Had she not been holding onto him, he surely would have fainted.
"Y-you called me-."
"Niles, I know. That is your name. A-and you asked me to."
"That's right, but-."
"I'm sorry that I couldn't say it before, but I was afraid. I -."
"Daphne you don't ever have to feel afraid. You should never-."
"I know. You must think that I'm completely daft, but lately things have been-."
"Different." He finished. "Of course they have. You and Donny-."
"No! This has nothing at all to do with him! Oh, I suppose it does. It has to, right? But really, it's about you!"
Niles' eyes widened. "Me? I don't-."
"Ever since your brother asked me to give him a massage-."
"A massage?"
"Yes. When he hurt his back. He was taking those pills. That's when it started. And then at his birthday party and at the Christmas party when-."
He sighed, remembering the events that occurred that night. "Daphne, I'm truly sorry for breaking your gift during the party, but I hope you like the snow globe."
"I love the snow globe, Niles." she replied almost before he'd finished the thought. "I love it more than anything in the world. And on the balcony that night, I wanted…."
"What did you want, Daphne?"
"You."
He was almost moved to tears by her words. "Oh… Daphne…"
"It's true, Niles. You're the one I want. You're the man that I love, even though I had no right, falling in love with you in the first place!"
"I-I don't understand. What are you saying?"
"I can't help myself. I think about you all the time! I feel nervous around you and suddenly nothing I do or say makes sense or feels right."
"Daphne, please don't ever think-."
"But I can't help it! Whenever I think that you might show up at your brother's, I spend so much time searching my closet for the perfect outfit and even longer in front of the mirror. I just… want to look nice for you."
He smiled and kissed her cheek. "You always look beautiful, Daphne. Always."
"Thank you."
He moved closer and brought his trembling hand to her forehead, brushing the soft strands from her face.
"I know it's silly…" Her breath caught in her thought when his fingertips moved across her cheek. "I-I can't breathe when you're near me. I-."
His arms went around her and he brought his lips to hers, splaying his hands through her hair. Although he was the one who initiated the kiss, he felt her response immediately. She wrapped her arms around him and the kiss became passionate. It was absolutely heavenly. But soon after it began, it ended when she drew back.
"Daphne-."
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She whispered.
"Please, stop being sorry." It was more of a demand than a request.
"But it's wrong!"
"Why?"
"Because you're-."
"Because I'm what?"
"You're not free, Niles! Are we just supposed to forget that?"
"I should have told you what happened between Mel and I a long time ago."
"It's not your fault."
"I never intended to lie to you, Daphne. I wish… Oh how I wish that I wasn't so damn cowardly and selfish!" He cursed softly under his breath.
"How can you possibly think of yourself as selfish, Niles? You're wonderful! You… you've done everything in your power to help me, including putting up with my insanity and my constant tears, never once telling me that I'm completely daft!"
"Daphne, I would never say such a thing. You're nothing of the sort. You've been a complete angel, so please don't blame yourself. I feel terrible that I didn't realize that you and Donny had broken up. When I went to Frasier's that day, it broke my heart to see you so distraught. But please, believe me… this breakup, it wasn't your fault!"
"But-."
"I understand why you didn't tell me when I was there and I respect your decision to keep it to yourself. I respect your privacy and would never pry into your personal life intentionally. I'm so sorry that your breakup with Donny affected you so deeply and had I known-."
"Niles-."
"The sight of you looking so helpless and distraught-."
"You've been nothing but kind, Niles. Bringing me here to your beautiful cabin in the most incredible setting I've ever imagined. Letting me stay in your room."
His eyebrows rose. "My room?"
"Now I wasn't going to say anything because I knew that you'd only deny it but I know the truth."
"But how-."
"While you were gone to Seattle, I took a little tour of the cabin. I hope you don't mind."
"Of course not. I meant it when I said that I hope you'll think of the cabin as your home."
"Well, I wandered into your bedroom, but then I realized that it was the guest rom. It didn't take long to figure out what you had done. Thank you, Niles."
"The pleasure was mine, Daphne." He took her into his arms and held her close. When he let go a few minutes later, she stared at him, moving her face toward his. He wanted to kiss her again; wanted it with every fiber of his being. But once again she paused, abruptly pulling away.
"I-I can't."
"Why, Daphne? Why?"
"Because it's not right, Niles! It's not right at all!"
"You keep saying that but then you tell me that you're in love with me!" He tried to hide the agitation in his voice but it was becoming more and more difficult. "I-I don't understand, Daphne. You give me the most incredible kisses and when we start to find a rhythm, you pull away and say that it's wrong for us to be together. What's going on?"
"It is wrong!" she protested.
"But why? I'm not-."
"How can you, a man who has degrees from Harvard and a million other schools, not understand what I'm trying to say?"
