Authors Note:: GAWEE! ::whew!:: With much help from Monka ::cheer:: We have the next chapter AND an outline for the rest of the story! There will be an end…unfortunately. But whatever happens DON'T KILL ME! We planned it that way. And be sure to read the alternate endings! Just laugh at their misfortune okay? Much appreciation!

Miss-taken n' Monka.

P.S Pics to come soon as soon as I get to a scanner!!!

Disclaimer:: I don't own Erik. Well… I do own 1/100 of a fuzzy blue elf that I met a while ago. And a part of an elf I found abandoned down the street. And the refrigerator of death is partially mine. Other than that … no.

Chapter 21: A lesson in Music.

"Thank you M. Lebeau!" Carley and Erin chimed. M Lebeau smiled back. Charming young ones those two were.

"Oh, M. Lebeau? Do you know where I could find Michael? He said he needed to talk to me."

"Oh, certainly petite fille. He would be found at the front desk attending some customers." M. Lebeau said. Carley grinned.

"Thank you!" She said. Erin and Carley made their way up to the front desk. Michael was there greeting new people pleasantly. He saw Carley out of the corner of his eye and his smile brightened considerably.

"Yes Madam. Mlle Jenelle* will show you where to find your rooms. Thank you again. Have a good stay." Michael wrapped up the money and wrote something down in a notebook. He looked up as Carley and Erin walked closer.

"Mlle Carley. I have a gift for you." He drew out a beautiful black book, with golden engravings that said Carley with neat calligraphy designs around it.

"It's a journal. I figured since this was your first time in Paris, you could write down what you see." Carley marveled at the book.

"Wow…Michael… I don't know what to say. It's beautiful. I…. It's…Thank you." She said. She flipped through the pages. It was simple yet elegant.

"I love it." Carley said finally. Michael looked extremely pleased. Carley smiled.

"I'm going to go back to my room to write in it." Carley said and turned to go towards her room. Erin turned also.

"Oooooooooh he looooooooves you! He looooooves you." Erin sang teasingly. Carley blushed.

"Yeah, he is really sweet. I like him too." Carley said. Erin smiled.

"No fair. Such a short time in Paris and you already get a boyfriend!' They both laughed and walked up the stairs to their room. They turned in the room and were both surprised by Erik sitting there tuning the violin with a music sheet placed out in front of him. Erin froze.

"Erik… Good morning." Carley said a bit too shocked to speak.

"Good morning to you too." Erik quietly replied.

"Um… what'cha doing?" Erin asked curtly. Erik did not respond to the question but continued to pull the strings taut. Erin circled around to get a better look at Erik and what he was doing. His hands handled the violin as if it was a small child. This Erin admired about him. She had finally found someone who cared as much or maybe even more about violins than she.

"Mademoiselle," Erik paused to pluck and check the tune of the string. "I have watched you very carefully the last couple days and observed your hands. There is nothing wrong with them. I was told of a terrible disaster that confined your hands from ever playing again but… I see nothing wrong. The way you use it…" Erik searched for the words. "I think you can play. Matter of fact I have no doubt. You can play." He held out the violin for Erin to take but she hesitated. "Take it and play. Release your soul." Erin looked deep into Erik's golden eyes for support and, with shaking hands, took the violin. Erik turned the sheet music toward her to read.

Erin raised the violin to her chin. She shakily took a breath and drew the bow towards the violin. Her hands trembled and as soon as the bow hit the string she jerked.

"I… I can't." She stated, defeated.

"You will play." Erik said. His voice was commanding. But gentle. Erin closed her eyes and drew the bow up to the strings. The smooth sound of the violin flowed from the strings. A beautiful song embraced the trio. Erik looked at the music. What was she playing?…

"The Music of the Night…" Carley spoke in an awed whisper. She had tears in her eyes. Erin swayed with the music. It was her rendition of Music of the Night.

Close your eyes for your eyes will only tell the truth, and the truth isn't what you want to see. In the dark it is easy to pretend. That the truth is what it ought to be.

Erin opened her eyes and slowly everything came into focus. She stopped playing. Erik hid a knowing smile.

"I… I don't understand." Carley looked at her in awed silence.

"Erik, will you excuse us for a moment?" She lead Erin away by the hand. Erik looked at the violin and then looked at the sheet of music.

Soon they got out of earshot.

"Erin, don't you understand? I mean, I think I know why you can play. Erin, what do you use to clean your teeth, to sit on, and to sleep on?" Erin didn't answer but wasn't given the chance to. "A toothbrush, a chair, and a bed. Don't you see? You can play because you're a new Erin."

Erin interrupted.

"You are making no sense!"

"No, I mean, just listen. Look at what happened. Neither of us spoke a word of French and suddenly when we come here, we can speak French. I mean really speak French! You're not the Erin that worked at Zap-it Electronics, or lived in a small two-bedroom apartment. You never met that good for nothing Josh, and you never got hurt. I think, that since you remember it, it's more of a psychological hurt, then a physical hurt."

Erin stopped, absorbing this in. She had a small idea of what Carley was saying. It made sense but still…

"I don't know what you're getting at. But, it kind of makes sense."

"Yeah. What do you say we go get those lessons?" Erin grinned. They walked back to Erik.

"So, what about those lessons?" Carley asked. Erik smiled.

"Well, shall we then?"