How long he sat, unmoving, on the fainting couch, Niles wasn't quite sure. An irrational part of him told him to stay put and wait for her. She might change her mind and come back to me, he tried to convince himself. Maybe she'll rethink all of this and any minute now, she'll come walking through that door.

But as the night wore on, Niles could no longer fool himself. Daphne had walked away with such finality that he knew nothing and no one could fix this.

The absolute silence continued, and the walls of his vast apartment felt like they were closing in on him. He had to go somewhere he could get away from all this, somewhere he could get something to take the edge off of his pain.


The Sure Thing Bar looked the same as it had so many years ago. The same neon lights flickered dully in the windows, and inside were the same plain furnishings. Memories of Daphne lingered here, too, but no matter where he went, Niles could never get away from thoughts of her. At least here he could reminisce, think of how things might have been, and have something to dull the ache in his heart.

He sat at a table in the farthest corner of the room, nursing a glass of white wine. It was a cheap wine that was overly sweet yet slightly acidic. Frasier would have been horrified seeing his brother drinking this 'vintage'. But any port in a storm.

As he worked on his drink, Niles' attention shifted to a song that was playing on a weathered jukebox. Some country singer was crooning:

There's a rundown bar 'cross the railroad tracks

I got a table for two way in the back

Where I sit alone and think of losing you

The neon lights in the window blurred as the lyrics washed over him. Damn it, now he was crying. Again. He stared down at his drink as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world, not wanting to attract the pity of a passing bartender, or worse, a sympathetic female patron.

Now if you lose your one and only

There's always room here for the lonely

To watch your broken dreams

Dance in and out of the beams

Of a neon moon

After taking a few minutes to compose himself, Niles managed to blink away the tears. He signaled for another glass, which he downed quickly this time, the alcohol burning in his throat as it went down.

A couple sitting at the bar inadvertently got his attention. They were engaged in some intimate conversation, much like he and Daphne had had so many years ago at that very spot.

I think of two young lovers running wild and free

I close my eyes and sometimes see

You in the shadows of this smoke-filled room

No telling how many tears I've sat here and cried

Or how many lies that I've lied

Telling my poor heart she'll come back someday...

Niles beckoned the bartender forward for his third drink and downed it quickly as the music continued.


Meanwhile, Daphne was knocking on the door of Niles' apartment. No answer. She tried again, more insistently this time, but was met once again with silence. She paused, debating, before drawing a key from her purse. The door clicked open and she stepped into the almost completely dark living room. Daphne felt a shiver of apprehension that she couldn't explain.

"Niles?" she called out, trying to keep her voice steady. "Can we talk?"

No answer. She went from room to room, finding each one empty.

Overwhelmed with concern, Daphne sat on Niles' bed to collect her thoughts. Where could he have gone? Certainly not to his office, since it was a Sunday. The wine club wasn't meeting tonight, and she was sure there was no opera or play tonight, or she would've heard about if from Frasier.

Suddenly she had a flicker of intuition, which had become rarer over the years, and knew instantly where he was-and where she had to go.

(Niles' POV)

Niles had finished his third glass of wine and signaled for yet another, which the bartender had set down with a world of warning. Niles knew that trying to drink away the pain of a crisis would only end in a massive hangover, but threw caution to the wind.

You can worry about that tomorrow, he argued with himself. Right now, I just want to forget everything that happened for as long as I can.

His hand was about to close around the stem of the wine glass when it was snatched away from him.

"Didn't your father ever talk to you about drinking your troubles away?"

That voice. Niles looked up; his gaze was met by a familiar pair of brown eyes, regarding him with concern. He could only stare, wondering if the alcohol had finally settled in and was messing with his mind. Or perhaps, like the man in the song that had played earlier, he wanted his love back so desperately that was making him imagine she was there.

Then he felt Daphne take his hand, her skin soft and warm against his. He could never imagine that touch gentle touch. This was real.

"Can we talk? Somewhere more private?" she said quietly.

"How-how did you know where to find me?" Niles asked.

"I don't know how. I just knew," Daphne attempted to explain. "But that's not important right now. Niles, I have so much to say. Will you hear me out?"

