Daphne squinted at the morning light that filtered from the marina, casting a rainbow of colors above the horizon. It was the most breathtaking sunrise she'd ever seen.

If only…

Tears spilled from her eyes, splashing onto her pillow as the beautiful sunrise became blurry. She'd barely gotten any sleep and she was more than exhausted. But every time she closed her eyes, she pictured him, tearing into her, for reasons that she couldn't even fathom. And then his rage filled voice, ordering her to leave. Soon she was sobbing once more, the ache in her heart stronger than ever.

And then she heard the knock on the door. She tried to ignore it, hoping that whoever it was would simply go away. She didn't want to be bothered with one of Roz's friends and she wished that Roz had remembered to tell her friends that she was leaving town instead of allowing them to show up on her doorstep. But Daphne had done the same thing, hadn't she?

The knocking increased, followed by soft muffled voices. Annoyed, Daphne rose from the bed and grabbed Roz's robe, slipping it around her body. And then she padded through the tiny apartment to the front door.

"Look, Roz isn't here. She's in Wisconsin and-." She thrust the door open, staring at the visitor in shock.

"Niles…"

He stood before her, wearing an expression on his face that she'd never seen, and holding a bouquet of flowers. And then he opened his mouth to speak. "Daph-."

But she gasped in surprise when David rushed past his father and ran into her arms. "Mommy!"

"Oh… David!" She cried, hugging her son tightly as she lifted him off of the ground.

As she expected, the child was full of questions;' "Why did you leave, Mommy? Where's Aunt Roz? And Cousin Alice? Why didn't you come and check on me, Mommy? Why are you crying? Why was Daddy yelling? Why…"

His curious questions melded together and she looked up at Niles, who wore an expression of indignity. She could barely find the strength to speak as she held her son, stroking his soft blonde hair. And then she looked into his blue eyes, she could see how much he resembled his father. Ignoring Niles, she carried David into the apartment and smiled through her tears.

"Did Daddy make you breakfast? I bet he didn't, did he? He's not very good at things like that. Come on, let's go into the kitchen and see what Aunt Roz has to eat. I bet she has some waffles. Would you like that, Sweetheart?"

David nodded, oblivious to the tension between his parents. "Uh huh…"

As Daphne carried David into the kitchen, she could feel Niles watching her, but she didn't dare look at him. She couldn't. To see him would only bring back the pain and humiliation of-

Unexpectedly she began to sob and she put David down. He stood in the middle of the kitchen watching her in confusion. "Close the frigerator door, Mommy! It's cold!"

Woodenly she did as he asked, having no recollection of even opening the refrigerator at all. "I-I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I-."

"Waffles, Mommy! Waffles!" David shouted.

"Mommy can't make you waffles right now, Sweetheart. I'm so sorry, but I-."

To her horror, David began to cry, bringing Niles to the doorway.

"David what's wrong, what's happened?"

"Well I'm not trying to hurt him if that's what you think!" Daphne spat. "How dare you-."

"Daphne, I would never-."

"The hell you wouldn't!" She yelled, oblivious to the fact that her son was standing next to her, scared to death. "I can't believe you-."

The knock on the door made her jump. "Bloody hell, what now?"

"That will be Dad." Niles replied quietly.

She glared at him in disbelief. "What's your father doing here?"

"I called him. I-."

At that moment a explicable rage formed within her.

"Damn it, Niles, did you tell him that I'm an unfit mother? That you think that I'm such a horrible person that you felt the need to take my son away from me and throw me out of my house? Damn you!"

Her entire body shook as she grabbed the edge of the counter, sending a glass to the floor where it shattered into pieces. And the sound made David scream even louder.

"I'll get that." Niles said as the knocking on the door became more intense.

While Niles went to get the door, Daphne stood frozen in the kitchen. David continued to scream, but she could hear the faint voices of Martin and Ronee.

"Hey, where's my buddy?" Martin was asking. David rushed past her and Daphne looked into the living room, her heart paining at the sight of David's sparkling eyes as he ran and jumped into his grandfather's arms.

"Grandpa!" he shouted, soothed instantly by Martin's touch.

Woodenly she moved to the living room and her gaze met her in-laws. They nodded in greeting and even hugged her tentatively, but instead of the usual smiles, she saw nothing but disappointment and concern.

And as she looked into the eyes of her therapy patient, turned friend turned father- in-law, she'd never felt more ashamed.