes.

"I just buried my grandmother today, Lucas… now is not the time to act like a love sick puppy." C.C. once again poured herself a large glass of bourbon, and Lucas let out a groan.

"Why did Nick accept a job from you when he’s inherited millions?" Lucas let out a sigh, dropping the ‘Niles’ issue for just a moment.

"Lucas… I’m not in the mood to talk right now."

Lucas put his hand on the bottle. "Mother… don’t .. would you just let it go." Lucas touched her cheek as C.C. felt her lower lip tremble.

C.C. felt her heart crashing as Lucas did his best to hold her still. She let out a soft whimper, feeling the flood gates once more open up wide. "Why... is it everything or everyone I care for goes away?"

"Mother… we need to talk about my father." Lucas lifted up her chin. "He didn’t know..."

"He didn’t know what?" C.C. dried her eyes, trying to get her sobs under control. "What are you talking about, Lucas?"

"When Niles pushed you away… he saw something…" Lucas felt his gut twist in knots thinking about his.

"What did he see?" C.C. narrowed her eyes, feeling the ice flood back inside her veins.

"Don’t!" Lucas let out a hiss.

"What? Are you going to answer my question, Lucas?" C.C. placed her hands on her hips eyeing the young man.

"He thought you were Aunt D.D." Lucas shook his head. "He saw a blonde headed woman making love to Lord Charles… Edward Butler saw that, and…"

C.C. felt her jaw drop then twist in anger. "Are you telling me… Niles just believed I would sleep with another man after all we had been through that summer?" C.C. felt the spark of anger grip her soul.

Lucas let out a sigh. "Mother… please don’t make the same mistake he did."

"I’m not going to make the same mistake… I’m going to grind him into the dirt, that half witted… " C.C. felt her heart pounding… and every name she had ever called Niles started to run through her head.

"Mother…" Lucas felt regret, reaching out to touch her arm. "Do not allow your grief over Gram to cloud your judgment about him."

C.C. let out a groan but made a mental note to make Niles suffer down the road. "I’ll keep my temper in check… how in the hell did you find this out?"

"When … Gram and I went… to England." Lucas braced for the explosion of her temper but blinked when she remained quiet. "Mother?"

"Why did you go to England?" C.C. narrowed her eyes.

"To keep my promise." Lucas now felt his lower lip tremble looking into her blue eyes. "Mother, since Aunt Sara’s death, you have done nothing but look to Maxwell Sheffield as your knight in shinning armor."

"Yes? What’s your point?!"

"You have been avoiding Niles Butler for years… You have been avoiding everything… Remember, I had to beg you when I was fourteen to get any information out of you."

"We are not having this fight right now, Lucas." C.C. rolled her eyes.

"You have been searching for a knight in shinning armor since day one! You only need to give in just a little and admit what you feel." Lucas turned her around to face him. "He still loves you."

"I despise him."

"Gram once said there is a fine line between love and hate." Lucas let out a long sigh, letting go of her. He watched as C.C. stormed towards her room, and Nick walked inside.

"Problems?" He heard the door slamming as Lucas let out a long sigh, putting away the glass and pouring the remaining liquor back inside the bottle.

"Well, they say you can’t raise parents." Lucas turned his head. "Tell me something good Nick… anything, please."

Nick smiled, shaking his head. "Is Chester up?"

"Hiding now, with mother." Lucas tilted his head, letting out a soft whimper. "At least he’s more agreeab--…" Lucas turned back around to come face to face with Rachael Adams.

"Rach…" Lucas reached up, hugging the blind girl tightly to his chest.

"Now behave, young man… Robert put her under our care for the next two weeks, Lucas." Nick crossed his arms, watching as Lucas held her even tighter. "That means you will remain a gentleman."

"How are you? I know it’s a rather silly question." Rachel flashed a bright smile as Jager, her seeing eye dog, whimpered for Lucas to pet his head.

"I’ve made a mess of everything." Lucas let out a whimper. "I don’t even know where to start."

………………………………..........................................

C.C. let out a grumble, sitting down at the table. Last night was awful with Lucas’s information. "What ever I normally have, make it a double." She tapped her foot, looking at her watch.

"Well, angel, do you need to take your Prozac today? Or do you need to call your father because you’re out pass curfew?" Colin smirked, sitting down beside her.

Colin had been a breath of fresh hair these past two days after Gram’s death. C.C. would always move quickly with any relationship, but there was something about Colin. He was witty and charming in his own right. "You would know my curfew… didn’t you get spanked last night!" C.C. purred, leaning towards him.

"What was that noise when I took you home last night, Angel?" Colin tilted his head as C.C. let out a grumble.

"A boy who can forget about his trust fund if he pushes me."

"What was that?"

"Just the last man who dumped me." C.C. fluttered her eyelashes, and Colin let out a laugh. "We need to get down to business."

"Then don’t we need to find the local street corner for that, angel?"

C.C. felt a shiver crawl up her spine. Something about this man reminded her of something. "Honestly, Colin! I have heard that joke before." C.C. let out a snicker as the waiter put a plate down before her.

"Salad, my dear?" Colin looked at the huge green plate before C.C.

"Something, Lucas …." C.C. stopped herself as Colin raised an eyebrow.

"Who is Lucas?"

"Lucas is …. Lucas… is not a part of business." C.C. let out a hiss, her playful tone from earlier gone.

"Now, don’t snarl!" Colin leaned back in his chair laughing. "You should roar rather than snarl at a person!"

"Would you rather I bark then?" C.C. smirked, setting him up for another insult.

"Depends on how hard you bite, my dear!"

C.C. let out a loud laugh, but in the back of her mind, doubt remained. Colin was everything she ‘should’ love. He was rich… successful. But he wasn’t ‘Niles’.

………………………………...........................................

Lucas smirked, walking up, opening the door. "Well, Mister Butler!" He opened the door wide, waving him in. "To what do I owe the surprise?"

"Lucas… I need answers… I need…" Niles’s eyes were filled with doubts again, and Lucas placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Come here." Lucas lead Niles down he hall and opened the door to his room.

Niles was taken aback at all the ‘Action’ movie posters and the bookcase filled with toy knights.

"I wanted to change up my room again, but mother wouldn’t have it since I’m … not going to be here next year." Lucas grumbled as Niles did a double take.

"College?" Niles felt his face flush as Lucas nodded quietly.

"Westpoint…" Lucas smirked as Niles let out a groan. "What? Not you too!"

"No, it’s just I heard your mother making a comment in my head." Niles shook his head slowly. "Nevermind."

"On that subject… I told her about you thinking she had slept with Lord Charles." Lucas narrowed his eyes as Niles let out a rather large groan. "What?"

"I’m wondering if I have my plated underwear on today or not." Niles looked up towards the heavens. "Not that I don’t deserve what she throws at me."

"What do you mean?"

"I left her pregnant and alone, Lucas." Niles looked down at his hands.

"Listen…. Gram once said if you regret every past mistake, you’ll never move towards the future… you need to get over it and go on with life."

"We need to learn from past mistakes, though, young man." Niles pointed his index finger towards Lucas.

"We need to learn, yes… but you and mother have become almost crippled by the past." Lucas rolled his eyes once. "I have spent my whole life with that…. Mother was too afraid to allow me to go anywhere because the tabloids might find out about her ‘love’ child. You gave up on Katherine because you couldn’t let go of her."

"I… I did not!" Niles stood up straight, eyeing the young man.

"So you say… Why didn’t you accept the job offer back in England?" Lucas tapped his fingers lightly.

"You…you talked with her?" Niles did a double take. "Wait a moment, young man… I have thousands of questions to ask you!"

"Ahhh, changing the subject are we, Mister Butler?" Lucas let out a husky laugh, looking at his blushing face.

"Some subjects are off limits, young man." Niles let out a grumble, sitting on Lucas’s bed.

"So I take it your relationship with Katherine is one of those subjects?" Lucas went towards his closet, pulling out a small folder. "Here." He tossed it towards Niles.

Niles opened the book, seeing pictures from Lucas’s childhood. "Lucas… I’m…"

"Sorry? Don’t be… I think if you start assigning blame, you’ll never get anywhere… What I’m asking here, Niles… is for you to fight."

Niles turned another page, shocked to see Chandler Evan’s smiling face staring back at him. He stood next to C.C. and Lucas, smiling at some sort of sporting event. "Chandler knows who you are?"

"Yeah…" Lucas pulled out his desk chair. "Mother told him a few days before the big ‘break up’."

Niles slammed the book, eyeing Lucas. "Seems like everyone found out about my son."

"You admit it then…" Lucas shook his head, forcing Niles to sit back down. "Even without a DNA test… hhe fact I am your son."

"I…I…" Niles blinked, looking up at the young man’s blue eyes.

"Now, Mister Butler. Remember what I said about the past." Lucas then bent down, picked the book off the floor, and handed it back to Niles. "It’s yours!"

"C.C. was scared when she found out she was pregnant with him." Nick was standing in the doorway watching the pair. "I’m sorry."

"No, Nick, go ahead." Lucas smirked as his mentor came in.

"She denied she was pregnant up until the fourth month." Nick let out a long sigh. "It was only after a weekend staying with Lucy did we find out."

"How?"

"C.C. was always painfully thin back then but started to put on a bit of weight despite her best efforts. She collapsed in Lucy’s arms one night, and we called in a doctor." Nick shifted in the doorway, keeping his eyes on Niles.

"Gram wouldn’t let her return to school." Lucas tilted his head. "Babcocks are funny creatures. When they go into a shell it’s hard to get them out."

"Gram started to arrange for C.C. to finish the semester via mail." Nick shook his head. "Her parents never found out. Too busy with their own ‘affairs’ at the time."

"So neglect became our ally." Lucas handed him another picture from the desk of a young couple.

"What’s this?" Niles did a double take, looking down at the young couple.

"My would-be adoptive parents." Lucas watched Niles’s face turn pale.

"Have you played Lucy’s tape yet, Niles?" Nick pointed towards a shocked Niles, who slowly shook his head.

"No…not yet…"

"I suggest when you get home… you find some time to play it." Nick let out a groan, leaving the doorway.

……………………………….....................................................

Niles let out a groan walking back inside the Sheffield home. "NILES!" Maxwell’s loud scream could be heard. "NILES! O, there you are, old man!"

"What??" Niles let out a groan.

"Is something wrong, Niles?" Maxwell tilted his head as Niles put up his coat.

"Nothing more than normal… Has Miss Babcock shown up today, sir?" Niles walked down the two stairs to face Maxwell.

"Not yet! I was wondering if you had seen Fran, today?"

"Who is coming you don’t want her to meet?" Niles managed a weak laugh as Maxwell let out a groan.

"Lynn Redgrave." Maxwell let out a groan as Niles let out another laugh.

"I’ll try and prepare something special for her arrival." Niles walked up the stair case grumbling.

In his room, he quickly sat down on his bed putting aside the book Lucas had given him. He reached for the tape, turning on his small television. He turned on the VCR, putting in the tape.

The picture was in black and white. Niles could tell this VCR tape was transferred from another. "Do you wish to see him?" Niles narrowed his eyes as the camera focused on the bed. His hand reached up to touch the woman laying in it.

"Yes." Her voice was timid and lacked the power she had once had while in Oxford. A small bundle was placed in her arms as C.C. tossed her hair to the side.

Niles stood transfixed by the events playing out before him. He noticed a man entering the room. "Have you decided on what you want to do, Miss Babcock?" Niles recognized the voice as Gram’s lawyer from her funeral.

"Give me a moment." C.C.’s blue eyes no longer had the same sparkle, and Niles felt his heart race as the man left the room.

She looked back down at the sleeping form, and the baby opened his blue eyes, letting out a gurgle seeing his mother.

"I don’t know what to do… You need a father… you need a family worthy of you." She touched the baby’s head. "I’m not good with children… you can ask Sara."

The little baby let out another gurgle, his little hand reaching out for her finger.

"Please don’t do this to me, kiddo." C.C. let out a whimper. "I can’t give you what you need… You need a father."

Niles lowered his head, trying to fight the onset of emotions.

"C.C…. It’s time to make up your mind." Gram walked in the room, reaching out, touching the little boy.

C.C. released the small bundle as the baby started to cry out. "No! Please…"

Gram stood still looking at C.C. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." C.C. let out a tearful whimper as the boy was placed in her arms.

Gram leaned over as the child quieted down in C.C.’s arms. "You see, he likes you." She let out a soft giggle as C.C. blushed. "I’ll be right back… I need to let Richard know my great-grandson is staying."

Gram moved out of the room slowly as C.C. nuzzled the little boy. C.C. blinked as she thought she heard a laugh. "You’re in trouble now, mister." She looked down into the little boy’s eyes. "I’ll try and explain to you why he couldn’t be with us… I’ll try. Be less of a witch when you’re around?…. I’m making no promises ….kid…" C.C. let out a hiss as the baby let out another playful gurgle.

The baby shifted, letting out a yawn and closing his eyes.

"God… I hope we don’t regret this…" She let out a soft sob. "Niles…."

Niles felt his heart breaking as C.C.’s face started to harden. He started to wonder if at this point, she became the cold hearted version of the woman he knows. He pushed pause on the tape shaking his head. "Somehow… Some way… I’ll win you both back… I promise." Niles reached out, touching the screen with his finger.

………………………………...........................................

"So… you are looking to attend Juilliard soon?" Lucas took her hand, walking her in the park at night. The stars seemed to twinkle as both felt safe with Nick walking behind.

"Does he always hover like that?" Rachael let a giggle, pulling Lucas closer.

"He does when the honor of a beautiful girl’s at stake." Lucas teased her cheek and let out a sigh. "I’m so mixed up, Rach… They both know the truth but are still miles apart."

"It takes time, Lucas." Rachael stopped them and sat down on a bench. "You know, my mother always sang to me when moments of doubt over shadow my faith."

"Sing to me!" Lucas touched her cheek tenderly. "I have never heard you sing before."

"Lucas, I don’t know if I can…" Rachael tilted her head towards the many noises in the park at night.

"You want to teach music one day… come on I’ll sing with you…" Lucas took both of her hands. "When I was little… well, not so little… Gram would sing me one song."

