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

[Guile]

Erik had stumbled back a few steps, slightly startled when Catherine kissed him on the lips. He hadn't been prepared for that. He was distracted, however, by the little ones begging to know what news this was. Erik purposefully ignored Catherine's comment about meeting her own tutor, with a smile. "Alright, alright already! Goodness, you're all so eager." Erik grinned, making his way over to Christine and wrapping one arm around her waist. He nodded his head towards the little ones and said, "well, come here then" enthusiastically. He took Christine's hand in his and kissed it, but let it go so that she could show the children her ring. Smiling at Christine, he explained himself to the children. "When we went out to dinner last night your mother was getting pushy," he teased, "so, I made it official." Erik placed a kiss on Christine's lips.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She had finally stopped laughing. Why did she do that? All she was doing was harming her family with how she was acting. She had finally gone crazy without her William. She was reverting to how she was at seven, before her father ever was her father. "No." She whispered to herself. "Stop that, Catherine..." The children came running as they were summoned. "Ooohhh! So pretty!" Lilly took her mother's hand and kissed it. "Wow!" Alistair smirked and stared at the ring. "I knew it!" He started jumping up and down. "We did it!"

 

[Guile]

Erik had tried to brush off Catherine's kiss as just a father-daughter kiss, no big deal. However, as he watched the small children 'oh' and 'ah' over the ring, his mind wandered back to how she had acted about it. She had seemed embarrassed, as if she had done something wrong. Now, he knew there had been a deeper, though most likely unintentional, meaning behind it. Plagued still with the memory of the first, and last, time she had kissed him like that, Erik tried desperately to debunk the idea that Catherine had put more meaning behind that kiss. Unfortunately, it coursed through his mind despite his attempts to ignore it. Erik focused on the children, the engagement ring, his fiancé - anything that would distract him. He started to laugh at their excitement. "You did it?" Erik asked. "What, were you two trying to set your mother and I up this whole time or something?" He teased, ruffling his son's hair.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She was having a mini panic attack on the bed right now, trying to push thoughts from her mind. He's your father! Stop that! Stop right now! Lilly squeezed past Ali to answer. "Of course we were, Papa." Ali chuckled. "Maybe, a little." Christine ruffled their hair softly. "You two are so silly."

 

[Guile]

Erik picked Lilly up in his arms when she ran over, poking her in the stomach gently, and teasing her and Ali. "You two...are a bunch of brats!" He kidded, laughing. "If you were so eager to get us together, you might as well have just said so." Erik grinned at Christine. "It might have happened sooner!"

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The little one giggled and played with his hand. "Well, if we told you to propose, it wouldn't be romantic, would it?" She teased. Her brother dusted himself off when he was pushed. "Don't do that!" He was going to push her back, but Erik already had her in his arms. "We aren't brats! You just don't like children." Lilly retorted. Catherine continued to go nuts, but wished to be alone with her lover and son.

 

[Guile]

Erik let Lilly play with his hand, a smile appearing on his face. "I suppose it wouldn't have been very romantic, would it?" He agreed, placing her on the ground once again and trying not to glance over at Catherine who still lay on the bed - seemingly lost in her thoughts. Erik swallowed hard, trying not to think about that. "You two are brats. I know this because I love children...and you still get on my nerves!" He teased, laughing.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine listened just enough to the conversation that her family was having, but zoned in on Catherine from time to time. "Little Cathy, I want you to stop these notions that William is returning. He cannot, ever, come back." Her words stung her daughter's heart. She felt so alone and her baby was just a sick reminder of what might have been. "HOW WOULD YOU KNOW? HOW COULD YOU JUDGE ME WHEN YOU THOUGHT GRANDFATHER WAS STILL HERE!" With all her rage bottled, she knocked the luckily empty cradle over and fought with the lever, demanding it to open. When she finally managed it, she escaped to the world above.

