Disclaimer: I don't own Frasier. This is an AU future story.

- Daphne and Niles have a five-year-old daughter named Peyton instead of David

- Hester is still alive

- Frasier never met Lilith and Fredrick was never born


It all started with a headache. Peyton woke up with the worst headache ever. She groaned as she got out of bed. Niles heard her and came into the bedroom.

"Sweetheart," he said, "It's early. Go back to sleep."

"I can't daddy," Peyton said, "My head hurts really bad."

Niles got a little worried. Peyton had been getting headaches for days now.

"You know what," Niles said, "I think we need to visit the Doctor."

"Okay," Peyton said, "Will he make my headache better?"

"He's going to find out why you're getting the headaches," Niles said, "In the meantime I'm going to give you something to make you feel a whole lot better."

"Thank you, daddy," Peyton said.

He gave her a strong pain pill and sat with her until she fell back asleep.

A few hours later Niles and Daphne were sitting in the waiting room. Peyton was asleep in Daphne's lap.

"Peyton Crane?"

Daphne gently woke her daughter up. She went into the office with Niles and Peyton. Dr. Starwhite met them in a few minutes. She started by asking Peyton a number of questions.

"How long have you been getting these headaches for?"

"It's been almost a whole week," Peyton said.

"Has she been dizzy lately," Dr. Starwhite asked.

"Twice," Niles said, "But she had a sinus infection, so we thought it was because of that."

After a few more questions Dr. Starwhite decided that he wanted to send Peyton for a CT scan.

"What's wrong with her," Daphne demanded.

"The CT scan will show us," Dr. Starwhite said.


The CT scan took about 10 minutes. Dr. Starwhite sighed when he saw the results. Peyton had a tumor. This was the worst part of his job. While Peyton was sleeping Dr. Starwhite took Niles and Daphne out into the hall.

"I'm afraid your daughter's CT scan doesn't look good," he began gently, "Look there's no easy way to say this. Peyton has a brain tumor."

"WHAT! TAKE THE BLOODY THING OUT," Daphne screamed.

"Of course, we're going to do that," Dr. Starwhite assured Niles and Daphne, "I'll schedule the surgery for this afternoon and then we'll discuss a treatment plan."


Martin was sitting at home with Hester when the phone rang. He picked it up.

"Dad," Niles began.

"Niles– you sound shaky," Martin commented, "Are you okay?"

"Decidedly not," Niles said, "I need you and mom."

"What's wrong," Martin asked concerned.

"It's Peyton," Niles said, "She has a brain tumor. We're at SSGH."

Martin paled but took a deep breath.

"We'll be there. We're leaving now."

He hung up.

"Martin," Hester asked, "What's going on?"

Martin sat down and put an arm around Hester.

"That was Niles. Peyton is really sick," he told Hester, "She has a brain tumor."

Hester was a practical woman who rarely got overwhelmed but she turned pale.

"A… a brain tumor," she repeated.

Martin nodded.

"We should call Frasier and have him meet us at SSGH," Martin said.

"I'll call," Hester replied.


"You have to be kidding," Frasier exclaimed, "That's awful!"

"I know dear," Hester said, "Can you meet us at SSGH?"

"I'm leaving now," Fraiser said, "You know I've never married, and I don't have any children so I don't know what Niles is going through personally but I can't imagine being in that position."

"Hopefully," Hester said, "You never will have to know."

She hung up. Martin and Hester sped over to SSGH. Peyton's surgery was just beginning. Fraiser met them a few minutes later.

"Don't worry," Fraiser said, "They have the best doctors on staff here. They'll fix her up."

"My daughter has a bloody brain tumor," Daphne exclaimed, "How can we not worry?"

"They caught it early," Frasier reassured, "and assuming it's benign-"

"WHAT IF IT'S MALIGNANT," Daphne snapped, "GOD she'll have to have chemotherapy and radiation and… oh GOD!"

"One step at a time," Fraiser said, "Let's wait to see what the doctor says. Who's operating?"

"Doctor Waters," Niles replied.

"He's the doctor that did your mother's operation," Martin brightened, "He's the best there is."

"You see? The odds are on your side."

"She's not odds," Daphne exploded, "and she's not a science experiment. She's my daughter and she's lying on an operating table with her head cut open. Until I know for sure she's okay I'm living in a hell of my own. I'm terrified."

Hester came over and hugged her.

"We all are, sweetheart," she said.

It took 18 hours for the operation to finish. Dr. Waters came out.

"How is she! How is my baby," Daphne demanded.

"We got the whole tumor," Dr. Waters smiled, "and it was benign. We're going to keep her a few nights but after that you can take her home. She needs to come back every six months for testing."

Everything went good as new. Peyton came home 4 days later.

"You see," Fraiser said, "I knew everything would be okay."

"Thank GOD," Daphne said.

"Thank the doctors," Fraiser countered, "I believe in GOD, but the fact is that the doctors did all the work."

"Thank the doctors too," Daphne said.

Everyone smiled in appreciation.