Too Good To Be True.
Synopsis:
A continuation of the episode entitled "Back Talk" and before "Fight Before Christmas". What might have happened during the first of Daphne's time spend around Niles after learning about his love for her. My first ever fan fiction of any kind, so please be gentle ;) Reviews and writing tips are greatly appreciated.
CHAPTER 1: Washing Up
Daphne opened the door to find Niles. Her heart jumped and she wasn't sure why. "Of course he would be joining the celebrations, you silly sod," she reminded herself as she tried to smile at him as naturally as possible.
Somehow, she has thought that seeing him wouldn't have an effect on her… that she'd still feel the same way about him… and that her interactions with him wouldn't be any different than they had been before Frasier's startling and disorienting slip-up. She thought wrong.
"Good evening, Daphne," Niles greeted in the same cheerful tone he always had. Only, to her, it suddenly sounded different. She looked at him with new eyes, searching for something – perhaps a sign of love or infatuation that has slipped by her all these years – and she greeted him back with a simple "Dr. Crane," and a distracted smile.
He was about to enter the apartment but paused. "You seem different somehow… Did you do something new with your hair?" Her heart raced. She panicked inwardly, her shoulders went tense and she went to fidget with her hair. She found the party hat on her head and took it off, hoping that he couldn't see right through her.
"Oh, that must be it," he said with a smile. She was off the hook. Her eyes lingered on him for a moment as he walked by her. She shut the door, mentally preparing herself to be extra-observant at this birthday celebration. "Tonight is not the night for aloofness, Daphne. Now pull yourself together," she reminded herself in vain, as her thoughts immediately began to wander.
Niles walked towards his father and Frasier who were standing at the dining table. "Well he definitely doesn't seem as 'crazy about me' as Frasier seems to think," she thought as his eyes barely went her way while he spoke to his family about his day. "What if Dr. Crane was a tad too drugged-up to be taken seriously?" she thought, "Am I worrying over nothing?" "Daphne, could ya get another hat outa the kitchen for Niles?" Mr. Crane's voice suddenly interrupted her silent rambling. She walked to the kitchen.
"Mr. Crane…" she began to question herself again, "It must be true because Mr. Crane had said it's been going on for 6 years now! It wasn't only Dr. Crane's back medication."
Niles spoke as she re-entered the room, "Uh, dad, remind me again why I need to wear this party hat?" His voice still sounded the same but somehow she was more aware of everything he said. He smiled at her as he handed the hat to him. For the first time in a long time, she felt shy.
"It was just a smile and here I am worrying that I might be blushing like a school girl. Get a grip, Daphne!" she thought. Only, it wasn't just a smile. It was him looking at her… the possibility that he'd been watching her every move in a different way than she had thought to consider. For six whole years. She could have had an audience she even never knew existed.
"It's your brother's birthday and we're gonna wear these hats! You don't hear Eddie complaining, do you?" retorted Martin. Niles and Frasier glanced at each other knowingly and she could almost hear their telepathic conversation: "Don't even bother arguing with dad when it comes to Eddie." And "Don't worry, I know better than to get into that."
As they sat eating at the table, Frasier addressed Daphne in an attempt to distract himself from Eddie's drooling and occasional staring, "Daphne, you've barely said two words tonight." "Well you know how women get when they're in love," Martin jumped in, much to Daphne's relief. That is, until she'd registered what he had actually said. "Excuse me?" she said with wide eyes.
"He's referring to Donny, you sausage!" she mentally scolded herself before Martin even had the chance to remind her of her… fiancée. She knew she should be thinking of Donny. Why, she would be moving in with him soon. Why was she even entertaining ideas of being loved by someone other than her dear Donny?
"Oh, yes, sorry," was all she managed to get out before Niles spoke up. "What's he off doing tonight?" She looked at him. His eyebrows were raised but his eyes were on his meal. She had never been one to notice body language or any kind of social-behavioural cues. She was a woman of intuition, of feeling, of emotion. She had always been the girl to 'go with the flow' and not bother fretting over things she did not see, hear or feel. Now she suddenly wished she had. She tried to read his expression. Surprise? Annoyance? She was no good at these this.
"Um. He couldn't make it, she responded, looking down at her own meal as if it was suddenly interesting. The truth was, she hadn't thought to invite him. "It's just a birthday dinner for Frasier," she argued inwardly, trying to convince herself that she hadn't left him out purposefully.
