Another Bloody Headache

"I, Niles Crane, do take thee, Daphne Moon, as my wife. I vow to you my fidelity and my support, my honor and my respect. You are my comfort, my joy, and my one true love. I vow to always be true and to be your constant champion. I will cherish you all the days of my life and treasure the journey that has brought us to this most wonderful perfect place," Niles recited, adding, "It's the same thing."

"I suppose," she remarked, unconvinced.

"You liked it better the first way?"

"After all, isn't that how we met?" She stoked Niles' hair behind his ear. "When you came to my protection?" She leaned over to kiss him. "Niles Crane you will forever be my knight and in shining armor."

Niles recoiled and suddenly winced, much like he did the other day at the park.

"What is it My Love?"

"It's my head."

"That's the third migraine you've had since Sunday," she pointed out, concerned.

"I'm sure it's nothing to be alarmed about. I'm sure it's just the stress of planning our wedding…"

"And my Mum's insistence of having everything her way..."

"And, last, but not least, let's not forget…"

"Hey Stilts!" a drunken and slurred voice bellowed, beckoning for his sister's attention.

"Simon," Niles softly finished.

"Simon Moon, bite your tongue! Whatever it is, it can wait. Niles has another bloody headache."

Daphne got up and leaned over and kissed Niles softly on the top of his head and whispered, "I'll go get your migraine medication and a glass of water."

-------

"Hold out your hand," she instructed upon her return with his medication.

He quickly stuffed his bloodied handkerchief in his pocket and held out his hand as requested of him.

She placed the tablets into the palm of his hand and he popped them into his mouth. She then handed him a glass of water, which he chugged down.

"Thanks."

"Niles, the photographer won't be here for another couple of hours, why don't I just go ahead and meet with him without you, because..."

"I can't offer my opinions on his work since I can't see it," he curtly cut her off.

"That not what I was going to say. What I was going to say is, I know you've had several sleepless nights as of late and you look exhausted, My Love. I think you need a long, uninterrupted nap."

"I'm sorry," he apologized and looked down, ashamed. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I don't know what got into me, please forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive." She lifted his chin. "Because I love you and I always will, you silly sod."

The Wedding Band

"Mind if I come in?" Frasier asked while poking his head in the bedroom door that was slightly ajar.

"Of course not, come in."

Frasier went over to the desk and pulled out the desk chair and moved it next to the bed where his little brother was sitting at the foot of it.

"Is that it? Dad told me he drove you down to pick it up this afternoon."

Niles, who had been playing with it on his own ring finger (since they had the same ring size), handed the wedding band over to Frasier.

"Oh Niles, it's one of a kind."

"Dad told me they met my specifications perfectly. That the star of her engagement ring should nestle perfectly into the crescent moon shaped band."

Frasier nodded in agreement, absently forgetting his brother couldn't see. Upon remembering, "Dad's right. Daphne is going to love it."

Neither spoke for a moment.

"Niles, Daphne told me you had another migraine this afternoon. Are you feeling okay? Maybe we should take you in to see Dr. Wilson."

"Frasier, I'm fine. In fact I'm more than fine. In a couple more days I am going to be married to the…" Niles' voice trailed off.

"Niles? What is it? What's wrong?" Frasier carefully laid a supportive hand on his brother's slightly trembling shoulder.

Brief, spontaneous flashes of white and simultaneous, intense jabs of pain shot to Niles' temples.

Niles massaged his sore temples.

"Niles? Can you hear me?"

To be continued…