(Cheers, 84 Beacon Street)

When they reached the corner, the famous bar came into view. Almost instantly, Martin started across the street, eager to get inside. When he got to the sidewalk, he

turned with exasperation to find his family struggling to catch up with him.

"Come on! Let's get in there!" He called to them.

"What's the rush, Dad?" Niles asked.

"What's the rush? Are you kidding? That's not just any beer in there! That's Boston's finest brew!"

When Niles, Daphne and Frasier caught up with Martin, they walked down the stairs until the came to the familiar wooden door.

"I can hardly wait." Martin said with a smile.

By force of habit, Sam Malone looked up at the sound of the door opening and his eyes widened. The dishtowel fell from his hand and within seconds he was greeting

his most recent patrons.

"Well I'll be damned! If it isn't Dr. Frasier Crane! And he brought the whole family! Hey Woody, take over for me will ya?"

"Sure thing, Sam." Woody said. "What's going on?"

"We have visitors, that's what's going on! Get these people beers on the house!"

Sam ran over to Frasier and wrapped him in a bear hug. "Frasier! God it's good to see you!"

"Thanks, Sam." Frasier said, trying to appear happy to be in his old hangout. "Place looks exactly the same."

"Well, you know... gotta keep the customers coming in. So how are you, man?"

"Fine, never better." Frasier lied, knowing full well that Sam could see right through him.

"Sam, you remember my father Martin."

Martin shook Sam's hand. "How's it going?"

"Good, good. Pleasure to see you again, Martin."

"And my brother Niles."

"Hello, Sam." Niles said, offering his hand in greeting.

Sam shook Niles hand and then turned to Daphne with a smile. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting this beautiful woman."

"That's my father's therapist, Daphne Moon."

"You've met her before." Niles said, more harshly than he intended.

"No, I don't think so." Sam said. "I could never forget a face as beautiful as this."

When he kissed Daphne's hand, she laughed nervously. "Oh, Mr. Malone! You're much too kind!"

Watching them, Niles felt his heart racing as he picked up a menu and angrily began flipping through it.

"Come on over and have a seat!" Sam said, leading them to the bar stools.

"Here you go, Dr. Crane..." Woody said handing him a beer. "How's life in St Louis?"

"St Louis?" Niles asked in confusion. "Frasier doesn't-."

"Seattle, Woody." Sam corrected. "Frasier and his family live in Seattle, Washington."

"Oh!" Woody said, drying the inside of a beer mug with a towel. "That's right! I'd forgotten that you live in the Windy City."

Niles sipped his beer and shook his head in disbelief. "I'm sorry. Where did you go to school again?"

"Boston Community College." Woody said, smiling proudly.

"Ah." Niles said. "No further explanation needed then."

"Yep! Majored in Music." Woody said.

"Music, huh?" Martin asked. "What instrument?"

Woody looked at him blankly.

"Woody doesn't play an instrument." Sam explained. "He thought that by majoring in music, he'd be able to score front row tickets to all the big name concerts in

Boston."

Niles shook his head in disbelief. "Why did I even wonder?"

Frasier smiled at his friend. "Still the same old Woody! How are Kelly and your son?"

"Oh they're fine, Dr. Crane." Woody said. He looked over at Daphne as though he suddenly realized she was sitting in front of him. "Whoa! Who's this?"

"Woody, this is Daphne Moon." Sam said.

"It's nice to see you again, Woody." Daphne said.

Niles swallowed hard, painfully aware of Daphne clutching Woody's hand. "It's nice to see you again, Woody."

"I could use another beer." Niles said, slamming his empty glass on the counter.

Martin finished his beer and sat his beer mug next to Niles. "I'd like another one as well. Now that's a beer!" he chuckled.

"Even better than your Ballantine's Dad?" Niles asked with a grin.

"Niles this stuff is much better than Ballantine's!" Martin said. "Cheers has the best beer in the world!"

"Oh, don't let anyone at Duke's or McGinty's hear you talkin' like that!" Daphne said. "They're liable to forbid you from ever settin' foot in those places again! And then

what would you do?"

"Well, if it isn't Dr. Frasier Crane!"

"How're you doin' Frasier?"

At the familiar voices, Frasier turned to find himself face to face with Cliff Clavin and Norm Peterson smiling at him.

"Oh my God..." Frasier said, climbing off the bar stool to embrace his friends.

"How's it goin', Pal?" Cliff asked, patting Frasier on the back. "Are you still a head shrinker?"

"I'm still a psychiatrist, yes..." Frasier said, cringing at Cliff's harsh name for his

"And a darn good one!" Niles said.

"He sure is!" Martin said. "He's a big radio star now!"

"Oh, you're a DJ, Dr. Crane? You never told me that!" Woody said. "What station?"

"KACL 780." Daphne said. "It's quite a good show."

"Thank you, Daphne." Frasier said.

"Rock and roll, huh?" Woody asked. "Boy, I never pegged you as a music buff."

"Woody it's a call in radio show where I give ad-."

"Frasier Crane?"

He turned to find Carla Tortelli smiling at him.

"Carla, how are you?"

"Come here you big lug!" She said hugging him.

When Frasier didn't hug her back she released him almost instantly.

"What's with you?"

Frasier smiled. "I'm sorry, Carla." He said, slowly putting his arms around her.

"How are you? You look wonderful."

"Thanks, Fras. At least someone noticed." She said, glaring at Cliff and Niles.

"So you never told us. What brings you to Boston?" Cliff asked.

"He's on vacation, aren't you, Fras?" Sam said. "Guy doesn't even bother calling us, just shows up whenever he wants to!"

"Actually we're not on vacation." Niles said. "We're here to-."

"We're here to see Lillith." Martin interrupted.

Cliff shuddered. "Ooh!... Did anyone else feel a chill pass through here?"

"Felt more like a blizzard!" Norm answered.

To this they both laughed and gave each other a high five.

"Lilith, huh? How is the old bat anyway?" Sam asked.

Martin shifted uncomfortably on his bar stool as he watched Frasier's smile disappear.

When Sam noticed that Frasier wasn't laughing he covered Frasier's hand with his own. "Just kiddin' Fras."

"Sam-."

"You know, it was the damndest thing." Sam continued. "She came in here just the other day, with Frederick of all people! I started to tell her that there were no kids

allowed, but this was Frederick, you know? I couldn't turn way Frasier Crane's kid."

Frasier looked sadly into his glass of beer, barely aware of Niles comforting hand on his shoulder.

"How is Frederick?" Frasier asked quietly.

"Oh, he's great!" Sam said. "That's a smart kid you have there, Frasier! He could name all the elements of the periodic table in about thirty seconds."

"Yeah." Carla chimed in. "Woody here didn't even know what the periodic table of elements was."

"That's for sure." Cliff said. He thought it was something that you bought at an antique store! Even asked where he could get one for his mother!"

The group burst into a fit of hysterical laughter, unaware of the uneasiness that hovered over Niles, Daphne and Frasier.

"Yeah, he's a good kid, that Frederick. You should see him, Frasier." Cliff said. "He had us all in hysterics, talking about sports. Of course, Lilith knew right away that

Fredrick was just pulling our legs pretending to know about the Celtics and the Red Sox."

"But he wasn't kidding when he named all those songs by Beethoven." Norm said. "He sure does take after his dad, doesn't he Sam?"

"Absolutely!" Sam laughed. "Frasier, did I tell you what he told me when I asked him about Sigmund Freud? You're gonna love this one..."

The conversation continued, but Frasier looked away, the tears glistening in his eyes.