"Daphne?"

The sweet voice accompanied by a soft knock on her bedroom door brought Daphne out of her thoughts and she rose to answer it.

"Niles..."

"May I come in?"

She smiled and opened the door wider. "Of course."

He guided her to the bed and sat down beside her. "Daphne, are you all right?"

The question, although asked softly, angered her and she stood, abruptly turning to face him.

"Bloody hell, why does everyone think that there's something wrong with me?" She yelled.

"Daphne-."

"Just because I wear the same shirt all the time doesn't mean that I'm some psychopath like one of your batty patients!"

"Daphne, you know that's not-."

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I keep wearing this shirt because I like it? It's comfortable and-Oh, why am I telling you this? Can't everyone just leave me alone?"

"Daphne, I'm sorry. Frasier was worried about you and-."

"And he sent you in here to see if I'm really as mad as he thinks?"

"No, he just-."

"Then why, Niles? Why does everyone have a problem with me wearing the same shirt all the time?"

Niles swallowed hard. "Well I have to admit that it is a bit unusual-."

"What's so unusual about it?" She snapped, her voice breaking into a sob. "The fact that since you gave it to me I've been thinking about you all the time? The fact that no one has done anything so thoughtful for me before? Or the fact that every time I put this on..."

He reached out and touched her cheek, brushing away the tears with his fingertips. "What happened?" He whispered.
She turned away from him and began to sob even harder, unleashing the hurt and pain she'd been holding in for the past several days. And then she felt his hand stroking her back. Slowly she turned to face him, the tears running in rivers down her cheeks.

"Every time I put this on... Oh, you'll just think I'm completely daft!"

"No, I would never..."

She sighed and touched his cheek. "All right. E-every time I put on this shirt, it's like I an feel holding me. It's so soft that I can close my eyes and imagine that you're beside me, holding me, keeping me safe, telling me that you love me. But when I take it off, I feel like you're gone and I love you so much that I can't bear the thought of-."

When she looked into his eyes she was surprised to find them sparkling with tears.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered. "I didn't mean to upset you. I..."

His lips found hers and she sighed as the kisses deepened. It had only been a few days but she'd missed kissing him; oh how she'd missed kissing him, and she slid her arms around his shoulders, drawing him even closer.

When he drew back they stared at one another, lost in each other's eyes.

"I'm not upset..." He whispered, taking her hands in his. "I'm just..." He paused, bringing her hand to his lips. "Daphne you have no idea how wonderful it feels to hear you say those words."

"I'm so sorry." She said, unable to resist kissing him again and again. "I'm sorry I couldn't say them before. Because when you told me how you felt... I wanted to tell you that I loved you too, but..."

He brushed the hair from her face and kissed her again.

"That doesn't matter anymore. And in a way I knew that you loved me because I could feel it in the way that you kissed me."

"I can't thank you enough for this shirt." Daphne said. "I know it's awfully big and I suppose Roz was right. It does look hideous on me and-."

He silenced her with another kiss.

"What was that for?"

"Because I love you and so that you'll stop saying that you look hideous. It simply isn't true, Daphne. You could never look anything but beautiful, no matter what you wear."

She held him close and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Niles."

After a long moment, they drew back and she smiled shyly.

"Well, I suppose that I should change me clothes-."

"Only if you want to, Daphne. But please don't change your clothes because you think you have to."

She glanced at him in surprise. "But your brother..."

"Don't worry about Frasier. I'll talk to him. Why don't you get some rest?"

Niles leaned to kiss Daphne, brushing his hand gently across her cheek before he walked to the door.

"Niles?"

He turned to look at her. "Yes, Daphne?"

"Will you do me a favor?"

He smiled, warming her heart. "Of course, Daphne. I'll do anything for you."

"Well, I'm a bit tired. Will you... stay here and hold me for a while... until I fall asleep?"

"I'll hold you for as long as you like. There's nowhere on earth I'd rather be."

She climbed under the covers, smiling when he lovingly tucked her in and then sat on the bed beside her. Within seconds she was in his arms, her head against his chest listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and the soft rise and fall of his breathing.

And as he'd promised, he held her until she fell asleep-and all through the night until the next morning, wrapped around her heart.

THE END