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

[Saiyan Princess]

"I cannot feed myself right now. I'm too cold." She tossed a blanket around her shoulders. "Would you please help me?" She shivered again. "I don't want to move my hands." She teased him and bent over the soup as though she were about to lap it up. "Never mind. I can handle this." She got closer to the soup. "This may take some time, and I was looking forward to singing with you tonight." Her voice was light and happy.

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed, but knelt beside her. He wrapped one arm around her, a grin on his lips. "Hmm...well, I have to think about it." There was a pause, then he turned to face her rather than staring off into nothing and 'thinking'. "Alright, I'll help you." Placing two fingers under her chin, he gently made her face him. "But I shall require some form of payment." He raised his brow again, contemplating the 'payment'. "A kiss, perhaps?" Erik's eyes shone with the same lightness that his words and smile possessed.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Well, do I truly wish to eat this food?" She smiled. "Ah, I guess I could choke a kiss down, if I must." She grinned as she moved toward him, her chest against his, and kissed him, using tongue. "Mmm, now that my debt is repaid, if you would.be so kind as to help me eat." She inclined her head toward the bowl on the tray in front of her. "Oh, and we still have to name our little baby." At this, Lilly whined. "Papa, no!" She wrapped her arms as far as they could go around him. "Am I still your baby?" She wanted to know.

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled into their kiss, admittedly enjoying the tongue part of it. When the kiss broke, he laughed and reiterated her words through his soft laughter. "Choke down a kiss..." He was grinning and about to pick up the spoon to help Christine when Lilly ran over and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh, sweetheart..." He wrapped his arms around her tightly and caressed her hair with one hand. "Of course you're still my baby. You, Alistair, and even Catherine," he smiled down at the little one, "you're all my babies." Placing a kiss on his little girl's forehead he assured her. "I love you all equally, my dear." Removing his arms from her, he got a spoon of the soup and placed it tenderly to Christine's lips, allowing her to eat at last. Smiling at her he agreed. "You're right, my love. We must name him." Getting another spoon of the soup and lifting it to her again, he asked, "did you have a name in mind?" Erik wanted to hear Christine's suggestion, if she had one. After all, she had went through nine months of pregnancy and birthed the baby - Erik figured her suggestion was as good, if not more important, than his own.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I agree, choking down this soup is horrible." Christine laughed. "My compliments to the chef." She smiled as she wiped a little off of her chin. She watched Lilly tackle her father. "Yes, of course, my little one." She held Lilly on her lap to hide her chest from Erik. Alistair was busy holding the unnamed infant. "Watch his head, Alistair." Christine warned. Andrew quickly took the babe before he was dropped. "I like his father's name, my dearest, but that will be his middle name. As for his first, I am not entirely sure. I named all of our other children, you can name him." 
"I agree, choking down this soup is horrible." Christine laughed. "My compliments to the chef." She smiled as she wiped a little off of her chin. She watched Lilly tackle her father. "Yes, of course, my little one." She held Lilly on her lap to hide her chest from Erik. Alistair was busy holding the unnamed infant. "Watch his head, Alistair." Christine warned. Andrew quickly took the babe before he was dropped. "I like his father's name, my dearest, but that will be his middle name. As for his first, I am not entirely sure. I named all of our other children, you can name him." 
"I agree, choking down this soup is horrible." Christine laughed. "My compliments to the chef." She smiled as she wiped a little off of her chin. She watched Lilly tackle her father. "Yes, of course, my little one." She held Lilly on her lap to hide her chest from Erik. Alistair was busy holding the unnamed infant. "Watch his head, Alistair." Christine warned. Andrew quickly took the babe before he was dropped. "I like his father's name, my dearest, but that will be his middle name. As for his first, I am not entirely sure. I named all of our other children, you can name him."

