She could barely see as she dialed Frasier's number and she paid little attention to how late it had gotten. When the ringing phone was finally answered, she thought that she might faint with relief.

"Frasier… it's Daphne." She sobbed before he even had a chance to say hello.

"Daphne… Dear God, what's wrong?"

"I-I'm sorry to call so late, but I don't have anyone else to talk to! I-."

"Daphne, it's all right. Just… I know it's hard, but try to relax."

"I-I can't! I-."She sobbed, even harder at his soothing words.

"Daphne, listen to me. Whatever it is, I'm here for you. Just… tell me what's wrong and how I can help you."

"It's Niles… And David!" she was surprised at how much it hurt to say the names of the people she loved most. And then she heard a noise, like the phone being dropped and the sound of Frasier's gasp. Oh God, she'd frightened him. How could she have been so stupid?

"What's happened, Daphne? Are they sick? Hurt? Are they-."

"No…" She whispered the word so soft that even she couldn't hear it. "They… don't love me anymore!" She began to sob harder this time and he allowed her to cry until her tears were dissolved. And then he spoke softly.

"Daphne, listen to me, please. Just take a slow, deep breath in and out. Don't rush it; just breathe as calmly as possible."

She followed his advice as much as she could, but the sobs racking her body made it impossible. "I-I can't!"

"Daphne, please… Just… close your eyes and think of the most wonderful time of your life. Can you do that?"

She tried to do as Frasier asked, feeling the hot tears running down her cheeks. But how could she possibly think of the most wonderful times of her life when those times involved Niles? He was her life. Her whole life and-

"Daphne, Niles and David love you, of that I am certain. I don't know what happened between you two, but I do know this. No man could ever love a woman before. Believe me, I've seen it firsthand. How can you even begin to think-."

"He threw me out, Frasier! Of our house! He was so angry! I was… afraid of him! I've never been afraid of him before!" She sobbed.

"Dear God, that's preposterous! Niles would never- He must have completely lost his mind! What happened?"

"I-I don't know! One minute, we were fine and the next he was rejecting me! I confronted him about it, but he completely blew up! I don't understand what's happening! I don't-."

"Daphne, where are you?"

"A-at Roz's!"

"Good, she'll be able to help you through this. Wait… I thought she was in Wisconsin visiting her sister!"

"Sh-she is in Wisconsin!" Daphne cried, finding that the subtle breathing exercises Frasier had suggested had done no good at all.

"I see..." Frasier replied. "Daphne, I want you to do something for me, all right? I want you to call Niles and insist that the two of you talk this situation through."

"But-."

"Daphne, it's the only way!"

"I can't talk to him, Frasier! Not now! I just can't!" She sobbed. "Ever since he told David that ridiculous story of The Little Mermaid-the real story, things have been completely different! David ended up with nightmares and when Niles finally broke down and bought David the DVD, we watched it together. For some reason that's what set everything in motion!"

"All right, Daphne. Why don't you get some sleep? I promise you that everything will be fine."

She sighed deeply, wishing that his words were true, but she didn't see how it could be. "Thank you, Frasier. I love you. Goodnight."

"I love you too, Daphne. Goodnight."

When she hung up the phone she sank into Roz's bed, suddenly exhausted. With the bedside lamp turned off, the twinkling lights of the marina provided a strange sense of calmness. It was such a beautiful scene that she wished that Niles could see it, too. But that only made her tears fall faster, thinking about the man she had lost.

She couldn't stop thinking about him, no matter how hard she tired. And so she drifted off into a restless sleep, wondering if he was thinking of her too.