Halcyon

Halcyon-adjective: calm, peaceful, joyful, serene

xxx

Thunder rumbled outside, and rain pattered against the windows. Niles shivered a little and drew the quilt more closely around himself. He tucked his feet under one side, and pulled the other up until the soft fabric brushed his cheek. The Montana might be beautiful and exclusive, but it was also very old, and tended to be too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Now, with chilly January rain pelting down outside and the wind whistling around the corners of the building, the apartment felt drafty and empty. There was only this pocket of warmth by the fire, and quiet except for the occasional roll of thunder.

Niles took a sip from the glass of brandy on the table beside him, feeling it burn all the way down his throat and settle into warmth in his chest. It should be cozy, here by the fire with the rain coming down outside, a good book and good brandy at his side, but the room was too big around him, and he was too small within it. He sighed and knocked back the last of the drink.

With the blanket still wrapped around his shoulders, he slid his bare feet into slippers and crossed the room. Maybe some music would help fill the place up, make it a little less lonely. He grabbed the first CD he saw and started it playing. Soft guitar notes drifted from the speakers and he smiled. Music always did seem to make things a little better.

He glanced at the bar, considering another glass of brandy, but decided against it. Drinking alone wasn't a good habit to start, and he could already feel the last two glasses a bit too much. He knew his limit with wine but liquor always managed to catch him by surprise.

He'd just settled back into the chair, and was staring contemplatively at the fire, when there was a soft knock at the door. Niles glanced at it in surprise. He knew that Frasier had plans tonight, dinner with some woman he'd met at work, and his dad was out of town attending the birthday party of an old friend. There wasn't anyone else who'd visit him, except maybe a neighbor, bringing by some of his mail or something. Niles sighed and got reluctantly to his feet.

The knock came again as he shuffled across the room, more insistent this time, and he moved faster. Niles hesitated for a moment when he realized he was in pajamas and slippers, wrapped in a blanket, at seven in the evening. If it was a neighbor that particular tidbit of gossip would spread through the building before the end of the day. Then he shrugged and opened the door anyway. Let them talk.

But it wasn't a neighbor on the other side, it was Daphne. She gave him a hopeful smile through chattering teeth, and pulled her coat more tightly around herself. Her hair was wet and clinging to her cheeks, and her clothes dripped water on the floor. Her eyes were more striking than usual, dark wet lashes standing out against her pale, damp skin. Niles swallowed hard and grabbed the door frame for support.

"Daphne!" he said. "You're soaking wet, come in, you must be freezing!"

"Oh, thank you," she said, and hurried into the apartment. She moved toward the fire, holding her hands out for the warmth. "I'm getting water all over your floor, aren't I? I'm sorry Doctor Crane, I'll clean that up as soon as I've warmed up a little."

"Don't worry about it," he replied. "What happened?"

"Oh, it's a long story." Daphne took off her coat, revealing an equally soaked blouse. Niles took the coat dazedly, holding on to it for a moment as he watched the way her blouse clung to the skin of her back and waist. It was just damp enough to be not quite transparent, more of a tease than a reveal. He held the coat to his nose briefly before hanging it up; it smelled of rain and her perfume.

"Tell me," he invited.

"Well, Doctor Crane gave me a ride downtown on his way to work. I had some errands to run and me doctor's appointment went longer than I thought it would. Why do doctors always make more appointments than they have time for?"

"Um," Niles began, but she rattled on.

"Well never mind, anyway, it was quite late when I was done and I had plans to meet one of me girlfriends and see a movie but she never showed. I called Doctor Crane but he was off on his date already and couldn't give me a ride, and you know Mr. Crane is out of town, so I thought I'd take the bus home." She leaned over and shook out her damp hair. Niles watched and braced himself against the back of the chair.

"But you ended up here instead?" he asked.

"I wanted to take the bus," she explained, "but I missed one and there wasn't another one due for thirty minutes. And it was so cold at the bus stop and cars going by kept flinging rain at me and I thought, your place is only a few blocks away, so I just walked. Got soaked to me skin! But here I am, and you're a dear for letting me come in and warm up."