"What was it?" Rachael leaned closer, enjoying his tender touch as her dog Jager snuggled with them.

"’Somewhere Out There’, she said it reminded her of my parents." Lucas felt his lower lip trembling as Rachel’s hand touched it tenderly.

"Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight. Someone’s thinking of me and loving me tonight." Rachael’s voice was soft and tender filling the light air.

*C.C. let a long sigh, pouring another large drink and looking at a faded picture of her and Niles in London.*

"Somewhere out there someone’s saying a prayer that we’ll find one another in that big somewhere out there." Lucas’s voice was as deep as Niles; looking into her sightless eyes, he was transfixed.

*Niles once more replayed the tape of C.C. holding little Lucas in her arms letting out a long sigh.*

"And Even though I know how very far apart we are, it helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star." Lucas touched her cheek as a tear fell down his face.

"And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby, it helps to think we’re sleeping underneath the same big sky." Rachael moved in closer as Lucas felt his body shiver.

*C.C. picked up a picture of Gram holding her as a little girl and sat down on her bed, touching the old woman’s face.*

"Somewhere out there if love can see us through. Then we’ll be together somewhere out there, out where dreams come true." Lucas and Rachael’s voices started to blend together in perfect harmony.

*Niles slowly opened the book Lucas gave his and turned each page slowly.*

"And even though I know how very far apart we are. It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star." Lucas looked up towards the heavens and then back to her face.

"And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby, it helps to think we’re sleeping underneath the same big sky." Rachael felt the sting of her own tears as she touched his face.

*C.C. shook her head, trying to once more banish thoughts of Niles out of her head.*

"Somewhere out there, if love can see us through. Then we’ll be together somewhere out there… out where dreams come true." Lucas felt his whole body give into his own grief over Gram’s loss as he held Rachael.

"They’ll find one another again." Rachael pulled him close as Nick walked up, but she heard his heavy footsteps and lifted up a hand to stop him.

"God … I hope so." Lucas let out another whimper. "I don’t make a very good ‘Babcock,’ do I?"

"No, but you have the voice of a ‘Butler’ and the heart to match." Rachael reached up, touching his cheek.

"Hardly…" Lucas let out a playful smirk. "I don’t scrub toilets."

"You have some voice, and you want to go into the Military?"

"Not you, too…" Lucas let out a groan. "Mother is already having a fit about my choice."

"What does she say?" Rachael put on a playful smirk.

"That she always knew my ‘servant’ blood would get the better of me sooner or later." Lucas couldn’t hide his laughter, letting out a soft giggle.

………………………………......................................................

"That’s it, you’re going to Harvard." Maxwell waved his hand towards Fran as C.C. walked into the room.

"Yeah right, that and she’s twenty-nine. Let’s lump all those delusions together." C.C. looked in the mirror, wondering if her sleepless night was showing. Her face broke out into a smirk as Niles stood behind her.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, why must I look like Charles De Gaulle." Niles smirked, wanting to corner her for a long talk, but C.C. started to walk away from him.

"I don’t’ have time for you… I’m being taken out tonight."

"In that case, I’ll pull back the drapes and give the gunman a cleaner shot." Niles smirked, opening the door.

Niles wasn’t sure what happened next as the man known as Colin… or was it Colon, walked inside, making a few rude comments towards C.C. His head twisted as C.C. responded to his jokes. "He could go on like that all night." C.C. leaned against the door as Niles felt jealousy grip his heart.

"Well, when the clothes come off the insults write themselves!" Niles leaned against the door, his face falling.

C.C. let out a giggle as Colin whispered something else in her ear. "You’re bad!" She leaned over touching his chin.

Colin leaned back as the driver started the limo. "Come on, angel, let’s go have some fun."

Niles walked towards the stairs, letting out a mumble and peeling off his jacket. He just wanted to climb back in bed and forget about ‘Colon’. His mind raced back towards the tape and let out another long sigh.

He once again turned on the tape but was shocked to see Lucy Babcock’s aged face now at the very end. "Now you know, Niles… You still have questions, no doubt, but now you know how she turned." Lucy waved her index finger into the camera. "Now, I know she didn’t tell you the truth at first in England… and you thought the worst because of it…" She lowered her hand letting out a long sigh. "Niles…. I have been keeping them safe for you, but it’s up to you to break threw that huge wall she’s built up. If you are listening to this you have one ally…. Lucas."

Niles climbed into his silk pajamas, letting out a long sigh.

……………………………….....................................................

C.C. let out a giggle as Colin nuzzled her ear. "Is this seat taken?" Lucas’s tall figure stood over them. C.C. let out a gasp, looking up into those deep blue eyes as Lucas sat down. "So do I get to call him Daddy or what?"

"C.C., who is this creature?" Colin did a double take as C.C. started to blush.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at C.C. "I’m the Butler hellspawn." Lucas tilted his head back towards Colin, smiling. "If you know what’s good for you mister…"

"My name is Colin, young man. What kind of street trash..."

C.C. felt her face flush in anger. "How dare you talk to him that way!"

"Angel? He is being quite rude." Colin leaned back. "He could be any gutter trash off the street."

"Pot calling kettle." Lucas let out a snicker as a waiter delivered him a soda.

"Listen, young man, who are you?" Colin stood up, hovering over Lucas, who started to laugh.

"I’m a shadow."

"C.C.? Angel!" Colin leaned up. "I’m having this man thrown out."

Colin stood up as C.C. was between rage and fear, looking into those blue eyes. "You’re pushing me, Lucas."

"Well, it’s past time someone pushed you towards something… besides this Niles clone."

"Stop it…" C.C. hissed, pushing on him playfully. She couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her own mouth as Lucas tickled his mother’s cheek.

"Mother… please…." Lucas let out a groan, noticing the two officers heading their way. "I didn’t ask for this, but you’re a punk of a …"

C.C. let out a groan, raising her hand up to quiet him. Colin came back towards the table with the two officers in tow. "Gentlemen?" C.C. looked up, fluttering her eyes quickly.

"Is this man bothering you?" One of the officers came forward looking at Lucas.

"No…"

"Angel?" Colin did a double take, letting out a hiss. "You really know this creature?"

"Yes I do." C.C. shook her head as Lucas leaned back, putting an arm around his mother’s shoulder.

Colin let out a hiss as both cops rolled their eyes, leaving the table. "So are you collecting gutter rats, my dear? Or is he something else…."

C.C. rolled her eyes looking at Colin. "Would you shut up?"

"It’s alright… I can share." Colin let out a teasing purr as Lucas started coughing up the soda he had just gulped down.

"Go away… slowly, before I kill you." C.C. let out a long hiss as Colin took his briefcase walking away.

"O, yeah … He was a keeper." Lucas rolled his eyes as C.C. tilted her head. "Why do you fall for these losers?"

"Why won’t you allow me to make my own mistakes?" C.C. shook her head as Lucas purred playfully.

"Mother… it’s because you keep on making the same mistake over and over… You want him to suffer, but instead, you are." Lucas let out a low growl, eyeing his mother.

"Lucas… don’t start with me… I’m the parent around here."

"Then for once, Mother… start acting like it." Lucas stood up, shaking his head. "I have to get going."

"So you come here just to ruin my date?" C.C. stood up, letting out a long sigh.

"No, I came here to invite you to dinner with Rachael later in the week."

"Who is Rachael?" C.C. shook her head, looking at Lucas.

"A girl… You know…" Lucas let out a snicker. "Have fun screaming at actors today, Mother… You look like you need some sort of release."

………………………………..................................................

Niles stood in front of the mirror, looking at his aged features. He was no longer the youthful man that had romanced her while in Oxford. "I was never young." Niles shook his head, holding up the flowers. "Miss Babcock, I have known you since you were a little calf." He shook his head again letting out a groan.

C.C. opened the door, letting out a groan as Niles came forward.

"It’s time I got something out in the open!" Niles came forward as C.C. was pulling off her coat.

"Would you spit it out? Colin just dumped me on the phone, and I have a call to make to the IRS." C.C. let out large snarl, eyeing him.

"So you aren’t seeing him anymore?"

"No!" C.C. narrowed her eyes, looking down at his suit. "You’re wearing your fancy pants!" She pointed at his slacks, letting out a soft giggle. "Niles has a crush on someone!"

"Do not!" Niles put on his best pouting face.

"Niles and his girl friend D-U-S-T-I-N-G!" C.C. let out another evil laugh while dancing around. "Come on who is it?"

Niles felt his face turn bright red as Lynn Redgrave walked into the room. "It’s her!" Niles ran over quickly as C.C. tilted her head, noticing Lynn’s look hardening then softening as Niles took her arm.

C.C. tilted her head, watching them leave. "Good lord, what the hell is wrong with today!"

"What’s wrong, Miss Babcock?" The small one stood before her smiling. "You seem upset!"

"I’m not upset… You wouldn’t understand!" C.C. let out a long sigh, pulling a compact out of her purse.

"Well, you have had a rather long week this week… With your grandmother passing away." She reached up leading her over towards the couch.

"Listen… Grace I’m not in the mood to have my head examined." C.C. stood up, letting out a long sigh, and she looked at Maxwell’s youngest child. "What?" She blinked, noticing that Gracie jaw was on the floor.

"You said my name." Gracie broke out into a huge smile. She then narrowed her eyes at the elder woman. "Maybe you should go see Bort!"

C.C. let out a long sigh, looking up at the ceiling. "Later!" She waved her hand around, trying to drive the picture of Niles leaning on Lynn Redgrave out of her mind.

Niles blushed, regretting his actions. He felt like a childish boy around C.C. "I’m sorry to have used you like that, Miss Redgrave."

"Darling, why did you feel the need to pretend?"

"My courage sometimes fails me around her." Niles tilted her head towards the living room. "At one time, she would have accepted my profession, but now… she’s the ice queen."

"Can I give you some advice?" Lynn flashed a smile. "I was just teaching Mrs. Sheffield something about class, but perhaps you need the most help!"

"Yes, Miss?" Niles tilted his head.

"Next time you feel your courage failing you, remember what it is you’re fighting for." Lynn winked once, walking back towards Maxwell’s office.

………………………………...............................................

Bort rolled her eyes as C.C. came storming in her office. "Where have you been, Bort?" C.C. started her normal pacing up and down. "I have been trying to reach your office for hours now!"

"Nice to see you, too, Chastity." Bort shook her head, sitting down with a sigh. "How are you doing since…"

"Since Gram’s death?" C.C. stood still for a moment, fighting back tears. "My kid is acting nuts, and Niles has his head on Lynn Redgrave’s shoulder." C.C. tossed her red purse aside, finally sitting down. "I’m freaking great!" She let out a low hiss.

"Why don’t you start from the beginning? What did Lucas do?"

"He’s pushing, Bort… He says I should act more like a parent! My own kid is telling me I’m immature!"

Bort withheld her comment, eyeing C.C.

"What?" C.C. blinked. "Say something, Bort! Do your job!"

"What is it you want, C.C.?" Bort tapped her pen on the note pad, eyeing her long time patient. "You need to start asking yourself that question."

"I thought we were talking about Lucas?"

"Every time you come in here about Lucas… It really is about his father… You remember, Niles?" Bort let out a laugh at last, shaking her head. "What did Niles do now?"

"Lucas, really did call me immature." C.C. sat down, shaking her head.

"C.C." Bort narrowed her eyes.

"Niles… Niles thought I had an affair on him during… that summer." C.C. felt her lower lip tremble. "I don’t know what to do, Bort."

"C.C., you have been avoiding long term relationships since that summer." Bort shook her head looking up into her face.

"I have not! There was Chandler!" C.C. let out a low snarl.

"Chastity, I would hardly call a month relationship ‘long term’." Bort stood up. "You need to talk to him."

"I hate him." C.C. lowered her head. "God, I wish Gram was here… or Sara."

"If you would lower that thick Babcock skin you have shielded yourself in… you might surprise yourself." Bort let out a sigh, handing C.C. a tape.

"What’s this?" C.C. blinked, taking the VCR tape from Bort’s hands.

"Even in death, Lucy Babcock moves all." Bort let out a playful laugh. "She told me you might need that."

"I already got a message from her." C.C. took the tape. "What good will this do me?"

"I don’t know, Chastity." Bort pushed a TV cart forward. "I’ll give you some time."

C.C. pushed in the tape with a shaking hand. "Well, Gram! Let’s see what words of wisdom you have for me."

C.C. stood transfixed by the events playing out before her. It has some type of engagement party. "Thank you for doing this, sir." Niles broke out into a smile taking Maxwell’s hand.

C.C. felt pulled into the room, seeing Katherine’s arm interlocked with Niles’s "Yes Mister Sheffield, you really didn’t have to do all this for us."

"Why are you showing me this?" C.C. blinked at the T.V. screen as the camera moved from couple to couple.

"I think everyone will be pleased with the gift I got Katherine and Niles." Robert Butler’s face broke out into a huge grin. "I think even you will love it, Dad."

"Just don’t cause any trouble for them, Robert." Edward Butler let out a low groan.

"Robert used all his contacts." Anna smiled, holding her husband’s arm. "He’s not out to cause trouble!" She pulled her husband away from his parents and whispered quietly. C.C. was able to make out what Anna said. ‘Are you?’

"Well, at least that Babcock woman had the common sense to stay away." Edward grumbled, taking another drink.

"Now Edward… that is in the past." Marie hit her husband playfully.

"Did you hear Robert and Niles hissing at one another last night?" Edward looked down at his wife’s eyes. "I think it’s a part of the future, and that Babcock witch is pulling their strings."

"What’s wrong, darling?" Katherine looked into Niles’s eyes, smiling. "You seem to be a million miles away."

C.C. reached to the screen, touching Niles’s face. "I am!" Niles’s eyes were searching the crowd for someone. C.C. remembered being invited to his engagement party over the phone by Maxwell, but she had turned him down.

"Who are you looking for?" C.C. whispered quietly.

"Chastity… You have pushed and pushed other people since that summer in England." Gram’s figure appeared on the screen. "You have longed for him, and he has spent years longing for you."

C.C. tilted her head, letting out a deep sigh. "I was hoping for something more, Gram." She let out a soft laugh as Gram was waiting for something.

