Taken Back by Patrick Councilor

Frasier drove Daphne, Martin and Roz to the hospital. "Now remember that the doctor said that Niles' memory can return at any moment, but we shouldn't try to force him to remember. The results could be catastrophic."

Daphne just stared out of the car window as the rain drops drizzled their way down. She had no reply.

Ronee would have come with them, but she volunteered to stay back with Charlotte and watch David.

"Not to be disrespectful," Roz said, "but how could it hurt to help Niles' memory along?"

Frasier answered, "Amnesia, in this case: transient global amnesia which is caused by damage to areas of the brain, can affect the patient as little as a few days or may be permanent. However, a sudden, magnitude of recollection may cause a great amount of fear and anxiety and could even cause Niles to go into shock. We need to support him without adding to any delusions he may have."

"Delusions?" Roz asked.

"Yes, Niles seems to have lost about five years of his memory. He keeps asking for Mel. He still thinks their marriage is still intact. Although we don't want to come right out and tell him that he divorced Mel, we also don't want to call Mel and have her pose as his wife."

"Won't it make him more upset thinking that his wife refuses to see him?"

"We'll have to cross that bridge when we get to it. He has a large mountain to conquer. We need to support and nurture him, not push him up hill. Of course, eventually he will need to know, but we don't want to overwhelm him." He drove Martin's car into the hospital parking structure.

When they checked in at the nurses' station, they were advised that Niles could only have two visitors at a time.

Frasier and Daphne entered his room to find him finishing his breakfast.

"Frasier, Daphne. What an unexpected pleasure." He pushed his tray further away from him on the wheeled counter over his bed.

"Niles," Frasier said in an up-beat tone. "How are you this morning?"

"The food that they try to pass as breakfast here is atrocious, but the nurses are nice. Have you seen or heard from Mel?"

Frasier shot Daphne a look. She was looking down at the floor, quiet offended at Niles' comment, but she knew it wasn't his fault.

"No. No Niles, we haven't."

"Well, she is a plastic surgeon. She's probably very busy."

"Good Lord," Frasier thought. Not only has he slid back five years in time, but he was making excuses for, what he believed to be, his wife's inexcusable behavior. It was almost like he was still married to Maris.

Daphne went around to the side of his bed to lay her hand upon his. Her words were soft as if she was holding back a bevy of emotions. "I'm so sorry that this happened to you." She had called him by his first name the other day and he didn't react. Now she didn't know what to call him. She refused to go back to calling him Doctor Crane. She so wanted to wrap her arms around him and tell him that she loved him so and that they were already happily married. Her hand was trembling when their wedding bands touched.

Niles looked down at her hand and noticed her wedding band. "Oh my God Daphne, I'm so sorry."

Her watery eyes looked into his. "For what?"

"Apparently I have been in here for quite some time. I've missed yours and Donny's wedding."

The words shot through her like shards of ice. She put her hand to her mouth and turned at the same time. It was all she could do from totally coming apart and cry in front of him. She had to leave the room.

Niles looked to his brother. "Frasier, was it something I said?"

"Daphne and Donny… aren't actually together anymore."

"Oh my God… I had no idea." Niles thought Daphne was reacting to the sensitive subject rather than his condition. "I didn't mean to upset her."

Frasier headed for the door. "I'll go check on her."

"Please do. And tell her that I'm sincerely sorry."

Martin came in just as Frasier left. "Hey sleepy head. Whatcha doin' in bed at this hour?"

Niles smiled. "Hey Dad."

"Whatcha got planned for today?"

"Well, I thought I would rest here in bed." He stated the obvious.

"Now, don't worry about your patients. Frasier is filling in for you."

"Alright. Dad, what about my car?"

"Your car?"

"My Mercedes. Was there much damage to it?"

Martin had to think for a second. "Oh, no Niles. You weren't in an auto accident."

"I wasn't?"

"No, you were attacked."

"I was?"

"Yeah, you were mugged coming out of one of those frilly stores you go to down town."

"Oh my. Did they take everything?"

"They got your money, but left your driver's license and your credit cards."

"My God. What store was it?"

"I don't know… some fine wine store."

"Did they get the wine… it wasn't damaged, was it?"

"Oh jeez!" Martin rolled his eyes.