"Marry you? I…. Erik, you are wreaking havoc on your knee. Stand up, this is crazy…."

"The only thing crazy is to think we could experience something so perfect together yesterday and not have something binding between us. What kind of a fool am I? I can't just take this for granted. You deserve better."

She had a lump in her throat but managed to speak, as she cupped his chin. "Angel, I regret nothing from yesterday and I am not ashamed, but I can't say yes to a marriage proposal when I am still married. I can't…" She then looked down and noticed his pinky ring. "My ring…. I don't know why I never noticed it before."

Erik followed her eyes and paused. "I couldn't let it go. Not then, not ever."

She bent down to be at eye level with him. "Erik…." She couldn't speak due to the sob that escaped her mouth.

Erik then shook his head. "No, Christine. I can't offer you this. This is the past and my terrible, terrible folly. I kept it because…." He shook his head. "You will have something new to reflect our new life. The future…."

"Don't you dare!"

"What?" He was beyond confused.

"That is my ring and I want no other." She then took his hand and loosened the ring from his finger. I wish I still had that beautiful wedding dress."

Erik eyed her cautiously. "Are you ill?"

She laughed. "No, why do you ask?"

"That dress…. I was out of my wit…."

"It was still the most beautiful dress I have ever worn. You made it. It killed me when I had to take it off…." She remembered how she felt that night. "I asked where they were taking it and they told me not to worry, it would be destroyed. You don't know how much I wanted to scream out to hand it back immediately. But I was too much of a coward to question them." She gazed into his eyes. "I won't make the same mistake twice. I want my ring, Erik."

He swallowed hard and then took the ring from his finger. "Does that mean you will take this ring and marry the man before you? The man you made from your love."

She nodded and hugged him, as she said yes. "Yes!"

He kissed her and then watched her eyes grant him permission as he took off her wedding ring and replaced it with the one he was holding.

"I have always been yours, angel." She whispered.

Their hands entwined as they stood up.

"Let's go tell our son."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gustave was so excited to see his mother and Mr. Y. They walked back to the hotel smiling, as they had gotten some food from the park and ate it along the way.

"Mother what happened with Mr. Hammerstein?"

"He offered me a job." She smiled at the boy and then at Erik.

"So, does that mean you are going to work for him?"

"Let's talk about this once we are back at the hotel, okay? Tell us about all the fun you had yesterday."

He had wanted to tell them all about his day but hesitated. He didn't want to spoil the surprise of showing them he knew how to swim. He just needed more lessons with Ms. Giry. Then he could tell them, but until then he had to keep his time with Meg a secret. Yet he felt so conflicted, he had never kept a secret from his mother before.

"Gustave?"

He froze.

"It was fine, Mother."

"Just fine? Well, I have a surprise for you. What if you and I spend a few days together? We could finally go swimming. Wouldn't that be fun? I can show you…."

"No, Mother. It's alright."

"Gustave, I know you wanted to learn. I can…."

"Mother, I would rather not swim with you." It will spoil the surprise.

She looked hurt by his outburst but hid it before Gustave noticed. However, it did not go unnoticed by Erik. "I see. Well, you probably don't want your mother around all the time, I suppose." She forced a weak smile and started to walk on.

Erik took Gustave by the arm. "Gustave, your mother just wants to spend some time with you. She might be a bit overprotective, but I can't imagine taking lessons from anyone better. She loves you so very much. I know you may not think so now but one day, you will know how she feels when you marry and have a fine child such as yourself."

"Mr. Y, I love her too, but I am too old to be swimming with my mother. You can understand that, can't you?"

"Well no, I can't. See, my mother never offered do to anything with me. She didn't like me very much." He shrugged.

Gustave felt ashamed. "I'm sorry, Mr. Y."

Erik played with the boy's hair. "You don't need to apologize to me." He then motioned towards Christine.

Gustave ran up to his mother and hugged her fiercely. "I'm sorry, Mother!"

She picked him up and hugged him tightly. "That's alright, Gustave. I know you're just growing up. I was being silly." She then kissed his nose and put him down.

"What do you two say we race back to the hotel?"

Gustave and Erik looked at one another.

"Race?" Gustave looked at her in surprise.

"Angel…." Erik looked at her cautiously. Not again.

"Catch me if you can!"

She sprinted in front of them and both Erik and Gustave ran, laughing as they tried to catch up.

A/N: Lying is always a no-no.