A/N: I'm back! Sorry for the long hiatus, things are crazy in real life and I haven't had the time to update. Also, I was going through a creative blank, I couldn't figure it out what should be the next chapter. But here it is! Reviews are always welcome, and I want to thank you all for being so positive about this fic. I'm not going to abandon her, I promise! Hope you all enjoy day 4 :)


Sunday mornings were one of Roz's favorite things in the world. No work, and plenty of sunny moments with Alice were enough to make her crave for the day all week. Sitting on the bench nearby, she watched her daughter play in the playground, giggling loudly as she threw some sand to the sky. Roz laughed, thinking about how she used to do the same gesture, but with confetti in carnivals and parades, back in Wisconsin.

That was a long time ago, of course. She had never seen herself as a mother figure until destiny made it happen. Alice was a breeze of fresh air that got right into her lungs, catching her off guard, and suddenly changing her perspectives about life and love. The blonde little girl had made Roz a better woman, and she fully recognized it.

Distracted with her thoughts, she barely noticed as a well-dressed man sat by her side, with some cotton candy in his hand. Electric blue eyes stared at her with a warm smile.

"She's getting so big, and so fast.", Frasier said, putting some of the candy in his mouth.

She finally realizes his presence, giving him a gentle tap on his shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was going to call you later to see if you wanted to drink a cup of coffee, so we could see each other. But then I remembered how much you enjoy your sundays."

She smiled, surprised at his consideration.

"Thank you. It really is the highlight of my week. Which is kinda pathetic, I guess. Sundays used to be my stride of pride day."

"Stride of pride?"

"Most people consider it a walk of shame, but not me." He laughs, putting his hand on her knee. "Honestly, wearing the same clothes from the night before, your hair all messy, the feeling of empowerment... I don't get why people would be ashamed by that."

Taking some of his cotton candy, she stared at little kids playing. Alice soon came to the bench, running as fast as her little legs allowed.

"Mommy, there's sand in my eyes!" She whines, scratching her face with tiny fists. Frasier watches as his friend takes care of her kid, gently caressing the girl's eye with a tissue, and giving her a warm kiss afterwards. He was touched by the scene. He had never thought Roz would be such a great mother, but there she was, doing her very best.

"There you go, all done", Roz says, tickling Alice a little. The girl laughs. "Aren't you going to say hi to uncle Frasier now?"

"Hi, uncle Frasier!" She hugs him, happily. He felt very connected to the kid since she was born, and was always delighted to be around her. Giving her the candy, he watched as she ran away, back to the playground.

"You can't say this is pathetic, Roz. I don't think I've ever seen you this happy. This is worth a million strides of pride."

"Yeah, I guess. I miss the old days, but I would never trade it for spending time with Alice."

"And you shouldn't. She's already a remarkable little person." He said, putting his arms around her. "I'm really proud of you."

They stayed at the bench for some time, in the comfortable silence, enjoying only the laughs and loud noises of kids around them. When Roz finally calls her daughter, telling it's time to come home, Frasier walks them home, carrying Alice on his back. Roz watches as her friend plays with the little girl, smiling at them and thinking how well they get along.

"Mommy, can I have a pretzel?" Alice asks, after walking by a cart near them. She looks at her mother with big eyes and pouty lips, an expression Roz knew too well; the same she used to make when she wanted something she knew she wasn't supposed to have.

"A little one, yes. Otherwise it will ruin your lunch."

"I'll take her", offers Frasier, taking her off his back and holding her hands. Roz nods, and watches as they go.

She crosses her arms, letting her mind slip for a minute. She's surprised when an old lady touches her shoulder, smiling at her.

"You know, you have a lovely family", she says. "It's hard to find something like this lately... you're very lucky."

She looks at the lady, unsure what to say. She looks again at her daughter, who's been running around Frasier as he takes the pretzel from the guy, and realizes how much they look like father and daughter.

Rick hasn't been present on the girl's life; he called on special occasions, and went to see the girl twice, but she noticed the gaps between his appearances were getting bigger every time. On her last birthday, Frasier was the one who took pictures and helped her decorate the living room with balloons. He had been a father figure, even if unconsciously.

She smiles at the lady, nodding positively.

She was lucky, indeed. They were sort of a family, after all; the Cranes had accepted Roz into their lives, and she was grateful. In a big city like Seattle, it's easy to feel lonely, especially when you're that far from home. They had made sure she felt home there, too, and it was all thanks to Frasier.

She felt a small hand taking hers, and saw her baby girl ready to go home. Frasier put his hand on her back, gently, telling her he was also ready to go. They walk back in silence, apart from the chewing noises of the pretzel in Alice's mouth. Soon enough, she was home.

"Do you wanna come in?"

"No, I have Niles coming over for lunch. Dad says he wants to 'spend time with his boys'", he says, with manual quotation marks, "but I fear he's going to ask something big."

She smiles, leaning her head against the front door.

"Hm, Frasier? Thanks for the company. I really appreciated."

"I should be the one thanking you. I had a lovely time." He watches as Alice runs inside the house, without giving him a proper goodbye. "I was really serious, you know, when I said she was remarkable. She reminds me of you, in many ways."

Roz is surprised by the sudden compliment. He kisses her cheek, softly, and walks away.

She was very lucky, indeed.