Niles looked away as conflicting emotions swirled through him. Did she want to make up with him, or was she just going to assure him again that this decision was all hers? Or worse, maybe she wanted one final goodbye instead of letting the wound start to heal. It was all very confusing.

"I'll leave if you want me to," she said quietly, breaking into his thoughts.

"No. We-we can talk," Niles said. "Let's go back to my apartment."

"All right. See you there."

Niles paid his bar tab and they headed out without another word to each other as they parted to their own vehicles.


They found themselves on the fainting couch again, silence hanging between them as Daphne struggled to remember what she'd planned to say to Niles. Ever since she'd left Frasier's apartment, she'd been rehearsing this moment. Yet now every word she had to say had escaped her. Steeling her courage, she decided to wing it.

"I'm so sorry, Niles," she said, looking at him earnestly, even as he looked away. "I never should have let things get this far. You were there for me the whole time I was in the hospital, and how did I repay you? By making assumptions about your own feelings, and not listening when you said you still love me."

"It's fine. You thought you were doing the right thing," Niles said dully.

"Not entirely. Maybe I did think it was, but Roz pointed something out tonight that I didn't want to admit. That I was also running away because I was afraid that somehow, I might hurt you again. Niles, I'm willing to try again if you are. I love you, and I don't care how long or how hard I have to work to get your trust back. But I need an answer now, before I change my whole life."

Niles finally met her gaze and saw the emotions there. So earnest, so vulnerable. Opening herself up to rejection for him. He felt his fears and doubts melt away.

A small sob broke him out of his thoughts and he was dismayed to see tears in Daphne's eyes.

"If you're going to turn me down, just do it," she choked.

"Oh, Daphne, no. Don't cry," Niles said, cursing himself for making her think the worst. He gathered her into his arms and brushed her tears away. "Shh. It's okay. I want you, too. More than I can express."

"Thank you," Daphne said. "It means a lot that you still want me after such a stupid mistake."

Niles gave her a reassuring smile. "We both did, Daphne. Letting Maris call the shots and keeping me from finalizing our divorce and marrying Mel because I was trying to convince myself I was over you were the biggest mistakes of my life. I wish I'd known you'd come into my life someday. I would've waited for you."

"And interfering with one of your patients was my biggest mistake," Daphne confessed. "Even after all this time, sometimes I wonder how lucky I am to be with you, when there are so many women-like Mel or Maris-who are more successful, more educated..."

"Because none of that matters, Daphne Moon. Sure, marrying Maris felt exciting at first, because her life seemed so glamorous, but the magic wore off when she stopped caring for me. The marriage was simply comfortable at its best, and unhappy when Maris started manipulating me. And Mel? Being with her was familiar, a pattern. Like being with Maris, but at least it was something. A distraction after I thought I'd blown all my chances of you and I being 'us'. But with you, Daphne, it's vibrant and fun and passionate. You make me laugh and you make me feel that I can be myself. It's not about expectations, or who I'm 'supposed' to be. I've never known a love like that until we got together."

"Oh, Niles," Daphne said emotionally.

"And don't underestimate yourself. All the 'class' and connections in the world couldn't do what you did for Dad. You've helped him enjoy life again, physically and emotionally. And you've been a blessing for Frasier, too. For all of us, and-,"

"Niles," Daphne laughingly interrupted. "You're very sweet and what you said means so much to me. But you're starting to ramble."

"So I am," Niles said ruefully. "So, now that we've made up, what next? Dinner? Or did you want to go for a walk?"

"Just a moment," Daphne interjected. "I have one more thing I need cleared up. I need to know what can I do to make up for everything? To prove you can trust me?"

Niles paused, considering, before speaking.

"I think we've both been through enough and grown from this that we can put what happened behind us. We've both had hard lessons to learn. But we've learned them. I just want to move forward with you, Daphne. What about you?"

"More than anything. Starting with dinner, to answer your earlier question."

"That does sound good. Why don't we order in from Jade Palace?"

"Don't tell your brother. He'll ask you why your palate has become so casual," Daphne said with a grin.

"If he does I'll just blame you. My palate has become less 'sophisticated' since getting together with you," Niles teased.

Daphne laughed, the most beautiful sound Niles had ever heard.

(to be continued)


A/N: Lyrics credit: "Neon Moon" written by Ronnie Dunn, originally performed by Brooks & Dunn.