After hearing the door close, Frasier turned around. He imagined Lilith still standing there in that exquisite black dress. A smile formed as his mind drifted to the past.

The whole drive to his apartment Frasier couldn't stop thinking about what a great evening he and Lilith shared. It seemed that every time he saw her he felt they were becoming closer. He couldn't remember the last time he felt that way with another woman. The emotions Lilith Sternin stirred in him he had never felt with anyone else. And last night he definitely felt those familiar sensations.

Entering his apartment, Frasier was met with an empty living room. Usually Martin was sitting in his chair fixated on a baseball game with Eddie by his feet, or Daphne would be roaming around the apartment. But no one was there to greet him.

After a minute Frasier heard his father's voice as he came around the corner of the hallway. "Hey, Fras. How was your date? You didn't come home last night." Martin then sat down in his usual place.

"There was no date. She cancelled on me," Frasier replied, hanging his jacket up.

"Oh. Then where were you all night?"

Frasier hesitated before speaking. He wasn't sure how his father would react. "I, uh . . . I was with Lilith."

"Lilith?" Martin responded, his voice full of shock. "I thought you two were just going to have a drink?"

"Well we did but. . . ."

"Aw jeez. Don't tell me it happened again."

"No, Dad, we did not sleep together." It came out a little harsher than Frasier intended. "Her date cancelled on her, too. So we just spent a quiet evening together and fell asleep on the couch, that's all."

A silence fell over the room. Frasier went to pour himself a sherry.

"So is Lilith leaving today?" Martin finally asked.

"Yes." Frasier checked his watch. "Her flight should be leaving in about an hour."

Frasier sat down on his expensive sofa and took a sip from his glass. Martin, not really paying attention to the Mariners game, studied the forlorn look on his son's face.

"Something wrong, Fras?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, it's nothing."

"Are you sure? You seem troubled."

"I'm fine. I just . . ." he trailed off. He couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

"Go ahead, son. I'm listening." They both smiled.

Frasier let out a sigh. "I feel lonely, Dad," he said wistfully. "Its been eleven years and I still haven't found the happiness I wanted. I mean Niles and Daphne are married and what have I got? I have a luxurious apartment with no one to share it with. I know I have you, Dad, but this is different. I've searched and searched for the perfect woman and I still come up empty. And after saying goodbye to Lilith this morning everything just hit me at once."

Martin shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He never really felt comfortable talking about Lilith. "You still love her don't you?" Martin declared truthfully.

"What?" Frasier snapped. "Lilith? Me? Still in love with Lilith?" He let out a nervous laugh to assure himself he wasn't insane.

"C'mon, Fras, every time she shows up here you change. You might say you're over her but I can see that you still care for her."

Feeling his nerves tighten, Frasier downed the rest of his sherry. "Well of course I still care about her," he admitted. "She was my wife." Frasier fell silent. Suddenly, the memories of their married life raced through his mind; the good ones and the bad ones. After their divorce Frasier never thought he could love Lilith again. He convinced himself she meant nothing to him anymore. Perhaps he always loved her, just never stopped.

"I think you already found your happiness, Frasier. You just keep pretending you need to find it."

Frasier looked away from his father and thought hard for a moment. "I think you're right, Dad. I keep telling myself that my move to Seattle would bring me happiness. As a substitute for the emptiness I was feeling after leaving Lilith, I tried to find the perfect woman who could fill that hollowness." By now Frasier wasn't directly speaking to his father. He was confessing to himself.

Martin sighed. "Well you better leave soon if you're gonna make it in time." Frasier snapped out of his reverie and gave him a confused look. "You have to tell her how you feel, Frasier. I see that she still makes you happy, and that's enough for me."

Frasier froze. He couldn't believe his father was suggesting he follow his ex-wife to Boston. His father never liked Lilith, that was evident. Now he was suggesting he go after her?

"Well don't just sit there," Martin blurted out, "you'll never catch the plane in time."

Without hesitation Frasier immediately stood up and went to grab his jacket. He was in such a rush he almost forgot his keys.

"And if anyone asks why you went after her you tell them it was your idea! I don't want everyone thinking I'm soft!" Martin managed to yell before the door closed.

Frasier rolled his eyes and pushed the button for the elevator. The doors opened immediately.

A/N: What do you think so far? Did I make Martin to heartfelt? Let me know!