Little Lotte- I don't care what you say, you are perfect, you are every bit worthy of my envy, and Erik would obviously choose you over me. You really are my everything, and I have NOTHING bad to say about you, for one can't find fault in an angel, the only person worthy of our Erik's love.

I Love you!

Thanks for all you who are reading, I never thought this story would have this many readers. I just want to warn you all, there is a good chance you won't get another post till next Friday. Sorry! I have a really busy week, because I am leaving for a trip to New York City on Sunday, and have tons of things to do before it, I won't be returning till Wednesday, and the next day I shall not have time, thanks to my school's talent show I am participating in, with my Lotte of course ( we are doing Phantom). Once again sorry for the inconvenience, I shall try my best to post before Sunday, but I can't make any promises.

Chapter 26

"So, where is your Erik today?" Murtagh tried to instill some small talk, after the awkwardly silent walk to the cafe.

"Actually, I have no idea. He normally leaves a note when he goes out, but nothing."As the low class brat I am, I shrugged my shoulder, not caring if the aristocratic women who sat near us shot me degrading looks.

"How did he take the news?"

"He can't wait!" I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily, looking into the dark swirls of my tea.

He understood my feelings on the subject, and changed topics quickly, as to make sure I wouldn't cry again, not in public.

"So, isn't this place beautiful?" He asked, motioning to the English style decor .

"It is, how on earth did you find it? I thought you only knew how to find the best bars." I teased him playfully, as I always do.

"I am not completely hopeless Ace! As a matter of face, I come here often with Meg."

"So, Meg found this place?" The tips of his ears turned the familiar red, supporting my thought.

"Yes, but give me some credit little sister, I keep returning." That grin returned to his handsome face.

How I love that smile. How perfect it is. His smile has a charm about it, it could cause even the most morbid elder, to laugh as a gay youth. One can't be mad when he breaks out that smile. I can't deny my brother is attractive, any girl would be lucky to have my smart ass Scout, I'm glad it is my Meg that has captured his heart, he deserves her, as she does him.

"How are things between you and Meg?" I asked causally, knowing the answer, but it gives us something to talk about.

"A little bumpy to be honest." He ran his hand through his dark locks,

"We seem to be getting into a lot of fights lately," He paused, a sinful look upon his face.

"But we make up, a lot actually, definitely something I don't complain about, some of the things you girls learn in that opera house of yours..." It took all the strength in me not to spit my tea out with his words. The women starred at us, their noses turned up at us, be who cares what they think?

"You girls? How would you know what we are like in bed?" I asked, the tips of his ears red.

"Well, I meant that as more of a general statement, about Meg's performance, but I have heard talk."

I love watching him squirm under my eye. His face turns beat red, matching his ears. The look in those eyes, it's almost fright, fright of corrupting his innocent sister. This is one of the few times I have ever seen him act like this, He forgets I am no longer his best friend, but his grown sister, to an untrained eye I might have even been considered a lady.

We have never really acted as proper sibling should. We played together as children, climbing trees, wrestling, participating in sports. He treated me different than everyone else. He treated me like a best friend, instead of just some girl. I wasn't pampered to, cared for, locked up in my room to learn the proper way to act like a lady, and I thank god every day he treated me different, and got my family to treat me the same way. How luck I am to have had that. I am not that mindless pretty flower like the rest of my gender, even the lower classes are taught to just look beautiful to attract men. How I despise them for wasting all the potential they could have had, but then again, who would want a smart women? Men like Erik are hard to come by.

"And who have you heard this talk from?" I asked, curiosity getting the best of me. He shifted slightly in his chair, as if he was sitting on needles.

"Well, I would rather not talk about it Ace, if you please."

Does he really think I would give up that easily? How you under estimate me, my Scout.

"Who?" I asked this time, firmer, and slower.

"I ... I can't tell you, he wouldn't want me too." Just as the words slipped from his mouth, I knew he regretted saying them.

Me? What do I have to do with this, no one would know about my performance, except Erik. Erik! He talked to Erik? About that?

"No, you couldn't have... My Erik? You talked to him about that?" the words flowed from my mouth in bewilderment, he nodded his head slightly.

"Don't think I just asked, we sat and talked one day, while you and Meg were at rehearsal, and it just sort of came up." If it was possible, he turned an even deeper shade of rouge.

"And it's not like you don't talk about us with Meg." He protested.

"Let me get this straight, you talked to your girlfriend's father, about your love life? Not to mention he told you about your sister! What sort of tangled web of incest have we weaved!" I couldn't help but drop my jaw at the words that fell from my lips. I buried my face in my palms, trying to get the images of Murtagh and Erik talking of such things out of my mind.

"Well, what did he say?" Murtagh's jaw dropped, as mine had just done.

"What?" He questioned, not sure if he heard me correctly.

"Well, what did he say about it? I'm curious, after all, ha has more to compare my performance to than I have to compare his."

"I ... I can't..." He couldn't find the words, pure shock stuck to his face.

"I can't talk to you about that! Your my sister for heaven sakes!"

so finally he decides it best to limit our conversation to just what siblings should discuss.

"You would tell your Navy buddies about it, but you can't tell me? What ever happened to our free conversations? We could talk about anything before."

"Look, I'm not discussing this that with you, because... well... because I would rather not have the image of my little sister doing such things, even if you are a grown, and an almost married women, it is just not something I need to picture."

"Fair enough Scout."

Don't think me wicked, or disturbed in the mind, but personally, I enjoy hearing Meg's tales of my brother, not because I care how his performance is, but the smile that spreads across her face when she talks about it. How happy he makes her, as Erik does for me.

"Speaking of you being an almost married women, have the two of you set a date yet?" Reluctant to change our subject, I nodded my head.

"He wants September, the twentieth, but I don't think he realizes we need to move the date up, if I am to fit into that angelic dress." His smile returned to his face, and she nodded happily.

"You could always wait till after the child." He suggested.

How dare he say that?

"Scout! Have you gon ill in the head? Wait till the child is born? What if? No, I refuse. I can't bring a bastard child into this world. I can't leave Erik like that, better he be a widower with a child, that is at least respectable." My answer frightened him, I know it does.

I know he told me to forget it, but I can't. How could one forget about such things? How could I forget my mother's ever haunting past?

"And why would I want to delay it? September can't come fast enough." I softened my tone.

"Sorry, Ace... I didn't mean to offend you." He backed off, dropping the subject once more.

We sat there in silence, just sipping our tea, unsure of what to say. Finally, I broke the silence.

"I didn't mean to snap at you Murtagh." I looked up into those Scottish ocean blue eyes.

"It's just..." I couldn't find the words to express my thoughts, then again, I don't know what my thoughts really are.

"I understand." He said plainly, in that serious tone.

"Listen Scout, I wanted to say thanks, for everything. I don't know what I would do without you. If you hadn't came this morning, I'm sure I would have gone mad." He smiled weakly, clasping his hand on my shoulder.

"Thats what I am her for, I will always be here for you, when ever you need me."

What would I do without me scout? How would I have been able to get through this If he had not returned to me?

"You should probably get going, for you have a performance tonight." I nodded and rose from my chair, he followed my action, giving money to waitress, and escorting me out.

"I shall be watching the two of you tonight." He kissed me cheek good bye.

"Good bye scout."

"Good bye Ace, and by the way, he only had the highest praises about you, thinks that would make any man jealous."