Author's Note: This story, unfortunately, came out of a rather painful real-life experience. I suppose getting an idea almost makes up for it, though. I love when I can turn an ordinary experience into a way more romantic story! ;)

Niles had been sitting here for hours. He'd gone into psychiatry to help others, but he'd forgotten how much work it was sometimes. He had several difficult patients at the moment, and figuring out how best to treat them involved more than a little research. He'd put the task off for days, but tonight, he'd shut himself in his study and forced himself to get it done, no matter what.

Now he sat, looking at his own notes, no longer sure of what they said. He was getting nowhere. And, to make matters worse, something in his back had seized up. He had a backache beyond anything he'd ever experienced. Suddenly, he wished Mrs. Woodson were here. His sweet secretary always made sure Niles got up and walked every few hours, no matter how hard he was working. Niles had read books on the kinds of injuries one could get when sitting in one place for hours. And yet, he had forgotten to take his own advice. Perhaps this was some sort of punishment for neglecting Daphne and David. There was nothing to do now but go to bed.

Before heading upstairs, Niles made a quick stop at the kitchen to take some aspirin in hopes of relieving the pain. He doubted it would work, though. A couple of pills could never be enough to cure something like this. Then he made the painful trip upstairs. As a doctor, he should've known better than to let this happen. He sighed as he walked to his room. Slowly, he opened the door. The place was dark, of course, which meant he had to be quiet. Daphne needed her rest, after spending all day taking care of an infant. But pain got the better of him, and Niles couldn't help groaning out loud.

Daphne awoke at the sound. In the dark, she saw Niles standing in front of her. "What's wrong?" she whispered.

"My back. I was sitting too long and – Ow!" Niles rubbed his lower back, praying for the ache to go away.

"Come here," Daphne said, patting the place beside her in the bed. Niles eyed her skeptically. "Just lie down next to me," she coaxed.

"I need to get changed," Niles said. He was in so much pain, but his need for order outweighed that of comfort.

"Staying in your suit for a while longer won't hurt you. I think I can help you. Lie down," she repeated, once again indicating the spot on the bed.

Still shaking his head in disbelief, Niles sat, taking his shoes off. Reluctantly, he laid down next to her. Daphne took him in her arms. "How does that feel?" she asked.

Being in Daphne's arms was nothing short of heavenly. For a moment, he forgot about his backache. But a second later, the pain returned.

Daphne could sense his discomfort. She laid her one free hand on Niles' chest. Then, she slowly moved it in circles, right near his heart. "Better?" she asked, kissing his cheek. This was the very same gesture she'd used to soothe David whenever he was ill.

Niles wasn't sure whether it was her touch, or the simple fact of her love. But either way, he did feel better. His back began to loosen, and he finally felt relief. "Ah, yes. You're a miracle worker, Daphne."

Daphne laughed. "Well, I am a physical therapist, you know. I've dealt with a few sore muscles in my time. If you're still in pain tomorrow, I know of a few other things we can try." She gave him a look, letting him know exactly what she had in mind.

All Niles could do was smile at the thought. For so long, he'd dreamed of being with Daphne this way, and it was now a reality. He could never be anything but grateful for that. Niles began to realize he was incredibly tired. Just as he drifted off to sleep, Niles' final thought was that he would need to find some way to thank his wife in the morning.

The End