In this story Daphne is packing and leaving Frasier and Martin to move in with Niles. It is a flashback story, set a few days before the first episode, The Good Son as she remembers when she first met the Cranes. This is my first attempt at fan fiction but I hope you enjoy it.

Daphne Moon put her teddy into her suitcase. The shelf where Cuddles and the others had sat upon was now bare. In fact the room itself was bare. Her things were in suitcases, ready to be unpacked at the Montana.

Daphne was excited. She would finally be moving in with Niles, the love of her life. But at the same time she felt sad. She had spent lots of happy years with Frasier and Martin Crane, and of course Eddie. It would be sad to leave them. Of course she'd still pop in every day to help with Mr Crane's back, but she was still sad at leaving.

Daphne looked at Cuddles. He'd been a present from Dr Crane not long after she'd moved in. All those years ago. Daphne sat on her bed and started daydreaming about the time she moved in - and how different it could have been.....

Frasier Crane walked into Café Nervosa to find his producer Roz sitting at a table. Her date hadn't gone well and she was just having a cup of coffee before going home.

"Knock, knock."

"Oh Frasier, it's you."

"Don't worry Roz, I won't be long. I need to ask you a favour."

"Ask away."

"Well, as you know Dad will be moving in with me in a few days time. But I won't be there all the time - what with work and the wine club and all that. So I was thinking of hiring someone to help him."

"A physiotherapist?"

"Yes. Do you know where I could hire one?"

"How about the Seattle Home-Care Agency?"

"Great idea Roz, I'll ring up Niles and tell him straight away!!!"

Frasier ran out of the Café and Roz took another sip of her Expresso to hide her grin.

---------

"Dr Crane is here to see you," the receptionist said to Mr Allen,. Head of the Agency.

"Great, send him in."

Frasier and Niles walked in.

"Hi, I'm Tom Allen. Which one of you is Dr Crane?"

"I am," Frasier and Niles said at the same time.

"Uh, Frasier Crane?"

"That would be me." Frasier said.

"Right, you're here about your father Martin, are you not?" Mr Allen said. Frasier nodded and Mr Allen pulled out Martin's file.

"Right, Martin Crane, 61 years old, married to the late Hester Rose Crane, born May 13th 1932?"

"Yes, that's right," Frasier confirmed.

"Shot in hip in department store stake-out?"

"Yes."

"Right," Mr Allen said. "If you'd just like to confirm a few more details, then I'll show you your choices....."

---------

Daphne was feeling distressed. Maybe moving to Seattle wasn't such a good idea. She'd almost got her job, but Mrs Reynolds has changed her mind at the last minute, hiring an American. Maybe everyone would hire an American instead of her.

She was walking through Seattle, looking at the buildings. The Space Needle seemed higher today. Daphne then realised she was walking past KACL studios. KACL. Wasn't that the station where she'd heard Restaurant Beat? The thought of food made her hungry. For once lady luck was on her side. Just across the street was a small coffee-house named Café Nervosa.

Daphne walked in and ordered a sandwich and an Expresso. Spotting a table nearby she walked towards it whilst waiting for her food.

UMPH.

"Hey, watch where you're going!!!" a woman with a Wisconsin accent snapped at her. "You almost bumped into me."

"I'm sorry," Daphne said. "It was an accident."

"Yeah right," the woman said to herself and walked out. As she did so, Daphne noticed that the woman had dropped her wallet.

"Hey, wait!!!" she yelled but the woman had driven away.

Daphne looked inside the wallet to find out whose it was. Rozalinda Doyle, 22b Boston Street. And it had $500 in it. Ms Doyle must have been planning a night out.

I'll hand it in to the police, she though as she picked up her purchases and sat down, not noticing the CCTV camera above her.

---------

"Well, this woman seems nice," Frasier said after some time. Niles had had to leave to attend his "Time Management" class - "it should have began at 11 this morning but they're never there until a few hours later." - and Frasier had finally made the decision about the helper he wanted for Martin.

"This Miss Moon is great," he said to Mr Allen. "She's funny, caring and a great psychotherapist. Now I need to see if Dad likes her. Is she here now?"

"No, but he's due back in about an hour's time," Mr Allen said. "You see, she was rejected this morning so I sent her out for a walk to clear her mind up. I heard that on your radio show."

"I'm glad someone uses my advice," Frasier said.

Frasier's cell phone rang. Frasier answered it.

