Martin stared at the empty landing and then looked back at Donny, Niles and Frasier.

"Well, what was that all about?"

"I have no idea." Donny replied as he headed for the stairway. "But I'm gonna find out."

Before he reached the base of the staircase, Frasier grabbed his forearm. "Hold it, Donny. With all due respect, that's probably not a good idea."

Donny glanced at Frasier, incredulous. "Frasier, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Now Donny, I'm not placing blame and there's no need to jump to conclusions, but in light of Daphne's breakdown-."

Niles stared at the landing as his heart broke for his angel. Even though she was engaged to Donny, he still loved her deeply and couldn't bear to see her hurting. He was worried.

"She's obviously suffering from some ridiculous psychotic-."

"Mel, Daphne is not psychotic!" Niles yelled louder than he meant to. "Something's going on and I think we should try to help her rather than-."

"Oh for God sake's Niles! Don't you see what she's doing?"

Niles rolled his eyes in anticipation of yet another rant from his girlfriend.

"She's a maid, Niles! She wants attention and you of all people should be able to see the signs! I mean, how ungrateful after all we went through to throw her and Donny this bridal shower! I told you it was a bad idea but you kept-."

"Mel, that's enough!" Niles yelled in exasperation. Ignoring the protests of his girlfriend, dad and brother, he pushed his way through the crowd and headed upstairs.

Damn...

He loved Mel, or at least he thought he did. But the woman could be so infuriating. He'd never understand what Mel had against-.

He stopped short when he reached his bedroom.

From his stance in the hallway he could see her, sobbing into his pillow, clutching it the way a child might hold a beloved teddy bear. The sight nearly tore his heart in two.

For a moment he watched her, at a loss for what to do. His heart told him one thing and his ethics told him something else. He'd never had luck with following his heart, for he knew that she wasn't in love with him. But his ethics were such that to do what was right could possibly cause her more pain.

Donny should be handling this, not him. Whatever was going on between them was obviously causing Daphne a great deal of stress and he couldn't help but wonder if they were having problems in their relationship.

But judging by the startled look on Donny's face when Daphne's outburst occurred, he feared it was something much worse. Obviously Donny was as in the dark about this situation as everyone else in the room.

Niles was definitely well-versed in counseling couples with problems, but he simply couldn't interfere with this relationship. Aside from a major conflict of interest, he would have no idea what to say. He definitely couldn't be objective even if he tried.

And so he continued to stare at her while she sobbed into his pillow.

But his heart held a different story.

She was so kind, loving and generous and he couldn't stand by and do nothing. However, he had no idea what he could possibly say.

The thought of her sitting in his darkened room alone and hurting tore through his very soul and he no longer cared what anyone thought. She needed someone and he swore many years ago that he'd do absolutely anything for her, even if it went against his ethics.

And so, with a heavy heart he walked into the room and stopped in front of her, reaching to touch her shoulder with his trembling hand. He spoke quietly, hoping not to disturb her.

"Daphne?"

She looked up sharply and dropped the pillow, frowning as though she were a child who had been caught misbehaving.

"Dr. Crane..."

Frantically she brushed the pillow with her hand. "Oh sod, look what I've done to your pillow! I've stupidly managed to get makeup all over it!"

Her fingers moved nervously across the pillow as she struggled to remove the pillow case.

"I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane! I don't know what I was thinking, coming into your room like this. I-I'll just take this pillowcase home and pop it into the laundry and it should be as good as new. If not, I'll gladly buy you a new one. I-."

The bed shifted as he sat down beside her, and gently placed his hand on her back.

"Daphne, what's happened? Why are you so upset?"

"I'm not upset, I-I was just so overwhelmed that you threw this party for Donny and I. You can't imagine how much it means to me and I know that Donny-."

Her voice broke and she covered her mouth with her hands. "I'm sorry..."

He stared into her tear-filled eyes and suddenly he could contain his emotions no longer. "Daphne, come here."

When he held out his arms, she practically melted against him, sobbing into his chest.

He knew it was wrong, holding her like this when any minute Donny, Frasier or Mel was bound to appear in the doorway, but he didn't care.

She was hurting and he wanted nothing more than to make her happy again.