"I know you were hoping for something more, but …I’m an old woman…." Gram flashed a wicked grin. "I will say this… you have the ‘right’ to be happy, so please don’t give into your need for vengeance."

C.C. blinked as the screen went dark. "He... He pushed me away." C.C. found her lower lip trembling.

……………………………….................................................................

Niles let out a long sigh doing the morning dishes. He had another long night trying to fight his emotions over Lucas and C.C. "Niles, are you alright?" Fran walked in, touching his shoulder. Niles had been coming up with a way to try and win C.C.’s heart all over again.

"Yes, yes!" Niles put away a few more of the dishes inside the dishwasher. "I really must speak with Mister Sheffield this morning."

"Why?" Fran blinked noticing his red eyes.

"A friend of mine wrote a play… I am going to show it to Mister Sheffield, and he’ll produce it!" Niles pulled out something he hoped would be his life line. Fran blinked as Maxwell came in, and she watched a fast moving exchange between the two men.

"Well, I lost that exchange." Niles leaned on the counter as Fran smirked.

"Yes sir!" She put the spoonful of pudding in her mouth.

"Well, forget it. What was I thinking? She’s only ever going to think of me as just a domestic!" Niles let out a groan, shaking his head. He went over his plan of wooing C.C. once more. He compared it to what they had in England and shook his head. "She cared for me because I wanted to push beyond my station in life."

"Who?" Fran walked up towards her friend. "Are you doing this to impress a woman?!" Fran put her hand over her heart.

"Maybe, sort of… who am I kidding?!" Niles let out a groan.

"Well, who is she?" Fran placed her hands on her hips as C.C. walked in.

"Niles! I have been buzzing you for over an hour! Where is the milk for my coffee?" C.C. let out a hiss as Niles turned his head towards a shocked Fran.

"Hover over a bucket!" Niles let out a hiss, walking away from her.

"HER???" Fran pointed towards C.C. trying to control herself. "Miss Babcock!" Fran waved her index finger around, walking towards C.C. "Let me talk to you… when you want to have a relationship with a man… you know, one that isn’t my husband!" Fran smirked as C.C. let out a hiss as Fran sat back down.

C.C. eyed Niles in the background, still feeling the sting from his mistake in England. "Nanny Fine, I may have to accept the fact you married Maxwell and are about to have what should have been…"

"C.C.!" Maxwell’s loud roar filled the room. "This animosity has been going on far too long, C.C. Frankly I’m sick of it, now either you make friends with my wife, or there’s no place for you in OUR home, and I’ll have to dissolve our partnership."

"OOH!" Fran let out a gasp of shock.

"Maxwell! I was only kidding!" C.C. left the room as Niles joined Fran at the table.

"Are you telling me that all those years that you put dishwater in her coffee and changed her lip balm for glue sticks and called her a cow, you… you were flirting?"

"What, no good?" Niles smirked as Fran let out a laugh.

"Why not just tell her how you feel?!" Fran let out a sigh.

"I can’t. Not until I have a home and a steady income." Niles did a double take as Fran started to sniffle quietly. "What?"

"She’s never going to know!" Fran let out a long sigh. "Well, that does it. You should produce this play yourself, and I’ll help you!"

"It will never work…" Niles let out a sigh.

"Come on am, I ever wrong?" Fran smirked patting his back.

"Alright partner, but if you want to be a producer, then you have to do the work." Niles put the play in Fran’s hands. "You have to READ the play!"

"If you say it’s good, then it’s good, Niles." Fran felt the play, letting out a big groan. "It’s so heavy!"

"Mrs. Sheffield." Niles narrowed his eyes as Fran let out a long sigh, walking away.

………………………………............................................................

C.C. let out a groan, shaking her head. Lucas was expecting her in an hour for this dinner. "Maxwell, I have an appointment tonight." C.C. took another look at her watch.

"Fine, C.C., but remember what I said about Fran." Maxwell narrowed his eyes at his business partner. "I want you to…." C.C. threw up her hands.

"I’ll go ‘kiss’ and make up." C.C. hissed walking out the door.

"What?" Fran hissed in her nasal tone as C.C. walked towards her. "What do you want, Miss Babcock?"

"I’m…" C.C.’s face twisted in pain, trying to spit out the words. "S…."

Fran smirked, watching C.C. grumble and hiss. "It’s okay… I’m used to it." She walked away to find Grace as C.C. stood there a moment longer.

C.C. felt her face grow flush as her two different sides of her persona began a war. She rolled her eyes, opening her cell phone. "HELLO, HELLO!" C.C. couldn’t help her snarling yell.

"Well, someone’s in a mood." Nick let out a groan, rubbing his ear.

"I’m sorry, Nick, what can I do for you?" C.C. walked outside, waving towards a taxi and hopping inside. She gave the driver the address and let out a long sigh.

"I have the location, but when do you want to do this?"

"I am having dinner with Lucas tonight…. Maybe he will want to join us." C.C. let out a groan, hanging up her phone. She knew that always annoyed Nick, her habit of ‘hanging’ up without saying goodbye.

"I have known this woman for decades, and that’s still annoying!" Nick hissed, hanging up his phone.

C.C. tipped the driver, walking towards her building. She wanted to do nothing more than climb into bed and hide under the covers. "What’s wrong?" Chester was jumping up and down, looking for her attention. She smirked at the dog, reaching down petting his head lightly. "At least YOU still need me."

The dog playfully rolled over on it’s back, displaying his tummy for C.C. to pet, but all of a sudden, bolted as she turned to see the dark headed girl and her rather large mutt standing next to her. "I’m sorry." Her British accent was soft but still charming.

"Rachael Adams?" C.C. stood up, holding out her hand and did a double take, realizing the girl didn’t see it.

"Nice to meet someone, I’ve heard so much about." Rachael flashed as smile as C.C. tilted her head.

"Hello, Mom, are you ready to go?"

"Lucas, I’ve had a hell of a day… maybe you two should go on without me!" C.C. let out a long sigh as Lucas pulled on her arm.

"Now, Miss Babcock! I’m paying for dinner." Rachael flashed as grin walking into the living room.

"Alright…. Let’s go." C.C. gave up, letting out a long sigh.

………………………………..........................................................

Niles shivered as the telephone rang. He let out a groan, reaching for the receiver. "Niles? Are you alright?" Marie Butler’s French accent had faded over the years of living in England.

"Mother?" Niles had kept in touch with his mother by letter for years, but since his break up with Katherine, they haven’t spoken over the phone. "Are you alright?"

"Just…" Niles sat up in bed, letting out a large groan. "Going over a few things in my head."

"If you ever need to talk, my dear." Marie wanted to talk about Lucas and C.C. but could tell Niles wasn’t ready for that yet.

……………………………….............................................

"Lucas… You’re seventeen and she’s seventeen." C.C. let out a groan, looking at the late hour. "I’m just worried since I saw her coming from YOUR bedroom."

"Mother, nothing happened." Lucas started to jump up and down in the cold night air. "When is Nick going to get here?" Lucas looked down at his watch. "It’s nearly three in the morning."

"Yeah, this is how I wanted to spend my night… and morning." C.C. tilted her head, looking at the cemetery. "Daddy would still kill us if he knew that buried next to Grandfather John was nothing more than ashes from a fire place."

"Yeah, but it was Stuart’s fault for turning his head." Nick let out a soft laugh holding the box in his hands. "It’s over here."

They all slowly walked in the middle of the night as Lucas pinched his mother’s back. "LUCAS!" C.C. hissed as the young man let out a soft chuckle.

"Would you to be serious for just a moment?" Nick flashed his flashlight around, looking at the headstones. He stopped at a distant headstone, letting out a long sigh.

"You know, if this was a full moon, this would be even spookier, and maybe we could recite some Indian burial chants." Lucas smirked as C.C. rolled her eyes.

"You are starting to sound like your father." C.C. let out a hiss, looking down at the gravestone.

"Lucas Nicholas Morgan" Lucas knelt down, his hand touching the stone. "Gram wanted to be buried near here?"

Nick nodded and pointed a flashlight towards another grave. "Mathew Philips?" C.C. tilted her head towards a laughing Nick.

"It’s strange but… before she married John Butler…. Lucy was in love with my father’s best friend." Nick reached down into the cold earth, starting to dig a small whole with his hands. "He was a servant…" His eyes narrowed towards C.C… "They also had one other friend… she was still close with his son years later… I believe you know Gordon."

"She said she understood…. Is that why she tried to help D.D., Noel and I?"

"That’s why she tried." Nick lifted up the box, smiling. C.C. placed her gloved hand on the box, letting out a soft whimper as Lucas joined her move. "She wanted her family to protect one another, and I hope you’ll follow her example. That girl that once loved freely is still there behind that Babcock steel."

Lucas pulled out a flask after Nick had finished. The two adults glared as Lucas as he opened in up. "What? Well, I know she would hate to go to heaven sober!" He purred, pouring the bourbon down over where Nick had just placed her ashes.

"With that… with every ending, there must be a new beginning." C.C. let out a long sigh as Lucas took her arm.

………………………………..................................

C.C. blinked, rubbing her eyes, looking at the folder. She had just screamed at Nanny Fine about her stunt with Niles. She couldn’t wait for Nanny Fine to explain to Maxwell about the newest scheme. "What the hell are they thinking?"

She let out a long sigh as Maxwell screamed for Niles. She wanted to go save him but remembered holding that small bundle in her arms. Her own doubt and struggle… no, she wanted Niles to feel the same hellfire she had to undergo. "It still won’t be enough." C.C. allowed her anger to grab hold of her heart.

Moments later, Niles walked in the room smiling. "What’s wrong, Caca… did you think I was toast?"

"You should have been roasted over a fire!" C.C. placed her hands on her hips, eyeing Niles and shutting the door. "How is it you and Nanny Fine managed to get away with murder?!"

"Why is it you want to make me suffer so?" Niles backed her up against the door. "Can you tell me that, Claire? When is it you developed this wicked witch persona?" He now had her backed up against the office door with no where to hide.

"Don’t mess with me, bell boy."

"Why would I want to mess with you, Miss Babcock?" Niles leaned in closer, and felt her shivering.

"Back….Off." C.C. hissed but felt his hand touch her cheek.

"Do you really want me to back off? Claire… I know the truth." Niles leaned in even closer whispering in her ear. "I’m not going to give up this time."

"I have no idea what you are talking about, dust buster." C.C. whimpered softly as Niles flashed a playful smile. She felt his hand reaching up, pulling her waist tightly against his body.

"Do you still believe in phoenixes? I know our son still does."

C.C. felt her legs give way. "What?" She blinked as Niles’s lips found hers.

Niles didn’t want to let go this time. He wanted to entrap her in his arms forever, feeling at first nothing and then a small growing fire from her. His kiss became deeper as C.C.’s body started to arch upward. "Tell me…. you still feel something… I know you do." Niles nuzzled her ear as C.C. closed her eyes.

"I despise you." She pushed him back from her.

"I loathe you." Niles smirked, shaking his head. "We need one another."

"Here." C.C. picked up a broom he had left earlier in the office, handing it to Niles. "You need this more than you ever needed me."

"You should know. You had a personal relationship with it for years." Niles eyed the broom as C.C. let out a hiss rolling her eyes. "Why didn’t you tell me … about…Lucas?"

"I don’t … no... I won’t talk about him with you!" C.C. let out a snarl.

"We need to talk and not just about Lucas." He wanted to corner her again, but C.C. was so timid. She was back in what he liked to think of as ‘Babcock’ mode.

"Again… change the subject!"

"He’s our son…" Niles felt his heart beat quicken, looking into her eyes.

C.C. sat down on her couch, eyeing Niles. "Let it go." She opened up the folder, waving her hand slowly. She let out a sharp gasp as Niles pulled her back up on her feet. "Niles!"

Niles held her tight, his lips demanding a response. His arms embracing her as C.C. dropped the folder she was working with. He released her for just a moment, whispering in her ear. "Come to the opening tonight… please."

C.C. shivered as Niles released her. She felt strangely alive again, but fearful that he would take it all back. "Well…" She once more tried her best to pick up her steel armor. "I HAVE to! Maxwell is making me."

Niles smirked, unlocking the door. "That’s a good, Caca… now if only we could get you house trained."

C.C. walked out of the office fuming. He had disgraced her by pushing her away, but the game wasn’t over yet.

Niles pulled out the picture of C.C. holding Lucas, letting out a happy sigh and then heard his brand new cell phone ring. "Hello?" He smiled as a young man’s laughter rang out.

"I still don’t understand why you had Nick turn you in for those violations, but Maxwell Sheffield will find his check covering the fees returned in a few days." Lucas let out another chuckle. "Mind telling me what’s going on, Butler?"

"It’s all a game, Lucas… but only this time… I’m going to win! I need to push your mother into some kind of final battle." Niles started to sweep the room.

"Mother can be a viper when cornered… are you sure you want to do this?" Lucas tried his best to hide his dread.

"Well, my boy… if you are going to be a Butler… you must learn to take your punishment with a grain of salt." Niles let out a long sigh. "I better get back to work."

"You mean you really do work for a living?" Lucas let out a cackle. "Mother called you the greatest goof off ever."

"Well I am, dear boy, but even I must work." Niles let out a sigh. "Lucas…"

"Yes Niles?"

"Thank you for not giving up on us…. No matter what happens." Niles felt his own voice starting to tremble.

"What kind of son would I be…. if I gave up…" Lucas felt his heart swelling with pride. "I’ll talk to you soon… hopefully she won’t be too hard on you."

"Soon…" Niles hung up the cell phone, placing it back in his pocket.

………………………………..........................................................

C.C. sat in the seat, groaning while sipping her white wine. Niles had been right. The show was worth the risk. She heard that nasal whine ring out as the cast ate the small offerings. "God lord…" She groaned, looking at Maxwell. "Well, it seemed the play was worth… something!"

"Am I hearing you right, C.C.?" Maxwell smirked, raising his own glass to his lips. "Are you willing to admit it was worth the risk to our reputations?"

"I’m not admitting anything." C.C. snarled and felt her veins run cold with ice. "They did manage something…."

"They did, indeed." Maxwell gushed with pride, looking over at Niles and Fran.

