Chapter Fourteen: Lunch and William

Disclaimer: OK. I saw THE ILLUSIONIST and figured I'd do a fic with a person like that in it. That and I like Magic and it's different than my normal stuff.

"Erik!" Mia giggled the next day when Erik lifted her off the floor in a hug. Whenever they meet, Mia always hugs him like she hadn't seen him in ages. Erik lifted her up and held the sliding mirror open for Diane, whom with a smile, walked through.

All she'd been able to think about was William, and how she had hurt him in trying to reason with him. Reasoning was never really one of her strongest points, a fight usually erupted when she attempted to reason. Especially with William.

Mia was talking Erik's ear off, so he didn't notice the distraction in Diane's face. She told him about the dream she had, about how much she liked the opera; and she made him tell her what she missed.

William was a good friend to Diane, and she'd been so mean to him. But it really wasn't any of his business where she was going or what she was doing. She knew that he would never see the good in any man that Diane wanted to be around, unless it was him. He acted more like a big brother, than a secret suitor.

He'd been there when Diane still suffered the wounds of her broken marriage, he took care of Mia when she couldn't even get up enough will power to wake up in the morning, and he held her when she cried. But she didn't want to be with him as a lover, only as a friend.

"Diane?" She snapped back into reality when Erik said her name. He was reaching his hand out to her to help her onto the boat. She smiled and stepped in with his assistance, and held Mia as he used the long stick to push the boat away from one shore and towards the other. That was the only time that she went to his home with out being thigh deep in water most of the way, and trying not to trip on whatever was underneath the surface.

Erik helped the two out of the boat once it had reached his home; and Mia almost instantly went to his figurines, and played opera with them. Diane smiled as Erik tossed his cloak over a chair and went into what served as his kitchen, to make them some lunch.

William was feeling just as bad about yelling at Diane as she felt about yelling at him. He'd been her shoulder to cry on for two years, and the idea of her having a new shoulder was painful thought.

He hated watching her be so hurt when they'd first become friends. She cried almost all the time, Mia was afraid to be around her during that time; and she lashed out at the smallest of comments.

One day, she asked William what death would be like as if he knew.

"Don't talk like that." William told her. "We need you here Diane. You're strong Diane, you'll get through this."

"I can't trust again." Diane cried. "How could I think of marrying anyone ever again after what Siegfried did?" William stroked her hair as she let tiny silent tears fall on the large mattrace in the back of their large carriage where they resided while on the road. The walls had various masks they'd collected in souvenir stands.

After two years of mistrust and running, Diane had gone back on her word and had begun to court a man, even if she didn't know it. Even as she saw it as friends having lunch together, that was not what it was.

Diane said he was treating her like a child, but he wasn't. He was protecting her from another two years of tears and talk of death. But in the process, was he also suffocating her and keeping her from being happy?

No. She could be with him and be happy. They could have a great marriage and happily live together in a cute cottage in a field. Like in the romance novels Diane used to read before romance became less of a savior and more of a poison.

Mia ate gratefully, and Diane plastered a smile upon her face as the child ate her food, and the three made light conversation. Erik was a very good cook, Diane would never be able to make a good lunch like he'd made. Something she hated; was cooking. Not only because she couldn't do it, but because it was hard and there were so many things she had to remember. It was just easier going to restaurants and having them cook for her. She usually got burns when she attempted to cook, and she never thought her cooking was any good; especially since the last time she cooked, she was married to Siegfried and he always called it "Garbage." Or "Dog food."

It wasn't too long before Mia was down for her nap. Her stomach full and her eyes tired, it was almost like she was a cat. While she napped, Diane read a book in Erik's home, while he did some charcoal sketches.

"You've got something on your mind." Erik told Diane as if he could read her mind. "I noticed a while back when you wouldn't get in the boat. I didn't say anything until now because I didn't want Mia to know. But she's sleeping now, and now I want to know."

"It's nothing Erik. Nothing at all." Lie. She just didn't want to tell him that William was insecure about the two being friends. She'd already bothered him once with her worries and sadness, no need to do it again.

"You had no problems with telling me your problems a few days ago. What changed?"

"Nothing is wrong." She tried not to yell. "I'm fine, everything is fine."

"Say it Diane. I can tell you're dying to get it out into the open." Diane didn't reply, she did want to say what was on her mind, but somehow her mouth wouldn't let her. "Say it."

"William thinks you're courting me." Erik wasn't entirely expecting that kind of an answer. "I told him it was just a lunch between friends, but he didn't buy it. One thing lead to another and now he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore." Diane told him, trying not to get angry at nothing. "He thinks of me as a child, even if he doesn't admit it."

Eventually, Diane had told Erik all about the argument she and William had. Somehow, knowing about William's fear of Erik courting Diane had made him think. Mostly about Christine. "Erik, I suddenly feel tired. Would it be OK If I went to sleep here?"

"Go ahead." Erik said, watching Diane as she stood up, went into the bedroom with the swan bed, and laid down beside her daughter and fell asleep among the silk quickly.

William stopped by Diane's room to see if she returned, it was nearly dusk and he hadn't heard anything about her. As angry with her as he was; he couldn't help but worry about her. No one was in her room, or Mia's. Where could she have gone?

With that man. His subconscious told him. She's being seduced by that man. He's going to hurt her. But just as his thought ended, he went into Diane's room and saw a man in a mask leaning against the door.

"Diane told me about your worries." He began, without so much as a name or an explanation. "You think I'm courting her. I assure you Monsieur, I've no intention to be any more than a friend to her."

"You're Erik." William said coldly. Moving back and groping around for something to hit him with. "The one who sings to Mia at night. The one who has been with Diane."

"You fear I'm taking her from you. Don't you?" Erik asked him, and watched him gently nod. "Don't fear it. It won't happen. Diane is no more to me than a friend; she's safe while in my protection Monsieur, as is Mia." William nodded again, and watched Erik leave, only to disappear into thin air once outside the door.