Author's Note: Thanks to Aria (crazysockmonkeys) for writing "Never Change." She beautifully combined two of my favorite TV shows into one story. As much as I loved it, I felt that the ending was just a little bit open, and I couldn't resist doing something on it! (BTW, I'm not entirely convinced it was accidental, hehe!). Anyway, I hope this story lives up to the original!
Niles didn't know what to do with himself while he waited for Daphne to emerge from her room. He knew he could always change the channel on TV, but he couldn't quite bring himself to. For whatever reason, Daphne seemed to love The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He began watching, and actually found himself laughing. Apparently, Mary had just given yet another of her disastrous parties. The plotline reminded Niles of more than a few of the affairs he'd been to recently. But none were nearly as comical as what was happening to Mary. Soon, he found himself enjoying the show, and he'd all but forgotten about Daphne and what he'd told her.
Daphne had done quite a bit of soul-searching during the time she'd been in her room. Dr. Crane was a friend, a man she could trust. His feelings had come as a surprise, but now that the shock had worn off, she sensed her own feelings beginning to change. She thought of what she'd told him earlier, about how Mary Richards always had a man after her. It was true, of course. But Daphne hadn't realized she, too, had a man after her. She just hadn't seen the signs. Mary always seemed to know how to handle the situation with the utmost grace, somehow managing to gently break the poor man's heart. And yet she remained America's sweetheart. That was a title Daphne could never aspire to. For one thing, she wasn't even American, and she wasn't all that special, either. But maybe none of that mattered anymore. She didn't need the whole world to love her. All she really needed was one person. Slowly, she got up from her bed and opened the door to the hallway.
"Dr. Crane?" Daphne's voice nearly startled Niles. The station Daphne had been watching was showing a marathon. So far, he'd watched the WJM gang meet Walter Cronkite, as well as Mary's disastrous dinner party for a visiting Congresswoman. And he was now watching an episode involving the death of a clown who'd worked for the TV station. During the man's funeral, Mary began to laugh. Niles found himself laughing along with the studio audience. That was something he'd rarely done as he watched television. Maybe this wasn't such a bad show after all.
The sound of laughter coming from the living room made Daphne curious. "Dr. Crane?" she repeated. She was surprised to find him sitting on the couch, laughing out loud. On the screen, Mary Richards stood, clearly embarrassed by what she'd done at Chuckles' funeral. Daphne smiled, recognizing the scene immediately. "You're still watching this?"
Niles shrugged, slightly ashamed to have been caught. "Well, I was curious about why you like it so much. I think I'm beginning to understand."
"When I watched this years ago, I used to wish I could grow up to have a life like hers. As you can see, it didn't quite work out that way." She couldn't help sighing.
"Remember what you told me earlier?" Niles asked, now coming near her. "You may not have everything you want, but you have people who love you. I'm one of them."
"I know. I've been thinking about what you told me."
"And?" Niles once again reached out to touch her cheek.
"It seems crazy," Daphne replied. "I mean, why me? Wouldn't you rather have someone like her?" She nodded in the direction of the TV, indicating Mary. "Men always wanted her, while poor Rhoda sat at home every night. I guess I'm Rhoda." She sighed.
"Rhoda's very...witty, in her own way," Niles countered. "Besides, I don't want either of them. I want you. You don't even realize how wonderful you are, do you?"
Daphne scoffed. "You're just saying that." Deep down, she knew he wasn't, but her answer was a knee-jerk reaction, a way to keep the conversation from venturing into an area she still wasn't certain about.
"Daphne, there could be a thousand beautiful women here, and I wouldn't care. I would still want you. Because you're the one who turns my world on with a smile." He grinned, quoting a line from the MTM theme song. "You're the one who's been there for me when Maris makes me feel worthless. I look forward to seeing you every day. Do you still doubt that these words come from my heart?" He took her hands in his, feeling their warmth.
"No," she whispered. Her denial could not stand up to that. "But this is all new to me. I've never had a friend feel this way about me before."
"Nothing has to change, I promise. All I want is to be with you, and to make you happy. All you have to do is say yes." He let go of her hands, instead putting his arms around her.
They had hugged many times before. Daphne had always enjoyed it. But now it felt different somehow. Safer. Suddenly, she found herself wondering what it would be like to kiss him. "Yes." The word came out breathlessly as she leaned forward. The kiss was sweet and gentle. Daphne felt a bit like a teenager, with those first feelings of adolescent love for a handsome young man.
The feeling of Daphne's lips on his was intoxicating for Niles. He'd dreamed of it so many times, and yet the reality of it far exceeded all his expectations. He was giddy, and he briefly thought of asking her to run off with him. But he remembered his promise to take things slowly. "Would you like to watch TV with me?" he asked. "I think this marathon goes on for several more hours."
Daphne smiled. Mr. Crane and the elder Dr. Crane had both rolled their eyes at her taste in TV shows. But the fact that Niles understood the charm of it made him all the more endearing. "That sounds lovely. I believe there's a bit of your father's microwave popcorn in the kitchen. Why don't I make us a bowl?"
Normally, Niles hated any type of popcorn, but he would never say so to Daphne. "All right. Let me help you make it." He followed her into the kitchen. It didn't take long to locate the popcorn and place the bag in the microwave. A minute later, there was a fresh bowl of warm popcorn in her hands.
"Now, let's go inside," Daphne said. She carried the bowl out into the living room, placing it on Frasier's coffee table. Niles took a seat on his brother's couch, and Daphne sat next to him. She snuggled close to him as the familiar theme song played. Well, how about that? Daphne thought to herself. I guess I really have made it after all.
The End