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed at her teasing, then turned around to look at their newborn. He fact that his son was going to have his name, even as a middle name, made it hard for Erik to swallow as he welled up with pride. He thanked Andrew for taking the baby before he was dropped, and smiled at Alistair - he knew he was only trying to see his brother. Erik thought long and hard about what he could name their son - his first thoughts went to to biblical names. Finally, he gave an answer. "Perhaps, the simple name, Jonathan?" Erik looked at Christine for a response.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine thought for a moment. "I may have left both you and Raoul for a man called Jonathan." She teased. "He was very charming and a pretty fair kisser." She laughed, unable to hide it. "Yes, during my time with Raoul, I may have stepped away." Christine got to her feet, tapping her chin as though lost in thought. "That name will just be a cruel reminder for you, won't it." Still, she couldn't think of a name. "Oh well, if you want that reminder, I suppose we can still make it work."

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed and shook his head at her tease, wrapping his arms around her as she stood. "Oh, did you now?" Erik circled around to face her. "Was he as good a kisser as I?" He asked, one brow raised teasingly. "And, in case you forgot how I kiss, I'll remind you." Erik placed his hand on either side of her face and placed his lips on hers. He kissed her passionately, slipping his tongue in, out, and back in every now and again. When at last the kiss broke, he laughed softly. "However, you aren't going to get away with that easy. If you don't like the name, you best give me a better one now." He was smiling happily as he wrapped his arms around her again. "Otherwise, Jonathan will have to do...forever, mind you!" He laughed and held her close.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I can't do that, Monsieur." She laughed. "That's cheating." She couldn't help herself. He was holding onto her. There was no escape if she wanted one. "Please, be gentle with my fragile body." She teased, knowing how weak she was. "If I must, I choose Jonathan."

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed, still holding her tight to him. "Of course, I will be gentle, my dear." He smiled down at her. Then, he stole a quick glance at their newborn. His eyes glistened with pride as he looked over his son. Looking back at Christine he shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I suppose if that's your answer..." Grinning, he went to Andrew, who still held the baby, and carefully took the child in his arms. Bringing him over to Christine, he placed a kiss on the infant's head. "Well, my son," he spoke softly, "I suppose your name is now Jonathan."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The baby looked up at his father and giggled. "Well, now that that's over with," Christine rolled her eyes, "I suppose you can stop neglecting your daughter's lesson now?" She waved a hand to Lilly. "She won't go to sleep without it."

 

[Guile]

"Oh, is that so?" Erik said with a smile, turning to face Lilly. "Well, then," he placed Jonathan in the crib so that he could devote his attention to his daughter, "we'll have to do something about that, won't we?" Erik ruffled her hair slightly, laughing. "Now, let's see...where did we leave off again, Lilly?" He stood there, making a big skeptical as he thought about what they had last done.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Lilly attempted to fix her hair. "Well, I think..." she paused because she could not focus and talk at the same time. "Well, you said that I knew the whole song, but I didn't think I was any good. Not like Mama, at least." She corrected herself. "I tried, but I can't get that one high note." She looked down, as though she had.disappointed her father. "I'm sorry."

 

[Guile]

Erik put his hands on his daughter's shoulders and reassured her. "My child, don't apologize." His smiled was warm and inviting. "You are simply learning - we all had to at one point." Kneeling down beside Lilly, he whispered in her ear. "You should have heard your mother when she started with me." He could hardly keep his laughter hidden. "Good Lord, did she ever sound..." Erik faked a shiver and laughed, looking up at Christine with innocent eyes. Standing, he led Lilly to the piano. "Why don't we try it again. I haven't heard you sing in a while, so I'd like to see where you're at." Smiling, he ran his fingers over the keys and started to play the song.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine watched Erik reassure the child. Looking down at her hands as they talked, she rubbed her ring finger, which felt bare without the gem on it. "Hey! I don't appreciate that, Erik." She raised her hand as though she were about to slap him. Dropping her hand again, she smirked. "Well, I had a horrible teacher." She couldn't stifle the laughter emanating from her mouth. Lilly straightened her night gown and sat at the piano next to the Phantom. "I guess so, Papa."

