Something New

Summary: Alternitve Universe fic that takes place after the episode "Room Service". Lilith recieves some shocking news and has to make some important, life changing decisions, will she find love where she least expects it?

Disclaimer: I still don't own "Frasier" or "Cheers", although I sill believe that one day I will, as a result I am just borrowing the characters of Lilith Sternin, Frederick Sternin-Crane, Frasier Crame, Niles Crane, Daphne Moon, Martin Crane and Roz Doyle. Mia Eloise Sternin-Crane is my creation and can be used if you seek my written permission.

The majority of Characters etc. used in this story belong to Grub Street Productions, NBC, Paramount et.al. I am just borrowing them.

Chapter One

Lilith

"Um, Ok, thank you." I said to Dr. Angela Morris, a dear friend of mine as I left her office totally shellshocked by the news that she had just given me. Not that the news was bad, infact if the circumstances were different I would be jumping for joy right about now, I have just found out that I am 9 weeks pregnant, but I am alone and scared.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled to a couple I have accidently bumped into while wandering through the corridors of Boston General Hospital where I work as a researcher. The couple are aged in their late 30's only a couple of years younger than me and are the picture of domestic bliss, they have a child aged around 2 and the woman like me is pregnant although much further along than I.

"Are you OK?" the man asked me quietly. "I'm fine" I whispered fighting back tears, I quickly walk a few feet away and the turn around and watch the couple walk down the corridor, tears streaming down my face.

Later that day

I left work early, not long after my little breakdown and have been driving around the streets of Boston ever since in an attempt to gather my thoughts. My ex-husband Frasier Crane does this all the time, when ever he is worried or upset he will get in his car and just drive around, a notion which I had previously dismissed as obessive-compulsive it actually seems to be helping me to think things through clearly.

I know I am going to keep the baby, my problem is weather to tell the father or not. This is complicated, I know without a doubt who the father is but telling him could destroy my relationship or what is currently left of it with Frasier. The father is Niles Crane, Frasier's younger brother. The last few months have been very difficult, first my husband Brian left me for a man, then after this happened I went to Seattle seeking the comfort of my ex-husband but ended up in bed with Niles, how this happened I can't quite remember as I was very drunk at the time, the following morning Frasier came by and found out that we had slept together. As a result my relationship is anything less than perfect and I don't want to damage it any further for the sake of our son Frederick.

On the other hand Niles has the right to know about this.

I think I would want to know if I were Niles and therefore I will tell him.

Something New

Chapter 2

Frederick

Three days later

I wrote this chapter second although it may seem out of place at the moment, Frederick will become a very important part of this fic and I feel that this set-up chapter is required.

"Frederick, come here please." my mom called out to me from the living room of our modest house in the outer suburbs of Boston.

"Coming mom" I replied as I reluctantly turned off my Playstation and headed downstairs.

Mom sounds like she has been crying, I hate it when Mom cries, I feel really uncomfortable. Mom has been crying alot lately, my step-dad left her for another man, she thinks I don't know but I do and she has been crying even more than usual the last few days, Mom thinks I don't know that she cries but I do and it makes me upset too.

I didn't like Brian, my soon to be former stepfather but I was still very shocked when I overheard Mom and Brian talking or should I say screaming when I came home from school about two months ago, Mom was asking Brian had he ever really loved her and when Brian said he hadn't she was totally floored, she sent me to the neighbour's and flew to Seattle where my father lives. When she came home she seemed alright but now the crying is worse then ever and I know that something is wrong, something other than Brian leaving.

I walked ito the living room and sat down next to my mother.

"Frederick, go and pack your bags, you're going to stay with your father for a couple of weeks." Mom said quietly

"Mom, I don't want to go and stay with Dad I want to stay here with you, you need me now." I repiled

"I'm coming with you." Mom whispered, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Mom, whats wrong?" I asked hugging her.

"Frederick, there's something I need to tell you." Mom replied wiping her eyes.

"You're not dying are you?" I said suddenly becoming alarmed.

"No, I'm not dying, Um Frederick, you can't tell anyone this, can you keep a sceret? Mom smiled.

"I can keep a sceret, I promise." I replied.

"Well, Um, Frederick I'm Ah..." Mom started crying "Frederick, Im Pregnant."

I sat there totally stunned, staring at her, then I got up off the couch, stromed upstairs and slammed my bedroom door shut. I threw my clothes into my suitcase and ran back downstairs holding my suitcase.

