Author's Note:As much as I LOVE "First Date," I couldn't help wanting to rewrite the ending. This was going to be a one-shot, but it got to be too long. And there was a perfect place to split it, so of course I had to do that! Thanks to Leigh Ann (leighann415) for reading drafts, and to Andrea (iloveromance) for encouraging me to get this up! *Hugs* Hope you like and please R&R!
I've never had this much fun in the kitchen. But then, I think I would probably enjoy just about anything, as long as Daphne were with me. It all happened so easily. One minute, we were chopping vegetables, the next we were singing. Suddenly, I knew I had to speak up. If ever there were a perfect moment to tell Daphne how I feel, this would be it.
"Daphne?" I said, as she continued to giggle at our impromptu song. Immediately she stopped, looking me straight in the eyes. I had to struggle to remember what I wanted to say. I could only stare at her, amazed that she was actually here, trying to help me prepare for a date I didn't really have.
"Dr. Crane, are you all right?" she asked as I continued to stare. "I know you're nervous, but I have a good feeling about this date."
"I suppose I'm a little nervous, because I'm not sure if she knows how I feel," I said cautiously. I wasn't quite sure I was ready to make a full confession just yet.
"Nonsense!" Daphne exclaimed immediately. "I heard you ask her out meself. She already knows you're interested, so now all you've got to do is show her how charming you are!"
If only it were that easy, I thought. "There's...something you should know." Daphne looked at me in confusion. "About that phone call I made earlier. Maybe it's better if I show you," I said, turning to walk back into the living room. Daphne followed, still clearly confused by my actions. Without a word, I walked over to my answering machine and pressed a button. Immediately, my own voice filled the room. I played back the message I'd left on my own machine in a pathetic attempt to hide my true feelings for Daphne.
"I don't understand..." Daphne said as the recording ended. "You called your own answering machine?"
"When you asked me who I was in love with, I didn't know what to say, so I just said the first thing I could think of." I hung my head in shame. I couldn't even look at her after what I'd just admitted. The one thing I was always sure of was the friendship Daphne and I shared. And now I had ruined that, as well as any chance of something more between us.
"Why would you be scared to tell me who you and your brother were talking about?" Daphne's confusion lasted only a moment longer. "Da-Phyllis," she said, repeating what I'd said when she asked the woman's name. "Dr. Crane," she began. Suddenly I could hardly breathe. Daphne took a step toward me. Nervously, I looked up at her, my heart beating wildly out of control. "You were going to say someone else's name at first, weren't you?" I nodded. For a second, I felt dizzy. This could not be happening. I reached for the nearby chair and went to sit down. Daphne looked down at me, concern on her face. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, I'll be fine. Just a bit of dizziness," I said. "Nerves, I guess." When I began to get up, she stopped me.
"Just stay here. I'll go get you some water." Before I could protest, she walked back into the kitchen. She returned almost immediately, glass in hand. "Here, drink this," she said, handing it to me.
I took the glass and gulped the contents quickly. It did seem to steady my nerves. "Thank you," I murmured.
She took the empty glass from me, then squeezed my hand. Immediately, I felt a chill go through me at her touch. Her sympathetic smile nearly made me feel faint again. "Do you feel better?" she asked.
"Yes," I stammered. I started to say more, but Daphne stopped me.
"There's no reason for you to get so excited, Dr. Crane. Just take a few deep breaths, and then you can explain why you left that message on your machine." When I looked at her, I had the strangest feeling that she already knew the explanation.