"Of course," Niles said. "I'd never turn you away Daphne, you know that."

She smiled at him, somehow still beautiful despite her damp and messy appearance. "You're a real gentleman, Doctor Crane. So will you give me a ride home?"

"Oh," Niles said, sagging a little. "Right, of course you wouldn't want to… I mean, no reason for you to spend the evening here, that's just silly. I'm sure you'd rather be home."

"I would like to get out of these wet clothes," she pointed out.

Niles nodded and bit back his first response, which was an offer to help her with that. "Um," he said. "Yes. Well. Let me just get dressed and we'll go."

"Thank you," she said, with another warm smile.

His knees wobbled and he stumbled a bit as he headed for the stairs, until he grabbed at the banister to steady himself.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"Oh, yes," he said with a forced laugh. "Too much brandy, I think."

"Really? You shouldn't be driving then."

"Actually I'm…" Niles paused, then changed course. "I'm sure you're right," he said. "Very irresponsible of me, I'm sorry, Daphne. We should just stay here."

She nodded and rubbed her hands together. "All right then. It is rather chilly in here though, isn't it?"

"Yes," he agreed, "and you must be cold, why don't you get changed? You can borrow my robe."

"Oh, thank you," she said, and hurried upstairs.

Niles watched her go, reminded of the last time she'd borrowed his robe. It had been hot in the apartment that day instead of cold, and he could still close his eyes and picture the way the robe had slipped open as the fan caught her on the stairs. They'd come close to something that night, something he still cursed himself for messing up. But that had been over a year ago. Maybe tonight things would be different.

He turned up the gas dial on the fire a little, until it blazed merrily, and he got a second glass, pouring two fingers of brandy for each of them. He draped the quilt over the back of the loveseat by the fire, then darted to the balcony and opened the door just a little. Enough to let in the sound of the rain, and a swirl of cold, damp air. Then he settled back into the chair and tried to look nonchalant.

Daphne came back down the stairs a few minutes later, her hair brushed back but still wet, and a dark blue silk robe wrapped snugly around her. She shivered as she passed the balcony and hurried to the fire. She sat down in the loveseat beside Niles and he smiled to himself.

"Better?" he asked.

"Much, thanks," she replied. "It is still cold in here though. I can see why you were wrapped up in that blanket when you answered the door."

"Well here you go," he said, and tugged the blanket down around her. She made a pleased sound and leaned into it-and into him.

"Oh, that's lovely," she sighed. "You always do spoil me when I come over here."

He smiled. "Brandy?"

She accepted the glass and took a sip, her eyebrows going up at the taste. "That's nice, not as bitter as the stuff your brother's got."

"I'm glad you like it," Niles replied. "Can I get you anything else? Maybe something to eat?"

She laughed and waved a hand at him. "Look at you! You're such a gracious host, always so considerate. I'd feel guilty putting you to any more trouble."

"Nonsense," Niles retorted. "You're never any trouble. You are welcome here anytime."

"That's kind of you to say, Doctor Crane."

"I mean it," he insisted. "I like having you here. This place is awfully big for just one person and rattling around in here by myself does get…"

"Lonely?" she asked softly.

"Well, I was going to say tiresome, but… yes," he admitted.

"I know what you mean," she said, leaning a little closer.

Niles drew the other side of the blanket down around himself, until they were wrapped up together. "You do? I always thought you were, well… happy, I guess."

"Oh, I am," she assured him. "I do love living with your father and brother, they treat me like one of the family. And I've got me friends and me hobbies, and most of the time things are good. But you know, every since Joe and I broke up, I haven't had much luck when it comes to dating. I took meself off the market for a while and now I'm wondering if I've waited too long."

"Too long for what?"

She shrugged and took another sip of brandy. "I'm not sure. Maybe too long to keep me confidence up? I mean, me friend who was supposed to see a movie with me tonight, I'm pretty sure she didn't show because she was busy with her new boyfriend. Every time I see her, she goes on about how wonderful he is, and how lucky she was to find him, and I can't help thinking how much I miss that feeling."

