Chapter Six: Nothing But the Truth

Roz walks into Nervosa, her attempt at nonchalance not working as she catches sight of Frasier sitting at their usual table and practically runs over to join him.

"Hi," she says, not really knowing what else to say.

"Hello, Roz," Frasier responds. "You didn't happen to see Niles or anyone following you, did you?"

She looks confused by that, furrowing her brow as she slides her purse off her shoulder and puts it on the chair between them. "Should I?"

He chuckles. "No, no, it's just that whenever I've wanted to talk to you, there's always been someone else nearby, so we haven't had a moment alone." He lets out a breath. "How are you?"

She shrugs. "I'm fine, I guess. But that's probably not what you're really asking."

He nods. "You know me well."

A barista appears at their table then, disrupting their conversation, but it's not as though they've really gotten far, anyway. Roz orders a cappuccino, then turns her attention back to Frasier.

"I've had time to think about it, and," she seems to have a moment of hesitation, or wanting to draw out the moment, make Frasier nervous, something, "I'm ready now."

Frasier looks surprised, but pleased, and it's all he can do to tamp down his enthusiasm – he is an adult, after all, and has a reputation to uphold. He reaches over the table to put his hand on hers, and is unable to hold back a very real grin. "I'm glad to hear that. I'm ready, too. For whatever comes next."

They share a moment of just grinning at each other like idiots, two idiots in love, which is essentially what they are, and they both miss Niles walking in the door. He doesn't join them, though, instead takes a surreptitious seat by the window, using the newspaper on the table as a shield to keep them from noticing – though by the way they're looking at each other, he thinks he could stand next to their table in the nude and they wouldn't notice.

Still, he watches them from behind the paper, trying to get some clue as to what they're talking about from their body language.

"We should probably take things slow," Roz is saying in the meantime. "You know, ease into being in a relationship."

"Right," Frasier agrees. "No need to rush things. No matter how much we may want to."

"Yeah. Right." A moment of silence passes between them, where they are both obviously thinking the same thing, then Roz speaks again. "But, you know, we have kissed before, so that would be fine."

"It would be more than fine!" Frasier agrees, happy to jump onto any idea that might lead to the bedroom faster, since that's where both their heads are right now. "I would say that if we didn't kiss, that would be a problem, if we are really in a relationship."

Roz laughs. "Yeah! And I mean, if things go further than that, should we really fight it? We're adults. It's not like we haven't done it before." She gives him a dazzling smile and he narrows his eyes playfully at her in response.

"I'd say, since we both have children," he said, and the mention of children seems to dampen their flirtatiousness and Frasier mentally scolds himself for bringing them up.

As they talk, Daphne walks in the door and, seeing them, turns to walk toward their table, but a voice hissing her name makes her stop in her tracks. "Grammy Moon?" she asks the air around her, sure she's hearing voices from beyond the grave.

"No, by the window!"

She turns to see Niles peeking from behind his newspaper and laughs merrily as she walks over to his table. "Oh, Dr. Crane! I thought I was getting a premonition from me Grammy Moon again." She looks over her shoulder at Roz and Frasier, then back to Niles. "Why aren't you sitting with your brother and Roz?"

"Because I'm observing them and I can't let them see me," he says, and Daphne's eyes grow wide and she motions for him to scoot over, then joins him on his side of the table, taking hold of one half of the newspaper.

"Why are you observing them?" she whispers, even though the coffee shop is loud enough where they wouldn't hear her speaking in the first place.

It takes Niles a few moments to recover from the fact that Daphne is sitting so close to him, so close they are practically touching. "I have a theory. . ." he starts, but before he can explain any further, Daphne gasps and grabs his arm.

"You think they're in love, don't you?" she asks, her eyes still as wide as when she sat down with him.

"Well, I, yes," Niles says, both trying to deal with Daphne touching him and that she thinks the same thing. "How did you know?"

"Oh, please, they are so obvious about it!" she laughs. "Did you see them at that gala a few weeks ago, how much of a gentleman he was being with her?"

Niles ponders her question, but all he can remember about that night is how Daphne looked, a vision of perfection in her soft purple dress. He shakes his head. "I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't paying attention." He's feeling bold, so he adds, "You looked rather lovely that evening, so you were a bit of a distraction."