"Well, actually, my degrees are from Yale and Cambridge. Harvard is where Frasier-."
"Oh will you shut up with your snobbishness and let me finish?" She yelled, startling him with her outburst. "I'm so sick of it! You know everything there is to know about wine and opera and how to be a psychiatrist; things that no one else in the world cares about or will ever care about! No one but your brother and he is just as bad!"
He felt as though she'd slapped him across the face. His heart stung; ached, really. Never before had she said such cruel words to him. He knew that it was deserved, but the fact that Daphne had been the one to say them hurt like throwing ever could. His eyes lowered and he stared at the ground, wounded.
After the initial shock began to wear off, he turned and began making his way toward the cabin. But he'd barely taken a few steps when he felt her touch his shoulder. He turned at once, feeling shame over the words she had thrown at him. Their eyes met. She opened her mouth to speak.
"Niles, I'm…"
He nodded, but could not smile. "It's all right."
"No, it's not all right. Don't you see that?" She protested. "I should have never-." She paused and turned away. "I bet you'll be glad when this week is finally over, won't you?"
"What would make you say something like that? Nothing could be further from the truth. This week has been completely-."
She whirled around to face him. "Because I don't know if we'll be able to go back to the way things were before. I mean, as friends."
"Daphne, we will always be friends."
"You say that now, but what happens when we go home? I love you enough to want to remain friends, even though you're not free. I know that Mel doesn't think very highly of me so I suppose I won't be seeing you as much, if at all."
"That won't happen. I won't let it."
"You don't know that, Niles! You can't! And even if it does, I hope that you and Mel will be very happy together as husband and wife. And that you'll have a wonderful life together! I'll continue to live with your brother. At least there I have a job and I love your brother and father. You know that."
"And they love you. But Daphne, please-."
"If your brother doesn't want me to work for him anymore, and he probably won't after he finds out what I've done, I guess I'll just go back to the agency. I'm sure they can find me a job fairly quickly. I am only a maid, after all."
"Daphne, where is this coming from? Just stop this right now! Stop putting yourself down! This isn't like you at all!" He was shaking so badly that it was even more difficult to contain his anger. He wasn't sure if he was angrier at her or at Donny for making her feel this way, but he couldn't sit idly by and listen to her say things about herself that weren't at all true. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed.
"Look, I don't know what Mel said to you when she called, but I shudder to imagine the horrible things she must have said. But please stop saying things about yourself that aren't true! You're not a maid or the hired help. You're Dad's physical therapist… No, wait a minute, you're more than that. You're so much more. You're warm, sweet, kind, compassionate, and beautiful and the best friend I've ever had. You're a member of our family now and we love you very much. As for myself, I love you more than you can imagine."
Tears were streaming down her face. "Niles, I-." Her words were silenced by his lips. He kissed her with everything he had; hoping that somehow the kiss would show her how much he really loved her. His hands were moving up and down her back, caressing, touching, massaging through her sweater and the back of her neck through her satiny hair.
"Niles, please, stop!"
This time it was he who pulled away, brushing his hand across his mouth as he fought to catch his breath. "Daphne, why? Can you at least tell me that? I thought that you loved me!"
"I do love you, Niles! I love you so much! But we can't be together!"
"We can, Daphne. We can! I promise you-."
"No. Not like this."
"But why?"
"Will you stop being so bloody daft? How can you not understand? What about Mel?"
"Mel? I don't-."
"Oh for God's sake! Mel! Your wife!"
"But Daphne that's what I've been trying to tell you. She's not-."
"I know she's not here now! She's in Atlanta for a conference, but what happens when she comes back, Niles? What happens then? How would she feel knowing that you're here with me?"
He swallowed hard. "Frankly I don't care what she thinks."
"Well I do. And it's wrong for me to be here when your wife is in Atlanta!"
His anger was to the boiling point and he blurted out the words that he'd meant to say in a gentler tone. "Damn it, she's not my wife!"
She stared at him for a long moment, as though trying to comprehend what he'd just said. And he felt guilty for saying it in such an abrupt way. But there was absolutely no way to take the words back. "What are you saying?"
He reached for her hand but she pulled it away. They did not look at each other.
"Daphne, I'm so sorry." He said when he could no longer stand the silence between them. "I'm sorry that I yelled at you. I had no right. It was rude and uncalled for. I just-."
"It's all right. You're angry. I understand. But what I don't understand is-."
"I'm not angry, Daphne. Not at you, anyway. I'm angry at myself for not telling you the truth a long time ago. I'll never forgive myself."
She turned to him and gave him her full attention. "What truth?"
"About Mel and I."
She shook her head. "No, you don't have to-."
"Yes, I do. I have to tell you this."
"What's so bloody important about your relationship with Mel that you have to-."
He swallowed hard. "Daphne, Mel and I aren't married. We never were and we never will be."