FACING THE MUSIC



Frasier's Apartment. Morning after night at the end of HOMECOMING

[FRASIER enters from his bedroom, dressed in his bathrobe. Goes to
the front door, retrieves newspaper. DAPHNE enters from the kitchen
with a pot of coffee. Seeing him, she picks up a cup from the table
she has set and hands it to him as he reaches the table]

DAPHNE: Oh, good morning, Dr. Crane.

FRASIER: Morning, Daphne. Oh, I thought we had dispensed with
the formality.

DAPHNE: I'm sorry, I don't seem to be able to make the switch.
I mean, I do still work for you, and . . .

FRASIER: Oh, it's all right. In any case, at least now we will know
to which one of us you are referring. [Uncomfortably, gesturing
toward her room] Speaking of which, is Niles, uh, up yet?

DAPHNE: In the shower. [Noticing his unease] Dr. Crane, you did say
it was all right for us to stay here together. I mean, it's hardly
the first time I've had a man stay the night.

FRASIER: Oh, of course, Daphne. It's just that I haven't been . . .
related to the others.

DAPHNE: Well, it won't be a regular thing, for a bit, anyway.
We realize we'll have to be pretty cautious for a while, with Mel
holding the legal trump card. She's not going to give up very easily,
I expect.

[The phone rings as NILES enters, dressed in a suit, fussing with
a cufflink. He kisses DAPHNE and takes a cup of coffee
from her while FRASIER answers it. They sit at the table]

FRASIER: Hello? [Pause] Oh, yes, hello, Mel. [Looks at Niles,
who shakes his head pleadingly] Uh, no, Mel, I haven't seen him yet.
[Pause, looks uncomfortable. MARTIN enters from his room,
looks at FRASIER on the phone, rolls his eyes. Sits at the table
and accepts a cup from DAPHNE] Yes, it has been several days,
I know . . .[Pause] Listen, I'm sure he'll show up soon, probably today,
in fact, and . . .[Pause] Yes, I will tell him to call you the
minute I see him. Yes, Mel. Yes, Mel. [Pause] Yes, Mel. All right.
Goodbye. [Hangs up] Niles, you have got to talk to her!

MARTIN Yeah, the dragon lady's called here every day since you
two took off.

NILES: Of course, I know, Dad, Frasier. I'm planning on going down
to her office shortly. I just couldn't face her first thing in
the morning. I need coffee before being torn to shreds.

DAPHNE: Now, Niles, are you sure that's what she'll do? You made a
pretty clear statement, leaving her back there.
Oh, I'm sure her ego is bruised, she'll need time to think it
all out and work through it and . . . [Notices the three of them
looking at her in surprise] what?

FRASIER: Daphne, you're talking in psychobabble.

DAPHNE: I was? [Getting up and heading into the kitchen] Well,
I guess it rubs off, sooner or later.

NILES:[Looking after her] For all the lovely things she is,
I'm afraid she's no psychiatrist. I know Mel. She hangs on to her
possessions, and right now I'm one of them. A big one. A HUSBAND one.
[Gulping down his coffee] I've got to go do this while I have the nerve. [Getting up and walking toward the front door. DAPHNE comes out
of the kitchen and follows him] Dad, do you still have that
bulletproof vest?

MARTIN: From what I've seen she's more of a hurl-things-through-
the-air type. I'd suggest a hard hat. [NILES makes a scared face]

DAPHNE: [Kissing him on the cheek] You'll be all right. I'll have
some cold compresses and a stiff drink waiting, just in case.

MARTIN: Good luck, son. [NILES exits. MARTIN shakes his head]
You boys are a lot of things, but dull isn't one of them.

FRASIER: Were it to be so!

END SCENE