Disclaimer: I own only the storyline and the unaffiliated characters. Thanks for all of your reviews- have you any idea how you inspire me?

cookies n' hugs

Lee

Note- the word 'adlevo' is latin and translates to 'I lift up' or 'I comfort'.

Adlevo

Nadir

Finally. Finally, he stood on the threshold of his own home, after eight hours of surly flight attendents, screaming children and stale airport food.

I will be content if I never see another peanut in my life ever again. He sighed, rubbed at the headache starting behind his eyes. Jetlag was already beginning to catch up to him. He rung the bell.

Christine opened it, face mildly expectant. Expecting who? he wondered briefly. It turned into a dazzling smile that transformed her features. She threw her arms around him, laughing. "Uncle Nadir!"

He set his suitcase on the floor and hugged her back. "Evening, Christine. Have I missed any great excitement?"

She pulled away to look at him and he sensed a weariness behind the smile. "Not particularly. How was your flight?" She picked up one of his suitcases; he took the other and stepped inside and closed the door after him. Home. Thank heavens, no more airports.

He winced. "So help me, I will buy my own jet next time I want to travel." She laughed at his expression and he looked at her indignantly. "It isn't funny at all!"

Her expression steadied, though the ghost of a teasing smile hovered around her lips. "Of course not, Uncle Nadir. Are you hungry?"

He raised a wry eyebrow at her. "When was the last time you ate airline food?"

She cocked an eyebrow right back at him. "I always brought my own."

Nadir tugged one of her curls teasingly at her impudence. "Would that I had had such foresight."

She laughed again. "A good, home-cooked meal will do wonders for you."

"You made something, then?"

"Thankfully, yes." Erik leaned against the door frame, arms crossed, amused. "She wouldn't subject you to your own cooking after an eight hour flight. She was quite vehement about it."

"Charming as ever, Erik." Nadir smiled and shook his head. "How have you been, my friend?"

"I'll go check the fish, shall I?" Christine inserted tactfully, wandering left through the door in the antechamber that led to the kitchen. Erik glanced after her, then back at Nadir. "The same as I've always been, Nadir."

Nadir hesitated. "And Christine?"

"She's a sweet girl."

"But?" Nadir prompted. His voice lowered, intensified. "Erik, something isn't right. She isn't mourning him; for heaven's sake, she should have cornered the market on tissues by now! I haven't heard a word about how she feels about Charles. Not one word! She worries me, Erik."

Erik seemed slightly startled at this rare display of discord, a flash of concern went across his face. He said placatingly, "Perhaps she has talked about it with Mr. DeChagney."

Nadir raised his eyebrows. "What?" Talked about Charles with Raoul?

Erik sighed as his attempt to calm Nadir backfired. "She likes him well enough, and to say that he is interested in her would be a gross understatement. They have been meeting for around a week now. Perhaps she confides in him."

Nadir stared at Erik. "Do you think he could be taking advantage of her emotions?" That was the last thing she needed, and Nadir was not going to tolerate it if that was the case.

Nadir frowned. No, if that was the case, Mr. DeChagney would soon find himself very much unemployed. After receiving an extensive lecture on morality.

"Do you trust him?"

He sighed. "Yes. Raoul is a very nice boy. But is he what's best for Christine, I don't know." He ran a hand through his short hair, greying at the roots. "I'll talk to her about it. Erik-" he paused.

"Yes?"

"Does she still sing?"

Erik smiled faintly. Nadir blinked as the lines of his face softened, the eyes warmed. "Like an angel." he answered softly.

Nadir brushed aside his surprise. "Do you think you could teach her?" He continued calmly in the face of Erik's sudden expressionlessness. "I think it would be healthy for her. A healing process. It was one of the things she shared with Charles, a love for music. Perhaps it could help her with his..." he trailed off. A wave of nostalgia overtook him. The faint strain of a violin, a young girl's high, clear voice, filled his mind.

Erik nodded thoughtfully, eyes distant. "I understand." The hint of a smile touched his still lips, his eyes spoke reassurance. "I think that would be very good for her. She has an incredible gift. It seems only right that she should use it, even more so if it could help her." he said, voice distant. Nadir shook his head. Once a musician, always a musician.

He smiled faintly, relieved. "Try not to have any artistic tantrums with her, Erik. Remember, she just lost..."

