Christine looked at Erik with puzzlement in her eyes. "Why do you always do that?"
"Do what?" He looked at her blankly.
"Think that everything bad is because of you? Erik, people make their own choices."
"Because they are driven to them!" He walked across the stage to sit down. "I didn't plan on her coming with me. It was never even part of the plan... But she insisted." He rubbed his eyes.
"Why do you think she did that?"
"Need." He scoffed. "Well, need and guilt."
"What do you mean?"
He looked over at her. "That is a rather long story."
"Aren't we supposed to be getting to know one another again? Or for the first time, for that matter?"
He watched Gustave with curiosity as Dr. Gangle, Ms. Fleck and Squelch were entertaining him and keeping the boy occupied. He then got up. "I already know all about you."
"You really think so?" She asked coyly.
He looked at her as if she had just imposed a challenge on him and began recanting her life measure for measure. "You were born in Sweden and your mother, sadly died in childbirth. Yet your father loved you to pieces and was your everything until he died. Your favorite place in the world is by the ocean."
She smiled. "It's not as much the ocean, as it is the memories it brings back of Papa."
He nodded. "Your favorite color is blue and…."
"Wrong!"
"Wait, what?"
"My favorite color is not blue."
Erik thought back to their past. "But you wore a blue costume all those years go and your dresses in Paris was all blue." He saw her eyes widen. "I only know that because you would often wear something blue whenever I would come to teach you."
"Is that all you saw?" She arched her brow and was surprised by her boldness.
"Christine, I would never!" He looked offended.
She laughed. "I know…. I know that. See? You aren't so terrible, are you?"
He scoffed. "Because I'm not a pig?" He then looked at her quizzically. "What is your favorite color?"
She came up to him and placed her hand to the back of his head, so she could stare at him. "It was blue but then one day I saw amber eyes with a tint of gold looking at me. Piercing gold whenever they got angry or frightened or happy." She smiled as if she was remembering something. "I remember your eyes that night…." She blushed as she took her hand away and then focused intently on the floor. Should I have said that?
He smoothed his hair. "I… I have some work I must get to." She needs time, remember that.
"And Gustave will most certainly need a nap. I have some sheet music to work on."
He smiled. "I suppose that Billy will assist with whatever you may need?"
"Your music director? Yes. But…."
"But what?"
"Never mind."
"No, go on and say it."
"I was going to ask if you would be working with me but then I realized that would be asking for special treatment. You are much too busy for that."
"I didn't think you would want me to." He said sheepishly.
"That is the one thing you should never, ever doubt." She looked at him, expecting him to charge over to her and take her in his arms but he didn't, and she couldn't deny she was disappointed.
Erik looked at her with such longing. "Just ask me and I will obey."
They looked at one another for what seemed like minutes, but no words came. Finally, it was Madame Giry's intrusion that broke their silence.
"Erik, are you coming to our meeting? You have new acts to see."
He didn't stop looking at Christine. "I'll be right there. Go on without me."
Madame Giry didn't say another word, as she walked passed them.
Christine began to walk towards Gustave. "I better go."
"Are you both free for supper?" He touched her arm before she was too far away from his grasp.
She looked at him and nodded. "But only if you will tell me how she and Meg ended up coming with you."
He nodded. "I told you, you shall know all you wish to know."
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Erik was hurrying to get to the second stage when Dr. Gangle stopped him.
"Sir, may I have a word?"
He looked over his shoulder. "Is it about that matter we discussed?"
"Indeed, it is, Sir. The Vicomte is in Monte-Carlo."
Erik rolled his eyes. "The casino? I should have known. He is there with Meg?"
Dr. Gangle nodded.
"Get a note over to Meg. Make sure she knows how much this is hurting her mother."
"Anything else, Sir?"
He thought for a moment. "Tell her she is better than this. I hope she proves me right."
