Chapter 21: Unspoken Truths

The morning found Erik splashing cold water against the twisted pink flesh of his scalp; Wearing his wig was difficult sometimes, resulting in headaches that eased with some painkiller and a splash of cold water too his head and face,

"... Erik?" Claire called gently as she entered the room and he quickly covered the side of his face with his right hand,

"Claire... I'm sorry... Give me a moment" he told her, turning his back to her to retrieve his wig and mask but she came to his side and gently stopped his actions, smiling up at him gently,

"It's nothing you need to hide from me" she assured him and Erik couldn't help but give a slight smile,

"... Forgive me... I have grown used to having to hide it" he told her as he moved towards his desk and began pouring himself and Claire a cup of tea from the fresh teapot that Miss Fleck had brought in earlier and Claire came to his side before showing him a black rook,

"Antoinette told me that you wanted this back" she teased lightly and Erik chuckled at the sight of the chess piece as he placed the tea pot down and took the rook in his fingers,

"Well... I never thought that I might see this again. I cannot believe you kept it all this time" he murmured more to himself and Claire smiled softly,

"I kept something else..." she admitted before holding up the letter he left for her when he had fled Paris,

"I wanted to ask you... You wrote that you were leaving to keep me safe but you never wrote of what had put me in danger... I've always wondered what you meant... Am I still in danger?" Claire asked curiously and she couldn't help but notice the sadness in his eyes as he offered a half smile,

"... No... You'll never be in danger again. You have my word... As for what I wrote within my letter... I simply thought that you would be safer if I were not in your life. I realize now that I was foolish... We need each other" Erik told her, watching as she smiled up at him softly with a blush staining her cheeks before she hugged him gently and he was only too happy to return the gesture.

Erik noted dark storm clouds that were gathering just off the coast of the isle and he gave a grumble,

"What's wrong?" Claire asked, joining him by his side on the balcony,

"There's a storm on the way and it looks like a rather bad one. Time to close the part and send the visitors back to the mainland and get the employee's to shelter before it hits" Erik told her before going off to give Fleck, Gangle and Squelch instructions and Claire looked off towards the storm clouds before heading off to help Erik in any way she could... Both were unaware of an entirely different storm that was on it's way to America that would cause a lot more destruction than some mere lightning storm ever could.

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TheAuthor1996