Wow, I can't believe we're on Chapter 10! So excited to keep this story going and that I get to keep writing it! Nothing else except *Disclaimer* all characters are owned by ALW. The OC is mine. On with the story!
It was the day before the masquerade and the opera house was busier than ever. Erik had finally finished his opera and put it into Annabelle's leather book she gave him. Everything went back to normal between Erik and Annabelle after what happened. Annabelle had been so busy keeping the lair clean, feeding Erik and herself, helping Erik finish his opera, and taking care of Caesar, that she totally forgot to get a dress for the masquerade. After Erik finished his opera, he announced that he was going to the surface for a while but wouldn't tell Annabelle why. After Erik had left, Annabelle decided to practice the organ a little more. She went over to the organ and played a simple piece by Mozart, nothing special but it was something that could keep her skills in check. Once she was finished, Erik still wasn't back, so she went on to play the clarinet. She mostly did scales and a few beginner songs to strengthen her embouchure and practice her breathing. It was then she saw Erik pull up on the gondola. She walked over to the shore to help Erik dock the boat. When she walked up she held the boat while got out. She noticed that Erik was carrying something; he got out of the boat and barely acknowledged her. She saw him nearly running to his room with a bag in tow. She laughed to herself at the scene in front of her. He then came back out more collected and calm and it appeared that the bag was put away.
"I assume your trip went well?" She asked.
"Your clarinet playing has improved." He said.
"Subtle subject change Erik. Seriously, anything interesting happen?" She asked.
"Nothing that concerns you Annabelle." He replied.
"Oh come on, what's in the bag?" She asked
"I think it was you that told me that curiosity killed the cat. Time will tell mon belle." He said.
"Ugh, fine. Be that way. Anyway, requests for dinner?" She asked.
"Surprise me." He said.
"As you wish." She replied.
Annabelle then walked out of the organ room and headed to the kitchen. Erik smiled warmly as she walked away. Once Annabelle had made it to the kitchen, Erik breathed out a sigh of relief.
"That was close." He mumbled to himself.
He then walked to the library to wait until Annabelle was finished cooking.
In the kitchen, Annabelle was making them both steaks for dinner. She had already prepped the steaks and was cutting onions. She wasn't paying much attention when she felt a sharp pain on her pointer finger. She looked down and saw that she cut herself very deeply. She hissed in pain and ran it under some water.
"Erik?" She yelled.
"What?" Erik yelled back.
"Where is the gauze?" She asked.
She then heard Erik's fast footsteps coming her way. Erik rushed into the room to find Annabelle with her finger in her mouth. Erik took her hand and investigated the cut. He then walked out of the kitchen and came back shortly with some gauze. He took her finger and carefully wrapped it. Annabelle watched him as he wrapped her finger in complete concentration. Once he was done, he let go of her hand.
"That should do it. You may get back to your cooking." He said.
"Alright, thank you Erik. Although I am more than capable to handle a cut." She said.
"I have no doubt that you are, but I would prefer to do it." He replied.
"Ok well, dinner's almost ready. 10 more minutes." She said.
Erik then walked out of the kitchen and went back to the library to wait until dinner was finished.
Once Erik had left the kitchen, Annabelle continued cooking. Like she said, it only took 10 more minutes and dinner was ready. Annabelle set the table and placed the food on the plates. She placed a glass near their plates and went to go fetch Erik. She walked into the library and found Erik on the armchair going over his opera. She walked over to the chair and knelt next to him. She lightly tapped his arm to get his attention. Erik slightly turned his head towards her.
"Dinner is ready. Come in when you're ready." She said.
"Thank you. I will be there in a few moments." He replied.
Annabelle stood back up and left the room to go eat, since she was hungry herself. She poured herself a glass of whiskey and began eating. Not 2 minutes after she sat down, Erik had joined her. He too, poured himself a glass of whiskey. Once he seemed settled, Annabelle started a conversation.
"Is everything prepared for tomorrow?" She asked.
"It seems to be. They have been rehearsing masquerade all day, there is really no need. They're all off pitch anyway. It's going to be a surprise performance."
"A flash mob?" She asked.
"A what?" He replied confused.
"It's basically what you said, a surprise performance. The performers seem like ordinary people, but then they all start dancing and singing together. It's called a flash mob where I'm from." She said
"Interesting. What else did you do while I was gone?" He asked.
