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

[Guile]

"Aww..." Erik chuckled as his daughter nuzzled into him. He wrapped his arms tight around his precious little girl, almost unable to let her go. When she asked if she could stay up a little longer, Erik almost gave in - especially when Alistair spoke up. But, he wanted to be alone with Christine for a while now. "Oh, no, my dears. Your mother is right, I'm afraid you have to go to bed." He placed a kiss on Lilly's head and picked her up in his arms as he stood. Walking over to Alistair he held out one of his hands for his son to take. "Come, I'll put you to bed." He told them with a smile as he led them over to the bed. He placed Lilly in first, then picked Alistair up, purposefully grunting as if the boy had grown so big in so little time, and placed him beside his sister. Smiling, he pulled the covers up over them and kissed them both on the forehead, whispering "goodnight, I love you," to both of them in turn.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Throwing the blanket off, Alistair hugged his father. "Papa, I'm not sleepy yet." He yawned but tried to hide it. "I can stay up late. It's only 8 30." He looked up at the huge clock on the far wall. "At least, I think that says 8 30." He had his fingers almost cutting into Erik's shoulders. "You and Mommy always go out, Papa. No one sings that much."

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled and held onto his son, feeling a bit guilty about making them go to sleep so that he and Christine could have alone time. After all, when was the last time he remembered spending time with his children? He couldn't remember the exact moment. However, Alistair was yawning and Erik did not wish to contradict Christine. "I'm sorry, son. I truly think you should sleep now." Prying him off slowly, Erik smiled at him. "How about this: I promise to spend time with you and your sister tomorrow. All of us can spend time together. How about that? Will you sleep then?" Erik tried to bargain, not wanting to leave his children upset.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Oh, that's...okay, I guess." He falls back onto his pillow. "And, that means that I'm also going out, Mother, Father." Catherine tried to slip past her parents to avoid her babysitting duties. "We'll see you in the morning." She smirked at Andrew, hoping he got the message. Andrew blushed. "M-Maybe we...sh-should stay." He offered as an alternative. Catherine rolled her eyes. "Fine." Christine hugged and kissed everyone other than Erik, saving Jonathan for last. She held her finger to his hand. "He's so tiny and helpless..we can't just leave him like this."

 

[Guile]

Erik felt another twinge of guilt as he saw the disappointment in Alistair's eyes. Then, poor Catherine was being suckered into staying behind. Erik went over to Christine, feeling like the deciding factor in all this, and it certainly wasn't a good feeling. Looking down at Jonathan, sleeping peacefully, a smile crept on Erik's face. He knew what Christine meant, he was feeling it too, especially as he looked down at the baby. It was hard to part with any child, but especially one that depended on you to survive. Erik placed his hands on Christine's shoulders and whispered to her. "You know, we don't have to go if you don't want to." He was smiling. Erik would happily stay home tonight and let Catherine and Andrew be free to go off and spend time together. As long as Christine was with him, he was happy.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I never said that I didn't want to go." Christine corrected him. "I want to go. We can go as long as he sleeps." She stood, wrapped her arms around his neck, and smiled. "That gives us... a few hours." She walked her fingers up his chest and along his shoulders, teasing him. "Please?" Catherine sighed and left with Andrew. "All four are asleep, Pere. Like Mum said, we have a few hours." They disappeared around a corner. Christine smiled. "You're the teacher, you tell me what to do. Are you not the man here?"

 

[Guile]

Erik felt himself growing weak at her touch. A grin crept across his face as he thought about how much less of a man that made him feel. He chuckled, trying not to give away how rapidly his heart was beating in his chest, but he could almost feel his body shaking because of the thumping and he could have sworn Christine had to have heard it. "Alright, then, Christine." Erik ran his hands up her waist and up her arms until he reached her hands. Taking her hands in his own, he smiled. "I suppose we're going then." Her hand in his, Erik led her gently away from the children and slipped up to the world above with Christine.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"As you wish, Master." She teased, wanting to agree with anything that he had in mind. "Where are you taking me this time?" She pondered out loud. "Somewhere that doesn't give me an escape route?" She teased him. "You are awful, Monsieur." As their voices echoed along the empty halls of this building, she couldn't help but admire the beauty. "This is all ours for the time being, correct?" She raised a brow.

 

[Guile]

"Exactly, Christine." Erik joked with her, the grin still on his lips. "I can't have you escaping, now can I?" He winked back at her, just to show he was only teasing. "Why, yes, Christine. It is all ours." Erik continued to lead her through the empty halls, not wanting to tell her where he was taking her. She would find out soon enough. "Why do you ask?" He looked at her, curious.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I just wish to be sure that you aren't sneaking any women in here." She kissed his shoulder. "We've been walking for quite some time. Where are we going?" She repeated the question as she adjusted her eyes to the light again. "Please, tell me."

 

[Guile]

Chuckling, Erik kept leading her upward through the Opera. "Forgive me," he said to her, "if my choice of destination is not to your satisfaction." He opened the door to a familiar, but less traveled spot in the House, and it opened to the roof. Erik's face went red as he confessed to why they were up here. "I suppose I got carried away in the view that last time I was here." He smiled at her. "This is my favorite place to think," he informed her, recalling how she had said the stage was hers. The full moon was shining down on them from above, lighting the world below as if a blue-tinted sun were out, and the warm night air made Erik smile.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"It is beautiful, Erik. The music of the night is wonderful, just like the music of the stage." She winked at him as she propped her elbows on the railing that kept her from falling. "I forget how beautiful the world above our home can be." Again, she rubbed her ring finger. "It's almost magical up here." She confessed to her lover.

