The ringing phone jolted Niles out of a restless sleep, waking David in the process. He'd just gotten his son back to sleep, after David had awoken, asking for his mother. A few stretches of the truth were all it took to satisfy David, but soon he was crying at full volume, kicking and screaming like mad, rattling Niles' nerves in the process. David rarely had tantrums like this one but when he did; they were enough to give Niles a nervous breakdown.
He threw back the covers and stormed into David's bedroom, lifting his son out of the bed and into his arms. He was gentle with the boy of course, but David could definitely sense his father's anxiety. And that, in turn, made soothing David impossible. With David in his arms, Niles turned and went back to the bedroom, where he angrily picked up the phone.
"Hello?" He barked. "Look, whoever this is, I have a stressful situation going on, so I'd appreciate it if you could call back later. I-."
"Well, that's a fine way to speak to your brother!" Frasier snapped. "Do you speak that way to your patients?"
"Frasier, do you have any idea what time it is? I need my rest and David-."
"Is that David I hear screaming in the background? Dear God, what's wrong with him?"
"He's upset and I can't seem to get him calm!"
"Well no wonder he's upset if you speak to him the way you've been speaking to me! For God's sake, now I know why Daphne sounded so frantic when she called! Niles, what in the hell is going on?"
"Nothing's going on, Frasier! Everything is-wait, did you say that Daphne called you?"
"Of course she called me! She couldn't talk to you, and now I know why! What's going on?"
"We had a fight, does that make you happy?"
"No it does not!" Frasier retorted. "It does not make me happy, especially since she called to tell me that you had thrown her out of the house! Niles, how could you?"
"Well, can you blame me?"
"Considering how many times Maris threw you out of the house, yes! Niles, you know better than anyone that shutting people out isn't the answer and if won't solve anything! And how could you even think of keeping Daphne from her son?"
"He's my son, too!"
"Well he doesn't sound very happy right now, and if you've spoken to him the way you've been speaking to me, I can completely understand what he's feeling! What has gotten into you? Daphne is a complete basket case, Niles! She thinks that you and David don't love her anymore!"
Niles swallowed hard, patting David on the back while relentlessly trying to calm him. But his efforts were useless. "Frasier, I appreciate your concern, but-."
"Is that David? Is he still crying? Dear God, why haven't you taken care of him?"
Niles gasped in horror at the assumption. "Frasier, are you implying that I'm not a good father? I am wounded!"
"Niles, just… Put the phone next to David's ear!"
"What?"
"Just do it!"
Confused, Niles moved the receiver close to his own heart, the earpiece next to David's small ear. Ever so faintly, Niles could hear Frasier's voice, talking softly to his son. It didn't take a psychiatrist to know what his brother was saying.
He was telling David a story, one that their father used to tell them when they were afraid, or couldn't sleep. And within minutes, David had stopped crying. To Niles' amazement, he could hear David snoring softly, against his shoulder. The sight both relieved and annoyed him, for once again, his brother proved to be the superior one.
"Niles! Niles! Are you there?" Frasier shouted his voice tinny in the receiver.
"Thanks, Frasier. Yes, I'm here. David's asleep."
"Good! You're welcome, Niles. Now go and put David to bed and get back on the phone! I'm not finished with you, yet!"
As Niles carried David into his bedroom and laid him on his bed, he sighed. A kiss on his son's cheek and he covered him with a blanket and turned out the light.
"Frasier, it's late and-."
"Niles, do you have any idea where Daphne is right now?"
Niles said nothing, but pictured her beautiful face. Dear God, what was he thinking, throwing her out of the house? She could be anywhere at that moment, anywhere at all… and suddenly he was terrified.
"You don't, do you?" Frasier snapped, answering his own question.
"No, and frankly-."
"Niles for God's sake, you loved Daphne for seven years before you told her how you felt… on the night before her wedding to Donny! I've never seen a man who loves his wife more than you and quite honestly, I'm… Well, I 'm a little envious! There, I said it!"
"But what about Charlotte?"
"I love Charlotte, very deeply in fact, but… Oh Dear God, Niles this isn't about Charlotte! This is about you and Daphne. Daphne Crane, your wife, the woman you're supposed to love unconditionally! What in God's name could she have done that is so horrible that it justified throwing her out of the house?"
Niles swallowed hard, unable to speak for a few moments and then his brother's harsh voice jolted him back to reality.
"Niles, are you there?"
"Um… yes." Niles replied.
"Well, are you going to tell me about this horrible thing that Daphne did, or not?"
Tears filled Niles' eyes as he peered into the doorway at his sleeping son. "Frasier, Daphne's having an affair… with Eric!"