Her fingers gently stroked my face. My eyes opened to see her face... glistening with the sun. It was like an eclipse... her smiling, beautiful face the moon, the sun... the sun.

"Good morning..." her sweet voice made my mind smile.

"Hm...." I smiled as I stared. Where... was I?

The air smelled fresh. Like... the smell after rain. Combined with a sweet... outdoors smell. It was refreshing. I definitely wasn't in my lair. Where else could I be?

Her touches felt like little massages. Her hair revealed her face... scars and all. I liked it.

"Not your usual waking quarters, huh?" she began to twirl her fingers in my thin hair.

"No... where am I...?" I was lying down.

"My garden. More like a sun room filled with flowers..." she looked around.

I was lying on my back, on something soft. Not as soft as the bed, but comfortable. I was lying my head on something... like a cradle. Cradling my head and neck as she tantalized my senses.

That explained the smells and the sun. I smiled and reached my hand up to touch her face. She responded by doing the same, with my face.

"I like to study plants... but ninety five percent here are just pretty flowers. I have finished my studies... and I am now moving onto more artsy plant studies."

The cradle around my head moved.

"What... am I laying on...?"

"Me."

My eyes widened. "What?"

"My legs are crossed, and your head is laying in my lap."

I sat up and looked at her again. This was true. She was wearing denim pants, unusual for women, and a long sleeve white shirt. She wore a blue fleece jacket over the shirt. Her hair was down... with a slight curl at the ends. I liked it.

It was unusually warm in this room. How long had I slept? Three months? It felt like Summer.

I was wearing different clothes than I was wearing previously. Odd clothes. A white, short-sleeved shirt with a collar. No tie. It was a very light fabric... some sort of cotton. I wore tan pants. Oh... oh... they showed my legs. The shorts had several pockets... and showed my legs. I didn't like it... ugh. Too open.

"Who... who changed my clothes...?" I had an image of her... seeing me shirtless... and fought back the blush.

"Erole and Benny... Erole bought the clothes, but Benny undressed you. We... knew that you would be critical... so we just did it when you were asleep."

"I am one of the world's lightest sleepers... how would I have slept through that?"

"I don't know, but you did..."

I wouldn't.

"Did you drug me?"

"NO! How could you even think that?"

"I am a light sleeper... what did you do?"

"Nothing! No one did nothing!" she smiled and moved towards me, who sat on the pastel-colored straw-like bench. The cushions were pastel green, blue, and pink. Soft...

"Okay..." she leaned on me which softened my heart, "you've convinced me."

"Flowers are beautiful... especially wildflowers..." she stood and roamed the area of flowers. The room was made of glass, so sun could come through. It was very sunny... like summer. There were so many colors... so many different types of flowers. It was not nearly as stunning as the woman who roamed among them.

"I have a heater installed..." she picked one flower that I could not see, "so they can be comfortable..."

"Ah. So that is why I am not freezing..."

"Yes."

I stood and grabbed her gently by the shoulder. "Can I pick one?"

"Pick as many as you like... right now they are in full bloom..." she smiled.

"Stay here..."

I looked at the many assortments of flowers, searching for the one I wanted. It was right at my feet now. I looked at her, whose eyes followed me. I picked the flower, keeping the long stem just long enough. At a position in which she could not see anything, I scraped the thorns off and let them fall into my palm. I picked off some leaves to make it look nice and not overcrowded, then tossed the thorns silently in the bush.

She put her hands behind her back and smiled a devious little smile as I approached.

"A good flower garden," I revealed the bright red rose behind her back, "is only an excellent flower garden if it has a well kept red rose bush."

Her eyes lit up and she winked at me. "And a good man is only an excellent man if he presents a well kept beautiful red rose to his woman."

"To his lover..." we moved closer, the rose dropping from it's stature at the level at her eyes.

"And to mine..." while she still looked at me with a look that made my heart heat up with love, she reached over to her side and picked a flower, "a beautiful Blue Droop."

The flower was not a droop at all. It was a bright blue... captivating, as it was. It stood, many petals and layers combining to make one admirable, gorgeous flower. I had never seen a blue flower before... and I took it gently in my hands as she accepted the rose.

I gently took the rose back and held the stem in my hands. I split the stem so that it was only one inch long. I then brushed over her hair, slid the flower in between her ear and her head. She smiled as I brushed the hair back into place.

I laughed when she put the blue flower on my ear. She then put the hand that held the flower, once it was balanced, and put it on the hairs that stood on the back of my neck. She leaned in and kissed me with a smile as I laughed a little. My eyes found themselves closed as my hand found her scarred cheek.

When we broke apart unwillingly for the need to breath, she began to laugh. I looked at her with a confused smile.