Niles closed his eyes, walking towards C.C.. His mind was racing with images of the long haired girl he used to know.

C.C. tilted her head towards a smirking Niles. "I got to admit, you surprised me tonight! You finally pulled off something bigger than your shorts!" C.C. let out a chuckle, turning her head from him.

"Marry me…" His voice was tender and full of regret as C.C. turned around quickly. This is what she wanted to hear while in the clinic delivering Lucas. She had even started dreaming of hearing it while in England during that ‘summer’.

The rest became a blur as Niles expected this wasn’t going to go well.

………………………………....................................................

C.C. slapped the door, walking inside her condo. "I don’t want to talk about it." She eyed Lucas, who was playing with Chester. C.C. pulled out a huge glass and filled it until nearly over flowing.

"That isn’t a way to solve your problems." Lucas stood up, taking the glass away from her. "What’s wrong, Mother?"

C.C. lowered her head, letting out a soft sob. "He’s… he’s playing mind games with my head again."

"Who is?" Lucas reached her, pulling C.C. into his arms. "Did the mean old Butler scare you?"

C.C. jerked away, eyeing the young man. "I can’t handle your teasing right now, Lucas." She took a huge gulp, feeling the burning slide down her throat. "Not from you, of all people."

"Mother… please… Tell me what happened?" Lucas let out a long sigh as C.C. turned.

"He asked me to marry him…" C.C. let out a cackle, looking up towards the ceiling. "He asked me to marry him."

Lucas tilted his head and reached up touching her cheek. "If you think it’s so funny, Mother… then why, pray tell, are you crying?"

"For a moment… just a moment… I felt my heart beat again." C.C. whimpered as she let out another sob. "I felt a part of me take flight and embrace what I once was… not the ‘Bitch of Broadway’ but… Claire Morgan."

"Mother…. Why can’t you just once….allow your flames of hate to die a slow death… you can’t stop your heart from loving him."

"Do you know what hell I went through giving birth to you?" C.C. felt herself pick back up the Babcock armor again. "Do you know how it felt telling all my friends… I don’t have a child… when what stands before me is a wonderful young man."

"Mother…" Lucas felt his hands close into a fist. "Niles, didn’t make that choice… you did."

C.C. shivered, looking into his eyes. He had all the right features, but the same of his eyes was clearly all Niles. "I…. I…"

"You are ‘not’ to blame for Sara Sheffield’s accident." Lucas let out a low hiss. "She was upset when she left here, but you were not to blame for the man that decided to drive while drunk."

"You want to lay blame at Niles’s feet for her death, because without Niles… I won‘t be here for you to ‘hide’ away from your best friend… You want to lay blame at Fran Sheffield for taking Sara’s place…. You want to blame yourself for that fight with Sara when you told her Niles was my father… You want to punish yourself, but … Mother… I’m here to tell you…. It’s not your fault… things happen, and we all have grown up and moved on." Lucas let out a hiss, and all his frustrations started to release.

"What’s your point?" C.C. let out a long sigh.

"My point is this, Mother… GROW UP." Lucas let out a long hiss. "If you love the man, stop playing games with him!"

C.C. turned, watching Lucas grab his coat. "Where are you going?"

"Seeing how Nick and Tish are downstairs with Rach…. I’m going out!" Lucas slammed the front door, leaving his mother bewildered.

………………………………...................................................

Niles let out a long sigh, wondering if this plan was working too well. He heard the cell phone ring and rushed to grab it. "Hello?"

"Roger, roger! I trust you are uninjured?" Lucas let out a long sigh.

"Physically yes, but…" Niles shook his head. "I did something really stupid."

"Well, declaring your love was the idea behind this, but asking her to marry you… that was going beyond the call of duty." Lucas couldn’t hide his laughter but stopped when Niles let out a long sigh.

"I thought… several times, I saw a dent in her armor, but… she really has turned into a cold hearted woman." Niles tried to hide his bitterness in his voice.

"No… just a woman who has been avoiding you all these years." Lucas let out a snicker. "You know, most kids dream of getting their parents together, but with me… I’m just hoping you two get along."

"That is going to take a little work." Niles let out a snicker.

"We fight the fights that are worth fighting, Dad." Lucas let out a huge laugh, but Niles felt his heart pound with pride. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No… you said something so very right… Lucas…" Niles let out a long sigh, and with that one comment from Lucas, it had made his night. Now if only C.C. would come around.

………………………………...................................................

Fran had gotten C.C. to agree to a dinner date. Niles shook his head, taking off the jacket. "Too dark." He hissed as his private line rang. "Hello?"

"Hello, dear!" Marie’s voice was cheerful, but Niles let out a soft groan. "Did I call at the wrong time, son?"

"No … just my courage is leaving me." Niles took off his medal, quickly looking at the backside. "I still love her."

"Your father… was wrong."

"That’s the first time you have ever disagreed with Dad." Niles sat down his hands, tracing over her initials.

"Well it won’t happen often, young man." Marie let out a snicker. "Just remember who you are, Niles… Butlers never back down from a challenge."

"Mother, the things I said last night on the phone…" Niles let out a long sigh recalling their long talk. "About me losing something… I lost more than just C.C."

"I know, son…. Just have courage."

………………………………............................................

C.C. let out a sigh, shaking her head. "You wanted this dinner." She leaned over as Niles let out laugh. "I'm just here to make 'nice' with Nanny Fine." She narrowed her eyes at Niles.

"Come on, Caca… It could be worse… The restaurant in England was awful."

"You know, Niles, if you want to sweep a girl off her feet… calling her 'Caca' isn't the way to do it." C.C. rolled her eyes as Niles took her hand.

"I wasn't kidding when I asked you to marry me." He lowered his eyes as C.C. started to snarl softly.

"You know… I don't want to hear this again. You always did love to play mind games with me… Our summer romance was nothing more than a sick joke to you."

"It was never a joke, C.C."

"This summer never happened? You remember those words, Niles? They rang out in my brain every time I walked into the door of Maxwell's home." C.C.crossed her arms, looking into his blue eyes.

"I'm sorry for my part."

"What do you mean for your part?" C.C. turned her head, ordering as Niles felt his lip tremble.

"A lot of things could have been different, C.C., but I do not regret our time together… It gave us Lucas."

"It gave 'me' Lucas." C.C. shook her head. "You tossed us aside for Katherine."

"I had no idea we had a son, C.C." Niles let out a groan. "I was wrong to push you away."

"You were wrong not to trust me."

"Ditto!" Niles smirked as C.C. let out a soft gasp.

"What does that mean?"

"If you would have told me the truth about being C.C. Babcock earlier it might have helped things along." Niles leaned back ,watching C.C.'s face twist in pain. "We have both made mistakes."

"I…I…" C.C. felt her heart flutter.

"What is the real reason you and Chandler broke up?" Niles felt his heart start to soar, recalling Lucas's information. "It had something more to do with than just what he wrote in that letter."

"I…"

"It's time to come clean with everything." Niles felt like he was making head way.

"Well, what happened with you and Katherine?"

Niles's face twisted in pain, thinking about his failed relationship and how badly he had hurt the former Sheffield maid. "I couldn't get someone else out of my mind." He reached for her hand, kissing it softly.

C.C. started to blush. "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Pretend you care, Niles." She pulled back her hand, letting out a loud hiss.

"Do you think I've hovered around Maxwell all these years just for him? My heart has and always will remain drawn to you, C.C. Babcock." Niles moved in closer, feeling like a lion stalking prey. "I have this strange feeling you have remained drawn to me."

C.C. felt her body quiver at his sweet words as her armor started to crack. "Don't do this to me."

"I'm not doing anything, C.C." Niles leaned over closer ,whispering in her ear softly. "Marry me…"

"What?" C.C. blinked again. "Marry you?"

"Marry me!" Niles felt his body shiver. "We belong together, because let's face the facts, we can't get rid of one another."

C.C. let out a snicker. "Give me a gun… and I'll take care of that 'problem.'"

"You wouldn't do permanent damage to me, C.C." Niles wanted to find some private corner, and keep her there for as long as it took. "Listen to me, C.C…. Please."

"Did you have to face the hardship of looking down into a set of blue eyes and decide if you were going to keep him? Did you have to explain to him one night how his father pushed him away? "


"If it takes forever, C.C., and if you let me… I'll make it up to you."

"Dammit… I don't want to love you." C.C. stood up, letting out a hiss. "I have spent years trying to burn the thought of you out of my brain and body." She walked out towards the doorway of the restaurant.

Niles let out a gasp. "She… she still loves me."

C.C. reached inside her pocket, feeling something odd as she stepped out into the night air. She had forgotten about the tape recorder she had earlier in the day. She always liked to record some of her business meetings. She pulled it out noticing the record button had been pushed. "Hello… hello." C.C. felt her heart pound and her mind twist.

………………………………..............................................................

Niles closed his eyes, recalling her laughter after having found her tape recorder in her pocket walking back inside the restaurant playing it over and over again. "What do I do now?" He looked at the picture letting out a groan. "I'm at a loss here, Luke."

"She hasn't come home yet either… You are going to have to face it head on…"

"I don't want to lose her." Niles shifted, letting out a sigh.

"You know, when you had your heart attack… Mom went crazy."

"C.C., crazy?" Niles let out a soft laugh. "Fran told me she threw herself on someone's body, thinking it was me."

"Do you know I was in the waiting room? Lucas let out a long sigh. "She was ready to tell you about me."

"What happened?" Niles felt his heart beat quicken… "Never mind! I know." Niles let out a groan shaking his head. "I asked for another pillow."

"And?"

"It's best that I save this story for another time, Luke."

"You know, Mom and Gram call me Tate." Lucas let out a long sigh.

Niles couldn’t help his burst of laughter. "Tate? Is that your middle name?"

"Sorry to say, yes, and… don’t tell me why it’s my middle name… because frankly, I don’t want to know." Lucas let out a large snicker. "What are you going to do tomorrow?"

"End this game." Niles shook his head. "I hope your right, Tate."

………………………………..................................................................

C.C. let out a sigh walking, inside the living room. "You seemed awfully pleased with yourself, Mother." Lucas walked in, looking at his watch. "Well, at least your home before two A.M."

"Not even you can take away my good mood." C.C. snickered. remembering the look on Niles’s face as she played the tape over and over again. She recalled the knife twisting in her belly over Sara’s death, Lucas’s birth… and Niles pushing her away. "Karma can be such a pain in the ass."

"Is that karma, Mother? Or you?"

"What, are you on his side now?" C.C. tilted her head, holding the tape recorder, pushing play. Lucas’s face twisted, hearing Niles once more asking C.C. to marry him. "I’m going to use this on my answering machine!"

"No…"

"What is with you, kiddo?" C.C. shook her head. "I’m just having a little fun."

"How old are you again, Mother? I’m starting to wonder." Lucas reached for the tape recorder only to have C.C. jerk it away.

"Well, I’m going to bed! It should prove to be an interesting day tomorrow!" C.C. let out a giggle walking towards her bedroom.

Lucas let out a long sigh, looking towards the ceiling. "Well Gram… I hope you are watching this!"

……………………………….........................................

C.C. walked in the doorway with a spring in her step. She was at last making him suffer for the hell he had put her through. "What do you want, Nanny Fine?" C.C. didn’t need to even tilt her head to notice Fran was heading her way.

"Please… Miss Babcock, don’t pick on Niles anymore." Fran let out a nasal whine, and C.C. turned her head.

"I have finally found that one thing that makes my heart beat quicken, and this is it!" C.C. pressed the button, but of course, she had carefully edited it last night.

"NILES!" Maxwell walked into the room. "C.C., this foolishness between you and Niles ends right now!"

Niles walked down the stairs slowly, his head held out high. The past few moments happened in a huge blur as C.C. was determined to make him suffer. Niles narrowed his eyes as he said the words Lucas told him he must. "I quit!" He stood up as Maxwell, C.C. and Fran all let out a gasp.

C.C. felt doubt enter her heart. "Listen, no one else has to know. I promise I will never tell another…" C.C. couldn’t help herself as the tape recorder played once more.

"I’ve had it… an Elephant never forgets." Niles headed towards the stairs, shaking his head.

""You used that line on me three years ago! Well I’m sorry, Maxwell… I have just had it with him… You pitiful excuse for a man!" C.C. stood up, walking towards a grumbling Niles.

"DITTO!" Niles leaned forward, shaking his head. "Well, at least I know when it’s time to move on! Look around you, they’re married, they’re starting a family. Where are you going to be ten, twenty years from now? You’re going to be saying ‘Merry Christmas’ to your friends in rehab and wondering what might have been." Niles let out a long sigh as C.C. stood there quietly. He shrugged his shoulders, looking towards Maxwell. "I’ll be leaving first thing in the morning, Sir."

C.C. felt her soul cry out. She stood there for just a moment, closing her eyes. "Oh my God, he’s right. The best years of my life are gone, and they sucked." She smirked, remembering all the lonely nights of wanting him beside her. "Well, not this time. I have to move on. Maxwell, my resignation will be on your desk in the morning." C.C. let out a quiet sob, opening the door and closing it behind her.

……………………………….................................................

C.C. let out a sob, reaching for the drink. "What’s wrong?" Lucas touched her shoulder, turning her around. "You’re upset."

"He’s… leaving… I didn’t want him to go." C.C. buried her head into Lucas’s chest, letting out a quiet sob.

"Mother…" Lucas closed his eyes as C.C. kept on sobbing. "If you don’t want him to leave… why aren’t you telling him this?"

"I…" C.C. blushed as Lucas pushed his mother back.

"Sometimes you fight the fights worth fighting… Mother… I can remember every birthday wish… and I wished to see you happy." Lucas tilted his head. "You haven’t been for a long time… You still love him."

"I…" C.C. shook her head. "I…"

"Mother… please… take a chance… If he’s leaving, then you might not have another one."

………………………………............................................

C.C. let out a long sigh, looking at the hour. She felt her heart pound with fear, wondering what madness had a hold of her heart. She wanted to make him suffer for hurting her but didn’t want him to leave. C.C. walked up the stairs, slowly knocking on his bedroom door.

Niles let out a groan, opening the door. "What do you want?"

"Please, Niles, can I come in?" Her voice was timid. "We need to talk."

