She arrived home sooner than she expected and she sat in the front seat of the car, trying to let the news sink in. Even now, hours later, it was still hard to comprehend. Eddie was gone. Tears splashed onto her cheeks and she wiped them away, shifting David onto her hip while she struggled to unlock the door. But when she turned the knob, it opened automatically revealing her handsome husband.

"Oh..."

"There's my boy!" Niles exclaimed, smiling as he lifted David out of Daphne's arms. "Did you have fun today, playing with Ronee while Mommy and Grandpa went to take Eddie to the vet? I bet you did! And I bet Grandpa made you watch the Mariners' game again, didn't he?"

"Niles-."

He smiled and went to her, kissing her softly. "I'm sorry I was so preoccupied with David. Hello my love. You look so beautiful."

Her heart warmed at the compliment, even if it wasn't at all deserved. She was hardly beautiful in her ages-old grey sweater and faded blue jeans. But she loved him just the same for saying the words. And she expressed her gratitude with another kiss on his lips.

"Thank you, Sweetheart. What are you doing home so early? Not that I mind of course, but you said you had a lot of work to do."

"Work can wait. I missed you and since you were out with Dad taking Eddie to the vet, I thought-."

Niles placed David on his quilted play pad on the floor and handed his son a plastic black and white rattle that was shaped like a panda. She tried to smile at Niles' amused expression when David shook the rattle and laughed at the sound it made. But instead she burst into tears. Immediately Niles went to her and took her into his arms.

"Dear God, what's wrong?"

"Oh Niles, he's gone!" She sobbed, clinging to him as he rubbed her back.

"What are you talking about? Who's gone?"

"E-Eddie."

He drew back and stared at her, his eyes wide with disbelief. "What?"

"He's gone." She said again, sobbing even harder.

Niles swallowed hard, tears welling in his eyes. "No… H-how? When?"

"Th-the vet said he was in too much pain to give him more medication and that there was nothing more they could do! I didn't want to agree to it... I couldn't but your father and I both knew that there was no other choice. I-I knew it could come to this but I never... Oh Niles, I loved him so much!"

He held her close, sniffling as they found solace in one another. "I loved him too, Daphne. I-I know I said I didn't and that he annoyed me but the truth was… he was such a sweet dog."

"H-he was…" Daphne said. "And David he-he's so young! He'll never understand this! H-how will we possibly explain?"

"It'll be all right, my love. We'll make sure to tell him all about Eddie. He was a family member, and David should know all about his family."

She smiled and touched his cheek. "I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Sweetheart. H-how's Dad?"

Daphne began to cry harder. "Oh Niles, it was awful! Martin didn't say a word except when he was telling Eddie goodbye, apologizing for Frasier's being so mean to him, getting angry at him for staring and calling him a nuisance! He-he was stroking his fur and I left the room! I-I couldn't take it! I-I couldn't watch! But Martin... H-he just stood there staring as the vet-"

His gentle hand was on her back, rubbing in small circles. "I know, Sweetheart. I know…"

"I wish I could take back every time I yelled at Eddie, every comment, every- Oh I wish he knew how much he was loved! I'm so sorry, Niles! I never meant to-."

"I feel the same way. I'm afraid I was just as bad as Frasier when it comes to Eddie. And that time that Dad trusted me to watch Eddie and I sent him to a kennel. I've never seen Dad so hurt." He swallowed hard as a tear began to fall onto his cheek. Daphne reached up and brushed it away.

The sight of her husband becoming so emotional caused her composure to falter. "Oh Niles... Please don't cry."

"I-I'm not." He lied. "I'm just..."

And then the dam broke. Sobbing she put her hand over her face. "Oh Niles... I wish..."

Niles' comforting arms went around her and he held her close, kissing her cheek. "It's all right, Sweetheart. Eddie knew that you loved him. He knew that we all loved him. I can't really explain it but animals can sense these things. And Eddie was old… it was just his time."

"But why now, Niles? Why?"

Niles nodded, sighing as Daphne brushed a tear from the corner of his eye. "I don't know, Daphne. "

"We should go and visit your father. He's alone now. I mean, he has Ronee and for that I'm grateful but he needs-."

"Us." Niles finished.

She kissed her husband's soft lips. "I need you, too, Niles. This day has been… so difficult"

Niles smiled. "I know. It looks like it's been difficult for David too."

Daphne turned to her son, smiling when she saw that he had fallen asleep. She grabbed a Snoopy and Woodstock blanket (a gift from Frederick) from the side of the fainting couch and laid it over his back. As carefully as possible she lifted him into her arms and kissed his soft cheek.

Niles smiled and kissed David's soft hair, cradling the baby's cheek in his hand.

"My sweet angel." Daphne said. "I'd better put him to bed. He's had a long day."

"I'll call Mrs. Woodson and see if she can stay with David while we go to Dad and Ronee's."

Daphne paused on the landing, somewhat surprised at her husband's suggestion. It was something that needed to be done and the truth was that she hated being away from Martin while he was in such a terrible state of grief, she simply wasn't in the right mind to see him at that moment. But Niles seemed so adamant about visiting his father that she feared that her suggestion to wait might anger him.

"A-actually, Niles..."

"Yes?"

"I..." Her hand went to her forehead and she could almost feel it pounding beneath her fingertips. Her head ached, reminding her of how fatigued she was.

"Daphne, what is it? What's wrong?"

She took a deep breath. "I have a terrible headache." The brief silence that followed was agonizing and she braced herself for his anger.

Finally, a sympathetic smile surfaced and he went to her, pressing his lips against hers. "I'm sorry my love. Why don't you put David down for a nap and I'll bring you some tea?"

She kissed him once more. "Thank you, Sweetheart. But what about your father?"

"I'll go over there and see how he's doing. But I'll call first. This doesn't seem like the time to drop by unannounced."

The idea that he was going alone worried her. "But Niles-."

"Dad will understand. You need your rest. Now go and lie down. I'll be up in a minute."

A tear escaped and she pulled him close to her, inhaling the scent of his cologne. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Always."

Slowly she carried David up the stairs and into the nursery, where she quickly changed David's diaper and put on his pajamas. She laid him in his crib, covering him with the Snoopy and Woodstock printed blanket.

"Goodnight, my sweet angel." She whispered, giving him one last kiss. And then she went into the bedroom where she curled up in bed and laid her head on her pillow. It didn't take long for memories of the sweet little dog that she'd known for so long to surface; memories that brought tears as she cried herself to sleep.