C.C. sorted through a bunch of papers, glancing over at Maxwell who was talking to Fran on the telephone. C.C. was no longer in love with Maxwell, she had come to think of him as an english prep. He yelled at her everyday, and she was quite sick of it. Sighing, she placed the sorted papers on his desk, and manuevered toward the door to go downstairs to see if Niles would get her a glass of lemonade. "Slacking off again C.C.?" said Maxwell. You're the one on the phone all day talking to your nanny she thought. (Fran had gone to Paris to cool off, and she would be back tomorrow morning.) Sighing, she replied, "No Maxwell, I'm just going to get something to drink." Red in the face, she headed down the stairs. She was on good terms with Fran, she kind of felt sorry for the woman, marrying such a bad- tempered pretty boy. She strolled into the kitchen, to find Niles wiping down the counter. "Hey Windex" she said, startling Niles, deep in thought about his career, "I need to cool off......I've been working all day in that office with Richy Rich, not that your any better Cinderella, but you are of some use....I need something to drink...perhaps lemonade?" "Wow" he said sarcastically, "the wicked witch actually drinks things other then people's blood." C.C. shot him an exasperated look and he hastily poured lemonade into a glass for her. Taking it C.C. said with a fake bow, "my thanks to you the almighty lysol" Niles made a face and C.C. headed back to the office. C.C. sat down on the small couch in Maxwell's office and began to sort through another stack of papers, while sipping lemonade. Maxwell sat at his desk, doing nothing, just tapping his pencil and saying under his breath, "Andrew Loyd Webber will never beat me again. Not ever" It was eight o clock. C.C. was happy to leave the hostile office. She went downstairs and saw Niles standing by the door, her coat in hand. As she gestured for him to give it to her, Niles tossed it on her shoulders and said, "bye bye baby" C.C. rolled her eyes. He had been doing that a lot lately, like she was going to be fired or something. She chuckled under her breath. Like that would happen. After the taxi dropped her off in front of her apartment she was very tired. She walked in, and flopped down on the couch, exasperated. She threw off her coat and jacket, leaving her sleeveless turtleneck and long black skirt on. She was surprisingly thin, but hid it with clothes, and she didn't know quite why. She pulled her hair out of it's bun, and let the golden curls fall down to her mid-back. C.C.'s phone rang. It was Fran. The sometimes annoying nasally voice was comforting to her, after working all day with Maxwell.

CC: hello? Fran: hey CC: hey, how's paris?? Fran: oh its beautiful, I really let off some steam, and they've got a lot of lobster here. Ma is going to be so jealous. CC: I'm sure Fran: So how's work going? CC: It's alright Fran: You're lying CC: No I'm not Fran: Yes you are....now tell me the truth, the total and complete truth CC: Oh my god I'm so glad I can tell you. Max has just been horrible. I am so serious. Don't worry Fran, I don't want him anymore. I don't know what I ever saw in that man. He slacks off all day and tells me I'm not doing any work. Lysol hasn't been too pleasant either.....well he's never pleasant. God! Fran: Well, I better give Max a good talking too then. Anyway I'm sorry I won't call during work hours any more alright? Any way, I have to board my plane in an hour so I better go CC: Ok, thanks. I'll see you in the morning alright? Bye Fran: bye