"You had your chance, C.C. I’m leaving in the morning." Niles started to close the door, but she stuck her foot in the door, pushing her way inside.

"I’m not leaving." C.C. let out a long hiss.

"Did you burn that tape recorder of yours?" Niles let out a sigh, closing the door.

"I…I…" C.C. watched as Niles walked up towards her. "I quit tonight."

"So?" Niles crossed his arms. "What do you want from me, C.C.? You have made a fool out of me these past two days."

"Ditto…" C.C. lowered her head. "I… I wanted…"

"Revenge?" Niles folded his arms.

"I…"

"Get out of here, Miss Babcock. I’m done with you." Niles walked towards the door but was shocked to hear a soft sob. "C.C.?" He turned to see her eyes now streaming with tears.

"Please… Niles…"

"You made your feelings clear."

"I…" C.C. felt her body shiver closing her eyes. "love…. .you…" She blinked looking into his eyes.

Niles reached her side pulling her against his body. "Please god, let this not be another dream." His lips took hers as he felt the sparks. He felt C.C.’s hand pull on his body. Niles pushed her against the door, pinning her there like he had done in Maxwell’s office. "Are you going to try and run again?"

C.C. felt her armor fall apart feeling his silk pajamas. Her lips pulled on his as she ran her fingers in his hair, pulling him tighter against her. The flame of desire burned in her body as she arched up against him.

Niles let out a groan, pushing the red jacket off her shoulders, longing to touch the soft skin. He let out a yelp, feeling her pull his top apart, not waiting to unbutton. The soft pinging noise of buttons flying rang out around his small room. "Fire…" He mumbled in her ear softly.

C.C. touched his chest, delighting at the feel of his bare skin. "I… "

"We will talk later." Niles raised her arms, pulling the black shirt up and over her head as the temperature started to rise in the room. Niles felt every touch was like a grip of flame teasing their bodies.

C.C. felt overcome with desire as Niles kissed down her body, his lips making her skin as his own personal domain. C.C. was trapped, and felt there was no going back. "Niles…" She let out a groan as Niles pulled her closer.

"Shhh…" He picked her up, placing her on his queen size bed. His mind started to race, looking down into her tear stained eyes. He never thought he would be holding her like this again…. Well, at least not, without the help of alcohol. He found his own eyes starting to tear up as C.C. dragged him down next to her.

C.C. felt her hand wander up and down his spine as Niles had to fight the urge to rush this night. The playful teasing of hands started to become too much for either of them to bear. "Can… you forgive me..?" C.C. stopped him for just a moment, kissing his palm.

"If you can forgive me for what happened." He broke out into a smile as he reached for her heels and nibbled lightly at her toes. He mumbled quietly as his desires overcame him.

C.C. felt like all of her bitterness was dieing inside as the years of longing melted away under the heat of their passion. The flame taking control of them more and more as C.C. reached for his hand.

Niles wasn’t sure where his clothes had landed, but his whole body was burning once he felt her bare skin on his. His ears filled with her cries, and once more, Niles hoped against hope this wasn’t a dream.

C.C. arched up once more and felt another wave of pleasure engulf her body. She could no longer stop her own cries.

Niles pictured Gordon’s statue that they had studied long ago, his years of doubt fading away with C.C.’s cries filling his ears. With a final shiver, they both relaxed for a moment staring into one another’s eyes.

"Claire… my Claire…" Niles reached out, touching her cheek and noticed a faint twinkle in her eye. He saw something that was once there many years ago finally come back to life.

"Don’t get used to this, bell boy." C.C. had a playful purr in her voice as Niles rolled them both over so he was resting on his back, and she was snuggling his bare chest. "You still have a lot to answer for."

"Yes, I need to be punished." Niles pushed back a blonde lock, letting out a happy sigh. "We still have a long, hard journey ahead of us."

"I…I don’t want to be hurt again, Niles." C.C. snuggled his damp chest and listened to his steady heartbeat.

"We will always have our differences, Caca." Niles ran his hand down her spine and let out a painful yelp as C.C. pinched his rear. "Woman! That hurts!"

"What’s your point?" C.C. lifted her head up once more, her eyes fluttering.

Niles reached down, getting a good squeeze on her flesh but thought better of it. "No, no, but you better behave."

"We have a major problem here." Niles let out a sigh. "We also have many unanswered questions."

"Like?" C.C. raised her head up as her finger started tracing circles around his bare chest.

"How could I have been such a fool?" Niles let out a groan, thinking about all the wasted years.

"Yeah. How could you?" C.C. let out a snarl as Niles kissed her lips softly. "Lucas says I’ve been acting like a child."

Niles closed his eyes recalling the number of times he had teased her over the years. All the tricks he pulled to disgrace her in one way or another. "Well… what is the old saying? From the mouth of babes?"

C.C. let out a groan recalling how Rachael had left Lucas’s room. "He’s hardly a child, Niles." C.C. reached up, touching the medal.

Niles blushed with pleasure. "I thought you got rid of this?"

"It was the only piece of you…. I could save from our long summer." Her hand held on tight. "Well, that and Lucas."

"Did you really want to give him up?" Niles felt his lower lip tremble as C.C. let out a long sigh.

"I… I was so lost, Niles…. Let’s face it. My background doesn’t provide me the tools I need to deal with children." She lifted her hand, touching his cheek. "I had a couple all picked out."

"Seeing him changed your mind?"

"No…but seeing you in him did." C.C. put her head back down on his chest, letting out a soft yawn. "We never talked this much in bed before?"

"Well, there is a first time for everything." Niles let out a soft laugh but noticed her tired expression. "Are you alright?"

"I haven’t been sleeping well…"

He rolled once more placing her next to him. "Well sleep now, woman… you’ll need the rest."

"Why is that?" She snuggled her backside against his hard, lean front.

"Now that I have you again… well… don’t you remember?" Niles purred, whispering in her ear softly. "I couldn’t keep my hands off you."

C.C. let out a playful giggle, closing her eyes. "I remember several ‘interesting’ classes."

"I remember a few interesting nights as well." Niles leaned over nuzzling her ear. "Do you know how you’ve haunted my dreams?"

"Good then, Gram’s spell worked."

"Are you admitting, C.C. Babcock, that you… are… a witch?" Niles let out a soft laugh, tickling her stomach.

"Did I say that?" C.C. let out a sigh. "You better be careful, Niles."

"Why is that?" Niles found his hands roaming her body.

"I could still ‘summon’ my Babcock armor." C.C. let out a playful yelp as Niles made known his feelings about that.

"Sleep then, Babs…" Niles could no longer fight the heaviness of his eyes, snuggling her neck and letting out a happy sigh. He prayed quietly that she would be there when he woke up.

……………………………….........................................................

Maxwell felt his jaw drop once more just thinking about what he and Fran left. "I…I…I’m so out of liquor!" He tilted his head, rubbing his eyes once more. "What the devil happened? Five hours ago, they were at one another’s throats!"

"Well apparently they decided to go a little ‘lower’." Fran let out a groan, putting the tea kettle on the stove top. "What are we going to say when we see them? What does this all mean?! I so want to know what happened!"

"I think the best course of action is to say nothing." Maxwell once again rubbed his eyes. "I... I never dreamed even when you started to interfere that they would… that this would…and we would…" Maxwell let out a groan.

Fran rolled her eyes, waddling towards Maxwell. "You don’t think Niles was right all these years? That Miss Babcock put a spell on him?"

Maxwell let out a soft groan rubbing his temples. "Fran…!"

"Well, it could happen! I once saw this show…" Fran looked towards the stairway. "Did you hear?"

"I’m too sexy for my apron… Too sexy for my …" Niles looked like a man floating on air jumping down the stairs. "I...I… I couldn’t sleep! I was?" Niles blushed; he didn’t expect the Sheffields to be up at this late hour.

"Too sexy?" Fran smirked, putting a tea cup down in front of Maxwell. "I know what’s troubling you!"

Niles let out a soft groan to himself, wondering why he hadn’t done real shopping today and started to grab the toppings as ‘evil’ ideas sprang to mind. He quickly grabbed the chocolate syrup from the top self of the sub-zero. He loaded things quickly in his hands, blocking out Fran’s nasal voice.

"You’re probably all torn up about resigning?" Fran smirked as Niles moved away with a banana in his mouth. "Judging from the smile on your banana, I’m guessing you decided to stay?"

He fought the urge to blush, walking towards Maxwell, who lifted up his index finger noticing all the toppings. "Don’t you need something to put all those toppings on?"

"I have something in my room." Niles flashed a devilish smirk, walking back up the stairs, leaving them alone.

"Woah! Way too much information!" Fran covered her ears, letting out a groan.

"Does rather remind you of that line." Maxwell drummed his fingers on the table.

"What line?"

"The thin line between love and hate." Maxwell shook his head, looking up at the ceiling. "C.C. was a different person many years ago. Sara, once told me a few hours before the ‘accident’ that more went on between those two than anyone knew."

"You don’t think Sara knew something?" Fran’s jaw dropped.

"C.C. did come back from England cold and withdrawn. We didn’t see her for nearly a year, and it was her senior year that she finally agreed to come intern for me." Maxwell let out a long sigh. "It’s strange, but the more I think about it…"

"Ya?" Fran sat down, leaning on his shoulder.

"Well C.C. could have had her choice of internships and jobs…. I think Andrew Lloyd Webber even offered her one." Maxwell let out a groan, rolling his eyes. "It's as if they couldn’t leave… either one of them…"

"Awww, Max, doesn’t that remind you of another couple?" Fran fluttered her eyes as Maxwell smirked.

"Well… we will see what happens." Maxwell took her hand, kissing it softly.

………………………………..........................................

C.C. let out a groan as the door opened and then shut. C.C. shifted reaching for Niles. "I’m here." Niles leaned over, touching her cheek.

"What… what time is it?" C.C. sat up, looking at the clock.

"Time for you to relax, my sweet." He gently pushed her back onto the bed, smiling. "I never thought … I’d see this side of you again." His hands teased her body as C.C. let out a yelp.

"You mean the naked side?" C.C. smirked as Niles let out a low growl.

"No…" Niles let out a soft laugh. He leaned over whispering yet again in her ear. "Marry me."

"Niles!" C.C. shifted as he started a sweet assault on her neck. "Don’t … you think that it’s too soon for marriage?"

"Well, I know twenty years for you, Caca, is just a drop in the bucket." Niles lifted up his head, touching her cheek. "For me, it’s been a lifetime since England."

"Strange, it doesn’t feel like it." C.C. arched up once more as Niles let out a soft groan of pleasure.

"C.C.! I’m serious." Niles wrapped her up in the covers and flashed a wicked smile. "I’m not letting you go this time until you… marry me."

"Isn’t it illegal for me to marry someone that’s a ‘poor excuse of a man!’" C.C. smirked as Niles started to tease her once more.

"No, but it’s not proper for me to marry one." Niles smirked as C.C. started to wiggle. "All jokes aside! Marry me…"

"I don’t think I’m ready for that, Niles." C.C. lowered her eyes, trying to hide her fear.

"Are you still afraid we’ll ruin this?"

"Yes." C.C. felt her lower lip tremble as Niles lifted up her chin to stare into her deep blue eyes. "I don’t think … I could handle it, Niles."

Niles felt his mind already turning. He had her now in his bed, but he wanted so much more than just this. He wanted Lucas to bare his name. He wanted to ease the pain one mistake cost them, but her eyes twinkled with the pain of fear. "Then no more talk of marriage for now." He pulled down the cover, displaying her bare body before him. He playfully reached for the whip cream bottle as C.C. let out a laugh.

"Bort’s never going to believe any of this." She let out a giggle, feeling the cold cream touch her body.

"Then, let’s give you a therapy session she’ll never forget." Niles purred while adding a touch of chocolate to the mix.

..............................................................................................................................

"What do you mean your mother hasn’t come home today?" Nick let out a low growl, starting to pace up and down. "It’s eight o’clock."

"You know, despite what I think… She is the adult, and I’m the child." Lucas let out a soft laugh. "I’m sure she’s fine."

"Stuart called me five times last night trying to figure out if it was really Lucy’s ashes he buried next to John." Nick shook his head, looking up at the ceiling. "What is it with Babcocks?"

"You mean, the need to control everything?" Lucas let out a sigh, falling down on the living room couch, calling Chester to his lap.

"Your grandfather is driving me insane." Nick rubbed his temples, letting out a long sigh. "Why did Lucy stick me with him?"

"Because Gram thought you could handle it?" Lucas let out a soft laugh. "I don’t think of Stuart Babcock as my grandfather figure, anyway… I see someone else in that role."

"Who?" Nick let out a groan, looking at his ringing cell phone and putting it away again.

"Never mind." Lucas winked, standing up. "If she’s not home by tonight… I’ll go searching for her… wait, why does Stuart Babcock think that it’s not Gram’s ashes buried next to John Babcock?"

"B.B. Babcock has had a tail on all of us since the reading of Lucy’s will."

Lucas let out a soft groan. "I forgot, when dealing with vipers, you always need to keep an eye on your back."

………………………………...........................................

"O God…God, Niles!" C.C. looked down at her clothing, letting out a soft whimper.

"Hey, when did you become religious?" Niles smiled as C.C. picked up a pillow, tossing it towards him. "What’s wrong?"

"I’m running late." C.C. looked his watch, letting out a groan. "Aren’t you supposed to be down stairs fixing breakfast by now?"

"I would rather start on something else." Niles turned her around quickly to face him, burrying his lips in her neck.

"You’re slacking off again, Niles." C.C. pulled away from their kiss, gasping for air.

"No… me out of my pants would be ‘slacking off’." Niles pushed her up against the wall, letting out a deep purr. "If you give me a few minutes, I’ll show you what I mean."

"Niles… we have to be good… I still have to face Fran and Max." C.C. groaned as Niles did his best to pull at her clothing.

"Say that again." Niles lifted his head up in shock.

"What?" C.C. blinked, trying her best to wiggle out of his grip, but Niles kept her still. "We have to be good?"

"No, no… You called her, ‘Fran’" Niles let out a soft sigh.

"Well that is ‘her’ name." C.C. snickered as Niles held her still. "Come on, Niles, I have to go talk with Maxwell."