Erik's voice was soft. "I know, Nadir." There was an odd haziness in his eyes, a memory stirring in their depths.

Silence stretched between them, broken by Christine's cheerful call of "Dinner's ready!"

Nadir picked up his suitcases. "I'll be with you presently. Talk to her about singing lessons sometime soon, would you?"

Erik's eyes gleamed with laughter at the none-too-subtle hint. "I'll try to find the time, Nadir. Take your time unpacking."

"I shall." Nadir replied dryly.

Erik

Tutoring Christine.

The subject had crossed his mind once or twice, after he had heard that beatific, angelic voice. But he had never been quite sure how to approach her about it. He had little in the way of social skills and even less knowledge in the treacherous domain of teenage etiquette.

A lyrical fire sparked in him at the idea. Music was radiating through him, tailored to her voice, her range, the unearthliness of it. The musician in him was- delighted. At being able to coach that lovely voice into something even greater. It was an incredible instrument- he could make it more. The idea of her angelic voice soaring in accompaniment to his sent a heady rush through him. He could almost hear it now, even in the silence. A perfect harmony, a perfect meshing of the two.

Two voices, in one combined.

He blinked. Where had that come from? He sang alone

He always sang alone.

Nevertheless, the prospect of teaching her, sculpting and refining the divine voice was one that intrigued him.

Intrigued him? It fascinated him. For the first time in years, Erik felt music stirring that was not his own. The sensation was... intoxicating. Like a breath of fresh air moving through a long-abandoned house. A stirring in the stillness.

He paused at the door. Stared for a moment at the petite girl moving about in the kitchen, seemingly unaware of him. She was humming to herself, slender body moving in unison to the soothing sound. If she agrees to it. A flicker of nervous tension went through him. What if she doesn't? What then? His mind began to race. What if, what if, what if?

Calm down, Erik. He steadied himself. His hands were shaking slightly, he took a moment to still them.

She'll agree, Erik.

She has to.

Christine

She turned as she heard footsteps. Only Erik stood there. Christine frowned. "Is he that tired?"

Erik shook his head. "No, he insisted on unpacking."

Christine sighed. "Of course he did."

Erik's eyes lightened at her resigned expression. "Let me help you with that." He took the dish from her unresisting hands. "Christine, do you enjoy singing?" he asked, voice quiet. His eyes were bright on hers.

She blinked at him, resisted the incredulous laugh that bubbled up inside her. Do I enjoy singing? What kind of question was that? "Of course I do. Why do you ask?" Christine looked up at him inquisitively. And why are you asking me?

He smiled faintly, pulled out her chair for her. "Because, if you are amenable, I'd like to teach you. You have a beautiful voice, more than beautiful. I confess, I think any musician would kill to tutor you."'

She looked at him closely, wondering what had prompted such an offer from the reticent Erik, than returned the smile. "Well, let's not start a bloodbath on my account. Yes, I'd like that very much."

And- to her slight surprise, she did. The idea of singing to the potent music she'd heard night after night, having the tutelage of the astounding musician whose music could twist her emotions every way, was both exhilarating and slightly frightening. As to the idea of singing with that seraphic voice... she suppressed a shiver at the thought. It caused a rush of adrenaline, a pure, ecstatic energy to flush through her body. She wondered what lay in the music room of the secretive man across from her. Her curiosity was piqued, an anticipation hummed through her, nearly tangible.

She saw the first full smile she had ever received from him. It transformed the visible half of his face, the eyes were the color of summer skies under its influence. No less potent, but somehow gentler. Warmer. She caught her breath. The air seemed suddenly more still, harder to breathe. A thrill traced its way up her spine. "Thank you, Christine." His voice had warmed as well, rich with subtleties. A sense that he was as eager for it as she. Christine felt something emergent, a drifting nameless thing in the air.

At that moment Nadir stepped into the kitchen. He let out a sigh of relief at the sight of food. "I think I just might take you with me when I go back to Europe, Christine."

She smiled at him wryly. "You'd have to put me under lock and key. I wouldn't miss a music lesson."

Nadir looked politely baffled. "Music lesson?"

She allowed a smile to spread across her face. To surprise, it was genuine. Almost unconscious. The first one since... she pushed that thought aside. "Courtesy of Erik Destler."

Erik mock-toasted her with his glass.

