When she sniffled, he drew back, keeping his arms around her.

"Daphne, what's wrong?"

She glanced angrily at Frasier who cleared his throat. Niles immediately got the picture.

"Frasier? What's going on?"

"Niles, can I have a word with you? There's something I need to discuss." Frasier said.

Niles glanced at Daphne and then at his brother. "Sure, what's on your mind?"

Frasier looked at Daphne and cleared his throat once more. "Perhaps we should go out onto the balcony."

Daphne swallowed hard, feeling a bit like when she was a girl and her brothers would talk about her behind her back, laughing at something they found funny but never bothered to share it with her. And she wasn't about to be made a fool of by a self-centered radio psychiatrist who thought he was God's gift to opera and psychiatry.

"Dr. Crane whatever you have to say to Niles you can say in front of me."

Her comment brought a look of disbelief.

"Niles?" Frasier repeated. "Since when are you calling my brother Niles?"

Daphne slipped her hand into Niles' and smiled at the man she loved.

"Since last night, when he asked me to call him Niles on the phone." She said, still unable to believe it was true.

Niles' eyes darted from Daphne to Martin and then to Frasier. "Frasier, what's going on? Dad?"

Martin held up his hands in mock surrender. "Beats the hell out of me but I'm going to have some more of these cinnamon pancakes. Okay, Daphne?"

If the situation weren't so tense, Daphne would have hugged Martin for asking for seconds on her food. But instead she smiled. "Of course, have all you like. You deserve it."

Eagerly Martin dug in. "Thanks, Daph. You're the best."

"All right, I'll ask again." Niles said. "What's going on?"

Frasier looked Daphne squarely in the eye. "Daphne, didn't you just wear that shirt yesterday? And the day before?"

"I don't see what business it is of yours, but yes I did." Daphne said, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"And weren't you wearing it last night when you went to bed?"

"Fras-."

"Stay out of this, Dad! Just eat your pancakes!"

"What's with the interrogation?" Niles asked. "She's not on trial here!"

"Yes." Daphne said quietly, smiling at Niles attempt to cover for her. "But I still don't see why-."

"Look Daphne, maybe we'd better discuss this on the balcony." Frasier said. "I think there's something deeper here." He reached for her hand but she angrily pulled it away.

"No, I won't discuss it with you because it's none of your business what I wear!" She yelled, feeling like a school girl. "You hired me to be your father's physical therapist, not to be some bloody fashion model!"

"Daphne-."

The tears fell even faster and she stormed out of the room. When she reached her bedroom, she slammed the door behind her. And as soon as she sat down on her bed, she cried relentlessly, clutching her pillow in her arms.

So much for falling in love. If it hurt this badly, perhaps it wasn't worth it.

But her heart protested. And as Frasier would say... the heart never lies.