"Not until you tell me when the next time is I can corner you alone like this?" His eyes traveled the length of her clothed body, and C.C. shivered shaking, her head. "I … I want to..."

C.C. touched his trembling lips with her index finger smiling. "Like you ‘ever’ needed permission before to hunt me down."

"True, but that’s when I had my ‘witches’ hunting permit." Niles let out a long sigh, letting her go. "What’s wrong?" He notice how C.C. shifted in her clothing once more.

"They are so going to know something is up, Niles!"

"That is a bad thing because?" Niles raised one eyebrow, looking into her trembling face. "Maxwell is rather dim witted at times… maybe they won’t notice."

"Please, after the fight we had last night?" C.C. closed her eyes, letting out a long sigh. "Niles… I’m..."

"Shhhhh… No more regrets…Let us go face the future together."

"We still need to have our long talk." C.C. shook her head slowly. "I need to call Bort and… LUCAS!" C.C. groaned, thinking about him all alone. "What he must be thinking right now."

"That his parents got lucky?" Niles smirked, shaking his head. "He’s a wonderful young man, C.C. …. he’s fine."

"He’s a Babcock… we sort of attract trouble." C.C. hissed as Niles let out a soft groan. "What?"

"Nothing…. "

"Well, we do." C.C. smirked, brushing her hair one last time.

"Give me an example." Niles pulled on a sweater, letting out a long sigh.

"I attracted you didn’t I?" C.C. took the comb, carefully brushing his hair.

"Yes, you did." He stopped her, kissing her softly. "Are you ready to face the day, love?" He eyed the door, wishing they both could shut out the rest of the world. "Because we are awfully late."

"Come on Butler, let’s go make an ass out of ourselves." C.C. snickered, looking at her clothes again.

"Pot calling kettle, again." Niles held open the door as C.C peeked around the corner, sneaking out into the hallway.

………………………………...........................................

Maxwell fought the urge to break out into laughter as C.C. and Fran exchanged a few lines about her clothing. "I thought you resigned last night?"

"Can’t a girl have a change of heart?" C.C. let out a school girl-like giggle, crossing her legs.

"I think a change of clothes would do you better." Fran offered her a cookie on the silver tray. "Are you wearing the same thing you wore yesterday?"

"Ummm." C.C.’s mind reached for some reason that would make sense for the Jewish yenta. "When ever I find something I love…I pick up two of each and wear it the next day. Haven’t you ever noticed?"

"Noooooooo!" Fran flashed a playful smile as C.C. let out a groan but broke out into a light laugh inside.

"Well, get used to it … It’s going to start happening a lot! Anyway! Maxwell, I have fabulous news. Someone wants to rent the theater to open a new play!"

"That’s wonderful. It totally lets us off of the hook… Who is it?"

"Andrew Lloyd Webber." C.C. mumbled quietly as Maxwell stood up grumbling.

"NO! That man isn’t getting my theater!" Maxwell hissed, standing up as C.C. started to tune them out, looking outside at Niles watering plants.

"Call the newspapers and tell them Maxwell Sheffield is producing his own new show… and that I’m the pretty one." Maxwell walked out of the room smiling as C.C. let out a groan towards Fran.

"What?" Fran smirked.

"The question remains this… What new play is he talking about?" C.C. let out a groan as her cell phone started to ring. "Do you mind?" She blushed at Fran.

"Miss Babcock… You just look so… different."

"Thank you."

"You know, Miss Babcock." Fran pulled on the woman’s arm lightly, flashing a tender smile. "It’s not often, but you do have your moments."

"Nanny Fine, I will admit you have your ‘moments’ as well." C.C. smirked as Fran walked out of the room. "I hear you, bell boy." C.C. hissed, turning her head towards Niles, who was out on the balcony.

"Did I just hear you make peace with Mrs. Sheffield?" Niles smirked as C.C. let out an evil laugh.

"Well…she’s still a yenta, harpy." C.C. let out a soft snarl as Niles smirked. "What?" She wrapped her arms around his neck, looking into his shocked face. "Why are you looking at me like this?"

"I’m just trying to figure out which side will win. Is it the girl I knew in England or the ‘Bitch of Broadway’?" He let out a soft sigh as C.C. nuzzled his neck. "I could get use to both."

"You have both." C.C. smirked, letting out a sigh, hearing her cell phone. "That will be Lucas wondering what happened to me… Hello, hello!" C.C. purred as Niles nuzzled her neck.

"Mom, you been a bad, bad girl." Lucas let out a loud laugh hearing C.C. groan. "You don’t call, you don’t write."

"Niles had me trapped last night." C.C. snickered as Niles let out a snicker.

"Yeah, I bet you were all ‘tied’ up."

"No, but that’s an idea for later." C.C. smirked as Niles let out a playful purr.

"That is TOO much information." Lucas let out sigh. "When are you going to stop by and check on me?"

"Lucas, you aren’t two anymore. I think you can handle yourself."

"I think you need to stop by." Lucas hung up the cell phone, letting out a rather large hiss.

C.C. blinked, putting away her phone. "What’s wrong?" Niles did his best Scooby-Doo impersonation, and she lost it, breaking out into a fit of giggles.

"Lucas sounds like he needs my help." C.C. let out a groan, looking into his eyes. "I have to go to the papers anyway and pretend like Maxwell has a show to put on."

"You could always cast one of your spells."

"Niles…" C.C. lowered her eyelids, shaking her head. "If I had any magic karma, it would have bitten you in the ass a long time ago."

"It did when you showed up in my life." Niles once more reached for her rear, pinching her lightly.

"Don’t you have Maxwell’s toilets to scrub?" C.C. hissed, trying to wiggle out of his arms.

"I would rather scrub down his business partner for a few hours." Niles pulled her tighter against his chest. "I’m off tomorrow."

"And this is a problem because?" C.C. did her best to look annoyed, but it wasn’t working.

"I’m coming over?" Niles did his best to sound manly, but C.C. let out a husky chuckle at his pouting face.

"Just make sure you bring an overnight bag, dust buster, and my toilet does need to be scrubbed!"

"All jokes aside." Niles let out a soft sigh, releasing her. "It would be nice to have our long talk with Lucas present."

"Speaking of which," C.C. walked over to her green couch and picked up her purse smiling, "I have to get going."

"Love you." Niles smiled as C.C. winked, walking out the door.

………………………………...................................................

"Mother?" C.C. opened her condo door to see her mother standing before her. She then tilted her head to see Stuart’s displeased face. "Daddy?"

"Well kitten, you have made a mess of things." Stuart shook his head slowly as B.B. let out a soft chuckle. "I want to know where her ashes are!"

"Where is Lucas?" C.C. tilted her head and hissed at her parents.

"The ‘outcasts’ have been taken in for questioning." B.B. smirked. She was rather enjoying her small triumph. "I still don’t believe…"

"You… did WHAT?!" C.C. felt ready to burst. "You had Lucas and Nick hauled off for questioning over a dead woman’s ashes!… You… You IDIOTS!" C.C. felt out of control, eyeing her warring parents. She had always wanted them to put aside their differences but not over something this foolish.

"Mother should be buried next to Father, Kitten, you know this." Stuart placed a tender hand on his youngest child’s shoulder, trying to reason with C.C.

"She hated the old man." C.C. narrowed her eyes. "He was beyond uptight."

"He was a proper gentleman." B.B. smirked as C.C. tilted her head. "He was what a Babcock should be."

"Should be?" C.C. snickered, looking back at her father. "You don’t realize that you just had your grandson hauled in for questioning?"

"I do. Lucas and Mother told us while we were in London." Stuart shook his head. "That young man is nothing more than a wild animal."

C.C. reached to her temples, rubbing her forehead. "We have had Gram’s ashes taken in for testing… They should know in a few hours if they are ‘human’" B.B. shook her head. "You should have told us about Lucas… What a pity, he has no father."

C.C. let out the deep breath she was holding. Then quickly, she breathed in, pulling off the golden ring her father had given her in England many years ago. She looked on the inside seeing the phoenix and turned to face her father. "Daddy…"

"C.C., your father…."

"Shut up, Mummy." C.C. glared and turned her head towards Stuart. "Daddy, do you remember your effort to try and reform yourself into a good father? Do you remember my longing for you when you were going to take Fran out instead of me?" She put on her best pouting face. "He’s my son, and Nick is your cousin."

"That’s never been proven." B.B. hissed as Chester walked in the room, letting out a snarl towards B.B.. "C.C., get this mutt away from me!"

C.C. couldn’t help her cackle looking at Chester’s eyes. She could tell Lucas had been teaching him a thing or two. "I’m going to get my son back… since you both can show your way out." C.C. placed her ring in Stuart’s hand. "You promised Gram you would be a better father… I’m demanding you don’t allow this harpy to pull your strings anymore! As Lucas, told me a few nights ago… GROW UP!"

………………………………................................................

Lucas let out a laugh as he climbed inside the limo with Nick and C.C. "You did what?" He whispered softly as the door closed.

"Lucy had cut her hair a few years ago, and so, well, I kept it for a rainy day and burned it, mixing in a few of the ashes from the fire place." Nick leaned back, rubbing his wrist.

"Incredible!" C.C. smiled, shaking her head slowly.

"When you grow up near the ‘Babcock’ world… you must be prepared for all sorts of trouble." Nick winked, letting out a long sigh. "So…" He narrowed his eyes at C.C.

Lucas tilted his head, grabbing a soda from the limo’s bar. "Someone didn’t come home last night, Nick, and you know what that means."

"If you two are going to give me a long talk about the ’birds and the bees,’ forget it." C.C. snickered, looking out the tinted window. "I’m just happy you’re out of there."

"You’re still avoiding something." Lucas narrowed his eyes as Nick tilted his head.

C.C. let out a sigh as the limo stopped. "Get going." She flicked her head towards the door, and Lucas hopped outside. She narrowed her eyes at Nick, letting out a groan. "Nick…"

"Yes, Chastity?" Nick reached for her shoulder, smiling. "What’s wrong?"

"I’m not ready to ‘revisit’ my week in hell." C.C. let out a sigh, wanting to reach for the liquor but fighting the urge.

"You remember what Lucy once said?" Nick stepped out of the limo, offering her his hand. "Your past holds all."

"I just want to move on." C.C. staggered a little recalling how that summer changed her. "I don’t…."

"The only way we can heal is to let it all out."

"I was stupid! Do you realize what I could have done?" C.C. whimpered as Nick shook his head.

"Just like a phoenix, you found a way to survive and over come." Nick’s broad face broke out into a huge grin. "I have known you since you were a little girl… Humans change with every triumph and trauma. There is no disgrace in a small downfall."

"Small." C.C. shook her head.

……………………………….........................................................

Niles let out a groan, hopping out of the taxi. He wanted to drag her away to some private corner to romance her, but C.C. had something else in mind. He had no doubt that C.C. was in control of tonight. "Hello, James!" He waved at C.C.’s doorman, walking inside. He knew that all their problems weren’t over with, but he had hoped they could over come them. He got in the elevator and punched the floor number.

C.C. rolled her eyes, trying to add a few things. "Mother, please don’t touch it!" Lucas playfully swatted her away with a dish rag.

"What?" C.C. backed away. "I’m not touching anything."

"Mother, it’s cute that you took all those cooking classes years ago, but let’s face it, you have no idea." Lucas smirked as C.C. let out a groan.

"You know how embarrassing it is that a mere boy can cook, and you can‘t." C.C. rolled her eyes, walking towards the knock at the front door.

"Ah, HA! You admit it!" Lucas let out a loud laugh.

C.C. opened the door, leaning in the doorway to see his smiling face. "I was expecting someone else." She flashed a silly grin, looking into his blue eyes.

"I see." Niles lifted up a single white rose, touching her cheek. "It’s a pity I’m going to have to take this back then."

C.C. closed her eyes, letting out a long sigh, feeling the soft texture of pedals. "You better stop that, bell boy, before give my neighbors a show."

Niles leaned in closer, tasting the sweetness of her red lips. He pulled back laughing. "What’s wrong?"

"This won’t solve all our problems." C.C. leaned in close whispering in his ear.

"What won’t?" Niles purred playfully, his hands roaming the curves along her back.

"Sex." C.C. smirked, pulling him inside at last and taking the rose from his hand.

"No, but it sure does help." Niles flashed a boyish grin, and C.C. couldn’t help but break out into a girlish laugh.

Lucas shook his head watching them. "Well, at least you two are getting along better." Lucas’s face then twisted in pain, watching Niles kiss C.C. once more. "Ewww! But don’t do that in front of me!"

"Sorry, the witch has me under her spell now." Niles winked, kissing C.C.’s hand and walking towards the small table.

"Yeah it’s all my fault, servant." C.C. rolled her eyes, sitting down.

Lucas served his parents but noticed the room grew quiet. He could see Niles’s eyes on him as they ate. "What’s wrong?" He blinked up looking into his eyes. "You don’t like it?"

"I do, but… I want know something." Niles then tilted his head towards C.C. and back towards Lucas. "Lucas, do you wish to take my name at some point?"

"Honestly?" Lucas let out a long sigh. "It wouldn’t be proper."

"Wouldn’t be… PROPER? Why in the bloody hell not!" Niles felt his chest tighten in pain.

"You’re a man that lives to serve others, and I’m a man that lives to be the ‘outcast’ of the family." Lucas let out a long sigh as C.C. groaned.

"Lucas, I…" C.C. felt her heart start to race. "I never meant for you to feel that way."

"I know, Mom." He shook his head slowly. "Grandma B.B. is right…I am a rather black sheep."

"Taking your ‘rightful’ name isn’t going to change who you are, Lucas." Niles felt his lower lip tremble. "You are my son."

"I am aware of who I am." Lucas tried to put a playful tone in his voice. "We’ll talk about this later."

Niles let out a long sigh, narrowing his eyes. "This subject isn’t closed, young man."

"I know!" Lucas let out a long sigh.

"How did you tell him?" Niles tilted his head towards C.C.

"How did I tell him what?" C.C. smirked as Niles let out a groan.

"Listen, Caca, are we going to have a serious talk for once?" Niles shook his head as C.C. let out a groan.

