Author's Note:Thanks to Anika for writing the wonderful "You're Still On My Mind," which dealt with Martin's memories of Hester. I thought of continuing w/ that theme, but then I realized he wouldn't be the only one who'd remember her. This story pretty much wrote itself after that! Hope I've done justice to the original!
Daphne awoke and turned to see her husband still asleep. "Merry Christmas, darling." She kissed his cheek to wake him.
"Mm, same to you," Niles said with a sigh. He looked into the eyes of his angel, amazed as always at her beauty. "I had a dream."
Daphne grinned mischievously. "Was I in it?"
Niles shook his head. "It was about Frasier and me when we were young. Mom was there. I've been thinking of her lately."
Daphne caressed his cheek. When he still seemed to be upset, she put her arms around him. "Shh," she whispered.
"She's missed out on so much of my life. She never even got to meet you...or David. Oh, Daphne, she would've loved you as much as I do."
Daphne smiled, touched as always by statements such as that. "I'm sure that wherever your Mum is right now, she's looking after David, the same way she looks after you and Frasier and your father."
"You think so?" Niles asked. He'd never been one to believe in things like an afterlife. He liked to put his faith in science.
Daphne nodded. "I know you and your father and brother loved her very much. And I can't think of a single reason she wouldn't want to still be connected to you now."
Niles felt his sadness lift. Leave it to Daphne to know just what to say to make him feel better. She truly was an angel. "Thank you, my love." He kissed her deeply.
"You're welcome. Now, I'll go and wake David so you can be alone for a few minutes." Daphne began to get up. She understood her husband would probably want to remember his mother in private before all of the holiday excitement began.
Niles nodded at her and watched as she left. He was reminded again of what a wonderful mother Daphne was. Certainly she was as wonderful as his own mother. For as long as he could remember, Niles had wanted to be just like her. He hoped with all his heart that she was proud of him.
Niles' thoughts were interrupted by a voice. Daphne and David stood in the doorway. "Daddy! Daddy!" David climbed up onto the bed, excitement written all over his face.
"What is it, son?" Niles asked with a grin. He pretended to have no idea what had caused David's enthusiasm. The boy was so much like Daphne, a fact for which Niles was forever grateful.
"I looked downstairs, and guess what?" David said. "Santa came! I think there's about a billion presents down there!"
"Well, then, I suppose there's no time to waste," Niles said, getting out of bed.
Niles scooped David up in his arms. Daphne glanced at him, making sure he really was ready for all of this. He nodded in response. He knew it would be cruel to make his son wait a moment longer before inspecting the tree. Looking into David's eyes, he realized once again what a miracle this child was. And he wasn't sure if he was seeing things or not, but Niles could've sworn he saw just a hint of his mother's eyes looking back at him. "David, you...know I love you, right?"
David giggled. "Course I do, Daddy. You tell me every day!" David threw his arms around Niles, hugging him as fiercely as his little arms allowed.
As they started down the stairs, Niles felt Daphne's hand on his back, reassuring him. She knew how much he wanted to be a good father, and he'd succeeded, just as she had always expected.
Niles carried his son directly over to the tree. When he'd lowered the boy to the ground, he smiled as David took it all in. "Wow!"
Daphne smiled. "I guess Santa must've thought you were a good boy this year."
David looked up at his mother. "Can I open one now, please?"
Daphne bent down to David's eye-level. "You know you have to wait till Grandma and Grandpa get here."
"Awww!" David said.
Daphne saw how upset her son was. She sat on the floor, allowing David to sit on her lap. He was almost too big for this, but not quite. Daphne was grateful for that. She held him close, hoping he would calm down. The last thing she wanted was a temper tantrum on Christmas morning. "I know it's hard to wait, when all your presents are right here. But I'm sure Grandpa and Grandma Ronee will be here any minute now. That's nothing compared to how long your father had to wait before he got to kiss me!"
Niles smiled. "That's for sure. The moment I saw you, I knew I was going to love you for the rest of my life."
Daphne's heart melted at his words. She kissed David's cheek. "Why don't you sit here and watch the tree for a moment? Daddy and I will be right here."
"OK," David said. He apparently had forgotten all about wanting to open a present early.
Daphne got up and put her arms around Niles. "I love you," she said, kissing him.
Niles caressed her cheek. He sighed. "I would've waited forever to hear you say those words." For a moment, they were lost in one another's eyes. David, the tree, and everything else fell away for a moment, while Niles and Daphne traveled back in time.
The silence was broken by the doorbell. "Grandpa!" David was up immediately, racing toward the door. He opened it and took Martin by the hand. "I got a million presents!" David was nearly causing his grandfather to fall by pulling him so hard.
"Go easy with your grandfather, he's not as young as he used to be," Daphne said with a grin.
"Merry Christmas to you, too, Daph," Martin replied. He managed to break away from David's desperate grip enough to take a seat on the couch. "Come here, David, give your grandpa a hug," he instructed. As his grandson came closer, Martin couldn't help smiling. The eyes that looked back at him were Hester's. It was unmistakable. "You look like your grandma." Martin didn't even realize he'd whispered the words.
David's eyebrows narrowed in confusion. He looked over at his grandma, who was saying something to his dad. Everything about her was different. Sometimes she didn't even seem like a grandma at all. "Grandpa, are you sure?"
Martin saw his grandson's confusion. Then he remembered, Hester was a part of the past. There was no way David could understand, at least not yet. "It's a long story," he said. "I'll tell you some other time. Right now I think we better get started on these presents. Us older people don't have much time to waste." He glanced up at Daphne.
Daphne's powers told her that her husband wasn't the only one thinking of Hester today. She felt a rush of love for her father-in-law. He'd managed to move on, starting a wonderful new life with Ronee. But, always, Hester's memory lingered. She knew that was part of the reason Martin doted on David. As she looked at her son, she imagined the wonderful future he had in front of him. He had his father's looks and intelligence, and her kindness and humor. Those traits would take him far in life, no doubt. But he had one other thing going for him: his very own guardian angel. Nothing could make Daphne happier.
The End