Don't tell Frasier pt 3

Frasier was staring intently at Niles trying hard to control his temper , Niles was looking back trying to keep his mind on the fact Frasier may be about to flatten him , but being more concerned with the fact Daphne had feelings for him and Lilith and Daphne were exchanging worried glances .

"Niles I'm waiting!" Frasier shouted

"Well" Niles started and then finding a new confidence from the fact that regardless of wether she would have anything to do with him after this was all over Daphne had feelings for him and all this time Frasier had stopped him from telling her , all that wasted time "look Frasier first and foremost What Lilith and I have or haven't done is none of your concern , we are both single and we are both adults , but if you must know we did have a brief affair which ended when Daphne found out , but when it comes down to it you threw us together , just as sure as if you'd locked us in a room together . My God Frasier she was here for 6 months and in that time you couldn't be pleasant ? You were making her life a living hell and the only other person she knew in this rain drenched city was me , and God knows you've been making my life a misery for long enough! So right now don't you dare get on your high horse with me , because one thing is true in all the screaming we've just witnessed since the day I laid eyes on daphne I have worshipped her and you've known but did you support me in any way , no you continually put obstacles in front of any attempt I made to tell her ."

"Now just wait one minute" Frasier began

"No you've had your time for pearls of wisdom now you're going to listen to me for a change and then if you feel you have some right to throw me out and never speak to me again well so be it but either way things are going to change in our relationship it's time you realised that you're my brother not my father and I am long past the stage of hanging on your every word , you have been holding me back for six years and I think that's long enough . Lilith I'm sorry but you were right ," He said turning to face the two woman still standing in the kitchen door way "I didn't have any feelings for you , not in a romantic way anyhow , I value your friendship and I hope we can come out of this with out losing that it was a silly thing we did but then we were two people who were both missing the one thing we wanted most , you a little compassion from Frasier , hardly too much to ask , and I the only woman I have ever truly loved ." with that he looked at Daphne as Lilith came up and hugged him tightly

"I'll always be here for you , you know that don't you , and I'm sorry about this , I really thought I was helping" She said

"You have helped more than you'll ever realise and please don't apologise this has been a long time coming a man can only be a coward for so long" Then he turned his attentions back to Daphne "I'm sorry you had to find out this way about the feelings that I've had for you for so long . Lilith put it perfectly when she said that I have never felt anything for anyone since the day you came into my life and well I'm just sorry that now you know the truth I am so low in your estimation . I suppose it's ironic for years I have felt that I wasn't good enough for you and I guess I've proved my own point. But what ever happens please remember one thing I have never in all my life know the intensity of feeling that I have for you now and have had for 6 years , I will always love you , and as I sense this may spell the end of my regular visits here just know that even if I don't see your face every day I will be thinking of you and cursing my own stupidity forever." Daphne's eyes were filled with tears as Niles again turned his attentions to Frasier "Well go on I've said my piece you know how I feel , now feel free to get as mad as you like" Frasier said nothing "No? Then I'll take my leave"Niles lifted his coat and gym bag "Lilith do let me know you get home safely , Daphne good evening , and remember I love you. Frasier I hope you can get past this . I would say forgive me but I honestly feel I have done nothing wrong , and certainly nothing as bad as you have been doing to me for as long as I can remember" Then he walked out the door , leaving a shell shocked Frasier and Daphne and an extremely uncomfortable Lilith .

"The presents are in my bed room , just let me go and get them and you can be on your way" Frasier said with the smallest of glances her way . When he left the room Daphne spoke to Lilith in a quiet calm voice that barely masked the panic she was feeling

"Dr Sternin , is it true , has Dr Crane been a big part of the reason he didn't tell me until now?"

"I believe so , I can only go by what he told me that night after you'd left , and believe me I in all my days have never seen a man so crushed by the prospect of losing the respect of a woman . If you want my advice , and feel free to ignore it , don't let him go , if you do you'll regret it for the rest of your days , you've said you have feelings for him , well act on them if it works great if it doesn't well isn't it better to know that than have a lifetime of wondering what if ?"She watched as Daphne came to a decision and then as she grabbed her hand bag and Frasier's car keys and headed for the door . So she was sitting alone in Martin's easy chair when Frasier came back

"Where's Daphne?" He asked

"Gone after Niles"Lilith coldly replied "Are these the gifts?" She took the bag from Frasier and moved toward the door

"Lilith wait" he said "Why did you do it , why did he do it ?"

"Frasier will you never change ?Niles told you exactly what had happened and why . We were just two people who'd had enough of your constant criticism and interference he only ever wanted daphne and it was obvious that there would never be anything between us , and I for my part ashamed as I am to admit it was probably some where deep down wanting to hurt you . But right now I'm giving you the same advice I just gave daphne , Don't let him go Frasier he is a good man and what ever you may think at the moment a good brother . Think back to all those years in Boston when you hardly seen each other is that what you want for the rest of your life ? Anyway I must go , I'm sorry for all of this and I like Niles hope you can get past it and see that I hope our lines of communication can stay a little more open in future , if only for Freddie's sake" She turned to leave and Frasier put his hand on her shoulder

"Thank you"

"For what?"

"Well for helping me realise that sometimes concern can become interference and ones own insecurities can turn to criticism . Not that I'm claiming I can change but at least this god awful situation has done one thing it has helped me realise that I'm on the verge of losing someone very special to me if I don't learn to keep them in check" With that he kissed her on the cheek and opened the door as she got into the elevator she smiled

"I'll get Freddie to call you when he gets the gifts" And with that the doors closed

In the parking garage Daphne had caught up with Niles , he told him she wasn't prepared to do what he'd been doing , she was pretty sure she was in love with him and she wasn't going to throw it away over something so meaningless ,

"But" She said , "My life will be impossible if you don't talk to your brother , so please for me come back to the apartment and talk it through with him I'm sure he's hurting just as much from all this as you are . And besides I can't thump him for stopping you from telling me for so long if you're not speaking"

They had decided to take the stairs as it gave Niles more time to get things straight in his head , but when they got to the door and Daphne opened it he was still dreading the whole thing. Frasier was standing by the piano he turned to look at them

"Sherry Niles ?" He asked

"But what about..." Niles stammered

"Look I think we all have said and done things in our lives that we're not proud of and I know were you're concerned I have just as many , I think you clearly set out the need for some new ground rules in our relationship , so lets make it a clean break , as of now we all start with a clean slate . You've finally gotten what you've always wanted , Daphne knows how you feel about her and from the look on both your faces she obviously feels the same way . So lets put the whole sorry situation behind us" He handed Niles a glass of sherry "Oh and Daphne ?"

"Yes Dr Crane?"

"Two things , 1st if you are going to date my brother I think you ought to start calling me Frasier and Secondly and much more important put down my car keys this instant"

Niles laughed and then he turned to Daphne "well we're talking now would be as good a time as any" He said with a grin and with that Daphne walked up and kicked Frasier with full force on the shin

"Ahhh! He shouted what was that for ?"

"That was for interfering and from now on you'll get exactly the same every time I catch you giving half baked advice"

"Well" Niles said " Best get your self a good set of shin pads hadn't you and Daphne won't you have to neglect Dad if your following Frasier to work everyday I mean when it comes to half baked advice my brother is the master" Niles and Daphne both burst out laughing as Frasier stared on in amazement

"My god" he said "I don't know how long I'll be able to handle you two being happy !!!"

"Well when you get fed up" Daphne said gently touching his shin with her toe "keep it to yourself , got it ?" And this time all three of them laughed