Chapter Nine

Frasier glanced at the clock in the kitchen. "Niles should be here any minute," he told Lilith. "Are you sure you're ok with all of this?" he asked her. "Do you want me in the room for emotional support?"

Lilith shook her head. "I think I can handle it," she said. "But could you maybe stay in the other room just in case?" she asked.

Frasier nodded as he placed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Of course," he promised her. He saw the headlights from the taxi pulling up in Lilith's driveway. "He's here," he told her.

Lilith nodded weakly as her face grew even paler if such a thing was possible. She glanced over at Frasier. Frasier hugged her briefly then retreated to the other room. "I'm right in there if you need me," he told her as Niles knocked on the door lightly.

Lilith nodded as she watched him go. She saw Frasier sit down so that he was hidden from their sight. She then walked over and answered the door. "Niles," she said. "Come in," she added as she took a step back.

"Lilith," Niles began uncomfortably. "I'm dreadfully sorry to hear about your, um, condition. If I in any way pose as a burden, I'd be willing to stay at a hotel."

Lilith rolled her eyes. Even if he thought she was dying, he still wanted to get away. "Niles, we need to talk," she said as she gestured at the table.

"Where's Frasier?" Niles asked.

"Sleeping," Lilith lied quickly. "But Niles, we really have to talk."

Niles nodded. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "Are you in any pain?" he asked in a genuinely concerned tone. "Did you get a second opinion? Maybe even a third opinion," he suggested. "These things can be difficult to diagnose."

"Niles," Lilith began. "It's not what you think it is."

Niles frowned in confusion. "I don't think anything. Frasier told me you had cancer."

"Did he?" Lilith asked. "Did those exact words pass through his lips?" she asked. She exhaled deeply as she gestured at the kitchen table. "Sit down, Niles."

"December, huh?" Niles asked seriously. "Does Frederick know?" he asked.

Lilith groaned in frustration. "Niles, I don't have cancer."

"You don't?" Niles asked in shock. "But Frasier said--"

"He never said I had cancer," Lilith pointed out. "He said it was more serious than just being sick, which it is," she continued as she sat down across from Niles. "I just felt I should be the one to tell you about this in person."

"What are you talking about?" Niles asked.

"There's no talk on self-psychology," Lilith began. "We lied to you to get you out here."

"Out here for what?" Niles asked, confused. "Why am I out here? Why is Frasier out here?"

Lilith sighed. There was no easy way to put this. How should she even start? She had rehearsed this a thousand different ways in her head all day, but they were all leaving her mind. She could not focus.

"Lilith?" Niles asked curiously as he waved his hand in front of her face. "What is it?"

Lilith sighed again. She really had been putting it off for too long. "Niles, do you remember what happened last time I was in Seattle?" she asked.

"Frasier hasn't let me forget it yet," Niles pointed out. "And it's not something I can easily forget. We did sleep together."

Lilith nodded as she stood up and walked to the fridge. She reached for her small bag of baby carrots and container of dip. She offered it to Niles, but he declined. Lilith shrugged and placed them down on the table. She started preparing herself a glass of water with ice in it.

"Was there a point to that?" Niles asked.

"Think about it," Lilith told him as she placed some ice cubes in her glass. She turned around slowly and gestured at her body with a quick downward motion of her right hand.

Niles shrugged as he looked at Lilith. "You know, you might want to try those Slim Fast shakes," he said. "They worked great on Maris when she had to loose that holiday pound."

Lilith groaned as she popped a carrot into her mouth. She chewed it for a minute, swallowed it, then spoke. "Think harder," she commanded. "Niles, I'm not just gaining weight."

Niles frowned. Either he was clueless or he was in denial. The latter was more likely. "What are you saying?"

"I'm pregnant, Niles," Lilith admitted. "Seven weeks. The due date's around December fifteenth," she began as she looked down at the floor.

"What does that mean?" Niles asked as he rose from the table. "I can't believe this. Are you actually implying what I think you're implying. It can't be. We were--"

"Do not say careful," Lilith interrupted. "There was no way on Earth we were careful. We were drunk, Niles. Filled with--"

"Loneliness, confusion, misdirection," Niles started.

"Tequila shooters," Lilith finished her original statement. "Niles, that night was about more than just a desperate attempt to reaffirm our own worth," she said.

"No!" Niles shouted as he walked over towards the door. "No, I'm sorry, but no. I can't handle this now," he said. "I'm getting a hotel room," he told her. "One with better room service, too," he snapped as he slammed the door shut behind him.

Frasier appeared in the doorway and walked over to Lilith. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in closer to him. "Just give him some time," he told her. "He'll come around. Until then, I'm here for you."

Lilith smiled up at him. "Thank you, Frasier," she said weakly. "That means more to me than you'll ever know."

((More to come soon. Until then, just read and review I suppose. I like that. It's exciting. I'll shut up...))