Music of the Night: The Phantom of the Opera Returns (Guile & Melody)

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine listened, ears open to anything that Erik had to say. "But, you can't go alone. Especially not with the baby." She took Jonathan away from his father. "He won't be going alone. I'm going to find my wife." Andrew was already getting dressed for the weather. "I know, well, I have a feeling that I know where she's run off to." Ali and Lilly both wanted to go, the boy wanted to see his little crush, and Lilly not wanting to be left out. "Children, no. It's too dangerous." Christine told them when the opportunity arose. "But, Mother!" Lilly argued as she turned back to Erik. "Can we go, Papa? We won't hold you up." Christine was getting frustrated. "I said no! I lost one child to pneumonia long ago. I won't lose any others."

 

[Guile]

"It'll be alright, Christine. Andrew and I will find her and make sure she's safe." Erik assured her as he dressed himself for what they were about to meet outside. He turned to Lilly, overhearing the argument about the twins wanting to go along. "Lilly, Ali, please, do as your mother says. You can't come out with us, it is far too dangerous." Erik's own mind was occupied with thoughts about the children's health, naturally. That didn't stop him from becoming curious over Christine's last statement. So...that is what happened. The poor child... Now he was even more determined to find Catherine. Erik would not let that lost boy's fate become his daughter's and grandson's. "Come, Andrew. We must hurry." He took off for the exit.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Don't worry. I'm right behind you, Erik." Andrew assured the man. "You didn't really think I'd let you go after my wife alone, did you?" He smiled and stayed on Erik's tail the whole time. "I think I know where we should go. I'll take point." Andrew took Erik's hand. "This will only look a little strange, but if we don't, we could lose each other in the storm if we don't. Luckily, your daughter was smart enough not to go very far." He used his free hand to thrust the doors open. "And now, we flag someone down, unless you want some father in law/ son in law bonding time and we keep walking." He smirked and flagged someone down. "To the de Chagney farm, please." He paid off the driver.

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed at Andrew's words that were coming at him from behind. "No, I figured you would follow me no matter what I said." He was glad when Andrew had an idea of where Catherine could have gone, but when the young man took his hand, Erik stared at him funny. After he explained, Erik felt a little more assured, but still felt awkward. He grumbled his agreement as they settled into the buggy. Pulling his hand away, Erik smirked. "Like I would want to bond with you." He teased, before becoming serious as guilt once again came back to him. "Listen, Andrew...I want to apologize for earlier. I acted like a fool towards all of you over something so trivial and now..." He sighed, shaking his head as he looked out at the storm raging on around them. "Now Catherine has run off in this with William because of me. I am an awful father." Erik looked down at his hands and tried not to think about how that last statement of his own felt too right. God, let them be okay. Let them be safe at the farm, please.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Andrew smiled and wrapped one arm around Erik's shoulders. "Come on, Daddy. It's alright. I just wanted to have a heart to heart chat." He teased. "Trust me. She's as stubborn as our mule. She'll be there and driving my brothers crazy." He smirked. "I just hope that they can handle her until we get there." The road ahead twisted and turned and the trees got thicker and thicker as the road became familiar to Andrew. "She'll be just fine. She's strong. I promise." He rubbed his shoulder as though Catherine had punched him earlier. "It'll take her far."

 

[Guile]

Erik couldn't help grinning at Andrew's encouraging words, even though he was a bit displeased by the sudden pressure of the young man's arm around his shoulders. "Yes, Catherine is a strong woman. I've no doubt about that. I just hope she is able to forgive me for frightening her like that. I had no right to yell at her so. She has taken enough abuse from men already." He didn't specifically name Raoul, though he was thinking about him. "The poor girl didn't deserve the fright she got from me."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

As Andrew helped Erik down and then up the front steps of his home, he couldn't help but smile. The front light was on. That meant that his family was home. Immediately, Elizabeth threw the door open. "Andrew!" She smiled at her older brother. "Come in, quickly." She ushered them inside. Andrew helped Erik. Catherine sat in front of the fire with the baby and two youngest de Chagney children, reading them a book, until her father and husband came hobbling in. "Father! Andrew!" She smiled up at them, but didn't move, because the children were begging her to keep reading. "Alright, alright. I'll keep going." She continued on.

