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

[Guile]

Erik was not exempt from feeling guilt as well. He couldn't blame Lilly, or any or the children, for feeling left out. He and Christine had been spending an awful lot of time together without the children. "My dear, I am so sorry if you've been feeling neglected. I've not been a very good father to you children lately, have I?" Erik's eyes portrayed the guilt he was feeling as he wrapped one free arm around Lilly's shoulders and pulled her into him, placing a kiss on the top of her head. "I know now that I run off with your mother too often and, when we are home, I barely spend time with you. But, now that I know how it's been upsetting you, I will change the error of my ways." He pulled back to smile down at his little girl. "What do you say to spending time with your mother, your brother, and I today?" He was quickly reminded of last night and what Christine had said to Ali. They would spend time together, as a family. "We can all go out for a walk, if you'd like. We could pack lunch even. Hm?" Erik waited, hoping to cheer Lilly up with this. "You sister and Andrew could come as well, should they wish to." Still, in the back of Erik's mind, there rested the feeling of dread. They would have to tell Ali the scene they had witnessed the night before sometime today.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Oh, I would love that, Papa." She kissed her father's cheek, still holding onto him before she felt that her brother was being overwhelmed with all the smothering. She backed up from both males. "That's what I've been wanting for a long time now." Lilly admitted to the fullest. "Then, we can all come back and Mama can show me how to cook, right?" She asked her father, because Christine was now taking her break, listening to her son play. "My son, it's lovely, but I want you to break away from this, alright?" She almost begged him as she took down his work and put it somewhere safe. "It's right here when you need it." Ali was upset. It was like taking a favorite toy from an infant.

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled at the soft touch of his little girl's lips on his cheek. It was hard not to smile at such a sweet gesture from a child. "Wonderful!" He practically breathed in relief. "Then it shall be done, my dear." Erik only vaguely heard the silence in the other room when Ali was asked to stop playing for a while. "You will have to ask your mother about cooking, but I have a feeling she won't mind. If she's too worn out from the day's events then you and I can have a little music lesson." He grinned at the thought, not being able to remember the last time he had heard Lilly sing. "If you wish it, of course." Erik chuckled slightly, at the unforeseeable idea that Lilly would ever turn down a music lesson.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I understand, Papa." She whispered. Her brother lay asleep in Erik's arms. "I'd love another lesson, but I don't think I'd ever be as good as Mama." She smiled at the baby. "Maybe I could show you how to cook." Catherine offered. "That's great, hon, but...who's gonna show you?" Andrew teased. "Oh, be quiet. I thought you loved my cooking." Catherine glared at him. "Remember that Sunday Surprise?" Lilly immediately felt herself want to puke. "Yeah, that turned into my Monday Surprise." "I was still getting surprised on Tuesday." Andrew told them. "Well, you aren't getting surprised tonight." Catherine shot back and left the room.

 

[Guile]

"What nonsense is this?" Erik asked Lilly, raising a brow at her in surprise. "Do you dare doubt your musical abilities? Surely not, it's in your blood. No, certainly you must be doubting my capabilities as a teacher." A smiled formed slowly on his lips and he chuckled at this. "Lilly, you have ever ability to be as good as your mother. You need only practice. I promise you, sweetheart." He looked up suddenly, at the bickering couple before him, and tried to contain his laughter as Catherine left the room in a huff. "Don't worry, Andrew. All you have to do is take her out to a nice dinner, apologize from the depths of your heart, and buy her something nice. Forgiveness is only a diamond-studded necklace away." He joked, of course, praying that neither Christine of Catherine heard him. Surely that would ruin my plans the next time I need to beg for Christine's forgiveness. And Catherine won't soon forgive me either. He chuckled at his own thought.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Actually, I just might be your only child that can't succeed musically." Lillith continued. "It's really hard." Christine finally found time to come to her other children, having argued with her elder son about spending far too much time alone with his music. "Sometimes I wonder if that child just doesn't want to listen to his mother." She smiled at them both. "Oh, Monsieur de Chagney, perhaps you would get along better with my daughter if you just kept silent. Remember the wine." She reminded him, to which Andrew took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm going to need to borrow your horse, Erik." Andrew didn't wait for an objection. Catherine was gone and Andrew needed to think on his toes to get her back.