"Hold still..." she took a white handkerchief from her pocket. She began to wipe my lips.

I pulled back smiling. "What are you doing...!?"

"I-I-" she let her head hang in giggles, "I was wearing lipstick! Now you are too!"

I didn't pull back, but held back a smile as she cleaned the make up off of my lips. I had noticed a subtle pink gloss on her lips before. It looked... nice. I wasn't a fan of dolling up your face... unless it was for an opera. She was so beautiful, there was no need to cover anything up with concealer. Her face needed no concealing.

She put the cloth back in her pocket and still giggled.

I noticed a small statue in the center of a group of blue flowers. It was of a little girl... with angel wings and it kneeled. It prayed.

"That is a beautiful statue... what kind of rock is it?" I looked at it and her eyes followed.

"Oh..." she smiled, "I hoped that you would notice that... it is granite. I carved it myself. It even has a secret little compartment in it's tummy area... go over and open it."

"You carved this?" I touched it after following a stone path to reach it, seeing a little handle that looked like a design within the dress that she wore. I grabbed it with my thumb and index finger and opened a little door.

Paper? I reached in to find folded, skinny pieces of paper.

I laughed as I unfolded it. "Yes! Yes!" I ran over to her smiling face and let her look at the paper too, "three first class tickets to Colorado, America!"

"Yep!" she sounded excited too.

I was ecstatic. What made me even happier was the fact that the date read 'November 25'. Two days from now.

I could get her. I could just see her. I could just hear her! Oh... oh... I hugged Genevieve who struggled to keep standing in my grasp.

"Oh... oh thank you! Oh... oh in two days... well three because of the trip... I can see her. With you! With Erole..."

"Yes you can... with me..." I heard him say. We turned our heads to see him sitting on the same bench in which I slept on.

"You are a sneaky little twin, you know that...?" I broke from Genevieve, who straightened her odd clothes with her palm.

"Hm... we share that, my odd monsieur..." he stood once more.

He wore the same things I did. Same odd shirt, same shorts... Oh, my God!

"Erole!" I stepped closer to him, "what... what is that?"

He sat down once more and smiled. "Oh... it reads 'Love And Laugh Equals Life...'"

"I know what it reads... but... ugh, Erole! I didn't know you had-"

"A tattoo...?"

"Yes...!"

The quote was in red, black and green lettering. It went down below his knee.

"Do you have any others?" I looked at it's intricate detail... very fine lettering.

"Oh do I!" he smiled. He began to unbutton his shirt.

Oh... oh wow. He turned and there was a very large one of a dragon on his back. It swirled and twisted above, below, around and above flowers, leaves, and other wildlife, including water droplets.

On his shoulder read "De Graff" in the same intricate lettering as the quote.

"Wow..." Genevieve stepped over to him, dazed. What was she staring at?

Although I... said I had exercised to look normal... I didn't literally buy equipment or anything. I made the best of the equipment that I had. Climbing ropes... throwing rocks at walls and such... that sort of thing. And I never formally 'worked out' either... I found my exercise regimen within disturbing operas. It takes strength to hold that noose in place, with a victim on the other end, you know? I smiled at my thoughts. Can you imagine me on a weight bench lifting weights? In stupid exercise clothes? I held back the laugh. And I wasn't too muscular... I didn't have a model body. But I didn't have a Raoul body. I was in the middle, still skinny though. (LITTLE AUTHOR'S STUFF IN: THIS CONVERATIONS TRANSLATES TO: "SMILEY1FACE23 IS NOT AN ANNOYING MARY-SUE WHO THINKS PHANTOM IS SO HOT!" I ONLY THINK THAT TO KEEP HIMSELF NORMAL... HE MUST HAVE SOME WAY TO LOOK NORMAL WEIGHT. I DO NOT THINK THAT THE PHANTOM IS SUCH A 'HOTTIE' OR THAT 'HE IS SO MINE!' NO... I ONLY NEEDED A SCIENTIFICLY PROVEN WAY TO MEAT HIM OUT. AND TO KEEP IT IN CHARACTER... LOL, PHANTOM ON STEROIDS... NO! OK... SORRY, JUST HAD TO PUT THAT IN)

He... had the same body as me. It was... scary. It was like having a clone... some sort of mimic. Oh wait... he was a mimic. Or I was his mimic? I wasn't quite sure. But in my perspective... he was the wannabe.

Genevieve touched the tattoo on his chest that was a little bear, in the light of the moon, with a backdrop of the trees.

"Didn't it hurt?" she looked so curious, "I have so many questions! I have never known anyone with even one tattoo! Well, Gabby almost had one.. but she backed out. So what-"

"To answer your question, yes. But... save the others for the plane trip, that is, if Erik still wants me to go..." he began to clip his buttons back together.

