He checked the most obvious places; Café Nervosa, her favorite bookstore and the small boutique that she loved so much; the store that she said was out of her price range. At that moment he wanted to buy her everything she ever wanted. He searched high and low but found no sign of her. He drove around the city streets for what felt like hours and as the time passed he became more and more frantic.

Something, he wasn't sure what it was, made him turn around and head back to Café Nervosa. The apprehension grew as he parked his car against the curb and ran inside, making a beeline for the counter. "Excuse me…" he said, desperately trying to catch his breath. "I'm looking for someone. A-."

"Dr. Crane?"

The sweet sound of her voice made him look up sharply and he found himself staring into her tearful brown eyes.

"You were saying, sir?" the young man behind the counter asked.

"I-Never mind. I found her." Niles stammered.

"Okay, great. Well if you need anything else…"

"Thank you, I will." He returned his attention to her. "Daphne…"

"What are you doing here?"

"What am I…? Oh Daphne, I'm so happy to see you. I-." He paused and engulfed her into his arms, barely able to let her go. He breathed in her wonderful sent and held her close. But then, as though realizing that he was making her uncomfortable, he released his hold on her. "I-I'm sorry. I was just… I've been looking everywhere for you."

"You have?"

"Yes, I…"

"I thought you'd be out celebrating… With Mel."

"Celebrating?"

"Well, yes. An engagement is quite a monumental occasion, isn't it?"

He was completely dumbstruck by her words and it took a moment to comprehend what she was saying. "Engagement?"

"Yes. She is your fiancée, isn't she?"

He took a deep breath. "Actually no."

Her gaze met his and he was pained when he noticed the tears in her eyes. But there was something else in those beautiful chocolate brown eyes; compassion. "Y-you mean she turned you down?"

"What? I-."

Before he could say anything more, he found himself wrapped in her arms, her soft hand running up and down his back.

"Daphne…" he said, whispering her name into her hair.

"I'm so sorry…" She whispered against his ear. "I know how much you loved her."

"Thank you Daphne, but-."

She drew back and looked at him, the tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Daphne, what's wrong?"

To his dismay, she turned around but he gently touched her shoulder causing her to return her gaze to his.

"Daphne, if it's something I said or did…"

"No, it's…"

He could tell that she wasn't being truthful and that something was bothering her. But he didn't want to upset her even further. However, he couldn't just let whatever she was trying to say go unsaid.

"Daphne, please talk to me. I'm here for you always. I can see the tears in your eyes. I-."

"It's not right."

"What's not right?"

"Feeling this way about you when you've been through so much."

"I'm not following..."

When she blinked and tears spilled onto her cheeks, he had to fight the urge to reach into his pocket for his handkerchief to brush them away.

"Daphne-."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. I didn't mean to fall in love with you, but I can't help it! I-."

His heart was pounding in his chest and he felt as though he was in a wonderful dream. He could hardly believe that what he'd heard was real. Could it really be true that this beautiful, perfect angel was in love with him?

"Daphne, I-."

"Dr. Crane, I'm sorry, I-."

He pulled her into his arms and moved his face slowly toward hers until their lips touched. The spark gave way to a deepening of the kiss and she wrapped her arms around him. But before he was ready, she drew back and stared at him.

"Oh God, I shouldn't have done that!"

"Why not?"

"Because… Mel…"

"Mel's no longer in my life, Daphne."

"But you proposed and-."

"Actually I didn't."

"What?"

"I didn't propose to her. I-I thought about it, but then I realized that it's not right to ask someone I don't love for her hand in marriage."

"But when you came over to see your brother, you said-."

"I know. I never meant to lie. At the time it wasn't a lie. I was just… so excited at the thought of asking her to marry me that I never really considered what it would mean. And then I realized that she isn't the one that I truly love and want to spend the rest of my life with."

"Dr. Crane…"

He drew her close and kissed her once more. "Please… call me Niles…"

"Niles…."

"Daphne, you're the one I love. You're the one I've always loved."

She began to cry once more and threw her arms around him. "I love you, Niles Crane. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Daphne. Will you allow me the honor of escorting you home? I believe there's still some champagne left."

"That sounds lovely, Niles. What are we celebrating?"

He smiled and kissed her again. "The beginning of the rest of our lives."

THE END