 

[Guile]

Erik opened his mouth to agree to Andrew taking his horse, but the young man was gone before he could say anything. "The insolence...next time I shall have no choice but to object." He mumbled jokingly under his breath, unable to hide his smile. That is when he looked up at Christine from where he was sitting on the bed. "My darling, I have a shocking announcement to share with you." He raised a brow at Lilly before continuing. "It seems that our daughter fears she is not musically talented and refuses to believe that she could ever be as good as the rest of us." With this, Erik once again smiled at Lilly. "I don't believe that for a minute. I know it is hard, but I think you could succeed if your tried again." Then he added another thought, more seriously. "My child, even if you were as talentless as that dreadful Carlotta - " he shivered jokingly just saying her name, "your mother and I would still be proud of you. What is it that you fear? That you won't be as talented musically as your mother?" Erik scoffed, still grinning. "We are your family, Lilly. We will love you just the same. Still, I think you should give music another chance. You'll never know the extent of your abilities if you give up now, dear."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"That's rubbish!" Christine responded to the news. "Lilly, you are absolutely the most talented singer of your age." Christine lightly hugged the child to her. "You know that what I'm saying is the truth." She hugged tighter. "I promise that, in time, you will have the most wonderful voice out of anyone that I've ever seen." Christine kissed the top of her head. "You will be amazing." She let go and turned her attention back to the others. "Now, what's all this about a family outing?" She asked, excitedly. "Where did you want to go, Erik?"

 

[Guile]

Hoping that Lilly would agree to Christine's words, Erik let it rest at that. He didn't want the poor girl to feel pressured into anything, though he did hope that Christine had been able to convince her. For now, Erik would simply focus on being a good father. "Ah, well I mentioned to Lilly about heading to the park. We could take a walk past the Seine on the way there if no one objects. I've never seen the river, to be honest." He confessed, still rather sheepish about his lack of interaction with his own hometown. "I suggested taking lunch with us as well. Is that to your liking?" Erik smiled up at his wife.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"The river, you say? And your own personal river isn't enough for you?" Christine teased. "I suppose we'll go out to an actual river for a while. It would be nice." She hesitated before removing the sleeping child from the protection of his father and toward the boat. She put a little box at the bottom of it, just big enough for him, then put a few handmade blankets inside before laying her precious boy in it. "Now, I shall make the picnic food." She skipped into the kitchen area and started immediately. "I can't wait to see you interact, Erik."

 

[Guile]

Erik's face reddened just slightly at Christine's tease. "No, I dare say it's not. I've heard or, read rather, a great many things about the beauty of the Seine. I should like to see this place at least once. I've lived in Paris for many years and not once have I seen it." He followed her out into the kitchen as she began to prepare the food for their outing. "I don't believe it is fair to tease me for such a thing. After all, you've had the luxury of seeing this great city whenever you please." Erik smiled watching the joyful way Christine moved about, obviously pleased to be getting out for a while. Still, he scoffed jokingly at her words. "Interact? My dear, I plan to blend in and stay as unnoticed by others as much as possible. I just want to see the world outside of here, that's all." He chuckled at his joke. Yes, for once he would go on an outing with Christine and his family and be able to hold his head high. For, at last, he was loved and no longer needed to feel shame when looked at by strangers with wives and children. He had his own family to be proud of, that was proud of him. How wonderful it was to feel like a normal man!

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Well, as you've made all my dreams come true, I shall make yours come true." She wrapped up a few sandwiches, then got started on washing fruits and vegetables. "Could you do something for me and cut these as I pass them to you?" She passed him an apple. "And, please don't use your knife. It's been through a lot." She put on a disgusted face. "It's unsanitary." "Oh! What can I do?" Ali asked, finally over being grounded from music.