"Hey... that is the first time you called me by my name... actually addressing me..." I walked towards him and fixed the button that was on the wrong hole given, "and of course I want you to go. I want both of you to come."

"Well okay..." his shirt was completely on now, "you have two days to pack and prepare yourself."

"Ah... how many days will we be staying in America?" Genevieve asked, fixing Erole's collar, "so I know how many outfits to pack."

That also applied to me.

"As long as it takes... I already packed a weeks worth of outfits... including underwear..." Erole smiled as she rolled her eyes. I had to laugh at that. I don't know why, but the way he said it... the little sarcasm twang that always made me crack up.

She giggled and Erole smiled. "I'm not used to sober people laughing at my cracks..."

"Well... you do work at a casino..." Genevieve turned her back.

"Nah, it's because you need to be drunk to think that I am funny..." Erole's smile depleted.

"What are you talking about?" I stared at him with a little grin, "you just made a half-depressed murderer who lives alone in a hole laugh and smile!"

He looked up and chuckled. "Yeah, you are somewhat of a loner..."

"Well..." Genevieve put her hand on my back. I loved her touch... "he won't be alone for long. Soon, he will have a little girl feet running around his lair!"

"I never though that a woman would ever say that to me..." I smiled, seeing the similarities of a common phrase used when a woman is pregnant...

I had never thought of having blood-related children. Sure, I had an idea of getting married. But that step of... interaction of intimacy... frightened me. I had never even... considered that with Christine. Ever. Never. In fact... when I was young... I took an oath of no... connection... until marriage. It may sound stupid, but after seeing pregnant woman looking so... heavy and big and abnormal... I wouldn't like to see the sight. Not with Genevieve. No... she was too perfect. Too nice.

"Erik..." she waved her hand in front of my face. My eyes and mind zoned back in, seeing Erole smiling.

"Guess that scares you a little, eh? The idea of kids?" he smiled wider, "no man just zones out unless he is scared or confused..."

Genevieve shot him a look, and he stopped smiling. "How about we leave that subject for the plane ride, huh?"

Why was she... angry? Her face was just the slight red... or was that just her natural pink cheeks? Was she afraid too? Did she ever even consider it? I wondered if she wanted to have children. That would be weird. Telling her that I was uncomfortable with it. I pondered what it would lead to. A fight? Would she understand? Who knows?

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One vest... I have been looking for that one... oh, my maroon overcoat. Genevieve had already bought me eight shorts and eight assorted shirts, one extra of each. And these odd shoes. They were plastic.. and had a strap of more clear plastic going in between my big toe and the toe next to that one. The strap then went around the top of my foot. She also packet a sweatshirt... a... really odd sweatshirt. What was that man doing wearing make up? And his tongue... ugh. It was long and pointy and he stuck it out. 'Kiss'? Was that their name or something? She let me do the classy outfit. In case... I needed to go to court.

How would they react? I doubt that they will just let me take her. But I also doubted that they would fist fight me for her. I didn't know what they would do. And I would cross that bridge when we got there.

Ah. If we went to court, I knew exactly what to do. I had credentials. Genevieve had been in law, and she had been a lawyer for child care services. I had a home in which she could live in. I coud provide a warm, secure place for her to sleep. I could giver her food, water, and all other basic survival needs. She would lack neighbors, but when she went to school, then maybe she would make friends. They could live in the middle of the forest, who knows? I could be non-abusive. I could make her happy and healthy.

The question was, who had more credentials?

I began to unbutton my shirt to put on a new, fresh navy blue shirt. Before I had started packing, we went to the store to get Erole some personal things. Well, they went into the store while I sauntered around the store's hidden presence. I ran into some teenage idiot who tried to act as if he was bigger than me. I took care of him with a single glare and a stretch of the chest. I smiled and climbed the ladder to the store's roof when he ran. So, since I... liked these new shirts... I wanted to find any excuse to wear a new one. They were comfortable... not hot and thick like my others.

I opened the door out of my bedroom. I heard a loud, rough scream. My eyes widened at the male scream. Who was it? What was happening? What else could possibly go wrong, when everything was going so right. Finally...

Erole. Of course. He was splashing around in the water, his obnoxious flailing arms creating waves and splashes. He wasn't drowning, instead just... yelling.

"D-" he gasped as he hurried to the shore, so far away, "Dude! D-drown-"

He grabbed onto my leg and pulled himself. He was wearing... boxers. That was it. I laughed when he rolled over and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Were you drowning?" I helped him up, his skin slippery.

"N-N-no... but-b-but she is!" he pointed to the water.

"Genevieve?" he smile wore off. I began to run tot he water when he grabbed my shirt.