C.C. hung up the phone and slumped back onto the couch. "Oh, god." She changed into a nightgown and went to bed. The next morning she got up early. She would be very cranky, she could tell. She brushed her hair. Then she had an idea. She would surprise Fran. She grabbed her only black miniskirt from her teen years and put it on. She put on black tights and heels, and then she put on a white tanktop and a black jacket. She looked at herself in the mirror, after applying mascara. She looked like a blonde version of Fran. She would surprise her friend, but still she would be tired today. C.C. took a cab to Max's place. She walked up to the door and knocked. Niles answered. He stared for a moment. He staggered back, and dramatically clutched his heart. "I-I-It burns!!" he cried extravagantly covering his eyes. She glared at him and slapped him on the arm. "Shutup" she said angrily. He took her coat and tossed it in the closet carelessly. C.C. turned around and faced him. "Where's Fran?" she said lightly. Niles pointed to the kitchen, and as she walked away from him he stuck his tongue out at her. "Hello Hello" said C.C. striding into the kitchen dramatically. Fran, at the breakfast table stood up and grinned. "Great outfit! Oh my god! You have a great figure! Tell you what, let's go shopping this Saturday." "Ok" said C.C. and they both hugged. Maxwell came down the stairs. "Hello my darling" he said planting a kiss on her lips, and then said, "C.C.- OH MY GOD C.C.!!!!!!!!! Wow....well...you sure take after my wife." I'm surprised you have one thought C.C. As soon as Fran left, Maxwell turned to her with an angry look on his face. "C.C.!!! By god! I don't love you, I love Fran! Stop trying to take after her!" C.C., still in her cranky state turned to him with a sarcastic smile. "Ohhhhhh, Maxwell, you've got everything so mixed up," she said, letting out one of her low laughs, "hun, yes of course I liked you but now dear, I see what a low-life man you are. Arrogant and rich. Well, I must go upstairs to do work cough work you never do cough ." She smirked at him and jogged upstairs. Niles, who had been listening, grinned. Maxwell Sheffield had it coming. He stood there, in awe. He ran up the steps after C.C. "C.C. I will not take that kind of talk," he said after he reached the office where she was sorting more papers, "but I'm willing to let that go. Anyway, Friday night there is a parents dinner. It is for all the playwrights, and I need you to bring a parent, so I look good in front of Andrew Loyd Webber. "Maxwell," said C.C. (sort of offended that Maxwell thought that he was the boss) "my mother is dead." "I know," he said softening his tone, "that's why I'm suggesting that you bring your father." C.C. nearly choked on the cracker she was eating. "M-my father?" she said holding back tears from the painful flash backs she was having. "C.C.? Are you alright?" asked Maxwell. Taking a deep breath, C.C. said, "Yes, I'm fine Max. I-I just can't bring my father." Maxwell's face darkened. "Does Sheffield-Babcock Productions mean anything to you C.C.?" C.C. suddenly sat up, shocked at his coldness. "Of course it does Maxwell!" she said clutching her chest, "Very much! I-I just can't bring- I can't bring him." Maxwell shook his head in desperation, and rested his chin on his hands. "M-maybe I could take Sylvia" she said, trying to make Maxwell relax for once in his proper, pampered, uptight life. He shook his head. "You are not mooching off my wife just because you have a dysfunctional family- no wait your family's not dysfunctional......they just hate you" He laughed in his annoying, English way. C.C. took a deep breath, tears welling up at the back of her eyes. "Well if that's how you feel about me Maxwell" she said in a shaky voice, "I QUIT!" she screamed this so loud, the neighbors across the street could hear it. Fran and Niles however, did not. "C.C. wait!" Maxwell called after her as she fled down the stairs. She fled past Fran, who was in shock, then quickly to the living room. She tore open the closet door and rummaged through it, and got her coat. She threw it on, hyperventilating like mad, and then slammed the closet door shut. Niles came down the stairs, unaware of C.C.'s state, and started with comments of sarcasm. "Oh look it's the Ice Queen" he said snidely but before he could finish C.C. yelled, "SHUTUP SHUTUP SHUTUP! JUST SHUTUP!" She burst into a fit of tears then ran out of the house and slammed the door shut. C.C. ran home, bumping into quite a few people, but she didn't care. She burst into her apartment and immediately slumped to the floor, sobbing. She would not think about her father. Never. Maxwell's comment had hurt her so much....................she sobbed more into her red carpet. When she had calmed down she sat against the wall for a while, sniffling. The phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. She got up and threw off her coat and then checked the caller id. It read: MAXWELL SHEFFIELD. She picked up the phone and hung it up. She quickly went into her bathroom and undressed. She started a bath, and just when she lowered into it the phone rang again. She ignored it. She heard Fran's nasally voice on the answering machine. She sighed and closed her eyes. She didn't want to think of her father. I never want to think of him, I wish I never knew him, I wish he wasn't my father she thought. Of course he was still alive. He moved to Florida with her mother, who had just recently died. C.C. started to have another flashback. She shook her head, trying to rid of it. It continued, and C.C. was once again in tears. The bathtub water was cold by now so she got out, shivering, goosebumps covering every inch of her body. She pulled a soft white robe around herself, and wrapped a towel around her wet hair. She dried off and put on her pink nightgown. It was only six o clock, but C.C. was tired. She went into her room and combed her wet hair and then put it back in a tight bun. She lay down in her bed and fell asleep. C.C. only slept two hours. At eight o clock she awoke to the phone ringing. She ran out to the living room and saw that it was from Maxwell....again. There were about ten messages on her machine. She picked it up. It was Fran.

