A/N: This is a birthday gift for Pat2Trivia4Me with the utmost gratitude and appreciation for the support and friendship he has bestowed upon me since I started writing Frasier stories some 300+ stories ago. This story is based on a DVD called "Frasier Fan Favorites", which is comprised of eight episodes, all of which are chapters in this story. As always, all comments are appreciated!

He loved her more than life itself. But he loved his wife, too. And that was the problem.

How ironic that the woman he'd chosen to spend the rest of his life with had run off to Arizona to contemplate the state of their marriage from her favorite spa, while the woman he truly loved; the woman he loved so deeply but could not have, was here in his home , the mansion that he shared with his wife. It was, by all accounts, the perfect setting for a romantic rendezvous; a beautiful woman-no… not a woman, but a goddess, distraught over an unforeseen breakup, and he, a successful, sophisticated, suave and (dare he say?) handsome man were now stranded here, trapped by a dark and stormy night.

He knew that his marriage was crumbling before his eyes. He could feel it. The pain was great; that was certain, but it also opened up opportunities, one in particular. If Maris no longer loved him then he would simply find someone who would. Someone whom he could love in return. And after much searching he had found her unexpectedly in the form of Daphne Moon.

His heart warmed at the thought of her. She was beautiful; an angel, a gift from the heavens above. And oh, how he loved her. From the first moment he'd seen her, standing in his brother's living room, his life had changed in ways he couldn't have even imagined.

If he hadn't done such a stupid thing; hiding in the closet wearing only the eye patch of his pirate costume in order to seduce his wife, he and Daphne wouldn't have been thrust into this situation now. Daphne's generosity overwhelmed him as he heard himself accepting her offer to make a romantic dinner for him and his wife in order to rekindle the flame that was slowly starting to extinguish. Now he fought hard to resist his temptations as he looked at her, mesmerized at the sight of the way she looked in Maris' silk nightgown. Like an angel…

The fire was roaring in the fireplace and he gazed upon her as she lay on the expensive Persian rug, her head cradled by a fringed pillow. He stared at her, taking in her beauty. Oh, how he longed to kiss her. To feel, just once, her lips upon his.

And then it happened…

Not the kiss he wanted so desperately, but the harsh intrusion of reality. As Daphne had pointed out, his glockenspiel had sprung to life. It had indeed. His heart raced as if by cruel fate when he was but for a moment delighted that his precious wedding gift heirloom form Vienna had miraculously started to work again.

"Maris will be delighted!" He'd shouted. And then he sank even further onto the floor, having temporarily forgotten why Daphne was at the mansion in the first place.

"Maris…"

He rose to his feet and went to sit upon the sofa, his angel kneeling in front of him. She listened intently to his heartfelt sentiment about how much he loved his wife. He did love Maris. He did! And nothing would ever change that, except…

"I hope that someday some man will feel about me." Daphne was saying in her quiet, sweet voice.

He looked deeply into her eyes. This was his chance; his huge chance to reveal what was in his heart.

"Oh Daphne, don't worry. There's already someone who loves you deeply. Someone who can't take his eyes off of you, or get you out of his mind. Someone who thinks that you're the most wonderful woman in the world. And that someone happens to be-."

She was leaning toward him now and smiling. "You're so sweet. And those are the nicest words that anyone has ever said to me. Thank you, Dr. Crane."

His heart was pounding furiously and he cursed himself for his coyness. "You're welcome, Daphne." He replied, trying his best to sound sincere.

"Mrs. Crane is a very lucky woman to have you for a husband. I hope that your happiness will last forever."

He was silent for a long while, afraid that if he spoke, his voice would tremble. But then he regained his confidence; if only for a moment. "Thank you, Daphne. You have no idea how much you mean to me. I lo-" The boldly stated, yet unfinished earned him a kiss on his cheek; his skin burning from the feeling of her lips. Once again he had lost his nerve. It was as though it was a sign...

If only she knew how much he loved her. If only he could tell her… just three, no... four little words… "I love you, Daphne."

If only.

It wouldn't happen tonight, but one day when he was braver.

He'd make sure of it.