Like I've said before, I'm a fanatic for THE NANNY and unfortunately, I don't own these characters. I just wanted to have some fun with them so I made up this story... These characters belong to Fran Drescher and Peter Mark Jacobson.
But, Raquel, Inês, Nica & Diogo are my creation. (I'm kidding… It's me and a couple of friends of mine.) I just want to have some fun ova' here.
Thanks...
Have fun reading this and once again I apologize for a few mistakes on my writing. I'm Portuguese… xD

It's Been a While

Part One

by

Raquel
(angeluncovered@gmail.com)

He looked at the bottle of scotch.

The drink was his "backup plan" when things went wrong.

The guilt had won the battle between both…

Maxwell was in a condition of drunkenness that he himself couldn't take anymore.

- Damn it! What the bloody hell have I done? – He murmured while looking to an old photograph that had been taken when they were in the cruise. Himself and Fran by his side, with the kids in front of them. They were all smiling. They were happy back then. – Oh Fran... Why did I make you leave?

Max turned the radio on and sat on the loveseat. Suddenly he started to listen to a song that it says everything that he went through with Fran.

It certainly had been a while since Fran left. It had been a while since the happiness still lived in his house, three years to be exact.

Now everything was different.

Maggie married Felipe Costa, a Portuguese guy, extremely wealthy and handsome too and moved to Portugal with her husband.

Brighton had become a successful lawyer and was engaged to a beautiful girl named Serena. Gracie was back in therapy and finished high school.

CC and Niles were married and they had two boys and a girl, Caleb, David and Patricia Butler. They were a very happy family. Niles had started his own career while CC was still Max's business partner.

Fran was in Portugal, too. She became a teacher because of her five years of experience with children. Fran had given the chance to Max commit, but after three years and still nothing, she had enough and started her own life without a man. She lived for those kids now.

Max knew he was the guilty in this situation, but he didn't do anything to change it. He kept running and running of the commitment and now his life was a wreck. His plays were miserable and he didn't even care anymore. He wanted to be dead, but even death wasn't fair to him.

Max went to his bedroom knowing that in the morning he would need an extra strong medicine to his superb hangover.

He was sorry.

He was sorry for hurting her so much for five years.

He knew he didn't care because of his afraid of commitment.

He was sorry for the words he didn't say.

But he still loved her.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ocean, Fran Fine was in Setubal, heading for Tróia, now a 5 star resort. She needed to think and the beach was the best for her, now.

Fran was an English teacher in high school. She had the 10th grade. The kids respected her and liked her since day one.

Raquel, Inês, Maria, Nica and Diogo were her top students and Fran loved them very much.

They had the greatest of all the personalities and were the ones with better grades on the discipline.

Fran knew that she still loved that Maxwell-British-cold-fish-with-afraid-of-commitment-but-with-a-great-head-of-hair-and-that-sexy-british-accent-that-could-make-her-knees-weak-Sheffield.

She sighed.

Life wasn't happy anymore. She was a woman without the love of her life.

She missed him.

She missed the time when everything was fine. When they were flirting or the way that Mr. Sheffield looked at her, with that hungry look, even when they kissed. She missed those moments.

- Oy! – She said while she wiped the tears that had fallen from her eyes. Fran tried so desperately for him to love her, but he just couldn't and after five years she was gone.

- Miss Fine! - Someone called her.

Fran turned and saw Raquel waving at her. She waved back.

Fran really liked this girl. Rach, as she called her, was a 16 year old with a great personality and an ability to listen, understand and help people that anyone else could. She wanted to be a psychologist and she had a gift to it.

- Hi Rach! How are you?

- Hello Miss Fine. I'm fine, thanks. But it seems to me, that you're not.

- Wha'? How d'ya know?

- Your eyes are telling me, Miss Fine... I'm sorry, I-I shouldn't have said that. - The young girl blushed a little.

- It's okay Rach. You're right, I'm not in the mood that I was supposed to be in.

