Daphne's mouth fell open in surprise.
"F-for me? B-but why?"
Niles rose from the sofa and began to pace the room.
"Because... well... I feel horrible, Daphne... proposing to you in front of everyone, thinking that you were pregnant with Frasier's baby! Dear God when I think of how humiliated you must have felt! I just-."
He stopped suddenly as she brushed away a tear.
"You're crying... just the way you were last night. Oh Daphne, I mean it. I've completely disgraced myself! I can't bear to see you so upset. Something must have been troubling you at the party. Please tell me that Frasier didn't say something to upset you! If he did, by God I'll..."
"No, it wasn't your brother."
"Then whom? I swear Daphne, when I find the person who upset you, they're gonna be sorry that they-wait... was it Bulldog? Gil? Oh God, please tell me it wasn't Roz! That woman-."
Daphne's hand went to his forearm. "Dr. Crane it's very sweet of you to want to protect me- a bit too sweet actually-but I wasn't crying last night."
Niles' angry expression faded. "Oh..."
"I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. I don't mean to sound ungrateful. The thought that you'd do something like that for me is so lovely and it's just one of the reasons I care about you so much."
The smile returned, along with a nervous laugh. "Y-you do?"
Daphne gave him a quick hug. "Oh, you silly man! Of course I do!"
"Well, thank you Daphne. That means a lot to me because I car-I mean, I lo-."
She laughed and touched his cheek. "It's all right if you can't say the words. Lots of people have trouble expressin' how they feel. Actually I think you did a wonderful job of showin' me how much you care last night. Even if you did get the wrong impression."
"B-But Daphne, you were crying and I just-."
"Actually I wasn't crying at all."
"I don't understand."
"It was me bloody eyelashes that went with me costume. I must have been allergic to them because me eyes were watering all night! I tried to get your father to take me home but he refused! Talk about ungrateful!"
"Why didn't you ask me?" Niles questioned. "I would have taken you home in a heartbeat! If only I had known how uncomfortable you were."
"Now Dr. Crane, I wouldn't dream of tearing you away from your party. It was so lovely, everyone dressed as their favorite literary character."
"Well, thank you Daphne."
"Now what could you possibly be thankin' me for? I'm so sorry for scarin' you the way I did. I can't imagine what you must have been feelin', thinkin' that your brother is responsible for getting' me pregnant! No wonder you thought I was crying!"
It was meant to be a joke, but Niles continued to stare at her with concern.
"But Daphne, you're crying now and it can't be from those fake eyelashes."
Embarrassed, she brushed away a tear that trickled down her nose and tried to smile.
"You're right, although it's silly for me to cryin' like this for no reason. I'm only upsetting you more and-."
She gasped in surprise when she felt him take her hand.
"Daphne... what's wrong?"
"It's been a long time since somebody cared about me. I guess I'm just not used to it."
Niles scoffed. "That's preposterous! How could you even think-."
Heat rose in her cheeks and she inhaled the aromatic scent of the flowers once more.
"Dr. Crane, you never told me why you brought me these flowers. They're extremely beautiful."
Niles smiled. "I just... wanted to let you know how sorry I am... for hurting you the way that I did."