Mom was sitting on the couch still crying but I didn't care. One of the reasons I hated Brian so much was that I had to share him with Mom, my parents had divorced when I was so young that I don't remember being a family. It has always been just Mom and me, I was greatful when Brian left even though I knew Mom was hurting because it meant that Mom and I would be back to being just our own little family and a baby would ruin all that.

"Frederick?" Mom called somewhat frantically.

"Mom, I'm not talking to you not ever again, you always manage to find a way to destroy this family, first Brian and now a baby, I hate you, I'm going to live with Dad and only see you at Thanksgiving even then I won't talk to you. I don't care if I never see you again!" I shouted crying, this was too much for me to take in and I didn't care if I was hurting her.

Mom looked as if her heart had broken, the she composed herself and whispered "Frederick we have to go now."

I silently followed her out of the house, already regretting what I had said but too angry to apoligise.

Something New

Chapter 3

Lilith

Virgin Airlines Flight 563 Boston-Seattle

Looking out the window I gather the plane is somewhere over Montana, which means that we will be landing in about an hour. Suddenly I begin to feel horribly sick, my head begins to pound, my hands are sweaty, my heart is racing, I want to vomit and I can't breathe. I realise that I am having a panic attack and try to calm myself down, normally a couple of Valium would do the trick nicely but as I am pregnant I can't take them.

I look at my son who stares at me icily and the turns away. I get up, climb over five people and run down the asile to the bathroom, I lock the door and lean over the toilet bowl just in time to vomit, I collapse to the floor as the panic attack subsides and my breathing and heartrate slowly return to normal, This isn't the first time I have had a painc attack while flying, I have never been a good flyer and everytime the plane hits turbulence I painc, but this was different. Flying had nothing to do with the onset of this panic attack, what caused this is my fear of having to tell Niles the truth, of Frasier finding out, Frasier is my only friend and to lose him would be unbearable, leaving Frasier was the worst mistake I had ever made. I knew that no-one other than him would ever tolerate my obsessions and neuroses, understand my needs and wishes and love me quite the way he did.

Tears slip silently down my face and I am to tired to bother wiping them away, I get up shakily and walk down the asile to my seat. I excuse myself as I again step over the people sitting in the row where my seat is and sit down.

The following day

The rest of the flight was uneventful and as it was late Frederick and I had checked into a hotel for the night. I woke up the next morning and stumbled into the shower, after I showered I got dressed, did my hair and went to put a little make-up on, when I caught a glipms of myself in the mirror I was horrified at the sight, my skin was paler than ever and my eyes had huge dark circles under them. I performed a small miracle with my make-up and now here I am with my son standing outsie my ex-husband's apartment waiting for someone to answer the door. Frederick has not spoken to me since our fight the previous night and I didn't want to push him so I hoped that Frasier could help but there was something more important I needed to address first, telling Niles about our baby.

The door opened and Daphne Moon greeted us, somewhat shocked, I hadn't rung to tell Frasier that we were coming so I guess that was understandible.

"Good Morning Freddie!" Daphne exclaimed.

"Hi Daphne!" Frederick replied jumping into her arms.

"Lilith." Daphne said coldly.

"Good morning Daphne. Is Frasier in?" I replied quietly.

"No, his not, he went to the store, he should be back soon though." Daphne informed me.

"Well coud you help me? I need Niles' address, I know he lives in The Montana bit I am unsure of the apartment number." I was suprised by how timid I sounded.

"Why do you need it?" Daphne questioned, her voice still cold.

"I need to talk to him, I have something important to tell him." I said truthfully.

"Alright then, he lives at Apartment 12C1, The Montana, Mariner Ave. Seattle, is there anything else you need?" Daphne asked.

"No, thank you Daphne." I replied.

"Do you think Frederick could stay here while I see Niles? I asked looking at the ground, "I need to speak to Niles alone."

"Sure, he can." Daphne replied

"I wouldn't come with you anyway." Frederick yelled suddenley.

"Thank you again Daphne." I said before entering the elavator.

Later the same day

I am now standing outside Niles' apartment but I am too afraid to ring the bell. How do I tell him that our one ill-conceived night of passion resulted in a conception of a totally different kind, that of our child. Whoever named Morning Sickness is a liar, I have felt sick morning, noon and night for the last week, but now I am so close to vomiting that I can feel the acid rising to the back of my throat, I swallow somewhat painfully and finally ring the bell.

Niles answers quickly and looks totally shellshocked to see me on the other side.

"Good morning Niles, We need to talk." I croaked my voice betraying me.

something New

Chapter 4

Niles

I am so sorry that it has been nearly a month but I have had the Flu so I haven't been well enough to write, I am finally better so lets get on with the story. I think that most of you might find Niles reaction quite shocking but I honestly believe that this how he would react.

