He drew back and stared at her in stunned belief. And it was several seconds before he found his voice.
"Daphne, what are you saying?"
"I'm saying that this whole thing was a mistake!"
He took a deep shuddering breath and the pain on his face was almost more than she could bear.
"B-but how can you even think that? Daphne, I love you and I waited so long to-." His voice broke, and the look in his eyes made her cry even harder.
"I-I'm sorry."
She expected him to walk away; to leave her sitting there alone, wondering why she'd ruined their marriage mere days after it began. After all, he had every right to.
"Daphne-."
"I should have known that you were in love with me, long before your brother told me!" She sobbed. "Instead, I let meself fall for an insensitive man and I broke your heart in the process. Then when you professed your love for me in the hotel room and said those beautiful words, I wanted so much to be with you and no one else for the rest of me life. Instead I went with my conscience and didn't want to risk breaking Donny's heart. And I broke yours instead. I thought I was going to be happy with him but then at the last minute I couldn't o through with it, and I ran back to you, breaking his heart. I just... never realized how much I'd hurt him. I'm a horrible person, Niles!"
He took her in his arms and held her, but she drew back. Brushing away a tear he turned her chin, forcing her to look at him.
"Please don't say that. You're far from horrible. You're the most wonderful person in the world. If you had really been in love with Donny, you'd have married him and not come back to me. I'd be a fool if I didn't say that I wasn't thrilled with your decision, but you knew in your heart who you really loved and that's the most important thing. So please don't ever think-."
"But he was so hurt and I told himself I'd never hurt anyone like that again! Like the way I'm hurting you now. I love you so much and I just ... when he lashed out at you like that, I-."
She began to sob again, prompting him to take her into his arms; holding her while she cried into his suit. And when she was calm, he moved his hand gently across her
tear-streaked cheek.
Finally she smiled.
"I love you, Niles."
In response, he kissed her deeply; the touch of his lips taking away all of her hurt anxiety and fear. And she knew that things would be all right.
"I love you, my angel."
Niles took her hand and smiled "I suppose we should get in there and finish getting married."
Daphne couldn't help but grin and she ran her hand through his hair.
"We're already married."
He laughed nervously. "Oh... You're right. Well... I think we at least owe Frasier and Dad an explanation... or better yet, the truth."
Daphne smiled and kissed his cheek. "You're right. We'll just have to tell them that we're already married... and deeply in love."