Part Four: Your Face

There's a road that follows everywhere you go

I stole your golden chaser

But I didn't mean to steal

It's not in my nature

But if you try again I'll fall

And if you want to save it all

Then all you have to do is

Give me that look again

- The Frames

"Niles, may I ask you a question?"

Niles picked up a sugar sachet, shook it needlessly, then proceeded to tear. "Certainly, Frasier."

"Are you sleeping with Roz?"

Sugar granules shot everywhere. "Erm … sleeping with Roz? No, of course not, that's preposterous."

"Fine. Are you having sex with Roz?"

He couldn't lie to his brother, but he at least had the decency to look apologetic. "Well, yes. I am doing that."

"For heaven's sake, Niles! Have you completely lost your mind? You two are entirely the most incompatible couple I could ever imagine!"

"Calm down, Frasier, she made it quite clear to me that it isn't like that."

"Isn't like what?"

"Well, it's just as you say – we're sleeping together, that's as far as it goes. Well," he snickered in remembrance, "that and the fact that she's trying to expose me to the less fine things in life. The other night, we ate curly fries in bed while watching Star Wars," he said proudly.

Frasier's eyebrow arched. "Really."

"Yes. She calls me her 'young apprentice'," Niles finished gleefully, before dissolving into inane titters.

Frasier took a deep breath. "Let me make one thing very clear, Niles. I no more want to hear about your downward cultural mobility than I want to know your bawdy pet names for each other! What I would like explained to me is how the two people I hold most dear – my brother and my best friend, no less –"

Niles sensed a speech coming on.

"– Could have this entire relationship independent of me and without my knowledge! The impertinence of your endeavour is absolutely –"

"'Scuse me, Frasier, I need to go to the counter." He got up abruptly, wheeled around, and leaned against the coffee bar with as much nonchalance as he could muster. He hadn't meant to deny his brother his pain, but he had just noticed a certain Ms Doyle enter the café, and as yet he was unable to be around her without getting disproportionately aroused or giggling like a six-year-old.

"Hey Fras," he heard her greet from behind his back.

"Hello Roz," Frasier huffed in return. "I've just been discussing your little situation with Niles."

"Oh, you're not going to make a big deal of it, are you Frasier? I'm starting to regret ever telling you."

"You did not tell me, I heard you leaving a husky-voiced message on his machine!" he burst out.

"Oh right. Well, same diff. Listen, about those promos, why don't I –"

"Um, excuse me. Don't you think we should discuss this?"

"Frasier, what's to discuss, now really?" she said, no nonsense.

His voice became higher with incredulity. "Well it's just … what are you doing with him? He says you don't want a serious relationship – but he's my little brother, Roz! You see how he just gives his heart away –"

"Believe me, that won't happen here," she said scornfully.

"But then – in God's name, why?"

"Maybe I just felt like it!" she burst out. "Maybe he felt like it too, so we did – ever think of that?"

"But, I mean, Niles is hardly your type, is he?"

Roz sighed. "As you would be the first to point out, Frasier, every man is my type. Well, every man except Noel."

"And me, it seems," said Frasier, wounded.

"Oh Fras … I could never sleep with you, we're –"

"– Too close as friends, yes, I know," he finished quietly.

Roz exhaled. "I dunno, Frasier. I guess – I guess I just got tired of seeing him getting crushed all the time, you know? In case you haven't noticed, the poor guy's been walking around in a heartbroken daze ever since Daphne left. And don't get me started on Maris the Heiress."

Niles felt little slivers of dismay worming their way through him. Daphne and Maris … Daphne …

"I just thought I'd … show him that it doesn't always have to be like that," Roz continued. "That relationships and sex can be, y'know, fun things."

Frasier held up a hand, signalling for her to stop. "I've been trying to buck him up myself, to no avail. Even recommended a counsellor to him if he felt like going into deep analysis."

"Oh you shrinks, always with the psychobabble," she said dismissively. "Am I the only one who wanted to help him in a practical way?"

