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

[Guile]

Erik glanced up at the two women, hearing whispering. He raised a brow at them, a grin on his lips, then heard Catherine's last sentence. He waited, holding back laughter, to see what Christine would do. When she started running, Erik let her name echo through the room as if he were a father scolding his child for getting into something. "Christine..." he drug out her name, then waited in silence for the echo to stop. "Where do you think you're going?" He teased, still trying not to laugh. "You can't abandon your children, remember that!" Erik paused, then added, "don't make me get out of this bed! I'll have Andrew after you for forcing me to disobey his orders."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine heard the Phantom scolding her and stopped to listen. "I, my good man, am going to sing tonight!" She twirled once in a circle. "I cannot let my fans down for your sake, Monsieur." She added, moving hair from her face. When she was threatened with Andrew coming after her, she.covered her mouth. "Oh, no! Whatever shall I do!" She fell back, quite dramatically, into the chair. "It seems I cannot escape, dear Cathy. Your daddy doesn't want me to go." She sighed sadly. "Go without me." She pretended to cry. "I w-won't make it." Andrew leaned over Erik. "You know you can get up, correct?" He wondered. "You aren't hurt that badly."

 

[Guile]

Erik reached out with his good arm and hit Andrew lightly on the arm, a smile on his lips. "You, my friend, need to learn the art of teasing." He joked with a laugh, then pulled himself up in bed and lifted Jonathan up with him using his good arm. He stood, holding the baby, and made his way over to Christine. Erik grinned, pretending to be extremely happy that Christine couldn't go, and placed a kiss on her cheek. "There, there, Christine. You'll have plenty to do here, what with keeping up after the children and watching over me - making sure I don't hurt myself again. You won't even know what you're missing out there! Who cares about the thunderous applause or the stunned look in the eyes of your audience, when you can stay home and take care of us instead!" He teased her, laughing uncontrollably.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The boy turned a violent shade of red. "Yes, F-Father." He nodded, and rubbed his arm again. "I understand." Catherine laughed at the look on her fiance's face. Christine also darkened around the cheek area. "But, I want to go out." She whined. "And, don't coddle me like that. I'm not an infant." Catherine had a thought occur to her. "If you cannot go anywhere, Father, who will walk me down that aisle?!? Who will give me to Andrew!?!" She acted as though in a panic, pacing back and forth.

 

[Guile]

Erik teased Christine more for her words, placing another kiss on her cheek. "If you do not wish to be treated as an infant," he joked, "then do not whine like one." Laughing, Erik went to Catherine and placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her pacing. He sighed, pretending to be disappointed, and shook his head. "I suppose...you'll just have to remain unmarried for the rest of your life." Erik tried to hold his laughter, but it came anyway. "No, my love, I shall be there. I would not miss it for the world." He placed a kiss on her cheek as well.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

As Christine almost lost her mind, still being treated as though she were still Lilly's age, she watched Erik stop her daughter. "Papa, you had better be there, or I won't forgive you." She threatened him. "I swear, I'll live here until you die and go to heaven." She stifled laughter. "I won't leave the house. You'll have to support me for the rest of my life, because I'll stop singing as well!" She moved away from him. "You have to come. You're obligated to, as the oh so frightening father in law, father of the bride." She teased.

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed and teased back. "I think that's so very sweet that you just assume I'll go to Heaven. You are an angel for that, Catherine. However...that doesn't mean I'm going to support you for the rest of your life." He laughed as he placed Jonathan in his crib momentarily, then he had a thought. "Or, wait...perhaps this isn't such a bad thing. I'll get to keep my little girl forever!" Erik wrapped his arms around Catherine tightly as if he were never going to let her go again. "And what do you mean 'frightening father in law'?" He teased more. "Andrew loves me! I don't frighten him!" Jokingly, Erik glared at Andrew over Catherine's shoulder as if to intimidate him, but then his smile broke through and he laughed once more.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She squealed as she was grabbed, not expecting that in the least. "I'll make my own break for freedom if you do that." She playfully struggled against her father's grasp, but knew it was no use. "Save me, Andrew!" She laughed. "He's going to make me stay forever!" Andrew didn't move to help, pretending that he was afraid of the Phantom. "Your father will not appreciate me taking you away. You are doomed, my darling." He held up his hands in surrender when Erik glared at him. "See what I mean?" Catherine looked up at her captor. "Why don't you just take Mother for another singing lesson?" Christine's smile grew, if possible, even larger. "So true! We haven't had a duet in forever!"

