A/N: This is the last part and as I've feared this story has nothing to do with what I originally planned to write. I sincerely hope you liked it anyway. And thanks each and every one of your for your reviews :)

There were several ways to go. He could fake fainting from the heat. By now he was sure he had sunburn on his head anyway. It would be easy. He thought about running past her. It would solve nothing. The last possibility was the truth. Niles didn't know what he thought about that. His mind seemed empty. How had they arrived here, at this point? Of course it was his own fault; he shouldn't have followed her. He shouldn't have touched her. He shouldn't have... fallen in love with her.

"Dr. Crane?" Daphne's voice was soft and she expected an answer from him. Niles was not ready though.

"What makes you think that?" It came out terribly wrong. He could tell from Daphne's expression that she was hurt. And ashamed. That had not been his plan at all.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. I- I guess I misunderstood something. I better start reading me book before..." She didn't finish her sentence, but she didn't need to anyway. There was no answer. She wanted him to leave, because he had hurt her. Hurting her was never what he wanted. All Niles wanted was to take her into his arms and tell her how much she meant to him. Not that he actually would tell her.

"No, don't feel sorry. I was just – how? How?" His lack of eloquence made Daphne smile. She smiled! And Niles' mood seemed to improve. He almost smiled back at her, but before he could her face turned serious again.

"After that incident at the Montana last year, I- I started to notice things. And well, you. How you sometimes smell me hair. Or look at me differently. At first I thought I was imagining things! Well, maybe I was and – "

"Never. I mean you weren't imagining it." Niles offered gently. He had never known. All the time he thought she was oblivious to his affections and she hadn't been. Then it hit him; she had never said anything. Had never asked him to stop. She had never encouraged him either.

"Oh good." Niles waited for her to continue but she didn't. Good? What did she mean and why didn't she tell him?

"So, uhm, we're good?" He asked, uncertain how to proceed in this situation.

"Well," Daphne began and Niles felt uneasy. Thoughts ran through his head; if he had alienated her, his father would never forgive him. Frasier wouldn't either. Roz would probably find something to say about it as well.

"I don't feel good. It's too hot to feel good."

"What?" That didn't make any sense, Niles thought. Had he missed a part of this conversation due to his excessive musing? He didn't think he had.

"You liked me story earlier, didn't you? Me, the stranger on the roof... " Niles stared at her, speechless. She hadn't just noticed his clumsy advances, she had noticed that as well. He was screwed.

"It was – well, informative."

"I was wondering... you didn't come up here to-?" She didn't say the words, but her eyes did. Niles felt like this was the right moment to faint. The only logical action at the moment. But it didn't happen. He felt the sweat roll off his forehead.

"No!"

"Then why did you come up here?" Since Daphne knew about his feelings, or fractions of his feelings anyway, there was no more denying it. Lying would have been risky anyway, since even the slightest trickle of blood would surely break him.

"I wanted to spend time with you?"

"Silly me. I thought you wanted to re-enact me story from earlier."

"Daphne, what's wrong with you?" Niles asked; he wasn't sure if he was worried or simply confused. She had never been like this. He almost didn't recognize her. This wasn't the Daphne he knew.

"You think you know me, Dr. Crane. But you don't." Her voice wasn't aggressive or angry. She was merely stating a fact. A fact that shocked Niles. He knew he didn't know everything about her: her story earlier had proved that.

"I'm sorry, Daphne, I didn't mean to imply-" Daphne shook her head no. Slowly she approached him.

"That's not what I meant. If you do have feelings for me and you never answered that question..." She paused, looked up at him and Niles swallowed hard. He nodded carefully, too afraid to spoil this moment with a word, or even a syllable.

"Then I would want you know me before we do anything... else." Words bubbled up inside of Niles. Confessions of undying love for her and how he loved every piece, every tiny aspect of her. He didn't say any of these things. She was right. He didn't know these things, not all of them. Like she didn't know everything about him. Looking into her sparkling eyes, he was certain she had more to tell him than the other way around. He wished they had met earlier. He wished she had never dated any unappreciative loser before him. Date him. Niles beamed at her. Suddenly there was a possibility that had never been as palpable as it was at that moment. He realized he had not said a word yet.

"I want to know you, too. Even though I feel like I do already." Niles admitted.

"Maybe," Daphne's smile was warm; warmer than then sun that had definitely caused a sunburn on his head, "But I want to make sure you know me. All of me." Her voice was suggestive once again. This time it was less subtle and Niles wondered, couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen next.

"So, you don't want to re-enact me story? You sure about that?" She grinned at him. A physical relationship with Daphne hung in the air like a dangling carrot. All Niles had to do was grab it. There was something holding him back though.

"Hypothetically let's say I do, then what if it doesn't work out, what if we-" Daphne put a finger on his lips. So soft, so gentle. So lovingly. Niles no longer even wanted to speak and voice any doubts or possible obstacles.

"If we don't work out? I've been watching you for the past five years Dr. Crane. I've seen you treat women. Even your wife. There's no way – no way this could not work. You're not some stranger on the roof. You're my friend and hopefully more than that," She blushed. Niles figured that no matter what she had said earlier, he did know her. He felt it. Moments like this, he was certain he did. And the rest he would find out. They had time to find out.

"So how about you take off your shirt," Niles raised his eyebrow and Daphne laughed, "and you let me put sunscreen all over you. While I'm doing that we can... talk." She gently kissed the corner of his mouth. Not on the cheek, because they were past the friend stage. Not quite on the mouth – yet, because they still weren't ready. But they were on their way.

"Sounds absolutely perfect."

END