"No... curly. Brown hair. Creepy! Dude! I know you kill people, but storing them in your lake? Man, that's sick..."

Oh... I sighed. Then I laughed.

"In undergarments?"

"Yeah... dude! I know you are alone a lot, but control the manly urge, eh?"

"No... no... she's fake."

"Yeah I know... did you see how perfect they were? I knew that those two were fake..."

I smiled and put my hand on his wet shoulder. "No. She's a doll. That was... Christine."

"You almost killed a guy... over a Barbie?"

"No... she is a manikin. I made her to fit her wedding dress..."

"Out of what?"

"Wax."

"Where did you get enough wax to make... her?" he looked over at the now disturbed water.

"I have a lot of candles and I can put them in a pot above fire. And... I can sculpt. After dreaming of her so much, she was imprinted in my mind."

He laughed.

"What?"

"Dude... you're such a loser!"

"What do you mean?"

He laughed harder. "You make Barbie's of chicks that you dig? What the-" he let his head hang back with laughter.

I licked my lips and rolled my eyes. He was right...

"That's so creepy! Wh-why would you do that?"

"I was obsessed over her, Erole..."

"Really?" he was sarcastic now.

"Yes... hard to believe, no?"

"You draw her so much, why didn't I guess that before?"

"Yes... in the art room, I posted my pictures..."

"Genny won't be too happy with that, now will she?" his smile depleted, mimicking my movements.

I thought about that. She wouldn't like having my previous love posted everywhere. I wouldn't like it either...

"Ah well, we should... probably fish her out, no? It's really creepy that there is a half naked Barbie in your lake."

"You can. I don't want to see her face..."

"Nah, her paint was washed off... now it's just fake hair and white skin. And underwear, of course. And if you don't want to see her face, I recommend that you don't walk into your gallery..."

He jumped into the lake again, falling under the water with a splash.

Then a question hit me after he emerged, looking around for 'Christine', hair falling over his face.

"Why are you swimming in my lake, anyway?" I crossed my arms.

"You don't mind do you?" he looked up from his search.d

"No... as long as you don't...go in the water."

He laughed. His laugh was raspy yet deep, like my laugh. It was my laugh.

He went back under the water, then back up. "I was bored, so I figured why not go swimming?"

"Do you know the last time that I cleaned that lake was?"

"Never... you don't clean a lake."

"I almost killed someone in that lake."

"Did you puke in the water?"

I laughed a breathy laugh. "No."
"Did you use the bathroom in the water?"

"No."

"Did you dump any toxic chemicals in the water?"

"What is your definition of toxic?"

"Anything that could kill me."

I thought for a minute. "Er... no. Wait... yes, no. Definitely no."

He went under the water. I guess he didn't care that there had been dirt, bacteria and algae in that water.

When he emerged, his arms wrapped around a white manikin. The hair was damp, straight, and pulled over the blank face. He stumbled to shore, the wax heavy and puling him down.

My lake had been improved. When I had tried to kill Raoul, it was shallow n the deepest part of it. I had deepened it... yet made it gradually deepest in the middle. The sides were still shallow. I was tired of people just stepping from my lake to my lair. So, they could swim or drown now.

He dragged the half naked wax woman to shore, his body shiny and his tattoos glistening.

"What the Hell?" Genevieve stared at the strange sight and her eyes widened.

"He.... he" he was out of breath, "he's a creep-p and made a doll of h-h-his obsession!"

"Excuse me?" she looked at me.

"Just a sizing manikin..." I helped him up.

Whoa! Woooo...

Bubbles filled my wide, burning eyes. Clear, blue water soaked my clothes and made it impossible to breath.

I sunk. I felt myself sinking. I saw him appear, cheeks puffed to preserve air. I smiled and waved my arms toward hum. I propelled myself towards him and smiled. I blew bubbles through out of my nose. I grabbed his boxers and pulled. I didn't look, but he laughed under the water and his face flattened. He grabbed my shirt and twisted it in his fist. I smiled, revealing my teeth now. We both had fake vain in our eyes as we pretended to fight underwater. We made stupid sounding karate sounds. He went up for a brief breath of fresh air. I followed. When I did, I threw off my shoes and socks. He grabbed on my ankle and pulled me down. I grabbed his arm and twisted one way with one fist, the opposite way with the other. Indian burn. He groaned, but it didn't seem to effect him too much. He grabbed my shirt and threw me towards the bottom of the lake. I grabbed a rock on the side of the lake to keep from falling to the bottom of the pool. He began to swim towards me and I swam towards the middle of the lake. I felt the collar and sleeves come off, and turned to see them hanging on the edge of the lake. Erole laughed after he went up for air and grabbed the remaining fabric on my chest. He pulled me up and let me breath, for my face was turning blue. I laughed as did he and we splashed around on the surface. I pulled him down and he grabbed the remains of my shirt once more. I heard Genevieve yelling something, but I ignored it. This was- whoa! I felt my back hit the bottom of the lake and he landed on top of me. I kicked him in the gut lightly and he grabbed my shirt as he fell off of me. He pulled my shirt with him as I held onto swam up forward, but he stayed down. I was shirtless and so was he. Fair game now. I was amazed at how clean the water was. Had I cleaned it...? Ah ha! I laughed out loud as I breathed more air, his head following me. He twisted his fist in my shorts. He pulled them down and he laughed.

