It was late. The clock on his bedside table announced that it was half past one. Erik lay awake staring blankly at the ceiling above his bed. He hadn't slept properly since Maddie had been born- every time he closed his eyes he saw her. Saw her sunning herself on some beach or other. Saw her in Paris or Milan. Saw her dancing, singing in karaoke bars like the one he met her in. Every scene had her with a different man on her arm- the man's face was never clear.
For the first time in weeks he felt the need to play. When Christine had left him she'd taken his desire to create- his desire to do anything much. He slipped out of bed and donned his mask before leaving his room. Pausing for a moment outside of Maddie's door he padded down the stairs and through the house to his music room.
Maddie was a very quiet baby- Erik had harboured secret fears since the day he found out about her that she would be the kind of child that screamed her little lungs out at all hours of the night and day. Now, he knew that he would love his child, no matter what, but a child that cried almost constantly was not conducive to a creative atmosphere. As it was Maddie only started crying when she really needed something.
'Not a fuss pot like that mother of hers' he thought, as he filled the nineteenth page of manuscript paper with left handed scrawl.
The thought of Christine sent a surge of rage through him. He'd loved her damn it; he'd loved her and she'd betrayed him- betrayed Maddie. The innocent little life they'd created together who had done the woman no wrong. His long thin hands came down on the key board and produced a strange, angry, discordant harmony.
"Damn her" he spat, rising from his piano and slamming his fist into the wall of his music room. The feeling, the anger, was a welcome relief from the weeks of numbness that he'd been living in since Maddie had come home from the hospital. "Damn her!"
His fists slammed into the wall again so hard that the shelving unit which housed his compositions and music books fell, books and paper scattered everywhere as the shelves crashed into the floor. The sound which stayed his fists from pounding the wall a third time was Maddie. Had she heard him? She shouldn't have been able to- the music room was sound proofed.
He cursed in three languages as he took in the mess his short outburst had caused then decided that he'd clean it up later- right now he had a daughter to calm down.
"If I had words to make a day for you
I'd sing you a morning, golden and new
I'd make this day last for all time
And sing you a night, deep in moon shine"
Erik stood in the doorway of the nursery; Meg was stood swaying in the middle of the room cradling the tiny baby to her towline covered breast, singing the lullaby. Her alto voice was soft and pretty- nothing compared to her of course but it seemed to be soothing the baby. He'd heard her singing when he reached the bottom of the stairs. She had talent- he'd known that she was one hell of a dancer; but singing? That was a pleasant surprise for him.
Meg sang the refrain once again before laying Maddie in her cot, pressing a swift kiss to her forehead she turned to leave. When she saw Erik standing in just his pyjama pants and mask- she froze.
"Erik I…" she floundered for an excuse. "She was crying"
'She's beautiful when she's flustered'
Erik's blinked, this was Meg he was thinking about- the scruffy little tomboy who he'd been friends with since he'd had to stay at her mother's foster home as a small boy.
"Don't worry Meg" he smiled briefly, not wanting to admit that he thought that he had been the one to waken his daughter with his outburst. "It worked didn't it?"
"She didn't wake you did she?"
"No, I was awake anyway, down in my music room" he assured her. "Thanks for getting her"
It was Meg's turn to smile and Erik scolded himself for finding that smile attractive. He couldn't love Meg… could he? No, he couldn't let himself fall in love again; not after what happened with Chr… that Harpy.
Another short one, sorry, hopefully the next one will be longer
Please R&R