Author's Note: I couldn't post this without mentioning Pat (Pat2Trivia4Me) for his birthday and to thank him for his constant support! :)
"Thanks again for dinner, Daph," Martin said as he and Ronee headed toward the door.
"Oh, it was our pleasure," Daphne replied, kissing her father-in-law's cheek. "Our door is always open, you know that."
"Next week, we'll have you guys at our place. I know I'm not really that domestic, but I'm sure I can figure something out!" Ronee said, laughing.
"We'll do that," Niles said. He was so grateful his father and babysitter-turned-stepmother were around to be a regular part of their lives, as well as David's. The boy was only three, but he was growing up fast. It was so heartwarming for Niles to watch his father spend time with the young boy as he'd never been able to when he and Frasier were growing up.
"So long, David," Martin said. He raised his voice, knowing that his grandson was watching TV. David didn't even flinch.
"Oh, don't mind him, Martin," Daphne said dismissively. "Whenever Thomas is on, it's like he's gone deaf." David's latest obsession was trains. A few months before, it had been dinosaurs. It was all very typical boy behavior, from what the other mothers said. Niles was less than pleased, but Daphne secretly loved that her son clearly seemed to have taken more after his Moon relatives.
"OK, I guess I can't compete with that," Martin said. "Just tell him we said goodbye."
There was another round of goodbyes, hugs, kisses and promises of phone calls during the week. Martin and Ronee almost didn't want to leave, and Niles and Daphne really didn't want them to either. For all the squabbles and disagreements over the years, the Cranes were finally acting like a real family.
For a moment, Niles and Daphne enjoyed the quiet in their apartment.
But that abruptly ended when David's show went off. He suddenly became aware of his surroundings. "Grandpa?"
"Sweetheart, Grandpa and Ronee went home. He tried to tell you goodbye, but you were watching your show," Daphne said. She sat beside him on the couch, doing what she could to comfort him.
"I want Grandpa!" David was usually quiet and easygoing. Temper tantrums were rare.
"They had to go home," Niles said. "They need their rest." He hoped David would take a hint, and maybe decide to go to bed, too.
"But I didn't get to say goodbye!"
"I know, but you were busy with Thomas," Daphne said. She couldn't resist cuddling him, knowing it might not be long before he was too big for this. "You'll see him tomorrow, or the next day. You know he has his therapy."
"But I didn't say goodbye tonight," David said. He seemed to be near tears.
Daphne shot a questioning glance at Niles. She was clueless as to how to handle this.
"I know, but you'll have other chances to see Grandpa. He knows you love him." Niles hoped he could reason with his son.
But David wasn't interested. "I miss Grandpa!"
Something about the tears that formed in David's eyes weakened Niles' resolve. He remembered his own experiences with his father. He'd spent many nights wondering if his father would make it home. As a cop, his safety was never really certain. That had become very evident the night he was shot. Maybe David was sensing something similar. "They're probably not all the way home yet," Niles whispered to his wife. "Should I just call Ronee's cell?"
Daphne was astonished. Usually Niles told her not to give in to David's demands. He'd often told her how spoiling a child can lead to trouble later. She was too stunned to speak. She could only watch as Niles reached for the cordless phone and began to dial.
"Yeah, Dad, there sort of is a problem. David didn't get to say goodbye. He's kind of upset right now." The more he looked at his son, seeing him fight the tears, the worse he felt. "I know you just left, but could you come back?"
Daphne still couldn't believe what she was seeing and hearing.
Niles hung the phone up. "They weren't that far," he said. "They'll be here in a couple of minutes."
"You hear that, David?" Daphne said. "Grandpa's coming back. Just for you."
Suddenly, David's tears stopped. "He is?"
"Yes. They're on their way back. Your grandfather must really love you," Daphne said.
"That's right," Niles agreed. "They're turning right around. They'll probably be here in a couple minutes."
"Yay!" David showed no signs of his earlier upset. "I love Grandpa," he said.
"We know you do, son. And he loves you just as much," Niles said. He knew without a doubt it was true, although he'd often doubted his father's love when he was growing up.
Now satisfied, David turned on the TV again. He was quickly absorbed in a favorite cartoon.
Before long, the doorbell rang.
"David, I believe that's for you," Niles said.
This time, David definitely heard. He raced to the door, opening it. "Grandpa!" He threw his tiny arms around Martin's waist.
"Hey, David. We're sorry you were so upset."
Ronee's face showed a twinge of annoyance, but she knew better than to question any of this.
"Sorry you guys had to come all the way back."
"Aw, don't mention it, Daph," Martin said. "I always have time for my favorite little guy." He ruffled David's hair. It sometimes struck Martin how many of these moments he'd missed the first time. But he knew they'd talked about it a dozen times, and all he could do was make sure he didn't miss any now.
"See, David?" Niles asked coming over to where they stood. "We told you everything would be OK, because Grandpa loves you so much."
The grin on David's face made it very clear that he understood. The Crane family was definitely exactly the family they were supposed to be.
The End