When the credits began to roll, Daphne glanced at the clock in dismay to find that only fifteen minutes had passed.

Bored out of her mind, she rose from the sofa and removed the DVD from the player. Her eyes fell to the title in a subtle reminder of what she had been watching. But

really she hadn't been watching it at all.

The romantic comedy was just a way of passing the time until Niles returned. But how could she possibly be expected to pay attention to anything knowing that he

was with her?

As if by eerie coincidence, Daphne's cheek began to throb. Like a malicious punishment, Mel's face came into view and the hand slid forcefully across Daphne's face

again and again. The memory brought with it a stinging pain that she wasn't sure was real or imagined. But it was nearly impossible to make the feeling go away.

She shouldn't be remembering such things. She should be thinking of the man she loved and how gentle and kind he'd been as he tended to her swollen cheek.

Suddenly she missed him more than ever and she could only imagine what he was going through. Facing the wrath of his ex-fiancé had to be a nightmare. And she

vowed that when he returned, she would do everything possible to make him happy. She wanted nothing more than to put the memory of this day behind them.

She leaned against the sofa and her eyes grew heavy as she began to relax. But then it happened...

A flash came over her without warning. And it was a flash so intense that the sensation made her gasp audibly.

Niles was holding Mel's hand, stroking it with his thumb. He lowered himself to one knee, promising to make it up to her.

Mel didn't believe him of course. How could she, when the woman she hated-her ex-fiance's brother's maid as it were-made a spectacle of herself by interrupting their wedding

and announcing to Mel's friends and family that she was in love with Niles; a man with whom Daphne had never even been out on a date with, much less kissed? It was the

most disgusting display of attention that Mel had ever seen.

Mel shook her head in disbelief. Daphne, Daphne, Daphne... The poor English woman begged to be noticed by anyone, so she chose Niles' wedding to make some ridiculous

confession and a bold attempt to ruin any ounce of happiness Mel and Niles were to have together.

It was without a doubt the most humiliating manifestation of Mel's life. She said as much to Niles as he knelt before her, offering his apology.

"It certainly was despicable." Niles replied, startling her with his honesty. After all this time, Daphne had finally managed to do something wrong.

But Mel was no idiot. Daphne had done a lot of things wrong. Perhaps that's why she couldn't get a job anywhere else but being a maid to a stuffy psychiatrist and his annoying

crippled father.

"Are you serious?" Mel asked, unable to believe that Niles would ever speak an unkind word about 'Princess Daphne'; the woman whom in everyone else's eyes could do no

wrong.

"I'm very serious." Niles replied. "And I'm sorry, Mel. Daphne's just... lonely and... well, she's never had a real boyfriend or even more than a few dates with the same man to

my knowledge. I admit that I sympathized with her because I do care about her. But I don't love her. I know that now. I just... I dared to think that my life could be different if I

followed something that I thought I wanted. But Now I realize how much I hurt you... and how much I love you. After the hell I went through with Maris, I want our marriage

to last forever. I love you so much, Mel. Please forgive me. I have no right to ask you this, being that Daphne and I have put you through so much, but will you marry me? For

real this time?"

Mel stared at him in disbelief. "How can you possibly think that I would agree to something so ludicrous and-."

He silenced her with a kiss.

"Please, Mel... Marry me and I promise that I'll never hurt you again. I love you always and forever so what do you say?"

Mel looked at Niles and smiled, but it wasn't the cynical smile that Daphne was accustomed to. This was the smile of a woman who was deeply in love. Mel took Niles face into

her hands and kissed him.

"Of course I'll marry you, Niles but it has to be tonight. No more waiting. I don't want to spend another day without being your wife. I've waited far too long for this. We'll elope

and then no one has to know about it."

"But what about Dad? And Frasier and Daphne?"

She sighed irritably, the smile on her face turning from genuine to false.

"The hell with Daphne!" Mel yelled. "She's just a maid... a lowlife good for nothing maid who will never amount to anything. No wonder she had to come to the United States to

find work."

Their kisses resumed over and over again, growing deeper and deeper until they began to spin out of control, taking Daphne along with them.