 

[Guile]

"Your fiancé is very wise, Catherine." Erik laughed, then considered Catherine's suggestion. "Hmmm..." He still held tight to her, contemplating whether or not he should let her go, then he finally did. "Oh, alright. But I know what this is!" He pointed a finger at his daughter, his smile growing. "You're trying to get rid of your father now because he's momentarily useless. Nobody wants the father around unless he can do things for them!" He laughed, throwing his good arm up in the air, pretending to be exasperated. "Well, if my daughter no longer wants me around, I shall go off with my wife." Erik grinned, walked over to Christine, and held out his hand for her to take. "My love, if you will."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"You say wise, I say he's a coward." Catherine mumbled under her breath, causing Andrew to laugh. "You must learn to fight for yourself, my dear." He retorted, reaching for her face. She turned away from him, pretending to be angry. "Don't touch me." Turning her attention to Erik's complaints. "And, as for you, I love you, but you stopped treating me like your little princess a long time ago." She shot a fake look of disgust at Lilly, who, along with her brother, was still covering in the corner.

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed at his daughter's words. "Forgive me, dear, I am so sorry that I stopped. Would you like me to start again? If so, I can begin by chasing your beloved Andrew out of here, threatening him to never return!" He laughed harder at the thought. "I shall do whatever you wish. I will stop whatever I'm doing throughout my day to spend time with my eldest daughter. Just say the word, Catherine, and I will be your humble servant again, bowing to your every whim!" Erik noticed the twins hiding in the corner. "And what, may I ask, is wrong with you two?" He joked, still laughing. "Do you have complaints as well?"

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"You had better not, Papa." Catherine threatened the man. "I love him too much for that!" Holding him even tighter, she wouldn't let go. With her eyes on Andrew, she suddenly relaxed, finally able to breath without laughing. "But, should he ever hurt me, you may do as you please." Ali and Lilly were stunned when they were finally acknowledged. "Oh, no, Papa." Ali answered. "There was just a load of blood here five minutes ago. There may be a problem with that." He smarted off.

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed at Catherine's comment. "And be sure I will, too!" He teased, then turned to face his son. Normally, he wouldn't have appreciated his tone, but his son was troubled and he was right - they had been frightened to death. Erik went to them and knelt down in front of them. "I know it was frightening, but don't worry anymore. I am just fine, I promise." He smiled warmly at both of them, ruffled their hair, and kissed them both on the forehead. "It's over now." He assured them.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine was also upset by this. "Alistair Charles Destler!" She exclaimed. "Apologize now." Her order came out surprisingly angry. Ali sensed it too and immediately sprinted for his Pere. "Father, I'm so sorry." He hugged Erik's waist. "I really am." No one had ever heard of Christine being so angry with anyone.

 

[Guile]

Erik was surprised at Christine. He turned to look at her when she yelled, his eyes wide with shock, though he said nothing. He was distracted by his son's grip around his waist. Still confused he wrapped his arms around the boy. "It's alright, son. You were upset, I understand. It can be a traumatizing thing, watching a parent bleed before your eyes. Just, do us a favor, please - remember to keep your words more kind than they just were." He ruffled his hair again and smile at him. "You're a good boy, Ali."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The mother of Erik's children realized what she just did and tried to keep the tears from falling. "My baby, I apologize to you." She confessed to the boy, pulling him to her. "I was just so upset and so scared. I didn't mean to hurt you." She ruffled his hair as well. The little boy smiled at his mother nervously, then pushed her toward the gateway. "Go, have fun! You need it. Just be careful!" Out of nowhere, he just insisted that they go. "Papa, you might wanna put those yelling lungs to good use." He spoke of Christine. "She needs this."

