He'd come home from work, exhausted and upset. It was truly the worst day of his life. The only bright spot in coming home was knowing that the woman he loved

with all his heart would be there waiting for him. He still couldn't believe that Daphne Moon had agreed to move in with him, much less marry him. It had definitely been

an adjustment; living under the same roof with the woman he'd once loved from afar. But it was blissful, nonetheless.

He opened the front door, his heart warming as her exquisite form came into view. In her navy dress with the tiny white triangles, his fiancé looked like a goddess.

But he'd known that since the first day he'd laid eyes on her.

"Hello, my love!" He said opening his arms to hug her. "How was your day?"

Daphne sighed and kissed him. "It was awful! Your father refused to do his exercises and when I went to the market they were out of me favorite brand of ice cream!

Look, I know I should watch me intake of sweets, but sometimes I can't help meself! And then if that weren't bad enough, me mum called and I spent two hours

arguin' with her over the weddin' details. You'd think it was her gettin' married instead of her own daughter! I tried to be polite by sayin' 'Mum, you know I love you but

I can't stand it when you-."

"Daphne, please!" Niles said holding up his hand. "Don't you want to hear about my day?"

At his exasperated tone, her expression fell.

"Oh... of course. How was your day?" She asked, pulling out of his arms.

"Dear God it was awful!" Niles said as he began to pace the room. "My practice is in severe jeopardy, Daphne!"

"What happened?" She asked, taking his hand.

"Well, I was merely trying to diagnose a patient's problem, and I very gently asked if she and her husband had been experiencing any difficulties in the bedroom. It

was a perfectly reasonable question, given the circumstances. But all of a sudden the woman became violent, provoking. She threatened me, Daphne! She called me

incompetent! Do you have any idea what that means? If she goes to the board, I'm finished! And to make matters even worse-."

"Oh! I almost forgot the worst thing of all!" Daphne interrupted. "It was horrible, Niles!"

Immediately his heart went out to her, and he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry my love. What happened?"

"Well I was at the market, tryin' to buy some kidney beans for me stew, and all of a sudden this little boy reaches into me basket and spills me beans all over the

supermarket floor! And his mum starts yellin' at me for not payin attention to where I was goin! Most humiliatin' thing that ever happened to me! I mean, can you

imagine-."

Niles could only laugh.

"Daphne, you can't possibly think that your supermarket incident was more horrifying than the day I just had! The woman threatened me and-."

The moment the words were out of his mouth he regretted them, but it was too late to take them back.

Daphne stared at him; the hurt evident in her eyes. "I see... So you're sayin' that your problems are more important than me own?"

He reached for her, hurt when she pulled away. "No Daphne...of course not. I'm sorry. I didn't mean-."

Her eyes filled with tears, tearing his heart in two. "I'm just a poor healthcare worker whose life means nothing?"

"Daphne, absolutely not! You're won-."

"I should have known. You're just like your brother!" She said, the tears sliding down her cheeks. "You're both spoiled, snobbish and arrogant, and I'm sorry I

ever met you, Niles Crane!"

"Daphne, you can't mean that!" Niles said, watching as she headed for the stairs. "I love you and I'm so sorry. I just-."

"Forget it, Niles. I know when I'm being used!" She said, her voice trembling.

"Used? Daphne, please! I would never in a million years use you, and frankly I'm stunned that you would dare think such a thing!"

"Goodnight, Niles!" she yelled from the top of the stairs.

He was about to go after her when he heard her footsteps down the hall and then the slamming of a door. Wearily he turned out the lights downstairs, not even

bothering to make dinner and headed for his bedroom, distressed to find the room empty. When he glanced across the hall, he could see her lying in the guest

bedroom, reading. His first thought was to go to her; to make her understand that he was deeply sorry for hurting her. But when they made eye contact, she quickly

looked away, before getting out of bed and closing the door.

Crestfallen, he returned to his bedroom and prepared himself for what was sure to be a lonely and miserable night.