One Phone Call
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine; I am just a bored and weird writer without anything else to do.
Summary: Frederick calls Frasier with some news about Lilith. I know that I cannot do good summaries to save my life. Takes place mid season 11 after "High Holidays" but before "Match Game". Slight crossover with "Cheers".
Pairing: Frasier/Lilith
Prologue
Frasier Crane was elated with joy as he hung up with his previous caller. In his opinion, this could possibly be the best show since the new year. The lines have been busier than normal. People were calling in with actual problems, not just something he could fix in three seconds. I sure hope Niles is listening to this, Frasier thought.
"Ok, Roz," he said happily as he looked to his producer Roz Doyle. "Whom do we have up next?"
Roz nodded twice and placed her phone down on the table. "We have Vic, but unfortunately he's going to have to be transferred over to me," Roz answered.
Frasier chuckled. "Well, unless he wants to know where to get some great alcohol or date, I don't think that's the right thing to do," Frasier teased back.
"Maybe not, but you have an important call on line two," Roz informed Frasier. "He said it's urgent." That being said, Roz was on the air talking to Vic.
Frasier felt disappointed for a second but then realized that he had an urgent call waiting for him. Something told him that the news was not good. He knew of nothing so good that it would make interrupting his show necessary. Frasier gathered himself together and answered the phone. "Frasier Crane," he said simply.
"Duh," came the response from the other end of the line. The voice sounded too young to be Niles.
"Freddy?" Frasier asked after a second of silence. It had to be Frederick. No other young males knew his work number and hours.
"Duh again," Frederick responded in a bored tone of voice.
Frasier groaned slightly. He loved his son dearly, but if Frederick just wanted to talk then this was not the best time for that. "Is there an actual reason you're calling?"
"Dad, I'm worried about mom." The boy's voice instantly changed its tone from bored and slightly annoyed to genuine concern. Frasier knew something serious was happening.
"Why?" Frasier asked in a concerned and slightly worried tone of voice. "Did something happen?" He glanced down at his watch and figured the time it was in Boston. "She's not supposed to be home from work for a few hours," he reminded Frederick.
"I know, but she is," Frederick responded quickly. His eyes quickly looked around the room to make sure that his mother was not in hearing range. "This isn't the first time either. Second time this week, and it's only Wednesday," he pointed out.
"Well, it's winter, so maybe she has fewer patients," Frasier tried to explain. He knew he could not speak for Lilith's actions, but he had to think of something to try and put his son, and himself for that matter, at ease.
Frederick sighed again as he moved further into the living room. "That's not all," he said. His voice was getting softer as if he were afraid Lilith would overhear him.
"What else is there?" Frasier asked as he sat up straight in his chair. The anticipation was nearly killing him. He looked over at Roz and gave her a signal to keep taking calls. "Frederick?" he questioned again at his son's silence. Whatever it was either was something so trivial that Frederick was just now realizing it was stupid to call or, the more likely reason, something that could be serious, but Frederick was unsure and therefore was worried. "Freddy?"
Frasier heard the sound of a deep breath coming from the other end of the line. Had Freddy been crying? he wondered. "Freddy, what it? It might not mean anything, but I can't know that unless you tell me what else there is."
"She's been getting these headaches for over a month now. She constantly insists it's fine and takes medicine, but I can tell it does nothing for her," Frederick whispered.
Frasier nodded slightly as he tried to grasp the situation. "Where is she now?" he asked.
"Upstairs in her room," Frederick answered after looking around the room again. "I think she's sleeping," he added. "She's been doing that a lot lately as well."
Frasier nodded again. "Well, she might just be under stress," he tried to rationalize. He had to try to think it was not that bad for both his sake and Frederick's.
"Dad, I wouldn't be calling if I didn't think it was serious," Frederick reminded his father. "You don't live here. You can't see how she's acting. She forgot who I was once."
"What?" Frasier asked. This was definitely not normal. "When? How?"
"Last night," Frederick answered. "Only for a moment, but it's adding to my worry."
"Mine too," Frasier said with a nod. "I'll be there as soon as I can. Goodbye, Frederick," he said before hanging up.
((Kinda not sure about this one. I've had it on my computer for the longest time, so I thought 'What the hell? I'll post it'. Let me know what you think.))