 

[Guile]

Erik looked up at Christine as she spoke to Catherine, the laughter fading and his eyes becoming more serious. He glanced from her to Catherine, wondering what was happening. Then, suddenly Catherine raged and fled their home. He tried calling after her, protesting her leave and begging her to come back and just speak with them - giver herself a chance to calm down - but she ignored him. Erik put a comforting hand on Christine's shoulder. "Don't worry, I can go get her if you wish." He couldn't say what was best for his eldest - leave her alone to have space and time to think, or go find her and bring her home? He would have let her go if she hadn't before attempted to take her own life, and Raoul wasn't still out and about. Erik felt unease at the idea of Catherine out there alone and he not knowing where Raoul was lurking.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Catherine didn't bother taking the boat. She didn't want to waste time rowing when she could always run for her life. Her anger overtook her in that moment. "I have to get out of here!" With that, she pushed the oak front doors open and escaped totally. "Mother always got everything she ever wanted. She got to sing. She's still beautiful. She has the best singer ever for her teacher!" She ran to the restaurant that her parents went to.

 

[Guile]

Without waiting around too long, Erik took off after Catherine. He, as well, did not bother with the boat. Yelling back to Christine, he warned her not to leave here. "You don't know where Raoul could be. The streets are not safe alone. Best to stay where I know where you are...for the time being, please." He didn't like trying to control what Christine did, but he worried for her and the children. If they split up now, Raoul could find them easily, if he were still looking. Erik ran out of the Opera, his heart racing from panic. Trying to think of where Catherine might have gone gave him a head ache. He ran several places over in his mind. The park was the first one he thought of, so he ran there, calling her name out as he went in case she were on the street somewhere. Erik spent a good half hour searching the park grounds, but to no avail. He headed back into the heart of the city, making his way around the only place he really knew - the area where he and Catherine had shopped which, turned out to be where the restaurant was that he and Christine had been to that night.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine hid her tears as she concluded that she would stay at home like a good little house wife. "Bring her home safe, Erik." She whispered as he left. Feeling awful, Christine sat down on the ground with a good book and read while she waited. "Be safe."


As she sat her tush at a table and laid her head down, crying, the waiter from the night before, Andrew LeBonte, saw the girl crying and felt terrible. With concern in his eyes and the slightest smile, he pat her hand. "Excuse me, miss. May I help you?" He sat down across from her as she wiped her face. "No, I'm just having family trouble, that's all." The woman didn't look up. "Well, I can't just leave you here if you're upset. Here..." he reached into his pocket for his handkerchief and gave it to her. She dabbed at her face with it. "Thank you."

 

[Guile]

Making his way down the street that was familiar to him, but at the same time made him feel uncomfortable, Erik stole glances in the windows of various stores and other buildings. He avoided homes because it was unlikely Christine was in someone's house and he would be wasting his time. He never would have found her if luck hadn't been on his side. For, as he was wandering down the street, he happened to glance in the window of the restaurant he and Christine had eaten at the night before and saw his daughter sitting at a table. He had to look twice, making sure it really was her, because with her there was a man. Erik opened the doors and went in immediately - willing himself to keep going, else he loose his nerve to confront Catherine. He went up to her table, feeling his heart break in two at the sight of her tears. "Catherine..." he began softly, so that his tone did not upset her, "you're alright!" Placing his hands on her shoulders, he thanked God that it had been this man that had found her and not Raoul. Speaking of the stranger, Erik looked up to see who he was, thank him. Before he could get a word out, though, Erik recognized the young man as his kind waiter from the night before. "It's you..." he got out, astonished that fate would bring him back to this gentleman. "Thank you," he stuttered, "uh, for my daughter." Erik explained. "For watching over her." He turned back to Catherine, his mind still twisting with thoughts and shock. "My dear, why did you run out like that? You know it isn't safe. At least, not as safe as it used to be..." Erik knew that she would understand what he meant - the thought of Raoul haunted him, and he couldn't stop worrying over where he might be.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Upon seeing the Phantom, Andrew stood. "Yes, of course. She is a delight to be around." His eyes were wide with astonishment as well. "I knew you looked familiar. I should have known!" He smiled. "You and your mother have the same eyes." He smiled and kissed her hand. "Are you sure that you want to go with him?" He wanted to be sure that she was alright. "I could always throw him out for you." He gave a secret wink to Erik. "I'm fine, thank you." Catherine stood up. "Oh, and, I hope to see you at the party tomorrow." She added as an afterthought. "I would be delighted to come." The waiter said, before he was called away by his angry manager. Rounding on Erik, she finally answered him. "I was angry that William died. He was my second chance at love since my first was already taken by...by someone else." She mumbled as they left.