"Erole!" I yelled, my face turning red. I splashed him as I now was on the surface.

He threw them on shore and pushed on my chest. I forgot that I was in my underwear and pushed him down to the bottom. His hand pushed me up.

"What are those?!" his bubbly voice was barely audible.

"What?" I couldn't even understand myself.

He pointed to my legs. Ah.

I would answer that later. I threw him by the arm to the surface. He did not fight back. He swam then crawled onto the shore. He was laughing, although he was so out of breath and tired that they sounded pathetic. He laid on the stone ground, his laughs filling the air. I followed and rolled him over on his back. I bent my knee and put my foot on his back.

"Victory!" I yelled, laughing with Erole and putting no weight on his back at all.

"Fine, Captain Morgan!" he smiled and turned his head so that he could use his face.

We laughed and I helped him up. His hand slipped the first time, forcing me to laugh once more. Once up, we heard a new giggle. Genevieve.

Erole kept laughing but I was silent. How could I do that in front of Genevieve? Fighting in water was so immature... ugh. I just made a fool of myself in front of my love. Great... and she was laughing. Ohh... I was in my underwear too... gah. My stomach felt queezy and Erole stopped laughing.

"What's wrong?" he looked me while I stared at Genevieve who stared at me.

Genevieve's eyes scanned me. I blushed and my whole body shook.

"You cold?" he threw a towel that he got from somewhere over my back.

Genevieve broke out in a full laugh. "E-Erik!"

I wrapped the towel around my body as I let it hang down on my back.

"Where are you goin'? What about a rematch?" Erole and Genevieve's eyes followed me.

And I slammed the door.

***************************************-----------------------------------------------------------------

"Erik! Unlock the door..." Her voice was accompanied with three knocks.

I pulled the shirt over my chest. I slammed the drawer shut and glared at the door in which they stood behind.

"Dude... what happened?" Erole also joined.

This was embarrassing. She saw that I was an immature idiot who swam in their underwear. I wasn't, but something about Erole... his actions. He was so fun and insane. I... I liked it. It was like looking into an alternate me. The successful, happy, exciting one. And he followed me around and was going on a plane with me for hours on end. I... I don't know why I acted the way I did.

"Erik... please?" she pleaded.

"I still don't know what's going on..."

"Erole, shut up."

"What? I don't see why we are doing this. The guy's changing. What a crime."

"Oh, fine!" I walked over to the door in a hurry, unlocked it, and threw it open. Erole was still half naked and Genevieve looked beautiful. As usual.

Genevieve took initiative and stepped into the room confidently. Not angry... but confident and speedy. Erole followed tediously and looked at me who was lost in Genevieve.

"Erik..." she sat on my bed and smiled, all confidence now turned into love and nurturing, "what's the matter? You just... stormed out of there..."

"Oh, what do you think? I just embarrassed myself in front of my dearest and my brother..." I sat next to her, my hair still damp as my head fell into my hands.

"What are you talking about? Dude! I've never seen you not stuck up and dark. You actually had fun, didn't you?" Erole smiled at me and sat next to Genevieve.

"Well... it was fun... but still. I was in my... undergarments... and... that itself ruins it..." I looked up and let myself enjoy the feeling of Genevieve's hand on my back. Slowly moving up and down, then kneading my neck softly upon reaching the top.

"Oh, don't think that. You... you look... cute with... no pants on..." she sounded awkward and looked like it when I looked up at her.

"I still don't get why they are so tight, though..." Erole played with the fabric on the sheets.

"They are boxer-briefs. Tight boxers... I wear them so that... fabric does not bunch up with my tighter pants."

Genevieve giggled and turned red. Her hand moved away from my back and gripped her tight thigh.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have brought that up..." I blinked at her. (OH MY GOSH! PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR LETTING ME GET THIS STUPID! UGH... I PROBABLY SOUND like SUCH A MARY SUE TALKING ABOUT HIS UNDERWEAR PREFERANCES!)

"Oh that's alright..." she loosened up, "it's just that I never thought of it..."

