A couple weeks had gone by and things were slowly reutrning to normal. Diane once again put on her waitress apron and picked up a tray. Cliff and Norm were happy to see her back. They noticed that Sam was always happier when she was around. If their Sammy was happy, they were happy. It made a little easier of a transition knowing that Carla wasn't going to be around to harrass her. She was in the hospital recuperating after the birth of her son, Bennet Ludlow Jr. Sam had told Diane about how she confided in him that she hoped it would be another girl that way the baby could have relatively new hand-me-downs. Lucia was barely two and Gino, the youngest boy until now, was going on ten. Almost a whole decade had passed since Carla had given birth to a son.

There were some new faces to get used to seeing around the place. Angeline "No-Neck" Canale was Carla's sister who had stepped up to take her place while she was on maternity leave. Diane was puzzled by her. Like Carla, she was no happy camper, but she was quiet about it. She almost never talked to anyone if she didn't have to. Whenever Diane tried to reach out to her, she would give her that old Italian-black-magic sneer and Diane would back off. She was actually almost thankful that at least Carla talked to you, no matter what she ended up saying.

Then there was Mr. Woody Boyd. Diane and Sam took to him right away. He had Coach's old soul in his brand new body. He was an innocent cutie pie with a real redneck background. His being was as pure and down to earth as the Midwestern soil he grew up on.

That didn't stop anybody from missing Coach though. Tears started to spring into everyone's eyes whenever his name was mentioned. Sam may have been the closest to the man than anybody. He was holding up remarkably well, as anyone in the bar could have told you. They all prayed hard that Sam wouldn't hit the bottle again, and he didn't. Sometimes God answers your prayers loud and clear. Diane sometimes had a harder time concealing her emotions. Especially the first couple of days back she would sit in Sam's office on break and cry out her grief for Mr. Ernie Pantusso.

It was closing time once again. Everybody had gone home except for Sam. He was putting up the last stool on the bar when he heard a loud knock on the door.

"Sorry, we're closed," Sam answered.

That didn't stop whomever. The person just simply knocked again.

"I said we're closed!" Sam exclaimed, getting agitated. "If you knock again, I swear I will call the police!"

"Sam, it's Dr. Frasier Crane."

Sam stopped in his tracks at the sound of his old, familiar voice. A part of him was happy he knew who the person was knocking on his bar door so late at night. A part of him was frightened. The man was dumped not that long ago and who knows what mental state he was in? After all, just because somebody has a degree in pshyciatry, doens't mean they aren't gaunteed to not go mad themselves.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm not going to hurt you, Sam. I'm okay. Can I please come in?"

Well, he did sound okay, Sam figures. He sprinted to the door to finally let the poor man in. When he opened it, he saw the same old doc with that same smug smile he always had. Sam smiled back at him. He could never help but like the guy.

"Hi, Sam."

"Hi, Fras."

"I know it's late, but is Diane here?"

"No. She has gone back home for the night."

"I just want to talk to her, Sam."

"Well, Fras, if you love someone, you should let them sleep," Sam joked with a playful punch to Frasier's shoulder. Frasier got a little chuckle out of that.

"Yes, yes, I believe you're right. Will she be here tomorrow?"

"Yes. She'll be here."

"Good. Tommorrow will be my last day in Boston. I'm just passing through on my way to Seattle."

"Oh yeah, that's right," Sam says extending his hand. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Frasier says, shaking Sam's hand. "That's partly why I wanted to see her again before I left for good."

"Oh..."

"I had gotten the job right around the time we decided to get married. I wanted it to be sort of a honeymoon surprise. When Diane decided not to go through with the marriage, I told them I could start sooner than later."

"I see," Sam says with his arms now folded and looking down at the floor. He really didn't know what to make of the revelation. It wasn't even for him to hear.

"Please, just tell her I will see her tomorrow and please don't repeat what I told you."

"You got it."

"Well," Frasier said, once again shaking Sam's hand. "Good night."

"Good night," Sam says, shaking back. "See you tomorrow."

"See you then."