Author's Note: The idea for this story has been in my head forever, and I never quite got around to doing it. But once I decided to do a few stories as Christmas presents for my wonderful friends, I knew immediately what to do for Melinda (samanddianefan10) to thank her for all of her love and support. I'm sorry I couldn't make this longer, but I didn't want to quite pair N/D off at this early stage. ;)
"Well, Sam certainly seems nice, doesn't he?" Daphne asked as she watched her boss and his old friend go into the kitchen for a beer.
Niles couldn't deny the way his heart had ached as he watched Daphne just about fall all over the former ballplayer. "Well, Sam is good-looking," he said.
"Your brother never mentioned his friend was so handsome," Daphne agreed, trying to sneak a glance into the kitchen. "He probably thinks I'm daft, the way I kept giggling. But I just couldn't help meself. I felt just like a schoolgirl!" She laughed, slightly embarrassed, as she sat next to him on the sofa.
"Are you...are you interested in him?" Niles held his breath, not sure if he wanted to hear her answer or not.
"Well, I wouldn't turn him down if he asked me out!" Daphne grinned, knowing it probably would never happen.
"I don't think you should have anything to do with Sam," Niles said suddenly. The words were out before he could stop them.
"Well, why not?" Daphne asked in surprise.
Now that he'd gone this far, Niles knew he had to tell her the truth. "Well, from what Frasier's told me, he's a bit of a...womanizer. He's never had a serious relationship."
"Are you sure?" Daphne whispered, suddenly realizing that the man they were discussing was in the very next room.
Niles nodded. "You've heard Frasier speak of Diane, haven't you?"
"You mean the waitress from Boston who left him at the altar?"
"That's the one," Niles said. "Sam's the one she dumped him for. They were on-again, off-again for years. Frasier met Diane after one of their breakups actually sent her to a sanitarium."
Daphne was quiet for a moment as the news sunk in. Apparently, Sam Malone had left quite a trail of broken hearts behind. And Dr. Crane was making sure hers wasn't the next one on the list. "You were trying to warn me, weren't you?"
Niles nodded once again. "He's no good for you, Daphne."
The thought that the younger Dr. Crane cared this much about her touched Daphne deeply. "Thank you. You're a good friend." She hugged him tightly.
A deep, contented sigh escaped from Niles. He knew this hug wasn't coming from any romantic feeling on her part, but he enjoyed it all the same. He knew he'd done the right thing. "You're welcome, Daphne. I just think that you're...a very special person, and you should be with someone who'll appreciate that."
Daphne blushed at the compliment. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. I'll certainly remember that the next time some handsome man tries to flirt with me the way Sam did!" She kissed his cheek.
The sight of Daphne's smile made Niles feel dizzy. But there was also a warm feeling inside him, which he knew came from doing what he could to protect her from pain. "I'm glad. You deserve to be happy."
"Well, I'll admit that me love-life isn't always as exciting as I'd like. But I prefer to look on the bright side. I've got a friend who cares enough about me to stop me from getting hurt, even if it isn't easy to speak up. I really couldn't ask for much more than that, Dr. Crane." Daphne reached for his hand, smiling as she squeezed it.
I don't think I could, either, Niles thought as he felt himself getting lost in her eyes.
The End
