Star-Crossed Lovers

Chapter One

"Well, I have to say, I can't wait until tonight's opera, it really is the talk of the town!" Frasier dusted around the house, singing quietly to himself.

"Yes, I know Fras, you've only been on about it for the past two months, now can you do something useful like get me a beer?" Martin Crane sat in his chair, trying to watch football but his eldest son kept interrupting.

"Oh, go get it yourself."

Martin sighed and muttered something like, "After all I've done for you..." before standing up and hobbling into the kitchen, Eddie, his dog, following close behind.

The doorbell rang and Frasier ran to answer it. He opened the door and saw his brother standing there, "Ah, Niles, excited about the opera?"

"Oh, yes, absolutely thrilled, but I have bad news, Maris can't come." The younger crane walked in and sat down on the sofa. He was boyishly handsome and was extremely well dressed.

"Oh, what a shame," smirked Frasier, sarcastically, as he continued with his cleaning.

"There's no need to sound so happy about it, she was really looking forward to it." Niles was always quick to defend his wife. He was ever loyal and Frasier often felt sorry for him as he knew Maris was nowhere near as kind or generous as Niles.

"Alright, fine. What happened this time?" Frasier was dreading the answer. Each one of Maris' excuses were always more ridiculous than the last.

"Well, it's actually quite tragic. The poor little dear got herself stuck in a revolving door whilst shopping for a dress to wear tonight. She chipped the nail on her index finger of her right hand and can't wear false ones as they absolutely ruin her complexion and... Frasier, why are you laughing?"

"I'm sorry Niles, I can't help it." With that he stumbled to his room, laughing at Maris' latest adventure.

Niles sighed. He wished that they could understand Maris. True, she was difficult, but she had her good sides. Although, he hadn't seen her good side in a long time. He suddenly began to think, when was the last time he had actually thought, I love Maris and I cannot live without her? He then began to wonder if he had ever thought that. It was quite a terrifying thought. Could it actually be that he wasn't in love with Maris? Surely not, he had devoted himself to her, but what had she done for him? Nothing. Niles suddenly began to see what his Dad and Frasier meant. Not going to the opera because of a chipped nail? Letting him, her husband, down because of a chipped nail? Ridiculous! Frightened by his thoughts, Niles shouted goodbye and went back home to get ready for the opera that night.

***

"Frasier, that was absolutely stunning! I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it!"

"I know, Niles, it was exquisite!"

The opera had been a success for the Crane brothers, they had loved it. Now there was the small party afterwards to celebrate opening night. All that had to be done at the party was to make mundane chit-chat. Most people would mainly talk about how fantastic the opera had been and how they would be flying their private jet to Hawaii in the summer. Most people who were going to the party were rich snobs who had more money than sense. Niles and Frasier just wanted to show up to meet some "higher class" people and try and look important.

The party was as expected, a bunch of people in fancy dresses and tux's talking about their oh-so-important lives. Some of them acted as though if they weren't there it would be the end of civilisation as we know it. Frasier and Niles mingled and chatted but found most of the people dull and too far up their own asses to understand anything that wasn't about themselves.

Frasier was busy talking to an internet millionaire so Niles decided to slip out of the room and into the lobby. He took his drink with him and managed to escape without anyone noticing him leaving. It was a lot cooler in the lobby, he undid his bowtie, leaned against the wall and sighed.

"Hello?"

Niles quickly turned around to see a woman standing in the shadows. He couldn't quite see what she looked like but she seemed quite tall and thin, as were most of the women in there, he had no idea why she could be standing out here. "Hello?" he echoed.

"Henry?" the woman asked, sounding almost frightened.

"Er, no, this is Niles Crane." Replied Niles, wondering if this was some kind of gate crasher, but surely a gate crasher wouldn't be wearing a long evening dress.

"Oh, thank God. I thought it was him coming out to find me, I honestly can't stand it in there."

Niles saw the woman relax, but she didn't come out of the shadows. It was only then that he noticed her accent. "Why, that's an enchanting accent you have. Is it Manchester?"

"Oh, is it that obvious?" She laughed.

Niles noticed that when she laughed, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He cleared his throat, uncomfortable with the way she was making him feel. He hadn't even seen her, yet he had goose pimples all over his arms. "Why are you out here?" he decided to ask, not wanted to think about his goose pimply arms.

"In there it's full of people I can't talk to, they're too posh for my liking." She sighed softly. Niles found himself wanting to tell her everything about him. He kept trying to tell himself that he was being stupid, he didn't even know this woman. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."

"It's fine, I feel the same way."

"Oh, good. It's nice to have someone different to talk to, God knows how long this thing's going to go on for." It was then that she stepped out of the shadows and Niles let out a small gasp. His heart leapt the moment he saw her, he didn't know what it was, it was the best feeling he'd felt in his life. Her beauty was overpowering. He had to stop to catch his breath. He'd never met anyone so stunning, so enchanting, so...perfect.

"I'm Daphne, by the way. Daphne Moon, oh, sorry, I mean Carter. I haven't got used my new name, I've only been married a couple of months."

It was then that Niles swore his heart had been ripped in two.