- Miss Fine, I know that we have a student/professor relationship, but if you want to talk, I'm here.

- I know Rachel. You're great kid. Your father must be very proud of you.

Rachel smiled. Her father had passed away two years ago and she had taken that very bad, but her friends and Miss Fine helped her dealing with it, and now she was here, the "Big girl", as her family called her.

- Thanks Miss Fine. I better be going now.

- Okay Rach. Take care of yourself will ya?

- I will Miss Fine. Bye

- Bye, Rach.

Fran smiled and waved goodbye at her student.

She eyed the sky and sighed, thinking about that miserable day, five years ago.

"She entered in his office with the feeling of having a knot on her throat.

– Uh... Mr. Sheffield, may I come in?

– Since when do you ask permission, Miss Fine?

– Since now?

– Come in Miss Fine. – He tapped on his desk, but saw her going to the loveseat. He arched his eyebrow, wondering what's wrong with her.

– Mr. Sheffield I need to talk to you. It's very important.

– Go ahead Miss Fine.

– Mr. Sheffield you can deny it now, but I'm sure that in the deepest insides of your heart, you love me as much as I love you. I'm tired of being here waiting for you to move and commit, so I'm going to make things simple for you.

Max was getting nervous. What was the point of this conversation? Why did she mention he loved her and she loved him? Why was she crying?

- I quit! – Fran said, no longer being able to fight the tears. Max felt the world falling on his shoulders. His face fell and he wasn't able to say a word. His eyes were starting to get red and puffy. He didn't say a word, instead he walked to the loveseat and gently took her hand and kissed it.

- Why Fran? Please, don't leave the children… Don't leave me. You know what I feel for you, Fran.

- I do? Really? Then how do you feel for me?

- I... I…

- You see? This is why I can't stay here. You can't make a decision, Mr. Sheffield and that is really pissing me off.

- Miss Fine, please…

- Mr. Sheffield, be honest with me. Do you love me?

Max said nothing. He loved her, yes, but he couldn't say that out loud. He wasn't prepared.

- That's it! I can't stay here one more second. Goodbye Mr. Sheffield… - She said while she was walking to the office door, and before she could get out, she muttered, - Forever. – And with that, Max knew it was the last time he could see her again."

Fran was crying hard when she stepped out of the boat. She just wished that those things never happened.

She cleared her head on the beach. It calmed her down.

********************************

Max woke with an enormous headache and his mouth tasted like plastic. It was the fourth time this week.

He took a hot shower and put on jeans, a black polo and tennis shoes.

Max took the medicine to the hangover and went for a walk. He hired a detective to find out where Fran was, because she was not in the US and the detective had made a few new discovers, so he went to find out what were the good news.

He arrived at the detective's office and his secretary led him the way.

- Hello Maxwell. Glad ya here.

- Hello Ben, how are you today?

- Same old same old. And you?

- Curious about what we've talked on the phone. What did you found out?

- Well Max, I must say that it was difficult to track this woman, but I've found out that she's in Portugal…

- WHAT??? What the bloody hell is she doing in Portugal?

- Please let me finish. As I was saying, she's in Setubal, in the south of Portugal. She's a teacher now and she's lecturing the 10th and 11th grades at the high school. – While the detective was talking, Max was absorbing all the info about Fran, still not believing that she went to another country; still not believing that she was trying to forget him; still not believing that he was going after her.

- Thank you Ben, for everything. – And with that he got up and went out of the office.

He was driving home and at the same time, preparing a plan to get Fran back.

- NILES!!!

- You screamed, sir? – Niles answered sarcastly.

- Pack my bags! I'm going to Portugal!

- Y-Yes sir. – Niles couldn't believe. What had gotten into his boss?

An hour later Max was in the plain on his way to Portugal.

*********************************

Fran sat on the chair and prepared the class for the 10th F.

They were a very loud class in general, but with her, the noise seemed to subside.

She took a sip of her coffee when the bell ringed and went to the class.

