Goddess-of-dead-love, I'll take a look at your stories later...

glad you still like it, here I finally had time to finish yet another part. Please R&R as always. Atrice

Part 17 - Lucille's proposal

Lucille sat in the sofa, listening to her parents. They walked around in the room, talking. She hadn't told them anything yet – her father had asked her what seemed like a thousand questions, but she hadn't spoken at all.

"The girl has gone crazy, that's the only answer!" her father said, but her mother didn't agree.

"I don't think she did it… we should really ask Artus, since she won't answer." Her mother snapped back, protecting her daughter a bit. She made her way towards the door to the hall, to get to the guest room, but suddenly stopped. Lucille sighed, for some strange reason, she thought she knew why. Erik had come for her, to get her back.

"Coretta, will you please move?" her mother then asked, after a few seconds. Coretta, Lucille thought. Why not Erik?

"No… the only crime Lucille has committed, is being in love with someone that is not Artus. And she has the right decide for herself." Coretta then said, and Lucille was taken aback more than she had ever imagined she could be. Coretta stood up for her, she didn't studder or sound frightened, she sounded superior and in charge. But Lucille's father thundered from the living room.

"As long as she's not married, and living under our roof - she's to do as we say!" said the father and walked around the sofa one more time, with those heavy steps. Something hit Lucille as she thought about what her father said.

"So… if I were married, I wouldn't have to follow your rules anymore?" she said slowly, with a nice and sweet voice – she wanted a good answer.

"Well… yes…" her father said just as slowly. Lucille smiled and jumped up, ran past her mother – Coretta moved as she came – and up the stairs. But she was not half way up when Coretta called for her;

"He's outside – go now, hurry, leave!" Lucille stood still for one second, turned around, ran down the stairs so quickly that she almost fell over, but she reached the door and ran outside down the stairs. She wasn't thinking, she was just acting, and as she reached the bottom step of the stairs outside, someone caught her around the waist and lifted her up on a horse.

Lucille sat on the horse, leaned against Erik – who held her tight with one arm, while the other controlled the horse. He almost didn't want this ride to end now, Lucille sitting so close to him, following the movements of the horse together with him. She had no idea where they were going, but after awhile she heard them ride under a roof. Erik jumped off the horse and helped his light down on the ground.

"Where are we going?" Lucille asked. He had her hand in one of his, as he led the horse to a stable with the other. She trusted him not to let her trip over anything on the way. He left her while taking care of the horse, still not answering her. She had a feeling about it all though…

"Come… they won't find us in my darkness." He said with a smile in the voice, and for the second time he literally swept her off her feet. She put her arms around his neck while he carried her down in the depths below the Operahouse. They didn't speak, but Lucille didn't want him to let her go. This was truly where she felt most safe in the world – in his arms. Quietly, like they were flowing on a cloud and not water, Erik transported them on the boat to his lair. It was only when they arrived that he remembered that it was only the same morning he had left the place. It seemed like days, and the place was a mess. His ignorant rage had knocked over candlesticks, once again splintered mirrors and papers lay all over the floor. Erik helped Lucille off the boat, and left her alone to try to clean up the mess.

She walked around for herself, thinking about everything and nothing. 'He promised me…' she thought to herself. 'My light in darknesspromised to show me light'… she reached the piano and sat down in front of it, touched it. He created music here. Probably sang songs… she loved his songs and what he called music of the night…

"Erik…" she asked out in the dark that surrounded her, without looking up; she heard the rustling of paper stop. He looked up on her – seeing her carressing the piano without actually playing on it. She was so careful, she hardly touched the keys; like she felt all the music the piano had created, and not the piano itself. For a moment he forgot that she maybe waited for an answer.

"I am here…" he then answered from the bank nearest the boat. Lucille stood up from the piano, he could see she wanted to say something important. But she didn't speak… she sang… with a clear voice that stunned him, a voice filled with love - and a question Erik felt he should have thought of long ago:

"All I want is my life, a world with many lights. And you, always beside me, to love me and to see me… so say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Say the word, and let me follow you… Wed me, that's all I ask of you..."