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

[Guile]

"Child abuse? Ha!" That over exaggerated, shout of a laugh caused another pain to hit Erik in the ribs, harder than usual. He winced, but continued to ignore the pain, for it would go away soon. "How is that child abuse, my dear? I've not done anything to you! At that point, you've left on your own accord and were careless enough to get yourself lost!" Erik forced himself to hold his laughter, not wanting to experience another bout of pain, but his smile couldn't have been more obvious. "And you better not leave...we need you to watch the children. I won't be in this bed forever, and once I'm well again I intend to spend time with your mother. I feel as though these next few weeks that I must stay in bed will cause her to feel a bit neglected." Now he pulled Christine into the mix, unintentionally though he didn't mind. The only thing he was trying to keep away was his laughter.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Catherine looked up at the candlelit ceiling, rolling her eyes. "Oh, you mean like your little ones do when you leave them?" Raising her eyebrow, she laughed at her own joke. "You have a lot of catching up to do, sir." She ruffled his hair, put Ali down again and escaped before she could get her payback. "I want you to focus on your family." Christine eyed Erik with concern. "Dearest, are you alright?" She could tell that he was in pain and it hurt her deeply. "Is there something that I could do to make you better?" She kissed him. "Anything?"

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled, holding his laughter, as he watched Catherine run out before he could respond. He shook his head. That girl...she's going to get what's coming to her one day! Erik joked in his own head, causing him to laugh and wince again. By now, Christine was standing there beside him again, obviously concerned. He smiled up at her warmly, her kiss making the pain seem less and less bothersome by the minute. "No, my dear. I don't think there's anything you can do to take it away, unfortunately. Nothing really can - it'll have to go away on it's own. For now, I must do my best to just ignore it." I'd ask her to stay with me, for her presence makes the pain more bearable, but I could never do that. She doesn't need to be tied down because of my injuries either. "Don't worry, Christine. I will be just fine. As soon as my ribs stop killing me I'll be back to normal." Erik chuckled lightly and took her hand in his, placing a kiss on it as a thank you for being concerned, and to reassure her that there was no reason to be.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Erik, I feel as if this could possibly be my fault." Someone teased as they wrapped their arms lovingly around Catherine, who couldn't stop blushing. Andrew chuckled as he swayed with her, constantly looking up at the parents to make sure that they wouldn't interrupt their relationship. "Is there anything that I can do to make it up to you?" He wrapped his hand in Catherine's hair. "Do you need a hospital?" Catherine smiled as he did this. Christine looked very shocked, yet happy that Andrew had returned. "Yes, just make dinner while I stay with my husband." Andrew clapped his hands together, bowed, and did as he was told. "Yes, madam."

 

[Guile]

Andrew! He had come back! Erik didn't know whether this upset him, or whether is pleased him. He was confused and unsure until he saw the look in Catherine's eyes. She was happy. That was good enough for Erik. However, he was initially too stunned to answer and the young man was gone before he had a chance to say a word to him. I'll get a chance to speak with him later. I haven't much to say anyway, other than to assure him that everything is well and forgiven. "Thank you for staying, Christine. Having you near means a lot to me. In fact, it makes the pain somewhat bearable." Erik smiled and wanted to laugh at his own confession, though he dared not. He had learned by now that it was better to just hold it in. "And, of course," he teased, "what would I do without my lovely children here as well?" Erik smiled at all of them.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

At this point, William pulled his little body up and right next to his grandfather on the bed. "Oh, Willy, no." Catherine grabbed her son, but the toddler kicked and screamed until his mother put him back next to Erik. Then, he started babbling and making baby noises. Andrew caused a miniature avalanche of pots and pans, in turn causing little Johnny to scream and cry. "Oh, my darling baby." Christine scooped him up and rocked him. "It's okay...sh..sh..I'm here." Catherine looked annoyed. "Will you be careful, Andrew?" Alistair helped the man clean up. "He made a huge mess, Sissy!"