- Good morning everyone! – She cheered.

- Good morning Miss Fine. – All the students answered.

"Today is going to be a very good day", Fran thought. She didn't know why, but she had a feeling that all was going to be nice.

- Miss Fine, are you going to deliver the tests today?- Inês asked.

- Oh, yes sweetie. – Fran stood up and asked everybody to be attention. – Listen guys, I'm going to deliver the tests now. Some of you couldn't get any better, and I still don't know why, but the grades are still the same. Inês, here's your test and congratulations. Keep that way and your going to 18.

- Thanks Miss Fine.

- D (nickname for Diogo) you're going up to 19, I see. Here's your test.

- Thanks.

- Nica, you keep that good work. I see an 18 out there for you.

- Awesome.

- And finally Rach. Here you go sweetie. Here's your 19!

- Wow! Thanks Miss F.

Fran smiled. Rach and her friends were the only ones to call her that way, and got away with it.

Fran proceeded with the class…

****************************

Meanwhile, in Lisbon airport, a Broadway producer had just called a cab.

- Para onde? – Said the driver, but seeing the confusion on the face of Max, he asked again. – Where to?

- Setubal, please.

The driver nodded and started the cab engine.

Max had his thoughts only on one very beautiful Jewish woman that stole his heart.

When he arrived at Setubal, he paid to the driver, giving him a 100 hundred dollar bill, without noticing. The driver thanked and went back to the cab.

Max found himself alone in that strange town with different culture of his.

"Well, at least I'm European."

After renting a car, he drove off to Tróia. There was a 5 star hotel and Max decided to go there.

He went to his suite and immediately after seeing the king sized bed, jet lag kicked in and he fell asleep.

********************************

Fran woke up, feeling the same way she did the day before.

She showered and dressed. She wore a black skirt and an orange shirt. She was the object of many looks dressed in that way, but she didn't care.

Fran parked the car near the school and went to her class.

When she opened the door, she gasped. "Oh My God!"

The British guy that had the power of knocking her down with a single look was there, wearing his jeans and a white shirt.

"Oy, he looks yummy!"- Fran thought. She was still in awe of his presence there, in her class, with her students grinning sheepishly.

Max knocked on the door and Inês opened it. He stared at her like he had never seen a girl before.

- Hello. My name is Maxwell Sheffield and I'm looking for your teacher, Fran Fine. Can you tell me where I can find her?

- Yeah, she's giving us the class right now, if you wait a moment here, she will be here in a few minutes.

- May I come in?

- Yes sir. Make yourself comfortable.

- Thank you.

He waited patiently with 20 sets of eyes looking at him until he heard someone opening the door. He couldn't breathe when he saw her. She was a vision, a goddess.

They couldn't speak to each other for a minute or so, enough time for the youngsters to realise what was going on.

Rach, who was sat in the front desk, saw the look of hurt on Max and Fran, but she also saw a sparkle on both eyes, and she smiled. On her POV, Max was very handsome (and that English accent), and it was obvious that he and Miss Fine loved each other. Just the way they looked... Hurt, love, pain, regret... Those feelings were being spoken out loud for Rach.

Max finally gathered the courage to say something.

- Hello Miss Fine. Long time, no see uh?

- Well hello Mr. Sheffield. Listen guys – she spoke to her class – I want you to meat a friend of mine. His name's Maxwell Sheffield.

- Wait a minute. – Nica said – Maxwell Sheffield, THE Broadway producer?

- Yes, that's me.

- OMG! It's such a pleasure to meet you. I read all the reviews about your plays and I just wish I was in the States to see them. I loved the remake of the Lion King that you produced, it was awesome.

- Thank you. – Max smiled and looked at Fran again. – You seem to have taught them well, Miss Fine, but I should know this, because you taught my children so well.

- Mr. Sheffield why don't you sit and watch while I'm correcting the homework. That way you can help me too.

- That will be a pleasure Miss Fine.