CC: what is it Maxwell? Fran: It's me.....Maxwell told me what happened and I gave him a good talking to CC: Oh, thanks Fran but I think I've made my decision Fran: Oh CC! Please don't quit because of my tempermental husband CC: Oh Fran its not just that I just feel that I have to move on.....you know find that special someone......I'm going to bring my resignation over tomorrow morning Fran: I understand CC CC: thankyou Fran: But why can't you bring your father to the parent dinner? CC: Because, Fran......my father.......... Fran: yes? CC: I really rather not tell you Fran: I'm surprised at you! CC: huh? Fran: Now I understand why Maxwell was so tempermental with you!! You always make up stupid reasons to slack off!! He might slack off sometimes but you...you....you sicken me! I'm glad your quitting!!! I'll see you in the morning...and I'll be damn lucky to be rid of you forever!! Goodbye CC

The line went dead. C.C. struggled not to cry. She didn't sob, but many tears ran down her cheeks. She went back to bed. The next morning C.C. woke up, wishing all that happened was a dream. She sighed heavily when she realized it wasn't. She pulled her hair out of the bun, and let it cascade down her neck. She pulled on some tight jeans and a black belly shirt. She pulled on a jean jacket and clipped her curls back. She grabbed her resignation off the counter and walked out of her apartment. C.C. decided to drive her car. She hadn't in a while, and she felt this was the right time to. She drove over to the Sheffield residence and knocked on the door lightly. Niles answered, but this time no sarcastic comments escaped his lips. C.C. jogged up the steps and ran into Fran. Fran gave her a horrible look and escorted her to Maxwell's office. When C.C. opened the door, she was greeted by a cold look in Maxwell's dark brown eyes. If only they knew she thought painfully. She carefully placed it on his desk. Niles came up with Maxwell's lunch and walked by C.C. as if she was not there. As C.C. turned to leave, Maxwell gave her a final comment. "You know," he said in a rude tone, "you may have issues in your family, but that doesn't mean you have to inflict them upon me. I refuse to be embarrassed by a business partner who's family hates her. My father ignored me, but at least he doesn't hate me. I wasn't an ungrateful little child which I'm sure you were. At least my father didn't have a child with qualities such as yourself." Maxwell finished with a satisfying grin and a pat on the back from Fran. C.C. dug her finger nails into her palms so hard they bled. Her chin trembled as she turned around and yelled in front of Fran, Niles and Maxwell, "AT LEAST YOUR FATHER DIDN'T RAPE YOU!!!!" Fran gasped but C.C. fled out of the house. She got in her car and shoved the key in the ignition. She sped down the road so fast she left tire tracks on the road. After about two miles C.C. lost control of the wheel. The car swerved into something then exploded. C.C. was shot out of the car and onto the sidewalk blood streaming from her head, and she didn't wake up. It was eight o clock pm at the Sheffield residence. Fran was sitting on the couch, feeling guilty about all of what was happening. She had no idea C.C. was sexually abused by her father! How horrible! And the things her and Maxwell had said............... Fran had tried to call about five times but no one answered the phone. Fran walked upstairs. She needed to talk to her best friend. She knocked on Niles' door. He told her to come in. He was busy making his bed. Niles sat on the bed, ready to listen. "I've been thinking about all that happened today......and I just feel so bad!" said Fran dramatically and then burst into tears. Niles held her. "How horrible for her!" said Niles in a sympathizing tone, "I always felt something special for Ms. Babcock.........god I can't believe her father...........I would kill him if I could!!!" Fran snuggled into his embrace. "Your such a good friend Niles" she said, her voice slightly shaking. After that, Fran went to see Maxwell. She found him sitting at his desk. "I feel so awful" he said, shaking his head. Fran wrapped her arm around him. Just then the phone rang. Fran picked it up.

