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

[Saiyan Princess]

"So, thank her tonight in your prayers, even if you hate her. She deserves that much." She kissed him again. "You have much to be thankful for. Me, the children, your music, everything, my darling." She kissed Erik's hand, letting her breath scrape across his knuckles. "You have a kind heart, you will forgive her someday."

 

[Guile]

Erik sighed, partially closing his eyes for a moment in pure ecstasy as her breath traveled across his knuckles. He would have protested to thanking his mother, but the tender way Christine had kissed him had convinced him that she was right. His mother deserved some sort of thanks, even if he still held hatred for her in his heart. "Alright, Christine." Erik agreed softly. "I will do as you say, but...it won't be easy."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Believe me, you'll feel better once you get it off your chest." She placed her hand on his chest. "You feel tense here anyway. That can be fixed." She kissed his chin. "You don't have to make it a masterpiece, something short and sweet and from the heart will do. You don't have to make artwork out of it, just get it off your chest." She repeated. "You'll feel better, your mother can rest, and you won't have to keep holding onto that burden any more." Now she got in his face. "Do it if you are truly grateful for me and our family."

 

[Guile]

"I do believe you." Erik whispered, placing his hand over top of hers that was resting on his chest. "And I am grateful, very much so, for you and the children." He assured her with a soft smile. "I'm just stubborn and don't like to forgive people so easily." Erik joked, chuckling. "But, I said that I would do this and I intend to." Grinning, Erik stole a soft kiss from her lips as she got closer to his face.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine, quite satisfied with how things were turning out, nodded her approval. "That's a good boy. You must set an example for the young ones. Forgive people so that they can rest, so that you can rest. I'm certain that you want to forgive her anyway." Christine kissed him back. "Come along. We must get to the lake, dear, before it gets dark." She smiled and yanked his arm in the proper direction.

 

[Guile]

Grinning both because of her kiss and her excitement to be off to the lake, Erik was drug through the halls of the opera with the children following steadily behind. "Of course, my darling." He laughed, but said nothing more as he happily obeyed her command. Once outside, Erik had to blink several times for the light was almost blinding. Still, the fresh air was more than satisfying to his senses. "Alright, Christine. You're the guide, love. I've never been to the lake so I've no clue where it is located." He chuckled as he said this.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Oh, and I have? I assumed that you would know, being the genius that you are." She laughed at her words. "I know exactly where the river is, dear. Don't you worry." Christine didn't want to walk. It was a long journey and she wasn't wearing the proper shoes for such an occasion. "Excuse me." Christine practically flagged down a trolley. "Yes?" The driver noticed the rather large family, and the Phantom with them, though he didn't put two and two together. "Could you take us to the river, sir?" The man scratched his head as all children piled inside his little buggy. "Alright, that much I can do." Christine paid the man off and got in with her family.

 

[Guile]

Erik shrugged his shoulders innocently. "I just assumed that my brilliant wife would know the city she has lived in for years rather well. I apologize for being wrong." He joked, laughing. Yet, he stopped when Christine flagged down the trolley. How glad he was when Christine did the talking for them and he got in beside them all without having to converse with a stranger! In fact, he sighed softly in relief once he was seated inside. "So, Christine. How long will this little ride of yours take?" Erik smiled at her, wondering how long they would all have to be in here like this together. They were a rather large family, after all.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine sat with Lilly on her lap, bonding with the girl, like she promised Lilly she would do after her plea for attention and love. "Well, I do believe that it shouldn't take more than a few minutes, dear." Christine informed him, letting her fingers through Lilly's hair. "Such a pretty little girl you are." Madame Destler whispered to her, with the most wonderful smile on her face. "I love you and your siblings more than anything. I value your lives far above my own." Lilly was hardly listening to Christine. Her attention was on the road, then the trees and buildings around them. "Wow, I haven't been outside in weeks." She muttered under her breath. As far as her memory went, she hadn't seen daylight since getting her puppy.

