When Daphne was gone, Niles took the opportunity to clean up the living room a bit. It hardly needed it but he definitely needed something to keep his mind off of her; as if that could ever happen. He was feeling a bit dizzy and he knew that there was no way he could blame it on the abundance of champagne. At least Baby was there on her perch to keep him company.
He sat on the fainting couch, trying to cool himself with the osculating fan. But as before, it did little to ease the heat that crept into his body. He closed his eyes finding that the simple gesture relaxed him and soon he had drifted off to sleep.
His eyes opened a short time later and he glanced around the room, momentarily confused as to where he was. But when he saw the oscillating fan and the tray of fruit, he remembered... or at least his heart did.
Daphne...
He sprung off of the couch when he remembered that she'd gone upstairs to indulge in the bubble bath he'd so lovingly prepared for her. It was getting late and in his haste to make things comfortable for her, he'd forgotten to ask if she was hungry. He silently chided himself for his stupidity, for she must be famished by now.
Quickly he ran to the kitchen and made a salad and poured a glass of iced tea. It was hardly romantic but he hoped she'd appreciate the gesture just the same. He placed the items on a tray and carefully carried it upstairs.
When he reached his bedroom he paused, wondering if he was doing the right thing. The last thing he'd ever want to do is make her uncomfortable. But he also hated thinking of her being hungry. So he quietly walked into the room and made his way to the bathroom. The door was ajar, but he looked away as he knocked lightly.
"Daphne?"
But strangely there was no answer.
He tried again, a tiny bit harder.
"Daphne? It's Niles... Um... Dr. Crane. Are you all right?"
Again no answer.
His breathing increased and although he tried not to think about what could have happened. But his mind had other ideas. There must be some reason why she wasn't answering. His heart raced as he opened the door and walked into the bathroom.
"Daphne, is everything o-."
Suddenly he stopped in his tracks, unable to tear his eyes away. His heart, which had been so worried, was now beating rapidly for a different reason. Daringly he walked inside, trying to be as quiet as he could
For there in the tub, her body still covered with bubbles, was Daphne... sound asleep. She looked so beautiful that he could only stare in awe. Only her head, neck arms and feet were showing and in the glow of the candlelight she was absolutely perfect. The flawless features that were in view were all he needed to see.
He knew he should leave. Just sit the tray down on his dresser and go downstairs to wait for her to wake up. She was bound to wake eventually. He could always occupy himself with doing what he was doing before she came over and sit on his fainting couch attempting to catch up on his reading.
But something wouldn't let him leave.
Daringly he sat on the edge of the tub, smiling when he noticed that she had bubbles on her face. His fingers trembled as he reached foreword and gently brushed the bubbles away and he couldn't help but smile as he stared at her.
"I love you, Daphne." He whispered in a voice so low that she couldn't possibly hear him.
And it was then that he realized the champagne had gotten the best of him. He stared at her, wanting so badly to kiss her sweet lips. If he could just brush his lips against hers... just once.
Before he realized what he was doing, he moved even closer. The touch of his lips startled her and she gasped in surprise.
"Oh! Dr. Crane!"
But he didn't hear her. For at that moment, her gasp startled him as well. And he found himself beside her...
Submerged from head to toe in bubbles.