When they reached the landing of the stairs, she stilled and leaned against the railing, staring at the place where they'd just been. From this angle she could see the entire living room. Just the sight of it brought back a rush of memories; moments that were created in less than a week's time.

Ironically, it felt as though they had been at the cabin forever, sharing the same roof, just as they'd shared angry words, secrets, hugs, evasions, laughter and tears. But what she remembered most of all, and what she would always treasure were the kisses. The feeling of his soft, warm lips pressing against hers was the closest that she'd ever come to heaven. They were kisses that only a man and woman who were deeply in love would understand and appreciate. Kisses that she'd never shared with anyone; not even Donny or Joe.

Donny…

She shuddered at the thought of her former fiance. Although deep down she would always care about him, she never wanted to think about him again. She would never regret meeting him or falling in love with him, because in spite of all that had happened, Donny Douglas was a good person. And she'd come to realize, perhaps as early as Frasier's Christmas party, that she never should have accepted his proposal.

Perhaps, if she had looked into Niles' eyes as Donny was promising her the stars, she would have seen-

"Daphne?"

At the touch of his hand on her forearm, she whirled around to find him looking at her in the same manner that he'd looked at her since the moment he'd arrived at Frasier's and found her mourning the loss of the man she loved; with a sympathetic gentle gaze, filled with compassion and concern.

"Are you all right?"

She ran her hand through her hair. "Yes, I'm sor- I mean…. I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

She let out a breath. She couldn't possibly tell him that she'd been thinking about Donny and remembering his proposal in Frasier's living room. The memory wasn't intentional and it certainly wasn't a welcome memory, but it was there, reminding her of what could have been. She stared at Niles, knowing that she should be honest and tell him the truth about what was on her mind. But bringing up Donny was wrong, especially here in the solace, comfort and warmth of his cabin where she felt so safe.

And so she looked at him, wearing a fabricated smile that quickly melted into a real one. She took his hands in hers and ran her thumbs over his soft, masculine skin. "Is this really going to happen?"

He smiled softly, a smile that warmed her heart as his hand reached out to brush a fallen lock of hair from her forehead. How was it possible that the simple touch of his fingertips always made her heart rate increase and her mind go places that it simply shouldn't go? She loved Niles with all of her heart, but it was too soon for intimacy. She didn't want anything to ruin what they had and sleeping with each other now, would only…

"It will only happen if you want it to happen." He answered quietly.

How was it possible that he knew exactly what she had been thinking?

"But I meant what I said, Daphne." He continued. "I only asked if you wanted to spend the night with me in a platonic way. I would never make you do anything you weren't comfortable with. The physical relations will come in time… when you're ready… if you're ready. And I'm willing to wait as long as it takes. But if you're uncomfortable with the idea of us… um… sleeping together in the same bed, I'd be happy to-."

Impulsively she took his face in her hands and kissed him again and again. "No… Don't leave me, Niles… I couldn't bear it. I want to be with you…I've been so lonely and I-."

She was pulled into his arms where she found herself fighting back what would surely be another flood of tears.

"I'm-."

"Shh… Don't be sorry..." He whispered. "It's all right."

She clung to him, kissing his neck, never wanting the feeling of being in his arms to end. She inhaled deeply, memorizing his scent, almost willing it to float inside of her, filling her with the memory of him. It was a memory she would always cherish, for she knew that soon they would have to part.

But they were together now and she wanted to savor every moment.

"It's late…" he said, kissing her hand. "Come on…"

Together they went to the bedroom, his bedroom; the bedroom where she'd spent the last few sleepless nights, dreaming of him loving her. And now that dream had come true.

"You can use the bathroom first. The towels are-." He chuckled and then smiled at her. "Well, you know where everything is, I guess."

She took the opportunity to kiss him again, a kiss that lingered before she drew back, rather reluctantly, to gaze into his gorgeous blue eyes. "Thank you for letting me stay in your room."

"You're welcome, Daphne."

