Daphne stared at her date; the man who had, in the course of so many years, become her best friend. And the fact that they were out on a date was something she'd never imagined could be. In his tuxedo, he looked incredibly handsome. And in her red dress (the expensive one that hugged every curve of her body), she felt every bit the princess. It was obvious that Niles regarded her in the same way, for he'd treated her like royalty the entire evening. But she wasn't at all surprised. He was just that sort of man, always going out of his way to make her happy, even if it was a simple compliment about her blouse or her hair, it made her feel so wonderful inside.
She twirled the beautiful red rose he'd given her in her fingers, as the thoughts floated through her head. The more the night moved on, the more she realized that her decision to accompany him to the Snow Ball had been the right one. How that repulsive Marjorie Nash could have backed out on a night with Niles was unfathomable. For how could any woman in their right mind even think of breaking a date with such a handsome, sweet, thoughtful and sophisticated man? The thought startled her and once again she felt her insides begin to flutter. She never dreamed that she'd think such thoughts about her boss's younger brother, and she knew that it was wrong. So why did it feel so right?
It was true that she'd often thought of Dr. Niles Crane as pretentious and even annoying at times. But tonight she was seeing him differently; it was a side of him that she'd never seen before and her heart was feeling things that it shouldn't. She dismissed the notion immediately. She was simply caught up in the moment. Who wouldn't be, with the glittery ball hanging overhead, the lovely orchestra, expansive dance floor and a setting that would make any girl swoon?
Whatever the reason for her feelings, this night wasn't about her. It was about Niles. She was determined to make sure that he'd have the best night of his life, for she cared about him deeply. It hurt her to see those gossipy twit friends (mainly the women but the men were almost as bad) of Maris' do their best to completely belittle him. Niles Crane was more of a man than any man in attendance could ever be.
And she was equally glad that she'd decided to give Niles dance lessons. He said that he was a complete novice before they'd begun their sessions, but Daphne had her doubts. He was absolutely wonderful on the dance floor, and looked as though he'd been dancing his whole life. Even now, her mind replayed the evening again and again. They made a wonderful team and they had certainly made everyone in attendance green with envy. Niles was a master at making her feel like they were really and truly a couple in love. Even she, at one point had almost believed it.
Her heart warmed as she remembered the sweet things he'd said to her as he twirled her in his arms;
"Daphne you're a goddess!" "Daphne you're an angel!Oh Daphne, I adore you!"
They were words that she'd longed to hear her whole life. But she knew that he'd been acting. There was no other explanation. It was all an act (a very good one, however) that he'd conjured up to make sure that they were noticed by the obnoxious twits. And it worked perfectly. Oh, if only a man would say those sweet and wonderful words to her and mean them wholeheartedly. She'd be floating high above Cloud Nine.
But during the course of their dancing, something completely unexpected happened. She'd kissed him, right in front of everyone. She wasn't at all prepared to make such a bold move, but even more so, she wasn't prepared for the way the touch of his lips on hers made her feel. They were so soft, so gentle, so...
Her heart fluttered at the memory and she found herself blinking back tears. What was wrong with her, getting so emotional about something so silly? She should be happy that she'd accompanied Niles to the Snow Ball. And she was. She was truly happy. For that night, in the arms of her best friend, no one; not her family, or Frasier or even Roz could judge her. It was just she and Niles, lost in their own private world.
At the door that led into his brother's condo, they kissed goodnight once more. It wasn't expected or planned, but she couldn't bear to let him go home without thanking him for the wonderful evening. And what better way to do that than with a kiss? It was heavenly of course, but nothing could compare to that first kiss; the one that was so unexpected, so sweet and oh so wonderful.
She closed the door and leaned against it, barely aware of Mr. Crane asking her if they had a good time. And in a dreamlike state, she walked right past him to the privacy of her room where she could relive the wonderful evening, if only in her mind.
