Author's Note: This story practically wrote itself, which has never really happened to me on my other stories. Hopefully that's a good sign! ;) Thanks to Andrea (iloveromance) for helping out w/ some Seattle details. Enjoy, and please R&R!

Niles and Daphne walked out of Elliot Bay Towers hand in hand. They were finally free. They didn't care where they went, or who might see them. All that mattered now was that they were right where they belonged. Together.

Niles couldn't believe this was real. After all the years of loving Daphne from afar, then almost losing her to another man, and being held hostage by Mel's need for revenge, he and Daphne were now free to go on with their lives. The thought alone made Niles feel as if his heart might just burst. Unable to contain his happiness any longer, he turned and kissed Daphne.

Daphne smiled. "I love you."

"My love," Niles replied, gently caressing her cheek. "You've made me the happiest man in the world."

Daphne blushed. "Well, no one's ever stood up for me like that. It was like something out of a movie!"

Niles laughed. "I was pretty surprised myself. I didn't really mind Mel mistreating me so much, but once I saw how badly she had hurt you, I just couldn't stand it."

Daphne looked at the ground. "I was beginning to think...you were having second thoughts. About us."

Niles took her hand and kissed it. "Never. All I've ever wanted, since we met, was to make you happy."

Daphne could tell by his smile that he was already planning out their future together. She definitely wanted to marry him and start a family, but she wasn't quite ready yet. Pushing the thought from her mind, she smiled and said, "Well, I don't think I could ever be any happier than this."

Niles looked around them. Though it was already dark, there were still plenty of people walking around and cars passing by. He remembered once again that he and Daphne were now free. No one could stop them from going anywhere they wanted to go. Since he and Daphne had been unable to be together in public, they hadn't even eaten in a restaurant as a couple. Now seemed as good a time as any to change that. "Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Dinner would be lovely, but we were just at a party, remember?" Daphne laughed.

"True. So what would you like to do tonight? We can go anywhere you want!" Niles couldn't keep the smile off his face, no matter how hard he tried.

Daphne loved his enthusiasm. "We could go down to the cafe and have coffee," she suggested. Nervosa wasn't exactly romantic, but she didn't care right now. She knew the place would be nearly empty at this time, so they would have privacy.

"Daphne, we can go anywhere. Seattle is full of gourmet restaurants! Are you sure you wouldn't like to go someplace fancier?" Niles asked.

"OK, then," Daphne said. "You decide where we go. As long as I'm with you, that's all that matters." She kissed him.

Niles grinned. "My love, being with you is all I'll ever need." He kissed Daphne's hand again.

They began walking, still hand in hand. They were nearly oblvious to their surroundings. Seattle might be a large city, but right now, they felt like the only two people in the whole world. Suddenly, Niles remembered a rare bottle of wine he'd recently bought, but had yet to open. "Why don't we go to my place?" he asked.

Daphne looked at him, wondering what his intentions were. She knew she and Niles were in love, and she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. But that didn't mean she wanted to rush things, either.

Niles saw her discomfort. "I have a bottle of wine," he explained. "We could take some food, and have a picnic."

Daphne kissed him, glad he understood her desire to take things slowly. "That sounds perfect. Too bad there's no time for me to make you some more of that peanut brittle."

Niles had to hide his grin. Daphne's last attempt at baking had nearly cost him several teeth. But he would never hurt her feelings by saying so. "We can have that next time," he said.

"Oh," Daphne said. "All right then."

Half an hour later, Niles and Daphne had gotten the wine, a picnic basket, some cheese and crackers (imported, of course), and a blanket. Once they were back in the car, Daphne leaned over and kissed Niles. "I can't think of anything more romantic than a picnic near the ocean. Your brother's roof was lovely, but it didn't have much of a view."

"Oh, my love, the only view I'm interested in is the one I'm looking at now." After one more kiss, they drove off. When they arrived at Alki beach, they found it nearly deserted. They could see the moon reflecting off the waters of Puget Sound. The view looked as if it belonged on a postcard. Niles carefully laid the blanket down, then he and Daphne took out their picnic and sat down. For a few moments, they ate in silence.

The silence was broken by Daphne's contented sigh. "I can't believe we're doing this. Just a few days ago, we were sneaking around. We could barely even leave your brother's apartment. I keep thinking this is some sort of dream."

Niles kissed her. "I feel the exact same way," he said. "After what I've been through with Maris, and then Mel, I wasn't sure I could ever be happy. But now, with you, I have everything I could want and more."

Daphne smiled. His words seemed almost too good to be true. For so many years, she'd seen herself as only a poor girl from Manchester, struggling to make ends meet as a healthcare worker. But now, here she was, with a man she loved more than she could even believe. They had overcome more than their fair share of obstacles. The only thing more amazing than this moment was their future. It didn't matter if they took their time in getting together. All that mattered was that they had the rest of their lives to look forward to.

The End