 

[Guile]

Erik was grateful for Andrew's help inside, the storm was awfully strong, and yet his pride made him brush it aside as though it were nothing. Once in the warmth, Erik's eyes darted to the other side of the room where Catherine sat with William and the other children, safe and sound. He sighed, utterly relieved that his daughter and grandson were alright. "Thank God..." Erik whispered, knowing that the children would not appreciate them interrupting.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

As her father and husband entered the little house, Catherine found it difficult to continue with the story. "I'll come by and read the next chapter in a few minutes." She told them with a soft smile, leaving William on the floor as she got to her feet. "Father, are you alright? You shouldn't have come after me." She stared at him with a worried expression. "You could have gotten sick. You could have died! Then, I would never forgive myself if that happened and you know that." She brought his hand to her lips warm it. "Please don't do that again."

 

[Guile]

"What are you saying, Catherine? You are my daughter. I could not let you go out in this storm without coming after you. I had to know that you were alright." Erik ran his free hand through her hair just once, placed a kiss to her forehead, and then pulled her into his embrace. "I would walk through many storms to make sure you are safe, my child. You know this." He bent down just a bit to whisper in her ear. "Forgive me for frightening you. It pains me to know that I did. I don't want any of my children to fear me as others do. You know I would never harm you, don't you?"

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I forgive you, simply because you almost died because of what I did. Still, this wouldn't be the first time." She smirked at him. "Just promise that you won't do anything like that again. You have to stop risking your life for people. You could get hurt." She told him, softly. "And losing you would hurt worse than getting punched in the gut or whatever happens to me." Catherine smiled and hugged her father when he pulled her in, letting her hand trail his hair. "I love you, Daddy."

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled, for just knowing that his daughter cared for him so much brought him joy and comfort. "I promise, my dear, that you will not loose me anytime soon." He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling her hand in his hair. Her words brought him back to a time when she was truly a little girl, seeking him out at the opera. How he longed for those days again, and yet, he was glad they were here, now. Catherine was happily married, but she had room in her heart still for her father. "I love you too, sweetheart."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"How long do you think we'll have to stay here?" She asked as Peter came hobbling in from his room. "Leaving so soon? Nah, you two can't do that. We have plenty room here. If we get snowed in, don't worry about it. Christine will be alright with the kids for one night." Catherine thought that he was a little over enthusiastic.

 

[Guile]

Erik was about to answer when Peter came in. He was hesitant to stay, however. Christine would be awfully worried if they didn't come back. "I don't know, my friend...I wouldn't want to frighten Christine. She won't know what's become of us." Erik continued thinking hard about his offer. It was dangerous to go back out in this weather, they were lucky to have gotten here safely. But he just couldn't leave Christine in the dark like this. She deserved to know that they were alright. "Perhaps I should go back..." Erik suggested, sounding rather unsure. "Just myself, at least. So that she knows."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Catherine dug her nails into her father's skin. "No. You aren't leaving. You're alive. She can at least trust that. What about that connection between all of us?" Catherine suggested. "You can still speak through our minds, can't you?" She wasn't going to allow her father to kill himself just to show his wife that he was safe. "Please don't go, Papa. It isn't safe." Catherine looked just like that scared little girl that she was when she was little. "It's just one night. She can live with the little ones until then."

 

[Guile]

Catherine was awfully frightened by the idea of him going out again, and Erik knew that. Oh, he couldn't leave her in such a state! She was begging him not to go, and he would oblige. No need to frighten his little girl anymore than she already was. "Alright, my dear. I will stay, I promise you. Still, I am not too pleased...Christine shouldn't have to stay alone with the children." He had made up his mind but the guilt still ate away at him.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Catherine chuckled as she held both sides of his face. "One...night...alone." she tried to tell him. "It won't kill her. It takes a lot more than that." She laughed now. "Not that I've tried, but still, if it's so important for you to know that your wife is safe, use the connection." She told him again. "Now, why don't we all get sleep? Erik, take the guest bed tonight. Don't worry about Christine." He pat his friend on the back. Catherine, in turn, scooped up William to walk with Andrew to his room. "Goodnight, all."

