Erik sat in the library holding his wine glass staring at the shelves looking for missing books, only for his mind to think back to what he had witnessed earlier. He gulped down the wine and slammed the glass down on the table. It shattered and startled him out of his trance. Anger better taken out on stemware than his son. His son, when had Gustave grown up? When had he'd started changing into a young man? Had he been so focused on his growing daughter that he missed the signs his son was going through the life changes?

There was a knock on the library door.

"Yes?" Erik asked turning towards it.

Gustave slowly walked in, his shoulders slouched, his head hung, gaze at the floor. In his arms were the books that were on his bed, "I brought back your books."

"Did you clean up before touching them?"

"Yes. I changed my drawers and slacks as well. I am sorry I disgusted you, Father." The boy was crestfallen.

The Phantom sighed, "Come here, Gustave. Sit."

The boy sat next to his father on the leather couch. Erik took the books from him and sat them on the table. He placed his hands on his son's shoulders, "I am not disgusted. Startled would be a better word."

Gustave furrowed his brow, "I…I don't understand."

Mr. Y swallowed, "You know you how told me you learned about animals' mating cycles and you thought your mother and I had one? Humans do not have a mating cycle." He let go of his son and picked up Gray's Anatomy. He tapped his fingers on the book. "You're going through changes that are making you a man who will be able create children of your own."

"What does that have to with how I am feeling? Or why does what I was doing feel so exhilarating?"

"How much of the chapters on the reproduction did you read?" Erik opened the book skimming the table of contents looking for those chapters.

"Not too much. I much confess I found the illustrations in The Kama Sutra more engaging."

Erik could not help but smile to himself as he turned to "The Male Organs of Generation" in Gray's Anatomy. "You have no need for such a book right now, young man. However, you will read this chapter to learn your own anatomy. You will then read the next chapter to acquaint yourself with the anatomy of the fairer sex. A good man will not treat a lady as something not to be understood. Knowing a woman's mind and body is the secret to love and happiness." He handed the book to his son, "Now sit here and read both of these chapters two times."

Gustave looked down at the book and then up at his father who now walked with The Kama Sutra over to a bookshelf and put it back.

"You're not mad at me?"

The Phantom smiled at his son as he walked back, "No! I am angrier at myself for brushing off your earlier questions and being so wrapped up in the opera, Charlotte's growth and making sure your mother was well during her pregnancy, I missed the signs this was happening to you." He rubbed the top of his son's head as he had done so many times. "When you're finished, I'll be in the music room. Come get me and we will finish this talk. But a word of advice for the moment; what I walked in on…there is a time. It is at night, at bedtime. If you need to excuse yourself and go to bed a littler earlier; so be it. And take off your slacks."

Erik closed the bedroom door behind him and Christine was not to be found. Matilda was covered tightly in her bassinette, her eyes slowly starting to close. He leaned in and kissed her, "Good night, darling."

The water closet door opened and Christine walked out and smiled at the scene in front of her, "I am impressed and relieved by how much more she sleeps compared to what her sister and brother did."

"Her sister still does not want to sleep," Erik walked over and stirred the fire. "Mary and her friends must be set just so. The blanket tucked here not there, Dada. I must read her favorite story. If not there will be crying."

Christine chuckled as she walked over to the bed, "Someone sounds just like her Dada. 'Did I not say Box Five was to remain empty?'"

The Phantom glared at his wife.

She smiled, "You don't frighten me anymore, Erik."

He removed his dressing robe and pulled the covers back on their bed. Christine held the post of the bed as she observed the furrow on his brow, "Angel, are you okay?"

"I am just reminded how easier it was to be the threatening Phantom and the mysterious Angel of Music than a father." He laid down on the bed looking up at the ceiling.

"And what about being a husband?" Christine laid her head on his chest. "And were you truly happy as the Opera Ghost? How many times to you remind me all you ever wanted was to be a normal man with a wife and a family?" She lifted her hand and caressed the deformed side of his face. "What exactly happened today while I was taking care of my errands? Charlotte is still a brat so I can only assume very little disciplining happened."

"Gustave is becoming a man. He's going through puberty and I had not noticed."

Christine smiled to herself, "Is that all? I had a feeling he had started; his voice has been breaking off and on and his slacks are getting shorter." She caressed her husband's cheek again, "I did not realize you would get so sentimental about it."

Erik sat up, "No! I went to surprise him with a trip to tour the progress on the workshop and I…I…" He turned away. "I cannot even look at you, Christine and say it! I walked in on him pleasuring himself!" He turned to face her again, "I had to give him a human anatomy lesson on reproduction and I made him read the corresponding chapters in Gray's Anatomy. I wasn't prepared for any this!"

The old Opera Ghost sank back onto the bed facing away from his wife. "I don't even know how I did because I did not have anyone to guide me through that. I was just a side show oddity at his age."

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she ran her fingers through his husband's hair, "You didn't shame him, did you?"

"Of course not! You know I do not subscribe to that morality. He wouldn't be here if I did."

Christine let out a soft laugh, "Thankfully both of his parents agree."

Erik turned and looked up at his wife, "Why are you crying?"

"I am sure you did a wonderful job talking with Gustave and I am proud of you for that. It still breaks my heart to hear of all the pain you went through; but you have come so far from that boy; from the man you used be. There is nothing I would go back or change about us." Christine unbuttoned her nightgown exposing her right breast. She leaned back onto the pillows and held her arms out, "Come here, Angel."

The Phantom curled up beside The Soprano. He leaned over and latched onto her breast and drank her soothing cream. The first time he had indulged since she had given birth to Matilda.