- Rach, you got ya homework?

- Yes ma'am, I do. Do you want me to read it?

- Would ya mind?

Rach went to the front of the class, grabbing a piece of paper on her hands. She cleared her throat and started to read.

"Love...

Why do we love who we love?

The human being is afraid of suffer… We try to believe that we can take control of all the situations that surround us…

A lot of people can't live Love.

"Does he love me?", "Is it worth to forgive and try again?", "Is he going to cheat on me?" are the usual questions, but the right one is "Do I want this?"… Yes, because Love is a chance, an opportunity, not a guaranty and never a sure thing.

We can live it according to our will, according with our heart or we'll going to spend all our life trying to take control of the uncontrolled, trying to guarantee the unsure!

We'll never going to have a way to find out if the other is being honest and loyal; if the love we feel is corresponded in the same way; if we're going to be happy or if we're going to be in pain... We'll never know about the other tomorrow because we can only know about ourselves.

And I add more: We will only get in someone's heart when we have the courage to give ourselves to the unpredictable.

The secret is to know if you want- if you really want- to love someone…

Because when we truly want, with our heart, the magic of Love makes us understand that suffering is a part of our path, a part of our destiny.

To give ourselves to the unpredictable and accept the pain and the happiness is a part of Love!

So, when Love surrounds your heart, don't fight it. Just relax and give in, because Love is always waiting to fulfil your life."

Max and Fran, while Rach read the paper, were looking to each other.

An unspoken dialogue was taking place between both.

And the tears were starting to win the battle... Max was sitting beside Fran. When her eyes started to get red and when a tear fell down on her cheek, Max wiped it with his thumb; love and concern were showing on his eyes. Fran looked at him and came closer, closer and closer to those lips; she was almost there when...

- Miss Fine, I've finished.

Fran and Max looked at each other and then at the students. Max cleared his throat while Fran said:

- Yes Rach, well, that was beautiful. Good job. You may go to your seat again.

- Thank you Miss F.

- Anyone has another presentation?

- I DO! I DO! – All the students waved their hands in the air. Fran and Max just sat there, listening to those presentations, speaking with their eyes and absorbing every little detail of the other.

When the school time was over, Fran and Max got out of the class room.

- Miss Fine, I'm getting a little hungry. Do you know a nice place over here?

- Oh, of course Mr. Sheffield. Setubal is the city of the fish. There are a lot of restaurants in the downtown.

- So, would you like to join me?

- I-I don't know Mr. Sheffield. I...

- Please Miss Fine, say yes. We still have to talk.

- O-okay. – Fran gave in and Max smiled. They went to the downtown and found a nice place called "Cais 56" where they ate.

- So Miss Fine – Max said after they were settled on a table. – do you like what you're doing? I mean, being a teacher?

- It's not as hard as I expected. It's a matter of interact with these kids, try to understand them and being their support, not only a person who doesn't give a damn about their future choices.

- I see. And they're good to you?

- Sometimes... – She laugh, thinking about the tricks they practices on her colleagues. – With 10th F isn't hard at all. They're great kids with different perspectives of the future, but with such a capacity and ability to move on and do whatever they want. It's an incredible experience.

- And you, Miss Fine, have a nature for these things.

- Thanks Mr. Sheffield. – Fran and Max remained quiet during lunch, until the desert, when Max spoke again.

- Miss Fine, I was wondering if you're ready to talk about what happened to us.

- Mr. Sheffield, I'm...

- Miss Fine please. I can't hear another excuse for not bringing this subject. I need to talk to you because of it. Please, Fran. Please.

- Okay, I will talk to you. But we're not going to talk here. Come with me, I know a place where we can go.

- Okay. Thank you Fran.

They walked out of the restaurant and went to Tróia.

They were in the beach and Fran slipped of her shoes while Max took off the shoes, the socks and rolled both his sleeves of the shirt and of the jeans.

Fran took a look at him, and for her, he was the sexiest man in the whole world now.

