Daphne tossed and turned on the tiny corner bed. The 'visions' had returned and they resounded in her head clearer than ever.
Determined to get some rest, she lay her head back on her pillow and closed her eyes.
But something happened then. The sweet sound of Niles voice echoed in her head, and her heart beat faster, startling her awake.
Oh God...
In the darkness she opened her eyes, finally focusing on Frasier and Martin who were sleeping soundly. And next to her, on a bed that was surely as uncomfortable as
hers, was Niles.
Even Eddie was asleep, no doubt dreaming of his next meal or a run in the park.
As quietly as possible she climbed off of her bed and put on her robe, cinching the belt securely around her waist as she shoved her feet into her slippers.
Then, careful not to make a sound, she opened the door to the Winnebago and stepped outside.
The air was warm as she paced back and forth, trying to calm herself. This was completely ridiculous. They were just words that she imagined. They didn't mean
anything.
But as before, her heart felt otherwise.
She sat down on a huge log, shuddering in the darkness. She shouldn't be out here alone, but she was mere steps away from the Winnebago.
Everything would be fine.
Minutes later she was deep in thought when the door to the RV opened suddenly, starling her.
A shadow emerged, startling her so badly that she couldn't scream.
When the figure came closer, she felt herself start to tremble.
"Don't hurt me, p-please!" She said starting to cry.
"Daphne?"
At the familiar voice she looked up in surprise. "Dr. Crane?"
Niles moved closer and knelt down beside her. "What's wrong? Why are you out here all by yourself? And you're crying! Did something happen?"
She shook her head. "No. Just a bit frightened. I thought I was alone."
"I'm so sorry I scared you. When I woke up and noticed you were gone, I was terrified."
Touched by his concern, she smiled shyly. "You were?"
"Fiercely terrified. What are you doing out here?"
"I couldn't sleep, and I didn't want to bother your father and brother."
"May I?" He asked, gesturing to the empty space next to her on the log.
"Of course."
"Daphne, I can't thank you enough for showing me the Grand Canyon today. It's truly stunning."
"If it weren't for your brother, I never would have seen it meself. So it's him you should be thankin."
"I'd rather thank you. I can't imagine anyone being kinder to me than you were today." Niles said.
"I'm so sorry, though. I was so insensitive. I didn't even think about your fear of heights." Daphne said.
"Nonsense, you were anything but insensitive. You were wonderful." He said, hugging her so warmly it brought tears to her eyes.
As they sat outside in the darkness, the moon hung in the sky, shining down on them. Daphne rested her head on his shoulder, feeling as though they were the only
people in the world.
After a few minutes, she let go and smiled at him. "Dr. Crane, can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
She swallowed hard; unable to believe she was asking what she hoped wasn't a ridiculous assumption.
"Did you mean the things you said the other day?"
He seemed taken aback. "I-I don't know what you mean."
"This is going to sound crazy, but when I was asleep on our way here, I could have sworn I heard you whisperin in me ear. You were saying the most beautiful things."
He stared at her in disbelief. "You mean... You heard that? Everything I said?"
The question told her all she needed to know, and her heart pounded beneath her chest.
"Yes." She answered, her voice quivering when she spoke.
"Oh... Well... I just..."
Unexpectedly a tear slid down her cheek, and he reached out to brush it away with his thumb. Then ever so slowly he moved toward her until their lips touched,
causing Daphne to gasp lightly in surprise.
But he didn't pull away. Instead he kissed her softly until the kiss deepened into something sweeter than she'd ever imagined.
As they kissed again and again under the star- filled sky, she knew that she'd remember this moment for the rest of her life.
THE END