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed and hugged his son to him once more. "I will. I'll get it out of her system now, then she'll be too tired to yell anymore by the time we get back!" He teased Christine and let go of Alistair again to take her hand. "Come, dear. Let us go." He smiled at her and, as they made their way to the boat he whispered to her, hoping to cheer her up. "You've had a stressful day, no one blames you." Placing a kiss on her cheek, he helped her into the boat and started rowing once again.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine thought of everything that she had just done to her family by yelling at them. She felt horrible, just sitting there and not helping her injured husband. Stepping out of character for Christine, she got to her feet again and placed her hands over his as they rowed. "Remember, no strenuous activity, my darling." She took the lead, for the most part, in the activity. "Erik, have I ever confessed to you how much I love you? How much I adore you and need you?"

 

[Guile]

Smiling, Erik allowed Christine to help him row...just this once. His listened to her speak and found himself, loving, but questioning her words. "Of course, darling. I know exactly just how much you love me. And I love you just as much, if not more." Erik reassured her with a smile and kissed her cheek. "I must ask though, my love, why bring that up all of a sudden? Not that I'm complaining or anything. Believe me, I love to hear you say that you love me."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She couldn't believe how this was all playing out. Hadn't he told her everyday how much he loved her. She was only returning his sweet words. Swaying her hips slightly, just to tease him, she answered. "Well, we are married now. I feel like we should tell each other more often now than when we were just seeing each other. You are what means most to me, right after our children, of course." She emphasized that the babies came first. "I owe you my life."

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled, though he tried to hide it, when she started swaying her hips. He shook his head in silence at how ridiculous, yet surprisingly stunning, she was being. "I agree, my dear. I was only wondering." Now, he allowed a small chuckled to escape from his lips. "And I owe you mine. I believe we saved each other." Erik admitted to her at last. "I helped you as a child and you helped me...well, you helped me want to keep breathing -helped me understand that I had something to keep living for." He said in the nicest way possible. "So, I thank you for that, again." Erik told her with a smile and kissed the top of her head.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"And, I must thank you for our family." She smiled and stopped swaying. "They love you more than anything. Especially your son." She spoke softly, still rowing. "I love you." She couldn't stand the silence much longer. "Alright, give me a song, please." She ordered.

 

[Guile]

Erik found himself continuing to smile at her sweet words, though he didn't know what to say to them. He was grateful when she asked for a song, but he decided to tease her. "Ah, getting a little pushy are we?" Erik laughed. "Well, at least you said please." He stopped, thinking of what he wanted her to sing. "What about one of our favorites, huh? Oh, I know. I don't think I've ever heard you sing Music of the Night before. If you don't mind, I think I'd like to hear some of it in your beautiful pitch." He paused, smiling, and raised a brow. "Unless, of course, you have another song in mind."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She thought about his suggested song. Tapping her chin, she had an epiphany. "You know, you're absolutely correct!" She kissed him. "It just sounds so much better when you sing it that I wouldn't want to ruin anything for you, but, as you wish, Erik." She thought of the sweet lyrics of his song and began singing. "Night time sharpens, heightens each sensation....darkness stirs and wakes imagination," she let go of the ore and allowed him to take over, fully. "Let the dreams begin, let your darker side give in...to the power of the music that I write." She smiled as she hit each note on the nose. "The power of the music of the night."

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled when she kissed him and laughed. "Like you could ruin any song for me, my dear." Then, he went silent as she began singing. He closed his eyes, letting her beautiful voice ring in his ears the familiar words to a song he had sung to her for the first time so long ago. Erik felt when she let got of the ore and grinned, taking over and continuing to row gently as she sang. He couldn't believe how much her voice still tore at his heart in the best possible way.