"I doubt that anyone has..." I smiled and let my hand stroke her back.

A day later, I sat in my bedroom, looking at the changing room door.

"Almost done?"

"Hold on..." her voice sounded struggled.

The door opened. "Do you like this one, or the shiny green one?"

She wore a dress that went just an inch below her knees. It was a deep purple that shined just the slight. She wore black and purple high heel shoes with a tiny bow on top. She wore black earrings and black necklaces around her neck. Bright purple necklaces and bracelets accompanied it. She looked so beautiful...

She was dressing for a dinner. She was packing a conservative outfit, a slightly-conservative dress which was this one, a comfortable outfit for the plane, a really conservative outfit, and a revealing outfit in case she needed to role play for anything. I have been sitting here for an hour telling her which one I liked and which ones I didn't. I liked all of them. I didn't care... she looked amazingly stunning in anything she wore. She could wear mans clothing and look feminine and wonderful.

"Erik.... wake up and smell the roses..." she leaned on the wall with her arm.

"I- I like it" I went back to the book that I was reading. The romance novel. Stacy likes John who likes Carla, but Carla likes Stacy, but she also likes John a little. So she was lesbian? But she liked John... ah well. This was so emasculating... both the book, and the fact that I was being asked for fashion advice from Genevieve.

"You have said that with every outfit... say something different or something..." she looked at herself in the tall mirror. She skimmed her palms over her waist. "I'm fat....I'll go with the green. It makes me look skinny."

"You aren't fat..." I rolled my eyes. At Genevieve, and at how Jessica was giving up Brad for Jamie in my book. Jamie was a boy, yes. I would kill myself if my name was Jamie. Girl name.

"I gained five pounds..." she looked at my reflection with her reflection.

"Since when?" my mouth hung open in disgust.

She looked around the room. "Six months..."

"I barely eat, and I gained five pounds in the last six months."

"Eh..." she almost tripped on her shoes when she entered the dressing room.

She was so self conscious in front of me. I saw her in front of Gabby and she insisted to her that she was so much prettier than her, despite her face. I turned the page in my book. This was such a girl book. I had no business reading it, but I wanted to find out if Herold gets Nadia or George. He was confused. Weirdest book that I have ever read... and I have read a lot of books.

She exited with her suitcase in hand, normal clothes. She wore denim shorts that went right above her knee. Yellow shirt. Those odd black and white shoes with little soles.

"Well... let's go... we have to take Erole to go buy a real suitcase..." she put on sunglasses and her hair was curled. She curled it slightly, it hanging past her face and shoulders.

We stepped out of the room, the only sound, our shoes clicking. Why we did not talk was unknown. I didn't like the silence... but it was no use starting a conversation now, for we were at his door.

We moved him to the peacock bed. He didn't like it... but once he fell into the soft sheets for the night, he quickly stopped the complaints. Genevieve spent the night with me in my bedroom when I slept. I slept once a month now. Unless something drastic made me so exhausted that I couldn't move, I stayed up. She wanted to stay up with me, but she usually fell asleep, arm hanging over my chest.

"Erole!" Genevieve knocked on the door with her knuckles, "let's go!"

"I'll be right there!" he yelled, his voice muffled from the door.

I followed her to the main room. She sat down at the stool to the organ, staring at the keys.

"What's the matter, Love?" I sat next to her, "you aren't yourself."

"Oh, you won't care..." she traced her fingers over the keys.

"Oh, yes I will..." I wrapped one arm around her back gingerly, "I always care, Love."

She swayed and smiled. "Well... I-I have just... always wanted to be able to play an organ..."

"That's not it... I can feel it."

"Yes it is...!" she looked at me and pressed a random key. E.

"You know of everything..." I stared at her, "but you don't know how to play an organ? Even an idiot like me can do that..." I nuzzled my lips on her neck as she giggled.

"I never thought of it. I can play piano... is it like that?"

"How about I play you a song and you can be the judge of that, eh?" I placed my hands on home row keys.

"What will you play?" she scooted away to give me room. I wanted her to stay.

"Look through my music, and tell me which one you like..." I handed her the thick folder of my originally composed music.

She look intimidated and warily opened the round folder. "Big..."

I smiled. This was every piece of organ music that I owned. Composed. I never wanted to divide it into their own individual folders, for I liked it all in one place.

At last, she pulled out a paper from the large stack. "This one looks interesting..."

She held it up. The notes were complicated and were played fast. "But I'll pick another one..."

"Why?" I smiled, tapped my fingernails on the porcelain keys, practicing the song silently.

"It looks too hard..."

"I composed it... if you like it, I can play it" I smiled. She knew nothing of my talent. I would show her gradually... starting with this.