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled, actually glad to have the toddler near him. "It's alright, Catherine. He's fine." He didn't get to spend very much time with his grandson. "Hello, William." He held out his hand and placed his finger on the small child's hand. Erik was startled by the sudden clanging of pots and pans, but just had to hold his laughter. At the sound of Jonathan's crying, Erik could not hold him, but spoke to him. "Jonathan..." he called out to his crying baby softly, but just loud enough so that he could hear his father over his cries. He knew the child couldn't understand him, but as all parents do, he had to speak to him to calm him down - like Christine was trying to do. Hopefully just the sounds of their voices would do that. "Hush, now, son. It's alright...everything's alright." Erik spoke to his own child, but smiled at William, who was still next to him. He couldn't help remembering back to a time when he thought he would never be around children, let alone have any of his own. How sweet it was to be proven wrong!

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Andrew's voice was now a little jumpy as he whispered a minor threat to Alistair, who laughed instead of taking this seriously, as always. The two youngest were immediately quiet, as though Erik had said some magic word. "Oh, I see." Christine grumbled. "He listens when you tell him to hush, but, when Mommy does it, it means nothing." She laughed at the sound of Andrew picking up the mess and then starting to cook. Catherine backed away from the bed. "Good, you keep him for a while." The music above was getting louder and louder. "Do they ever give us a moment's peace?"

 

[Guile]

Erik couldn't hold his laughter at Christine's words, so he tried to let it out softly. "That's because boys just relate better to their Papa." He joked with her. "Plus, they never know when they really should be quiet, or if Mama's just overreacting again." Erik tried not to laugh, but it came out again anyway at his tease. At the sight of Catherine backing up, Erik raised a brow playfully at her. "You better not run out on your son. He'll develop abandonment issues, you know." Erik teased her as well, but certainly didn't mind if she really did want to leave him here and go take a breather herself. After all, how many times had she watched the children while he and Christine stepped out for a while? "And what are you talking about?" He smiled, listening to the music coming from above. "I thought you'd be used to all the racket by now."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I'm not running out on him and I am used to this racket." She assured him. "I'm part of it, regularly." She could not think straight with all of it going on. "I can't leave, for Andrew is cooking and I won't leave without him." Christine listened to the explanation that Erik gave and, as he and Catherine talked, she rolled her eyes. "Well, the last time I had a baby daughter was eight years ago." Christine complained. "Don't you think we should try for another?" Alistair heard his mother and hurried to stop that thought. "NO!" He begged. "We'll be overwhelmed by the amount of crying and hormones in this place. It keeps getting smaller!" He practically begged his mother.

 

[Guile]

"Of course! I think that's a splendid idea!" Erik laughed and reached out to Alistair, placing his hand over the boy's mouth gently to silence him, jokingly of course. "Hush!" He couldn't help laughing again at the joke he was about to make. "We must listen to your mother and do as she wishes!" Unable to keep his arm where it was for much longer, Erik let him go and fell into a painful laughing fit that he couldn't help.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The boy's face darkened with every moment that the Phantom's hand was over his mouth. Christine couldn't be happier. "Oh, joy!" She wanted to jump and dance, but Jonathan was still on her chest, so she couldn't. "When? You're hurt." She pointed out. "I don't want to wait a few weeks."

 

[Guile]

