Chapter Text
“Niles!” Maxwell Sheffield bellowed from his office. He sat in his large pine green leather armchair behind his large mahogany desk. Niles pushed the wooden door open, and stopped at the blue rug. The loveseat that was usually occupied by the tall voluptuous blonde was curiously absent.
“Yes sir?” Niles asked with a slight hitch in his voice and placed his hands behind his back.
“Care to explain why CC has locked herself inside the bathroom?” Maxwell asked, placing both of his hands on the desk and stood up. “Fran says she saw her crying.”
Niles gulped and responded, “ I didn’t think her kind could cry, sir. I thought she would melt at the first contact with water.”
Maxwell sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He started calmly, “Oh I thought I thought it was because you two were acting like friends.” His voice began to rise to a crescendo, “and then you bloody flipped the script on her without bloody warning. Good God man, do you think you might have actually crossed a line this time?” It was rare for Maxwell Sheffield to stick up for his business partner, but judging by the pile of contracts on the desk Niles assumed he was worried work wouldn't get done if Miss Babcock was in severe emotional distress.
Niles stood in shock. He had only seen CC cry twice. The first time was at Sara’s funeral. During the service, she refused to cry and claimed “Babcock’s don’t cry”, but Niles found her sobbing in her BMW when she was missing during the reception. Niles remembered finding her and opening the passenger car door. He slid into the passenger seat. With the passage of time, he couldn't remember what zinger he had thrown at her to make her laugh, but he did remember CC talking at length about meeting Sara in college and that being her first and only real friend. The second time was when Stewart Babcock came to visit and almost took Nanny Fran to the Barbara Streisand concert. She had locked herself in the Sheffield bathroom with a cigarette and started crying. Even her own father admitted he hadn’t seen her cry,
“I didn’t realize she would be so affected, sir,” Niles said , “I’ll go talk to her.”
Already outside the bathroom door, Fran was shaking the round bronze doorknob and yelling, “Please Miss Babcock, just talk to me.” Niles felt guilt settle to the pit of his stomach as he realized Nanny Fine was trying to damage control on his behalf.
“No, I hate you. Go away,” CC’s voice bubbled. She sounded like a sad child, and Niles’s heart broke slightly when he heard a tiny muffled sob coming from the bathroom.
“Miss Fine,” Niles' voice said gently, “Please let me fix this. This is all my fault.”
Fran apprehensively looked at the white door separating her from Miss Babcock and yelled, “Fine, but we are talking about this later, young lady,” before strutting back to Maxwell’s office. Niles went to the kitchen and grabbed a butter knife before returning to the bathroom, he wedged the knife between the latch and the door frame and wiggled it until he heard a soft pop. The door opened and sure enough, CC Babcock was sitting on the side of the bathtub. Her eyes were bloodshot and wet. Her normally pale and creamy complexion was pink. She quickly tried to wipe her tears with the back of her hand.
“What do you want now?” She growled as she stood up to grab a hand towel. She ran the towel under some cold water, and gently pressed it to her eyes and cheeks. She leaned against the wall and carefully eyed Niles as a venomous snake. He uneasily sat down on the side of the bathtub. The white shower curtain rustled behind him. He felt CC’s blue eye orbs drill orbs into him.
Niles wasn’t sure how to respond. They seldom apologized for any of the harsh things they said or did to one another over the years. He felt as if they were stuck in a hole that they had been digging for too long. “Miss Babcock, CC, I…” he replied. He had never been great at expressing his feelings especially for her, and all words seemed jammed in his mouth as if he ate too much peanut butter.
“You are a real piece of work,” she said with no animosity in her voice. She spoke as if she were commenting on the weather. He gave a weak throaty chuckle and continued, “This might be the worst prank you ever pulled on me.”
“Babs, that wasn’t my intention.”
"That's worse, honestly. That you care so much about being a third wheel to Maxwell and Nanny Fine, that you don't care about collateral damage, dust-buster,” she snapped. “You know we used to be friends once, and understandably…things change when… you know what? Forget I said anything.” She looked down at her feet and shook her head. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples.
“CC, please talk to me,” Niles begged.
CC’s face went rigid and hard. Her face was an unreadable mask of emotion, and Niles realized he was watching in real time she was working to be someone else, not his CC Babcock but an approximation of The Bitch of Broadway. “Why would I tell you? You clearly don’t like me. The last thing you’re getting is another thing to hang over my head.”
“I’ve been telling you that for years,” teased Niles in a tone that suggested he was actually quite fond of the woman. He leaned forward on his hands with a boyish grin, but she refused to look at him.
“It isn’t fair,” CC said in a faint, barely audible whisper, “I can’t do this anymore.” She looked up at the white ceiling as if it held all the answers. That’s when Niles knew he had crossed a line when she didn't bother to insult him back. She smoothed up her skirt and did not look at Niles as she walked to the bathroom door. She straightened her back as her hand touched the door knob. Finally with a forced brave voice, she said, “You know, the next time, and there will be a next time, you get in a domestic squabble with Nanny Fine. Do me a favor and keep me out of it.” She stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her.
Niles covered his head with his hands and ran it through his sandy blonde hair. He remembered a comment CC made three years ago, “My mental health is just a sick game to you.” He closed his eyes and frowned. He wasn't sure how he could make things right again.