Frasier Crane strolled into his living room. It was 10am and he'd just got up. Looking around the apartment, he saw Martin and Daphne in the kitchen talking. Eddie was staring at him.

Frasier turned to look directly at Eddie.

"Hmph," he groaned at the dog. Eddie saw Frasier's face and ran off.

"At least this morning started off well," he smirked.

"Fras, you up?" Martin called from the kitchen.

"No Dad, I'm sleepwalking." Frasier answered sarcastically.

"Again??? Well, don't stroll out onto the balcony again."

"Ha ha Dad."

"Well, your mail's on the table."

Frasier looked through his post. Bills, bills, bills, something for Daphne, a free sample of dog food for Eddie from some wretched company, ah, this looks interesting.

Frasier opened the envelope. It was from a magazine he read.

"Dear Dr Krane."

"You have won second prize in our competition. A free ride in a hot air balloon for you and a friend."

"Yes!!!"

"What is it Fras?" asked Martin as he walked into the living room.

"I won!!!" and Frasier showed his father the letter.

"Hey Dad, you wanna go with me?"

"Gee, I'd love to, but it's the finals day. I've had those tickets for months."

"Ah well, we're flying over the stadium, maybe I'll see you!!! Hey Daphne!!!"

But Daphne already had plans. Her parents were visiting that weekend and they were going to have dinner with Niles and Daphne. Besides, Niles had a fear of heights, did he not?

"Oh, I know, I can take Roz. I do owe her for helping me get a discount on my new, 16th century, Renaissance vase."

"Roz is into antiques?" asked Daphne.

"No, but 'Joel' is. Honestly, what kind of name is that for an antiques lover?"

Daphne looked at Martin.

"Hey, Hester named the kids!!!"

"Hey Frasier, this is great!!!" said Roz as they waited to get on the balloon. "I've always wanted to do this. Plus Joel was busy so I was a bit lonely."

"My treat," said Frasier. "Plus I've wanted a Saturday night where I can just relax for a while."

"So anyway, I have this problem with Alice. She came home from day care yesterday and asked me what the word ****** meant."

"Sorry Roz, I didn't hear the word, a car drove past."

"It was ******." Another car went past.

"Oh, heard it that time. Don't worry, just tell her that the word is not nice and she shouldn't say it because it hurts other people's feelings."

"OK, thank you Frasier."

The two boarded the balloon. It was a big one and could hold about 20 people. Frasier looked around. There was no-one he knew.

Roz however was not so lucky.

"Oh my God, it's Joel!!! With another woman!"

Joel and his friend were kissing each other passionately. "This really turns me on," Joel said to her.

"That no good, low-down dirty cheat!" whispered Roz to Frasier. Then to Joel, "Hey Joel!"

Joel turned around.

"Roz!"

"Joel, you dirty cheat! How could you?"

"Oh, you mean you're not cheating on me too?" Roz saw Frasier standing next to her.

"Frasier's my boss and friend, not my date!"

"Yeah, really."

"Well, well, isn't this interesting," said a voice.

Frasier looked around.

"Mel?!?"

Niles was nervous. Today he'd be taking Daphne and her parents out to dinner. He was anxious that he would make a good impression, but was nervous. Daphne's parents wanted to visit the revolving restaurant at the top of the Space Needle, and Niles had never been there before. Well, he had, but had fainted at the top.

The four were at the bottom of the Space Needle.

"Well Niles," said Gertrude Moon, Daphne's mum, "I hope this restaurant is a good one."

"Yep," said Tom Moon, Daphne's dad, "I'm so starving I could eat a horse!"

Daphne and her mum chuckled.

Is that funny? Should I laugh to be polite? wondered Niles. He did so, just to be polite.

"Come on dear, let's go," said Daphne to Niles. They led her parents to the lift.

"Top floor," said Daphne to the lift attendant.

"Sure thing ma'am," he replied.

This will be OK, this will be OK, Niles thought to himself.

They got to the top. "Reservation for Crane," Daphne told the waiter.

"Ah yes, come this way. Four seats next to the window."

"Oh good," said Gertrude. Niles looked out the window. He was sitting next to it. Daphne had wanted to sit opposite her mum, and her dad wanted to be by the window, so he had to too.

The Seattle skyline was moving.

Oh dear God!!!

-----

"So, you ruined my marriage by making my husband run off with a whore, then you date your producer? Well, Frasier, you certainly have been busy." Mel Karnovsky smirked at her former brother in law.

"Mel, we're not dating," said Frasier. "I took Roz here for a treat."

"Joel, we're not dating," Roz told Joel. "He took me here for a treat. Anyway, you're taking her for a treat!!!"

"Roz, we're over. I love Marcie."

"Well thanks for being so honest!"

"Joel, you didn't tell me you were seeing someone else," said Marcie. "How could you? What makes me think you won't do it again?"

"How long he's been doing this?" asked Roz.

Meanwhile Mel's friend Prudence walked over to Frasier and Mel.

"Mel, dear, who's this?"

Mel answered loudly, "This is the man who wrecked my marriage!"

The crowd gasped.

"Is it true Dr Crane?" asked a reporter from the local paper who happened to be on board.

"Uh....."

"Yes," said Mel and told him all about it.

"You fiend," said an old lady.

I hope Roz is having it better than me, thought Frasier.

Then he heard, "FOUR MONTHS???"

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are approaching the Seattle Space Needle with its revolving restaurant, If you look through the binoculars, you can see the patrons."

Frasier looked through them. He saw Niles, Daphne and her parents.

"Well, at least Niles is having a good time," he muttered to himself.

-----

Niles was not. He was sweating throughout the entire meal. He didn't listen to half of what Tom and Gertie were saying as he was too nervous and accidentally laughed very loudly when Tom was halfway through a joke.

"Excuse us Mum, Dad," said Daphne and she dragged Niles to the restroom area.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I....I...I....."

"Niles, are you scared?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you say so?"

"Because I was too embarrassed in front of your parents."

"You silly sausage! Look, I'll let you into a secret. Dad's scared too. Mum thought it would help him if he sat near the window. And he's managed."

"Oh."

They went back to dinner.

"So Tom, don't you like this either?"

"Not one bit Niles."

"Oh, why's that?"

"Well, it reminds me of one time at the docks....."

Next day Frasier came into his apartment living room.

"Morning Fras, have a good time? We did! Niles, Daphne and her parents got on so well after Niles was very nervous, they've all gone out for breakfast. And my team won, so we all had a good night last night!"

Frasier said nothing, so Martin said:

"Hey Fras, you're in the paper again."

"Oh god no, what happened with Niles and Mel isn't in there is it?"

"Niles and Mel? No, it's about your ratings. They've gone up. "

"Oh, good. Well, that will cheer me up after the night from hell." And he told Martin what had happened.

The 'phone rang. It was Roz.

"Frasier, that was the best night of my life! It turns out Joel was wanted by the police, so my screaming at him happened to bring an officer's attention to him. Marcie and I got a reward!"

"I don't remember that."

"You fainted."

"Ah."

"And don't worry about Mel, I took the film out of the reporter's camera and 'accidentally' ruined his interview tape. But you'll have to give back that vase, it's fake. Well, gotta go, see ya!"

Frasier walked to his room.

"Fras, where ya going?"

"Bed. I need it."