She slowly handed it to me who moved it to my stand built into the wood.

"Come closer to me. You are too far away..." I closed my eyes as she leaned her head on my arm. The notes varied from high to very low, but I would make it work.

I played the first note. It was slow to move to the next and then there was a whole rest. It then became incredibly fast, complicated, and interesting. I felt her head come up and she stared at my hands who ranged from the right side of the keyboard, to the left, then middle, then right, etcetera. I

heard her moan and her mouth dropped agate.

The climax was starting and she stared between my face, which looked at her, to my hands.

Ending the song with three sudden accented notes, we sat in silence. She stared at my still hands, now moved onto home row.
"How- how did you do that? W-while looking at me?"

"I memorized the song... that one is older."

She shook her head, lips still open. She leaned on me again and pressed another random note. F.

"So... is organ like piano?" I followed her movements, grazing my bare hands over the keys.

"Oh! Oh... I-I I don't know... sure?"

"You weren't thinking of that, were you?"

"No... I was lost in your music. You are an amazing composer and player Erik. Beautiful..."

A 'D' filled the air.

"Thank you... I have enough time for a lot of practice..." I grabbed her hand and guided her towards home row, "sit on my lap."

"What?" she awoke from her trance at my strange request.

I smiled and patted my thigh. She awkwardly moved closer to me... not quite sure what to do. So, I picked her up from her waist and positioned her on my lap.

"I want a dolly for Christmas..." she made her voice sound childish and young.

I smiled and adjusted my hands on top of hers. I slid my fingers in between hers. She wrapped her fingers around my hand as my fingers touched the keys. Wherever my hands went, hers would follow.

"What are you doing?" she was laughing at how stupid we must look. Oh well. She was warm and I was cold... her body heat was comforting.

"Teaching you how to play organ."

"What?"

"Just a quick lesson of the key names..."

"Oh, Erik...!"

I began to play a familiar song and she laughed harder as her arms followed mine. "You sweet fool..."

I didn't know what to say to that. Was she complimenting me? Yes... she was just calling me a fool for humor. I smiled at her.

"And her fleece was white as snow!" she sang the last line and smiled.

"I cannot tell you if it resembles piano, for I have never played one..."

"Oh, it doesn't!"

"Well that's good!"

She was calm and interested as I showed and told her the key names and positions.

Then there was splashing again. We looked to see... no one. In the lake, there was no one.

The splashing had to be coming from the catacombs that led to the upstairs stage.

"Who is it?" Genevieve's smile washed off, as did mine. She leaned off off my lap and I stood.

"Georgia! Do you think we should be down here...?" a girl's voice echoed down the halls.

"Ah, relax..." another's persuaded.

I grabbed Genevieve's wrist. " Help me blow out all of the candles..." I hurried and pinched a flame in between my thumb and index finger. She blew others out, while the lair became darker and darker until... nothing.

I heard Erole come out. I rushed over to him, because I knew this place like the back of my hand, and clapped my hand over his mouth. I felt Genevieve's hand on my back, just wanting to stay with me. It was scary down here in the dark. It was scary down here in the light.

The splashes of the girl's steps rushed into the main lake.

"It's so dark in here..." Georgia's voice didn't echo as much.

"Well, it's not like anyone is down here to light them..." the other rang in.

"What about that one girl who interrupted our dance...?" she sounded persuasive, "hey, I feel a candle holder... I have matches, hold on."

I heard a soft scrape and the room lit up from the candle. She lit up more as she discovered them. It lit up the door to the gallery, the organ. And the door to Erole's room.

But I had guided them silently behind the organ. I lit a candle once they did to light Genevieve's and Erole's sight.

I heard them walking around, in ballet shoes. They were dancers... whoop de doo.

"When I snap," I looked at Genevieve, "laugh like you did at the opera, okay?"

She nodded.

"Erole," my voice was nearly inaudible, "Follow my movements on the other side of the room. Mimic me like you did at Benny's shop."

He nodded.

"Erole, do you see that ladder?" I pointed to the rusty ladder on the side of the wall.

He looked at nodded.

"Climb up that silently. It is still hidden by darkness..."

He slowly stood, then cautiously put one foot on top of the other to climb.

I smiled at Genevieve. "I will be near you when I snap..." and I stood to leave for my plan.

She held my cloak. "Wait... you are going to leave me alone?"

"I must... will you be okay?" I kneeled next to her as I listened to the girls chatting about me and Genevieve.

"Yes, just go..." she smiled, "if you are going to make this funny, then please go."

I smiled and silently climbed up a rope to the rafters of my lair. I saw Erole, staring at me. I winked.

"This is the cue..." I mouthed and made a fist, "to drop down."

