"Sir? Are you going to get out?"
An irritated voice startled Niles out of his thoughts. The taxi, which Mrs. Woodson had insisted on calling, had pulled up to the main doors of Van Riper Memorial, Seattle's newest hospital. He'd been thinking of Daphne the whole way, wishing this entire day was a nightmare.
"Sorry," Niles muttered, paying the driver and then making a hasty exit. Niles paused in front of the automatic doors, dread heavy in his heart. For a moment he couldn't think, couldn't move. What terrible news about Daphne awaited him? He took a deep breath at last and forged on.
"Welcome to Van Riper Memorial," a woman wearing a volunteer badge said smilingly. "How can I direct you?"
"Emergency room. I'm here to see someone," Niles said.
"Right through those doors to the left."
The emergency room entrance was but a few feet away, but for Niles, every step was agony. Whatever had happened to Daphne had been bad enough to shake up his usually unflappable brother. Soldiering on, he stepped into the waiting room, where the only occupants were two familiar figures.
"Dad? Frasier?"
Frasier and Martin looked up, and the expressions on their faces said everything . Frasier looked lost and uncertain and, for the first time since he'd been shot, Martin looked afraid.
"Dad, Daphne isn't..." he couldn't finish his question.
"She's still alive," Martin said shakily. "But it is bad, Niles. She's in a coma, and the doctors are still working to stabilize her."
Niles felt as if he was falling, with nothing to hold on to, and collapsed into a chair. His world was shattering around him and there was nothing he could do. He barely even felt Frasier's hand rest reassuringly on his shoulder.
"W-what happened?" He had to know.
"She ran a red light," Frasier explained. "The other driver stopped immediately, but it wasn't enough to avoid a collision. Strange...it's so unlike her.
I know why, Niles thought, heartsick. It's because of me. I hurt her, and I made her leave. I let her drive when she was so upset.
The numbing fear he had felt turned to crushing grief and remorse and Niles broke down into sobs that made his body quake.
"Oh, son...I'd do anything to fix this for you," Martin said, his voice heavy with pity.
"It's-it's my fault," Niles managed to choke out the words. "We had a bad fight, and I said horrible things to her. I even told her I didn't want to see her again. And I let her go when she was so emotional. And now she doesn't know that I really do still love her."
"Don't blame yourself, Niles," Martin said. "It was still her choice to drive when she was so emotional."
"Maybe," Niles said, unconvinced, "but I let my anger take over me and made her think I don't want her anymore, when I do. I don't want anyone or anything more."
Martin looked at the sorrow and guilt in his son's eyes, and for the first time since Hester's death, he felt helpless. His earlier words were more than a reassurance; he really would do anything to change this, even switching places with Daphne, if that were possible. He not only grieved for Niles; he also feared the worst for the physical therapist who'd become like a daughter to him. But he had to stay strong for all of them.
"There's always hope, Niles," he said gently. "She's getting the best care here, and she's still alive. That's what's important."
At this juncture, a nurse, who introduced herself as 'Sienna', appeared.
"Are you all here for Ms. Moon?" she asked.
"Yes," Martin said. "How is she doing?"
"We managed to stabilize her, but she's still in a coma and there's still much we have to monitor," Sienna said in a businesslike tone. "Unfortunately, we can't give you more information. I know you were her emergency contacts, but further information is only for family."
"Of course, we understand," Martin acknowledged.
"Speaking of family, I understand you have contacted Ms. Moon's mother?"
Martin nodded.
"Her mother is taking the first available flight out of England today."
He did not add that he'd been unable to get in touch with Harry Moon; likely the man was holed up in a bar as usual.
"I know you can't tell us more, but can we at least see her?" Frasier spoke up.
Sienna looked back at the three men, considering.
"There's no rule saying you can't," she relented. "But be prepared. She won't be able to respond to you, and the injuries are fairly significant."
Niles gave his brother a grateful, albeit pained smile. He'd been wanting to ask the same question, but his emotions wouldn't let him speak. Somehow, Frasier had understood this.