Erik slowed his laughter, but it was hard to do with Christine's excitement about this. He thought for a while about when because, as she pointed out, he was hurt. "Now, see?" he started to tease her. "I told you earlier that-" Erik broke off as he started to laugh again. "Oh, never mind. I can't tease you about this without half-dying." He shook his head, his smile never brighter. "I'm afraid you may have to wait a little while, my dear. As soon as my side stops hurting I'll be alright. I don't know that it will take me a few weeks to stop hurting - it may be less, so long as I rest up for a while. The more I try and move, the longer it will take for me to heal. I bet if I stay resting, I should be better sooner. Plus," Erik chuckled at his playfulness, "now I have something to motivate me to get well again."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Satisfied, Christine kissed him again. "Oh, very well." She gave in. "I suppose that I'll just have to move on with my life, darling. But, don't worry. I'll visit often." She smiled at him, obviously joking. "I'll have my new husband come and visit with me." Walking away from the bed, she nodded to Madame Giry and Meg. "Well, I must get out there and perform. I've lost so much time already." With that, she left them all there. "Good luck, Christine, Meg, Catherine." Madame Giry spoke softly as she wrapped Erik's chest over again. "Why is it that I'm having to save you again?" She asked him as the three women left. "I thought you told me to stop worrying about you when you reached eighteen years on this earth."

 

[Guile]

Erik chuckled at Christine's words. "Good luck to all of you, though you do not need it." He smiled and then they were gone. Erik allowed madame Giry to wrap his chest once again, but couldn't help groaning in pain every time he was forced to move. He gritted his teeth because of the pain, but was more than grateful for her help. He even let out another soft laugh at her words. "I did, indeed. However, I think you keep coming back because you care about me, my friend." Erik was teasing her, and his smile showed that. "God knows why you do, after all that I asked you to do for me. I'm surprised you didn't vanish from my world when I was a young boy." Then, a thought came to him. "Why did you save me in the first place? It was not your responsibility to do so. You could have easily left me there, but instead...you helped me. I am eternally grateful, you must know this, but I am also terribly curious as to why you helped me...even after you saw my face."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Madame Giry continued to wrap and wrap and wrap, until she was satisfied that the bandages would hold. Every time Erik would grunt or groan, Andrew felt as though he himself were being stabbed and kicked in the chest. Finally, the older woman spoke softly. "I came back, after the...the show..." there was the slightest hint of tears in her eyes. "To save someone that I felt was being abused. No one deserves treatment like that." She spoke a little louder. "No one was doing a damn thing to stop it! They all laughed!" She turned away, hiding her heartache. "No one cared!"

 

[Guile]

At the sight of those slight tears in his friend's eyes, Erik's heart ached more than his body. When she had finished speaking, Erik reached his hand out to her and placed it comfortingly on her arm. "My dearest friend...I cannot thank you enough for all that you've done for me. Do not be saddened by what once happened to me. Be proud that you were the one that saved me from a life of that. For, if it were not for you...I would probably have been dead long ago. If not dead, still being used as..." the words stuck in Erik's throat. Oh, the horrible memories this brought back. "...as a freak for their amusement." A shiver ran up Erik's spine as all those horrors flashed before his eyes, and were then gone as quick as they had come.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Madame Giry gave a start when Erik touched him. Though she was obviously upset, she allowed him to touch her. "I know. I'm sorry." She turned to hug him, being very careful. "I was so scared that night. That man had seen me and, if it weren't for you.." she held her hand up to her neck. "Well, if you hadn't stopped him, we both would have been long suffering, even today." She squeezed gently. "Thank you. He had other things on his mind, I know."

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled and returned her hug the best he could without causing anymore physical pain to himself. "I know you were. I was frightened too." He recalled what he had done to the man and Erik admittedly felt a stab of guilt. However, when he remembered what the man had done to him for years, and what he had been planning to do to Madame Giry, the guilt went away. He deserved what he got. In fact, he should have been put in that cage and tortured himself. Death was too good for the likes of him. "I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I had seen him hurt you. I didn't know you, but you were the only one who had shown me any kindness. You risked your wellbeing to save me, a young boy you did not know. In fact, a young boy with a frightening face...I still can't believe you helped me. Killing him to save you and get us out of there safely was the least I could have done. It was my only option and I don't regret it."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

She smiled and brought her arms down to her sides. "My friend, I cannot thank you enough for what you have done. The least I could do was get you out of there." Turning around, she added, "Your family will be missing you, Erik. They'll want you with them." She used this as an excuse to stop talking about that horrible day. "Please, let's go see them." Pulling him along, she pushed those thoughts away, though she was going through flashbacks. "Come see the Devil's Child!" That horrible man was all that she heard. All that she saw. She remembered pushing past him with her gaggle of friends, who screamed at the sight of Erik. "How completely barbaric!" She said in her mind.

