C.C.'s Christmas Present

by

Mandy
(Editor231@aol.com)

CC approached the Sheffield household with a sense of dread.  She hated this time of year - she couldn't think of anything worse than spending "Quality Time" with family.  The Sheffield home had been buzzing with excitement for weeks before Christmas, Maggie had had a friend from England visiting, Sara.  Sara was a quiet 17 year old, CC quite liked her, she seemed the only sane person in the household at times.  As CC approached the door Niles opened it for her,

"Good morning, Miss Babcock.  I suppose you're enjoying the cold weather must be enjoyable for the Ice Queen to feel so at home."

"Oh, shut up, Brillo." She retorted as she made her way to the office.  The office door was closed and CC's heart sunk as she approached to hear Christmas songs playing inside.  'Oh, great Nanny Fine's in there,  how can she get so excited about a time of year?' She opened the door and walked in - afraid of what she'd find.  Her fears were confirmed.  Fran was on a step ladder pinning some more tinsel to the ceiling.  CC looked in shock horror at the "office".

"What have you done?" she squeaked.  Fran turned around and smiled at CC.

"Oh, hi, Miss Babcock, do ya like it? I thought the place needed some cheering up"

"Cheering…up?" CC replied, still in shock as Maxwell entered.

"Hello CC, do you like it?  Rather festive isn't it?" he said as he sat down at his desk which was decorated into Santa's sleigh.

"Festive?!? Festive?!? … Maxwell, I refuse to work in … in Santa's Grotto!" She said still standing by the door - afraid to come in to the room.

"Oh, come on CC, it's not that bad. What's wrong not feeling the Christmas spirit yet?" Maxwell said as his, now tinsel covered phone rang, but something was wrong and CC couldn't put her finger on it. Until she suddenly realized that the phone wasn't ringing like usual, it was playing "Silent Night".  CC rolled her eyes and put her bag on the couch and left for the kitchen.  When she entered Sara was standing there,

"Hi, Miss Babcock." She said, smiling.

"Hello Sara, have you seen the office?"

Sara smiled and looked at the tea she was drinking, "Well, yes, it's a wee bit OTT isn't it?"

"OTT, doesn't begin to describe it, all we need is a sign for the North Pole and we're all set up for the Grotto." CC said getting a bottle of water from the fridge as Niles came in carrying a sign "North Pole, this way" and took it through the kitchen to the office.

"Oh, good grief." CC sighed.  Sara just laughed and said, "Why fight it?  Fran will get you. You will be forced to be full of Christmas cheer sooner or later."

CC looked at her and sighed, "You staying here for Christmas?"

"Yeah."

"Why aren't you going home to be with your family?"

"Why aren't you?"

"Because I detest most of them and they wouldn't want me there anyway."

"Snap." Sara said as the clinked glasses.  At that moment Fran walked through the kitchen wearing a ton of tinsel and some antlers.

"Now what are you two hiding in here for?"

"We're hiding from you," Sara said, "did you know that there is a giant tinsel monster around your neck trying to eat you?" CC smiled.

"Oh, you two!" Fran whined, "Come on, get with the Christmas spirit.  It only comes once a year - enjoy it." Fran put the stereo on in the kitchen so "Step Into Christmas" by Elton John was playing and then left the room.

"I vote we kill her." CC dead-panned.

"I agree with what she's saying." Sara replied.

"I thought you didn't like Christmas?"

"No, no, I LOVE Christmas, I just don't like it with my family."

"I thought Christmas is a time for family?"

"It can be - it's whatever you make it really."

CC thought about this,  "I suppose you're right.  I'll just have to make it something."

Later that evening CC went into the kitchen where she knew she'd find Niles.

"I thought you'd gone home?" he said as she came in.

"No, I was wondering if you could help me with something?"

"You want my help?!" Niles asked in shock.

"Yes..ermm…well." she fumbled.

"Spit it out woman."

"Where do you get trees?" she asked, embarrassed.

"I'm fighting back the urge to say in a forest.  Why do you want a tree?"

"I want a Christmas tree for the apartment."

"You? You want a Christmas tree?"

"Yes, what's wrong with that?"

"Well, I mean you?  Christmas?" he said, laughing.

"Oh fine, why do I even bother?" she said as she spun around to leave the room.  He caught her arm as she was about to leave and turned her around to face him.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that.  You want a tree? What kind?"

"What do you mean kind?" she said.  Niles smiled and laughed as he took her arm and lead her to the front door

CC wrapped her coat tighter around herself.  Niles was walking ahead of her through the tree orchard.

"So, let's see if I have got this right…you come in here - get someone to hack down a tree...pay and drive it home?" she asked.

"You've never done anything like this before, have you?" Niles replied laughing.

"No, we never really celebrated Christmas at home." She said whilst studying the tree closest to her to avoid meeting his look.