 

[Guile]

Erik watched her, and moved to the railing and stood beside her, in silence. Smiling, he examined his dearest love in the glow of the moon, out on the rooftop that seemed to be the center of Erik's world. Glancing down, Erik couldn't help noticing that she was rubbing her finger again. He was reminded instantly that he had wanted to give her ring back to her. Standing up straight, he dug into his pocket and pulled the ring out once again. Oh, how the diamond shone in that moonlight. "My dearest," Erik said, turning Christine to face him gently, "I believe I have something of yours." The held the ring between his thumb and forefinger. "I wish to give it back to you, if you'll accept it." Erik added, with a soft smile.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She was so immersed in the moonlit night that she was shocked when he spun her around. "What are y-..." She saw that he was trying to give the ring back and smiled. "Oh, so, you want to give me the ring back." It wasn't a question. "I suppose I'll take it back if I must." She teased. "If, and only if, you promise me that you will never leave my side."

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled at her. "Christine," he teased back, though his words were true, "I couldn't leave your side if you begged me to. Which you have!" He added, laughing. "But...I would sooner die than leave you." The look in his eyes told her that he was serious about that. Erik took her hand in his and prepared to slip the ring back on her finger. Before he did, though, he placed a kiss on her lips. As their lips touched, Erik slid the ring on her finger gently, smiling a bit as he did so.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She was taken aback by the sudden kiss, but allowed herself to be consumed by him. As she kissed him, she took in the music still. "I've never been happier! I feel like singing!"

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed at Christine's happiness. He was thrilled to see her so joyful, and he felt it, more than likely, just as much as she. "Well, then!" Erik's eyes shone bright under the moonlight. "By all means, do so, my dear Christine!" He could hardly form his words to make sense. His mind was a jumble of thoughts, memories, and pictures of Christine - now, and in the past. Erik supposed that's what absolute joy did to a person.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Oh, no, I will make you suffer my dear, sweet teacher. I shall not sing until..." she moved closer, "you earn it." She was nose to nose with him, or, close to it, since she was significantly shorter than he. "You will never hear my voice again." She teased. "It is not yours to have." She sneered. "It is mine and I worked as hard as I could for it. My teacher wasn't really of any help."

 

[Guile]

"Alright..." Erik played along, a smile up on his lips, and he wrapped his arms around Christine as she got close to him. "If you don't want to sing for me ever again, then I shall never sing for you again." He teased her back, his teeth slowly showing through his sly grin. "And as far as I recall, I helped a great deal. You should never doubt your teacher, Christine." Laughing, he said, "it really is no way to repay me for the voice that I did, indeed, give to you. Despite," he added, "how much you may deny it!"

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"NO!" She screamed as he threatened not to sing for her again. "I-I mean, you don't have to do that." She hid her face from him, using his clothing as the barrier. "I don't want that, and, I never doubted you. I know you helped me, but you know why I had to lie to everyone during my childhood. They would have locked me up for being mad if I told them. You made me swear to keep the secret. Even when we were children, you sounded somewhat threatening." She teased about the last part. "So, I said that I was doing it myself."

 

[Guile]

Erik tilted his head slightly to the side, trying to get a look at Christine's face. Smiling at her reaction, he ran his hands up and down her back. "Alright," Erik sighed, 'giving in', "I won't stop singing for you. I promise." Chuckling, he nodded. "And, I understand the situation you were in as a child. Though, I must say, they would have had good reason to think you mad." Erik teased, laughter in his breath. "After all, what sensible girl takes singing lessons from a strange voice within her walls, or so it seemed anyway?" Then, he added, "however, I'm glad you did."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She showed her embarrassment by blushing red as fire, but praising God that the night was shrouding it. "One that really needed somebody, after her last parent died just hours previously." She kept her voice steady, but she was shaking on the inside. "Please, don't stop singing for your Angel of Music. I don't think my heart could take it!" There was fright and worry on her lips. "Please, my Erik."

 

[Guile]

Noticing her shaking, Erik pulled Christine closer to him and held her tightly, speaking softly to her. "I know, Christine." Erik could sympathize with her feeling of loss - after all, who knew better that he about being alone and needing someone, anyone, to care for them? "I won't ever stop singing for you, love. I could never do that to you." Placing a tender, loving kiss on her cheek, Erik closed his eyes and started to hum a familiar tune softly in her ear. It was Music of the Night, the softest song from their past that he could think of.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The thing was, Christine didn't plan on singing along with his humming. She wasn't about to show off her voice for free. She had other ideas. "I don't think you know what I'm trying to do. I'm not going to sing your part." She teased, throwing off the mood Erik had set. "You cannot expect me to sing so willingly. Like you said, I need rest. I just had a baby. But, I do want to sing with you."

 

[Guile]

Erik ceased his humming and pulled back, raising an eyebrow at her. There was a smile on his lips at her tease. "I was only going to sing for you, my dearest. But, if that's the way you want it, so be it then." Laughing, Erik removed his arms from around her. "We shall not sing just yet. But," he pointed a finger at her, teasing back, "you owe me, my love."