FINALLY

A Love Story of Niles and Daphne

Chapter One

"I'll tell you when you're through, you spineless twit, AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN CLOSE!" Mel yells at Niles from Frasier's kitchen when the other guests can hear.

"Opera time, opera time!" Frasier runs to the light switch and frantically flicks it on and off, like the house lights at an intermission. "On to the show!"

To no avail, everyone's attention is on the kitchen, including Daphne, who has entered from her room just in time to see Mel storm out of the kitchen.

Niles followed her out of the kitchen "That's it, Mel, I'm sick of these games!"

"Niles," Mel is faced with the guests. She turns to him, "don't make a scene." Her voice was much more humane this time.

Niles threw his hands up. He had reached his limitations. "I don't care! I love Daphne, and I'm not putting her through this torture another second!" He aggressively swings his arm in front of himself. "This sham of a marriage is OVER!"

For a moment, there is a silent standoff. Then everyone from the board rushes to comfort Mel.

Diane comes up behind Mel to take her by the upper arms to comfort her. "It's all right, dear, we've known for some time he doesn't deserve you."

Mel seems somewhat dazed. She points at Niles. "Well, you've seen what I have to put up with. I've tried so hard, I really have."

Lois who is also at Mel's side adds, "I don't know how you've put up with him this long."

Mel turns from him. "I just want out." She throws her hands up as she starts for the door.

Ted follows Mel and the girls on the way out. "Don't worry, I'll handle the divorce papers personally! This jackass will be out of your life by the end of the week!"

"You mean it?" Niles looks to him hopefully as they depart.

Before he goes, Alan gives Frasier an amused look that spells doom to Frasier's prospects for a board seat.

Murchie is the last one out. Holding the door handle, he remarks to Frasier, "See you around, Crane."

Niles stood in the dining area of Frasier's apartment facing the closing door of Mel and her friends.

"I love you, too," Daphne said standing behind him. She had heard the whole thing.

Niles turned to her and held out his arms. She embraced him. The weight of the world had just been lifted off of the man's shoulders. The perfect storm was over. Now he was in the arms of his real one true love. Was this possible? Was he dreaming? The warmth of her hold told him it was real; the smell of the perfume in her hair. Thank the Good Lord, this was the beginning of a great new life.

Frasier stood there crestfallen.

Roz was still sitting on the couch. "Oh, come on, Frasier," she said, "you don't want to spend the evening with those snobs anyway."

Worth, who had been flirting with her all night, opened the door to stick his head back in. "Coming, Roz?"

Roz grabs her purse. "Yeah, I'll be right there." She gets up from the couch, but stops in the doorway to face Frasier. "I'm just getting an early start on the candy drive." With that, she departs, closing the door behind her.

Niles stood beside Daphne holding her hand. "Frasier, I'm-I'm sorry I ruined your evening."

"It's all right, Niles. It's a small price to pay to finally see you and Daphne together."

Niles turns to his girl to look into her eyes and see her beaming smile. "It's true - we're free!"

She laughs.

Niles continues, "No more hiding! Where do you want to go? Dinner? Dancing? London? Paris?"

"Why don't we go for a walk?"

He takes a deep breath. "Even better."

"If you'll allow me." Ferguson takes their coats from the rack to hand to them.

"Thank you, Ferguson." Niles takes his garment in appreciation.

"My pleasure, sir."

Niles heads for the door while Ferguson places Daphne's jacket over her shoulders.

"Thank you, Ferguson," Daphne heart fully tells him.

"It was my privilege, Miss Moon."

Daphne walks over to the door where Niles is waiting to open the door for her. Niles follows her out, closing the door behind them.

Daphne reached for the elevator button, but Niles stops her.

"You know what, I forgot something," he said.

She turned to him. "What is it?" She intended to wait for him to go back into Frasier's apartment to retrieve something.

"Just this." He placed his left hand against her cheek and softly caressed her lips with his.

She welcomed his kiss – yearned for it.

His lips trailed across the side of her cheek and to the side of her neck.

Her breathing became more rapid. She almost didn't realize that he began to press her against the wall of the hallway. She reached around him to pull him closer.

The elevator doors opened and Mrs. Everly, Frasier's neighbor, stepped out.

Niles being startled, bounded back. "Thanks for catching me Daphne. I don't know what happened. It must be that buckling knee from my old squash injury back in prep school."

Mrs. Everly gave him the strangest look when she passed.

He looked back at his girl.

She smiled so brightly at him. "I love you. I love everything about you."

"And I you. Oh," he noticed the elevator closing and stopped the doors to allow her to enter first.

The doors closed and Niles hit the ground floor. They were alone together. Niles smiled.

"What are you thinking? What's that smile for?"

"I was just thinking that if this elevator was to get stuck between floors, I don't think that would be a bad thing."

Daphne smiled at that. "Maybe if the lights went out and the call button wasn't working…"

"I don't know about you, but I wouldn't even try the call button."

"Niles, I want to take it slow, but tonight, I want to sleep with you."

Niles eyes widened the size of coffee saucers and his heart skipped a beat. "Excuse me?"

"Don't get me wrong. I want to respect your previsee, but I just want to wake up next to you. Not make love, just hold you all night in our clothes and wake up in your arms. We could sleep in and I could make you breakfast."

"Oh! Oh. I thought you wanted to sleep together." Niles took a deep breath and let it go.

"Oh no. I just want to hold you and enjoy the simplest things of our relationship, like holding hands, kissing, sleeping in until noon, eating brunch together. We'll have plenty of time for that stuff later. And don't think I didn't think about ripping your clothes off and giving you a good romp right here in the elevator."

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Daphne stepped out, but Niles was stunned by her words and couldn't move for several seconds. He was having trouble erasing the picture she just drew of them in the elevator from his mind.

Daphne came back into the elevator to get him. "Come along." She took his hand and led the way out again.