 

[Guile]

As distracted as Lilly was by the scenery outside, Erik was even more distracted by Christine. It was simply the way that she spoke, the way she smiled- so lovingly - that drew him in and tugged on his heart. His attention was only diverted from his wife when Lilly spoke. "That is true, isn't it?" Erik said, feeling guilty that they hadn't been out in so long. "Forgive me for neglecting to bring you all out. I suppose I'm so used to living below for long periods of time that I tend to forget you all are not." He confessed, turning his head to look out at the world around them as well.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"It's okay, Daddy." Lilly whispered, which was normal. She was a very soft spoken little girl when she didn't get overexcited. She was pale, but not to the point where a parent should be concerned about it. "You're a busy man. I understand that." She smiled at him, genuinely and softly. "I don't mind it. I like it at home." Thinking on her feet, literally, she climbed off of Christine's lap and sat on her father's, listening to her brother bombarding the driver with questions. "Are we there yet? How much longer?" Andrew shook his head, smiling. "What have I gotten myself into?"

 

[Guile]

Erik smiled at his little girl, opening his arms to help her onto his lap. Once she was settled, Erik wrapped his arms around her and held her close, placing a kiss to her temple. "Perhaps, but no father should be too busy to spend time with his children. I promise I'm going to work on being a good father. You know, I'm still rather new at it. Your mother has far much more experience on me. She'll keep me in line and remind me of my duties, should I forget." He joked softly before he hear Ali's questions. "Son, you are about as patient as me. Give the poor man a rest." Erik teased his son before raising a brow at Andrew. "You're the one who elected to become a part of this family. If you don't like it, leave." He joked with him.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Well, I think you're the best Daddy in the whole wide world." Lilly kissed his cheek. "I never thought that I'd have a nice daddy. I'm glad I do." She watched the trees again. "Really, how much longer, though?" Alistair gave up on trying to make the man speak. He was so quiet and still that he could be the queen's guard. "It's so crowded in here. Like father like son." He smirked and tried shaking the driver. "Come on!" Andrew glared at his father. "I knew you would hate me for my blood someday." He smiled.

 

[Guile]

Erik chuckled at his daughter's kiss before sighing in exasperation as soon as Alistair started shaking the poor driver. Still, he had to laugh at the boy. He reminded Erik so much of himself. Hopefully he won't turn out too much like me. Just then he caught Andrew returning his glare. "Someday? Boy, I hated you long ago for that." He joked, waited a few seconds, and then allowed his laughter to come.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

As the man started to get frustrated, he lifted Ali by his shirt, stopped the horse, and growled. "Look, you little brat." He was far too tired to put up with this right now. Alistair saw this all before. He immediately stiffened. "We're here!" Christine announced, hoping that it would cause her son's release. "Release him." Andrew ordered. The man obeyed. "Whatever, just get outta my trolley." Now, they all stepped down and the man drove off.

 

[Guile]

As Ali was lifted into the air, it took great control for Erik to remain calm. He longed to grab the man and lift him in the air. Still, before he could even open his mouth to speak, the man had released Ali and drove off. Erik stood still giving the man a glare that said he should be happy he hadn't personally gotten his hands on him, even after he had disappeared. "How dare he." Erik growled under his breath.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"It's alright, love. Alistair wasn't harmed." Christine grabbed his arm. "Don't be silly, alright?" She kissed him, but was truly worried about Ali's anxiety. "Now, no one...I mean no one is to go beyond the grass line." Christine backed up, just inches from her boundary line. "This won't take you away, since it is low tide, but after my accident, I don't want to take any chances." She grinned toward Erik. "But, Mommy and Daddy, on the other hand, can play in the water all they want." She walked up to him, caressing his hands. "What does he say?"

 

[Guile]

Erik clamed down rather quickly, thanks to Christine's touch. He sighed and shook his head, realizing that she was right. There was no sense in getting worked up over something like this. It was over and done with - Alistair was fine and that crude man was gone. Erik barely heard Christine warning the children though, for he was too busy looking around at the scenery. It was all too beautiful around them. He did, however, notice the soft caress on his hands and became alert to Christine's words again. "Hmm...what do I say?" Erik asked aloud, a teasing smirk on his lips, as he walked over to the water's edge. He bent over and dipped his hand in it, as if testing the temperature, before turning back to Christine. Erik looked so innocent, before he made a sudden flicking motion with his wet hand, spraying Christine with the drops of water that flew off his hand. He laughed loudly at this.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I'm going to kill you!" Christine growled, ramming into the man. Ali went over to a nearby tree and leaned against it, curling his knees to his chest as he sat down, then burying his face in his knees and being brave, not wanting to cry, but doing so anyway. Christine was oblivious to this, pummeling her Erik underneath the water. "I hate you so much!" She dunked his head underneath. "Take tbat!"