Feeling suddenly shy, she went to the dresser and opened the drawer, removing her nightgown. And then as she made her way to the bathroom, she paused in front of him, leaning to kiss his lips once more. "I love you."

"I love you too, Daphne."

"I won't be long."

"Take all the time you need. I'm just going to get something from the guest room."

She padded into the bathroom, which had become so familiar the last few days and closed the door. Her clothes fell to the floor and she stepped into the rock-tiled shower, letting the warm water rush over her body. When she was finished, she reached for a plush towel (Indian cotton of course), and wrapped the towel around her body. She sat down in front of the mirror and dried her hair. Minutes later, dressed in her nightgown and robe, she walked out of the bathroom to find him sitting on the bed waiting for her. He stood at once, his eyes filled with a look that could only be considered love.

"Daphne… You're breathtaking."

His sweet and wonderful, yet completely unnecessary compliment made her laugh.

"Niles, I'm hardly breathtaking in me robe and nightgown!"

But his kiss told her that he believed otherwise. "You're beautiful."

She found it hard to stop kissing him, but she soon drew back, her hand lingering on his cheek. "Go take care of whatever you need to take care of in there. I'll be right here waiting for you."

When he disappeared into the bathroom, she looked around the room, her eyes landing on the arm chair that sat by the window, reminding her of the night that she'd curled up in it, crying herself to sleep. And now she was going to spend the night in his arms. The thought made her heart flutter.

She went to the bed and lifted the comforter, and then slid underneath it. From the adjoining bathroom she could hear movement; water running, clinking of metal items, a door opening and closing. No doubt he was going through his nightly ritual and she wondered how he managed to do that in the small bathroom that was attached to the guest room. But before she could ponder the thought any further, the door opened and he was standing before her, wearing a blue silk robe.

"You look so handsome."

He went to her and took her into his arms, kissing her. "Thank you, Daphne. And you look incredibly beautiful."

She couldn't stop staring at him, watching him walk to the other side of the bed, where he carefully removed his robe and laid it carefully on the chair and then removed his slippers. As he climbed into bed with her, she felt her breath catch in her throat. This was really happening.

Instantly she snuggled up against him and he put his arm around her. "This is nice." She said, resting her head against the smooth satin of his pajama top. "I've waited so long for this, Niles…"

He smiled and touched her cheek. "So have I, Daphne. You have no idea how happy I am right now."

"Probably as happy as I am."

They kissed a few more times and she returned to her previous position, snuggled up against him, where she could hear the beating of his heart. He reached over and turned out the light, allowing the moonlight to shine through the window of his bedroom, as it had done every night since they'd arrived. But now she had someone to share it with.

"Thank you, Niles…"

"For what?"

"For bringing me here and putting up with me. I know it wasn't easy and-."

His mouth covered hers, causing her to forget what she was going to say. And when the kisses continued, she found that it didn't matter.

Soon she heard his soft breathing, a sign that he'd fallen asleep. But she remained as she was her head on his chest. And as she held onto his hand, comforted by the feeling of his arm around her, she felt the familiar tears in her eyes. As one splashed onto his neck, he slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head.

"Daphne? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, why?"

"You're crying."

Embarrassed, she brushed away her tears. "No, I'm not. I-."

He sat up and looked at her in the moonlight that created a beam across the bed, illuminating their faces. He'd never looked more beautiful. Perhaps it was more appropriate to call him handsome, but he was more than that. Beautiful was the perfect word to describe him.

"Daphne, why are you crying?"

Tears fell onto her cheeks again, just as they had done so many times during their week together and she was almost completely cried out. Her heart was thundering again, not with sorrow this time, but complete and utter joy. And now she was only too willing to be entirely honest with him.

"Because I'm happy, Niles. I'm happier than I've ever been in me life."

He kissed her again and they fell deeper into the pillows, celebrating their happiness and making up for lost time.


Hours later her eyes fluttered open to the sight of sunlight streaming through the window. She looked at the man sleeping soundly beside her, resisting the urge to kiss him. It was early, but it was their last day together and she wanted to savor every moment. And the best way to do that was to do something special for him, even if it was nothing out of the ordinary.

