"Are you okay, Daphne?"

"Oh... yes... I'm just..."

"I've upset you haven't I? I'm sorry for blurting it out like that. I'd always hoped it would be under more romantic circumstances like a candlelit dinner or a cruise around

Elliot Bay... your hair blowing in the wind looking so beautiful that..."

"You're in love with me?"

"Yes..." He said without hesitation.

"But-But Dr. Crane you're me best friend. How... I-I mean why..."

"Why? Oh Daphne... there are so many reasons..."

"I don't understand... I never even realized... How long have you felt this way?"

"Since the first day I met you."

Unable to help herself, she laughed, louder than she meant to.

"But that's ridiculous. I looked horrible, standing in me baggy shirt ironing your brother's clothes."

"You were the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen... and I never dreamed that you'd grow more and more beautiful each time I saw you."

Tears streamed down her cheeks at his sweet words.

"I don't know what to say."

He turned to her, brushing the tears away with his thumbs.

"Please don't cry. I can't bear to see you unhappy. I probably should leave anyway. I've upset you and that's no way to start a new year. I'm so sorry Daphne. I don't

know what got into me. I guess that with Maris leaving it made me think of how fragile and precious life is. How if I didn't say what was on my mind, I would never do

it. Frasier and Dad are bound to be livid when they find out but I don't care. It's a new year and by God I wanted to start it out right. However, it seems that I've done

the complete opposite. So I want to thank you so much for your company tonight. Goodnight, Daphne."

As he stood to leave she grabbed his hand. "Wait. Don't you want to see how the movie ends?"

"Oh... Yes, I suppose that would be the polite thing to do. After all you went to so much trouble and everything."

Still holding hands, Daphne entwined her fingers through his. They stared at the screen, and she found she could barely concentrate on the movie for thinking of what

he'd just told her minutes before.

"You're the woman I love..."

She leaned her head against Niles; the tears running down her cheeks.

"This is so sad..."

Niles rubbed her arm and shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

"What is?"

"Julia Robert's character Vivian is leaving and she'll never get a chance to be with Richard Gere's character Edward. ..."

But then the unexpected happened...

A limousine pulled up in front of Vivian's apartment honking its' horn rapidly. Vivian appeared on the fire escape, smiling as she caught a glimpse of Edward Lewis as he stood in

the sky roof, holding a bouquet of roses. And then, in a sweeping romantic gesture, he bravely climbed the ladder to her third floor balcony, completely ignoring his fear of

heights. As he reached her they stared into each other's eyes.

"So what happens after he climbs up and rescues her?" Edward asked

Vivian smiled "She rescues him right back."

As Vivian and Edward kissed deeply, Daphne felt her heart soar, and she blotted her eyes with the handkerchief that Niles handed her.

"I can't believe I had forgotten how it ended. That's the most romantic thing I've ever seen"

"Like you and I." Niles said.

She turned to him and smiled.

"Dr Crane that's so sweet, but I don't know what you mean?"

"Well they're so different and they fell in love anyway."

She laughed at the thought. "I'm hardly in the same league as Julia Roberts, Dr. Crane. She's so beautiful and I'm..."

"Even more beautiful." He finished.

She turned and kissed him deeply. And then the words were out before she even realized that she'd spoken.

"I love you, Dr. Crane..."

"Oh, Daphne do you really mean that?"

She put her hand over her mouth in surprise. "I-I don't know where that came from but... I think I do."

They kissed once more as the credits rolled.

"Dr Crane, what did you mean that Julia Roberts and Richard Gere are like us? We're hardly movie stars and I'm certainly not..."

"I was talking about the last line of the film where she rescues him. Because if you hadn't asked me to stay over, I might never have had the chance to tell you how I

feel. I wanted to for so long, but I was afraid of what you might think of me. "

"You never have to worry about that." She said, snuggling against him as she sipped her champagne. "I think you're the sweetest, most handsome and caring man

I've ever known."

"Thank you, Daphne... For rescuing me. Not just tonight but over and over again.

He held his champagne glass and clinked against hers.

"Happy New Year, Daphne."

She kissed him once more and smiled. "Happy New Year... Niles..."

THE END

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