Goodnight and Goodbye - Chapter 3
How can you want a night to never end but hurry up, all at the same time? That's what he wanted more than anything, but he didn't know which yet. Wanting the night to never end, a token of his desire for Daphne to rethink her decision and for the wedding to never be in reach. Then again, it going quicker would symbolise a new day, new beginnings.
The night to never end is what he wanted. If a new day dawned, it would mean a new life. A life without Daphne, and whatever had happened here tonight, he couldn't bear the thought of it.
He'd strolled round and round the beautiful garden where the wedding was due to take place less than 12 hours from now. 12 hours. So much can change in that amount of time, he pondered. 12 years of being tortured by Maris' unrelenting put downs. 12 months of trying to get over Daphne. 12 hours of thinking how his life got in such a mess. 12 times is how many times Daphne had broken his heart. But this was by far the worst he had ever felt it.
He still loved her, whatever she did, because she was, in his eyes, perfect and nothing could change that. Frasier could say whatever he liked about his 'ulterior motives' of breaking things off with Mel, but Niles knew what he did was right. If it wasn't, he'd be getting a nosebleed right now!
He hadn't bumped into Martin on his travels, but then again, he didn't know if he wanted to. He wanted to officially thank him for sticking up for him but he didn't think he could think of the words.
Sunrise threatened to reveal his teary eyes to the world, or at least the wedding party. As the suns flourescent beauty climbed over the landscape that was to house the wedding reception, a single, windswept rose landed in his path. He leant down to retrieve it, but a tanned hand was gripping his right forearm. He turned his head and saw Frasier, an apology clearly imminent if his facial expression was anything to go by. Niles used his free left hand to grab the rose while he quickly got to his feet.
"Oh Niles, I'm so sorry about earlier."
"It's okay, really Frasier. I overreacted." Niles turned away, but, without words, offered Frasier to walk with him.
There was a silence for the first few steps, with gravel the only thing volunteering to break it. "No, Niles, I don't think you did." Niles couldn't interpret Frasiers tone. "I mean, the love of your life rejected you..... ", he quickly moved on from the subject, " and what I said back in my room, it was insensitive and...."
"Frasier, there is no need apologise." Niles felt himself tearing up again. "How can this be happening, Frasier?"
Frasier was, for once, speechless. "I..... er..... I don't know, Niles."
Niles broke down in his brothers arms, his legs shaking, his tears soaking Frasiers shirt. They stood there for a while, neither moving, but Frasier would stand there however long Niles needed, because that is what a brother should do.
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"Goodnight, Niles"
It hadn't been really, but Niles just wanted to sleep, to forget his troubles. They had found Martins winnebago and decided to sleep there rather than then hotel room. They had also found Martin and Eddie inside. He wasn't surprised to see Niles and Frasier together. "I knew you guys would make up." They always did.
They had chatted for a while, none of them daring to talk about the nights events. Niles just wanted to sleep so he politely thanked them for their support and went off to bed. Frasier popped his head around the door a minute later, probably to check he was okay. "Goodnight, Niles" he whispered.
"Goodnight, Frasier" he replied.
*******
He was in the gardens, looking up at the night sky. She appeared like a diamond in a sea of rubies.
"Daphne, what are you doing here?"
" I came to see you, silly." Her smile was so radiant it took the shine right out of the stars. She was wearing what she had worn earlier, out on the balcony.
"I have something for you." He smiled at her and pulled out the white rose he had seen in the garden.
"Oh Niles, you shouldn't have. It's beautiful."
Rain began falling at quite a steady rate.
"It reminds me of you."
Her cheeks flushed and she looked at the floor. " Niles, you shouldn't say such things."
This is just like before, he thought. Even my own dreams are against me. "But I love you." That was all he could muster up. Stupid, Stupid STUPID!
Not that it didn't take any effect, that is, because the next thing he knew, she was kissing him and it was the most beautiful thing that he could ever imagine, let alone dream about. He held on to her back, her dripping wet hair soaking her sapphire blue broke away. "I love you too, Niles!"
"You called me Niles!"
"Well, of course I did. That's your name, isn't it?"
"Well, yes, of course, but throughout this entire conversation, you have not once called me Dr. Crane!"
Daphne took a moment to think about it. "Ummm.... guess not." She smiled to herself as she thought it through.
They stood there for a while, foreheads together, looking into each others eyes, hands interlocked. But in the distance could be seen a very confused Donny, coming towards them. He tried so desperately to get through to Daphne, but all she could see was Niles.
"Lets get out of here." Daphne offered.
"Sure." Niles replied.
Together, they walked toward the rising sun, Niles staring at Daphne all the way.
************
Niles awoke from his dream, sweat dripping from his face. "Daphne....." he whispered.
Frasier came in, confusion taking over his face. "Niles, what happened?"
"I had a dream about Daphne. It was amazing."
Frasier just stared at him. "Are you sure you want to go to the wedding today?"
"Maybe not, but I have this feeling that everything will be okay from now on."