Fran: Hello? Worker: Hello this is St. Mary's hospital, is this the Sheffield residence? Fran: Yes it is Worker: Do you know a Chastity Claire Babcock? Fran: Yes! I-Is there something wrong? Worker: I'm afraid so Fran: what happened?? Worker: Ms. Babcock crashed into a car and it exploded. She was fortunately thrown onto the sidewalk but she suffered serious head injuries. It's about a fifty-fifty chance she will live Fran: Oh my god we'll be down there right away!!

"What happened darling?" said Maxwell, trying to calm down his now panicking wife. "C.C. s-she.........." Fran blubbered, "SHE WAS IN A CAR CRASH AND SHE HURT HER HEAD AND THERE IS A FIFTY PERCENT CHANCE SHE WILL LIVE!!!" Fran sobbed, nuzzling up into her husbands chest. A few tears ran down Maxwell's face and they rushed to go tell Niles. He was severely devastated and in shock, but they piled into Maxwell's car and drove down to St. Mary's. When they finally got to the hospital, all three burst through the double doors, calling everyone they knew to come there. They got onto the elevator and rode up to the floor C.C. was in. They waited in the sitting room for the doctor. Soon, Sylvia, Morty, Yeta, Maggie, Michael, Brighton, Gracie, Mai, Maxwell's parents and brother, and Val arrived. Fran was on Maxwell's lap, as he stroked her stomach, talking to their soon-to-be-born twins. The doctor finally came out, his head in his hands. "Hello all" he said to the anxious crowd, "there is some good news and some bad news. The good news is....C.C. is going under surgery in Intensive Care. The bad news is, her chances of surviving have gone down to 25 percent. Fran wailed and Niles clutched his heart. The doctor said he would come and get them when the surgery was done. Fran and Max cried together, Maxwell's mother silently weeped, and Niles was tramatized, all he did was stare off into the distance. The kids went down to eat and finally the doctor reappeared. He said that she could have visitors, and she was awake, but very weak. Fran walked into the hospital room, her heart jumping up into her throat. C.C.'s eyes were open and she looked at Fran and said in a very sick way, "Hi" Fran burst into tears and ran to her side. "I had no idea C.C.!!!!! I'm so sorry!!" Fran wept at her side. C.C. cried too, but forgave her. Niles came into the room, his face laden with depression. "Niles?" she said very weakly, her throat almost closing up. "I love you Miss Babcock!" he said rushing to her side and crying. He lay slightly on the cot beside her and held her in his arms. She began to cry. "I love you too." She repeated that over and over again. Niles kissed her. It was so amazing, so passionate it was almost like C.C. was in heaven. She clung to him for a long while and then, out of nowhere, Niles heard a long beep. He looked up at the heart monitor, only to see the line had gone flat. He burst into tears, and held her limp body to him forever. He finally released her on the bed, giving her one more kiss. He walked out of the room and the crowd saw the angst on his face. Everyone started crying. It was the most emotional time ever. At C.C.'s funeral, Fran felt like she could just take C.C.'s place, if not for the twins. All of a sudden Fran fell into the grave, on top of C.C.'s casket. Fran screamed. She awoke to see she was in her plane seat. She was flying back to New York from Paris. It had all been a dream. Everything. Fran took a deep breath. She decided she would have to ask Maxwell if there was going to be a parent's party, and embrace C.C. very much. She grinned, and realized the dream was only a wake up call. She breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes, knowing she would have no more bad dreams.

THE END