Niles walked into his apartment at the Montana, and tossed his keys on a nearby table.

"Daphne? Are you here, my love?"

To his dismay, the question was met with silence.

It was just as he thought. This nightmare was real. Although it was quite a relief to find out that most things were back to normal. But without Daphne...

Well, life just wasn't worth living.

Resisting the urge to cry, he made himself a sherry and sat down on the fainting couch, resting his head against the pillow.

Minutes later he heard the unmistakable sound of a key in the lock and the doorknob turning.

Could it be?

His heartbeat increased as he sat the empty glass on the table and rose from the couch, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Daphne?"

She stood before him, looking more beautiful than he could ever remember, the tears in her eyes tugging at his heart.

"I-I'm so sorry, Niles." She said. "I can't believe I-."

He moved toward her and took her face in his hands, silencing her with a kiss. He kissed her over and over again until they were both breathless. When the

kisses ended, he stared into her eyes.

"So... does this mean that you forgive me?" Daphne asked. "I'm so sorry... I just..."

When her voice broke, he took her in his arms and held her close. "I thought you were gone forever." He whispered into her hair.

"N-never... I love you." She whispered back.

They kissed again and then walked hand in hand to the fainting couch.

"Daphne, I'm so sorry I hurt your feelings." Niles said, kissing her hand. "It was cruel and inconsiderate of me to put my problems above your own."

Daphne touched his face and smiled. "Me problems aren't really problems at all. I was just so frustrated. Your father can be quite a nuisance when he wants to be. But

Niles you were hurting and well, I ... Did a patient really threaten you?"

Niles averted his eyes. The subject was still a painful one and until it was resolved he wasn't sure that he'd ever be comfortable talking about it.

Daphne leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Did he hurt you? This patient, I mean?"

"Well, actually it was a woman, and yes she did hurt me... emotionally. But Daphne it doesn't matter now because-."

"Niles..." She said resting her head on his chest. "Can you find it in your kind, warm heart to forgive me?"

He laced his fingers through hers. "There's nothing to forgive. I was the insensitive one."

"I love you, Niles." She said, kissing his hand.

Niles put his hand on her chin and tilted her face toward his for a kiss. "I've loved you since the moment I saw you."

She smiled and kissed him again. Seconds later, however, Niles pulled away and rose from the sofa.

"What's wrong?" Daphne asked.

"Something's missing here." He said.

"Missing? What are you talking about?" Daphne asked.

"I'll be right back."

Ignoring Daphne's confused look, Niles smiled and bounded up the staircase.

Once in the master bedroom, he opened his nightstand drawer and removed the velvet pouch containing Daphne's engagement ring.

"Niles! What's going on?" He heard her yell from downstairs.

"I'll be right down, my love." He called to her.

When he looked around the bedroom a second time, he had an idea. Minutes later he returned the ring to the pouch and put it back in his dresser before running down the

stairs.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on or do I have to drag it out of you?" Daphne asked.

He smiled and took her hand. "Come upstairs with me."

"Niles..."

She took his hand and followed him up the stairs.

"Niles, where are we... Oh..." She gasped in surprise when she saw what he had done. "What's all this?"

Niles glanced around the bedroom, admiring his attempt at spontaneity.

There were candles everywhere and rose petals scattered across the bed.

"For you..." He said simply. "Because I love you."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him toward her for a kiss.

"I love you, Niles."

"Well in that case there's only one thing that would make this moment perfect." Niles said.

"How could you possibly make this even more-Oh..."

Tears filled Daphne's eyes when he removed the ring from the velvet pouch and lowered himself to one knee.

"Daphne will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"

"Of course I'll marry you." She said tearfully. "I'm so sorry I took the ring off the way I did. I was being selfish and-."

"You're so beautiful, with your face illuminated in the candlelight." He said as he kissed her. Slowly he slipped the ring on her finger and led her to the bed

where they fell onto the pillows, making up for lost time.

"Thanks, Alex." Niles said, interrupting their series of kisses.

Daphne pulled away and looked at him. "Who's Alex?"

Niles blinked, unaware that he'd even spoken.

"That's funny... I have no idea... But whoever it is, I'm eternally grateful to them because I now have the perfect life."