 

[Guile]

"Indeed they will..." Erik stood, willingly, wanting to be with them. However, with each step he took Erik felt a sharp pain slicing it's way from his side up through his chest. He gritted his teeth to stop from groaning or grunting in pain. It was a difficult effort and by the time they reached their destination, Erik knew he was going to want to collapse. Still, he moved on, Madame Giry pulling him along. "Woman," Erik laughed slightly at this, his smile showing through his pain, "where are you taking me?" He hoped his words would bring her from that far off place that her memories were taking her to. Erik knew very well that she was still remembering that day - he could see it in her eyes and in the way she so desperately changed the subject.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I thought you wanted to be with your family." She answered his question. They.were being followed by Erik's remaining children and even Andrew had joined in the party. "...Father." Andrew spoke to Erik, letting that word pass through his lips as though he.were trying to vomit it out, unsure of whether Erik would be alright with it. "You're not well. You should go back and rest." In reality, he didn't want the Phantom to go, but Madame Giry seemed to be getting so overemotional that he thought it was best. "Please, I will make sure that they come back to you. They will stay away from my....my cousin."

 

[Guile]

Erik was confused by Andrew's words and, at first, Erik thought that perhaps he was asking him to go back so that the family would be alone with him and the Vicomte. A huge pang of guilt stuck Erik. How could he think such a thing of Andrew? The only reason Andrew had hurt him was because he hurt Andrew! This had nothing to do with the Vicomte, but still...Erik couldn't help feeling a little uneasy. "I will be fine, Andrew." He made no comment about being called 'father' by the young man once again. It did not bother him, but it would take some getting accustomed to again. "I must see them, they are my family." There Erik was, being stubborn as always. He refused to go back, one reason being that he wasn't sure he could make it by himself. The other reason being that something about this was still making Erik uneasy. Though, those feelings of distrust did not come to him without extreme guilt as well.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

At Erik's refusal, a pang of more guilt hit the young man. Raoul, I want no part of your scheme to take them away from their father. I will make sure that he knows, even if he doesn't trust me again. Stopping dead in his tracks and with his head low, Andrew spoke. "Phantom of the Opera, there is a plot." These words stung him. He had betrayed the family that took him in. "A plot to take your family. I was...I was part of it, but, I don't want to be!"he added so that Erik knew. "He was going to come and get them just like you did. In the middle of the performance. I was supposed to lead them to him. In the dressing room." He quickened his pace to catch up. "Please, I didn't mean to! We made this plot when I was angry!" He begged for forgiveness.

 

[Guile]

Erik was beyond furious...at first. "You made a plot?" His words were quiet, spoken through teeth gritted in anger, but filled distaste. "You were going to take my family from me?" For a moment, Erik stood there, his face red with the anger that was rushing through him, his fists clenching and unclenching in anger. Then, he realized something. Andrew had told him about this plot. He wanted no part in it. He wanted to help them. Within seconds the anger rushed out of Erik, especially when he looked into Andrew's eyes again and saw only guilt. "Andrew, I thank you." Erik was surprised at his own words, though he did mean them. "You may have just saved this family from another heartache." Then, Erik remembered that Raoul was a part of this plot and that he was probably out there now, waiting to take them. "Andrew, is Raoul here now? Is he still coming?" His voice was as panicked as he felt at the moment. "We must stop him!" Erik went to take a step foreword and the sharp pain in his side reminded him that this was going to be very difficult. He would not be able to fight the Vicomte and win, if that's what it came down to. However, Erik made up his mind right then and there that he would try to fight Raoul, if he had to. He wasn't just going to let his family be taken.