Disclaimer-Once again, as I've said many times, I don't own a thing!!!
A/N-Okay, I re-read chapter two, and I some of the things I wrote were a little . . . off. And I have a reason (I know that if I don't explain, it'll bother me forever): When I was writing that chapter, my little annoying cousins were running around me (figuratively, of course) and yelling stuff at each other, and it sort of effected my writing to make the Frasier/Niles squabble sort of like my little cousins fighting.
I may re-write chapter two. Please tell me if I should . . . honesty much appreciated!
Chapter Three-Another Reason
"So, your father pressured you into going to the reunion, huh?" asked Roz, who was sitting in her chair. The radio show was going to be on air in about ten minutes.
"Yes, and I am glad that he did," said Frasier. "Or else I would be wondering what my fellow classmates have turned into."
"Uh huh," replied Roz, giving him a half-smile. "I think that this is the first time you've listened to your father, much less let him force you into something."
"Well, there's a first time for everything, isn't there?" Frasier raised his eyebrow at her. "And besides, he did not 'force me,' as you so blindly put it. He simply . . . let me see the experience that I would miss out on if I did not go." He cocked his head to one side as he entered his studio.
Roz stood up and followed him inside. "I see. Well, I would have made the same decision; going to a reunion would be a fun experience."
"I'm glad that you think so, Roz, because you're going with me as my date," Frasier said quickly, sitting down in his chair and beginning to look over the shuffled papers on his desk.
Roz stared at him blankly for a minute before responding. "Excuse me? And when did I agree to go on your little adventure though the past?"
"But Roz, I seem to remember you saying that you'd enjoy going to a reunion. Well, here's your chance." Frasier grinned at her, raising his arms for enthusiasm.
Roz crossed her arms and stared daggers at him. "Frasier, give me one good reason that I should go."
"You'd be helping out your friend and co-worker. What better reason is there?" When she continued to glare at him, he cleared his throat and began again. "There will probably be many single men there for you to meet."
Roz's eyes drifted to the ceiling as she thought about Frasier's suggestion. "Well . . ." she began, looking back at Frasier's pleading eyes. "Alright, but I'm still confused as to why you want me there."
"Roz, think about it; if I arrive alone, with only my brother, everyone will believe that I have no friends, other than my brother, and do I really want them to believe that I haven't changed at all?!"
Roz smiled and slowly shook her head. "No, you probably don't, or else they'll end up stuffing you in a locker wearing a girl's field hockey uniform again." She chuckled at the image of three grown men attempting to shove Frasier into a locker, wearing a little girl's uniform. At Frasier's annoyed glare, she added, "Well, you can't tell me about something like that without me saying something, can you?"
"No, and I'm beginning to regret telling you about anything," Frasier groaned. "Anyways, I think that we are about to go on the air."
Roz glanced at her watch and nodded. "You're right; ten seconds 'til we're on." She rushed into her booth and sat down in her chair. She placed her earphones on her head and signaled to Frasier to begin.
"Hello Seattle," began Frasier, "this is Dr. Frasier Crane . . ."
~Later that Day~
Niles and Frasier sat down at a table in Cafe Nervosa, sipping their usual coffees. "So, did you persuade Roz to join you to the reunion?" Niles asked.
"Yes, but she had to get the last word in. And that 'last word' simply had to involve my terrorizing experience of being shoved into the locker wearing the girl's field-"
"-hockey uniform," they finished together.
Niles rolled his eyes. "Yes, Frasier, I've heard this story many times, and it ceased to be upsetting a few months ago."
"Well, I'm sorry to bore you with my childhood horrors, Niles," remarked Frasier, raising his eyebrows. "But the fact remains that we have no idea of what to expect this Saturday. What if these classmates have not matured whatsoever?"
"Frasier, you're overreacting. I would think that, after about twenty years, our classmates would have learned the error of their ways. Just because they told us that they would, and I quote, 'Bully us for life,' doesn't mean that they actually will."
"Niles, that never happened to me."
"Oh, well, it doesn't mean that he will continue to hate me and wish to bring physical harm to me, as he did every day my freshman year." Niles eyes squinted as he recalled the torment. "The stacked lockers, stolen work, water balloons . . . Frasier, you were right, they'll never change."
Frasier nodded his head, wearing an 'Oh, my God' look on his face. "Niles," he said slowly, "There's no reason to freak out; you were right. Most of them have, most likely, understood that what they did was irrational. I'm sure that they lie in bed at night, wishing that they had treated us better." He rolled his eyes, taking a sip of coffee.
"Very nice, Frasier, but I'm still hesitant to go."
"Niles, you and I are going, and there is no way that I will change my mind!"
"Frasier?!"
Frasier turned to look at the voice that called his name. A man, about Frasier's age, walked swiftly us to their table. Frasier stood and accepted the man's outstretched hand.
"Frasier, I'm glad that I got to see you before the reunion this Saturday," the man said, excitedly. "It's me, remember? Lou Umberge?"
"Oh, yes, Lou. Of course I remember." Frasier shook Lou's hand.
"So, Frasier, are you looking foreword to the reunion?"
"Of course."
There was a moment of silence.
"Well . . . I'll be seeing you," Lou said. He waved at Frasier before leaving the café.
"Frasier," Niles whispered. "Who the hell was that?"
"Niles, I'm having second thoughts about the reunion," Frasier said carefully, sitting back down in his chair.
"Really? Why?"
"That was Lou Umberge. When we were sophomores, he was the only friend I had. He wanted to be exactly like me! It was the oddest thing; he would dress like me, speak like me, et cetera . . ."
"And why would that make you rethink the reunion?"
"Because!" Frasier hissed, harshly. "He wanted to be like me so much that he would never leave me alone. That's why I had Dad change my schedule that year. Luckily for me, he moved to Detroit before our junior year."
"And . . ." Niles gestured at Frasier to continue.
"And the last thing he told me was 'If we ever meet another time, we'll be best friends again.' The last thing that I want is for some obsessed man to follow me around like a puppy!"
"Oh, come on, Frasier," groaned Niles. "After all of this time, I would think that Lou would learn to be his own person."
"That's where you're wrong, Niles," snapped Frasier. "He couldn't have learned to be his own person, because I never taught him how to be his own person." Niles rolled his eyes, but Frasier took no notice. "I mean, he wouldn't get his own lunch without consulting me. I'm surprised that he lived so long without me there to guide him."
"Frasier, you really shouldn't be so big-headed. Lou could survive without you; he is his own person. I just saw him! We are going to that reunion."
"Of course we are!" said Frasier, quickly. "At this reunion, I will teach Lou how to be his own man!"
To Be Continued . . .
A/N-Okay, a new "twist" to the story. The reason I stopped is because I couldn't think of anything else to add. Well, review and tell me if I should re-write chapter two!