"I was drunk and stupid the night I told him, Niles." C.C. let out a long sigh. "Lucas always suspected it was you anyway."

"Why?" Niles turned his head towards Lucas’s smirking face.

"Every time you came over, I would be hauled off towards my room… It was you or Maxwell Sheffield that had to be my father. I ruled him out years ago when I realized mother would never hurt Sara." Lucas smirked as Niles looked towards a whimpering C.C. "Mother, what’s wrong?"

"I did hurt her feelings in the end." C.C. put down her cup, letting out a long sigh. "The day of the accident I told her the truth, Niles."

"What do you mean, Niles is Lucas’s father?" Sara’s voice was quivering.

C.C. let out a long sigh recalling her heated argument. "She walked out, determined to tell you the truth." C.C. let out a long sigh. "She was upset with me and never made it back home."

"You hardly spoke at Sara’s funeral." Niles lowered his head, shaking it slowly. "I was so worried about you."

"My best friend left this world with my threats about leaving New York forever." C.C. closed her eyes. "I told her if she told you the truth… I was leaving… I so hated myself for ..." C.C. lowered her head, not wanting either of them to see her eyes. Niles touched her chin, lifting her head back up to stare in her in the eyes.

"Mrs. Sheffield’s death wasn’t your fault." Niles felt his own heart race looking into her wounded eyes. "She knows…C.C."

Lucas stood up, clearing the dishes and quietly left the room. He turned back only a moment to watch their longing looks.

"Lucas?" Niles turned around to see him gone.

"He always did have perfect timing." C.C. let out a whimpering sigh.

"How did you close yourself off from the world like this, C.C.?"

"What do you mean?" C.C. pulled back from his touch as if he was burning her. "I’m not closed off."

"You pushed us all away, holding onto your drive and hate… Why…Did I cause all this? What happened to you after I… pushed you away after that summer?"

"C.C.?" Lance touched her shoulder as she was curled up in the corner. "Miss Babcock, are you alright?" He reached out to feel her forehead.

C.C. shook her head. "It’s a good thing they found me."

"What…would have happened?" Niles pulled her close as C.C. let out a soft whimper. "What?"

"I was falling apart inside, Niles." C.C. let out a long sigh, touching his cheek. "When Sara died, I fell apart again, and I wanted to be here… I wanted to take her place because she had someone that loved her so freely, and it annoyed you."

"I was sick with desire, and... Robert’s words ringing in my ears." Niles let out a groan. "You were out of my reach from that summer on." His hand pulled her onto his lap, looking into her teary eyes. "I know we have problems still, but my heart would stop beating without you."

"Niles…" C.C. leaned forward, her lips pressing into his.

Niles felt dizzy with desire as his hands pushed her body closer to his. He broke off the kiss for only a moment. "I love you."

"Ditto." C.C. smirked.

"C.C." He groaned, stopping her from kissing him. "We still need to finish our talk."

"I know we should really be more…" Niles could no longer help her pouting face, picking her up easily in his arms.

C.C. felt her body shiver as Niles placed her on the king size bed, worshiping her skin. She couldn’t escape the flame of her own desire. How on earth could she expect Niles to behave himself around her? She pushed off his jacket and let out a whimper as her skin was exposed to the night air. With the touch of his hand on her body, she was dieing once more. "Niles…" She was unsure if she whispered his name or screamed it in passion.

Niles wanted to make sure that she felt his love with every gentle kiss pressed against her flesh. He wanted her more than any fortune. His hands became fascinated by the difference between her silky skin and the silk sheets. She let out a giggle and shifted them away from her sheets enjoying the heat coming off of his bare chest. A toss of her blonde hair and he lost it in a wave of maddening desire. This was one of the feelings he missed; it was more than just making love to her. Their two spirits took flight every time he touched her. Some time after they were in one another’s arms, Niles tilted his head hearing her hum a song softly. Niles lifted her head up slowly, looking into her blue eyes.

"I follow the night… Can’t stand the light." C.C. began to sing tenderly. "When will I begin… to live again…"

Niles flashed a tender smile, watching her face.

"One day I’ll fly away. Leave all this to yesterday. What more could your love do for me. When will love be through with me." C.C. ran her hands up and rested her left hand on his heart feeling his strong heartbeat. "Why live life from dream to dream, and dread the day when dreaming ends."

Niles touched her chin. C.C. didn’t have the ‘best’ singing voice, never having been trained, but it did indeed show promise.

"One day, I’ll fly away. Leave all this to yesterday. Why live life from dream to dream. And dread the day when dreaming ends…. One day I’ll fly away…… fly, fly…away…"

"You sound so sad, love." His hand brushed away a golden lock.

"So many wasted years." C.C. kissed his palm, softly letting out a soft whimper. "I don’t think I could go back to being Claire Morgan or the ‘Bitch of Broadway’ anymore."

Niles let out a soft laugh, kissing her. "Then you are reborn."

"Just like a phoenix." C.C. let out a laugh as Niles let out a long, happy sigh.

"I feel it, too." Niles let out a long sigh.

"I went to Gordon’s to rebuild my broken soul. I wanted to hide away, but I couldn’t hide my feelings for you. It ruined every relationship because I couldn’t let go." She kissed his chest as Niles let out a happy sigh.

"Robert went through a lot of trouble to prove I couldn’t let go of you. We fought right after my engagement party to Katherine." Niles let out a deep rumbling sigh. "He…"

"He?"

"He was right! I couldn’t just walk away from you." Niles kissed her forehead. "Not after what happened with Sara… I couldn’t leave."

"Niles… I…" C.C. couldn’t finish her sentence as Niles started his sweet assaults on her mouth once more.

……………………………….......................................................................

Maxwell let out a groan, rubbing his temples. He needed C.C. on top of her game, but she seemed on cloud nine. "Bloody hell!" Maxwell reread the article once more, letting out a groan. He stood up as C.C. floated inside the room.

"Hello, hello!" She let out a long sigh, and Maxwell had to do a double take at her dress. "What a beautiful day."

C.C. had always worn business suits to work, but her clothes had Maxwell dazed. "Yetta sold her right’s to Webber! What do you think about that?" He waited for his shark of a partner to go on the attack but was disappointed.

"Why are these doors closed? It’s such a lovely day!" C.C. walked outside, and Maxwell’s jaw dropped as a white dove landed on her hand. He rolled his eyes, shutting the door.

"Sweetie!" Fran walked in and stopped seeing C.C. outside. "I brought you some ice cream."

"You know, I would really love some chocolate syrup." Maxwell flashed his best boyish pouting face.

"Yeah… well .. Who wouldn’t?" Fran tilted her head towards C.C. "What’s got into her?"

"Niles and C.C. have been acting rather out of character lately… well, since." Maxwell let out a groan looking up towards the ceiling.

"Still trying to burn that image out of your mind, are ya?" Fran let out a nasal laugh as Maxwell groaned, poking his spoon at the ice cream.

C.C. closed her eyes, looking out towards the blue sky as the dove took flight off her hand. "You better stop glowing, Caca." Niles walked up holding her tight. "People will start to notice."

"I no longer care if they do." C.C. closed her eyes.

Niles fought the urge to ask her yet again to marry him. He would take his time and wait for another chance, but for now, he would romance her… he would woo her. "Careful, you might start to show people you’re human."

"You might start to show people you are more than just an average man." C.C. let out a playful purr.

"Will you be free tonight?" Niles touched her cheek and started nuzzling her hair.

"Why wait for tonight." C.C. giggled as Niles let out a deep playful roar, backing her up against a corner. "Why did you have to wear this dress?" Niles let out a purr, touching her waist.

C.C. had kept one of her ‘summer’ dresses from England but was shocked this morning when it fit. She had to alter some things about it… well, she asked Tish to alter it. "Because I know how it would drive you crazy."

"You are playing with fire, woman!" Niles let out a laugh.

"We have to get going today… Can you escape for a few hours?" C.C. gently pushed him away but missed the contact of his body.

"I do have to go shopping." Niles looked at his watch. "What’s going on?"

"Lucas is seeing off his girlfriend today, and for some reason, she requested your presence." C.C. shook her head. She shivered as Niles reached out, once more touching a silver chain. "What?"

"What are you wearing? I used to think you had my Saint Christopher medal around your neck." He reached out and pulled gently on the silver chain, smiling as he saw the picture of Saint Jude. "Where did you get this?"

"Lucas." C.C. blushed as Niles leaned down trailing kisses from her neck back towards her lips.

"Then the saints have answered all my prayers." Niles let out a sigh.

"All of your prayers? You didn’t say that last night when you were screaming for God." C.C. giggled as Niles blushed.

Niles tilted his head as they both heard a loud noise. "We better be more careful."

"Us, careful?" C.C. let out a chuckle. "I doubt we could do that even if we tried, dust buster."

"I’ll see you outside in an hour, then?" Niles released her as C.C. let out a quiet sigh.

"An hour..." C.C. let out a sigh watching Niles sneak back inside.

……………………………….............................................................

Lucas let out a grumble, looking into her sightless eyes. "I wish you could stay forever." He let out a playful dog sounding whimper.

"I’ll be here soon enough." Rachael felt his strong lean chest and let out a groan. "It couldn’t be soon enough for me."

Lucas let out a groan feeling his Babcock genes at war with his Butler ones, but he gave in leaning in whispering in her ear. "I love you."

Rachael blushed as Jager started nipping playfully at her hand. "Love you, too."

"Yeah, yeah..." Nick came in grumbling. "If we don’t get her off to the airport, Robert will have my skin!"

"Uncle Robert’s nothing more than a big teddy bear! You could take him, Nick!" Lucas walked up towards the grumbling man.

"He’s a rather large man." Nick shook his head and then answered the ringing telephone. "Let’s get going." He flashed a smile, taking Rachael’s hand.

……………………………….................................................

Niles shook his head, looking at the private plane. "I still can’t get over it." He noticed it was one of the ‘Babcock’ jets. "What can I offer the woman who has everything she’s ever wanted?"

C.C. smirked, watching Niles’s face twist in pain. "Relax servant, just keep up with your ‘teasing’ nature, and we’ll both be fine." She placed her hand in his, letting out a soft sigh as the limo pulled up. "He’s here."

Lucas flashed his boyish smile that always made C.C.’s heart melt just a little. "Hiya, Mom." He helped Rachael out of the door with Jager, hopping out, standing by her side.

Niles did a double take, looking at the dark haired woman. "Hello, Miss?"

"Adams." Rachael let out a giggle as Niles took her hand, kissing it softly.

"Adams…" Niles smiled, looking from Rachael back to Lucas. "You requested a meeting with me before you depart? I’m honored, but why?"

Rachael reached out, placing a sealed letter in his hand. "I always deliver on my promises."

"Now, pardon me… I’ll see she get’s on board." Lucas smirked, guiding Rachael and her seeing eye-dog, Jager, onto the private plane.

Niles looked down at the handwriting and was shocked. "I don’t believe it." He let out a laugh opening the letter.

"What?" C.C. looked as Niles read the simple line.

Niles let out a laugh, looking at the plane. "I don’t believe it. He would have to bring up that silly comment I made years ago when we fought."

"What did you two fight about?" C.C. placed her hands on her hips, eyeing Niles. "Let me guess, Katherine?"

"No…you." Niles placed a tender kiss on her forehead. "The fact that I have and always will love you."

C.C. blushed as Lucas walked back, standing next to them, watching the plane take off. "To think, soon I’ll be saying goodbye to you two." Lucas let out a long sigh, walking them back towards the limo.

The cold hard fact that they had an agreement to go to California in a few months hit her like a ton of bricks. "Lucas… I…" She let out a whine, and Lucas let out a soft chuckle.

"Mom… That is months away." Lucas turned towards Niles for help.

"There, there, Caca." Niles let out a soft sigh, pulling her close. "Did the evil hell spawn upset you?" He flashed as smile as Lucas let out a roaring laugh.

"I’m an evil hell spawn, am I?" Lucas let out a long sigh, pulling C.C. into his broad arms. "I’m not gone yet, but you do realize that every phoenix must fly."

"I know." C.C. let out a long sigh.

"I have some things to do… you two have fun." Lucas winked, taking Niles’s hand and tickling his mother’s chin.

C.C. let out a soft sigh. "I have to get going. Maxwell is having a fit over some ‘letters’"

"Come on, Caca, it would be worse. Would you like to join me in a trip to Wal-mart?" He displayed a playful grin as C.C. shook her head slowly. "You mean, you would rather deal with Mister Sheffield?"

"Good point!" C.C. smirked, hitting his back.

"Come on, Caca, I have never been to Wal-mart in a limo before." Niles took her hand, kissing it softly. "Are you free tonight? I know it’s a rather silly question, isn’t it?"

"Niles!" C.C. let out a groan. "Can it!"

Niles made a zipper movement across his lips, leading her towards the waiting limo. He pulled her inside and quickly started to nuzzle her neck again. "Something is bugging me still…" His lips teased her ear and C.C. let out a giggle.

"What?" C.C. felt her blouse open. "Niles… what are you…"

"Doing? I’m exploring!" He pushed the blouse off her shoulders, touching her bare skin and letting out a soft moan. "I was wondering about Chandler."

"Niles!" C.C. shifted, pushing him down on his back. "This is the wrong time to be talking about him." She reached for his jacket, pulling it off his shoulders as Niles let out a soft groan.

………………………………........................................................

Chandler let out a long sigh, looking at the attendance sheet. "Well, if he wants to rent the theater next week, he can." Chandler turned his head, lowering his cell phone. "What is it, Kate?"

"A Mister Butler to see you." Kate turned her head allowing Niles to walk inside smiling.

Chandler stood up, letting out a long sigh. "Kate, hold all my calls for the next hour." Chandler leaned against his desk, looking into Niles’s eyes. "Hello, Niles."

"Mister Evans, I believe I owe you a debt of gratitude." He let out a sigh, holding out his hand. Chandler looked down at it for just a moment groaning. "You have been a real help to Lucas and to C.C."

Chandler looked down at the hand offered and took it firmly. "I have a warning for you, servant." He pulled Niles in closer whispering. "You hurt either one of them…in any way, and I’ll kill you."

