The Child Of Two Angel

Erik's Eyes:

I depressed the ivory keys gently beneath my fingertips. The familiar opening chords of one of my favorite sonatas filled the room, but in all honesty, no part of me was paying any mind to what I was playing. My only thoughts belonged to the figure that was pirouetting furiously around the room. I watched as she gracefully bent her legs and launched herself into a series of turns. Pieces of her beautiful chestnut hair had fallen out of her chignon, but she ignored them with a determined concentration that I could only admire. Her face remained placid, as if nothing else existed except her dancing and my music.

I returned my attention back to the piano in front of me, as the piece began to reach it's climax. Once I was certain that my hands knew which keys to press next, I looked back at my beautiful teenage daughter. She curved her arms tightly around her body and lifted herself onto her toes. She then leapt into the air, crossing the spans of the room in one elegant bound, her arms now outstretched to enhance the move.

When her feet touched the ground, she fell of her toes wobbly. I stopped the music and patiently awaited her cue to begin once again. But she was too frustrated at her own failure. She growled audibly and turned to face me, as if she expected me to chide her. I, having little I could say, due to my lack of knowledge about ballet, could only stare at her with compassionate eyes.

"Do you have NOTHING to say?" she asked, somewhat testily.

"You know I am not one to coach you in ballet…" I replied calmly.

"But Dad!…How will I ever make the corps de ballet if I dance with the grace of a cow…?"

"My dear, you are just being to hard on yourself…and you cannot expect perfection during every practice session…" I silently noted the irony in that phrase coming from my lips, remembering the times that I would compose, days on end, if only to find the correct chords for my piece. Gabrielle said to me, that she inherited much from me, and I was beginning to notice how right she was. She laughed sarcastically at my attempt at comforting her.

"Why don't you take a break…you've been practicing all morning…" I suggested hopefully. She would dance herself into exhaustion if I did not stop her. I watched as her frustrated face, softened and she sighed.

"I'm sorry father…I'm just nervous right now…"

"I know my dear…why don't you go get cleaned up for lunch…I think you mother may need help in the kitchen as well…your brother and sister may be giving her trouble…"

She sighed again, this time more casually. "Alright…that's probably a good idea…you will help me practice again later, wont you?"

"Of course, love…I never get tired of playing for you…" I smiled lovingly and she returned the gesture with her dazzling smile. I turned to watch her leave and my eyes were met by Raoul's.

"Pardonez, Oncle Raoul…" She said politely in French as she passed him in the doorway. He smiled and moved to the side to allow her to pass, and then his eyes returned to me, becoming cold once again. I turned back to the piano, not wanting to feel his intense gaze on me any longer.

"She's going to hurt herself…practicing as much as she does…" he said condemningly. I knew he was right, and that she very well could hurt herself, but the last thing I wanted was to admit that to his face.

"THAT is none of your concern…Believe me when I say that no one is more concerned about Angelique, than I…but I also want her to reach her goals and dreams…so, I am keeping a close eye on her while she practices, and I will stop her if she seems to be practicing too intensely….so, I thank you for your concern, but must inform you that it is not needed," I spat back at him.

"I cared about her once…as if she were my own daughter…and I am sorry, but I will not act as if I don't love her anymore, simply because you came back…"

I whirled around on the piano bench to face him, suddenly filled with a kind of rage, I thought I had long forgotten. "I cannot help but wonder whether we are still discussing Angelique…" I snarled through clenched teeth, struggling to keep my voice low and under control.

"I wont lie to you…I loved and cared for Gabrielle as well when you were gone…and you know what? I wish you hadn't have come back…things were far better off without a wretched monster such as you, haunting MY house! She would have fallen for me too, if she only had more time…BUT YOU TOOK THAT CHANCE AWAY FROM ME BY COMING BACK! Making you the kind of monster that every man wishes were dead…!"

I harnessed my emotions and calmly replied, "Raoul…you and I both know that if you truly thought I was a monster worthy of death…you could have called the police down on me in an instant…" He made no sound and simply stared at me, letting his hatred burn into my flesh. I allowed some of the sadness I had once felt return for only a moment, to emphasis my next words. "It hurts when the woman you love chooses someone other than you…does it not?"

"That was not of my doing…do not blame me for that and give me guilt that I do not deserve…"

"So then, how is THIS any of MY doing…I love her and she loves me…we are happy…why can you not be happy for her, if not for us both…I'll tell you why! It is because you are too busy being the self centered whelp that you are!"

His eyes narrowed as he watched me, as if he fully intended to launch himself at me, and tackle me to the ground, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. I saw my beautiful Gabrielle's face over his shoulder and let my body relax once again. There would be no need for being uptight with Gabrielle in the room. Raoul would never think of verbally or physically attacking me, with the woman we both loved there.

"Is something the matter, Raoul," she stared at him, genuinely puzzled by his tense stature.

"No, I was simply worried about Angelique…I was telling Erik that you both are allowing her to practice way too much…she is bound to injure herself…" He took on his gentlemanly manner almost immediately, and my poor Gabrielle could only fall for his charade.

"How sweet of you, Raoul…but I trust that Erik is keeping a careful eye on her…"

"Indeed I am, my dear…you know that…" I got up from the bench and walked towards her, loving the sound of my name rolling off her lips. She smiled and excused herself as she brushed past Raoul, coming towards me as well. I saw Raoul become annoyed, and he left quickly, saying he did not want to 'intrude' on us…As if we would have even noticed he was there. I wrapped my arms around her and she placed a soft kiss on my left cheek.

She turned around once and then, whispered, "What did Raoul really want?"

I stared at her for a moment. I underestimate her…she really doesn't miss a thing, does she? "Nothing my dear…he told the truth in saying he was worried about Angelique."

She gave me an unsure look, as if evaluating whether I was telling the truth as well. "You are certain that was all?"

"All that matters, my love…" She smiled and took my hand in her smaller one. I followed as she led me to the kitchen where she had a lovely lunch prepared for the whole family. Unfortunately, my mind was still consumed by the argument with Raoul. They had been happening more and more frequently of late, and it was only a matter of time before, someone else found out about our battles.

I only hoped that I would be able to keep the Phantom in check… The more I fought with Raoul, the more The Phantom began clawed at the surface of my mind and it took more force each time, to drive him back into the past. The Phantom has to stay contained…our children need not know who I was, before I became their father…not now, not ever…! With that I pushed the subject from my mind, and sat down to enjoy time with my family.