Chapter 21
Frasier slowly rose and stood, looking at Laura in question.
"Objection your honor a husband cannot be forced to testify against his wife." Laura said before he reached the stand.
"Dr. Crane will be considered a hostile witness and the questioning is mainly to ascertain pertinent facts to the case which the witness will be able to refuse to answer at any time." Holloway looked practically serpentile as he knew he had easily won the argument.
"Objection overruled, but watch your step counselor. The witness will take the stand." The Judge ordered and Frasier continued his approach. This had not been something he was prepared for. He met Roz's steady gaze and they continued to try and support each other from across the room. Until Holloway stepped between to break the chain and began his questioning. He was very diplomatic at first, simply asking questions about how long they had known each other, what date they had gotten married, but as Niles had sensed Frasier also could tell that he was simply laying the groundwork for something bigger.
"Dr. Crane, I appreciate you answering my questions so just let me know if I step out of line, but tell me, when did you first realize you were in love with your best friend." The question came like a shot of lightening and Frasier couldn't contain the deer in the headlight look that crossed his face.
"I don't have to answer that do I?" He gulped, trying not to sweat.
"Well no you don't, though one might wonder why, perhaps it's because you don't want to have to admit that you didn't fall in love with her, that this whole sham was simply to try and fool the court...." The nice demeanor of James Holloway was gone and instead there was one of mocking and judgment as he began trying to unravel the marriage.
"Wait, I'll answer the question." Frasier gulped, "just give me a moment."
"Oh no, he's going to try and lie, he can't lie on the stand, he's got to much of a conscience, not to mention the only person more transparent when it comes to lying is Niles with his nosebleed." Roz thought to herself, watching as Frasier composed himself and prepared to answer. She was obviously not the only one braced, it seemed half the courtroom was leaning forward in anticipation to hear his response.
"I can't remember exactly when I fell in love with Roz," Frasier
began after clearing his throat and licking his lips, "Oh god, how can
I be forced to admit to Roz that I'm in love with her in front of everyone
like this. I hope she doesn't hate me for this,"
"Well just a general timeline will be fine." Holloway sneered.
"I started having more than friendly feelings towards her perhaps 2 years ago. But I kept the stirrings suppressed knowing that she couldn't feel the same. The feelings grew as time went on, but I continued to keep them suppressed, simply enjoying as much closeness as I could by being with her and Alice. That's why it wasn't until recently that these feelings came to the surface and so here we are." Frasier finished, hoping that he wouldn't be pressed further since he had not really lied, but had let certain implications be made, for example that Roz had shared his declaration of love that he had never made. But why go into that now?
"I see, well what a nice little fairytale." Holloway countered. "You're in love with a woman for over a year and yet don't say anything sooner?"
"It runs in the family," Frasier said weakly, causing Niles and Daphne to both giggle.
"Is he lying or is he telling the truth?" Roz's mind was whirring. "Can it actually be possible that Frasier loves me?"
"Not to beat a dead horse here, but you do realize I'm not speaking of the love between friends, but the type of love a husband would have for his wife." Holloway pressed, starting to grasp at straws at this unexpected turn. He had been almost positive that this was a sham.
"Yes I understand what you mean? I'm not stupid." Frasier lashed out angrily. "And yes that's what I meant to say, I'm not quite sure the exact moment things changed, but I'm in love with my wife." He said loudly, causing everyone to sit back gaping, including Roz.
Suddenly realizing how loudly he had made that statement and that he had finally gotten it out into the open Frasier also gaped for a moment. He had barely begun to admit it to himself and now he had just blurted it out into a full courtroom."
"I see..." Holloway thought for a moment. "So back to the child in question, how do you feel about Alice."
Frasier relaxed, this question was much easier. "I adore her, she's a precious little girl." He grinned widely.
"I see, well now you are her step-father, so are there any plans to adopt?"
"We haven't exactly discussed that yet," Frasier began getting nervous again, "Perhaps later."
"You got married and didn't consider it?" Holloway pressed.
"We didn't have time, we were going to talk about it later, but got interrupted when junior over there wanted his kid back to play house with the perfect little wife." Frasier lashed out again.
"Control yourself Doctor or you will be found in contempt" the judge admonished.
"Certainly your honor," Frasier said meekly as he sat back in the chair.
"No further questions your honor." Holloway wrapped up and turned back to his table, not quite as pleased with the results as he had hoped, but they could still be twisted to his benefit.
"Considering the time I am going to call for court to adjourn and we will reconvene in the morning at 8:30 a.m. sharp, the judge banged her gavel as Frasier slowly walked back to the table.
"Roz, I can explain," He began to say, so nervous he didn't know exactly what to say but he had to try something.
"Wait, is it true?" She interrupted him.
"Well..." Frasier shifted his weight from one foot to the other as Roz continued to look him in the eyes. Finally realizing there was no way out he did all that he could. "Yes Roz, I'm afraid it is, I'm sorry." He said softly as he averted his eyes.
"Sorry, for what?" Roz used her finger to use his jaw to bring his head back up so their eyes could meet.
"I know we were supposed to keep this no strings and now I've just messed things up as always..." Frasier began stumbling, hating the awkwardness of the situation.
"Stop apologizing Fras, can't you see." Roz said with tears practically shimmering in her eyes. "Look at me Frasier, what do you see?" She repeated again softly.
"This time he did, and was surprised by the depth of emotion on her face. "Roz are you saying you aren't mad?" He said hopefully.
