Here is another update for you! Sorry it took so long for me to get it posted. I'm trying to keep Erik in character, not sure how I'm succeeding though. Any feedback is welcome! Enjoy!

For Disclaimers see the previous chapters..you know the drill.

Over the next few weeks Erik and Jenna settled themselves into a comfortable routine. Erik showed her the ins and outs of architecture, and what he would need from her. Bernard showed her their ledgers and explained the process from the time a client comes into the office to the completion of a building. It was a lot for her to take in, but she learned fairly quickly.

Bernard and Erik also learned more about Jenna. She was very good with people, and was very good at soothing ruffled feathers regarding Erik's adamant refusal to meet with any clients. She was also very organized and by the end of the first week she had redone all of Bernard's files and gotten them all in place. She had done the same thing back at the Estate when she found Erik's study to be a center of chaos and mayhem.

Erik had laughed at her when he came into his study one afternoon and found her surrounded by a sea of papers, blueprints and receipts.

"Don't you know what folders and file cabinets are for Erik? I found receipts here from 35 years ago!"

He merely chuckled at her and moved to his desk, only to find that she had cleaned it up for him. He shook his head "Thank you my dear"

She looked up at him confused, but saw that he was at his desk and smiled "You're welcome Erik"

Once she had cleaned and organized things at the Estate she moved into the room connected to Erik's study and set up her own little office in there. She moved her laptop down there and began to study Erik's habits. Once she figured out his habits and quirks she was able to work with Bernard and Erik and they soon worked like a well-oiled machine.

However Bernard was beginning to notice that both Erik and Jenna were becoming increasingly frustrated by their inability to recognize their own feelings for each other. It was obvious to Bernard that they had feelings for each other, but they were both so wrapped up in their work that they didn't see it. He knew it would come to a head very quickly if things kept going the way they were.

And come to a head it did. Jenna and Erik were working in his study, it was past midnight and they were both tired and a bit snappish.

"Erik, I need those sketches for tomorrows meeting!"

"Reschedule the meeting then"

"I can't reschedule again! I already have put these people off 3 times already!" she said exasperatedly.

"Well, put them off one more time" he growled.

She frowned "Erik, they don't have to be perfect, they are only preliminary sketches anyway!"

He glared at her "I will not argue with you on this subject anymore. You will just have to tell them they are not finished and they will have to wait"

"If we tell them that they will walk"

"Then let them! They are nothing but a bloody thorn in my side anyway! Their ideas for their home is uninspired! They have no imagination!" he spat.

"Damnit Erik! We can't just let an account like this walk away! Who cares! They are paying you a pretty penny to build it for you!"

"And what would you know of this anyway! I will not have you talking to me like a dull child!"

"Well if you would stop acting like a petulant child I may stop treating you like one!" she countered.

"Petulant child!" he roared as he swept his arm and sent everything on his desk crashing down to the floor. "How dare you! I've been doing this for far longer than you have been breathing! And seeing as how this is MY business I will do as I see fit and I will not have a teenager telling me how to run my business!"

His insult hit it's mark, as soon as the words had left his mouth he wished he could take them back. He was surprised when she picked up a glass and threw it across the room to have it shatter on the wall.

"Screw you Erik! You were the one who asked me to help you! I never asked for this job! You offered it to me! Remember! If you don't like how I'm doing things then you can get yourself someone else to do my job because I'm sure as hell not going to take this BS from you!" she yelled before storming out.

If she had glanced back at Erik she might have smiled at the look of shock on his face at the fact that she had matched his temper with her own and walked away alive.

She stormed up to her room and slammed the door and began to pace the length of her room before giving up and going to bed. She woke early the next morning and was determined to be out of the house before Erik woke up. She showered and dressed; as much as she didn't want to she had to go into Paris for meetings.

