Now I'm back after years. My English didn't improve in this time and I failed to write a CC and Niles Fanfic. Maxwell is just to tempting for me ;-). But I hope it's good after all. Comments are welcome.

The Day After

by

Jafry
(JafryD@yahoo.co.uk)

It was one of these pleasant spring evenings, where you can take some time to think. To think about your life, your dreams, your loves. C.C. Babcock didn’t want to think and she was usually good in hiding. But today was different. It was the day after. The day after Niles heart attack. The day after she had caught Nanny Fine and Maxwell in a more than advanced state of kissing.

She had woke up today with the familiar thoughts which had been nagging her brain since yesterday and during the whole night. First she had tried to ignore them. It was feasible, cause the hang-over from last night’s stiff drinks had been more present than these thoughts.

During the day she had occupied her mind with work. She had concentrated on the papers in front of her and had blocked out the depressing fear to face these thoughts. She had noticed that Maxwell’s mind had also been distracted once in a while. Unlike her, he tried to figure out what his subconscious was trying to tell him. That hadn’t been always this way. A few years ago he would have done like her. Block out everything that bothers in private and concentrate on work. Nanny Fine had changed that. Nanny Fine …

Maxwell Sheffield wandered through the house. He had taken a quiet dinner with his children, Ms Fine was visiting Niles at the hospital and now after he had tugged in his little Grace … little Grace? She was a young lady now. He couldn’t ignore to realize that but as she had asked him to tug her in a few minutes ago, she had looked like his little six-year old Gracie. She was so frightened about what had happened to Niles just like Margaret and Brighton. And they all sensed that something important had happened between him and Ms Fine. He had noticed, that they had watched him during dinner with curious eyes. He had to have shown an image of a man lost in thoughts. And his children were smart. It hadn’t changed anything, if he had said something to divert their interest. They wouldn’t have believed him one second. So he hadn’t said a word and had followed his train of thoughts like the whole day before. He had thought about a lot of things. His life, his dreams, his loves. He had tried to work but somehow it was all a fake, cause his mind was obsessed by all the things, which happened in his life lately. But between all this mind work he had noticed that something was troubling C.C. more than usually. She threw herself into work the whole day but couldn’t prevent herself against all the things, which were hunting her. Maxwell could imagine two without any problems. First Niles heart attack and second his very own attack on Ms Fine at the hospital, which she had witnessed with a very bad timing. He knew C.C. hadn’t left yet, although she had refused his dinner invitation and he hadn’t saw her the last hour. But somehow he knew she stayed and faced the things which were troubling her. But where?

He found her sitting on the comfortable bench on the terrace. She had pulled her legs tight to her body and embraced them with her arms. Her head was resting on her knees and she was staring into nowhere. Maxwell stepped through the open patio doors out into the warm spring evening, immediately intoxicated by the peaceful atmosphere.

C.C. heard someone inhaling the soothing air. She didn’t need to glance up, she knew it was Maxwell.

"May I join you for a minute?" he asked softly, not to startle her.

"Sure" she nearly whispered. Max sat down, half facing her. Inwardly he had hoped she would start the long overdue conversation but as she remained in her position and didn’t made any attempt to speak he tried a beginning. It would have been to easy anyway. He leaned forward to let his arms rest on his knees. "You were oddly calm the whole day." He wasn’t good in such conversations, he knew that only too well but he didn’t imagined it to be so hard to bring her to speak. After a few more minutes of heavy silence she finally asked without looking at him:

"You love her, don’t you?"

Maxwell remained in his position, sighed and answered truthfully:

"Yes, C.C. I fell for her." He smiled. "I’m deeply in love with Fran." He enjoyed the sound of his words he just said and he could feel a wave of happiness invading his body. His smile vanished as he added: "I’m sorry for you."

"You don’t have to be sorry for me, Maxwell. I’m happy for you both."

Astonished Maxwell raised his eyebrow.

´

"I’m serious. I’m happy for both of you …. Ok, maybe I’m just happy for you" she sighed as she corrected her sayings. She was envious of Fran and couldn’t feel happy for her, not yet.

"But I feel so miserable for myself, that I can’t show it."

Maxwell draped his arm on the backrest, his hand were touching her shoulder. "It’s ok, C.C. Everyone has the right to feel miserable."

"I hate it!" she responded with a touch of anger.

Maxwell gave her one of his boyish smiles, than scooted (?) closer to her to be able to embrace her with one arm. C.C. didn’t know how to react by this friendly gesture but it felt good and soon Maxwell noticed that she began to feel comfortable with his position. He couldn’t prevent himself against a stroke of proud that he had handled a former awkward situation so elegantly.

"You know, I thought I would loose Niles" she spoke into the silence. It was the confession she tried to avoid the last night and during the whole day today. It was the confession she feared to make due to have to face the reality. But every thought which catched up with her mind in the last hours lead the way, though step by step to this confession. Max didn’t say a word. She looked up to face him, maybe the first time today and saw him smile.

"I know" he said. His smile grew triumphantly. C.C. didn’t like it one bit. She decided to take the wind out of his sails.

"When will you say it?"

Max looked at her questioningly. "What?"

C.C. nudged him. "To her, that you love her!"

He sighed heavily but then a big smile spread over his handsome features. "Maybe I wait, till you’re ready to tell Niles."

"What?" she asked shocked but realized that Max seemed to know more than he showed.

Her eyes became small slits. "I underestimated you."

"I admit that I’m not good at these things but even I can sense the sensation and passion between the both of you." He looked at her seriously. "I think, you have to face at least the possibility."

"Do you think Niles ..."

He could read the full question in her eyes. "I’m absolutely sure."

She snuggled closer. It was the first time in a long time that they were comfortable which such intimacy both were not used to. But they knew for sure where they belonged and that they had found a wonderful friend in each other. C.C. lightly shifted her position. "You know that your wedding reception will be a disaster, if the Fines will be involved. And that Sylvia as your mother-in-law will steal us our last nerv, period?! You’re jeopardizing Sheffield/Babcock Productions."

"I know."

She watched him annoyed. "You know a lot mister." And she thumped him in the ribcage.

He whined. "Save that for Niles, would you?! He will take it as a turn-on."

No bad idea, she thought and smiled. To change the subject she demanded: "Say it to Fran and quick! She’s so jumpy lately and her desperation drives me up the walls."

"I know."

Thump.

"Ouch."

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