Gustave was getting to be a strong swimmer, he even beat Meg when she suggested that they race.

"Gustave, you really did it! You are a natural." Meg smiled at him, as she started to dry her hair with a towel.

He walked up to her. "Meg, it was all you. You really are a great teacher."

"Told you so!" She stuck out her tongue at him.

"Mother and Father are going to be so surprised. Let's tell them tonight!"

Meg wrapped the towel around her. "I don't know, Gustave."

"But the lessons are over. I can swim! I even beat you when we swam laps."

She smiled again but bowed her head a little. "You did, and you don't need lessons anymore."

"So, we tell my parents. Just like we agreed."

"I can't Gustave." She turned her back to him.

"Meg, what is it?"

"I thought…. I thought this would be a good thing but once again, I messed up."

"What do you mean? Please talk to me, Meg. We are friends, remember?"

She turned her head slightly. "I wanted to do this for Christine and Erik and you. I wanted to be useful and to let them know that they could trust me." She gave him a weak smile. "That you could trust me, Gustave."

"I do, Meg! I do. You are my friend. You'll see, once we tell Mother and Father, it will all be like it was before, only better!"

"No, it won't Gustave. You see, I am leaving." She started to walk a little further away.

"Leaving? Where? Why?" He followed her.

She turned around and played with his hair. "You are so sweet. I actually think you're going to miss me."

"I am going to miss you Meg! I am! You can't go. Why do you have to go?"

Poor foolish boy. Didn't your angelic mother ever tell you to be leery of strangers? I almost feel guilty…. Almost. "I've been offered a job, Gustave. It's at another park and it's a good job. I would have a place there."

"You have a place here! Once Father sees what you did for me, he will…."

"It's okay, honey. Really. At least you can swim now and will have a way to remember me." She laughed at the irony. "Think of me…. You know your mother sang a song called "Think of Me" on the night of her premier. She was so good, and I remember thinking how lucky she was."

Meg put her arm around Gustave. "Don't be sad. This is my moment, only I won't be singing "Think of Me", I'll be dancing." She cupped his chin. "Be happy for me, Gustave."

"I am, it's just…. I'll miss you."

She grinned. "After all this time, you finally show me you care!" She winked.

"I do care, Meg. I wish you didn't have to go." He bowed his head to hide the fact that his eyes were tearing up.

"I'm not leaving right away. Some of the folks here are giving me a little party to see me off. Why don't you come?"

Gustave wiped the tears in his eyes. "Can I?"

"Sure, you can! I can't go to a party without my best guy."

She kissed his cheek and Gustave felt a little lightheaded.

"Me?"

"Of course, you, silly"

"But what about you and Mother and Father? Can't you all make up before you go?"

"I'm leaving tonight after the party, Gustave but I'll write to them once I'm settled."

"Tonight?" He looked crushed.

"Come on, you look like you've lost your best friend.

He nodded. "I did."

"No sad faces, okay, or you will have me crying!"

He nodded and wiped his eyes once more.

"So, I'll see you tonight?"

"Where will it be?"

"Come to my room and we'll go together, okay?"

"Ok." He forced himself to smile.

Meg caressed his cheek. "You better go. See you tonight around 6pm, okay?"

"I'll be there."

He lingered for a bit, but then slowly walked away.

Meg was gathering up her things when Tom appeared.

"I thought the kid was going to tie himself to your leg." He laughed,

"Stop it! What the hell are you doing here? What if someone saw you?"

"No one but you." He scratched his head. "So, tonight's the night."

She nodded. "Mama said that we can go at any time." She was going to say something but stopped.

"What Meg?"

"Do you… Do you really think we need to take him? I mean why can't we just expose who Erik really is?"

He shrugged. "Antoinette wants it done this way and you should know better than I do, that once Madame Giry wants something, it's going to happen." He yanked on her arm. "You ain't going soft on us, are you?"

"No! I'm in. I just… He's 10, Tom."

He's not so 10 when he looks at you, is he?"

She shoved him back. "You're sick!"

"Never said I wasn't." He looked around and then left the shore.

Meg watched him leave.

It's fine. It's fine. We aren't going to hurt him. We just want to hurt them. Don't be stupid, Meg. This is your chance to show them all what you can really do.