A little disagreement!

Outside Fran leans against the wall and fights back her tears. It was over. Loose in her thoughts, she's walking through the living room when Niles suddenly gets in her way.

"My God Niles! Do you want me to have a heart attack?" Niles glares at her with anger.

"Not a bad idea! Otherwise, I have to go to jail for murder! For strangling you with my bare hands." Fran gives him a disapproving look. He was eavesdropping again.

"That's none of your business at all! It's my life and my decision!" She storms upstairs to her room, Niles on her feet.

"I beg your pardon. What are you saying? For years my only goal and purpose in life has been to get you and Mr. Sheffield marching down the aisle and now just right before the finale you want to leave? I won't allo..."

Baam! Fran slams the door in his face.

"Take care of your own life! I love Gideon and I'm going to move in with him!"

Niles tries to enter her room, but Fran locked the door and turns the music to full volume.

Niles turns around and decides to talk to Mr. Sheffield. He has to stop this nightmare. Without knocking he rushes into the office and stops, horrified. His boss looks disastrous. He's crying and sobbing like never in his life.

"Sir! You've got to do something! You can't just let Miss Fine leave the house, the children and you!"

"It's not that easy, Niles! I don't want her to go either. Of course, I've tried everything to convince her. I've begged her to stay, I've explained her how much the children and I need her. I even tried to make her realize that the children need her as their mother! She didn't listen! Do you want me to tie her up and gag her to keep her with us?"

Both men stare at each other helplessly. Neither of them knows any answer or solution.

Meanwhile, Fran lies on her bed. Her fingers tenderly strokes a picture of Maxwell.

"Forgive me!" she whispers. Then she lets her tears flow.

The Sheffield kids sit with Fran and their father at dinner. They senses some trouble in the air. Both Fran and Maxwell are only poking at their food, not looking at each other with one glance and they barely respond to the children's comments. Maxwell only shruggs his shoulders when Brighton confess, he got a D in his last French test. Gracie tells them about the fashion show her class wants to organize for the school carnival and all reaction Fran shows, is a mumble.

"Nice! You'll have some great fun there!"

Gracie actually surpress her the intention to feel Fran's forehead to check if she has a fever.

Also Niles seems to be more grumpier than ever. He literally throws the items on the table. In addition, the meal was actually quite inedible. The potatoes were far too salty, the steaks tough and the vegetables overcooked. Such an offense almost never occurres in the Sheffield household.

Finally, Maggie can't stand the tension any longer. "Okay dish! I want to know what's going on here. Even in a monastery it's more entertaining!"

"Margaret behave yourself. Right now! Be quiet and keep eating your dinner!"

"Daddy! Unresolved conflicts lead to enormous mental stress and physical discomfort..."

Maxwell can't bear the situation any longer, he rises and leaves the room without another word.

"Bravo Mrs. Freud! Great performance!"

"Oh, shut up Brighton! You didn't say anything" Fran now intervenes.

"Be peaceful kids! It's nothing at all. Just a little disagreement!" (Krawumm! Niles drops a bowl from the sideboard) "Finish your meal or go to your rooms."

As if on cue, the three jump up and make their way upstairs. Brighton turns to his sisters.

"If that was just a little disagreement, you may call me a jerk for the rest of my life."

Gracie and Maggie just glance at their brother dumbfounded. They have to admit, for once he wasn't the jerk.