With a worried look on her face, Roz returned to the living room. "Is Frasier okay?"
"Sure, why?" Martin asked.
"I think he was crying in the kitchen. He's been to the doctor an awful lot lately."
"Has he?" Niles asked, clearly surprised by this news.
At that moment Frasier appeared holding a small square object. "Niles, I know how much you always coveted this chess set. I want you to have it."
Niles was clearly stunned by this gesture. "But it's your favorite! This is the one you learned on!"
"This is why I want it to be the set that you teach that son of yours to play on."
As Niles looked at Daphne in concern, Frasier merely smiled. "I haven't forgotten about you, Roz! I'll be right back!"
The mood, when Frasier left the room, suddenly turned somber and Daphne held her newborn son a little closer as she squeezed her husband's hand.
"I don't like this." Roz said, echoing the sentiments of everyone.
The phone rang and almost instantly the answering machine clicked on.
"Frasier, it's Dr. Henry. I'm calling about your test results. I know it doesn't look good, but I'm going to do everything I can for you, so give me a call, okay?"
Daphne's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my God..."
She swallowed hard, but the ache in her chest was growing deeper by the second. However, she was determined not to cry. It was best not to get everyone else upset. She was supposed to be the strong one in the family! What would it look like if she were to lose it right in front of everyone... including David? He was only a week old but he was bound to sense his mother's unhappiness.
"Do you suppose that's why he called us all here tonight?" Martin asked; his voice tinged with fear as Ronee did her best to console him.
"Here we are, Roz." Frasier said cheerfully as he returned to the living room carrying a large flat object. "This art deco mirror is perfect for you."
Almost instantly Roz began to sob into her hands, leaving Frasier utterly perplexed as he glanced at Niles.
"Oh Frasier!"
"Well that just goes to show you." Frasier said. "I thought I'd get a bigger reaction from the chess set!"
The hot tears rose to the surface and suddenly Daphne couldn't take it anymore. Still holding David in her arms, she let go of Niles' hand and rose to her feet.
"I think David needs changing."
"But Sweetheart, you just changed him a few-."
Unable to look at her husband, Daphne carried David into the hallway, fully aware of the concerned murmurs of her family. But it was getting harder and harder to hide her tears.
She quickly ducked into Frasier's room, her heart aching once more when she saw how bare it seemed. Gone were the clothes from his closets and a box labeled "Charity" sat near the bed, filled almost to capacity with designer shirts, suits and pants. Never in all the years that she knew him would he ever dream of parting with his beloved Italian suits.
This was all becoming much too real.
The tears were falling relentlessly now, and she blindly made her way to the bed where she sat down with her son in her arms and began to sob; her tears dampening David's blue blanket.
"Daphne is everything-what's wrong?"
She looked up to see the blurred image of her husband in the doorway.
"Oh Niles! Just hold me!"
"Of course, my angel." He said, rushing to her in one fluid motion as he sat down beside her and took her into his arms. She cried against his chest and the baby between them was unfazed by this sentiment. Daphne stroked his tiny back while Niles, in turn, stroked hers in a soothing circular motion.
"Shhh... It's all right... Everything will be all right." He whispered.
But she shook her head adamantly. "No, Niles! It will never be all right!" she cried, burying her face in his chest. When she raised her head to look at him, she could see that his eyes were red from crying and the pain was unmistakable. And suddenly she felt horrible for being so insensitive. She gently brushed the tears from his cheeks.
"I'm so sorry, Sweetheart. This has got to be harder on you than anyone. You're his brother and...Oh God, I'm going to miss him so much!"
Niles kissed her cheek and sniffled. "I know... And it will take some getting used to but we'll manage."
Daphne was amazed at how calm he seemed. "How can you say that? I know how much you love him and if it weren't for him I never would have met you and..."
She cried even harder prompting him to hold her closer as he slowly moved back and forth, gently kissing her hair.
"Dear God what's happened?"
"Is everything all right?"
"What's going on in here?"
