A/N: Finally the last chapter! Thank you all for reading and reviewing. Please do so one last time. The last chapter turned out longer than planned. Sorry for that.

Chapter VIII: The Greatest Mistake

Like a defiant child, Daphne sat in the car. She had her arms crossed in front of her, staring outside the window. She didn't want to look at Frasier, who was driving. Every now and then, he tried to start a conversation, but she wouldn't join in. 'You need to come home', Frasier had told her while still in Roz' apartment, and no matter how much Daphne had objected, he wouldn't accept it. Then Roz had joined in, suggesting that maybe it was a good idea after all and Daphne had known she was all alone in this.

Mr. Crane seemed to have waited for their arrival; when Frasier opened the door, he more or less jumped up, and waved his cane around angrily. His hair looked messed up and Daphne thought he looked cute, even despite his anger. His sight almost made her smile. She realized how much she would miss him once she left.

"How could you just leave and not tell us anything! Two days in a row! Are you trying to give me a heart attack, cause let me tell you, I'm almost there. You're worse than my sons." Martin yelled at her.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Crane," This time it was easier to talk, because all the tears inside of her were at bay. She knew she could cry once she was out of there. Forever. The thought still hurt, but she didn't know what else to do. All of this was just too complicated for her.

"It won't happen again. I promise."

"You better." He mumbled.

"I mean it. After today, you won't have to worry about me anymore." Daphne said and was just about ready to go to her room and to pack when there was a frantic string of knocks on the front door. Frasier just stared at it, not sure if he should open it. Just from the sound of it, he knew it was Niles. His little brother had caused this disaster. Daphne stood in the middle of the living room, torn between running away and a sense of curiosity. She felt like she hadn't seen Niles in so long, which was crazy. But the last time she'd seen him, she hadn't known. Daphne wanted to scream at Frasier to finally open the door. There was no doubt in her mind, or her heart, that it was Niles on the other side.

"Must be Niles." Frasier felt guilty; he had called his brother without letting Daphne know. He knew she never would have come with him if she'd known. They had to talk about it. Even if he felt like he couldn't leave the two alone together. Who knew what would happen.

"I had to call him." He explained to Daphne, who looked ready to cave. He could only hope that she would thank him later. Finally, he opened the door to stare into his little brother's exhausted eyes.

"Where is Daphne? I can't believe we-" He stopped talking – breathing – as soon as he saw her. Standing there in the room, her feet poised in the other direction. Away from him. In her eyes, he saw the fear he'd felt earlier that day. That dreadful feeling when he hadn't known where she'd gone to, or why. All the while blaming himself for anything that would happen to her, or already had. Niles swallowed hard. She was standing there, albeit too far away from him. But she was there. Her sight was truly one for sore eyes. Mentally, he sighed happily. His lips turned upwards into a small, sad smile.

"What's going on here?" Martin asked; the only person who still had no idea what was going on. Niles didn't hear his father, or he didn't care. His eyes were fixated on Daphne. Like hers were on him. She seemed to be trying to figure something out. Niles didn't care anymore. For anything. He knew he was taking a chance – again – but he couldn't stay away from her any longer. He longed to touch her, in any way she would allow him. In a few quick strides he was by her side and engulfed her in his arms. She went stiff. Niles considered letting her go, with his heart and his confidence broken. Right before he made up his mind, she became lively. Her arms went around him, too, hugging him tightly. Too tightly. It felt like she never wanted to let him go. The hug felt like... goodbye.

"What's going on here?" Martin asked again, almost panicked.

"I'll tell you later." Frasier told him silently. "Let's go."

"No. I wanna watch!" Martin told his son, trying to sit down in his chair. Frasier took him by his arm and dragged him with him. Neither Daphne nor Niles noticed what was going on around them. They were in their own little world.

"Frasier, tell me what's going on here!" Martin complained right before the two were gone. Silence filled the living room. Niles realized they couldn't stay like this forever. As appealing as it seemed to him. To feel her against him again was more than he could have hoped for. But she had run away. Something was bothering her. He had to know. Even if it turned out to be painful for him. Carefully, he entangled himself from her. They were face to face. So close, but there was an inexpressible distance between them.

"You can't believe," Niles needed to take a deep breath. He needed to get a grip on himself and on his emotions. Easier said than done. The scent of her hair filled his nostrils and reminded him. Recalled everything that had led to this moment in time. "You can't believe how worried I've been. You... you're so important to me, Daphne." Niles realized how empty those words were; they didn't do his emotions any justice.

"I'm so sorry for just leaving, I was –" Niles stopped her. He didn't need to hear her apology, it didn't matter. Not yet. First he wanted her to know the whole story. Before she decided anything, she needed to know about his feelings. If he didn't tell her right away, he knew he never would. The time had come.