He nodded and mimicked my fist. I smiled and so did he. I realized that he was practicing and held up my hand. He did it quickly before I even finished. He was good.

I stood up from my crouch, and so did he. I moved my hand to tell him to crouch down again. I stood above Genevieve, who stared at the girls. I stomped lightly to get her attention. She looked up and twitched a quick smile.

"Mask" I mouthed, and covered my face with my palm.

"How?" she mouthed.

I looked around, seeing a rope. A thin rope.

I grabbed it and threw one end down to Genevieve. I held the other. I pointed to my eye as she held the mask, trying to figure out how to attach the rope.

"Hey look... a rope!" one of the girls sounded amused. We froze, then Genevieve hurried to tie the rope around the eye hole. I heard them walking towards us. What would I do?

I looked at Genevieve and snapped.

She was caught off guard, but laughed loud and proud. The girls stumbled and yelped.

"Now!" I whispered.

She tied the knot and I yanked the rope up. I was about the grab it when I yanked it up more because I couldn't reach it. Then, the mask hit the wooden board. It broke it two, but I caught the fallen piece in the other hand.

DAMN! That was my last mask... now I had nothing. Except these two pieces. I sighed aggravatingly at my own stupidity and stood. I leaned over to see the girls, one a curly-haired blonde, cowering away from the source of the laugh.

Genevieve took initiative and yelled warnings of staying away. I was focused on my mask to notice what she said.

I saw Erole, still crouching, but now staring at me with concern. I held up the two pieces of mask for him to see and his eyes widened. I shrugged and so did he. I placed the broken mask pieces on a board behind me and forgot about it. I looked at the girls who now looked at each other in the silence.

I gave Erole the signal.

I dropped, then he dropped. The girls squealed at our sudden appearance, masks missing. A gruesome sight.

We stepped towards them in sequence.

"GEROGIA!" the chubby one screamed as they backed away from the slow stepping ugly men approaching them.

They cried and held onto each other and fell onto their knees. "WE'RE SORRY! WE WERE ONLY CURIOUS! WE SWEAR WE WON'T TELL! PLEASE SPARE US, MR. PHANTOM!"

Erole began to laugh. Loudly. Then I followed, only to keep the same.

"Mr. Phantom?!" we both said as the girls loosened up and stared, "that sounds like a gangster name!"

"Yeah!" Genevieve stepped out from behind her hiding place, "Mr. Phantom... wow."

Everyone laughed and the girls stood, trying to laugh with us. They were too scared to actually laugh.

"There- there are three phantoms? A man, a second man, and a woman?" one whispered to the other.

"Yes... three..." Erole said, and I followed. This was harder than it looked to copy someone.

That was when the girl stumbled up and ran away screaming. They splashed, making both Erole and I wet. Well, wetter. We were knee deep in water. They were soaking because they had to swim in order to get here.

"Shouldn't we go get them?" Genevieve stood next to us as the girls turned the corner, one stumbling over their feet.

"Ah, let them go. No one will believe them..." I responded as the laughing stopped.

"PPPPHHHHHTTTT!" Erole broke out, "MR. PHANTOM!"

He laughed when no one else did. What was so funny? She didn't know my name... what else was she to call me?

She lay next to me, arm wrapped around me. I had pulled the blankets on top of her already warm body, and mine. She would get cold as she slept. Tonight she decided to lay her head on my chest also. I let my fingers graze through her hair. Her breathing was soft and I loved the sound. She was sound asleep, while the freak that she loved lye awake. I didn't feel tired, but I felt a twang of hunger. I always stayed with Genevieve until she awoke and we would spend the morning together. But tomorrow, I wouldn't. I would make her breakfast... and Erole too. Why not? And me. We were leaving at four in the morning... so I would awake early. Well, in an hour. It was midnight... and they would take up at two. I would allow myself an hour. In the meantime... I would enjoy her. She moved a little and made a little groan. She was dreaming. Of what, though? It would be interesting to know what goes on during people's heads when the dream. Was she dreaming of me? Of Erole? Gabby? I wondered what Gabby was doing right now... well, obviously, she was sleeping. At home. What was she dreaming of?

I let my fingers stay still now. I was deep in thought about people. What had they thought of? How many times do they change their thoughts throughout the day? Why do people think the things they do?

And my thoughts drifted as I stared at the clock, lit by a very dim candle. I always kept a candle lit at night now. In case she needed to get up or she was scared. I would do anything for her.

Anything.

AUTHORS NOTE!

YOU AN REVIEW IF YOU'D LIKE! I WON'T BEG OR PLEAD, BUT I DO LIKE REVIEWS! I ALSO LIKE GOOD FEEDBACK! TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO BETTER OR TELL ME WHAT I DID WELL!