When he reached Daphne's room, Niles' heart beat faster as he stood at the door.
With trembling fingers he knocked lightly; dismayed (but not surprised) when there was no answer.
"Daphne?"
The dryness in his throat worsened with each moment. Slowly he opened the door; sighing when he peered inside and saw her sitting on the bed with her back to him.
He couldn't see her face, but when he heard the quiet sobs; his heart broke a little more.
He swallowed hard.
"Daphne, my angel? May I come in?"
He could hear her sniffling. "Go away, Niles."
The harsh words stung, but he knew they were more than deserved.
"Daphne, I'm so sorry. I-."
Her head whipped around to face him, and he gasped in surprise when he saw her tear-streaked face. But it was her expression that made his heart ache.
"Just tell me why, Niles." She said, startling him with her words.
He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. "I... I-."
"How could you do that to me?" She yelled as the tears streamed down her face. "For two long months, I worked harder than I'd ever worked in me life, just to make you proud. I couldn't wait until you came to get me and when you finally did... All you could think of was that bloody basketball game!"
Daringly he moved toward the bed and reached out to her, hurt even more when she pulled away.
"Daphne, I-."
"Oh, bloody hell Niles, is that all you could think about? Some ridiculous basket you made at a game that you had absolutely no interest in? Aren't I more important to you than that?"
"Well of course, my angel but-."
"Don't call me that!" She snapped.
The words stopped him short. "What?"
"I'm not your angel or your goddess or whatever silly name you call Me!"
"Those aren't silly names!" He said, hurt by her accusations. I mean it. You're a goddess and an angel and I love you so much."
"No you don't."
The words cut through him like a knife.
"Daphne, how can you say that? I've loved you since the moment I first saw you!"
"Well you could have fooled me!" She yelled, causing him to wince at the harsh reminder of the same words that his father had said to him earlier.
"Sweetheart, please..."
"How could you do that to me, Niles? I worked so hard tryin' to make meself beautiful for you and-." Her voice broke, rendering her unable to continue.
"Oh my love, you'll always be beautiful to me! How can you even-."
"Am I beautiful, Niles?"
The question dripped with sarcasm.
"Of course you're beautiful Daphne. Haven't I told you-."
"How would you know, Niles? You didn't even look at me the entire time you were at the spa! You just had a grand old time with your new basketball fans, and showing off your basketball playin and that hideous truck! What about me? Do you have any idea how much you hurt me when you just ignored me like that?"
"I'm so sorry, Daphne." Niles said.
She swallowed hard and brushed a tear from her cheek.
"So am I, Niles."
As Niles watched Daphne storm out of the bedroom, the tears on her cheeks were blurred by the tears in his eyes.