Dreaming of Never

In apartment number 131

Erik now sat at the foot of one of the four beds that could be found within the Giry's household. Four days ago, he had rescued the young boy from the foyer of the Opera Populaire. Upon returning, Antoinette had bombarded him with questions. He merely ignored her and brought the child into his room where he quickly tended to the gunshot wound. A flurry of sadness crossed him as the injury reminded him of Christine's. Just as her arm had been grazed, the boy's left abdomen had been wounded in the same fashion. It was a rare moment in which he felt tenderness, gently he wrapped the boy's stomach and smiled very faintly as the child visibly relaxed. Now that it had been several days, Erik was beyond positive that he would make a full recovery. The sound of the door opening diverted his attention to Madame Giry's form.

"How is he doing?"

"Hmm about the same, the injury is healing nicely."

Nodding, Antoinette was about to leave when a new voice filled the room.

"Gus…?"

It was weak and pain filled, but both adults heard it and snapped their heads towards the child's eyes.

"Who…who are you?"

"I am Madame Giry and this is Erik."

The boy's amber eyes glanced at his unknown helpers before his lids fell closed and he attempted to sit up. A gentle hand came to rest at his shoulder, and he re-opened his eyes to see the man known as Erik pushing him back.

"You must rest, your wound is still healing."

Faintly, the boy smiled and he whispered thank you before directing his attention towards the other being in the room.

"Um, Madame Giry? Can you tell me um what happened?"

"Yes child, from what Erik has told me, you were heading towards the Opera Populaire's managers when you were shot."

The boy's eyes widened as he seemingly recalled the events passed. He sat up despite Erik's earlier protest and wildly tried to get out of bed.

"I must go back to the Opera house! Please tell me where to go!"

Erik quickly managed to subdue the young child, but he still weakly fought against the strong arms that held him down.

"What is so urgent that you must leave in such a state?"

"My brother, my twin brother Gus, he's still back there!"

Erik's eyes widened in disbelieve and he more forcefully held the boy down.

"You mean to tell me that that violinist, Gustave is your brother!"

"Yes, my only brother, please sir! He's the only family I have left!"

Before anyone could do anything the boy fainted from over-exerting himself. Erik turned towards the shocked form of Antoinette.

"You, you know something…"

Erik knew that he was perhaps being a bit accusatory, but the look on her face suggested something.

"I might Erik…quickly, we must talk to Theo."

Erik took one last look at the boy's tussled curly-brown hair before following Antoinette down the narrow stairs into the large kitchen. Meg was making dinner while Theo entertained his two children with a house of cards. Theo looked up at the sound of the approaching caretakers and smiled. His smile fell however, when he saw worry on his mother-in-law's face and confusion on the Phantoms'.

"What's wrong?"

"Theo, please come with me into the dining room."

Not arguing, Theo followed silently behind the two black clothed forms and watched as Antoinette closed the door behind them.

"Theo, you must tell me all that you know about the two boys you found in the street."

"You mean Gustave and Jean Paul?"

"Yes, Jean's the one upstairs correct?"

"Yes, that's Jean, his twin brother's the one who played the violin at the Christmas Gala."

"Yes yes, we figured as much fool, now get on with how you met them!"

Normally, Theo's passive nature allowed him to ignore Erik's gruff attitude, but Theo could sense that Erik was generally concerned over something.

"Well I met them on the street when Gustave was playing his violin for money. Apparently, they're orphans from the countryside. Their mother was murdered and the two were sent to a cheap orphanage. Unfortunately, the orphanage closed down and they were forced into the street. Gustave and Jean made money using their talents and well, that's how I discovered them."

"Do you perhaps know their full name…?"

Both Erik and Theo were confused by Giry's bizarre question.

"Why?"

"Do you know it or not?"

"Yes, Jean gave me their full names when I met them. I believe Gustave's whole name is Gustave Erik Destler and Jean's is Jean Paul Destler."

Theo was thrown completely off guard when his body was violently slammed into the wall behind him. His wide ice-blue eyes locked to the blazing amber one's glaring into his own.

"You had better be lying!"

"I-I'm not Erik…Th-that's their whole names'."

Erik dropped Theo to the floor and looked murderously at Antoinette.

"You were the last to here from her! Start talking!"

Antoinette had never heard Erik use that deadly of a voice on her, and she shook as she spoke.

"Ha-Hailey wrote t-to me when they c-came. I thought you were dead Erik you have to understand! And then she left Hailey's and oh I thought you'd never see her again. I didn't know that the boy's would-."

Erik had his hands clamped over his ears and he was violently shaking his head.

"No no no no no…stop…"

Suddenly, Erik burst from the room and swept past a frightened Meg and her children. Never before had Erik ran up stairs faster than that moment. Pushing open Jean's room he entered to find the boy gathering belongings in a desperate attempt to leave. Grabbing the front of Jean's shirt he held him up to eye level and spoke barely above a deadly whisper.

"What happened to her?"

"What…?"

"Don't be stupid with me boy what happened to your mother!"

"Why do you care!"

It was then that Erik finally saw past the murderous red glow that was surrounding his eyesight. He could now see that a tear-streaked five year old was caught in his death-grip and as he looked into the boy's eyes he felt sadness rise in his soul. This boy, this Jean, had his eyes. The same golden-brown eyes as his own. Slowly falling to his knees, Erik gently hugged the boy, crying as he held him tightly in his hold. He never expected anything back, but unbelievably; two small arms encircled his neck and hugged him back. Then he heard a small voice quietly speaking to him.

"D-did you know my m-mother?"

Nodding very slowly, Erik felt the boy take a deep breath and break from his grasp.

"Who who are you really…sir?"

"I-I am your father."

End Chapter 15

A/N: Please Review; I shall be posting another chapter after this one sometime tonight. I'm really excited with how this chapter came out, so tell me if you like it! Hugs and smiles for you all!