"Just a second!" I called running down the stairs, throwing on a robe over my pyjamas, it was still quite early, about 10:00am and since Maris and I seperated for good I haven't been sleeping well, I was still asleep when the doorbell rung. "It must be Robert with the order of Jarlsberg Cheese, Olives and Italian Salami I made yesterday." I thought out loud.

I opened the door and almost fainted, standing there was not Robert as I had expected but Lilith Sternin.

Lilith was once married to my brother Frasier but they had divorced five years ago. Lilith still looks to Frasier for emotional support and recently she had come to Seattle, distraught because her second husband had left her. Frasier had decided the he wasn't going to fall for her neediness yet again and ignored her blatent attempt to get him into bed. I, on the other hand having just started divorce proceedings with Maris was not so strong willed, one thing lead to another and we slept together. We had decided to forget what had happened and move on with our lives and now she is standing on the other side of my front door.

I opened the door and Lilith's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Niles can I come in, we need to talk."

"Yes, please do, would you like a drink?" I asked her.

"No thank-you." Lilith replied looking slightly ill.

"So, how have you been?" I decided to make some small talk, Lilith looked uncomfortable and I was nervous.

"Alright and yourself?" Lilith replied.

"As well as can be expected." I lied, I can't sleep, even eating is a problem but I wasn't going to reveal that to Lilith.

"You said you had something to tell me." I said attempting to steer the conversation away from myself.

"Well Niles," Lilith looked at me "I might as well come out and say it. I'm nine weeks pregnant, the baby's yours."

I just stared at her blankly unable to process what she had just told me. I have secretly wanted a child for quite a while now but I had always imagined that it would be with Daphne, I guess that is another part of the fantasy I have created for myself, Daphne, myself and a baby, in my head that seemed perfect. But this was real and this was Lilith, a woman whom I despise most of the time.

"Niles?" Lilith voice again interupted my thoughts.

"Are you sure the baby's mine?" I asked although it seemed inapropriate, I needed to make sure.

"I'm positive." Lilith replied, she looked as if she was going to cry.

"Are you okay?" I asked her feeling ashamed that I had even asked her.

Lilith looked away from me and burst into tears. I had no idea what to do so I just sat there.

"I'm going to go now." Lilith said wiping her eyes, "I'll speak to you later."

"No, don't go." I knew that we needed to talk this through now not later.

"Why shouldn't I?" she questioned me, her voice breaking again.

"Because we need to talk." I replied my voice pleading "Do you want to go for a walk, we could get some coffee if you like." I decided I needed to get out of the apartment and clear my head.

"Alright." she sniffed.

I've just got to get dressed, I'll be back in a minute." I said as I dashed upstairs.

"When did you find out?" I asked her as we waited for the elevator.

"A few days ago." Lilith said quietly.

"I want to be a part of this baby's life." I said suddenly, I guess that is why I needed Lilith to confirm that the baby was mine because I wanted to be a part of it's life.

"I want you be as well, I wouldn't have told you if I didn't want you to be involved." Lilith looked straight into my eyes "You will be a wonderful father Niles."

"Does Frederick know?" I asked her.

"Yes, he didn't take it well, he is very angry at me." Lilith whispered.

"I'm sorry." I replied feeling uncomfortable.

"How have you been?" I asked her.

"I've had a little morning sickness, I'm tired most of the time and I need to go to the bathroom alot, other than that I'm fine." she said smiling slightly.

I smile back ever so slightly. To me this conversation seems so unreal, 30 minutes ago I was lying in my bed having just woken up thinking how alone I was and now I am going to be a father. We have wondered to the Cafe Nervosa and are now sitting at the seat by the window.

"What do you want to drink?" I asked her realizing I have no idea what she would like.

"A black De-caf thanks." Lilith replied.

I walked up to the counter and ordered Lilith her black de-caf and myself a half-caf, no-fat, low-foam latte.

I went back to the table and sat down next to her, to my suprise this felt strangely comfortable.

"I know it's very early but have you thought of any names yet?" I asked her feeling shy.

"Not really but I have always liked the names Eloise and Mia for a girl." Lilith replied as shy as I felt.

"So you want a girl?" I asked her smiling.

Lilith nodded in reply, she looked like a young child so innocent.

"Here is one black de-caf and one usual for you Dr. Crane." the waitress interupted our conversation.

