Author's Note:I'm quite surprised that I've managed to write a new chapter!;) LAtely I just didn't have any ideas at all and was away on holiday too etc.! but after a nice discussion

with my mum about Frasier,I got new ideas!:) Also decided to write that now coz I'll be going away on holiday again shortly!;) (plus I'm trying to resist the urge to write

a Harry Potter fanfic) As per usual:read n review please and just let me know if you're still interested!:) THANKS!:)

Disclaimer: I own nothing...sad but true...well,maybe the mask I bought in Venice!;)

Chapter 5:

Frasier's Point of View:

"Oh will you stop looking at me like that?",Niles protested. "He is right,Frasier. There is no need for your accusations or suspicions." "Well,excuse me for doubting that in a time of crisis Niles would come to you?!",Frasier exclaimed still looking absolutely stricken. "He didn't exactly turn to me...I just left him no choice.I'm a psychiatrist and very passionate about it,as you could observe if you wanted to,can't you see the sparkle in my eyes?" Niles nodded quietly "She insisted on helping me...though "help"weren't her exact words..." Frasier eventually resigned seeing that this conversation was leading nowhere. "What sort of crisis do you have,Niles?",he asked instead. "oh...it's about Daphne.",he said blushing slightly. "Yes,casanova here made a very brave attempt to win her heart.",Lilith commented dryly. "What did you do now?",Frasier pressed on fearing that nothing good could lie ahead. "Well,tonight when we danced I realised that I had no choice but to tell her. She's in a relationship with Donny,I know that Frasier and I know about your precious ethics too,so there's no need to look at me like it was just either now or never,wasn't it?I thought before she had the chance to really fall for Donny ,I'd tell her how I've been feeling about her all these years..." "And it backfired.",Lilith finished for him. "So quite frankly,Frasier I don't know what to do with me at the moment.I'm finally divorced...I told the woman of my dreams how I feel about her,she rejected me...what can I do now?" "Don't you think you're a bit too old for this dramatic amount of self-pity you are displaying?",Frasier asked raising an eyebrow. "How old were you,Frasier,when you almost committed suicide...or in other words just tried to get my attention?",Lilith shot back. But Niles had gone completely quiet and instead of arguing with Frasier,as he had done several times in the past,he seemed to have slumped down in himself. "I really just don't know what to do.",he whispered quietly and Frasier finally sat down between him and Lilith and put an arm around him. "I know it all seems bleak right now...but it will pass.I also know I'm a psychiatrist and therefore should be able to dispense useful phrases at these moments...but right now I am your brother,and I can just tell you what's in my and I are gonna help you through this and maybe,when you leave this ship and get back to work,new things will be happening." "Maybe you're all,what could possibly make you feel better than a couple of patients who sound crazier than yourself?",Niles managed displaying a weak smile.

Daphne's Point of View:

Shocked to the core she had left Dr Crane alone on the deck. At first she hadn't known where to go to,facing Donny had seemed impossible.A couple of minutes later she had found herself in the sauna area and had sat down on a bench. Her mind was buzzing and countless thoughts were chasing one another. Dr Crane was in love with her...had been for some time...somehow she had managed to digest the words but his eyes she just couldn't forget. His voice had sounded steady and his eyes were shining with warmth and she hated it,knowing she would have to shatter his hope and his eyes had been so empty afterwards...his voice had still been steady,matter-of-fact even but the emptiness in his eyes had betrayed wondered how he would act around her now or how she would act around him...she was dreading the awkwardness of the situation that was sure to come, because he had always been a good friend and someone she knew she could always turn to. Stripping away all her fears and anxieties had somehow helped her come to terms with the situation which she had decided to confront head on but still...she could almost feel the tingling she had experienced when he had told her how he felt...and that worried her more than she wanted to admit.

Niles' Point of View:

The next morning had come all too soon for him and it was only reluctantly that he got out of bed. He slowly walked over to the bathroom,massaging his at his shabby looking self in the mirror he recalled that Lilith had tried to persuade him to change before going to bed,but once she and Frasier had left he had simply curled back up in his clothes were creased and he felt a strong need to shower. Half an hour later and only the lines under his eyes could betray the lack of sleep he had had and,feeling surprisingly hungry,he walked down to the food deck. Frasier and Martin arrived a little while later both looking surprised to find him there sitting on his own. "The breakfast here is fantastic,dad.",he said before Frasier got the chance to address last night's events. "Great!I wonder if they've got fries here too. Usually they have...",and with that he walked away. "Fries in the morning?",Frasier called after him before turning his attention back to Niles. "Don't start,Frasier.I'm fine and I don't wish to talk about it." Frasier examined his brother closely for another minute and then decided to sit down. However, a minute later when Daphne and Donny entered the hall,Niles nearly choked on his orange juice and Frasier was bound to reconsider his decision to stay quiet. "Morning guys!",Donny said beaming at them,"good god Niles, I swear you look just as bad as Daphne. She didn't come back last night so I went out and found her near the saunas...she said she had got lost on the ship. Don't tell me the same thing happened to you?" Niles shook his head ,avoiding to make eye contact with Daphne. "Sea sickness.",he mumbled. "Oh,I see. But aren't you having a huge breakfast for that?" "No...it's...um...the best cure really.",Niles improvised. Luckily he was spared another explanation because a young man in uniform came over. "Fax for you,sir.",he said,bowed slightly and left. Niles raised an eyebrow in confusion and began to read. "What's going on?",Martin asked returning to the table. "It seems a patient of mine has taken a rather...nasty turn,my secretary says it would be best to return immediately." "Does she say what's wrong?",Frasier asked looking rather worried. Niles shook his head and handed the fax to Frasier. "But can't this wait?",Martin said,"I mean you're on holiday and we're all having such a good time..." "No,I think this is urgent,dad.",and snatching the fax back from Frasier he got up to talk to the captain.