The room was eerily silent as Niles stared at his brother. Never in his life had he felt so ashamed. But his shame had nothing to do with Lillith or Frasier and everything to do with Daphne.
His brother emitted a deep sigh and folded his arms across his chest, glaring at Niles the way his father often would when Niles had done something wrong. And the irony of that thought weighed on him like a ton of bricks.
"All right, Niles. Do you want to tell me what this is about or should I ask Daphne? Because for some reason she seems to know an awful lot about this... whatever it is!"
"I'll tell you what it is!" Martin yelled. "It's about damn time that someone told us what's going on around here, Niles! All of a sudden you don't want to see Daphne, even though she came home crying. Did you two have a fight? Because for the life of me, I can't imagine what you two would fight-."
"We didn't have an argument, Dad!" Niles snapped. "I love Daphne and I would never-."
"What, Niles? You would never what?"
"Dad, perhaps it's best If you leave us alone."
"Like hell I will, Fras! Something's up and I'm not leaving until I find out what it is. So spill it, Niles! Now!"
Niles swallowed hard. "All right. Um... Frasier? I know you'll probably never forgive me but I want you to know that what I did I did was an emotional impulse. You see... Maris rejected me, just when I needed her most. I'd been feeling alone and deprived of... physical relations... but apparently she wasn't too upset considering that she left town. And when I got an unexpected phone call I never dreamed it would be-."
"What, Niles?"
"Um... More like whom." Niles corrected.
"Fine, Niles. Whom?"
"It was Lillith. She, um... called me out of the blue. She'd broken up with Brian and she was very distraught. I talked to her for a while and one thing led to another and I found myself at the Winslow-to her room. But I swear, Frasier I never meant for anything to happen! I swear it! The next thing I know, we were-."
"STOP!" Frasier yelled, holding up his hand.
"What do you mean, stop?" Martin asked. "Let him finish! Niles, what in the hell did you do?"
"Oh for God's sake Dad, how can you be so naive?" Frasier yelled. "Don't you see what's happened here? Niles had sex! With my ex-wife!"
Niles stared at the floor, deeply ashamed. And when he looked up, the fury in Frasier's face actually scared him.
"Is that true, Niles?"
"Of course it's true, Dad! It's written all over his face!"
"But Frasier, I didn't mean to-."
"How could you, Niles? With Lillith of all people?"
"Sh-she was hurting... We-we both were. But then when I saw Daphne-."
"Wait, Daphne saw you?"
The humiliation Niles felt was almost unbearable. And once again the stunned and hurt expression on her face filled his mind, causing his chest to hurt.
"Oh dear God... No wonder she's so upset."
Niles looked up in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"Well, she was pretty upset I drove her home. Oh God, I knew I shouldn't have sent her to Lilith's room!"
Niles was appalled. "Wh-why would you do that? Lillith was horrible to her, Frasier! She... ranted and raved. I've never felt so horrible in my life!"
"Well here's something to make you feel even worse! God knows you deserve it!" Frasier yelled.
"Frasier, there is nothing you could say that would possibly make me feel any worse than I already-."
"Niles, there is a reason that Daphne was at that hotel-and a reason that she went to Lilith's room. I sent her up there... to warn Lillith that I was coming. You see, I was angry about Lillith doing that speech that was promised to me!"
"What? What speech? I don't under-."
"The speech isn't important, Niles! But what is important is this! Daphne was at the hotel because of me. My plan was to find Lillith and give her a piece of my mind and then drive Daphne to your office. She practically begged me this morning and I knew it was wrong, but-."
Niles felt his insides grow cold. "Frasier, why did Daphne want to come to my office?"
"Oh for God's sake isn't it obvious, Niles? Daphne's in love with you!"