We sat there and drank our coffee in slience and that too felt comfortable. Lilith was lost in her own little world and I was still trying to absorb what she had just told me, I was going to be a father. It seemed so unbelievable and yet so right.

I sipped the last of my coffee and looked at my watch.

"Lilith I have to go, I've got a patient in 20 minutes, congratulations, I guess." I said awkwardly.

"Bye Niles, I'll see you later." she replied

I left the cafe for my office feeling more optimistic than I had in months. I weas going to be a father.

Something New
Chapter 5

Frasier

Lemme see, I got a fulltime job and went back to school in May last year so fanfic fell right to bottom of my list of priorities, but I'm back now:) and rearing to go! I'm so sorry:)

I opened the door to my apartment and was more than a little suprised to find my son Frederick sitting on the lounge, he looked as though he had being crying, I was about to ask him what was going on when Daphne my father's healthcare worker entered carrying a tray with some cookies and two galsses of milk.

"And that's it, the whole story." Frederick whispered to Daphne still unaware of my presence.

"What whole story?" I asked, my curiousity piqued, before Daphne got the chance to respond. I moved into the lounge room proper from the entry and sat on my father's chair.

"Mom's pregnant!" Freddie blurted out bursting into tears. "She's ruining everything all over again."

Lilith pregnant? My senses whirled, although we were no longer together I still carried a torch for my ex-wife and had basically come to blame her for every relationship breakdown I had since the divorce, I had come to realize that every other woman I dated was not her, I still secretly loved her. I felt weak and dizzy.

"Frederick, are you sure?" I asked him, I know that that was a utterly stupid question but I needed the validation that I had heard correctly.

"Yes, I'm sure, I'm not stupid, She told me!" Freddie yelled getting up off the lounge and storming off in the direction of Daphne's room.

"Freddie wait!" I called after him but he didn't even slow down.

"Dr. Crane, just let him be alone for a little while." suggested Daphne "He's had a rough few weeks I told him he could go and lie down in me room if he likes because he told me he didn't get much sleep last night,, do you want a cookie?" Daphne smiled at me. What a stupid question, 'do I want a cookie, do I want a cookie?' No I don't want a cookie I thought to myself I want to know what the hell is going on. I wanted to explode at Daphne for asking such an inane question but instead I shook my head, got up of the lounge and went to my own bedroom.

Later the same day

"Freddie are you awake?" I called gently as I knocked on Dahpne's bedroom door.

"Go away!" my son yelled back at me, I decided though to enter the room anyway, I needed to talk to my son. I was worried by his over reaction to the news that his mother was pregnant.

"Freddie do you want to talk?" I asked sitting down on Daphne's bed.

"I thought I told you to go away!" Frederick snapped truning around so he was facing away from me.

It devastated me to see my son like this "You can talk to me, I won't tell your mom, I promise." I coaxed, I figured that at least some of his aprehension in speaking to me came from the thought that Lilith would find out what he had told me.

"Alright, when mom told me she was going to have a baby, I got really angry, because I liked having mom to myself and I told her that I hated her, that I never wanted to see her again, that I wanted to live with you, and I think I really hurt her, I didn't mean to and now I think she hates me." My son said in one big breath, tears filling his eyes.

"Frederick, I am positive that your mom doesn't hate you," I told him as I took him into my arms and held him as he started sobbing. "She is a psychitrist, she understands your reaction."

"Do you really think so?" Freddie asked, I just nodded in reply, "I'll talk to her when she comes to pick you up if you want me to." I offered getting up off the bed. "Where is she anyway?" I asked as an afterthought.

"She went to Uncle Niles', she told Daphne she had something important to tell him." Freddie said quietly.

The reality of what my son had just told me refused to sink in af first, Niles was the father of Lilith's baby, why else would she be out here in Seattle anyway, I had assumed until this point that the baby was Brian's, I had even let my mind escape into a little fantasy of Lilith and I caring for the baby together, but Niles was the father, Niles, my brother was having my ex-wife's baby, it didn't make sense, not in my mind anyway and the thought of it made me sick.

I ran out of the hallway outside Daphne's room, I was going to vomit, I was so overwhelmed by that realization I had just made, as I entered the
loungeroom, Daphne opened the front door and Lilith entered the apartment, I gave her one withering look, one to make sure she knew that I knew and ran out of the room, the only sound I could hear as I ran was that of Lilth retching, great I thought, not only does she screw up any relationship I have left with my brother, she throws up all over my $30,000 rug too.

That was a great chapter! Keep writing!

He he Fraiser is pissed hehehehe

anyway very good;)