A/N: Watched "Crock Tales" the other night, and was deeply inspired to write some N/D fluff. It's not particularly well written, but it needed to be written. *smiles*
***
It was a typical Seattle night -- buckets of rain falling from the sky and soaking everything. Niles had tried to look out the window, but the view was blurred by water and darkness. He sighed. It had been like this on the night after he met her...
He rolled over in his bed, draping an arm around his wife's waist and nuzzling his face closer to hers. At this angle he could see every eyelash, every line and every shadow -- an accomplishment he used to ache for, back when she didn't know. It was simply amazing, he decided, that things ended up this way. Who would have thought that he, Niles Crane, could be the happiest man alive?
The angel next to him let out a soft breath and opened one eye.
"Niles?" she muttered, taking a moment to rearrange her position. "What on earth's keeping you awake?"
He kissed her cheek and smiled. "Oh... Just thinking."
"Could you think an' hold still?"
"Of course, my love."
She patted his hand and relaxed once again, carefully placing her head on his chest. He could smell her hair -- a mixture of everything and anything, although the most prominent fragrances held strawberry and chocolate. Niles inhaled deeply, remembering a time when he would have paid one-million dollars to be in this position.
Then again, he still would.
"Daphne?" he whispered.
"Mmm?"
He pressed his lips together, carefully chosing his words.
"Do you know how much I love you?"
She smiled. He could feel her muscles moving against his chest and imagined what he could not see of her. After a moment, she wriggled around until she was facing him, still smiling.
"Why?" she asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. "You didn't kill anyone, did you?"
He laughed. "No... I don't have the stomach, let alone the hand-eye coordination. I was just thinking about before."
"Before what?"
"Before us."
She smiled again and reached out a pale hand to tangle in his hair.
"How many years again, Dr. Crane?" she asked.
"Six," he replied. "Six heart-wrenching years, and then you found out."
"Yes..." she emitted a dainty sigh, then a casual chuckle. "How the hell did you pass the time?"
"Oh, lots of things," Niles said, taking on a professional tone. "There was always innuendo, wishful thinking to while away my idle hours, and dreams worthy of your romance novels."
"You were a busy boy."
They both shared a happy grin, falling back into the sound of the rain against the window. He held Daphne very close, cherishing every second that flew by. He kissed her -- a sweet, loving kiss placed on her lips -- which she returned before snuggling into him.
"I love you, Daphne," he said.
"I love you, too, Niles."
***