Story Notes: This is set immediately after the finale and contains spoilers for those episodes. I plan on writing a series of these, kind of a virtual Season 12. Some of the situations in this chapter may seem a bit "out of character" or unrealistic but this is my version of what I want to have happened to the characters after the finale.

Disclaimer: The characters are the property of someone else.

"After the Finale"

Chapter One: "Good Morning Chicago"

"What do you mean, start over?" Charlotte screamed into her cell phone, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was working the phones, trying to get her old business started back up, but with every client she called she heard the same story, they were happy with their new match maker. Charlotte found it hard to believe that someone had moved in on her clients so quickly but soon found out that her ex-husband was behind the sabotage. She called him to ask what was going on but he refused to say anything except that she would just have to start over.

What had she done? That question keep playing over and over in her mind. She had came back to Chicago because she already had an established business and didn't want to have to start over. Start over: she could've done that in Seattle, at least in Seattle she would've been with Fraiser. She dialed his phone number, not even sure what she was going to say to him. She let the phone ring just twice, then quickly hit the "end" button, she couldn't go running back this soon , it was her idea to let things just end between them, how could she ever erase all the drama surrounding her departure? Charlotte decided to just stay in Chicago and tough things out, how hard could it be anyway?

It had been three weeks since she'd left Seattle. Charlotte had talked to Frasier on the phone several times now but she hadn't told him what a horrible time she was having. She had given up on trying to re-start the old business, a week earlier she had cleaned out the offices and was now trying to find someone to buy the real estate. She had no idea what she was going to do but if she was going to start over, it would be in a different profession. The weeks passed in a haze of depression and regret, she decided to drown her sorrows on a Friday evening. She poured herself a large glass of scotch and sat down on her couch. The door bell rang as soon as she sit down. She crossed the room, half annoyed by the interruption, half glad to just have someone to talk to. Charlotte opened the door and her glass shattered against the hardwood floor as she saw Frasier standing in front of her.

It was midnight, four hours since Frasier had knocked on the door on Charlotte's Chicago apartment. She had spent the first few minutes of his visit in shock, the next few they spent together cleaning broken glass off of her floor. Then they both began to talk at the same time, Frasier trying to explain why he had came to Chicago, Charlotte trying to explain why she didn't want to stay.

"You go first," Frasier laughed as he held Charlotte's hands.

"I thought my life was here in Chicago, but I was wrong. My Mom's in Seattle, you're in Seattle, that's my home now, this isn't. I want to go back."

"Charlotte, I came here to be with you, I'm willing to move anywhere you want, just so long as you're happy. I just know that the only way I'll ever be happy again, is to be with you. I hope I'm not being foolish, but I couldn't not know if things could work between us."

"I can't ask you to move here, your home is in Seattle too. I do know that I want us to be together," Charlotte was in tears now, actually they both were. They kissed, then Charlotte took his hands in hers and led him to her bedroom. Now, four hours later, she lay there in his arms, still crying. How could this man care so much for her? He barely knew her. She barely knew him, but she did know that she was never as happy as she was when she was with him, she guessed that might just be what love was all about.

Two days later, Frasier and Charlotte were at the airport, headed back to Seattle, their flight had been delayed due to mechanical problems and they had been waiting for hours.

"Do you think this is a sign?" Charlotte, half joked.

"A sign that we shouldn't move back to Seattle?"

"No, a sign that we're crazy to think we know each other well enough to take such big steps together. How do I know you really love me?"

"Let's get married."

"What?"

"Do you love me?"

"Of course, but I don't know…."

"No, you said you loved me, but you're just not sure how committed I am."

"Yeah, but … why not? I dated my first husband for years and that didn't work out."

"This will work Charlotte, I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

"When do you want to get married?"

"Now."

"What? Have you lost your mind?"

"No, but I will if you don't agree to this, come on, before we both get cold feet."

"But what about our families?"

"We can do it again for them later, that's the way all the other men in my family do things." Frasier grinned at her, seeing her defenses failing.

"Why not?"

Hand in hand, and laughing to each other, they headed to the ticket counter to exchange their Seattle tickets.

"We'd like to trade these tickets for two seats on your next flight to Reno," Charlotte said to the ticket agent.

"You want to get married in Reno?" Frasier was shocked.

"Oh, where else could we get married tonight?"

"I hadn't thought of that, well, why not? It was good enough for Niles."

"Niles got married in Reno? That's hard to believe."

"It's a long story, but I have the rest of my life to tell it to you." Frasier leaned down and kissed his bride to be.