Later that evening….
As Niles slept peacefully on the sofa, Eddie's head resting in his lap, Daphne crept out of the living room and walked to the balcony. It was quite chilly out but she didn't care. And when she looked into the night sky, she gasped lightly.
It was the most beautiful sky that she'd ever seen. There were millions of stars, accompanied by a glowing full moon and the Space Needle below. It was a picture perfect night that beckoned to be shared.
As quietly as possible she returned to the living room smiling at the man she'd come to love so much. She brushed her fingers lightly across his cheek. The bruises were almost gone now with only the faintest hint of color. But she knew that the emotional scars that he'd acquired might never heal. All of them were bound to have lingering issues but they'd deal with that when the time came. And no matter what, she vowed to get all of them through this difficult time, no matter what it took.
At her touch, Niles stirred briefly and she considered letting him sleep. He certainly needed his rest and she hate to wake him for something that seemed so trivial. He looked so sweet and peaceful sleeping next to Eddie. But when she returned her gaze to the Seattle skyline through Frasier's large picture window, she knew that she couldn't let this magical moment pass them by. It was like a sign from the heavens above, letting her know that everything would be okay.
Her heart fluttered as she knelt on the floor and kissed Niles' cheek. He stirred once more and continued to do so as she gently trailed kisses across his jawline. And when his eyes opened, he smiled at the sight of her.
"Daphne…"
"I'm sorry I woke you." She said quietly. "But there's-."
He bolted upright on the sofa. "What's wrong? Is it Dad, or Frasier?"
She sighed deeply, hating herself for not realizing that he might act this way. Of course he would be on edge when faced with possible bad news. Who wouldn't be?
"Nothing's wrong. I'm so sorry I frighted you, Sweetheart. I wanted to show you something."
"Oh… All right. Where is it?"
"It's outside. I-."
He eyed the wheelchair with a grimace and rose unsteadily to his feet.
"Let me help you, Sweetheart."
Almost instantly he latched onto her for support as she wrapped her arm around his waist and carefully guided him into the wheelchair. The sadness in his eyes returned, breaking her heart in two.
"I know it's frustrating but I promise it's just for a little while. You're getting stronger every day and I'm going to keep working with you as much as you'd like. Please don't ever forget that I love you."
He kissed her tenderly and then held her as close as possible. "I could never forget that, Daphne. I love you too… so much."