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed in spite of himself, but simply nodded at Catherine's words. "Yes, yes. Goodnight, my dear. And goodnight everyone." He said with a soft smile before heading off to the guest room. It was a nice place, he observed as he closed the door. Still, even as he lay down in bed he yearned to be beside Christine. The poor man sighed, exasperated that he would most likely get no sleep tonight if he did not somehow speak with Christine. The connection that they all shared had always been odd to him, but it made him smile now, knowing that it would come in handy once again. Erik closed his eyes and lay his head back on the pillow and thought to himself, hoping that somehow Christine would be able to hear, or at least feel, what he was thinking. My love, all is well. Catherine and William are safe, as are Andrew and I. I had hoped to come back to you tonight, but your daughter insists that I stay. He chuckled thinking this, shaking his head slightly at Catherine's persistence. We will come home as soon as we can. There was a pause and then, I love you.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I love you more, my sweet Phantom." Christine stopped pacing in front of the gate, debating whether or not to go after her husband. "I'm so glad you're alright." She waded back through it until she reached the ground. "Mama, I can't sleep." Ali told her. Christine shook her head. "Good night, my sweet love." Christine cut off the strange connection then proceeded to put the little ones to sleep, singing Love Never Dies so that it might ease her son into slumber.

 

[Guile]

Erik was so awfully happy to hear Christine's beautiful voice, even if she could not be beside him. He longed to be there to help put the children to bed, but he would not stay gone for long. It would be only one night, so long as they were not snowed in. He prayed they weren't, but there would be no telling what the storm would do. For now, all Erik could do was try and sleep, which he did somewhat in his restless state.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The next morning, Catherine woke with Andrew's arm around her, the animals waking at their own speeds, but Andrew seemed adjusted to it. He hadn't stirred. Careful not to wake her husband, she sat up and stared out the window. Snow was everywhere, but it stopped falling. They would be safe to return home. "Snow!" She heard Edmund and Lucy squeal, obviously already in their play clothes. Catherine chuckled softly. "Oh, dear." She poked her Andrew awake while straightening her dress and leaving him to knock on Erik's door. "Papa, the snow stopped falling." She could have sworn she heard snoring. Perfect! She snuck outside, bent down, and made a snowball. Hiding it behind her back, she crept toward the guest room, opened the door, and threw her creation at Erik. "GOTCHA!" She giggled and ran away like a little girl.

 

[Guile]

Erik was in such a deep sleep that he hadn't heard Catherine knock. However, he was definitely more aware of the freezing, wet object hitting him in the face. He yelled, surprised, and jolted upright in the bed, wiping whatever this strange stuff was off of his face. It took a few moments before he realized it was snow and that Catherine was the reason he was now covered in it. "Catherine, you devil!" He shouted after her, trying not to laugh. That's when he got up out of bed and ran down after her, his evil smirk ever growing.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Catherine was much quicker, even in a skirt. She quickly ran across the property and into the barn, where she hid amongst the chickens, knowing that they would provide some sort of protection against her father's rage. "I'm being chased by a madman." She crouched low inside the chicken coop, sniggering the entire time. "He's gonna kill me." She tried to say as a chicken sat on her lap. "Oh great." She shivered in anticipation.

 

[Guile]

Erik clearly saw her run into the barn, so he continued his chase. Halfway to the building, Erik scooped up a handful of snow himself and hid it behind his back once he entered the barn. He snuck around, as if trying to hide his footsteps, looking for Catherine. When he found her, he smiled down at her innocently, flashing his teeth. "My, my, Catherine. Have you made new friends?" Erik teased, glancing at the chickens. "That was very rude of you to wake me up in such a way. Don't you know how rarely I sleep? You couldn't allow me to rest just this once?" He tisked with his tongue and shook his head, looking rather disappointed. "You should be ashamed of your actions, child. For acting so crudely, you will have to pay." With that, he brought his arm out from behind him and threw the ball of snow right at her. "Have a taste of your own medicine!" Erik laughed loudly as the snow slowly dripped off of Catherine.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Catherine felt the cold, even the chickens did, sending them into a frenzy when the snow entered their coop. Catherine, in turn, had feathers in her mouth that she quickly spit out. "I'm gonna kill you!" Completely forgetting her ladylike manners and teachings, Catherine tackled her father to the ground in the snow. "You're so dead!" She pummeled him for a long time. "Do you know how thin this dress is?" She pulled his hair with a laugh. "Yes, but that is only because I made the dress, my dearest." Catherine knew that voice, and the shadow that went with it. She laughed and rolled back over. "Hello, Mother. Pleasure to see you." Catherine stood. Christine wasn't even paying attention. She was focused on Erik. "My husband! You're alive! I knew you would be! I missed you so much. The house was quite lonely. I was quite cold last night."