"I'll-I'll go first," Niles finally managed to speak, rising to his feet.
The nurse's businesslike demeanor softened a little.
"I take it Ms. Moon is special to you?"
"She's everything to me," Niles said simply.
Despite the nurse's warning, nothing could have prepared Niles for what he saw. Daphne looked so small and fragile lying in the hospital bed, her eyes closed. Two long, ragged cuts ran across her cheek and jawline and a long gash along her shoulder had been stitched up. There were traces of blood in her silky hair.
Oh, Daphne...
Sienna left him discreetly alone. With unshed tears in his eyes, he bowed his head to softly kiss Daphne. Taking her hand in his, Nile told her everything in his heart. Whether or not it was possible that she could hear him, he didn't know, but this could be his last chance to apologize, his last chance to tell her his feelings for her would never change.
"I don't know where to begin to apologize," he said shakily. "I want to take it all back. Every word I said, and the way I treated you. I still love you. I'll always love you. If I'd known you'd come into my life someday, I would've waited, no matter how many years it took. I wouldn't have settled for Maris or Mel."
He swallowed hard as emotion swelled in his throat.
"Being with you is like standing in the sun after a stormy night. I can't imagine what my world would be like without that. Please come back to me, my love."
But there was no response. The room was agonizingly silent, save for the steady beeping of the heart monitor and the muffled sound of activity in the hall outside.
Presently, there was a soft knock at the door.
"Come in," Niles said automatically.
He looked up as his father and his brother filed slowly into the room, their faces mirroring looks of shock and grief. For a moment they stood frozen, as if unable to process the scene before them, until Martin smiled sadly and stepped up to the bed.
"Hey, Daph. I just wanted to let you know we're all pulling for you, so come back to us, okay?"
"Dad, she probably can't hear you," Frasier objected. "It's never been
conclusively determined if people who are in comas are able to process auditory-"
"Stop, Frasier," Martin said, with a rare flash of anger. "I know you handle stress by analyzing anything, but talking to Daphne can't hurt, and it might help."
"Don't mind Fras," Martin went on, turning back to his devoted physical therapist. "You know how often he opens his big bazoo without thinking. Well, that's all I can say for now, but I'm sure I'll be talking your ear off as soon as you wake up."
Finally, Frasier stepped up. A conflicted look flashed across his face, and then he too spoke.
"Daphne, I know I've told you before how important you are to us, but I'll say it again," Frasier told the prone figure emotionally. "You've improved Dad's life so much, and been the voice of reason when Dad and I got on each other's nerves."
He and Martin smiled a little at this.
"As for what you've done for my little brother, you've made him happier than I've ever seen him. Don't leave us, Daphne. Things just aren't right without you."
The emotional moment was interrupted by Sienna and a woman who introduced herself as Dr. Grace Northwood.
"I'm afraid you will all have to clear out, for now. Sienna and I have some things to attend to with our patient, and to discuss her case."
"Of course," Frasier said, but Niles looking pleadingly at the doctor.
"Please, can't I stay?" he inquired.
"I'm sorry, but we need some space. And we will be discussing sensitive health information."
"Ms. Moon is in good hands, Dr. Crane," Sienna explained. "Dr. Northwood is one of the best in the country."
Dr. Northwood waved off the compliment and smiled.
"Sienna flatters me. But I will do everything I can for her."
"You need to get some rest," Martin said as they left the room. "I want you to come home with me and Frasier try to eat something and sleep."
"I can't leave her, Dad," Niles said stubbornly.
"Niles, you won't do her any good if you break down over this. What you need is some food and rest."
Niles knew better than to argue with his father, and moments later they took a tense, silent drive back to Elliot Bay Towers. Niles forced himself, under Martin's stern eye, to eat a meal Frasier had hastily prepared. Then, after borrowing a robe from his brother, he retreated to Frasier's bedroom where a folding bed had been set up.
But sleep did not come. Hours later, after he was certain his brother and his father were asleep, he snuck off to Daphne's room and crawled into her bed. Her scent lingered on the sheets and he closed his eyes, imaging she was lying beside him...