How can you want a night to never end but hurry up, all at the same time? That's what he wanted more than anything, but he didn't know which yet. Wanting the night to never end, a token of his desire for Daphne to rethink her decision and for the wedding to never be in reach. Then again, it going quicker would symbolise a new day, new beginnings.
The night to never end is what he wanted. If a new day dawned, it would mean a new life. A life without Daphne, and whatever had happened here tonight, he couldn't bear the thought of it.
He'd strolled round and round the beautiful garden where the wedding was due to take place less than 12 hours from now. 12 hours. So much can change in that amount of time, he pondered. 12 years of being tortured by Maris' unrelenting put downs. 12 months of trying to get over Daphne. 12 hours of thinking how his life got in such a mess. 12 times is how many times Daphne had broken his heart. But this was by far the worst he had ever felt it.
He still loved her, whatever she did, because she was, in his eyes, perfect and nothing could change that. Frasier could say whatever he liked about his 'ulterior motives' of breaking things off with Mel, but Niles knew what he did was right. If it wasn't, he'd be getting a nosebleed right now!
He hadn't bumped into Martin on his travels, but then again, he didn't know if he wanted to. He wanted to officially thank him for sticking up for him but he didn't think he could think of the words.
Sunrise threatened to reveal his teary eyes to the world, or at least the wedding party. As the suns flourescent beauty climbed over the landscape that was to house the wedding reception, a single, windswept rose landed in his path. He leant down to retrieve it, but a tanned hand was gripping his right forearm. He turned his head and saw Frasier, an apology clearly imminent if his facial expression was anything to go by. Niles used his free left hand to grab the rose while he quickly got to his feet.
"Oh Niles, I'm so sorry about earlier."
"It's okay, really Frasier. I overreacted." Niles turned away, but, without words, offered Frasier to walk with him.
There was a silence for the first few steps, with gravel the only thing volunteering to break it. "No, Niles, I don't think you did." Niles couldn't interpret Frasiers tone. "I mean, the love of your life rejected you..... ", he quickly moved on from the subject, " and what I said back in my room, it was insensitive and...."
"Frasier, there is no need apologise." Niles felt himself tearing up again. "How can this be happening, Frasier?"
Frasier was, for once, speechless. "I..... er..... I don't know, Niles."
Niles broke down in his brothers arms, his legs shaking, his tears soaking Frasiers shirt. They stood there for a while, neither moving, but Frasier would stand there however long Niles needed, because that is what a brother should do.
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"Goodnight, Niles"
It hadn't been really, but Niles just wanted to sleep, to forget his troubles. They had found Martins winnebago and decided to sleep there rather than then hotel room. They had also found Martin and Eddie inside. He wasn't surprised to see Niles and Frasier together. "I knew you guys would make up." They always did.
They had chatted for a while, none of them daring to talk about the nights events. Niles just wanted to sleep so he politely thanked them for their support and went off to bed. Frasier popped his head around the door a minute later, probably to check he was okay. "Goodnight, Niles" he whispered.
"Goodnight, Frasier" he replied.
*******
He was in the gardens, looking up at the night sky. She appeared like a diamond in a sea of rubies.
"Daphne, what are you doing here?"
" I came to see you, silly." Her smile was so radiant it took the shine right out of the stars. She was wearing what she had worn earlier, out on the balcony.
"I have something for you." He smiled at her and pulled out the white rose he had seen in the garden.
"Oh Niles, you shouldn't have. It's beautiful."
Rain began falling at quite a steady rate.
"It reminds me of you."
Her cheeks flushed and she looked at the floor. " Niles, you shouldn't say such things."
This is just like before, he thought. Even my own dreams are against me. "But I love you." That was all he could muster up. Stupid, Stupid STUPID!
Not that it didn't take any effect, that is, because the next thing he knew, she was kissing him and it was the most beautiful thing that he could ever imagine, let alone dream about. He held on to her back, her dripping wet hair soaking her sapphire blue broke away. "I love you too, Niles!"
"You called me Niles!"
"Well, of course I did. That's your name, isn't it?"
"Well, yes, of course, but throughout this entire conversation, you have not once called me Dr. Crane!"
Daphne took a moment to think about it. "Ummm.... guess not." She smiled to herself as she thought it through.
They stood there for a while, foreheads together, looking into each others eyes, hands interlocked. But in the distance could be seen a very confused Donny, coming towards them. He tried so desperately to get through to Daphne, but all she could see was Niles.
"Lets get out of here." Daphne offered.
"Sure." Niles replied.
Together, they walked toward the rising sun, Niles staring at Daphne all the way.
************
Niles awoke from his dream, sweat dripping from his face. "Daphne....." he whispered.
Frasier came in, confusion taking over his face. "Niles, what happened?"
"I had a dream about Daphne. It was amazing."
Frasier just stared at him. "Are you sure you want to go to the wedding today?"
"Maybe not, but I have this feeling that everything will be okay from now on."