She pulled on her robe and crept downstairs, working as quickly as possible to create a romantic breakfast which she arranged carefully on a tray along with some hot tea.

And then balancing the tray carefully in her hands, she slowly walked up the stairs until she returned to the bedroom. She walked inside, pausing for a moment to watch him sleep. He was so irresistibly handsome.

The smile never left her face as she sat the tray down. And then she went to him, leaning down to kiss his sweet lips. He awakened at once and looked at her. "Daphne…"

"Good morning, Sweetheart."

He sat up and yawned. "What time is it?"

She laughed. "It's too early to be awake. But I wanted to surprise you."

"Surprise me?"

She turned and went to the dresser and picked up the tray. "Surprise, Darling."

His eyes brightened. "Daphne…"

"I know we've made breakfast every morning since we arrived, so it's nothing special but-."

He kissed her once, and then again… "It's wonderful. Thank you for this. But what about your breakfast?"

She felt a bit guilty, hating to admit that she had eaten a few bites in the kitchen while preparing his breakfast. But even so she knew he would understand.

"Oh, I'm fine."

"Nonsense. There's plenty here for both of us, if you don't mind sharing."

"Not at all. That sounds like a lovely idea."

She sat down on the bed beside him, and they shared the croissants, jam, eggs, toast, potatoes and fruit until every bit was gone.

"That was wonderful." He said, smiling as he kissed her. "You taste sweet."

She slapped him playfully. "Niles…"

"I'll just take these dishes downstairs and put them in the dishwasher."

"No, I don't mind-."

"Nonsense. You're my guest, Daphne. I'll be right back."

"All right. And then I suppose we should…."

They stared at each other for a moment, neither of them saying a word. But she knew that they were both thinking the same thing.

It was time to go home.


Alone in his room… their room… the room that had been hers, she tried to ignore the lump in her throat as she went around the room, opening drawers to gather her clothes. When her bag was completely packed, she took one last look at the room. Even if she never saw it again, she would remember every detail, every kiss, every touch and caress that she and Niles had shared through the night.

"Daphne?"

She looked up to see him standing in the doorway. "I was just packing me things. I'll get out of your way so that you can do the same."

He came up behind her and put his arms around her, kissing her neck. "You're never in my way, Daphne."

"Pack your things." She whispered into his ear. "I'll go downstairs."

As she made her way down the stairs, she gazed at her surroundings, as though to memorize every detail of the cabin. It was an absolutely beautiful place and she could only imagine how cozy it would be to live here, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and trees. But she quickly brushed the thought away. If she kept thinking about the cabin, she wouldn't be able to bring herself to leave and sooner or later they had to go back to Seattle and their responsibilities there. And even though she'd only been with Niles a few days, she couldn't bear to imagine being without him, even for a moment.

He appeared behind her, startling her and she smiled shyly. "Well…"

"Well…"

He took her bag in one hand and her hand in the other. Together they made their way to the door. When he picked up his car keys, she stared at their packed bags that were ready and waiting by the door of the cabin and squeezed his hand.

"Are you ready for this?"

"For what?" he asked, as though wanting specifics.

"To go back and tell everyone about us. To face your brother and father and possibly Mel."

"Don't worry about her, Daphne. She's out of our lives. "

"But you're bound to run into her at some point."

"I suppose you're right. There are a lot of things to take care of. And I'm sure that Dad and Frasier are going to want an explanation. The sooner we face them the sooner we can start our life together. We'll be free. But even so, I have enjoyed this week to no end. As a matter of fact, I wish it didn't have to end at all."

She leaned toward him and kissed him. "I do love you Niles Crane."

"And I love you too Daphne Moon." He kissed her once more and then picked up the bags. As he opened the door, he gasped. "Oh, look at that blizzard!"

Daphne's eyebrows rose and she pushed the door opened wider and peered outside. "What blizzard? It's barely snowing at all!"

Niles closed the door. "No, Daphne, we're definitely snowed in and we probably won't be able to get out of here for another two, three days at the very least." He sniffled, sitting the bags down, unable to hide his mischievous grin.

