The Trial of Dr. Niles Crane
His Mercedes safely parked in his parking space, he was safely back in the Montana. He started to tear up when he reached his floor and headed for his apartment.
"So, what do you do for a living?" the lady sitting next to him asked. Niles was having a flashback as if it were real time.
"I'm a Psychiatrist. It is the saving grace of my life."
The attractive blonde woman seemed to perk up and produced her hand. "I'm Sheryl. Sheryl Griffin."
"Doctor Niles Crane." He would have shaken her hand with his right, but by producing his left, the ring on his hand made it evident that he was already married. That seemed to pull her back a bit. Niles fought back a grin. Not for causing her any grief, but because he would normally have difficulty talking to beautiful women. Not anymore. Daphne was all he ever wanted and the rest of the female population be damned… with respect, that is.
There was a commotion at the front of the plane and some vulgarity that made his heart leap forward. What on earth could cause one to resort to such profanity? They were still on the ground. In-flight meals wouldn't be for hours. He hoped his kosher meal wasn't compromised to some irate and demanding passenger. Yet the voice was so loud and demanding.
There was scuffling and loud slamming noises. Good Lord, what was going on?
A stewardess came running down the aisle. She ran right over to Niles. "Excuse me. Did you say you were a doctor?" She must have overheard him in passing.
"Well, yes, but…"
"Please come with me," she demanded.
"I'm sorry miss, but I don't think I'm the doctor you're looking for. I'm a psychiatrist."
Her eyes shifted from one side of the plane to the other like she was in deep consideration of her options. She leaned closer to him. "Sir, we have a situation."
"Who are you talking to?" A large man came down the aisle toward the stewardess. "I don't want you talking to anyone." That's when he brought his handgun up to aim it at her.
"Please sir, he's…"
The gun was now in Niles' face. "Who? Who the hell are you?"
Niles raised his hands. His heart was thundering and he was sweating. All of his years of training and professional experience were kicking into high gear. He needed an opening. A reason to talk to him. If he said he was a CEO for the airlines, he would have an opening, but then again, being caught in a lie could be detrimental to his health.
"Niles Crane. I'm a mediator. I can help you."
He grabbed Niles by the collar and pulled him up. "Get to your feet."
Jolted back out of his flashback, Niles reached for the door knob of his apartment door with shaking hands. Immediately after opening the door, he was embraced by Daphne as she raced across the room and flew into his arms. Tears were streaming down her face.
Niles let out a breath of tension. He was home. And by that, he was truly home only when in her arms.
She kissed him a dozen times and his heart seemed to slow to normal for the first time after the incident.
"Oh my God, Niles, I was so scared."
"I know, my love. I wanted to call, but I had to see you. I wanted to hold you."
She pulled away and tried to dry her face with the backs of her hands. "Are you alright? Where is your luggage?"
"Oh, I must have left it in the car."
Daphne went over and closed the door, locked it and then double bolted it as if the danger had followed him home. "I saw on the news. I was so scared. I am SO GLAD you're home now."
He forced a grin. "I am too."
"My God, Niles. Your hands are shaking."
He looked down at them, almost not believing her, yet there they were.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.
"Right now, I just want to relax for a moment."
She undid his tie and pressed her lips softly against his. "You go take a nice hot shower. I'll fetch your slippas and draw you up a nice glass of sherry."
"That… that sounds wonderful."
Upstairs, when the hot water hit his face, the flashbacks returned.
He was thrown up against the wall at the front of the plane and patted down in search of a concealed weapon. He was violently turned back around. There appeared to be only one gunman. That was greatly to Niles' advantage. It was so much easier to reason with one person, verses a multitude of others.
"Sir, I assure you that I am no threat to you…" Then he thought of his karate training. "Could you please point that thing elsewhere?"
"Pick up that phone."
There was a phone on the wall. Niles retrieved it. "Hello?"
"This is Officer Stamos. I'm in charge for the time being. Who am I speaking with?"
"Niles."
"Niles, I'm going to cut to the chase. From the tone of your response, I am assuming that you are a passenger acting as a liaison, is that correct?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"I'm going to ask you several quick questions. I want you to only answer yes or no. Keep your answers short, is that understood?"
"Yes."
The gunman opened his shirt to expose enough plastic explosives to take out the entire plane. "You tell them to stay away from this plane. You tell them that this is my plane."
"Oh, dear Lord."