Disclaimer: Frasier characters aren't mine...:(

A/N: This scene takes place in "Goodnight Seattle"; it's meant to occur right in between the moment Martin leaves the balcony and Daphne coming to ask Niles to take David.

Welcome to Fatherhood

Niles couldn't believe it: after nine tedious months of waiting and watching his wife go through unpredictable hormonal mood swings, his first child with Daphne had arrived into the world at long last. Her water broke in the middle of Eddie's appointment with the vet, and she gave birth right there in the office, a most unlikely place to have a baby, and probably not the most sanitary, either; thank goodness there was a registered nurse present to help with the delivery. The amateur vet never had a clue what he was doing.

As unusual as the event may have been, to Niles it could not have been any more perfect. The childbirth proceeded without complications, the baby was healthy, and the unique place and timing of the birth guaranteed it be a memory forever burned into his mind. He momentarily passed out after encouraging Daphne to breathe in and out, as they had practiced in Lamaze class, and that was perfect, too. He temporarily lost consciousness not from overexertion, but from the overwhelming excitement, anticipation, and happiness that coursed through his veins in that instant: it had felt so wonderful, it was almost unbearable. Oh, and his son...Daphne's son, their son...was more beautiful than he had ever imagined, with his chin and his mother's brilliant brown eyes. David Crane, the son of a gifted psychiatrist and an angel. What a perfect name for their child.

The sound of Daphne's voice played over and over in his head: "Isn't he perfect, Dad?" How he could forever drown in her voice, in those very words! He was a father, and to think once he thought it would never be. It was beyond him how he managed to hold back tears of joy at the sight of his son clutching his mother's hair with his tiny fingers. He responded to Daphne's question the with the only answer he could think to give: "He certainly is, Mom."

Could Niles have been any more lucky?

…...

"Niles, are you with us?" Frasier's gentle tone and a mild gust of nighttime breeze cut through his brother's wandering thoughts. Niles found himself back to reality, standing next to Frasier on his balcony under the starry evening sky, while inside the warm-lit room of the apartment, his lovely wife stood, holding their swaddled newborn against her chest, gently swaying him back and forth and patting his back.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be, Frasier," he responded with a look of pure content on his face, and took a sip of sherry from his wine glass. "I was just thinking. It's been quite a day."

Frasier nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, Niles, it has been. Dad's remarried, Roz and I are experiencing new changes in our careers, and most important of all, your son was born today. And one day, when we're all taking a trip down memory lane, I doubt any of us will forget how momentous today was, especially you."

"I know. Can you believe it, Frasier?" Niles couldn't help but smile as he fingered his wedding ring. As tired as he was from the day's events, he was still elated from all that had happened. "I have a son now. And to think that at one time, I never thought it would be. And before that, I never even thought that Daphne and I would end up together; it seemed she would always be out of my reach, no matter how much I loved her. And now here we are, a family."

Frasier gave his brother a smile and fixed his gaze back inside the apartment to his nephew and sister-in-law. He was genuinely happy for Niles; had his brother never taken a chance on the night before Daphne's wedding to Donny, had he never openly confessed his love after so long, he would not be as happy as he was now, and David might never have come into existence. But his brother had faced his fear at the last minute, he told Daphne he loved her, and it had all been well worth it. Daphne and Niles would forever be together, they were both so in love; of that, Frasier was certain. If only the same could have been for him and Lilith, if only he could have been there for his own son every day of his life, instead of on the other side of the country most of the time. True, Niles' marriage would turn out better than Frasier's, just like his IQ scores had once, but in this instance there was no jealousy or competition on Frasier's part, only happiness.

"Yes, Niles, here you are. It took eleven years, but I'm glad that everything has finally fallen into place for you. And since I already have a son, let me offer some advice?" Niles nodded to his brother. "Cherish every moment you can with David. Be there as often as you can for him and Daphne. Children grow up fast, and time slips by in the blink of an eye. I know that's what we hear from almost all parents, Niles, but it's true. That's what happened to me, and some days I feel I wasn't there as often as I should have been."

For a second, all was quiet after Frasier spoke, and just before Niles could reply, Daphne opened the door to the balcony. "Niles, could you take the baby? I need to get a blanket."

"Of course, my love," he responded as he traded the glass of sherry in his hand for the child who would now bring new light into his life. "Thank you, Frasier. Let the cherished moments begin," he said while never tearing his gaze from David.

Frasier raised his sherry glass in toast, "Welcome to fatherhood, Niles."

Niles thanked his brother once more and stepped inside the apartment, overjoyed to start this new chapter in his life.

...

A/N: More to come!