Nadir looked delighted. "That's marvelous, Christine. I think Erik has a great deal he could teach you."

Christine smiled at Erik. friendly challenge in her eyes. "Maybe he could learn a few things as well."

He raised an eyebrow at her, the trace of a smile on his face. "I look forward to it." he said dryly.

Erik

Later that night, he exchanged an amused look with Nadir in the man's office. "Your acting abilities have improved."

Nadir smiled, only half-joking. "It comes of dealing with lawyers." he replied, flipping through a set of documents. Spreadsheets. Erik shuddered at the thought.

Erik shook his head, cynicism in the set of his lips. "Why am I not surprised?"

He covered a yawn. "When are you ever surprised, Erik? Speaking of lawyers, I can only stay for a day or two at the most, then I must go back. The aforementioned lawyers are doing their best to make one of our business transactions troublesome and I am the only one who has not yet alienated them." He smiled reminiscently. "Richard ended up shouting at them at the top of his lungs." He sighed wistfully, than the peaceful expression was gone. "I miss having him in those meetings."

Erik allowed a half-smile to cross his face. What was visible of it, anyway. "You are a wicked man, Nadir."

Nadir snorted. "Why don't you come with me to the next meeting?"

"Thank you, Nadir, but I must decline. I never had a head for politics."

"No." Nadir sighed. "You'd probably have strangled half of them within the hour." He seemed to brighten at the idea, he looked at Erik mock-hopefully. "You're sure you wouldn't like to come?"

"I have a student, Nadir. That, I can handle. A teenager, I can handle. I'll leave the lawyers to you."

"Said teenager wants to know when her beloved godfather is going to go to bed." Christine inserted mildly from the doorway. "Honestly, Uncle Nadir, you should get some sleep. You look dead on your feet." She frowned at him.

Nadir's face was resigned. "Thank you, darling goddaughter. As always, you are the soul of courtesy." He got to his feet.

"You know I only do it because I love you." Christine smiled and hugged Nadir on his way out of the door. She turned her smile to Erik. "I don't know if you ever sleep."

The warmth of that smile was a pleasant shock. It washed over him like stepping out into a summer sun. Erik quickly doused the sensation. "Never." he said seriously.

His reply earned him a quirk of her lips, a gleam of humor in her eyes. "Insomnia seems to agree with you, then. Lucky you."

He froze as she came forward, gave him a one-armed embrace. He felt his body tense against her warmer one. Her curls brushed his collar. What in hell? This brought back a number of memories, ones he would have much preferred forgotten. He was suspicious of it- and yet it was oddly comforting. He resisted the urge to push her away. Or hold her closer. Christine? Why is she...?

He felt a migraine coming on. Christine pulled back and smiled brightly at him. "Good night, Erik." Her voice had not changed, her eyes were no less bright or cheerful.

Fortunately, she didn't seem to have noticed his reaction, or lack thereof. "Good night, Christine." He wondered if his voice was really as steady as it sounded. Why the hell did she just do that? Erik watched her warily. What is she up to?

She drifted out of the room, cast a smile over her shoulder at him. "Sleep well." Her footsteps were a muted echo on the carpet.

He stood there, motionless for what seemed hours. Finally, he made his way through the living room, down the hallway, pausing as he passed her door. All he heard was quiet. The sound of faint breathing. Eased, he continued on to the music room.

Only then, in his sanctuary, hands resting lightly on the piano keys, did he whisper. "Sleep well, Christine."

Christine

She heard the faint sounds of the piano twining through the house as she propped her head up on her hands to listen, eyes half-closed in rhapsody. The moonlight, the feel of cotton against her skin, the faint sounds of traffic, dispersed until she was aware only of the music. A soothing melody wrapping her in its warmth. Leaving a trail of stars and fireflies as it floated through her. A brightness that lulled her to sleep, as though she basked in sunlight. Warm as it caressed her skin. Glowing. Entrancing. A soft luminescent blue, easing her, flowing through her body, her mind, her spirit. Cleansing, leaving serenity in its wake. She sighed in pure content.

Christine lay back down, settling deeper into the sheets. She felt her body relax, her mind still and calm as though hypnotized. She closed her eyes and smiled.

Good night, Erik.

Thank you all once again for all of your thoughtful, marvelous and very much appreciated reviews.

cookies n' hugs

Lee