Daphne pushed the elevator button repeatedly. She was so anxious to get upstairs that she considered taking the stairs. Finally Daphne heard the familiar ping noise. The door opened and an old lady stepped out. Daphne greeted her as friendly as she could muster before she got in herself. On the way upstairs Daphne tried to come up with what she would tell Mr. and Dr. Crane. Would they believe her about Mel? Or would they tell her it was none of her business? The elevator ride took too long and doubts filled her mind.

In the end, it was all for nothing. No one was even home. Frantically, Daphne ran through the apartment looking for someone to ease her mind. She would have spilled her heart to Eddie even, but he, too, was gone. Tears filled Daphne's eyes as she accepted the loneliness that now captured her. She sat in Mr. Crane's dreadful chair hoping some wisdom might seep out of it. There was nothing but silence and her own fears and feelings.

"Oh bloody hell," she muttered and wiped away her tears, "they're no good with advice anyway." It was in her angry silence that she remembered what Niles had said: he'd be busy at his office all day! This was her chance to tell him about her doubts. If she wasn't ready to admit her feelings for him yet, she could at least save him from making this mistake. She grabbed her keys and was gone again. She didn't need any advice from anyone. Daphne could do this all on her own; another little secret to keep. If she was wrong, no one would ever know about it anyway. Her plan was perfect. At least that's what she thought.

The drive to Niles' office seemed longer than usual. Daphne still wasn't sure what she was going to say to him once she arrived. There were so many things to tell him and not enough words to voice them. She would have to improvise. The most important thing was that he knew who Mel really was.

To her greatest surprise, Daphne didn't see Mrs. Woodson when she arrived. Niles' secretary was a pleasant woman, who greeted everyone with a smile. It was eerily quiet without her there. Daphne didn't have the time to contemplate her absence, though. Quickly, she knocked on Niles' office door, which was slightly ajar. She knew it meant he wasn't in session with anyone.

"Dr. Crane?" She asked carefully, realizing how strangely similar it was to a few days ago when she'd been right here. Back then she hadn't been able to confess her feelings. Maybe today luck would be on her side. She stepped inside and gasped; Niles wasn't at his desk at all, but Mel was.

"Well, well. I knew you couldn't be trusted." The other woman said with a sugary smile. Daphne was frozen in place. Her hand gripped the door handle painfully, yet she couldn't leave. Not before she knew for sure what Mel was planning with Niles.

"Where is Niles?"

"Since when are you on a first name basis?" Mel got up and walked over to Daphne. Gently, she took her hand away from the door handle and led her inside. She closed the door silently; for a moment Daphne felt confusion consume her.

"He's working from home. Oops, I forgot to mention that earlier, didn't I?" The smile never left her face. She gently pushed Daphne, who felt unable to fight back just yet, into a chair.

"Why are you doing this?" Daphne's voice sounded weak; even in her own ears.

"I'm doing us all a favor. Do you think I'm blind? I see the way Niles has been looking at you. I could live with that because there's no way he'd ever do or say anything," she sighed and wiped away an invisible spot on Niles' desk, "but then I began to see something else. The way you were suddenly looking at him. I don't care for the heartbreaking story of you realizing your feelings for him, by the way. I just knew I had to do something and soon."

That's when Daphne knew she'd been right. Mel's perfidious plan unfolded before her eyes and Daphne gasped. Up until now all she'd had were doubts and inklings; now she knew for sure.

"You're not pregnant." It wasn't a question because both women knew the answer. Mel turned to her.

"It's really too bad you decided to come here today, Daphne."

"I'm going to tell Niles that this is all a scam!"

"Oh, you think I'd let you destroy this? I'm sorry, Daphne. You're no longer invited to my wedding." In a quick move Daphne didn't anticipate, Mel was by her side. Daphne felt the impact of a blunt object on her temple and slumped down. Her vision was blurred as she tried to fight the fast working Mel. She heard the tear of duct-tape, but there was nothing she could do. Her fuzzy brain registered how her hands were put together – and instead of fighting her, Daphne wondered how Mel could be so gently with her – and duct-taped.

"Why are you doing this?" Daphne asked again, the words heavy on her tongue.

"Niles is the perfect man for me. Unfortunately, he thinks you're the woman of his dreams. He'll change his mind when we're married and pregnant."

"No baby."

"I'm not pregnant yet," Mel clarified and checked Daphne's eyes; a part of her remembered that she was a doctor. She seemed content with what she saw and patted Daphne's cheek. "I'll be soon enough. With all this stressful planning, who knows, I might have a miscarriage." She giggled to herself and Daphne thought she was going to be sick.

"Don't you distract me," Mel said suddenly, sounding angry, "You're not going anywhere until I'm Mrs. Niles Crane." She finished and duct-taped Daphne's legs to the chair.

"Niles is going to be so heartbroken when you don't show up. Maybe that'll give him some perspective. I'll come up with a nice, little story." Hot, angry tears spilled from Daphne's eyes as she heard these words. Her head throbbed and her fingers tingled from being tied together too tightly. Her thoughts, however, were consumed with Niles. He would think she didn't care and that hurt more than any of the physical harm Mel had inflicted upon her.

"And don't worry; I won't let you die here," she laughed and the strange sound hurt Daphne's ears, "I'm not that cruel. But bye, bye for now." Before Mel left, she quickly duct-taped Daphne's mouth shut as well. Daphne tried to scream and her lips caught on the artificial glue of the tape. For a moment she thought all of this was just a very twisted, very sick joke. She held still in the hope of hearing footsteps or any kind of noise. All she heard were her rapid heartbeat and her ragged breath. There was nothing left to do, she realized.

Daphne was too late – again – and Mel had won.

Tbc