They walked through the beach in silent for a while. Fran was the first to break it.

- Mr. Sheffield, I...

- Max.

- What?

- My name is Max, Fran.

- Max, I left the mansion because of you. You were terrified of the commitment and after "THE THING", I couldn't know anymore if you still loved me or not. You kept sending me mixed messages; you kept flirting and then you'd back out; you kept kissing me and then apologized before... Let me say that I was never sorry of those kisses. I left because I couldn't take the pain and the suffer, the love and the hurt, at the same time. I just couldn't. It was a lot of pressure there. The fact that "Us" wasn't happening, the fact that the kids were getting too old need a nanny, the fact that I needed a sure thing on my life, and that's what I'm having right now.

- And so far so good, for what I can see. Fran, I can't say that I changed, because since you left I was never the same guy. I spend the days in my office crying my heart out, and all that because of you.

- Maxwell, I...

- Shhh... – He silenced her with a finger on her lips. – It's my turn. I want to say this first.

Fran waited in silence, her heart pumping more blood than usual, and her hands trembling... An irregular breath...

- Fran Fine, I love you. – Max said.

Fran couldn't speak, but her eyes showed everything she felt. Her brown eyes were shinning and a little smile played on her lips.

- I love you too Max. I love you so much. – Max placed both hands on her face and brought her to him. His lips touched hers, shyly at first, but then with more passion. Tongues met and caressed the other. This was the most passionate kiss they ever shared.

- What do you think of coming back to the States Fran? – Max asked her breathless.

- Max, as much as I love you and I would enjoy going back with you, I still have those kids till the end of the year. Besides, this city, this country, this culture are amazing and I'm going to have a hard time if I go back to the States. Do you understand Max?

- Of course I do, darling, and I respect your choice, that's why I'm going to call Niles to send a few things for me and tell CC to handle the business while I'm here... With you.

- Oh Max – Fran had tears forming in her beautiful brown eyes – I love you, you know that?

- I love you too Fran. – They sat on the white sand, lost in the sea and on each other.

They arrived to Fran's apartment. Both looked at each other without knowing what to say. It was Max who broke the silence.

- Well, here we are. I better go back to the hotel now. – He leaned and kissed her. – I love you so much Fran.

- I love you too Maxwell. – They kissed one more time and Max started to descending the stairs. – Max wait! – Fran said. She didn't want him to go back. She wanted him to stay with her.

- Yes Fran? – Max wanted the same thing.

- Would you... I mean... – She cleared her voice. – Would you like to stay here, for the night?

Max was relieved by the question. He really wanted to spend some time with her.

- I would love to, Fran.

Fran made a tour, showing him everything on the house. By the time the tour was finished, they were in her bedroom. Max gathered the courage, leaned and kissed her. Fran immediately responded to his kiss by putting her hands on his hair, massaging his scalp and his neck.

They spend all night indulging their love for each other, never getting enough of the other's body, trying to please the other with everything; and when the sun peaked through the window, it had found them asleep on each other's arms, with a content smile on their faces.

Fran woke up first. She yawned and watched Max's relaxed face; he was sleeping like a baby with nothing to upset him. She caressed his face and within time, a set of green eyes was staring at her lovingly.

- Good morning darling. – He whispered, almost afraid that the spell that she put him under didn't worked.

- 'Morning sweetie. – She answered kissing him. - How did you sleep?

- Like I've never slept before.

- You slept like a baby, honey.

- I love you Frannie. – He said kissing her. They made love once again and then they took a shower together, showing how much they loved each other.

The couple left Fran's apartment and off to the city they went.

Fran took Max to see the most beautiful places on Setubal, they went to Miradouro where they made out a little and enjoyed the other's company.

A week passed and the relationship between Max, Fran and the four students improved. Max would go to the classes with Fran and talked about the producing of musical theatre; they would watch some DVD's of the productions of Max and they would spend time together after classes.

The Things went pretty well.

Until one day...

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