"Why not?" he asked, suddenly feeling sorry for her.

"Mother and father were never there - there was no point."

"Didn't you have any other family around?" he asked, taking a step closer to her.

"No, not really - they were all too busy."  She looked at his face and noticed he's look, "it's nothing - really, I'm fine with it."  She said, quickly masking her feelings.  She walked to another tree and said "I like this one - what do you think?"  He knew when to drop it, it was obvious he'd touched on a sensitive subject.

"Yes, I like that one too." He said, "let's go and tell them we've made our choice" They both smiled and walked back to the entrance.

Niles dragged the tree into CC's apartment 'Why do I do so much for this woman if I hate her?' he mused.  She helped him as they dragged the tree upright.  CC stood back and nodded her head approvingly.

"Wonderful - what now?" she said looking at Niles with a huge smile on her face.

"Well, we should decorate it." He said, flopping on the couch.  CC looked at him blankly.

"Hmm?" she questioned. Niles rolled his eyes and laughed out loud.

"What? What have I said?" she asked him.

"You do realize that you HAVE to decorate the tree?" He asked, incredulously.

"Well, no, I didn't know it was compulsory." She replied making Niles burst out laughing.  He looked up to notice that she wasn't looking best pleased with him.

"You know what you need?" Niles told her.

"What?"

"A crash course in Christmas."

"How? When?" she said.

"I'll teach you tomorrow, we can both abandon the Sheffield's and I'll teach Scrooge the true meaning of Christmas." He smiled at her.  She smiled and looked embarrassed, "Ok, it's a date then."

The next morning CC arrived early and rang the doorbell still not quite knowing what to expect from Niles. She had no idea what he was planning and although that would usually worry her, she was actually excited about the prospect of spending time with him.  Niles opened the door and gestured for her to come in.

"The Sheffield's have gone Christmas shopping." He stated.

"Oh, ok…so what are we going to do today?"

"Well, I thought we could decorate the tree before Miss Fine attacks it with her fashionable … charm," he laughed.  CC allowed him to take her coat as she entered the house, she looked at the huge tree by the stairs.

"You want to decorate that!" she yelled.

"Yes, don't panic - it'll be easy." He said reassuringly.

"I don't even feel like Christmas."

"Christmassy." He corrected.

"What??"

"Christmassy, you don't feel Christmassy."

"What kind of made-up word is that?!?"

"Stop moaning, I'll put some Christmas music on to cheer you up."

Niles went and put his Christmas album on over the intercom and then carried a couple more boxes of decorations to add to the seven others by the tree.  She looked at him not knowing what to do.

"Lights first he stated." Smiling at her.  She opened the first box and found the lights.  She stuck her hand in the box and pulled out the knotted mass of lights. She put the whole bunch on the nearest branch, wiped her hands together and stood back.  Niles sighed and shook his head.

"You're not into this are you?" he said taking the lights off the tree and laying them on the floor to un-knot them.  He sat down on the floor and begun to un-pick the knots.  She stood there for awhile and then sat down next to him and helped him. He smiled to himself.

"Why did you never spend Christmas with family?" he asked quietly.

"They were always too busy." She whispered back.  Niles looked at her unsure whether to carry on or not… he decided he would.

"You still should have enjoyed Christmas with your brother and sister?"

"I suppose because we were never really taught about it, we never bothered."

"I think that's really upsetting."

"Why?"

"Well, I love Christmas because I remember the wonderful times I have had with my family."

"Oh…well, I guess I'll never 'get' Christmas then."

"You'll get it, don't worry."

She looked at him and smiled, "What's brought this on?"

"What?"

"This nice routine."

"It's not a routine - I do care."

"Why?  And why all of a sudden?"

"It's Christmas, Miss Babcock, and everyone needs someone at Christmas."

"You've never done this any other Christmas."

"Well, quiet, yes.  I suppose it was talking with Sara."

"Why?  What did she say?"

"She asked why I fought with you so often.  And I didn't have an answer.  And I thought more about it and I felt awful…for everything.  I don't know how you can bare to be around me."  CC looked at him, shocked by his sudden outburst.

"I was pretty awful to you too, Niles." She said, trying to comfort him so what.

"I started it, and for no reason.  I was stupid, I really don't know why."

She looked at him,  he had hung his head, almost in shame at what he had done.  She knew he had been a pain to her, and sometimes he had really hurt her feelings, but over time she had grown to ignore him. She cupped his face in her hand and lifted his head so she could meet his eyes.  He looked upset at the pain he knew he had caused her.  She leant in and kissed him gently.  She pulled back to look into his eyes and smile.  He returned her smile and returned her kiss.

She brook the kiss suddenly and stared into his eyes.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I think I know what Christmas means to me." She said smiling.   As she kissed him again.

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