They stood at Frasier's doorstep, Claire's hand in his. He turned to her and smiled, pressing a soft kiss against her lips. "Are you sure you don't mind this? I know it's a bit... unconventional, bringing my date home to meet my brother and father, but if you'd rather just go home, I completely understa-."
The kiss she gave him made him weak in the knees and he held onto her tightly for support. "Wow..."
"There's more where that came from." she replied, smiling somewhat mischievously. "It's sweet of you to want to introduce me to your family, Niles. That hasn't happened on a date since high school."
Niles felt his cheeks flush. "Well, I-."
The door opened unexpectedly. "Hey, Niles."
He smiled at his father. "Hey Dad! I thought I'd stop by and bring someone for you to meet."
Frasier stepped into the room. "NIles, how was your evening of dinner and dancing?"
Claire tightened her hold on Niles' hand and leaned against him. Her strong but pleasing perfume filled his senses. So what if it was completely unlike the wonderful, soft fragrance that Daphne wore?
"Niles is a wonderful date."Claire replied.
Niles simply couldn't stop smiling. "It was just most glorious night of my life!"
Now it was Claire who blushed. "Niles is over-exaggerating. But we did have the most wonderful time. He's an amazing dancer."
Frasier and Martin smiled politely but it was the hurt expression on Daphne's face that caused Niles' anguish.
"So who is this lovely woman?" Frasier asked.
Niles gasped, glancing at the woman beside him. "Where are my manners? This is Claire Barnes. Claire, this is my father, Martin Crane, my brother, Dr. Frasier Crane..." He paused, not for effect, but because he was at a loss for what to say. And then almost as an afterthought, he spoke again. "Oh, and Daphne."
As he expected, Frasier was not amused. "Daphne is Dad's physical therapist." he corrected, making Niles feel inferior once again.
But Claire simply smiled and reached for Daphne's hand.
"It's nice to meet you." Daphne said. And as had become the norm, Niles couldn't tell if her smile was real or genuine. But hadn't that been the case ever since the Snow Ball? Oh how he wished that things were as they were before. But they weren't.
"It's nice to meet all of you."Claire said, breaking through Niles thoughts. "Niles talks about you so often that I feel like we're already friends."
Frasier smiled. "Oh, well isn't that nice?"
"We should go Niles. But I wanted to tell you again that I had a wonderful time."
Niles smiled and kissed her hand much the way he'd kissed Daphne's hand at the Snow Ball. While Claire's hand was as soft as silk, Daphne's was nothing short of heavenly. There was simply no comparison.
"We should probably give them some privacy." Frasier said after a long silence. " Goodnight. It was nice to meet you, Claire."
"Yeah, I have something to do myself." Martin said. "Eddie just doesn't understand what a banana is and I'm determined to show him how to do at least one trick if it kills me!"
Although Niles had absolutely no idea why it was important for Eddie to know what a banana was, he joined in everyone's laughter. But Daphne wasn't laughing. She remained strangely quiet.
Suddenly she was standing in front of him and they were the only three people in the room. "I'm glad you had a wonderful time." Daphne said, shaking Claire's hand once more. "Niles is a perfect gentleman."
Niles' eyes met Daphne's and he wanted to say something but anything he would have said at that moment he was bound to regret. And so he remained silent.
Well, I'll let you two be alone." Daphne said, disappearing into the hallway. "Goodnight."
But Niles couldn't bring himself to say anything at all.
When he found himself alone in the living room with Claire, he turned to her, unable to take his eyes off of her. And she seemed just as enamored with him; an idea that lifted his spirits. He looked deeply into her beautiful eyes. "I had a wonderful time, Claire. I hope we can do this again soon."
"You're very welcome, Niles." Claire replied, almost reading his mind.
And then something amazing happened. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her with more passion than he'd ever kissed any woman before.
"Claire..."
"Mmm..." she sighed when the incredible kiss ended. "Why don't we... continue this somewhere else? I know this great little bar just around the corner. We can get a cozy table for two in the back where no one will notice us."
"That sounds wonderful." NIles agreed. After a few drinks, perhaps he'd forget all about the pain that Daphne had caused him and about how much he'd rather be with her.
But tonight belonged to Claire. He simply had to remember that.