(Daphne's POV)

Daphne loved the impromptu visits that Niles often paid to his brother. How could she not, when, every time she saw him, he was always so sweet and thoughtful? But she could never tell him how she felt. To do so might jeopardize their growing friendship. And worse, it could interfere with her job. He was, after all, her boss' brother. He was also married; a fact that caused a tiny pain in her heart.

And so she simply kept to herself. She'd finally gotten over the shock of overhearing him at Café Nervosa only a week earlier when he was telling Frasier about a night of passion that he'd spent with his wife after seeing the movie "The Seven Year Itch". It was a movie starring Marilyn Monroe where she boldly let her skirt flutter over an air vent on the sidewalk and didn't care who might see what was underneath. Niles certainly seemed intrigued by it, although she couldn't understand what he'd meant when he's told Frasier that he and his wife had pushed their beds together. And what on earth was his wife doing sleeping in a separate room across the hall?

As she always did when it came to curiosities about his wife (whom she'd never met), she told herself that it didn't matter and that it definitely wasn't any of her business.

But she wasn't kidding anyone. The truth of the matter was that it did hurt and it hurt deeply. Perhaps that explained whey she'd run out of the café, tears brimming in her eyes. She prayed that he hadn't seen her, for it would be completely humiliating. How could she possibly explain? She was a grown woman and certainly didn't need to be crying over a married man that she would never have. And so she'd gone home and lost herself in a romance novel.

Now she worked diligently in the kitchen, cleaning it until it shone. She was most likely overdoing it, but it kept her mind off of…

"Hey Niles, what are you doing here?" Mr. Crane was asking. "Let me guess…"

"Actually Dad, I came to see Daphne." Niles replied.

Daphne gasped at the sound of her name and a million ideas ran through her mind. Ideas that were more like silly romantic fantasies. But she didn't dare show her face and instead stayed right where she was.

"What do you need Daphne for?" Mr. Crane was asking now.

"Well, I bought this plant for Maris but it seems to have…"

"It's dead!" Mr. Crane shouted.

"Not technically, Dad." Niles said his voice upbeat. "You see, it still has the tiniest bit of life inside and I thought that Daphne could nurse it back to health with her soft, sensual hands and loving manner."

Daphne's mouth fell open at his words and she barely managed to hide the gasp of astonishment that escaped. Had he really called her hands soft and sensual?
She stared at her hands, which, even at her age, were starting to show signs that she wasn't getting any younger. How could he possibly think-?

"Hello, Daphne"

Her heart skipped a beat when she looked up and saw him smiling at her, holding the most pathetic looking plant she'd ever seen. And when he handed it to her, she found it hard to hold it steady in her trembling hands.

"What's this?" she asked, feigning innocence.

"I bought this for Maris and it seems to have turned on her."

She smiled sympathetically at Niles and then glanced at the pathetic excuse for a plant. If it were hers, she would have composted it weeks ago.

"I-I thought maybe you could nurse it back to health." He continued.

"Oh, but Dr. Crane, I couldn't possibly-." She stopped when she saw the expression on his face. She could see how much this plant meant to him and she wanted so much to help him. And so she smiled and took his hand, taking note of the way he shuddered. He seemed so nervous, and rightfully so. Even though it was just a plant, she could see how much he loved it.

"I'll take good care of it, Dr. Crane." She said with a smile.

A boyishly handsome smile fell onto his lips and for a moment she thought he might cry. "Y-You will"?

"Daphne, are you crazy?" Mr. Crane yelled from his chair.

"Watch your program, old man!" She shouted. "This is between your son and me!"

To Martin's credit, he did as she asked without grumbling.

Niles looked at her worriedly. "Perhaps Dad's right. There's little hope in saving this plant."

Were it not for the fact that Mr. Crane was in such close proximity, she might have gotten a bit emotional at the way Niles seemed to care for the nearly-dead plant.

But instead she simply smiled at her friend.

"Don't worry about a thing, Dr. Crane. This little plant will be just fine."