"Hello, Dr Frasier Crane here.....Roz? What's wrong?.....it did?.....wow, that much, huh.....have you phoned the police?.....you have...not...right Roz, you phone the police and give them a description of this woman.....OK, see you at your place in 10 minutes, bye."

Frasier put down the phone.

"Trouble Dr Crane?"

"Yes Tom, Roz has had a little bit of trouble. I have to attend to it now. Uh, I live at 1901 Elliot Bay Towers, drop me a line when Miss Moon is available."

"Will do Dr Crane."

Frasier nodded a goodbye and left with the information about Miss Moon.

Mr Allen's phone rang.

"Hello, Tom Allen speaking.....she did what???"

---------

Frasier knocked on the door. Roz opened it with the phone in her hand.

"...OK, has she got it?.....she has, right, I'm on my way." Then to Frasier she said, "That was the police."

"Did they catch the thief?"

"Yeah, the cameras at Café Nervosa caught her. She was holding my wallet. The cops got her near Stephano's."

"Right, let's get to the police station."

---------

Daphne was very miserable now. Since the cops had caught her she was worried. Would she be sent to jail? Or deported? And what would Mr Allen say?

Frasier and Roz walked into the station.

"Dad?" Frasier exclaimed in surprise at seeing Martin Crane there with Eddie.

"Oh hi Fras, Roz, just picking up a few things. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, we just came to pick up Roz's wallet. Someone stole it."

"Yeah," Martin replied. "A British woman. Said she was trying to return it to her."

An officer came out.

"Dr Crane, Miss Doyle, follow me please."

They did so, Martin and Eddie following.

"There she is," Roz told the Cranes. "the thief."

Frasier looked at Daphne, then at the picture of her he had in his pocket.

"I don't believe it, Daphne Moon?"

"Yes?" Daphne answered sadly.

"I don't get it Fras, how do you know her?" Martin asked his son.

"Easy Dad, she's the physiotherapist I was going to hire to take care of you!!!" Frasier handed his father Daphne's information.

Mr Allen walked in.

"Miss Moon, what is the meaning of this?"

"If I can just explain," Daphne began. "When I bumped into Miss Doyle in Café Nervosa, her wallet fell out. I noticed and tried to call her back but she'd already driven away. Well, I quickly ate my sandwich and then set off towards the police station. Unfortunately I got lost, which allowed Miss Doyle time to call the police and for them to find me."

The officer gave Roz her wallet.

"How do we know this is true?"

"You know Mr Green the butcher? Well, I asked him for directions to the station to hand the wallet in."

"I'll go phone Mr Green to check," the officer said and went to do so.

"See," Daphne said, "I think you'll find all your money and credit cards are there."

"So that's why you shouted at me," Roz said. "Of course I couldn't hear you."

"Well, Miss Moon," Mr Allen said, "I'll bail you out."

"Well, I guess that's ruined my chance of getting a job," Daphne said sadly.

The officer came back in. "All correct, Mr Green did indeed give Miss Moon directions. You're free to go."

"On the contrary, I admire you for helping Roz out," Martin said. "Lots of people I know would have kept all the money." Then to Frasier: "Fras, I like her. She's perfect - honest, caring and good looking. Let's still hire her."

"Come on Frasier," said Roz. "Hire her. Your father likes her."

"Well OK," Frasier said. "Daphne, you're hired."

"Thank you, Mr.....er...."

"Dr Frasier Crane, my father Martin and you probably know this is Roz."

"Thank you Dr Crane, Mr Crane, Miss Doyle."

"Please," said Roz. "Call me Roz."

---------

Yes, it had been a shaky start, but things had worked out alright in the end. She and Roz were now best friends, and she thought of Dr Crane and Mr Crane as part of her family. She had met Niles a few weeks later and he had fallen for her right from the start.

"Daphne?" Martin called. "You in there?"

"Oh Mr Crane," she said. "I'm just finishing packing."

Martin and Eddie walked in and she gave Eddie a cuddle. Then she turned to Martin.

"Mr Crane....." she paused as Frasier walked in.

".....and Dr Crane, I love you. Thanks for everything." She gave them both a cuddle.

"Right, let's get this box into the car," Frasier said. "The rest of your life starts now. And Niles is looking forward to having you."

"As I'm looking forward to him," Daphne said. Yes, Dr Crane was right. Her old life here was coming to an end. But a new life with Niles was starting now and that was something to look forward to.