She walked downstairs and sat down at the breakfast nook, Henri appeared with a cup of coffee and a croissant. She smiled up at him "Thank You Henri. I'll need the car to go into Paris this morning"

"Very Good Mam'selle. Monsieur Erik told me that he would be accompanying you into Paris today"

Jenna nearly spit her coffee out; instead she burned the roof of her mouth. "What? He's coming with me?"

"Oui. He said he wanted to depart at 9am"

She looked at the clock and saw she only had 15 minutes. She glanced at her coffee and breakfast and back at the clock. Henri took the plate from her and cup.

"I'll just go put this into a bag and a mug for you to take with you"

She smiled "Thank you Henri, I would appreciate that"

She hurried up to her room and collected her bag and jacket. She went downstairs and grabbed her coffee and croissant and sat in the car. She was surprised to see Erik waiting for her.

The car pulled away, and an uncomfortable silence descended upon them. She sipped her coffee, choosing to wait till they arrived in Paris to eat her breakfast.

"Running a bit late?" he asked sarcastically.

She glared at him and took a sip of coffee not bothering to answer him. He smiled wryly but said nothing else. They finally arrived in Paris; he dropped her off at the office.

"I will return for you in an hour. Be ready to return to the estate"

She didn't get the chance to respond. She merely groaned and walked up the stairs to the suite. Bernard didn't say anything to her about her apparent bad mood. They went over the ledgers and worked out appointment times and such before their hour was up. She pulled her jacket on and went down to the street. She saw the car waiting for her; she opened the door and climbed in.

Erik was studying her intently, but silently. She refused to let him know he was making her uncomfortable so she busied herself with staring out the window. Erik couldn't help but watch her. Even when she was furious with him she was beautiful, he wanted to apologize for the things he had said to her the previous night but she wouldn't even look him in the eye.

He was afraid that she wouldn't go into the city as she had planned, he was relieved when she had appeared in the car. Even if she was mad, she was still there. She hadn't left him yet.

Jenna could feel his gaze on her and she was getting irritated. Erik saw her twisting her fingers in her skirt, a sign of her irritation. He sighed; he had ruined his chance with her. He had ruined things with Christine all those years ago and now he had done the same thing. With his cursed temper he had crushed the tender trust that they had built up.

"When will you be leaving?" he asked, his voice hollow.

The vehicle stopped in front of the manor. She cocked her head before getting out when Henri extended his hand to help her out. She turned back to Erik. "What do you mean leave? You…you want me to leave?" she managed to choke out.

Oh my god…he's kicking me out. He wants me to leave.

The heartbroken look on her face lanced through his heart "I just assumed that after last night….I don't want you to leave" he added softly.

She took a step towards him, and then looked around at Henri and the chauffeur before taking his hand "Come on, let's talk about this in private. Alright?"

He nodded and let her lead him through the foyer and down the corridor and to his study. She took off her jacket and sat down on the sofa in front of the fire and motioned for him to join her. He sat down stiffly, taking great care not to touch her.

"Erik, why would I leave?"

"Because that's what everyone does…they see me and they leave" he answered brokenly.

"Erik, we fought and said some things that we didn't mean. And yes it still hurts but I'm not going to leave just because of that."

He chanced a glance at her and saw the affection in her sapphire eyes. He could lose himself in her eyes if she would let him. She reached out and took his hand hesitantly "Erik, I'm not going anywhere…not until you ask me to go" she said softly.

He let his hand curl around hers and he moved closer to her. "I never want you to leave," he whispered.

She nodded, shifting herself closer to him. "Then I won't leave…ever"

His golden eyes filled with tears, she watched as one spilled out and down his cheek. She wiped it away with the pad of her thumb. The contact of her flesh on his caused him to jerk back.

"Erik, I won't hurt you…trust me" she said as she wiped another tear away.

"I do trust you'

She nodded as she brought her face closer to his and kissed his cheek. He closed his eyes; more tears spilling down his cheeks at the feel of her lips on his neglected skin. She pulled back and saw his eyes closed and his lips trembling. She cupped his unmasked cheek with her hand and brought her lips to his.