The minute her husband walked through the door, Daphne knew something was wrong. Instead of greeting her warmly with his usual hug and a kiss, Niles merely stood there, frozen. His eyes were glazed, and he was barely able to stand.
"Darling, what's wrong?!" Daphne asked, immediately rushing over to him. "You've got a fever!" He'd been fine when he left for work, other than a slightly sore throat. Certainly neither of them could've predicted it would turn into this! "You'd better lie down." She began leading him toward the couch.
Niles had to work to catch his breath, even from those few steps. "No...bed," he managed to whisper.
Daphne looked at him uncertainly. "Are you sure?" Niles nodded. "All right, then. But you'll never make it up those stairs by yourself. We'll do it together, all right?" Niles nodded once again as she linked her arm through his, taking a firm hold of his hand. Somehow, Daphne managed to maneuver him to the bottom of the stairs. "OK, here we go. Just one step at a time. That's it,"she coaxed.
She and Niles had barely made it up two steps before Niles needed a rest. Daphne forced herself to go into healthcare worker mode, and not think about the fact that this was her husband. They continued up the stairs in the same manner, with Daphne encouraging him on each step. Niles did not say much, as the act of walking took up most of his energy. When they reached the landing, they once again stopped to allow Niles to catch his breath. "Come on, we're almost there," Daphne said. "I'm sure once you're in bed, you'll be feeling much better!" She tried to sound far more cheerful than she felt. Niles had always been prone to sickness, and the sight of him in such frail condition worried her a great deal.
Eventually they made it to the bedroom. Daphne quickly helped him undress and get into bed. Once he was under the covers, Niles looked up at her. He was still having difficulty breathing, so his words were almost impossible to hear. "David hates me," he whispered.
"Please don't say that, my darling. David loves you. You're a wonderful father." Daphne stroked his hair and cheek, hoping it would help him relax. Daphne's gesture did not work, nor did her words. Anyone else might have missed the sad shake of his head. Daphne's heart broke. "David loves you," she said firmly. "Look, I'll show you."
She walked down the hall, to the nursery where the twelve-month-old was playing quietly in his crib. Daphne picked him up, gently kissing his forehead. "We're going to see Daddy for a minute," she announced. Without another word, she carried her son back into their room. David's face lit up at the sight of his father.
Even Niles could not deny the expression on his son's sweet face. "Hi, son," he whispered as he tried to reach out and touch his cheek. But suddenly, Niles' eyes closed, and he was fast asleep.
Daphne was at a loss for what to do, as she stood there holding her son in front of her sick husband. But then, she had a thought. She gently lowered her son to where Niles was sleeping. "Give Daddy a kiss," she said. David obeyed, leaving a wet, slobbery kiss on his father's cheek. In that same instant, Daphne felt a strong jolt from her psychic powers. She was certain her husband would be better by morning. Overcome with relief, she returned David to his crib. He seemed to have grown tired of playing, and so Daphne covered him with a blanket.
She stood there for a moment, just watching him as he slept. She might not know what the future held for her, but for now, the two people she loved most in the world were safe in their beds, where they belonged. And that was all that mattered.
The End