Niles nodded and carefully slipped an arm around her shoulders. He signed happily when she leaned into his side, her head resting against his shoulder and her hair tickling his cheek. "You know how it is," she continued. "The way it feels when you fall in love with someone and everything they do is precious. You find yourself just going about your day like normal, and then you stop and think about them and remember they're in your life, and you just feel happy because of it."

"Yes," Niles said. "I know exactly what you mean."

Daphne sighed, and he could feel her move slightly against him with each breath. "I guess I'm just feeling sorry for meself," she said. "I shouldn't be complaining to you though, that's hardly fair. You've been alone longer than I have and I never hear you whine about it."

"Oh, that's because I do most of my whining to Frasier," Niles said, and she laughed softly. "You're not the only one to feel down sometimes, Daphne. Everyone does, it's perfectly natural. But you're beautiful, and warm and kind and wonderful and someday you will find a man worthy of you."

She looked at him, her face only inches away, her skin golden in the firelight and her eyes sparkling with the reflection of the flames. "You really think that?"

"Of course I do," Niles replied. "He's got to be out there somewhere. Maybe closer than you think."

"No, I mean… that I'm warm and kind and wonderful."

Niles ducked his head a little, feeling his face flush. "Well, yes. And don't forget beautiful. But you knew that."

"Not really," she said, "but thank you for saying it. You're always so good to me."

"That's because I never want you to leave," he said. He meant to say it lightly, but it sounded far too stark and honest, and she went still at his side.

"Doctor Crane…" She patted his hand where it rested on her shoulder. "You don't really mean that. That's just loneliness and brandy talking."

Niles hesitated, and took a deep breath. "I meant every word," he said quietly. "But it's all right if you don't…"

"Hush," she said, a little nervously. "Don't say something you'll just have to take back later. I know you're only trying to make me feel better and you mean well, but it's no good getting me hopes up over something that'll never happen."

"But I'm not," Niles protested. "Why would you think that? Is it so hard to believe?"

"Of course it is," she replied. "You and your brother have always been kind to me but I know what I am to both of you. I'm the help. I don't know a thing about your fancy wines or your opera or your art, I don't have an ivy league education, and I couldn't speak French to save me life. You're cultured and refined and I'm just a working class girl from Manchester to you."

Niles gaped at her, blinking. "Is that really what you think?"

"Course it is," she said, and her voice was angry but her hunched shoulders and bitten lower lip told a different story.

"Daphne, nothing could be further from the truth," Niles said. "And I am truly sorry if I've ever done or said anything to make you feel that way."

"You mean that?"

Niles took her hand and brushed a kiss over her knuckles. Her eyes widened, and her hand trembled in his. "I do," he said. "I meant everything I said tonight."

"I… I don't know what to say," Daphne murmured. "I'm sorry I was cross with you."

"You don't have to say anything," Niles replied. "Just sit with me by the fire, that's enough."

She nestled into the blanket beside him, warm all along his side, the scent of her hair teasing by him every other breath. "It's almost enough," she said quietly. "Needs one more thing."

"Oh, what's that? Something to eat after all? Maybe some different music? You want the fire a little warmer? Anything you like, Daphne, just say the word."

She chuckled and shook her head. She slipped one hand behind his head, her fingers carding through his hair and making him shiver. With a nervous smile, she whispered, "This." Then she kissed him, sweet with a hint of the mellow brandy, soft and light and breathtaking.

"Oh," he said, his voice sounding weak and distant to his own ears, his head spinning.

"That is… that's what you meant earlier, isn't it?" she asked anxiously. "Is that all right?"

"I think so," Niles said. "But better do it again to be sure."

She laughed, the tension running out of her, and she smacked him lightly on the arm. He laughed with her, and then it faded as he met her eyes. Niles smoothed her hair back from her face and stroked his knuckles over her cheek, relishing the softness of her skin. He leaned in slowly, giving her time to back away if she wanted, but she only tilted her head to meet him. The kiss was longer this time, deeper, and Niles could feel her catch her breath.

"There," he said. "That's what I meant."

xxx

END