Niles loves Daphne, a frasier fanfic

A/N: My first Frasier fanfic. Don't own any of the characters.

Niles was sitting on his fainting couch. He just closed off a nice yet tiring period of his life. He felt a little sad but strangely he also felt relieved.

When they were on their little getaway and he discovered Mel's plan to get married he didn't know how to get away fast enough. He just couldn't commit himself to Mel, not when there was the slightest chance that Daphne returned his feelings.

The way she was tending to his hand that night. In such a loving way. He knew that Frasier had explained away her actions but he couldn't help but wonder. Was there a chance that she returned his feelings? So he broke it off with Mel. He had no choice…

His trail of thoughts was interrupted by the sound of his telephone ringing. He leaned over and grabbed the phone.

"Hello?" He said.

"Niles? It's Frasier!" the impatient voice of his brother bellowed through the phone.

Before Niles could answer he continued.

"I just heard that Mel has cancelled al her appointments for the next half year and apparently she has left the States for an unknown destination. I was afraid that you were gone too. What the hell happened?" Frasier demanded.

"We broke up." Niles stated flatly.

A short silence fell on the other end of the line.

"I'm sorry Niles, are you okay?" His brother inquired.

"I'm fine, but I guess she didn't take it very well." Niles stated.

He knew that Mel was upset by the break up but he didn't expect her to leave the county. And it might sound insensitive but he didn't care much anyway. There was only one thing on his mind.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Frasier asked.

"No, no thank you Frasier. I am fine. I will come by tomorrow and maybe we can talk about it then. Now I am going to get some sleep, I will see you tomorrow. Goodbye." Niles concluded.

"All right then, see you tomorrow." Frasier said and he hung up the phone.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day Niles arrived at Frasier's apartment somewhere in the afternoon. He rang the doorbell and a moment later Frasier opened the door.

"Hello Frasier, isn't Daphne here?" Niles asked, surprised that is brother answered the door.

"No, she went to Nervosa with Dad and Eddy." Frasier answered as Niles entered his apartment.

"Sherry, Niles?" He added.

"Yes please. Niles answered as he sat down on the couch.

Frasier re-entered the living room with two glasses of sherry in his hands. He gave one to his brother and leaned against the back of his dad's recliner.

There was a silence when Niles sipped his sherry and Frasier rolled his eyes impatiently.

"So, tell me what happened between you and Mel!" Frasier cut right to the chase.

Niles sighed and looked up to his bother, "I broke it off." He said.

"Yes, you said that yesterday, but why Niles?" Frasier asked.

"Because I love Daphne!" Niles exclaimed. "And I think she might have feelings for me." He said as he stood up to face his brother.

"Are you insane Niles? Daphne doesn't love you. Is this about the burned hand incident? I told you what that was about didn't I? " Frasier said in disbelief.

"When you told me yesterday you two were done I figured that you had a fight or that you had finally seen the light and dumped that woman but this, this is just you being afraid of commitment!" He added.

"No its not Frasier! I love Daphne and I think it is time that I tell her."

"Well if you want to make a complete fool out of yourself then fine. But you're not going to do it now because I'm meeting them at Nervosa. I don't want you here when Daphne gets home so get out." Frasier huffed.

Niles turned on his heels and walked out of the door angry.

Two days later.

Daphne was sitting on the bed in her room sobbing. The laundry basket was carelessly tossed aside. Her mind wasn't set on folding laundry right now. Actually she couldn't quite concentrate on anything anymore the last few weeks. Not ever since Frasier, all drugged up from his back medicine of course, had let it slip that Niles was in love with her. And that he has been for seven years. It was there and then when she realized her own feelings for the younger Crane brother. But it was too late now because he was with Mel now. New tears formed in her eyes when suddenly she heard a knock on her door.

"Daphne, are you in there?" She heard the voice of Frasier.

"Just a minute!" She yelled as she jumped of the bed, dried her eyes and she collected the laundry basket to place it on the bed. She quickly folded two towels and shouted: "Come in!" at the door.

"Daphne." Frasier swung the door open and entered her room.

"Eddie has been sleeping in my favorite sweater again and… Daphne?"

"Have you been crying Daphne?" He asked.

Daphne turned her back to Frasier as she felt the tears well up in her eyes again.

"Daphne?"

"Oh, dr. Crane!" She exclaimed.

Frasier looked shocked at Daphne as she turned around crying. She sat down on her bed and rested her head on her hands while she sobbed. Frasier sat down beside Daphne en patted her on the shoulder.

"There, there it can't be that bad?" Frasier said.

"You don't understand." Daphne responded.

"Then tell me, what is this about?" Frasier asked.

"Dr. Crane."

"Yes?"

"No it is about dr. Crane, your brother." Daphne said agitated.

"Niles? You are crying about… Niles?" Frasier said as an unsettling feeling crept up on him.

"Yes." Daphne said and after a short pause she added: "But it doesn't matter now, it is too late!" She covered her face with her hands.

"What is, Daphne?" Frasier asked? When he got no response he pulled away her hands and looked her in the eyes.

"What is too late?" He repeated.

"I have feelings for your brother." Daphne stated.

Frasier took a minute to let it al sink in. In the last few days he had learned that Niles wasn't as over Daphne as he had led him to believe, in fact Niles had broken his relationship to pursue a chance with Daphne, something Frasier had tried to discourage. And now he learned that Daphne had developed feelings for Niles in return.

"I think you should go talk to Niles." Frasier finally said.

"Why, what is the use? He is with Mel now." Daphne said.

"Something… happened between him and Mel." Frasier replied.

"And I really think you should go talk to him right now!" He added.

Daphne dried her eyes and took a deep breath but didn't move.

"Now!" Frasier said as he opened her bedroom door.

Daphne looked intently at Frasier and said: "I'm going to trust you on this one." before she walked through the door.

For the second time this week Niles found himself on his fainting couch thinking about his life and future. And for the second time he was interrupted by the ring of a bell. This time, however it was his doorbell. He sighed, rose and walked to the door.

"Daphne… what brings you here?" He said stunned.

"Hello dr. Crane, eh, may I come in?" Daphne asked.

"Yeah, yes of course." He replied and gestured her in.

"Do you want something to drink?" He asked as he followed her in.

"Maybe a little water, thank you." She replied.

Niles nodded and walked through the door into the kitchen. He took a bottle of water from the refrigerator and searched for a glass. Daphne looked different, like something was on her mind. He wondered if everything was all right with her as he walked back to his living room.

"There you go." He said as he carefully placed the glass on a coaster in front of her.

He walked over to his chair and sat down. He waited a moment but when Daphne didn't say anything he said: "So… why did you come here tonight?"

"I… I don't know what to say." Daphne started. "It is just something that your brother said." She added.

"Oh? What exactly did Frasier say?" Niles asked nervously, he wondered if Frasier might have said something about their argument.

Daphne took a deep breath and said: "He told me that something happened between you and Mel?"

"Yes well, Mel and I are over." Niles replied.

"Oh… really?" Daphne said as she looked stunned at Niles.

He saw the tears well up in her eyes and instinctively moved to her and sat beside her. He tried to comfort her but wasn't sure why she was so emotional.

"That is wonderful!" Daphne suddenly exclaimed.

Niles looked shocked at her and she quickly leaned in to kiss him. It was a very sweet kiss and it lasted a few seconds. When they broke apart Daphne dried her tears and said to Niles:

"I love you, I have for some time now."

"I love you too." He replied with a smile.

"I know, Niles." She answered and they leaned in to kiss again.

The end.