10-Chase

He had just started reading the next chapter of his book when the volume of the television increased dramatically, shaking him to the core.

"Dear God, Dad! What are you watching?"

"It's a Steve McQueen movie! Best car chase scene ever!" His father replied. "WHOA! Did you see that?"

Niles glanced at the screen, cringing at the fast-action, the ear-splitting noise of the car screeching around the corner as it entered the alleyway (which any idiot could see was much too narrow for that particular make and model of car. Why, he didn't even want to know how much it would cost to repair the damage it would cause), and the gunshots that were so loud they sounded as though they were coming from just outside rather than through the television.

"Dad… Dad? DAD!" Niles shouted in an attempt to be heard over the blaring television set.

"WHAT?" his father yelled back.

"What happened to the game?" Niles shouted.

"WHAT?" his father yelled back, louder this time, his hand cupping his ear, indicating that he couldn't hear his son who was sitting only feet away.

"THE GAME, DAD!" Niles yelled back, his voice becoming strained at the effort. "THE BASEBALL GAME! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BASEBALL GAME? "

His father waved in dismissal. "AW, I TURNED IT OFF!"

"WHY, Dad? I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO WATCH IT!" Niles yelled.

His father looked at him in disbelief and even Niles couldn't believe it. What possessed him to say such a thing other than the fact that he had learned over the years to tune out such nonsense. But this… an annoying car chase scene, he could not.

His dad pointed the remote at the television and pressed the PAUSE button on the VCR, freezing the scene mid-car chase. The act brought a strange and welcome silence into the room.

"The game was crap! The Mariners are behind by eight runs in the seventh inning! There's no way they'll catch up!"

Niles scoffed. "Well Dad, I could have told you that!"

"All right, wise guy, if you're such a hot-shot baseball player, why don't you-."

"Never mind, Dad. Forget I said anything. I'll just… go back to my reading… if I can."

His father grumbled something inaudible (although Niles could easily guess what foul language Martin Crane had muttered under his breath), and Niles should have been upset. But he wasn't. It certainly wouldn't be the first time his father had become annoyed with Niles and Frasier.

Grateful for the silence, Niles went back to his reading, annoyed when he realized that his father had resumed the movie, returning the noise and chaos to the living room. He tried to concentrate but it was completely impossible. The screeching and gunshots had somehow become even worse. Who could even think with this noise?

In a desperate attempt to find some kind of peace, he rose from the sofa and walked out of the room, taking note of how his father didn't even notice that he was leaving.

Niles first thought was to go home but since Maris had ordered him out of the house only hours before that was out of the question. He made his way down the hall and into his brother's room, prepared to sit on Frasier's bed and read in peace. Frasier might be angry with Niles for using his bedroom as his own personal reading room but once he explained the horror that was sitting with his father watching a car chase scene, he knew that Frasier would understand; and perhaps even give Niles his blessing to use his room again in the future. But he'd no sooner stepped foot into the room when he saw Eddie sitting on the bed. He shuddered at the thought of sitting where a dog had been, even if Eddie was, in a sense, a family member.

He went to the room next door that belonged to his father and made himself comfortable on the bed. But he'd barely opened his book when the Jack Russell Terrier came bounding into the room, hopping on the bed.

"Hello Eddie." Niles groaned. But of course the dog didn't get the hint at all. Instead Eddie chose that moment to lay his head on Niles' lap until Niles gave in and scratched the dog's head. After a few minutes of this, Niles grew frustrated and climbed off the bed. He had to find a quiet place to read or he'd go absolutely crazy.

He walked into the living room, where to his dismay; his father was still watching that same ridiculous movie that had yet another car chase scene. And suddenly the balcony looked very inviting. But as he opened the door he was smacked in the face by a gust of icy wind; and in October of all months! Damn, why did this year have to be the year that an early cold front swept through the Emerald City, bringing threats of snow and temperatures that were more common in January?

He stepped outside (yes, he was that desperate) and sat down in a chair determined to read his book once and for all, but the cold bit through him, chilling him to the bone.

Angrily he stood and cursed the Space Needle (although it hadn't done anything and in fact had little effect on the weather) and then walked back into the condo, shivering yet again.

His feet took him to the other hallway, the one that he knew was forbidden, but he walked in anyway. Desperation had overcome his ethics. He simply had to get his book read no matter what he did. And so he stood at her doorstep, his hand trembling as he held it in front of the doorknob. And after several attempts, he reached out and opened it, instantly feeling the wrath of his brother, father and worst of all, Daphne. It was, after all, her room and after his first experience in entering her room, he refused to do it again. But now he could no longer hold in his eagerness to read his book. And so, in the boldest move he'd made yet, he opened the door and looked around her mauve colored room, the one that suited her perfectly, the one that practically screamed her name. He looked at nothing (or tried to anyway) for anything he touched would have been noticed by her. He fully planned to leave before he was spotted.

