He went to her at once, still unable to believe that the moment was real, and her expression of surprise was one that surely mirrored his own. "Daphne…. Thank God I found you. I looked everywhere… I…."

"What are you doing here? I saw your father and brother and your father…."

"I know. He told me that he'd seen you, but I just didn't believe…Um… Oh… you were asking what I'm doing here. Well, Frasier was given the opportunity to give a lecture on relationships and he asked… no, actually insisted, that Dad and I come along. Believe me I didn't' want to, but… what are you doing here? I thought…."

She smiled sadly. "Well, John and I…"

Niles nodded, his heart clinching in his chest at the unspoken news that he'd already anticipated. But he loved Daphne. And loving someone… especially someone like

Daphne (even if she didn't share his feelings) meant loving everything about them, and everything that happens to them. "Right…. Dad and Frasier told me about that. Daphne, I know I may not have spoken very highly of your… um… finance, but I wish you both every happiness in the world."

"He's not my fiancé!"

The sharpness of her voice caught him off guard and he drew in a breath.

"Daphne, I'm sorry. I should have never assumed. Dad and Frasier said-."

To his horror she began to sob. "John broke up with me! Oh God! He… he said he didn't love me anymore!" When she reached for him, however involuntarily, he went to her and took her into his arms. His fingers were splayed through her silky hair and her warm body leaned against his. She sobbed uncontrollably into his shirt and at that moment nothing else mattered except taking his angel's pain away. How anyone could stop loving her and hurt her this way was baffling. But before he could even begin to figure it out, she drew out of his arms. "Why are you… Oh… Dr. Crane, you're soaked! "

Humiliated, he stepped backwards. "Oh right… Well… I…"

The touch of her fingers through his hair made him shudder. "What happened?"

He swallowed hard, forcing the painful memory from his mind. "Well, Maris-."

Her eyes widened. "Your wife did this? But-."

He held up his hand to stop her from continuing. "It's all right, Daphne. I suppose I deserved it. I just didn't expect for it to happen more than once."

"What? But Dr. Crane this is horrible! Who would do such a terrible thing?"

"Well, Maris and her companion, the Olympic gymnast… actually the waiter at the restaurant started it. I should have seen it coming when he told me that he had a message from a woman and her companion. But then when I saw Maris she had to have her shot at me as well."

"That's absolutely horrible, Dr. Crane, you must be freezing!"

Ironically at that moment a gust of wind swept past them making him shiver and she put her arms around him. The warmth calmed him instantly. "Come on, Dr. Crane. Let's go to your room and get you some dry clothes. You can't be walking around here in wet clothing. You'll catch your death of cold!"

"It's all right, Daphne. I deserve it."

Her hand went to his cheek, causing him to shiver once more. "No one deserves this. Especially you, Dr. Crane."

He stared at her full, red lips, wanting so badly to kiss her. But before he could even try, he found himself in her arms. The unexpected hug was so comforting that he melted into it, almost forgetting how much she was hurting.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you, Dr. Crane. You're such a sweet and wonderful man."

Her words made him feel like he could fly and for the first time in several hours, he smiled… a real smile "Thank you Daphne. And I'm sorry that man broke your heart. I can't even-."

His ego was crushed when she began to sob, for he'd upset her a second time. "Daphne, I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"

She held him tighter and he gladly obliged, tightening his arms around her. And in those moments he shed a few tears of his own as he pressed his cheek against her hair.

"Come on.." He whispered finally. "I'll take you to your room."