Niles and Daphne held hands in the back seat of Frasier's BMW. For most of the ride their fingers entwined in a gentle caress as they thought about their future together. Every few minutes, one member of the new couple would recall the enormity of the mess they had created and the sweet touch would be momentarily replaced with a stress-filled grip, holding on to the other for strength and reassurance. Martin and Frasier bickered pointlessly in front of them. Niles seized the moment and leaned towards Daphne, whispering "Would it be okay if we went back to my place for a while? There's so much I want to say to you, and so much I need to know." Daphne smiled and replied, "I'd like that." Niles reached for Frasier's shoulder and said, "Daphne and I need a little while alone to...talk some things over. If you'd drop us by my place, I'll get her home in a few hours."
Daphne had a suitcase stashed away for spending her wedding night with Donny, before dashing off on their honeymoon the next day. She desperately wanted to get out of her wedding dress, a glaring reminder of the life-altering whirlwind that had begun the night before. She grabbed some clothes from the bag that was now in Frasier's trunk and headed into Niles' apartment building with him. She couldn't help but notice the looks of the people they passed, ranging from mild amusement to wonder. She supposed that most brides wouldn't appear as emotionally drained as she must as the moment.
The rustling of Daphne's dress was the only sound as the pair stepped into Niles' living room. The door closed behind them, creating a welcome barrier between them and the rest of the world. They shared a kiss and stared into each others' eyes for a long moment. Niles broke the silence, saying "Why don't you go change and I'll pour us a glass of wine? I know I could use one." Daphne laughed. "Bring the bottle."
After several minutes, Daphne emerged looking noticeably refreshed. Her hair was now loose and long, no longer confined in the up-do held in place by her wedding veil. Niles smiled as she approached him and took the glass of wine he offered.
"You look beautiful." He couldn't keep his eyes off of her.
Daphne self-consciously looked down at her simple blouse. "It nothing so grand as the..." her words trailed off as she thought of the discarded white dress.
Niles took her hand and led her to the sofa. "You looked stunning, but that outfit was for someone else. This is just for me."
They sat in silence for a moment, but there was no discomfort or awkwardness. Daphne looked upward, stretching, and said, "I feel like I can breathe again for the first time since last night." She turned her eyes towards Niles and asked gently, "What is it you needed to talk with me about?"
Niles screwed up his face and thought for a moment. "You know, it's not anything specific. I simply feel that I'm about to burst from finally being able to be honest with you about how much I love you. There's so much I want to tell you that I can hardly compose a complete thought!" He was sitting upright, beaming, energized and excited.
Daphne couldn't help but share his enthusiasm. But Niles thought he could see a flicker of apprehension in her face and asked her about it. "Is something the matter?"
Daphne leaned back against the cushion and folded her hands in her lap. "Nothing's really wrong, but since I first found out how you feel about me, I have wondered something: Why me?"
