The music swelled and the credits began to roll, signaling the end of "White Christmas", thus ending the holiday tradition for another year. They sat on the couch, snuggled beneath their new brown and blue plaid wool blanket, a Christmas gift from Frasier and Martin. She felt her husband's lips on her cheek and she sighed, moving closer to him.
"I'm sorry Daphne."
Surprised by the apology, she looked up. "Niles, what could you possibly be sorry for?"
He exhaled deeply, giving her a sad smile. "Well, a lot of things actually but mostly for ruining Christmas."
His eyes were filled with sadness and her heart went out to him. She touched his smooth cheek, moving her hand back and forth to comfort him.
"Sweetheart you didn't ruin anything. It was a lovely Christmas."
"But it wasn't, Daphne. I mean… I appreciate the gifts and having my family… and you with me, but it was an absolute disaster, thanks to Frasier and I! If we hadn't had such a stupid idea to exchange the fake present s for real ones hoping to spend Christmas here with Dad since he said he has to work, I-."
"Niles, your father loved the gesture! And so what if we had to wait until this morning, the day after Christmas to open our gifts? "
"In front of everyone." He finished, glumly.
"It was wonderful."
She smiled at him, loving the way he was smelling her hair. He always made her feel beautiful. "I'm sorry that we had to watch White Christmas on the day after Christmas. It's always been a tradition to watch it on Christmas Day!"
She slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Well then, we'll just have to start a new tradition, won't we? We'll spend Christmas with Frasier and Martin-."
"At our house or theirs?"
She laughed and kissed him again. "It doesn't matter, Sweetheart. But afterwards, even if it's the next day, we'll sit right here on the sofa and watch White Christmas. And then afterwards…" she said between the slow, sensuous kisses "…. We'll go upstairs to our bedroom and make love for as long as we like. How does that sound?"
He kissed her fiercely until they fell against the back of the sofa, laughing. "I think that's a wonderful idea. But I have a better one."
"All right…"
"Why don't we forget about the movie and start the rest of the tradition right now? We can always watch it when we're finished."
She knew she should be disappointed but she found herself smiling. "Niles Crane, I was hoping you'd say that."
The movie all but forgotten, they made their way upstairs and fell into bed where their clothes were soon strewn on the floor, and on that night after Christmas, their love grew stronger than ever.
THE END