Disclaimer: I don't own any part of character of 'The Nanny'.

A/N This is a little darker than my usual stuff, but I'm feeling a little 'dark' today so… Please let me know what you think!

The Game

Chapter 1

"Everything is ready, Maxwell. I don't know why you ask me to take care of things if you're just going to go every little detail anyway. After all these years, don't you trust that I know what I'm doing?" CC stood at his desk with her hands firmly planted on her hips.

Max sighed and dropped his glasses from his hands. "You're right, CC. Here." Max lifted the thick folder and handed it back to CC. "You made every arrangement, send out every invitation, except for the three or four I sent myself. I trust that everything will be wonderful for this backer's banquet at the Rainbow Room, as always."

"You aren't going to check anything?" CC tilted her head. Max shook his head. "You're not going to check the guest list or the menu or anything?" CC cocked an eyebrow.

"Nope." Max answered simple and stood. "I'm going to find Fran and take her and the children to lunch and an afternoon movie. We all have a very big night tonight. I suggest you do whatever you feel is necessary to prepare and I'll see you at the Rainbow Room at 7 pm." Max left a fairly stunned CC standing in the office.

Niles blew into the office before CC had a chance to move. "You are aware he's not sitting there, right?"

"Stow it Rubbermaid." CC turned to see Niles standing in his best butler with an attitude pose. "Max's looking for Nanny Fine and the children. He said something about taking them to lunch and a movie before the banquet.

Niles looked at her in shock. "He's not in here micro-managing every detail you carefully and painstakingly planned?"

"I know!" CC announced in shock herself.

Secretly thrilled for her, Niles shrugged his shoulders. "I guess he's finally lost his mind." Niles turned to leave the office just in time to see the children, followed by Fran and Max, bound down the stairs. "I understand you're taking lunch out and then going to a movie, Sir."

"Yes, Niles. We'll be back in plenty of time to get ready for the banquet." Max informed him.

Niles opened the door for them. "Very good, Sir." Niles winked at Fran. "Have a good time." Niles closed the door and returned to the office to see if the man beast wanted anything for lunch. "Miss Babcock, would you like anything special for lunch?"

"Whatever you have is fine, Niles, thanks." CC answered without looking up.

Niles thought to himself. "That was almost nice…and she did say thanks." Very well, I'll call you when it's ready. Would you like it in here or the dining room?"

"I'll just come into the kitchen, Niles. No need to be fancy for me." CC looked up briefly in thought.

Niles frowned. "Uh…huh. It shouldn't be too long." Niles still confused by CC's distracted responses.

Niles returned to the office in short order to call CC for lunch. "Miss Babcock, lunch is ready."

CC stood. "Thanks, Niles. I just remembered I never ate breakfast."

"You really should take better care of yourself." Niles threw out as they walked to the kitchen.

CC turned at looked at him like he was nuts. "Careful, Niles. You're going to make me think you care about my health."

"I do. If something happens to you…whatever will I do with my spare time?" Niles grinned hoping she remembered his line about her being his 'hobby'.

They finished their rather pleasant lunch and Niles cleared away all the dishes. "Thanks, Niles. I can't remember the last time I had grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup."

"Well, it's a favorite of mine and I usually can't get away with it." Niles started the dishwasher just as the front doorbell rang. "I wonder who that could be." Niles grabbed his jacket and quickly went to answer the door.

CC was only a few steps behind him. She hadn't turned the corner when she heard the voice speaking to Niles. "Hi, I'm Trevor Jackson, I dropped in to see Maxwell Sheffield, I don't have an appointment."

"I'm afraid Mr. Sheffield is out for the afternoon. I'm Niles, Mr. Sheffield's butler, is there something I can assist you with?"

"Well," The man, who could only be described as tall, dark and handsome, paused. "I've only just returned from Europe and I heard through the grapevine that he was entertaining potential backers at a banquet this evening. I wanted to talk to him about getting on the guest list."

Niles thought CC would have joined them by now, but he wouldn't let a potential backer leave. "Come in, Mr. Jackson. I believe Mr. Sheffield's business partner is in the kitchen. I'll just go see if I can find her. Why don't you have a seat." Niles directed the man to the sofa in the den.

"Thank you, Niles." Trevor Jackson unbuttoned his suit coat and dropped down onto the sofa.

