Wow, and I thought the chapterwasn't that interesting- and then getting so many reviews... lol

here's finally the next one, please R&R if you feel like it... Atrice

Part 22 - Floating, fooling

Erik suddenly knew there was something he should have remembered… they were here for a reason, right? He had put his cape on the sand, and they had just been lying there, together for the last few hours. Lucille had discovered that Erik was ticklish. In fact, it had all seemed so peaceful that Erik had forgotten the world around him – which was a dangerous thing. He jumped up and looked at the sun.

"What is it?" Lucille asked from the cape.

"The time!" she heard him almost roar, and became worried.

"What about the time?" she then asked and sat up, trying to figure out where he had gone.

"We were to sail to Dover… I'd paid quite a lot for us to come, without the skipper asking questions, but now – it's too late!" Lucille could hear him walk back and forwards. But they could just take another boat, couldn't they? She had forgotten for a moment, that Erik wore a mask and had this mysterious aura around him. People would look, they would whisper about him. Any other boat, and perhaps they didn't want him to come with them.

"We'll find another boat… I'm sorry, Erik." Lucille tried, not glad with him being so upset over what seemed like such a little thing to her.

"Everything went as planned – until now! Maybe we're not meant to…" but he didn't finish the sentence, he didn't dare. Erik sank down in the sand, feeling sorry he even said that, he hadn't been thinking about what he said. Of course they were meant to be, he had tried to convince Lucille about it for so long. Then why would he say they weren't? Erik felt someone kneel down behind him and a pair of white and soft arms were laid around him.

"It will be fine, Erik… as long as I am with you, I don't care what happens. Let's go to the port, and figure out something. Come…" she found his hand and helped him up again. Erik followed her to where she could hear the horse – very near the cape, which she picked up on the way. She swished it around him and closed it, smiling to him. "You know… I love you so much Erik, that I almost cry by the thought of it. So never think that idea again." She said, and he jumped onto the horse and helped her up too. Could love be that strong?

Eriks emotions were twisted, as they rode towards Calais - somehow he found all this deep love dangerous. When he heard Lucille sing for the first time, he knew right then and there, that there was something different about this girl. The way she moved, her aura, her entire being was so special. Sometimes he was afraid he would hurt her someday, for being so innocent and pure. He had hurt Christine… only mentally though, he never touched her. He wished all those things hadn't happened – then he would also still have the wedding dress, that he had forced her to wear. She had left while wearing it, only leaving the veil behind. Lucille should have worn that dress.. one day, he would have to tell Lucille the whole story about Christine and the Phantom of the Opera, but not yet. Not before they had ended their journey.

Lucille heard the sound of the road change from almost soundless sand, to the clip-clop sound of the horses' hooves on paving. They had entered the town from which they were to leave. The sound of many people was almost overwhelming, now they had been alone for several days without any other people around at all. Lucille almost had a headache, after this wonderful silence and the sound of the ocean on the beach.

"Are we riding towards the port?" she asked him, trying to concentrate on something else than the people she knew were looking at them.

"Yes, we'll be there soon…" Erik said back – he sounded like he didn't feel good about this either, they had to get away as fast as possible. And like he said, soon she heard the sound of gulls again, and tree against tree, waves against tree; the port, with all the ships there. But how would they get onto one, if noone would let Erik aboard their ship? Erik jumped down and let Lucille sit on the horse, while he pulled it and asked people if someone were sailing to Dover soon.

They finally found a small sloop with a friendly and open-mindedskipper, who agreed to take them on. For a smaller amount of money, the horse came with them too. Soon they were out in the open sea, and Erik could before long see Dover on the other side.

"So… why are you wearing a mask?" the skipper suddenly asked – clearly he had been curious all along. Lucille just sat and calmed the horse, listening. What would Erik say? She heard him swish the cape, like he wanted to look special for this. She couldn't see him bow, as he prepared to give a little show of his voice on the boat;

"Oh… we're on our way to a… Masquerade – paper faces on parade. Hide your face so the world will never find you. Masquerade, every face a different shade! Masquerade – look around, there's another mask behind you…" Erik said and made another bow. The skipper was stunned, and so was Lucille. She never heard that song before – she had heard the music box in the old lair, but she never heard the song matching it.

"I've never heard anything like it – you know, you should appear in a play or an opera or something!" the skipper said, and Lucille heard the smile and amazement in his voice. He wasn't suspicious at all, just astonished by the sound of Erik's voice. Even an average person, who usually never listened to good singing, could tell that Erik was special.

"I'll consider it." He said and suddenly had a new idea, which he would discuss with Lucille once they arrived to the place where the journey would end. Soon they could settle down, he thought with a smile - and be married and stay together, without any family or friends to Lucille asking questions. Just the two of them together, forever… or as long as life could last at least.