As they arrived at home, Niles carried the sleepy little boy into the house and up the stairs.

"Niles?"

With David still in his arms, Niles turned to face her. "Yes, my love?"

"David wanted so much to stay up and wait for Santa Claus. It's all he's talked about for the past month."

"But look at him, Daphne. He's exhausted."

Daphne reached for her son, brushing a blonde lock of hair from his forehead. "I know, but couldn't he just stay downstairs with us?"

Niles smiled. "Absolutely."

He carried David down the stairs and carefully laid him onto the fainting couch while

Daphne ran upstairs to get David's stuffed Snoopy and his favorite blanket; the one adorned with Seahawks logos, obviously a gift from Martin. When she returned,

she changed David's clothes, amazed that he barely stirred as she did so, and then tucked him under the covers and placed Snoopy in his arms.

"What a sweet little angel." She said smiling as Niles wrapped his arms around her.

A few minutes later, Niles couldn't resist coaxing Daphne into the large plush chair; the one they'd sat in on the night when she'd made him the happiest man in the

world by agreeing to marry him.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked once more.

Daphne snuggled against him, relishing the warmth of the roaring fire and her husband's body next to hers.

"Oh, I was just thinking about your father."

Niles laced his fingers through hers and kissed her hand.

"You never finished your story."

"What story?"

"You were talking about Dad and Eddie but somehow I don't think that you intended to dwell on the fact that Eddie is gone. So what was on your mind? That is, if you

want to tell me."

Daphne laughed. Her husband was always finding a way to make her smile, no matter how sad she might have been feeling.

"Of course I'll tell you. I was just thinking that if it weren't for Martin walking Eddie past that church, he would have never been in the Christmas pageant and become

such good friends with the Father. I'm still not sure how that happened, considering the fiasco that occurred with Eddie running off with the Baby Jesus in his mouth."

Niles laughed at the memory. "But if Dad hadn't agreed to be in that pageant, David might never have gotten his glorious moment in the spotlight."

Daphne smiled and kissed Niles' cheek. "It was such a wonderful opportunity for him and he was so wonderful."

"He certainly was." Niles agreed. "All those hours of practicing paid off. He sang beautifully."

"Like his father." Daphne finished. "He has your gift for music. And I'm so glad. Because he certainly didn't get that from me."

"That's nonsense." Niles protested. "You have a heavenly voice."

Daphne scoffed. "Hardly! Me singing is horrible! And before you say anything I'll just tell you right now that my terrible singing is the reason you've never heard me

sing-even though you've asked me to sing for you hundreds of times! Believe me, you don't want to hear it."

"Oh, but I have."

Daphne was taken aback by this news. "What?"

"I've heard you sing lots of times."

She stared at him, incredulous. "But-But how?"

"I can hear you singing in the kitchen sometimes when you're making dinner. And at night, I've awoken to find you gone from our bed. So I tiptoe down the hallway to

David's room and I find you singing him to sleep. I'm kind of jealous actually."

"Niles, that's absurd. What in the world would you have to be jealous for?"

"Because I'd love it if you'd sing me to sleep sometime."

She blushed deeply, leaning into his warm embrace. "You really mean that?"

"Of course I do."

Overcome with love for him, she kissed his chin, his cheeks and finally his lips, feeling more in love than she'd ever been.