 

[Guile]

Erik started to smile, the fear leaving him at the kindness and joking attitude of this young man. "That she is." Erik agreed. His mood had changed drastically, and he actually almost let out a laugh at the waiters wink and playful manner. He couldn't help thinking that he liked this young man - he had taken to him the minute he didn't recoil in horror at the sight of his face. This young man, who ever he was, was a decent human. Smiling at the waiter, Erik added, "it will be nice to see you again" about the party. As he walked out with Catherine, he listened to her and felt sorry for her again. "I know how you feel. And yes, before you yell at me," he attempted to smile at her, hopefully to put her in a better mood, "no, I've never lost my loved ones to death. And for that, I thank God. I'm so sorry that you had to deal with that so young - I'm sorry you had to deal with it ever. But, everyone has their time - wether the timing is convenient or fair, is irrelevant." Erik made his words so that they were not harsh, just...factual, though there was a sadness in his tone. Placing one of his arms around her in an embrace as they walked, Erik kissed her on the temple. "I promise, my child, you will find love again. It may never be the same, but it will be beautiful and unique in its own special way."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She recoiled at the touch of his lips on her. This was torture, for it was giving off a false feeling that they could have had something had they not been related. She was trying so hard to banish the feelings of yearning from her body, for she knew that he didn't feel the same way at all and never did. She was jealous of her own mother! God, why did she admit it? Would it calm her? "Just, don't...don't touch me." She pushed him away and stayed behind him, for she didn't want the feeling that she was being watched, and having him beside her would make her have to look in his eyes. "Just don't touch me. I am a broken, sad, little girl that will never truly be happy ever again, as long as I'm still living with you and Mother." She paused, then started again. "Again, I tried to help you move on from Mother. It was bad enough seeing you around her and us all having to live together, now, you're marrying her and I'm stuck with a child who will never have his father. I'll be alone, always." She continued to walk.

 

[Guile]

As soon as he placed his lips on Catherine, Erik regretted it, knowing it had been a mistake. He felt like kicking himself and it was all he could take to force himself not to touch her again. Confusion welled up inside Erik - he didn't know how to handle this mess that he had gotten himself into. Catherine was his daughter and he loved her, but he could never love her in the way she wanted - or, once wanted - because they were related. Even if they weren't related, Erik was devoted to Christine- always was, always would be. However, he couldn't help feeling that it was his fault that his daughter felt this way. Knowing that she did not want to be near him, or walk in front of him, Erik willingly walked in front - forcing himself not to look back at her, though he desperately longed to. "I-I'm sorry, Catherine. I can't...I don't know how to fix this. I want to. I wish I could take away the pain because I love you, you're my daughter." He shook his head. "And I don't believe that. You're beautiful, young. A man will come along." He urged. "I know it. You just...have to be patient." Erik felt himself wringing his hands together in nervousness, feeling guilty about the way Catherine was feeling.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Seeing her father look the way he did, she felt guilty about that as well. Just one more mistake she had made in her life. "I can't live like this anymore,...Father. I just have all of this confusion and anger and sadness and rage and a sense of abandonment since he died. Believe me, I want to be happy. Truly, I do. And I want you to be happy with the woman you love, and I know that it can't possibly be me. Maybe, had I been around forty years ago and had been working hard to get noticed, maybe, that would have changed something. Maybe you would have at least looked at me before moving in on Mother. Maybe I would have had a chance, at least, of happiness in music." She had talked all the way home, but not quite to the catacombs just yet. "But, I am the fool. I understand. I'll leave you and Mother alone " She had tears under her chin now, but hid them well. "I love you so much, so, like you did with Mother, I'll let you go." She walked the river.

