For the first few days of living in their new house Erik and his son didn't speak very much. Erik still had absolutely no idea how to look after a child but had no choice as Christine was yet to reappear.

"Do you need something, Gustave?"

His son stepped into the room but didn't move any closer to him. It was late at night, Gustave had went to bed hours ago so Erik was surprised to see him standing in the doorway.

"I had a bad dream," Gustave whispered and Erik noticed that he had been crying.

Erik froze. How on earth was he going to deal with this?

"Come here," he eventually sighed.

Gutave walked towards him and stood in front of him, unsure of what to do next. For a moment Erik was unsure too, then he reached out his hand and pulled his son onto his lap. The boy stared at him but then laid his head on Erik's chest and relaxed.

After about five minutes of silence Gustave spoke.

"When is mother coming back?"

"I don't know," Erik replied, reaching out his hand to run his fingers through Gustave's hair, in what he believed was a comforting manner.

"Will she come back?"

"I have no idea," he whispered.

They sat like that and eventually Gustave fell asleep. Erik stayed awake for most of the night, terrified that if he fell asleep he would move and hurt the boy. However, tiredness did eventually overcome him.

#

Erik was awoken the next morning by a loud banging at the door. He lifted a still sleeping Gustave up and placed him back down on the chair, then went to get the door.

On opening the door he found a rather harassed looking Andre.

"May I come in?"

They went into the living room, Andre smiled at the sight of Gustave sleeping peacefully. Then he turned around to face Erik.

"There has been no sign of her," he announced, "It seems that Christine does not want to be found."

"I thought as much," Erik sighed, "So the boy is now permanently in my care?"

"Yes," Andre replied.

There was silence for a while.

"I heard you managed to convince the police to let Raoul go free."

"The man doesn't deserve all this. I cannot help but blame myself for the way his life has turned out."

Suddenly Andre began to chuckle to himself while Erik looked at him with a confused expression on his face.

"I fail to see what is funny about this situation."

"Just how much things have changed," Andre smiled, "You've become a very good man over the past thirteen years."

"Thank you."

"Look, I don't want to sound rude…" Andre began, "But do you have enough money?"

"I am fairly sure that I do," Erik replied.

"Well, if you just want something to get you out of the house…" he trailed off.

"Go on?"

"We need a new director of music at the Opera House," he finished and looked up to see Erik's reaction.

He stood still and then suddenly seemed to wake up.

"Yes."

#

Andre managed to charm enough important people that Gustave got a place at the best school in Paris. Erik began work at the Opera House a few weeks after he agreed to it.

Father and son became much closer. They often found themselves chatting about their days or telling each other funny things that had happened. Almost every night they would play piano together or Erik would teach his son violin.

After a while Gustave stopped asking about Christine. He was the happiest he had ever been with his father and so no reason to ruin it by bringing up his mother and making Erik sad.

The weeks changed to months and soon it was a year since Christine's disappearance. Erik remembered the date and Andre sensed his mood as soon as he entered the Opera House.

"You can take the day off if you want?" he suggested, "I know what day it is."

"No," Erik frowned, "but thank you anyway."

"Does Gustave know?"

"I think so," Erik admitted, "I've arranged for him to be dropped off here after school. I'll take him out for dinner as a treat."

Andre nodded.

The rest of the day passed quickly and Erik lost track of time. He was surprised to find Gustave standing in the entrance hall as he walked through.

"I didn't realise the time!" he exclaimed, "Have you been waiting for very long?"

"No, I just arrived," Gustave replied.

"Right," Erik smiled, ruffling his son's hair, "I'll just go grab my coat, wait here."

Erik ran into the theatre and grabbed his jacket. As he was leaving Andre appeared beside him.

"The work you have done with the cast is quite extrodinary," he grinned, "The reviews have been wonderful."

"It wasn't that hard," he replied as they continued back towards the entrance hall.

"We are very thankful for it," Andre smiled, opening the door and beckoning for Erik to go through first.

He walked through and stood frozen in shock. Before him she stood. His Christine. Andre walked through the door and out of the corner of his eye Erik saw his whole body tense. She also stood frozen.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked.

Christine was gripping Gustave's hand tightly, trying to pull him towards the door. However, Gustave was digging his heels, refusing to go without a fight.

"Taking my son back," she replied, quietly.

"He is my son too."

She completely ignored him and continued to drag Gustave towards to door.

"Come on, Gustave," she murmured, "Mother's back now, it's alright."

"You cannot just take him!" Erik exclaimed, "I have looked after him for the past year!"

"And I looked after him for the ten years before that," she hissed.

"I would have been there if I had known about his existence," he replied, quietly.

"You really think that?" she laughed.

"Yes."

"I think you seem to be forgetting where I rescued you from," she smiled, "You were nothing but another circus freak when I found you."

Erik winced at her words. He had not expected her to bring up such a thing in front of her son.

"Stop it," he muttered.

"Then let me take my son!"

"What about me?" he asked.

"You could come with us," she replied, letting go of Gustave to move closer to him.

They stood like that for what felt like hours, only a few centimetres apart and then suddenly she leaned forward. Their lips met and she began to kiss him. He kissed her back but there were tears running down his cheeks as he pulled away.

"No," he smiled.

"What?" she exclaimed, taking a step backwards.

"I will not go anywhere with you," he announced, "I've had a lot of time to think over the past year and I realised something. I don't love you and you don't love me. You may think you do but you don't and you never have. We have mistaken other emotions for love. You pitied me and I don't really know what I felt for you."

Christine remained completely silent. Her eyes filled with a mixture of disbelief and anger.

"So Christine it appears this is goodbye."

"Fine," she snarled, "Come on Gustave."

Erik was about to turn away so he didn't have to watch them go but suddenly Andre stepped forward.

"I believe Gustave should get some choice in this matter," he called after her.

"He will come with me," she hissed.

"If you are so sure then why don't you let him choose," Andre replied, calmly.

After what appeared to be some sort of internal struggle Christine let go of Gustave and glared at Erik.

"Make your choice," Andre smiled.

Gustave stood frozen in horror. He loved both of his parents. How could he choose? It was a very big decision for an eleven year old boy to make. Tears began to well up in his eyes as he looked between them.

Erik stood frozen. His eyes locked on his son. This would be the last time he would see the boy, of that he was sure. Of course he would pick his mother. There was no reason for him to pick him, he was nothing but an ugly circus freak.

He was so lost in his own thoughts that it took him a few moments to notice the small arms wrapped around his waist.

Gustave looked up at him, with tears pouring down his cheeks and gave him a smile. Christine was staring at them, her mouth hanging open in shock.

Erik crouched down beside Gustave and used the edge of his coat to wipe the tears from his face. He then pulled his son into another tight embrace and he felt Andre rest a hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't I take Gustave and give two a while to talk?" Andre suggested.

Soon they stood alone in the entrance hall.

"Is this all because I left you?" she asked.

"No," he replied, "Even if you hadn't left I'm sure one of us would have realised it sooner or later."

"But…" she stuttered, "I love you."

"We've been through this already," he sighed, "Just go."

With that Christine placed a kiss on his cheek and then left the Opera House.