Thanks for all the suggestions, homey g's. I think I've got a pretty good story line set up, thanks to the help of all of you, including Ted! Yay Ted. So on with it then...
I own nothing, and sadly never will.
"Raoul!" Christine called happily, walking out of the Parisian shop and putting on her laced gloves. "What a lovely morning!" she sighed happily to herself, blinking in the bright sunlight.
It was around noon, the morning after Erik and Elsa had visited the dressing room. Now Christine, Raoul, and Danielle were out on the town, shopping to their heart's content. Well, more like Christine's heart's content. Danielle was tiring easily of the trying on of outfits and the testing of silk fans, while Raoul was just trying his best to keep up with them.
"Uh, Christine?" Danielle asked skeptically, appearing behind Christine.
"Hmm?"
"Shouldn't we help him?"
"Help who, darling?" she asked, oblivious.
"Me!" cried Raoul, storming out of the shop behind them, almost hitting the door on the way. He was carrying a large stack of boxes that reached above his eye level, so they couldn't see him glaring angrily at them.
Christine sighed, "Oh, Raoul is fine. He was the one who offered to help carry our things in the first place."
"That was before I knew what 'Things' actually meant!" he gasped.
"Oh, now Raoul," she smiled, standing on her toes and patting him on the head. "Only a few more to go."
"You said that 2 hours ago," he grumbled under his breath, tapping the cobblestone, agitated, with his boot.
Danielle chuckled.
"What was that, dear?" asked Christine, deciding which street to take next.
"Oh, I just said...Lead the way!" he covered.
"Right, dear," she answered, detached, beginning to walk down the street.
"Christine's a little...'Whoo-hoo'! when she's in shopping mode, I take it?" Danielle whispered to Raoul.
"A little!" he gulped as he began repositioning a few boxes-so he could actually see what was in front of him. "Christine!" he cried, beginning to run now, Danielle beside him laughing. "Wait for us!"
"Hurry along! Must shop!" was her rushed reply as she disappeared into another small, street-side store.
"Erik," Elsa said, coming out of her room the same morning. "Can I ask you somethin'?"
"Anything," he said placidly, cleaning his piano with care.
"How do we get home?" was the question, stated rather bluntly.
Erik looked at her and placed the cloth, nicely folded, on the edge of the piano. "I don't know."
"You have to know something. Anything!"
"I do not; I'm sorry," he sighed. "I've been thinking it over, and you mentioned 'time continuum vortex' or something of that sort, and I haven't read one thing in any book, paper or report about them. I don't know what you'll do."
"But...We've gotta get home somehow..." she said quietly.
He could tell this was eating at her and causing her distress. He hadn't felt anything for anyone in a long time, since he lost Christine, but to see Elsa looking so distraught struck him...He walked over to her and placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
"It will be all right," he said.
"I know it will..." she shrugged.
"And you're welcome to stay here as long as you need. That offer hasn't been revoked." He tried a smile.
"Thank you. And don't think I don't appreciate you. You...I..." she stuttered. "Erik," she said, looking at him. "I love you."
Erik stepped back, shocked.
"I've always loved you. I'm sorry to be so forward, but I have. I don't care about the mask, don't even bring it up."
How did she know he was going to bring up his face?
"I love you as a person," she continued. "I admire you. I want to be like you. You're a genius. You'd never know how much I really envy Christine. She has your love," Elsa smiled. "I know it. But it kills me to know how much she hurt you." She sighed. "I'm spilling my heart out to you, I apologize," she turned away. "But...I just wanted to let you know I appreciate you, and I wouldn't want you thinking I'm just another person trying to take advantage of you. I want to be your friend." She held out her hand. "What do you say? Friends?"
Erik looked at her, and at her hand. Was she being serious? How could he trust her? She answered him.
"I know you don't trust people. I don't either. But I trust you. And I hope you can trust me."
Her hand still extended, he took it with his own and held it. "Friends," he said, smiling.
He trusted her somehow. As he had trusted Christine. But it was a better trust. He felt somewhere that she wouldn't betray him like Christine had...He drove the memory from his mind and bent to kiss Elsa's hand.
"Friends, Mademoiselle," he said again. And maybe more, he thought.
She looked at him and smiled. "Thank you Erik." Changing the subject suddenly, she asked something else: "Can I help you with anything around your home? Cleaning? Any way I could help keep the place looking as smashing as you always have it?"
Erik laughed.
"You could polish my violin while I continue polishing the piano."
Elsa's eyes lit up. "So you really play the violin!" she asked excited.
"Yes," he said, somewhat puzzled. "You knew?"
"Yeah. You're movie is also a book. And you play to Christine..."
"Yes, I do play," he said, steering the subject away from Christine. Any time he heard her name, it stung. "Why?" he asked, producing the instrument's case from behind the piano.
"I play. In fact, I can play 'Think of Me'," she smiled proudly.
"Can you really?" he asked, unlatching the case, and handing Elsa a violin that took her breath.
"Gorgeous..."
The instrument was crafted of sturdy wood, glossed with pitch black finish. A red inlay accented the curves of the violin.
He saw her excitement and handed her a tightened, ebony wood bow.
"Play."
"But...Can I?" she asked, raising the bow to the A string hesitantly.
He nodded. "It's already tuned."
She drew the bow across the A string and began playing "Think of Me" as Erik hummed along.
(I can really play the violin! Whoo hoo!) I finally figured out the ruler thing. GEEZ. Took me a while. sigh I'm an $$ when it comes to "technology", people, I beg your forgiveness. Love you all. Review, review, review!