"Well yes you silly man, but I'm also saying something else." She whispered as she brought his head closer, both totally oblivious to any observers. "I love you to Frasier Crane," she said so softly that they were the only two who could hear it as their foreheads touched. Frasier was speechless as he to started feeling a bit misty eyed.
They closed their eyes as their lips met slowly and tenderly, conveying the depth of emotion they were both feeling at this new revelation. That for so long they had been thinking the other could never love them, and yet they had been wrong.
"Ummm guys any day now." Martin cleared his throat and interrupted bringing the two back to reality.
"What, oh yes, shall we go?" Frasier and Roz blushed and held hands as they headed out to go back to the apartment.
After picking up Alice from daycare they all sat down to eat, this time with Roz happily joining in.
"They were pretty rough on you again today." Daphne observed as Roz was cutting Alice's food for her at the table.
"Yes I suppose they were" Roz said, almost dreamlike. "I am sorry they were rough on you guys though, well kinda sorry." She grinned as she winked at Frasier. "Oh and Niles, thank you for everything you said on the stand, I knew even with all our barbs we were friends, but I would never have believed you could have said all that." Roz turned to thank her brother-in-law.
"Oh please Roz, don't remind me," he groaned, as he recalled the feelings of being on the stand like that and having to sort through years of friendly barbs and arguments to actually speak the truth about his opinion of Roz. He wondered momentarily if that's what it had been like for Frasier, "but that couldn't be true, could it?" He began thinking quietly, putting pieces together in his mind.
"Mommy I finished, can I go to you and daddy's room to jump on the bed." Alice's cherubic face peered up at Roz, with pasta sauce smeared all over it.
"Sure honey, just be careful and don't break anything ok." Roz laughed as she wiped the sauce off her daughters chin.
The 5 sat and talked for over an hour about how the case was looking and what the chances would be when Laura finally had a chance to turn the tables. It wasn't until the phone rang that they realized that it was getting late.
"Roz it's for you," Daphne called, having picked up since she had been closest to it when it rang. Niles and Daphne began preparing to leave as she talked.
Roz had just hung up the phone when Niles and Daphne started making their exit. "Oh Roz, hang in there, it'll get better." Daphne gave her friend a quick hug before they went. Niles was oddly quiet, not acting like anything was wrong, just quiet. But everyone was to wrapped up in their own little worlds to notice much.
"Here I'll help with the dishes" Martin stood up and began picking up the plates.
"Nonsense dad, you're tired and I can tell your hip is sore. Go on to bed, Roz and I can finish up here." Frasier said concerned that the day had been too stressful on his aging father.
"Thanks son, goodnight." Martin needed no further encouragement as he headed off to his bedroom.
"I worry about him sometimes, despite that tough exterior." Frasier murmured as he continued looking down the hall.
"He's just tired, you know that." Roz said softly as she came up to give him a hug.
"Yeah, I know, but I do have to face it that he's getting older. So who was that on the phone?" Frasier abruptly changed the topic before he became to emotional.
"It was Rick, he wants to see Alice in the morning before court, he said he's thinking of changing his mind." Roz straightened up and began picking up dishes..
"You think he's serious about it?"
"I don't know, but what can it hurt. I told him we'd have her there at 8:00 am for a short visit. Is that ok with you?"
"Sure, I guess." Frasier said as he stuck the last dish in the now fixed dishwasher. "I don't think he's going to back out, but if he does, it sure would save us a lot of work.
"Yeah, would be good to end this before they bring out Jeremy Albright." Roz chuckled.
"And who would that be?" Frasier arched an eyebrow.
"My boyfriend from kindergarten, he got upset when I dumped him for Alex Ringstaff. I can just see him on the stand now. "Yes, that mean terrible mother dumped me for another guy just cause he had better crayons to share."
"I still haven't seen much basis in their strategy, seems like the only thing they can try to do is tear you down, they're steering away for the most part of the topic of you as a parent."
"At least one good thing came out of today though." Roz said as her tone turned serious.
"Yeah, us." Frasier said simply as he reached for her. Now that they both realized how the other felt the plague of self doubts and fear of ruining the friendship were gone. They kissed for breathless moments, finally breaking apart for much needed oxygen.
"Frasier, I hate to repeat myself, but what I said the other day on the beach..." Roz began, "I understand why you said we shouldn't then but..."
"Oh that doesn't count now," Frasier said huskily and then grinned. "That was different, we were just talking about convenience and hormones, or so I thought, but now... well I don't want to rush you into anything but if our love is real and considering the future...."
"What do you see in our future?" Roz said, holding her breath as she waited for his response.
"I would love it if we could stay married for real, but I'm not going to push anything." Frasier said quietly, surprising himself by his blunt honesty in the face of such uncertainty.
"You took the words right out of my mouth." Roz grinned as she grabbed his head and pulled it towards her, this time the kiss growing more heated as so many walls had now dropped between them. Eyes meeting in unspoken agreement they left the kitchen and began slowly walking to the bedroom, stopping every few steps for another breathless kiss.
"I can't believe she loves me also, who would have thought this marriage would have worked?" The wheels were racing in Frasier's mind as they stumbled towards the bedroom.
"He didn't even finish cleaning up, if Mr. Neatfreak can stop cleaning for me, it must be love." Roz pressed tightly against him as they reached the bedroom door. For several moments they just stood there kissing deeply, leaning against the door as they both seemed to forget it had a handle.
"Are you sure?" Frasier asked softly when they broke apart, the expression in both their eyes making it very obvious what they both wanted.
"Positive, maybe it's time to break out some of those wedding gifts
I put in the closet." Roz said playfully as she reached behind her
for the knob and the door swung open.