Niles returned to the kitchen but didn't see CC anywhere. Then he heard an odd sound from the yard. Niles moved to the back door and saw CC emptying her stomach into the flower bed. "Thank God it's October and everything's already dead." Niles opened the door. "Miss Babcock? Are you alright?"

The sight before him took his breath away. And not in a good way; not only had CC 'lost her lunch', but she was shaking terribly and was white as a sheet. "CC? What is it? Are you sick?"

Niles grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. Her cheeks were tear stained and he could only one word could describe how she looked…terrified. "Make him go away." CC barely whispered.

Niles frowned at her. "Mr. Jackson?" CC reacted to the name as if she'd been slapped. She just nodded. "I'll send him away. Please, come sit in the kitchen. I'll be right back." Niles walked CC into the kitchen and sat her at the table. He quickly gave her a glass of water and left the kitchen to see to their…guest.

"Mr. Jackson." Niles started and the man stood. "I'm sorry. Mr. Sheffield's partner must have left to prepare for the banquet."

Trevor Jackson nodded. "Well, I didn't think it could hurt to try. Thank you, Niles. Give Mr. Sheffield my card, will you?" He handed Niles a business card.

"Absolutely, Sir." Niles took it and opened the door for Mr. Jackson to leave. Once the door was closed on him Niles quickly returned to CC in the kitchen.

He found her right where he'd left her. Her back was to him and her shoulders racked with her silent sobs. "Miss Babcock? Is there something I can get you?" It broke his heart to see her so upset.

"Just keep him away from me…" CC barely whispered.

"He's gone." Niles sat down at the table and covered her hand with his. "I doubt you'll see him again." Niles tried desperately to read her face. He couldn't ever in all the time he'd known her remember seeing CC fall apart. Not even when she'd lost Sara, well, we all lost Sara.

CC tried to stand and Niles matched her actions and was standing just in time to catch her as she collapsed. He carried her up to the guest room where she usually stayed and laid her on the bed. He ran a wash cloth under some cool water and put it on her forehead then called the Sheffield's doctor.

"Dr. Shreve, I've never seen her like this. What's wrong with her?" Niles asked from a face nearly as pale as CC's.

Dr. Shreve closed the door to the room and pulled Niles away from it. "She's in shock. It's the strangest thing. If I didn't know better I'd say she was scared to death." The doctor put his examination tools back into his bag. "What exactly brought this on?"

"I'm not sure. We had a light lunch and then a man arrived for Mr. Sheffield. It has something to do with him. I went looking for her to speak with him and she was throwing up in the yard. She just asked me to get rid of him. Not long after I showed him out, she collapsed."

Dr. Shreve shook his head. "Well, I can't explain it without knowing more than that. I know she sees Dr. Bort regularly. You should call her to see if she recommends an anti-anxiety medication. Otherwise, I'd just suggest keeping her away from that man."

"Thank you, Dr. Shreve, for coming so quickly." Niles started to lead the doctor out.

Dr. Shreve put a hand on his shoulder. "Go sit with CC, Niles. I can see myself out."

Niles sighed and nodded. "Miss Babcock?" Niles slowly entered the room and sat on the edge of the bed. She kept her back to him. "Can I get you anything?" Niles thought she'd fallen asleep and decided she could use the rest.

"Niles?" Her voice whispered very child like. "Please don't leave."

Niles sat back on the edge of the bed. "I'm here. Is there something you'd like?" Niles saw her shiver slightly and pulled the extra blanket up from the foot of the bed and covered her.

"I…I'm sorry about earlier." CC sniffed. "I just…I'd thought I'd finally put it behind me." She started crying softly. "Then he shows up here of all places."

"Shhhh." Niles felt suddenly lost and helpless. "I'm sorry. I…" Niles just didn't know how to proceed. This was completely new ground for him and CC. He'd handled her drunk and belligerent, and cared for her tirelessly when she was delirious with the flu a year or two ago; but this? "CC I don't know what to do?" Niles heard himself whisper.

"Can you just sit there and listen?" CC kept her back to him. "I think you deserve to know the truth. I know you won't believe me, no one has, but you still should know, after…"

"I'm not going anywhere. You just say what you have to say…I'll believe you." Niles sat and listened to CC's tale. She never turned to face him. It broke his heart when she painted a picture for him that explained so much of their relationship for the last nearly twenty years.