A/N: For Pat2Trivia4Me for the not so subtle hint to expand a chapter in a previous story!

The object teetered and tottered back and forth as she reached for it until it finally toppled to the floor where it crashed into pieces, sending Frasier running into the room.

"Dear God! What have you done?"

Daphne stared at the broken pieces of the priceless antique vase and began to tremble, her lips quivering as her eyes filled with tears. Just when she thought she finally fit in with the Crane men, she'd managed to ruin things once again. "I'm so sorry Dr. Crane! It was an accident!"

"There are no accidents!" Frasier yelled, shaking with rage. "How could you be so careless? You're fired!"

Daphne burst into tears, sobbing into her hands.

"Frasier, what's wrong with you?" Niles demanded, appearing out of nowhere. He held her close, attempting to comfort her.

"She broke my antique vase! It's fragile!"

"So is her heart." Niles said, holding Daphne closer as she cried on his shoulder.

"What's going on?" Martin hobbled into the room. "Frasier is threatening to fire Daphne!" Niles countered.

Frasier leaned to pick up the broken pieces. "My antique vase, Dad! It's ruined!" he yelled.

"Well, aren't you just the little hot head!" Martin said as he turned toward the kitchen. "I'll get the Super Glue. Nobody's getting fired today!"

Frasier rolled his eyes, clearly not satisfied with his father's remedy.

But Daphne was no longer thinking about her job, or the man whom she had disappointed so. She was thinking about Niles, and the way he was holding her, comforting her with every breath she took.

"Fine, Dad! Take her side! You always do!" Frasier snapped. "If it weren't for you, I never would have hired Daphne in the first place!"

Daphne looked up, horrified by what Frasier had said and began crying even harder.

"Aw geez, Fras! Now look what you did!"

"Ow! Dad! What are you doing?" Frasier yelled. "Let go of me! I'm a grown man, not a child!"

Martin released his hold on Frasier's arm. "Well, you're my child and I'm trying to get you to stop acting like a jackass! Daphne said she was sorry and she meant it, so just calm down!"

"I can't calm down, Dad! Daphne-."

"Isn't going anywhere!" Martin finished. "But you are!"

Frasier looked up sharply. "What?"

Martin went to the coat rack and handed Frasier his coat. "That's right. Get out of here! And don't come back till you've calmed down!"

"But Dad-."

"Go, Fras!"

"Where do you suggest that I go?"

"I don't care! Just get out!"

"Fine, Dad! I'll leave! But I'm not going to forget about this! Ever!"

The door slammed shut, causing Daphne's heart to jar in her chest. But through it all, Niles kept his arm around her, his gentle hand moving up and down her back, until, miraculously, her sobs became shudders.

The room was quiet; eerily so, and Daphne couldn't bring herself to look at Martin-or Niles. She'd never been so ashamed. But when her eyes met with Martin's, even more tears fell from her own. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Crane. It was an accident! I-."

Amazingly Martin chuckled. "Aw, don't worry about it. Fras shouldn't' have torn into you like that."

She turned around; shuddering at the sight of the priceless (and once very beautiful) vase that now lay in pieces on the floor. "But-."

"Don't worry about this." Martin said firmly. "I'll take care of it. Hell, it's an antique and a little Super Glue will hold it for a while. Besides, it'll give me something to do."

"I'll help you, Dad."

"Nah, it's fine Niles. Just… take care of Daphne, will ya? She looks pretty shaken up over Frasier's outburst. In fact-."

Daphne watched in surprise as Martin reached for his wallet, removing a twenty-dollar bill, handing it to Niles.

"What's this?" Niles asked.

"It's for you to go down to Nervosa and buy Daphne a drink. God knows that I need one."

"But Dad, I can't take this. I have money. I-."

"Take it, Niles. And buy something for yourself as well. It's my treat."

"Well…" He turned to Daphne. "Is this all right? Because if you want to stay-."

Daphne sniffled and then smiled at her friend. "A drink sounds lovely. Just let me go freshen up a bit. I look terrible."

"You look fine, Daphne." Martin said. "Now go on, before Frasier gets back."

A few stray tears spilled onto her cheeks, but Daphne smiled and hugged Martin tightly. "Thank you, MR. Crane. And I'm sorry."

"Fras is the one who's gonna be sorry! He should have never-well, anyway, you two go on and I'll get this cleaned up."

Daphne hugged Martin once more and looked at Niles, smiling at her friend, offering him her arm. "I'm all yours, Dr. Crane."