A/N: In order for this to make sense I strongly recommend reading first Baroness Blixen's The Last thing on my mind.
It should have been the happiest day of his life. Today Niles Crane became a father. His wife, Kristen, had just given birth to their child- a girl. Still thoughts of her haunted him like a migraine that wouldn't go away. She was there, he just knew it. She had to be. Why else would he think of her when he held his wife's hand?
"Daphne. Daphne Crane," those were the only words Niles could speak after holding his newborn daughter.
"Daphne? That's an unusual name..." Kristen commented, having no idea of where the name came from.
"It has to be Daphne."
Not used to his assertiveness, Kristen knew better than to protest. "Daphne it is."
There was a knock on the door. It was Martin and Frasier. "May be see her..my granddaughter?" Martin smiled.
"Certainly. Dad I'd like you to meet Daphne Crane."
Martin and Frasier looked at each other, with a mixture of joy and sadness in their hearts and on their faces. "Are you...are you sure, son?"
"Isn't it the most perfect name ever?"
Martin nodded. Even if they had never talked about the incident, even he knew how much Niles had loved Daphne- the first one. So if this was what it took to help him finally heal, then so be it. But it hurt him to hear her name, almost as much as it had pained his youngest son for so long.
Frasier smiled warmly. "Welcome to the family, Daphne."
"Isn't she an angel?" Kristen spoke up, and the three men looked at each other. Now Kristen was concerned. "You loved her, didn't you?"
"Of course I love our daughter. Why would you think I didn't?" Niles asked sadly.
"There was a woman...named Daphne. You loved her."
Niles didn't know what to say. Instead he handed his daughter back to Kristen and wiped his eyes. It was all too much too soon. Kristen had been a one night stand, and once they found out about the pregnancy, they married. It seemed like the right thing to do . He loved her, of course, but he had given his heart once before and look how well that worked out for him.
"Do you want to change her name?" Niles asked wearily.
"No. If she meant that much to you then she means that much to me as well. She must have been awfully special for you to love her still."
"Thank you...for your understanding," Niles tried to wipe away his tears.
"Thank you...for being able to love again. To be able to love with your whole heart. For it gives me hope that if you loved a woman once that much that she still has your heart, I know that in time you will be able to love me like that."
Just then Niles realized that his heart opened just a little bit more at that very moment. He would love again, thanks to Daphne. The two Daphnes.
The end