She drove home in a daze, barely aware of where she was headed. And when she pulled into the Elliot Bay Towers parking garage, she became increasingly more nervous. Her chest felt so heavy that she could hardly breathe. She wasn't sure which was worse, the fact that Frasier would be absolutely livid when he saw her or the memory of that horrible man who invaded her privacy.

How could she have been so stupid, taking her life into her hands in an effort to fight off an intruder? She should have known better! There were a million other things she could have done; the most important option being to call 911.

Because Mr. Crane was a retired Seattle police officer, Daphne knew that a phone call would have given her priority. Sure it was unfair to the other citizens of Seattle, but when it came to matters of safety she knew that Mr. Crane would have ordered police protection for her immediately.

But no, she had to do something completely stupid. She'd never done anything like this before, ever! She'd always been such a strong person who stood up for herself and even her brothers were impressed with how confident she was. She took nothing from no one...

Until now...

Her heart clinching against her chest, she turned off the ignition and leaned her head against the steering wheel as she began to cry.

Minutes later as her tears dissolved into one big ache, she wearily climbed out of the car dismayed when the worry crept into her chest. How could she possibly explain any of this to Dr. and Mr. Crane? She couldn't tell them what she had done.

To admit that she'd been a fool would certainly bring lectures of epic proportions from both men; each with a different perspective: Mr. Crane's lecture would focus on the importance of safety and the endless questions about the man's appearance, his mannerisms and a dozen other inquires. And then there was bound to be a string of shouting about how she should have used better judgment in dealing with strangers. She could have been hurt, or killed... or worse.

The thought made her shudder.

And then there was Dr. Crane's lecture; the one that would focus on ethics and doing the right thing. No doubt he would bring up the fact that she had betrayed him before by going to a less than suitable store.

But both men were right... and the unspoken truth hurt worse than any lie she could have fabricated.

There was nothing she could do about it anyway. What was done was done and she might as well face the music.

With a heavy sigh, she entered the lobby; her stride casual. She entered the elevator giving little thought to what lie ahead. Perhaps Frasier wouldn't notice or better yet, wouldn't be home. But considering that his BMW was parked prominently in his coveted parking space, the idea that he wouldn't be home was just a foolish dream.

Daphne willed her anxiety away, but the higher the elevator carried her, the more difficult it became. And suddenly the doors opened revealing the nineteenth floor.

She took a deep breath and stepped into the hallway, her hand trembling as she fumbled in her purse for her keys. And finally the door was opened.

There was no going back now.