Her hand was on his arm again, bringing him back to the present. "Dr. Crane, is something wrong?"

"What? No, I… Brilliant work, Miss Moon!"

His attempt at humor made her laugh but then she quieted.

He swallowed hard, realizing that in their excitement over solving the mystery, they'd moved closer to one another on the sofa and were now sitting so close together that their shoulders were touching. Dear God, he hoped that she didn't think-

She smiled at him but she didn't move away. "Spending so much time pouring over old crime scene photos and watching police dramas and action movies with your father certainly seems to have paid off, don't you think so?"

Niles chuckled. "Where were you when I needed you thirty years ago?" Immediately he froze. Dear God where had that come from?

"I-I don't understand."

He paused for a moment, trying to figure out why he'd asked the question in the first place. And then it came to him. "Frasier and I could have used your help on the stories we wrote together."

"You mean your Crane Boys Mysteries?"

He couldn't believe his ears. "Yes! How did you know? Did Frasier tell you about them?"

"No, actually your father did."

"Dad? But he never read them. He always told us that crime solving was for police officers and detectives, not for nosy little boys."

"Well, actually he was just being… well, your father. He told me that he used to read them to your mother when she was in the hospital and apparently he became hooked on them. I know that you think those stories are gone forever, but I happen to know that they're tucked away in a neat stack in a box on the top shelf of your father's closet. Oh, I wasn't snooping around your father's room, Dr. Crane, I promise. I was just looking for an extra set of sheets and when I saw the box I asked him about it. He showed me the stories inside and even let me read a few of them. They're quite good."

Niles fell silent as he took in this information. For so, so long he hoped that his father would take interest in the stories that he and Frasier had worked so hard to write. And to think that all of this time…

His gaze dropped to the blanket that was still wrapped around his shoulders. And when he looked up, Daphne's beautiful face was blurred by the tears in his eyes.

"Oh God, I've upset you!" She said in a frantic tone. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane. I never meant… I just thought-."

"It's all right." He said, his voice barely a whisper. "I just… I had no idea that Dad ever…"

Her hand went to his cheek and she brushed the tear from the corner of his eye with her thumb. And then she took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Your father loves you very much, Dr. Crane. Please don't ever forget that."

At the threat of more tears, he lowered his head and nodded. "Thank you, Daphne."
She smiled as her gaze traveled from his face to the still-unfinished puzzle. And then their eyes met once more.

God how he loved her. He looked deeply into her eyes and-

"Daphne?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think that we should stay here for the rest of the week?"

She looked completely stunned. "Y-you mean here?"

"Yes."

"The two of us?"

"Yes."

"But what about your brother? He's expecting me to clean. And then there are your father's exercises, the laundry… and who will fix the meals?"

His heart sank. "You're right Daphne. How inconsiderate of me."

"Yes." She answered, rather abruptly. Suddenly he realized what she was referring to. And his heart began to sing.

"Yes?"

She squeezed his hand. "Yes."

They stared at one another, exchanging smiles. And he was happier than he could have ever imagined.