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed at Christine's response to his tease. "Oh, yes, Christine. I know, a horrible teacher." Grinning he said, "that's why you sound like an angel today." He looked at Lilly with an understanding smile on his lips. She didn't seem very pleased, so Erik placed a small kiss on her temple. "Don't fret, dear." He assured her as he started up the song softly, running his fingers over the keys lightly and rhythmically - it had been so long since he had last played, and he was glad to be doing so again. "You'll do just fine."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Yes, I did that all by myself, of course, my father helped me." She teased, then, suddenly, as the music played, Christine started mouthing the words to Lilly, who was looking directly at her for help. She remained like this as she started singing. "Think of me, think of me, fondly, when we've said goodbye. Remember me, once in a while, please, promise me, you'll try. When you find that once again you long to take your heart back and be free, if you ever find a moment, spare a thought for me."

 

[Guile]

Erik chuckled at Christine's tease as he moved his fingers across the keys. He listened intently on Lilly's voice, which, in all honest, wasn't bad at all. In fact, Erik was surprised - she was doing much better than even last time, and last time was pretty good. A smile crept up on his lips as he kept playing, the words playing in his mind. When Lilly ended the verse, he told her over the noise of the piano, "you're doing beautifully, my dear!" Erik's voice was enthusiastic, and his words were true. "Keep going!" He coaxed her with a smile, closing his eyes to focus on her voice.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Lilly thought of the next verse and started softly, for fear of messing it up. "We never said our love was evergreen


Or as unchanging as the sea." She looked out at the river's smooth surface.


"But if you can still remember


Stop and think of me" she held her head as though she were thinking. "Think of all the things we've shared and seen, don't think about the way things might have been." Christine was very proud of Lilly's theatrics.

 

[Guile]

Erik's grin grew as he listened to his little girl singing. She was doing beautifully and remembering the words just right. "Wonderful, Lilly!" He would have clapped if he hadn't still been playing the song. Erik glanced up at Christine. His mind immediately went to thinking about how she had been rubbing her ring finger earlier. As he listened to Lilly sing, his mind wandered back to before he had brought Christine down here again - she had placed the ring in his hand. Erik smiled at this, he could still feel the ring in his pocket. He made a mental note to give it back to her later. For now, he forced himself to refocus on how well Lilly was doing with this song.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

With what little courage that was still dormant inside the seven year old, she sang the next part that she could remember.


"Think of me, think of me waking


Silent and resigned


Imagine me trying too hard


To put you from my mind." She looked around at everyone watching her and got suddenly very quiet.


"Recall those days, look back on all those times


Think of those things we'll never do.


There will never be a day


When I won't think of you." She could barely sing for all the pressure on her.

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled at Lilly reassuringly, hoping to give her confidence. He mouthed to her, "you're doing great" and played just a tad louder, hoping that would make her more comfortable. Erik even started humming a little, so that there would be some other voice in the room and Lilly wouldn't be so intimidated.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She smiled at her father's reassurance and climbed onto his lap, like always, so that she felt his protective arms around her. "Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade


They have their seasons, so do we


But please promise me that sometimes


You will think of me." She held his face and forced him to look at her.

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled at his daughter, letting her crawl up onto his lap. As he continued to play the last verse he stopped humming about halfway through, letting Lilly finish on her own. When she did, Erik hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head. "That was beautiful Lilly!" He meant what he said. "Absolutely magnificent!" He gripped her tight, but not to where she was in pain, and laughed. "You see?" He said, pulling back and looking in her eyes. "You did wonderful! No need to be afraid to sing, especially not around this family." Erik caressed his little girl's cheek and smiled warmly at her.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"You, my dearest sister, were amazing!" Catherine hugged her for a moment before letting the daddy's girl hold onto him again. When Erik touched her cheek, she couldn't help but revert to her childlike actions and nuzzle herself into his chest. "Can't I stay up a little longer?" She asked, trying to sucker her parents out of alone time as long as Jonathan was asleep. "Fifteen minutes?" She begged. Christine shook her head. "Mummy and Daddy need some time alone, dear." Alistair finally chimed in, which was hard for the naturally quiet boy. "But, why?"