Niles could hardly believe he was doing this. And yet, here he was, about to knock on his brother Frasier's door to pick Daphne up for an evening of opera. He quickly surveyed his appearance. He'd worn his best tux. Luckily, when he'd told Maris he was going out for the evening, she'd been asleep, so she hadn't bothered to question his clothing. He felt a little guilty at sneaking around behind his wife's back, but he reminded himself he was doing this for Daphne. If she had an interest in opera, he was going to do all he could to support that. If Maris was hurt by that, it served her right, considering the many times she'd run off to Europe at the drop of a hat!

He took a deep breath and knocked. The door was answered quickly. "Dr. Crane! Don't you look handsome!"

Niles felt himself blush. "Thank you. You look lovely as always."

This time it was her turn to blush. The long, form-fitting black dress she was wearing had cost her a fortune, but she didn't care. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. "Thanks," she said.

"I got something for you," Niles said, suddenly remembering what he was carrying.

"Oh, Dr. Crane, you shouldn't have! You've given me so much already!"

"It's nothing, really," Niles replied, handing it to her. "I saw a woman reading this magazine earlier today at Nervosa. He's the football player you like, right?"

Daphne took the magazine from him, feeling a bit sick as she read the headline. "Seattle's QB to Wed Supermodel." There was a picture of the two of them taken on a beach. The woman was gorgeous, of course. "It figures," she said under her breath.

"What does?" Niles asked. "I haven't upset you, have I?"

"No, you didn't," Daphne replied. "It's just this headline. I know I had no real chance of ever meeting him, but it just makes me so mad. Why do these famous men always go after supermodels with perfect bodies? I mean, what's wrong with a nice, ordinary person like me?"

"There is nothing ordinary about you," Niles said immediately. How could she not know that? It wasn't just her appearance, either. There was also her kindness, her sense of humor, her outspokenness, all traits of Daphne's that had completely captured his heart from the very beginning.

Daphne looked into Dr. Crane's eyes. For a moment, she thought maybe...No, he couldn't have meant it like that. After all, he was a married man. It was just another one of his compliments that never failed to brighten her day. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. Leave it to you to know exactly what to say." She kissed his cheek.

For a moment, Niles forgot how to breathe. "You're welcome," he finally responded. "I'm sure one day, you'll find a man who will appreciate you. You just have to be patient. I'm sure the wait will be worth it."

Daphne blushed again. Dr. Crane always knew how to make her feel special. It was why she was always so comfortable around him, even when his brother was not nearly as tolerant of her. She was truly lucky to have a friend like him. She hugged him tightly.

Niles couldn't help himself; he held her for a moment, breathing in the sweet scent of cherry bark and almond. When he finally let go, he felt dizzy for a second. Thankfully, he recovered. "Shall we go?" he asked, offering her his arm.

Daphne smiled and linked her arm into his. "I can't wait to hear this opera. I'm sure it's just beautiful!"

Niles once again looked her over. "Yes, I'm sure it's quite extraordinary," he said.

The End