Author's Note:I'm dedicating this story to Melinda (SamandDianeFan10) as a thank-you for her support of my recent stories. I hope I've done justice to "Brown-Eyed Girl"!

Niles smiled to himself as he sat in the rocking chair. As he looked back at his life thus far, he realized he'd only really loved a handful of women. The first, of course, was his mother. For as long as he could remember, he'd wanted to be like her. She was one of the smartest people he knew, and it was her belief in him that had led him into psychiatry. But after his mother died, Niles' destiny was shaped by another woman, the one who'd saved his life. She was the reason he breathed, the person he would be with forever. Daphne. Just thinking of her warmed his heart.

But, after Daphne, there had been one other woman. Well, she wasn't a woman yet, but there was no doubt that she'd stolen his heart. Niles and Daphne had had their hands full with David. Their firstborn definitely had the Crane intellect, but the energy of the Moon boys. It made for an interesting combination. But one day, Daphne surprised Niles by showing up at his office. She told him she'd just come from the doctor's, and they were about to have another baby. During the sonograms, they told the technicians they did not want to know their baby's sex. And, to Niles' utter delight, this child had been a girl: Leah Hester Crane.

There was no denying that Leah was Daddy's little girl. Even before they'd returned from the hospital, everyone knew she would have Niles wrapped around her finger for life. Niles wouldn't have it any other way.

Niles' thoughts were interrupted by Daphne's appearance at the door. In her arms was Leah, fresh from a bath, ready to go to bed. Daphne set the little girl on the floor. "Go to Daddy," she encouraged. Leah took a couple of unsteady steps toward her father's waiting arms. But before she'd gotten very far, she lost her balance, falling face first. Niles took her in his arms before she even had a chance to cry. Daphne hesitated in the doorway, unsure of what to do. Niles gave her a look to let her know everything was under control. He carried her back to the rocking chair. "Well, Miss Leah, what should we read tonight?" She said nothing, looking up at him with those big brown eyes of hers. Niles reached over to the table beside him, picking up a picture book. On the cover was an illustration of beautiful butterflies, not unlike those at the conservatory he and Daphne had recently visited with Leah. The flying insects had made him rather uneasy. But he had no problem looking at pictures of them. Niles held the book up for Leah's inspection. She nodded enthusiastically. Niles smiled, loving how excited his daughter was. She was becoming more and more like Daphne by the day.

Niles opened the book and prepared to read the first page. But before he'd even said a single word, Leah pointed straight at the picture. "Budderfly!" Her pronunciation might not have been perfect, but there was no mistaking what she meant.

Niles' heart swelled with pride. "You're right, that is a butterfly! Do you know what that is?" He pointed to a bright red rose.

"Fwower!" Leah said with a grin.

Niles could not be prouder. Just like her brother, Leah was precocious. For a moment, Niles put aside thoughts of the book. He put his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. "You're a very smart little girl."

Leah did not respond, but she beamed at him proudly. Niles wished he could freeze this moment. David had grown up in the blink of an eye, and he knew the same would happen to Leah. Some day, he would not be the most important man in her life. The thought made his heart ache. But he took a deep breath, realizing that she would be his for at least a decade or so before anyone else could get in the way. As he continued to rock back and forth in the chair, he allowed himself to daydream a bit. No one had a clue where Leah's future might take her. He hoped she would do something important, maybe become a doctor and find a way to cure cancer. But he knew deep down that, no matter what Leah chose to do with her life, he would love her and be proud of her just the same. He sighed contentedly, closing his eyes briefly. But Niles was more tired than he'd realized, and he began to drift off.

Daphne happened to walk by the nursery a few minutes later. Her heart melted instantly at the sight that greeted her. Niles sat in the rocking chair, fast asleep. Leah was on his lap, looking up at him in confusion. After allowing herself a moment to enjoy the scene, Daphne entered the room, scooping Leah off the chair. She placed her daughter in the crib, covering her with a blanket and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. Then she returned to the rocking chair where her husband still slept. She leaned over, whispering in his ear. "Time to come to bed, darling. I hope you aren't too tired." She couldn't resist grinning mischievously.

Niles awoke, smiling at her instantly. Suddenly, he lost all interest in sleep. Daphne took his hand and kissed it. "Come on," she whispered, leading him out of the room. As they entered the master bedroom, Daphne sighed contentedly. She was no longer the only girl in Niles' Crane's life. And for that, she would always be grateful.

The End