Éponine left Erik to get dressed while she went to find their son. She could understand why he would have been afraid of Erik. A masked man that he had only heard about in vague stories appearing and touching his mother in a way he had never seen before. He was the only one she had hugged in his whole life.

"Erik?" Éponine called as she walked down the corridor. He wasn't in the library or his nursery. "Erik, come out dear."

"Mum," Erik appeared from one of the rarely used rooms. He had tears streaming down his face still. "Where have you been?"

"I have been with... Erik." She said softly, kneeling down at the boy's height and stroking his cheek. "Why are you crying?"

"I was scared."

"Don't ever be scared, dear." Éponine replied smoothing the boy's hair back. "What have you been doing?"

"I was reading a book, but I couldn't pay attention." He shook his head and grabbed Éponine into a hug, burying his face into the crook of her neck. "Is he gone?"

"He's not going to be leaving." Éponine replied, "He's your father."

"No!" Erik snapped, crying again. "I don't want a father. I just want my mother. I don't need a father."

"Everyone needs a father. You always wanted a father."

"No. No." Erik's voice gradually got louder, "NO!"

"Erik, hush." Éponine held his chin in her hand, staring him straight in the eyes. "He is your father."

"Make him leave."

"No," Éponine gritted, grabbing the boy's hand. "Let's retry your introduction."

"Let me go! I don't want to."

"Erik." Éponine pulled him along the hall, "Don't you want your mother to be happy?"

"Yes." The boy's voice was quiet and ashamed. She knew that to him she was his everything. In that way he was just like his father, he was possessive. "Then at least try."

Erik was silent as she led him back towards her bedroom, knocking hesitantly to make sure Erik was dressed.

"Come in."

Éponine pushed the door open, letting Erik follow her in. He clutched to her dress like a scared little boy. "Erik, come on now. You promised." She gave her husband a sceptical look as she tried to pry their son from her legs. "Come on."

"I don't bite," Erik said, crouching low and extending his hand towards his son. He kept a safe distance, not for his child's sake but for his own. He still couldn't believe it was real.

"Stay away!" Erik clutched her legs tighter, burying his face into the soft fabric of her dress.

Éponine watched Erik close his eyes as his efforts weren't working. There was hurt in his eyes as he looked up at her with a disappointed shrug. "What can I do?"

"Erik, I thought you wanted to make mummy happy?" Éponine jerked a leg forward to make him lose his hold. She pulled him away, holding him to her side. "He won't hurt you."

"Make him take off the mask."

Erik and Éponine locked eyes, he shook his head and she nodded. "He can't do that, love."

"Why not?"

"Because, if I scare you now you will be frightened to death by what's beneath it." Erik replied gravely, staring at the handsome child that he couldn't believe was from his seed.

"Erik," Éponine chastised staring at the grown man, "You don't need to frighten him like that."

"Can't you make him leave?" The boy begged, clutching his mother's hand tightly.

"No. Your mum loves him and he is not going anywhere." Éponine let out a heavy sigh, trying to think of some way to apply reason to this situation. Between Erik and her they were doomed to have an obstinate child. "Please, dear, I promise you nothing is going to change how much I love you. If you're worried about that."

Erik took a deep breath and took a hesitant step towards his son, "I'll go if you want me to."

"No." Éponine gasped, but Erik shook his head and silently told her to let him finish.

"But I was hoping I could show you how to play that pianoforte properly."

"You play?"

Erik nodded with a smile, seeing a light in his child's eyes. "I think that must be where you got that passion for playing."

"No, mum taught me."

"But, I taught your mum." Erik grinned at Éponine. "Would you like me to teach you?"

"Maybe," Erik replied as he looked up at the man. "But you have to promise not to hurt mummy. She's cried an awful lot about you."

Éponine blushed and patted Erik's head, smiling at her husband. "Children and the things they say." She laughed embarrassedly, biting her lip.

"Well, I promise to never hurt her again." He couldn't help but look down at his hands with remorse. "And I promise to never hurt you."

"What's your name?"

"Erik."

"Father."

Erik looked between his parents.

"Call me whatever you want to."

The young boy held his hand out, shaking his father's hand nervously. "Can you call him something else, mummy?"

Éponine chuckled, patting the boy's head. "No he's been Erik longer than you, you can be my dear or little Erik." She smiled at Erik, seeing the pride in his eyes as he stared at his child. "But we can't tell anyone that he's here."

"Why not?"

"Because," She sighed, not knowing how to explain that they were prisoners when she had never let on to that. "Because-"

"Because what kind of phantom would I be if I let more than my family know about me?" Erik gave a hearty laugh and beckoned Éponine to him. "I never want to have to leave your mother and you ever again." He pressed a kiss onto her hair.

"Why do you touch her like that?"

"Dear, there are things that adults do that are adult things to do. I haven't been able to do them because Erik has not been here. I was faithful to him. You know the marriages you read about in your stories?" The boy nodded, eyeing Erik as he wrapped his arm around his mother's waist. "Well, Erik and I are married and there are things that adults do when they're married. You'll just have to learn to adjust."

"May I go back to the music room?"

"Would you like me to come to?" Erik asked quickly, yearning to hear Éponine singing again.

"No." He shook his head, taking a few careful steps backwards. "I want to be alone."

"Erik," Éponine frowned as he rushed towards the door. "Come bac-"

"Let him go, he'll adjust. If he's anything like me he needs time to think this all through."

"He's only ten."

"He's just been given a father and pushed out of his mother's full attention. I never had a mother of my own but I know how jealous I feel when clings to you."

"He's our son." Éponine laughed as Erik held her close.

"But he still has more of your attention then I do."

"Honestly are you two going to be fighting over my attention?" Éponine leaned up to press her lips against his. "You have a very different part of my attention."