And so he sat in her plush chair, still shivering from the cold blast of air that met him on the balcony. He tried to ignore it and opened his book. But the words blurred before his eyes and the next thing he knew his eyes slowly shut.

"DR CRANE!"

The sweet (and very loud) sound of her voice startled him awake and he shot from the chair, dropping his book in the process. "D-Daphne."

"You're damn right it's Daphne!" She spat. "What are you doing in me bedroom?"

"I-I-I-I…"

"Well go on! There must be some reason that you're in here, seeing as to how I forbade you to come in here after last time!"

"I-I know and I'm so sorry, Daphne. I just-."

She crossed her arms in front of her body and glared at him. "You what? And it better be good this time!"

"Right… Well to tell you the truth, I was trying to read my book and there was nowhere quiet around her to read. Dad was watching a movie and-."

"That horrible old movie, right? I don't know what he sees in that film! I've seen him watch it a hundred times before!"

Niles was in shock. "Y-You have?"

"Yes and I hate it!"

Another moment of disbelief. "You-you do?"

"Well of course! What would I be doing liking a horrible movie like that?"

"I don't know, I…"

He shivered and began to sneeze repeatedly and when he brought his handkerchief to his nose he looked up to see that she was gone. Damn… Probably went to tell his father that he had entered her bedroom. He rose from the chair, fully prepared to leave as quickly as possible. But she met him at the door, carrying of all things a tray balancing two steaming mugs. "What's this?" he asked, taking the mugs and setting them on her nightstand (using a coaster of course)

"Some hot tea to warm you up."

"But how did you-."

"I can see you shivering! You poor man! I'm sorry I was so cross with you. I completely understand the need for privacy. I never get any around here."

"I'm sorry Daphne, this is my fault. I should just go."

"You'll do no such thing."

He stopped midway through his attempt to reach for the doorknob. "What?"

"I can't let you go, not as cold as it is outside. I don't know what's wrong with this weather but I don't like it one bit!"

His heart was beating so rapidly that he could hardly breathe.

"Well I was going to go to Frasier's room but Eddie-."

She laughed melodically. "Oh Eddie. That silly sausage! He'll never learn that your brother's bed is not an over-sized dog bed!"

"Daphne, I'm sorry I snuck into your room. I just wanted a nice quiet place to read and-."

Her fingers went to his lips making him shudder. "Hush, now. You're welcome to stay here if you'd like."

"H-here with you?"

"Yes, and don't worry about what your father thinks. It's his fault anyway."

"H-here with you?" He repeated. "I-In your room?"

"Well, I certainly wasn't going to send you outside!"

He laughed nervously, his heart beating wildly at the thought of sharing Daphne's room with her, even for a moment. "A-are you sure? I mean I'd go home but Maris-."

Daphne sighed deeply. "Oh you poor man!" She said again. "Did Mrs. Crane throw you out of the house again?"

He lowered his head in shame. "Well…"

"Come here; let me give you a hug."

He only took a few steps forward when she engulfed him into her arms, her hand rubbing his back. "You're cold…"

He stepped back, ashamed even further. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be."

Once again she laughed. "Oh Dr. Crane, you silly sausage. I didn't mean it that way; I meant that you're cold. It's freezing outside! Now drink this tea and sit down with your book."

His heart racing he did as she asked, almost fainting when she draped a blanket (her blanket!) around his shoulders. "There, you should be warm soon. I'm a bit cold meself. Do you mind if I change into something more comfortable?"

He was so startled that he almost chocked on his tea. "Um, what?"

"Me clothes? Do you mind if I change them? In the bathroom of course."

"Oh-of course."

Dear God, the places his mind would have gone had she not clarified what she meant.

She smiled and grabbed some clothes from her dresser drawer and then disappeared into the bathroom.

He sat down and tried to concentrate on his book but the task was impossible. And minutes later she emerged from the bathroom, wearing an oversized gold sweatshirt emblazoned in black satin letters that spelled Manchester University and a pair of grey sweatpants. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her face, as always, was radiant; even more so by the absence of makeup.

He simply couldn't stop staring at her. "Y-you look…"

"Oh I know I look horrid, but I just want to relax, you know?"

"Um, yes…"

She climbed onto the bed and grabbed her book flipping the pages in a manner that was almost sensuous. "Good thing I have me bookmark or I would have completely lost me place."

Curious, he eyed her book. "What are you reading?"

"Oh, it's silly." She said holding up the book. The colorful cover depicted a muscular man with blonde hair and a thin, petite woman entangled in an embrace and he swallowed hard.

"When Lovers Unite". She said, reading the book title. "It's silly but it's the most romantic book I've ever read. What are you reading?"

He glanced at his own book with its dull brown cover with white lettering. "Oh, it's a book about the history of Psychiatry." He expected her to laugh, but she did not.

"Sounds interesting."

"It is, actually."

They said nothing more, and began reading their respective books. Two friends, sharing each other's company.

It was the most perfect afternoon Niles could have ever imagined.

~TBC~