Daphne's heart raced as she glanced in the mirror and smoothed her red dress. She had to admit that taking Frasier's suggestion to attend Niles' Halloween Ball for the Library Association dressed as the Wife of Bath had been a good one, for she could think of few other events where she was able to dress so elegantly. But she couldn't understand the nervousness that she felt. What was the matter with her? She'd been to Niles' parties before, but now everything was different. She was different.
She wasn't sure when it began or how it had begun at all. But she'd never forget the argument that nearly ended their friendship and had changed (if not tarnished) their relationship forever.
Even now her body grew cold just thinking about it.
Angry, hurtful words were exchanged. Things they would never say to one another. And now the cause of that terrible fight escaped her. But when Niles had stormed out of his brother's home, he'd slammed the door so hard that the window shook. But it was nothing compared to the way her insides crumbled as she sank to the floor, sobbing into her hands.
She cried all night, wishing that she could take back the things that she'd said. The way she'd hurt him. Her efforts to contact him by any means at all were unsuccessful, bringing her further into despair.
Days passed without a trace of him and suddenly she found herself thinking about him all the time. The tears came easily and often, accompanied by the feelings of guilt.
Until one day when something wonderful happened. When the doorbell rang, she thought nothing of it. But as she opened the door, she gasped at the sight. Niles stood in the doorway, holding the small bouquet of flowers and smiled sadly. "Daphne, I'm so sorry. I-."
She promptly burst into tears and fell into his arms, feeling guilty, even while comforted by his soothing hug. He held her for a long time, close enough that she could feel his heartbeat. And when her sobs subsided, she hugged him tighter than ever before, kissing his cheeks again and again.
"I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane. It was my fault. I-."
But he simply wouldn't hear it, choosing instead to take the blame. And that's when her life changed. This man… This sweet and kind and wonderful man was taking the blame for the horrible way she had treated him. It didn't seem right. It wasn't right. It wasn't his fault. Not at all.
From that moment on, things were different between them. She just didn't realize exactly how different they really were.
In the days that passed she could hardly think about him without her heart skipping a beat, noticing how handsome he was. Whenever he mentioned another woman, even in passing, shameful jealous tears would rise to the surface and it was becoming harder and harder to hide them, much less will them away.
And so when he proudly announced that he was throwing a Halloween Ball for the Library Association, she felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps this would be the night that would change her life… and her luck… forever.