And she gave him a mischievous grin of her own. "You know, you're right. It is snowing pretty hard and the thought of having to drive all the way back to Seattle in this-."

"It's dangerous, that's what it is! And we shouldn't take any chances. We're much safer here. We can call Frasier and Dad later and let them know that we'll be staying here for a few days. I'm sure they'll understand."

Daphne pressed her lips to his. "Of course they will. Now, you start us a fire, I'll find us a nice blanket to snuggle on the couch with."

"That sounds wonderful."

"Oh, I have a better idea. How about some hot cider? I know it's early, but-."

"Cider sounds perfect. I just need to go outside and get some more wood. I won't be long." He helped her remove her coat and hung it on the coat rack. And when he walked outside, she stood by the window, watching him as she had done once before. Only this time she knew that he loved her.


He returned moments later and she welcomed him with a kiss and a mug of hot cider. "You're cold, Sweetheart. Come sit by the fire."

"I'm afraid it's gotten colder just in the last half hour. We might need more wood soon."

As they sat on the sofa, she draped the blanket around their shoulders and they sipped their cider. "This is nice." She said, echoing her words from the night before. "Thank you for letting me stay in your room, Niles."

"Daphne you already thanked me. It was my pleasure."

"I meant last night… With you."

He turned to her, stroking her cheek with his hand. "Holding you in my arms last night was one of the most wonderful moments of my life."

"Mine too. Thank you, Niles."

When she shivered, his smile disappeared. "Are you cold?"

"A little. I can get another blanket."

She moved to stand but he stopped her.

"No, allow me. I'll get something warmer. Just stay here. I'll be right back."

She sat in the quiet of the living room, her eyes moving from the flickering fire in the fireplace to the large window, where the snow had indeed gotten heavier. Already there was almost an inch on the ground.

He returned moments later holding something in his hand. The sight made her gasp. "Niles…"

"Here. This should keep you warm."

It was the sweater… the one that she had worn as she sat in the chair crying in his room, and the sweater that he'd worn not long afterwards.

She took it from him and slipped it over her head, softly inhaling the scent of him. And then he sat down beside her, returning his arm to her shoulder. "Are you warm now?"

She snuggled against him. "Yes, thank you Niles." She closed her eyes, content to feel the warmth of his sweater around her and his fingers in her hair.

After a few moments of silence he spoke again. "Daphne, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Sweetheart."

"When did you wear my sweater?"

"What?"

"My sweater. When I put it on to go outside, I couldn't help but noticing…"

"I'm sorry, Niles. I found it in your drawer one night and I was cold. I just…"

"It's all right. You look beautiful in it."

Her heart warmed at his words and she kissed him once more. "Niles…"

She wanted to tell him everything, about how she cried herself to sleep when they'd first arrived, but then she realized that it didn't matter. Her loneliness was gone and Donny was out of her life. But there was one thing she could no longer keep to herself. Slowly she rose from the sofa.

"Where are you going?"

"It's too quiet in here. I think we need some music."

"You know you're right. I can put some music in the CD player."

She grinned at him. "Actually I have a better idea."

His eyebrows rose.

"I'll be right back."

She went to her bag and opened it, rummaging through until she found what she wanted. The snow globe cradled carefully in her hands, she returned to the sofa and sat the cherished gift on the table.

The look on his face was one of pure surprise. "Daphne…"

"I brought it with me. It's one of me favorite possessions."

"Really? Because I-."

"I love it." She said, kissing him. "I absolutely adore it. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in me life and when you asked me to come to the cabin with you, I knew I had to bring it."

"I'm glad you like it Daphne. I wanted to get you something special."

"Thank you Niles… so much."

She turned the small knob on the snow globe as the sounds of Debussy floated out, filling the room with its familiar yet beautiful sound. With the fire blazing in the fireplace and the snow falling around them, covering the world outside them with snow, Niles and Daphne snuggled on the sofa, kissing contentedly, warming each other with their love.

THE END