Chapter 5: It Might Have Been

Almost an instant after watching his younger self leave with Ruthie, Erik found himself outside a building he hadn't seen in years.

"Why, this is where my first job was." Erik gaped. "Yes, old McCoy's offices. It sounds like one of his Christmas parties are going on!"

Erik looked in excitedly, acting surprisingly more like he used to rather than how he acted in the present. Erik looked in and saw himself not all that different from his present self, if a bit more joyful and still being black haired, dancing with a slender woman with brown hair and blue eyes like sapphires.

"That's me, and my fiancé, Magda!" Erik called out. "I remember it like it was yesterday. After the dance, we went out into the snow to cool ourselves. Oh, what were we whispering on that long ago day?"

"But you can't be serious, Magda." The younger Erik said plainly.

"There's no reason we can't get married now." Magda said plainly. "Don't you love me, Bruce?"

"More than the world." Erik assured Magda. "But I would rather wait until I was more secure, financially."

"No, you young fool!" Erik snapped at his former self.

"Don't say that, dear." Magda said to the past Erik. "You frighten me."

"I only want what's best for you." Erik went on.

"That's what I want too." Magda added. "A tiny cottage."

"A cottage?" Erik asked.

"I want a gilded cottage." Magda explained.

"We can't afford it yet." Erik explained. "But when I've made my fortune, what mansions we will get."

"I only want a little cottage with children playing on the floor." Magda explained calmly.

"But darling love flies out the window when poverty comes through the door." Erik insisted.

I think of you, and my future gleams.

And my mind is filled with golden dreams.

I think of you, and I love you so.

All the world takes on a golden glow.

So hold me close, tonight.

And fill me with dreams of delight.

I think of you and your love for me.

And I know that life with you will be

More beautiful than it seems

In my golden … Dreams . . .

As the two embraced and kissed each other, Erik could feel tears on his face.

"I…" Erik said, trying to hold back the tears. "I shouldn't have remembered."

"There is another Christmas." Steve said, and in that instant, they were just outside Erik and Worthington's old business. "You'd just formed your partnership with Worthington. Your business was new, but your ways were set."

"Oh please." Erik gasped. "Spare me the rest."

"You must drain the cup to the dregs." Steve insisted. "Recall how you drove love from your heart and replaced it with the worship of money."

"No!" Erik gasped.

"Yes!" Magda snapped at the younger Erik, both having obviously been through much darker times since the party. "Another idol has replaced me!"

"Oh really?" Erik asked dismissively. "That's going a bit far, don't you think?"

Erik then sat down and went over his books as this was a while before Scott became his clerk.

"Hm." Erik groaned. "Pym is six months in default. Do you realize how much money I stand to lose?"

"But Erik, it is Christmas." Magda insisted, closing the book.

"Christmas?!" Erik said as he shot up in anger, not for the first or last time. "Christmas is a folly, a sham, a waste of time! It's a… A humbug! Yes, yes. Christmas is a humbug."

Magda gasped and turned away.

"I… I wish to break off our engagement, Erik." Magda said.

"You can't be serious." Erik said in honest shock. "Why?"

"You've become someone I don't know." Magda said. "Someone I don't wish to know."

You've lost the beautiful tomorrow.

You really had a chance to win.

Our love has turned into a shadow

Of happiness that might have been.

"Oh phooey." Erik said as he turned his back to her, mistakenly thinking she was just hysterical.

It might have been

A warm and wonderful romance.

It might have been

If you had given it a chance.

You had the ticket to enchanted lands.

Why did you let it slip right through your hands?

Unable to bare it, Magda rushed out of the building, Erik moved to follow, but he couldn't bring himself to do it and simply went back to his books.

I might have known

A life of happiness with you,

But love has flown.

The wrong I've done, I can't undo.

And now too late, my bitter tears begin.

Because I know… It might… Have… Been. . .

As Erik watched his former self let Magda leave he turned to Steve.

"I can't bare it!" Erik called out. "HAUNT ME NO LONGER!"

Erik went to Steve, but all he gripped was his clock.

"Oh…" Erik sighed. "Thank heavens."

Erik went back to sleep as Kurt, having been in an adjoining room, came in just to see what was going on, when a loud laugh was heard, and Erik bolt up, and both looked down to a yellow light from the living room.

Uh-oh. Looks like the number two ghost is right on time.