It was truly the worst night of Daphne's life. Tears stung her eyes as she entered the Elliot Bay Towers and she found that the rain which had soaked her to the skin no longer bothered her. For it wasn't her clothes but her heart that was in need of warmth.

How could this have happened? Things were going so well!

She'd been seeing Mark for nearly three months and for the first time in her life, she was happy. Mark Harrison was everything she'd ever wanted in a man. He was sweet, kind, thoughtful and oh so handsome.

But little did she know that he would choose what he'd promised to be the most romantic night of her life to shatter her heart into a million pieces; pieces that she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to pick up.

And worse, she had no idea that losing someone she loved would hurt this much.

Her eyes blurred with tears as she unlocked the door to Frasier's condo and she found it hard to control her trembling hands.

Silently she prayed that no one was home. Frasier and Martin were the last people she wanted to see. She loved them dearly, but Frasier was sure to hand out advice on how to soothe her broken heart. She knew he meant well, but she simply wasn't in the mood for his analytical musings of life.

And Martin was almost as bad with his well-intended attempt at assuring her that one day she'd find the right man. He'd been saying that for years and as much as she wanted to believe it, she was beginning to think that it was just his way of showing kindness and concern.

As she opened the door, the empty living room beckoned, causing a rush of relief to come over her. Brushing the tears from her cheeks, she took a hot shower, scrubbing every inch of her body. But even the soapy water did little to soothe her, and instead mixed with her seemingly endless tears. Like her love life, she watched it slowly make its way down the drain.

She dried herself off and changed into her pajamas and plush robe, eager to make a cup of tea. She wanted nothing more than to curl up on the sofa with a romance novel and attempt to forget her pain, if only for a little while. But the bittersweet story beneath her fingertips only upset her more.

She was mere moments from giving up on relaxing on the sofa to fall asleep in her lonely bed, when the doorbell rang. And with some annoyance she went to answer it.

Most likely it was Roz, stopping by with an endless story about her latest man. It could be just what Daphne needed, for only Roz would truly understand what it felt like to be dumped as she so eloquently put it. The thought made Daphne's eyes roll. However it wouldn't be so terrible if it were Roz standing outside of her door. But she wasn't in the mood for her friend either.

It was best if she remained alone, although at this rate she'd quickly be getting used to the feeling. Once more the tears streamed down her cheeks and she opened the door making no attempt to brush them away.

Her spirits rose, albeit only slightly when she saw Frasier's handsome younger brother standing in the hallway.

"Oh... Dr. Crane. Hello."

"Hello Daphne. I'm sorry to bother you. I just-."

Niles stopped speaking, his smile disappearing when he saw her distraught expression and he was at her side in an instant.

"Dear God, what's happened?"

She sighed at the gentle way he took her hand. He was always the perfect gentleman and such a wonderful friend.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. If you've come to see your brother and father, I'm afraid they aren't home. I'm here by meself, which I suppose is what my life will be like from now on."

When her voice broke, she turned away, ashamed to let him see her crying. Mark was just a man, after all. He wasn't anything special, just someone she'd met in the park on a beautiful clear day. An ordinary man who was thoughtful enough to buy her flowers from a flower vendor mere seconds after he'd met her. The memory made her tears fall even faster.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Crane." She said again. "I suppose I'm not very good company, am I?."

He moved closer and brushed the tears from her cheek with his fingertips. "Of course you are. But I hate to see you like this, Daphne. What happened?"

Daphne sighed deeply, determined not to become even more upset. But when she saw the genuine concern in his eyes she collapsed into his arms, sobbing into his chest.