"Oh, Dr. Crane, thank you," Daphne says, blushing a little. "You looked rather dashing yourself."

Niles finds himself staring at her, his expression dreamy, and Daphne looks away, peeking around the newspaper to see what's going on with Frasier and Roz. "They look rather cozy with each other, don't they?" she says, and Niles peeks around the other side of the paper to see what she's talking about.

Over at their table, Frasier and Roz have continued their conversation and it's obvious to anyone watching them that there's nothing else to either of them at that moment than each other. Frasier says something to Roz and shrugs, a smile on his face, and in response, Roz rises from her chair, only to move a chair closer to him. He says something else to her and she laughs, then leans in closer to him, meeting him as he does the same, and they share a kiss, not too long or too passionate, just enough to let anyone watching know that they are a couple and they are in love.

Daphne's face lights up at the sight of the kiss and she turns to Niles, excited. "Did you see that? We were right! Nobody just casually kisses in public like that unless they're in love! Oh!"

She's so excited she does the first thing that comes to mind and grabs Niles, planting a big, wet kiss right on his lips. Niles is surprised, for sure, but recovers quickly, returning the kiss, until Daphne seems to realize what she did and pulls away from him, her cheeks burning.

"Oh, Dr. Crane, I'm sorry!" she apologizes, holding a hand to her mouth. "I guess I just got so excited that I. . ."

Niles just smiles. "No need to apologize, Daphne."

"Is that my brother's voice I hear?" Frasier's voice suddenly intrudes on their conversation, and Niles and Daphne simultaneously lower the newspaper to reveal Frasier and Roz standing on the other side of their table.

"Frasier! Fancy meeting you here." Niles gives him a nervous smile, which isn't fooling anyone, but attempts to cover their tracks, anyway. "Daphne and I were just. . ."

"Spying on us?" Frasier finishes, giving him a pointed look.

Niles hedges the accusation, shaking his head. "No, no, not quite. . ."

"I can see the blood beginning its slow descent through your nostrils, brother," Frasier says, and though he's speaking metaphorically, Niles still reaches a hand up to his face.

"Well, perhaps if the two of you were not sneaking around, I would not have to resort to cheap tactics like watching you from afar," Niles finally says, feeling proud of his comeback. "And leave Daphne out of this. I saw her come in and got her attention before she could interrupt the two of you."

"Very well then," Frasier says, while Roz catches Daphne's gaze and rolls her eyes. The dramatics they put up with. "Perhaps you would like to elaborate on what you mean by us 'sneaking around.'"

Niles straightens up and prepares to launch into a speech. "It has come to my attention that the two of you have been acting more affectionate than usual with each other of late, and after some careful consideration, I've come to the conclusion that. . ."

"You're in love!" Daphne blurts out, and Niles gives her a stern look. She ignores him, though, so impassioned she is by what she's saying. "You can deny it all you want, but we all know. . ."

"You're right," Frasier interrupts, his voice soft, and even Roz seems surprised by that. He looks over at her, smiling, and it's only then that Niles and Daphne notice he's had his arm wrapped around her waist the entire time they've been standing there. "We weren't 'sneaking around' as much as trying to decide where we wanted to take things, though." Roz nods and he turns his attention back to Niles and Daphne.

They seem to be in shock, until Daphne recovers and grins at them. "Well, then let me be the first to congratulate you!" She stands, giving Roz a hug, while Frasier and Niles stare each other down.

"Hmm, yes, I suppose congratulations are in order," Niles says, trying to appear aloof, but Frasier sees through it.

"Thank you," he says, returning his hand to Roz's waist once she and Daphne separate.

A somewhat awkward silence falls among the group, then, as nobody is quite sure what to say next, until they find themselves interrupted by another familiar voice.

"Hey guys, I thought I might find you all down here." They turn to look at Martin, who's just arrived. "What's going on?"

Frasier turns his attention to Roz again, the expression on his face very much one of a man in love. "Funny you should say that. . ."

THE END!

A/N: And that's it! Thanks again to everyone who read, and my long Frasier & Roz fic is back on, so expect the first chapter of that to happen once I think of a title, lol.