 

[Guile]

All Erik could do was laugh as Christine yelled at him, but his laughter was quickly cut short when he felt the cool sting of hitting the water. He came back up, gasping for air, and continued laughing...until she dunked his head underwater. He struggled for a few moments before grabbing her wrists and pulling her down into the water, rolling over to scape her clutches, and pulling her back up again so that she could breathe. "How dare you try to kill me! I knew it! I knew you wanted me dead so you could take the children and my money and run off!" Erik joked before splashing her face with water again, still trying to gain his breath back.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine felt the very same way, then the suffocating water in her lungs. She also gasped as she came up. "H-How dare I?" She screamed and dunked him under again. "How dare you! I would never take your money! You don't have any!" She laughed, now cold as hell, simply clinging to her man. "God! You've ruined all my dresses!" Christine let go after she unintentionally smacked him across the face as she swung her arm around to get out of the water. "That's c-cold!"

 

[Guile]

Erik groaned as he went under again, but she didn't leave him under to long this time so it wasn't a waste of breath. When he came back up he began sputtering, trying to get the water out of his lungs as he smoothed his soaked hair back with his hands. It was then that he felt the smack of her hand against his face. He let out a yell, but knew that it was an accident so he quickly began teasing her. "Good God, woman! Must you always abuse me?" Erik pushed through the water and managed to get out before her - the poor girl had a soaked dress weighing her down - and stood on the land looking back at her. Quickly, he grabbed her wrists as if to pull her out, but instead pulled her towards him and forced a passionate kiss on her lips. "I'm sorry, my love, but I needed one last kiss. Now, you can return to the water." Erik practically shouted the last line, his grin never bigger or more devious, as he picked her up in his arms and tossed her back into the water before she could grab ahold and cling to him. He laughed maniacally as she hit with a satisfying splash. "I fear her wrath when she reemerges, children." Erik said to Lilly and Alistair, even though he kept his eyes on the spot she had sunk in to.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine felt herself go under the water again. When she came up again, her dress was soaked to the bone. It was now nearing Christmas, but no one knew that, except Christine. "Erik!" She got out of the water. Catherine noticed the shivering of her mother and, acting selflessly, removed her own dress and gave it to her mother. Andrew glared at Erik. "Turn away." He ordered immediately. He then wrapped his wife in his coat, smiling. "You're such a good daughter."

 

[Guile]

Erik hadn't realized how late into the year is was and, being rather accustomed to the colder weather, didn't realize the danger of being wet and outside at such a time. Still, he had no time to react to Christine's shivering because, before he realized, Catherine had removed her own dress and gave it to Christine. Erik turned away so that Andrew could cover up Catherine, though he felt his blood start to boil at the strict tone he gave him. He cannot just order me around like he is my father! I'm not just going to stand here and gawk at my daughter. Who does he think he is? And yet, Erik did not say another word until Catherine was covered and he had turned back to Christine. "Here, Christine. Allow me to help you." He attempted to shelter from the rest of the world while she changed out of her wet dress and into the dry one.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Andrew couldn't help but laugh at Erik's reaction." Don't worry, Father. I didn't mean to take any authority over you." He couldn't keep the grin from coming to his lips. "Seriously, forgive me, Father." He was genuine in his apology. "I meant no disrespect, I just didn't want anyone seeing her." He held out a hand to Erik. "Truce?" He laughed a little. Catherine tied the strings together on Andrew's jacket so that she was covered. Christine smiled at her husband. "Do you like what you see?" She joked and threw the dress on, also tying strings and straps together. "I told you I didn't want to go for a swim." She kissed him once. "Be sweet and calm like I know you can be."