"Point taken." Niles let out a laugh and then narrowed his eyes. "I’ve been trying to ask C.C., but she’s been avoiding the question. How did you find out about Lucas?"

Chandler smirked, shaking his head. "You aren’t going to get every answer, Niles." Chandler poured a glass of bourbon, smiling. "Can I offer you one?"

"No." Niles let out a long sigh. "I would prefer to have my question answered about my son."

"In any good story, sometimes you’ll just have to settle for a happy ending… If you could mange that, I’ll be shocked." Chandler let out a chuckle as Niles blushed. "Let me guess you asked her, and she said no."

"How the devil do you know that?" Niles did a double take as Chandler took a rather large gulp from his drink.

"You want my advice?" Chandler narrowed his eyes as Niles nodded quickly.

"I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I do."

"Just love her freely and accept everything she has to offer. That is where I failed her, Niles." Chandler let out a long sigh. "No… I failed because I wasn’t you, because your absence in her life made you hard to compete with."

"So, what you are saying is absence makes the heart grow founder." Niles rubbed his hands together. "You aren’t setting me up for a fall here?"

"I want them both happy."

"I’m sorry, but my past is rather checkered when it comes to C.C." Niles let out a groan, recalling his mistakes in England.

"You don’t say?" Chandler let out a loud laugh.

"I don’t want to make another mistake."

"Then surely you have a place you could escape to at least for a few days." Chandler smirked as Niles nodded.

"I have a debt to repay." Niles tilted his head. "Mister Evans, you are truly a gentleman."

"I’m just a man who wants to see his friends happy. I have been keeping then safe for you." Chandler flashed a smile. "Now, I think it is safe for me to tell C.C. that I’m getting married in a few months."

………………………………..............................................

C.C. let out a groan as Maxwell finished. "I’ll strangle her myself." She hissed as Maxwell grabbed her shoulder. "Maxwell, why are you allowing your mother-in law to push you around?"

"Don’t be too hasty." Maxwell groaned, returning to his desk. "I’m taking the whole family with me to Paris. That should give you some time… to… erm… work?" Maxwell blushed as C.C. rolled her eyes.

"What do you mean work? We still don’t have the right to those stinking letters yet." C.C. sat down on her green couch. "There is nothing to do."

"Well, Miss Babcock, I’m sure you could find time to lie around the house." Fran fluttered her eyes in a teasing manner, and C.C. couldn’t help but laugh. "Did you just laugh at my joke?"

"Yeah, and?" C.C. opened up a file, letting out a long sigh.

"That Prozac must be really kicking in." Fran leaned down, whispering into her husband’s ear.

"I heard that, Nanny Fine." C.C. let out another long sigh, closing her eyes thinking about her bell boy. She quickly opened her eyes, jumping up off the couch. "Well, since you two are leaving tomorrow morning, I will get out of your hair. I have other things to attend to."

"I’ll give you a call when we are heading back." Maxwell lowered his head, letting out a long sigh.

"He’s really changed her." Fran smirked as Maxwell let out a groan. "What is it honey?" She reached out touching his shoulder.

"I need her head back into the business, but she seems to be on cloud nine lately. I need the ‘Bitch of Broadway.’ " Maxwell drummed his fingers on the table.

"Well, you’ll have to settle on the ‘tamer’ version." Fran leaned down kissing his cheek. "Ya know how that old song goes."

"What song is that, darling?" Maxwell let out a groan.

"Love lifts us up where we belong." Fran winked as Maxwell rolled his eyes, smiling. "I would have never thought it, but those two belong together."

C.C. let out a groan, looking inside her purse for her keys in the Sheffield living room. "Hey…. Kid!" She eyed the ‘Big one’ walking past. "Do you know if Maxwell is taking Niles on this trip to Paris?"

"No." Maggie rolled her eyes walking away from C.C.

C.C. walked towards the door, letting out a happy sigh. She then felt two strong hands coming from the front closet door pulling her inside. She let out a small yelp, but Niles quickly covered her mouth, laughing quietly. "Now, love, there is no need for that." He brushed her lips lightly with his own.

"You’re an evil man, Niles Butler." C.C. giggled, holding him tight. "This is worse than England. I can’t go four hours without you pulling me into some sort of closet.

"What’s wrong?" Niles looked down at her worried face.

"I’m still afraid I’m going to wake up from all this." C.C. let out a soft whimper, and Niles held her even tighter letting out a soft groan of understanding. "The family is leaving this weekend."

"I know, and for some reason, Mister Sheffield is leaving me behind." Niles couldn’t help but chuckle lightly.

"You think they know?" C.C. looked up into his blue eyes. Even in the dark closet, it was bright enough for her to see. "I mean Maxwell’s pretty dimwitted, but Nanny Fine isn’t."

"Does it matter if they know or not? I mean sooner or later we will ’have’ to tell them." Niles inhaled a deep breath and exhale. "I want you to wear something smashing tonight, love."

"Smashing? Perhaps you could give me more information." C.C. let out a snicker and a yelp as Niles pinched her rear lightly. "Hey! Stop that servant!"

"I couldn’t help myself!" Niles put a kiss on her forehead. "Make sure it’s a gown that’s easy to take off? How about that for information?"

"You’re a sick, twisted, pervert of a man!" C.C. flashed a bright smile as Niles let out a soft laugh. "What, did I say something wrong?"

"Are you admitting I’m a man at last?" Niles reached for the zipper to her skirt, teasing her. "Are you?" He waited as C.C. let out a groan.

"We can’t do anything here! Someone could walk in any moment and open this closet." C.C. let out a groan as Niles whimpered. "Please, Niles, we have taken so many other risks."

"You’re right… Be forewarned tonight, you’ll suffer for your common sense, woman." His hand started a soft caress of her back, and C.C. let out a happy sigh.

"Aren’t I suffering now?" C.C. let out another yelp as Niles pinched her one last time for good measure.

Niles let out a laugh, shaking his head. "Your best gown… I’ll pick you up at six sharp!"

"In what, your run down ruin of a car?" C.C. teased as Niles let out a groan.

"Would you trust me for just a moment, woman?"

"There’s no way!" C.C. took his hand, kissing it softly.

"Alright… Nick will be picking us up." Niles shook his head. "Now trust me and wear your best. Tonight will be magic."

"You said that last night."

"Minx!" Niles purred playfully.

"Servant!" C.C. put her hands on her hip and then pushed him against the closet wall. "You better make this good."

"It will be." Niles released her as C.C. managed to sneak out the front door unnoticed. Niles felt the closet open a few moments later as Fran stood before him with her jaw on the floor.

"Niles?" She smirked waved her finger. "What have I told you about coming out of the closet?"

"I was... I…" Niles blushed, searching for an answer to why he had just come out of the closet. "I was cleaning!"

Fran smirked watching Niles head upstairs. "Cleaning yeah… right."

………………………………............................................................

"I want to thank you for this, Nick." Niles smiled looking at the tux. "How did you know my size?"

"I didn’t buy that… Lucy did a month before she past on. She also arranged everything else for you tonight." Nick let out a soft sigh as Niles stood there in shock.

"Even from a grave, that woman never gives up?" Niles let out a playful laugh.

"Get use to it!" Nick reached for Niles’s, tie straightening it. "Are you ready to go meet your date, Mister Butler?"

C.C. had put on a silver and white gown, feeling rather foolish as Lucas let out a soft sigh, looking at his mother. "You know, it’s only a small jump from that dress to a proper wedding dress." Lucas smiled taking her hands.

"Don’t start, Tate." C.C. let out a low groan.

"I’m not starting." Lucas let out a soft laugh. "You look happy… happier than I’ve seen you in a long time."

"I feel…. Whole…" C.C. blushed as the phone rang. Lucas reached to pick it up.

"Roger, roger!" He answered it, watching C.C. put on the last of her jewelry. "Okay Nick, I’ll send her down in a moment." He put the phone back on the cradle, letting out a long sigh.

"What?" C.C. blinked and twirled around playfully in her dress.

"It’s hard to see one’s parents finally grow up."

"Stop it." C.C. let out a long sigh, looking into his eyes. "Lucas… before I forget… Thanks."

"For?" Lucas raised an eyebrow.

"For putting up with me, because I know being my kid couldn’t have been easy." C.C. pulled him into a tight hug, and Lucas let out a long sigh.

"You better get going."

"Love you." C.C. mumbled softly and Lucas wagged his finger.

"Get going, Babcock, before Butler comes up here and drags you into even more private corners! I would like to get at least one peaceful night sleep without the odd noises you two make. I’m about to call Bort and go into therapy myself."

C.C. came out of the elevator, shocked to see Nick back in his driver uniform. "Nick?" She tilted her head as Nick just opened the door.

C.C. slid in, expecting to find Niles waiting for her but was shocked when the limo was empty. Nick lowered the screen that divided driver and passenger. "He’s waiting for us at the location."

"Location? Nick, where are we going?" C.C. did her best to look out the limo window, trying to get her bearings.

"I have my instructions." He raised the glass and quietly let out a soft chuckle.

C.C. felt her head spin as Nick made several turns. Then it all came to a sudden stop, and Nick opened the door, holding out his hand. "Miss Babcock." He smiled as C.C. stepped out. C.C. recognized the museum.

"What are we…doing…here…?" C.C. tilted her head, noticing Nick had gone back inside the limo.

C.C. let out a long sigh, following the long red carpet. She walked towards the door and was shocked then the guards let her in willingly. "The pauper couldn’t have afforded all this." C.C. let out a long hiss under her breath and stopped, seeing the statue. Its black flames still pulled at her heart strings. The small hint of a phoenix inside the darkness made her heart soar. She turned, hearing a small coughing noise trying to get her attention.

C.C. noticed a small table sitting next to the statue, all decked out with different types of fruit. "Niles?" She felt her knees grow weak looking at his tux. He looked sooooo good during Maxwell’s wedding, but he looked stunting now in this setting.

"Now, Caca… Don’t pass out on me." He pulled her close, holding her tightly. "A little angel arranged for us to have some time in front of the very thing that pulled us together."

"Gram?" C.C. giggled as a violin started to play softly, and Niles flashed a soft smile. "Niles … I…" C.C. shivered in his arms as she heard soft singing that echoed in the room.

There was a time

"That…that song is so..." C.C. felt her lower lip tremble as Niles displayed his playful grin.

"Us?" He held her tightly. "I know you won’t say yes now, C.C., but I just want to let you know here, near the very phoenix statue that brought us together… If it takes forever, we will work things out." Niles let out a happy sigh as C.C. nuzzled his neck. "If you keep doing that, we will have another rather interesting story to tell."

"I think there is a janitor’s closet a few feet from here." C.C. whispered with a hint of desire twinkling in her eyes.

"That’s one thing I hope that will never change, Babcock!" Niles let out a loud laugh, taking her hand, dragging her down the hall.

Well, today is the day, but what more can I tell you? *Lucas let out a long sigh, writing in his makeshift journal.* Mother was soon involved with the ‘Yetta Letters’ play, and Dad left for England. When he left Mother, of course, she drove everyone crazy missing him. When he came back … *Lucas lifted his head up from his journal grumbling.*

"Mister Butler?" The nurse came out smiling. "I’m sorry but we had no choice, but you have you leave the room."

"Is she alright? Are they alright?" Lucas felt his heart pound as he heard the pounding of two small feet.

"Tatey!" The three year old girl came charging in the waiting room and into his waiting arms.

"Oy! I’m sorry, Lucas." Fran Fine Sheffield smirked, eyeing the little girl. "She got away from me. Your sister Morgan can be a handful worse than the twins when she wants something."

"It’s alright." Lucas smirked. He couldn’t help recalling when Niles told Fran the whole truth about him. Morgan put her head down on Lucas’s shoulder, snuggling her elder brother.

"What? Oy, you always give me that look." Fran groaned, shaking her head.

"I’m sorry, Mrs. Sheffield… I can’t help but remember you falling on the floor once you found out who my parents were." Lucas winked as Morgan lifted up her little head.

"Rach?" Her lower limp trembled.

"I don’t know yet, sis." Lucas touched the little girl’s cheek, and she once more put her head down. "Mom’s taking her sweet time getting here!" Lucas joked as Fran rolled her eyes.

"She’s so going to kill yer father. I thought I had a hard time carrying twins!" Fran let out a snicker as C.C. entered the room with Niles and Maxwell… of course, the two twins quickly followed.

"Get your hands away from me!" C.C. let out a hiss towards a grumbling Niles.

"The more things change." Lucas let out a small mutter towards Fran, who nodded quietly. "The more they don’t!"

"You need to sit down for a moment, love." Niles let out a groan, turning to Lucas for help.

"Mother… It’s bad enough they kicked me out of the delivery room with Rach… For once, please do as dad wishes."

Lucas stood up, hearing a small cry. Walking towards the door, Niles put his hand on his shoulder smiling. "They’ll come and get you in a moment, son."

A smiling nurse came out with a pink crying bundle as C.C. watched the nurse place it in Lucas’s arms. "Is my wife alright?"

"She’s fine. You can see her in a few moments!" The nurse flashed a smile as Jager, who was hidden under the bench Lucas had been sitting on, started yelping for his master.

"Soon, old boy." Lucas laughed down at the seeing eye dog and looked down at the blue eyed girl.

"Down, Caca." Niles teased, hearing C.C. let out a groan. "They’ve been married for over a year." He whispered in hear ear tenderly. "Grandma."

C.C. let out a groan, rolling her eyes. "If I wasn’t carrying two of your hell spawns, bell boy, I would so smack you right now."

"Smack Daddy!" Morgan let out a laugh, her eyes lighting up as Lucas looked down at his baby girl. C.C. walked over, leaning over his shoulder.

"What’s her name?"

"Lucy." Lucas’s eyes filled with tears as he handed her over to C.C., who let out a soft laugh.

"For every ending, you must remember there is a new beginning." She touched her grandchild’s face, letting out a playful laugh. "Gram was right." C.C. whispered as Niles touched the baby’s face.

"Is C.C. admitting she was wrong?" Niles smirked as Morgan let out a giggle at her parent’s teasing.

"No, but I’m starting to see what Gordon was talking about." She looked up into her eldest child’s eyes. "We all have a little piece of a phoenix in us."

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