"Oh nothing. Cleaned a little, practiced the organ, and clarinet. But you knew the clarinet part since you walked in on me practicing." She said.
"Oh yes, you are becoming quite the musician." He said.
"Oh please, I can play 3 instruments and I only have 2-3 songs memorized for each instrument. I am no musician." She said.
"Annabelle, did you hear what you said? You are in fact a musician mon belle. You can play 3 instruments, while others can only play one. You have 6-9 pieces of music memorized, while others can barely memorize one." He defended.
"Erik, I am no musician compared to you. You can play many different instruments, you can sing, and you just wrote an opera! I am merely an amateur compared to you." She said, raising her voice.
"But that is where you are wrong mon belle. I am a composer, I have to know and do those things in order to know where to put different instruments and singers. You're a musician whether you like it or not." He replied smirking at her.
"I'm just going to let you win this argument since I want to talk about something else." She said defeated.
"Ok, what would you like to talk about?" He asked.
"I have a question about the ball." She said.
"What kind of question Annabelle?" He asked, already knowing what the question was going to be.
"Well, I was wondering if I could go above and perhaps get a dress?" She asked.
"With what money?" He instantly replied.
"Well, I figured I could take a costume from the costume department and fix it a little." She said.
"No Annabelle, just wear the dress I got you when you accompanied me to Hannibal." He said.
"But Erik, that dress isn't for a masquerade. Please?" She pleaded.
"The answer's no Annabelle. There are so many people up above getting everything ready, it would be impossible to even open an entrance without someone noticing. And I'm not risking another, incident." He said.
"Ok, what about a mask?" She asked, hoping she could at least make one herself.
"You can wear one of mine, I have plenty. This discussion is over." He said.
"Ok mom." She said pushing her plate away.
"Annabelle, you need to eat. I will not have another fainting episode as well." He said
"I'm really not that hungry Erik. I just want to sleep." She said as she proceeded to get up and clean up her dishes.
"Goodnight Annabelle." He said, looking into her eyes.
"Goodnight Erik." She replied.
Erik continued to eat while she left to go to the swan room. Once she left, he smiled to himself in victory.
"She doesn't suspect a thing." He said to himself.
He then put up his dishes and the whiskey and went into the swan room to check on her. He walked the short distance to the swan room and made sure to be very silent. He quietly opened the door and walked in. He saw that there were a few candles lit but not enough to make it bright in the room. He walked over to the bed and saw that she appeared to be asleep. He sat down on the side of the bed where she was facing him. He gently shook her shoulder to get her attention. He heard a sharp intake of breath and he saw her eyes looking at him.
"Hi." She said quietly.
"Hi." He replied.
"What's up?" She asked.
"I know you are upset with me about not letting you get a dress." He said looking down.
Annabelle then sat up with her legs crossed. She lightly ran her fingers through her hair and pushed it back.
"Erik, what I asked of you was selfish. Just you letting me stay here is enough. I can make do with the dress you got me for Hannibal." She insisted, while she talked she lightly touched his arm.
"Annabelle, I no longer see you as a temporary house guest who owes me something. You live here, this is your home too as it is mine. But with the recent events 6 months ago, I cannot risk you getting hurt again. I have to protect you, even if it means I hurt you in the smallest way." Erik admitted.
Annabelle then scooted towards Erik and hugged him deeply. Erik too, hugged her back.
"Thank you Erik." She said softly and then she rested her head on his shoulder.
They sat like that for nearly 30 minutes until Annabelle let go of Erik and scooted back to look at him.
"I want to protect you Erik as well. Even if I do have to knock some sense into ya." She said with a smirk.
Erik laughed in return and let go of Annabelle as well. He then got up and left her room and went into his as well. Both Erik and Annabelle slept in peace that night knowing that all was well between them… But little did they know that soon, everything was going to go terribly wrong.
That's it for Chapter 10! Man, this chapter took me like 2 weeks to write, filler chapters are always hard! But I hope you all enjoyed it! It's a little shorter than my other chapters but I hope its ok. We still have a lot more to go through ya'll. It's about to get crazy.
-S
I also want to address a review I saw earlier this week about Erik's past. It's coming! Their not in that part of their relationship yet, Annabelle's secrets were easier for her to tell because she had already come to terms with them where as Erik hasn't yet. But it will come when Erik reveals all, anyway, see ya'll in the next one!