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled warmly to himself at her sweet words. "Believe me when I say that you already have, my dear." Doing as she asked, Erik stood beside her and took the apple from her. Laughing at the disgusted look on her face, he pulled out a different knife - one more suited to cut into food - from a drawer. "Oh, please. You act as though I've not cleaned it. Do you think I would carry an unsanitary knife around with me wherever I go?" Erik joked as he sliced the apple first in half, then into fourths. Turning his head to look at Ali, he answered him. "You can stop being a pest and not bother your mother and I while we prepare for this outing." He joked, laughing, and ruffled his son's hair before giving him a real job. "Come," he said with a smile, "help me cut these. We shall get done faster and be on our way." Erik went to hand his son a clean knife, but pulled it back out of his reach first. "Now, be careful with this. Your mother will have my head if you get hurt. Understand?" He chuckled before handing the boy the tool.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Well, considering that you live near the plumbing, I would think that just about everything here is unsanitary." Christine smirked as she passed a carrot on down the assembly line. "Make sure some of these are small enough for your grandson." Christine warned him. "I don't want him choking." When, at first, Erik had been rude to him, Ali backed off. He looked sad. Then, his hair had fingers in it and he lightened up. "I'll be careful." He reached for the knife, but Christine was getting nervous for her little baby. "That's right, Erik. You would be kicked out faster than you could disappear from that stage." She thrust her finger upward.

 

[Guile]

Erik glared at Christine as he took the carrot from her, forcing a growl from emerging from his throat. He murmured something under his breath about not really getting a choice in the matter of where he lived, just so long as he was away from people. He passed the carrot to his son and whispered to him. "I'm beginning to remember why I chose to live down here away from other people." Erik smirked, holding back a chuckle. "I will, woman. You shouldn't worry so often." He grumbled something again about knowing that he needed to cut some things small enough so William wouldn't choke. All of his grumbling was teasing of course, and he did so enjoy ding it. "Kicked out?" Erik scoffed at this. "My dear, I believe you are forgetting that I built this place. You can't kick me out!" He tried to hide his smile, but he was almost positive he was failing at doing so.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine cupped her ear. "I'm sorry, what's the first thing you said? You have no problem raising your voice when speaking through box five, but now you do?" She teased him. "Father, if you stayed down here, I wouldn't be alive." Ali pointed out, laughing. "You don't regret that, do you?" Christine rolled her eyes. "I don't care if you created this place. My children live here and this is where they will stay until they're eighteen." She pointed past Erik to Alistair.

 

[Guile]

Erik hugged his son with one arm, pulling him in and placing a kiss on the top of his head. "Of course not, son. I don't regret any of my children. Though..." he bent down and mumbled his joke in his son's ear. "I have a few complaints about your mother." With a smirk on his lips he stood up and faced Christine. "I never said the children had to leave, Christine. But you can't kick me out and you aren't bound here." He teased, his eyes shimmering with satisfaction as he placed a kiss on her cheek. "Still, I must confess that love you. No matter how much you get on my nerves, my darling." Erik chuckled at this.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Alistair's knife hung at his side as he was pulled into his father. When he heard what Erik had to say, the young man smiled. "You're right, Papa. Can I invite Lucy?" He asked, smiling. "Or, no, I guess." His heart sunk. "She hasn't visited in forever." He didn't want to get his hopes up again. "You're right!" Christine had an epiphany. "I'm not bound here!" She dropped her tools and ran to the closet. "Goodbye, my Angel of Music."

