This chapter is for Kristen….
With Martin resting at the hospital overnight, Daphne went home with Niles in order to provide a little comfort for her husband. It would prove to be the longest night of their previously blissful life together.
"Oh darling," she cooed as she cradled his head into her lap on the sofa. "It will be okay. I promise."
"Can you? Can you really promise that it's going to be okay?"
For once Daphne didn't know what to say. She'd never seen her husband so helpless before, not even when he'd dealt with Maris or Mel.
"I don't know what the future holds, Niles. It could be a lot worse. He may be losing his memories but that shouldn't stop us from building new, even more exciting ones with him. He may need to be reminded of who David is, but I know this about your father…he won't need to be reminded of how much he loves his family."
"Oh Daphne…" Niles choked up. "I don't know what I'd do if I were to lose you…"
"Ssh, my darling, that's something you'll never have to worry about. Right now this is about your father and what's best for him. I know you're a doctor but your father will have plenty of those. Right now he needs his son, and that's the best medicine I can think of prescribing for him."
"Daphne…how'd you get to be so smart?" Niles smiled weakly.
"It must be from hanging around the Crane men all these years."
Now he began to sob in earnest. Daphne was devastated. She was already emotional from the pregnancy, but now she had her husband and children to worry about! If Niles was this devastated, how would David take it? How could she break it to her son that Grandpa Martin was in trouble?
She couldn't think of all that now. If she did she would never sleep again for as long as she needed. Niles needed her, and that was all that mattered. She had to be strong- for his sake. She couldn't break down. Niles was depending on her in a way she'd never dreamt of happening, and it was all happening so quickly that her mind couldn't even begin to process the pain that her husband was in. All she knew was that he was hurting, and for that, there were no words to make this kind of pain go away.
So she decided to show him how much he meant to her. Stroking his ever receding hairline so gently, with her other hand she led his face up for him to meet her kiss. That night their lovemaking took on a new meaning, as it would soon become the best lifeline that Niles could cling to.
TBC