They looked up to see Roz, Martin, and Ronee standing in the doorway.
"Daphne's a little upset." Niles explained. "Frasier, when are the movers coming?"
"In a few days." Frasier replied.
"Are you driving to San Francisco?" Ronee asked.
"Yes, and it should be a wonderful experience although not quite as adventurous as when I moved here from Boston. Now that was quite a road trip! Of course it was also bittersweet because I was leaving Frederick, but..."
Daphne raised her head. "San Francisco? What are you talking about? Why are you driving there? What's wrong with the hospitals here?"
"Well, nothing." Frasier said. "Seattle has some of the finest hospitals in the country and I owe them a great deal of gratitude for saving not only Dad's life when he was shot but also Niles' when he had that open heart surgery."
"Thank you, Frasier." Niles said as a tear streamed down his cheek.
"I don't understand." Daphne said. "What's going on?"
"I have a new life ahead of me... In San Francisco!" Frasier said. "I was just about to tell you when you left the room. I start my new job next week, and it's all thanks to Bebe!"
Daphne felt as though the floor had caved in around her. Never in her life had she felt so utterly stupid and she rose from the bed and moved to the window, crying even harder, barely aware of Niles' hands on her shoulder.
"Daphne what is it?" Roz asked.
Daphne turned around, wanting so much to hate Frasier but she simply couldn't; not when she loved him so deeply.
"I thought you were dying! Do you have any idea how much that hurt me, knowing that I might lose you forever?"
"Here, let me take David." Ronee said, gently taking the baby out of Daphne's arms.
"Oh Daphne, I'm so sorry!" Frasier said. "I didn't mean to scare anyone."
"B-but the answering machine message... the doctor..." Daphne cried. "I mean, I thought..."
Frasier hugged her tightly and rubbed her back. "Daphne, Daphne... Dear God... I feel horrible now! I certainly didn't mean to be so secretive. But now that it's out in the open, I suppose I should explain why I decided to take this job. I want a new chapter in my life, but that doesn't mean that I'm not going to miss you all terribly. I love you all, so much."
"I love you too, Frasier. And thank you." Daphne said, kissing his cheek.
Frasier laughed. "After everything you've done for this family, and you're thanking me?"
Daphne put her arms around Niles and leaned into his warm body as he stroked her back. "Yes because if you hadn't hired me, I would never have found the most wonderful man in the world. I love him so much."
"I love you too, Daphne." Niles said.
"Well this calls for a celebration." Martin said. "I'll get the Ballantine's!"
"And I'll get the champagne!" Frasier said, chuckling at his father.
As the family retreated into the living room, Daphne was unable to look at her husband.
"I'm so sorry, Niles. I thought-."
"It's all right, my angel. We all thought the worst in the beginning, but it turns out it was just a side effect from a small procedure Frasier had. Apparently Bebe-."
Daphne started to cry again. "Oh Niles, I'm going to miss him so much!"
"So am I, my love. So am I." Niles said, holding her close. "But he's not leaving for another week so I say that you and David and I spend as much time as we can with him and after that I'll have you and our son all to myself."
Daphne kissed him deeply, finally able to smile. "I love you, Niles. And thank you."
"For what? I didn't do any-."
"For making me dreams come true; a beautiful son and a family who loves me. But most of all, thank you for you."
He kissed her again and again, reluctantly pulling away to catch his breath. "What do you say we enjoy our evening here with Frasier, Roz, Dad and Ronee and then perhaps Frasier would want to baby sit David for the night."
"But he's only a week old!" Daphne said. "What on earth-."
Niles kissed her with such tenderness that she began to feel light-headed. "Well, I was thinking I could show you how much I appreciate you by giving you a night of passion you won't soon forget."
"In that case... It's a date, Niles Crane. Now let's go celebrate with your family and then we can have our own celebration."
Niles gasped audibly and took his wife's hand, leading her out of Frasier's room as he turned out the light. "My love that sounds like a heavenly idea."
THE END
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