"There's no need for you to apologize. I never wanted you to feel like this. To feel the need to leave in the first place. I'm sorry, Daphne. For making you feel this way. I'm sorry for not being stronger. You see, there is something you don't know..." Niles felt like choking. Even after their night together, he felt scared to tell her the truth. The truth would have such a tremendous impact on their lives, on their friendship. The fear had always held him back. It still did.

Daphne felt panic dwell inside of her; the words she meant to tell him trapped in her throat. She could neither swallow, nor say them. How badly she wanted to tell him that she did know. She finally knew why he'd always looked at her the way he did. Just like he did in that very moment... she wanted to let him know everything. How she had never seen it and how silly it was of her. She needed for him to understand that she'd grown up differently. With a distinction of classes he didn't know about. The words wouldn't come to her. All she could do was stare at him and hope he would continue talking. Because she couldn't.

"Before, I've always been able to control myself. Granted, sometimes with Frasier's help. I- I couldn't do it. The way you looked at me – and. No, that's only half the truth. You see, for me, this wasn't just a spur of the moment thing. You know me well enough to know I'm not that kind of person," Niles chuckled awkwardly, "Anyway, what I really want to tell you... wow, this is hard... is, I just want you to know this, because you deserve to and if I think about it, I'll always find a reason not to tell you, but... I love you, Daphne. I'm in love you. I have been for a while. You don't have to say anything back, or feel bad about it. I just – I just wanted you to know, because if you ever doubt anything, or wonder why this happened. I... I just wanted you to know." Niles finished. His mouth was dry and he was craving something to drink. Never would he have taken a step away from Daphne though. He looked at her, not sure what to expect.

Silence. Hearing the words, the actual words, Daphne didn't know how to deal with it anymore. She thought she'd made peace with his feelings for her. But all she could think was how they had made the greatest mistake of their lives. He'd gone wrong, and so had she. She hadn't read the signs – all those signs in all these years – and he had been too scared. So they had landed here; a path neither had planned to go. The signs pointing towards a painful, irrevocable future. Daphne couldn't handle it. Her insides told her to flee. Just quit her job, run away and never look back. If only her heart weren't beating so quickly just because of him. He'd know about his feelings, but she hadn't. Not about his, and not about her own. Knowing he loved her had opened up a possibility; the possibility to allow feelings she might have harbored for longer than she cared to think. The memory of his hands on her body returned unasked and she blushed, she choked. She couldn't leave. She could never leave again.

More silence. Daphne still hadn't found her voice, but Niles remembered his insecurities. Her silence said more than any words she might have uttered to destroy him. His only consolation was the memory they'd created. He knew it would live on in his mind and his heart. Bitter-sweet, yes, but he hoped in time the sweetness would prevail.

"Well, I better get going. Please don't... uhm, I'm glad you're back and ok. I hope this won't destroy our friendship," Daphne chewed on her lower lip; he had no idea she wanted to quit. "I'm going to leave you alone now. I need to sleep." He chuckled and smiled. What a beautiful smile, Daphne thought and almost lost herself in it. Still, she couldn't return it. Turning around was excruciating, because it seemed so final. Niles took small, uncertain steps towards the door. Daphne watched and watched. Her heart almost jumped out of her chest, finally freeing her tongue.

"Stop." The words sounded like music in Niles' ears and he turned around again. Daphne felt as if she'd just uttered her first words. They still felt foreign on her tongue, in her mouth. There were so many things she still didn't understand. Things that couldn't be dealt with in one night, in one conversation.

"I'm sorry." Niles came closer still, wanting to say something. Daphne held her hand up, motioning for him to wait. She was not finished yet.

"I'm sorry. This was the greatest mistake we could have made." All hope, all feelings left Niles. For a moment he was certain he was going to faint. Suddenly, a future without Daphne in his life flashed before his eyes. A bleak, dark future he didn't want to imagine. A future that mirrored his past.

"No, that's not... I'm not as good with... what I meant to say was, we started this the wrong way." Daphne quickly explained upon seeing his expression.

"How do you mean, the wrong way?" Niles clung to the shred of hope.

"Well, usually these things don't start in bed," she blushed, "they usually start with a date." She finished with more confidence.

"We've already had lots of dates." Niles walked closer.

"Not officially. Not real dates."

"If it matters so much to you... if you want to, I will take you out on a date every night for the rest of my life." He stopped right in front of her. Her brown eyes were unreadable. Niles was sure she could hear his heart beat loudly in his chest. It only beat for her.

"How about we start with one date? Tonight?" Daphne asked him, finally finding it in herself to smile.

"Sounds like a date." Niles told her, taking her hand into his. They would just start again – from the beginning.

END