"Well, I suppose for hands-on assistance – who better than you?" he said cattily.

"You take that back!"

"I most certainly will not! Have I mentioned how I am personally aggrieved by these goings-on? Could you please take a moment and explain to me how it is that the two people I hold most dear – my brother and my best friend, no less – could have this entire relationship independent of me and without my knowledge! The impertinence of your endeavour is absolutely …"

But Roz, having sensed a speech coming on, wasn't really listening. She finally made eye contact with Niles, still standing stiffly at the counter, and nibbled provocatively on her biscotti.

Secretly pleased, he rolled his eyes and turned away.

Mel watched her boyfriend warily. He had been standing in front of the full-length mirror for several minutes now, trying to decide between two ties. He would hold one up to his neck, stare at it, then pull it away to repeat the exercise with the other. She knew that focusing on small, insignificant details was something he only reverted to when especially nervous. It was as though if he could be perfectly dressed, at least he would be in control of something.

"It's alright, sweetie. Calm down."

"I'm calm," he said tersely, starting to knot the mauve tie but then thinking better of it.

She bristled. If anyone should be withdrawn and grumpy, it should be me. This was supposed to be our trip, and for the second day in a row we're choosing to spend our precious time with a former employee! But dare I complain? No, I put up with it! Because that's what you do when you love someone.

She tried again. "It's just brunch with Daphne, you know, and her brother – what was his name again, darling?"

"Billy."

"Billy," she repeated. "It's nothing fancy – why are you wearing a tie to brunch, anyway?"

"Oh, I don't know," he said moodily, attempting to fire both ties across the room. They fluttered to the ground a few metres away and he stood staring at the floor, at the result of his ineffectual tantrum.

Mel considered him for a moment. "Why don't you put this on, Niles," she said eventually, taking a casual Armani shirt from the wardrobe. "Hmm? Sweetie?"

"Uh … thank you," he muttered, pulling it on gingerly.

She gave him a kiss, and he returned it fiercely, but it didn't seem to lighten his mood.

No, that happened much later, when they met Daphne and her brother in a delightful bistro that Niles immediately dubbed his "Nervosa away from Nervosa"; only then did his manner become animated, did his eyes unglaze themselves, did his mouth start to curve into that slow, affectionate smile that was usually reserved just for her. Mel sat there, serenely stung as she was blatantly excluded from the excitable chatter, watching both Moons making moon eyes at her boyfriend – and noticing her boyfriend gazing back at one in particular. Libby's gossipy tones reverberated in her ears …

It was only when the subject of ballroom dancing came up – as Niles heartily thanked Billy for teaching Daphne who, in turn, taught him – that Mel felt qualified to speak. And her voice, when it came out, was that of a slighted, indignant child – brittle, cold and whiny.

"You wouldn't be referring to the night you danced together at the Snow Ball, would you? The night you very publicly made out, and embarked on your illicit affair? Excuse me."

As she stormed off, she was aware of their wide eyes tracing her exit and could almost feel the shocked silence she left behind.

She was losing him and couldn't stop.

Daphne brought the mismatched mugs to the coffee table and slumped down on the couch with her brother. Billy hadn't changed much in the four years she'd been away. The glasses frames had been updated, and the dark hair was now artfully mussed. But other than that, he was unchanged: same unnerving manner, same almost-handsome face, same shark-like smile.

Still single. Ever on the lookout.

"So, if you didn't really have an 'illicit affair' with this Niles chap" – trust Billy to memorise juicy quotes from the conversation – "why did his girlfriend seem to think you had?"

Daphne shrugged. "I'm not sure. Well, their set has a tendency to gossip quite a bit. And it's not entirely unfounded, either. We did make out." She paused, remembering. "Well actually, it was more of a kiss."

"Right," said Billy sceptically.

"A brief kiss," she clarified.

"Right."

"The illicit affair part – no idea where that came from."

"Right." His tone was patronising now.

"Billy! I'm telling the truth!"