"He declined the opportunity to spend time with his beautiful fi-ah… fian-aah… (*cough) ahem, fiancé? Niles asked. "A sign?" she contemplated but then let it slide and took the complement. "Thank you Dr. Crane but no. You know how busy attorneys can be I'm sure we'll have plenty of time together after the wedding."
"Yes, well…" he paused. "Excuse me, I uh… I'll just clear some of these plates." Niles rose and began grabbing at plates. Daphne noticed Martin and Frasier look at each other with pitying, concerned expressions. "Maybe the mention of the wedding upset him. Perhaps this… crush hasn't faded over the past six years. Six years!" No matter how many times she repeated it to herself, Frasier's words still knocked her unsteady. "Why had he never made a move? Is he ashamed of me not being part of his social circle?" she wondered.
"Are ya sure you're okay, Daph?" asked Martin. "Oh, I'm fine, really!" she responded with a wave of her hand and she lifted a few dishes with which to retreat to the kitchen. When she got there, she realized Niles was still there, washing dishes. "Oh, Dr. Crane, don't worry yourself with those!" she said as she tried to put her dishes in the sink without touching him.
"That's alright Daphne, I'm finding this rather therapeutic, washing these. It distracts me from my thoughts. I can see why you do it even though Frasier has a dishwasher." She smiled and turned to put away a few condiments and herbs she had used while cooking. "So… Are you excited about the Christmas party?" he asked.
Truthfully, she'd totally forgotten, what with him on her mind. "Oh, yes. I actually bought a dress 2 weeks ago. It's red," she beamed. "I'm sure you'll look wonderful. You always do." She didn't know what to do with her hands. She reached for a cloth and began drying the dishes he'd already cleaned, trying to convince herself she needed to be in the kitchen to dry them at that very moment.
As they continued working in silence, she realized her breathing had been shallow and she willed herself to relax. Martin walked in with Eddie in tow. "Would you two get outa here? It's time for dessert!" he said and as he left, added, "Eddie has been dying for some of that cake so if ya want some, ya better come n' get it!"
"You know, sometimes I think he uses that dog as an excuse to eat all that junk." Daphne chuckled in agreement, "Yes and don't think he doesn't use Eddie to get out of exercising as well!"
"We'd better get out there," said Niles, his hands still submerged in the dishwater. "Oh, the cake forks are in the cupboard just above your head," Daphne pointed out. Niles looked up, mouthed an "Oh" and shifted a little to his left continued washing the last dish. When she realized he wanted her to reach up over him and get them, she was suddenly rigid with the thought of being near enough to brush up against him but it also intrigued her. "Can you reach them?" he asked. "Um, yeah," she said and awkwardly leaned over him trying to find the box but also very aware of him.
And just as she found the box, she felt it… or rather heard it. She looked down and her eyes confirmed it… his eyes were closed and he was smelling her hair! She broke out in goose pimples and dropped the forks.
She thought he had done that years ago when they'd first met and she had asked him about it when it happened. He had denied it and she had brushed it off but the memory came flooding back as he helped her gather the forks. Their hands brushed and she rose suddenly and told him she wasn't sure she'd be having any cake tonight anyway. "You don't like something sweet after your dinner?" he asked. "Um…" she looked at him as she backed into the kitchen island. For a little too long, she realized, as a smile crept in on his questioning expression. Was he trying to say something?
He rose and reached round her to place the forks on the island. She moved her hands to palm at the island behind her as if to ground herself. He paused and looked at her. She didn't move. She didn't flinch. She felt his closeness and did not really want to escape it if she was being honest with herself.
He looked at her and she saw a hint of something in his eyes.
She wasn't sure what.
She looked at his lips.
She wasn't sure why.
Did she want to kiss him? She licked her lips as she looked back up at him.
He looked confused yet hopeful. Okay maybe she couldn't tell from his expression, his eyes darting between her own as if questioning her. She could sense the strength of his hopefulness streaming off of him and she suddenly felt warm. She liked entertaining the idea that someone like him could possibly want someone like her. He still had not budged, lost in her eyes and intrigued by this new kind of behavior that seemed rather unlike her. She shifted to rest her weight on both feet and nearly matched his height. "Taller than Donny," she noted, then blushed.
"What, may I ask, is taking so long!" Frasier's voice boomed between them. She jumped. "Already making comparisons! Really Daphne?" she reprimanded herself. Niles stood still once she had left the room, wondering what had happened.