 

[Guile]

"No..." Erik whispered, shaking his head. "I know that it hurts, I know. But please, you must keep going, keep fighting. It will get better, I promise. I know it's hard to believe, hard to feel that it's true, but you must cling to some hope, else you'll fall." When she started talking about leaving, Erik looked up from the ground that he had been staring sullenly at, heartbroken. "No..." he whispered once again. "No, you can't go." He started to beg her. "I don't blame you if you hate me, I understand. I pray that you can forgive me someday - someday when your life is looking up - but for now I understand if you can't. But, you must believe me when I tell you that I love you. Wether you care for me anymore or hate me, it doesn't change my feelings toward you. You are my daughter and I love you. I can't bare to see you go." He paused, his mind whirling. Trying to collect his thoughts, his mouth started moving faster than his brain and he started stammering. "I-if you won't stay for me...stay for your mother. She would die without you, Catherine. She needs you." Erik was tempted to turn and hold her in his arms like he had when she was his little girl still, but he couldn't - she would hate him more for hurting her again.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She considered what he had to say and thought of it over and over and over again until finally, she reached her decision. Turning him around, praying that what she was about to do wouldn't offend him, she kissed him, not a passionate kiss, like he would with Christine, but a simple peck on the lips as a daughter would give her father. She hoped to God that she would be allowed to do this more than just this once, possibly before bed or before a performance or the like. If she was allowed at least this much, she could move on with her life and be happy that her parents were together. The feelings of yearning would leave her be. When she let go, she watched him sheepishly. "I'll stay, and I'll forgive you and Mother, if you at least have patience with me." She kissed his cheek. "And at least allow me that much as far as a kiss goes." She referred to the peck on his lips. "And, if it makes you uncomfortable, I'll understand." They made it home and Lillith was ready to joke with the gate again.

 

[Guile]

Erik waited nervously in silence as she considered what he said. When she turned him around, he feared that she would kiss him, but he had expected a different kind of kiss. When he realized she was kissing him as a daughter would kiss her father, he breathed a sigh of relief and had to fight back tears of joy. "Thank you, Catherine. Thank you for being so forgiving." He wrapped her in a hug and whispered to her. "Of course I will have patience with you - I understand how you're feeling and I know I can't rush you out of it. All I want is to see you happy. And, as far as the kiss goes, those kind of kisses are just fine, my child." He pulled back and caressed her cheek before walking with her the rest of the way home. Until, that is, they reached the gate and Lilly was there joking again. Erik wrapped his hands around the metal bars and raised one eyebrow at his youngest daughter. "Oh, Lilly?" He asked smiling, dragging out her name playfully. "Are you going to let us in, my sweet?"

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Catherine smiled in response to his answer. "Thank you." She felt like he was crushing her in the hug and thanked the Lord that he let go of her. "And, you're very, very welcome. In truth, I thank God that Mother has you and has absolutely no ties to Raoul. Otherwise, that's another story." As they reached the gate and Lilly held the lever in its stationary position, Catherine sighed. "Lilly, I'm safe now. I can come inside." Lilly nodded. "That's good." But she still didn't allow her sister or father inside their makeshift home. "Gee, Papa. I thought about it, and..." she tapped her chin as though she still pondered what to do. "I figured a man would have a key to his own home, so no." She walked away from the lever. Christine was showering and her twin was too busy on the piano to notice anyone home, or perhaps he did and was teasing as well.

 

[Guile]

"You. Little. Brat!" Erik yelled, pointing a finger teasingly at Lilly. "You see? I told you, you and your brother are nothing but ungrateful brats!" He started laughing. "You better let me in, otherwise I'm likely to get sick out here and die of pneumonia. Then, there's the end to all your lessons! And your Papa!" Erik mumbled under his breath, "just like her mother..." but a grin was on his lips.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The child put a hand over her mouth and gasped. "What will I ever do?!?" She teased. The water turned off and it was a few minutes later, Christine stepped from the shower, dressed and fresh as a daisy. "Lilly, who are you talking to, my dear?" She turned her head to look at her fiance and daughter. She was elated to see her daughter alive and well. "Oh, my baby!" She approached the lever, but realized that she was teasing the other two. "Oh, that's right! They're late. They must sleep outside!"

 

[Guile]

Erik watched Christine come from the shower, dressed and looking stunningly beautiful. Then again, she always did to him. He had to force himself to stop staring, he didn't know why he felt different seeing her now than any other time, but he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of seeing him drool over her like a puppy chasing a bone. Erik leaned closer to the bars, sticking his arm through one of the slits as far as it would go, reaching out to Christine, and started to fake cough. He placed one hand over his heart and spoke in a raspy voice. "Oh, Christine. Thank God, it's you. Catherine and I...we're so sick...we may die if we don't sleep in warm beds tonight. Please..." He kept reaching, as if he were trying to grasp onto life, not allowing himself to laugh or show his smile.