He was about to say "right" again, but after looking at her face, must have thought better of it. "It's just that it seemed plausible. Y'know, from the way you were acting around each other today." He paused. "You're quite sure there was no illicit affair?"

"Yes, I'm sure!" She cringed as she remembered the scenes in the coffee shop – Mel storming off and Niles, after recovering himself, scurrying after her. She let her head sink back into the cushions, half-hoping Billy would leave her to revisit the pleasanter aspects of the afternoon, and half-hoping he'd stay and help unravel her knotted ball of emotions. He was always good at that. He'd have made a decent psychiatrist, if it weren't for his criminal tendencies.

Billy slurped his coffee, winced and spoke again. "I think he's rather hot, actually, Niles."

"I guessed as much when he went to the bathroom and you practically sprinted in after him."

She rolled her eyes as she recalled her brother's behaviour. "I'll just see if he needs a hand," he'd said, flashing his teeth as a mortified Daphne tried to make small talk with Mel while at the same time studiously avoiding eye contact

Billy nodded philosophically. "Yes, quite attractive – even if I could pick him up and put him in my backpack. Don't you agree?"

She hid a smile. "Mmm."

"He's got a very noble face."

She made another non-committal sound.

"Come on now Daph. You can't fool old William. I know you like him," he accused. "You were glowing all morning like some pregnant lady."

She didn't bat an eyelid, just let the words spill out of her mouth lazily, casually. "You may be right. But he has a girlfriend, not to mention lives in a whole other country. And besides, I – I find it hard to imagine, you know, kissing him or anything."

"I don't."

"Hush, you!" She failed to conceal her laughter this time. "I just … it would have to be perfect, you see. It'd have to be extraordinary, magical even, to be worth the risk. It's – it's almost like I'm too comfortable with him, you know?"

"No." This earned him a slap. "Lookit, Daphne. You may as well explore what's there with this chap. You haven't so much as had a snog since you and Clive split up."

"You think I don't know that?" There was a defensive edge to her tone.

"No, no. Of course you do," he said apologetically. "But I remember how happy you were during your marriage. How fun you were. In that respect, I miss Clive."

"You miss the free football strips from his sports shop, is what you miss."

"That too," he sighed. "But seriously, Daphne. Niles could make you happy, couldn't he?"

She didn't say anything for a while. "You know, I'm surprised you're pushing the two of us together. Shouldn't you be trying to win him over to the other team?"

He waved his hand. "Nah, there's no hope for him. He's too poncey to be gay."

Daphne giggled.

"Besides," he added. "I've seen the way he looks at you. No, not much hope for old William there, I'm afraid."

The smile froze on Daphne's face as the doorbell rang. "I'm not expecting anyone."

"Go ahead," Billy said lazily. "I'll busy myself in the kitchen."

"By looking for the beer, I presume," Daphne threw over her shoulder as she made her way to the front door of her flat.

Not surprisingly, Niles was standing behind it.

"Daphne," he said in anxious greeting. "I must apologise for the way – well, for brunch today. Mel – misunderstood something and I'd hate to think that I – we made you feel uncomfortable." His little speech, though stammered, smacked of rehearsal.

"That's alright," she said absently, feeling strangely detached from the situation. "Did she forgive you, then?"

"Err, yes, she forgave me. I explained, and she apologised, and she sends her apologies to you, too, though she didn't think that …"

He babbled on, but Daphne was no longer listening. The sounds of her brother clanging about in the kitchen seemed heightened, and she remembered their conversation on the couch. Niles … the way he looks at you …could never imagine … too comfortable …

Making a decision, she awkwardly seized Niles by the elbows and pressed her mouth to his, waiting expectantly for magic to take place. But it wasn't forthcoming.

No music swelled in the background, no fireworks went off overhead. There was no inner voice screaming This is right, this is so, so right ...

But then, he did start massaging her tongue with his own, and he did push her up against the door jamb, his hands starting on her hips and ending up in her hair.

And even as she shifted uncomfortably against the door frame, she wondered if perhaps magic was overrated.