"Do you Want to know a secret?"

By Jen (chemkitten@bigfoot.com)

It was an average day in the Crane household as Daphne headed from her room to the living room, when she heard something that made her stop in her tracks;

"No Frasier!" Niles said raising his voice a little louder than he intended "I love her, do you understand? I've loved her for six years now, you know that and yet you won't accept that it's time for me to do some thing about it, well here's a news flash for you "Big Brother" your opinion doesn't mater to me anymore where Daphne is concerned. I've got to know one way or the other it's the only way for me move on!"

"But Niles...." Frasier managed to get out before Niles interrupted him

"But nothing. I'm going to do it with or without your support so what do you say?"

"Oh Ok Niles maybe it is time something happened one way or another."

"Thank you, now I'll be back this evening, will you help me?"

"Ok, I think it's all you can eat night at the Timber Mill I'll take Dad but you owe me big for this and if you wimp out this time you promise that will be an end of it?"

"Yes, Yes now I must go or I'll be late for my 10 am multiple personality"

Daphne didn't know what to think she moved quickly behind the wall while Niles and Frasier headed toward the door,Frasier lifted his briefcase and in an instant they were both gone. She moved to the couch and flopped down on it, Mr Crane was out for the day with Sherry and Frasier had gone to a meeting at KCAL. Roz! That was who would know what she should do, the meeting was on air talent only so Roz should be at home with Alice.

Twenty minutes later Daphne was standing at Roz's front door waiting to se if anyone was home. Roz opened the door with Alice on her hip.

"Daphne, Hi what are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to you, something really strange, I don't know how to handle it "

"Come in, come in, what's going on?"

Daphne sat down and started at the beginning, she told Roz everything she had heard.

"At last" Roz said

"What" asked daphne a confused look on her face. Alice had fallen asleep on Roz's shoulder and she took her and put her to bed.

"Daph it's all true, he hasn't just loved you for 6 years, he has hung on your every word, he would have died for you! Don't you remember when he got mixed up and thought it was you who was pregnant instead of me and he wanted to marry you, that wasn't just the drink talking he meant it. The night you went to the snow Ball when you told me it was so much fun "acting" he wasn't acting Daphne all those things he said, he meant them and Frasier told me he was crushed when he realised you thought it was all just an act."

Daphne was dumb struck, how could she have been so blind

"Am I the only one who didn't know? Was it that obvious?"

"Oh yes, the time you went to cook dinner for him and "Phillis", there was no Phillis the conversation you walked in on was about you and he was too frightened to tell you."

"My god Roz what am I going to do?" Daphne's voice was shaking and she was fighting back tears.

"Do you feel the same way about him? Or do you think you might love him?"

" You know Roz, I think I might but it's so frightening, it's a big step what if it doesn't work out?"

"Yeah all true, but, what if it did? He's sensitive, caring and he really loves you, not saw you in a bar or on the sidewalk and thought you were hot but Loves you warts and all!"

"You're right Roz, he's everything I should want and even better he's my best friend."

"Hey I thought I was your best friend! Anyway in spite of that insult I'll remind you of the cheesy advice Frasier is always giving, The best relationships come from friendship"

Daphne seemed to relax back in the chair and Roz could see she was coming to a decision.

"What time's he coming over tonight?" Roz asked

"I don't know, but when he does I'll be ready, he said one thing this morning that made sense, you don't know until you try."

"Well I'll drink to that" said Roz "What are you going to wear?"

It was 7.30 when Martin and Frasier made excuses and went out to dinner. To keep up the pretense of not knowing what was going on Daphne had asked if she could tag along, it was naughty of her she knew but they'd known about this for years and had never told her and she wanted to tease them a little, but as soon as they'd left she ran to change and was just spraying on a little "Obsession" when the door bell rang. When she answered it he was standing there looking amazing ina casual shirt and chinos, keep pretending Daph she told herself.

"Dr Crane, you just missed your father and Dr Crane they've gone for something to eat."

"Actually Daphne it's you I've come to see " he said sitting on the arm of the couch.

"Me, what ever for?"

"We need to talk, I've got something I need to say to you, it's not going to be easy and I want you to hear me out and then you can laugh in my face or whatever if you feel like it "

Oh she wanted to put him out of his misery, she wanted to say "I love you too" but she let him finish.

"Daphne I'm in love with you, I have been for six years, you mean everything to me, I would die before I'd let anyone hurt you, your smile is what keeps me going. Would be honoured if you would give me the chance to love you and make you happy. There I've said it,now feel free to laugh and I can get on with leaving and licking my wounds, but I couldn't have lived the rest of my life with the thought of what might have been."

"Dr Crane..."

"Oh please after all I've just said I think you can safely call me Niles."

"Ok Niles, I don't want to laugh at you or tell you to leave, what I really want is for you to kiss me like you did that night at the snow ball, except this time no acting. I heard you this morning with your Brother..."

"You did?"

"Yes and I've spent most of the day thinking about it and I feel the same way, I'm not saying it's going to be easy but lets see how it goes like you say why live with maybes when you can be happy together?"

Niles heart had never felt so full he leaned forward and as their lips touched she put her arms around him and he felt 6 years of anxiety dissolve,

"I love you my darling "

"Oh Niles" she said "I may have been blind for a while, Ok a long while but I see that now and somehow I think we are going to be just fine. Wait here " She disappeared, coming back with a cassette, she put it in the tape player and pressed play, as the first bars of the tango filled the room she took his hand and whispered "This time for real." and he took her in his arms and held her like he would never let er go and together they danced the tango like it should be danced. By two people in love!



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Please send feedback on the fan fic to Jen at chemkitten@bigfoot.com.

Last updated 7/6/99