 

[Guile]

Erik's heart sank as Alistair asked to invite Lucy along with them. Any other time Erik would have been delighted that his boy wanted to bring her along, but after seeing what played out last night, he couldn't let Ali do this to himself. "You're right son, she hasn't. But, why don't we make this outing just for us, hmm? Our little family. Besides...your mother and I have something we want to discuss with you later. I think it's best if Lucy isn't there to hear it." He didn't let on that it was about the girl. It was heartbreaking to see that look of disappointment in Ali's eyes, but Erik quickly changed the subject to try and cheer him up. "Wait. Watch your old man for a moment." He whispered after Christine ran off to the closet. "I'm going to show you how to get a pesky woman to quit bothering you. Feel free to take notes." Erik chuckled softly before running to the closet and knocking on the door. "Christine..." he drew out her name almost like a threat. "Are you going to open this door and come back to your husband, my love, or am I going to have to break it down?" He glanced back at Ali and grinned as if he held the key to a great secret of man.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Ali looked up into his father's eyes as the man answered his question. "Yes, Father." He looked down, disappointed again. When Erik asked Ali to witness this next part, he did so, with a raised eyebrow. "What are you gonna do to her?" He asked in little more than a whisper. Christine smiled behind that door. "Go away. I'm armed " she laughed, taking an old leg from one of her mother in law's chairs and brandishing it. "I'll do it too." She waited in silence. "Actually, I'll be out soon." As she said this, she moved further and further away from the door, until going out through the back and making her way to the spot where the stagehand was strangled.

 

[Guile]

Erik saw, more than heard, the question that rose from his son's lips. He mouthed back the word 'watch' and grinned as he listened to Christine threaten him. "Armed? With what?" Erik laughed, then waited until she spoke again. Out soon? What in the world is she talking about? He tried jiggling the doorknob, but it was locked. He sighed, pretending to be exasperated. "Alright, Christine. If you aren't coming out, I am coming in. I will break this door down." He threatened again, waiting in silence to hear a response - hopefully the click of the door opening. There was none, and he didn't know about her escape through the back. What on Earth is she doing in there?

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Ali nodded, having Lilly join him to witness this. Christine, on the other hand, had completely left him behind and stood up above the stage, rather enjoying the view. She had been up here, once, before, so, needless to say, she was semi nervous about the whole idea, but she let it slide as she sat down and her feet hung over the edge. "Night time sharpens, heightens each sensation. Darkness stirs and wakes imagination. Silently the senses abandon their defenses."

 

[Guile]

Erik sighed again, for there was no response even still. "Alright, Christine. I advice you to stand back." He waited - three, two, one - took a step back and kicked out at the door. It went flying into the darkness and, at first, Erik was afraid that it could have hit Christine. He looked into the small area and found her gone, though. Erik was shocked at first, then he remembered. "The door in the back!" He cried out, agitated with himself. "Good God, she went out the back way!" He appeared moments later in the doorway, looking at his children. "Well, are you coming? We have to chase your mother down."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The twins both looked confused, but they obeyed their father, taking, in their arms, both babies. "Coming!" Alistair called and followed him, holding his nephew close to his chest. Their puppy yipped and followed them. "Father, where? Why would she go out back?" Lilly asked now. "What's she thinking?" She took Erik's hand with her other hand, the left one occupied by her brother. "Is this bad?"

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled warmly down at Lilly. Until he felt her little hand in his he had been lost in his thoughts as to where Christine could have gone. "No, my darling girl, it's not bad. Though I don't know where your mother has gone, I am sure she is just playing a nasty trick on me. Teasing me, to be more precise." He chuckled as they made their way out the back. "But when I find her..." Erik playfully threatened his absent wife, purposefully not finishing said threat. It was then that he heard distant singing. "I would know that voice anywhere." Smirking slyly, he lead the children in the direction Christine's voice came from. When they arrived at the stage, Erik turned to the children and held a finger to his lips, a silent plea for them to be silent. He motioned for them to wait in the wings before he took a few steps towards Christine, being as silent as possible. It was an easy task, thanks to his years of endless sneaking about the theater. "I should have known you would come here, Christine. Where else could you have gone?" He chuckled menacingly, as if she were in serious trouble now.