I'm SOOOO sorry that i haven't been able to update! My parents are keeping me farther away from computer-use and my stupid siblings keep blurting out that i'm on.

again, very trully sorry, and i hope you can all forgive me!! T.T here's the next chappy!

Part Forty:

The dinner was a splendid spread of different types of good things to eat. Rachel gave Lark plenty of food, generously making sure the young girl was the happy with her plate. Erik, who sat next to Lark, took barely anything and ignored the wine in front of him, sulking. Richard sat on the other side of the mahogany table next to his older sister, his own plate full. Swirling his glass around, Richard poured over a newspaper, not noticing the disapproving looks from Rachel.

"Are you going to eat that cranberry sauce?" asked Lark, pointing at the portion on Erik's plate. He grimaced slightly and shook his head, shifting his plate over to the girl. She grinned, delighted, and eagerly scooped it off of Erik's plate to hers then stealing his roll before sliding the plate back to him.

Rachel noticed Erik's non-existent appetite. Frowning only just, she asked him if he was hungry at all. He grinned and shook his head. "I don't really eat at all," he said. Lark nodded, agreeably and tried to talk through a mouth full of roll. "It's true, he barely eats at all!" Erik scolded her half-heartedly for chewing with her mouth full. Taking a large swallow, Lark downed her food and continued. "Erik says that he doesn't need to eat that much, and that we only need one meal a day if any,"

He rolled his eyes as Lark beamed at him and sulked more in his chair, avoiding the curious look Richard gave him. Rachel leaned forward slightly. "You don't eat, Erik?" He started, looking at her like he had never seen her before, but then settled back in his chair; fervently wishing for a hat. "No," he answered, mumbling towards the ground, "I don't need to, I don't want to." The conversation ended there.

Rachel observed the dark figure curiously over her entwined fingers as he chatted with Richard. He was dark and ominous, no doubt; but his era was softened, lightened, by this bright happy child that sat next to him. They're both so different…Rachel thought, and yet they complete each other… Then it hit her.

"No! I refuse!" Erik snapped. "But why, Erik?" Lark pouted, pulling on his sleeve. He simmered, "I don't need an excuse." Richard looked up from his newspaper. "What?" Lark started to answer with a little malicious smile on her face but Erik quickly cut in. "Nothing! Just an unneeded idea from Lark," he gave the girl a withering look to which she ignored.

Richard looked at both of them with a bemused expression before going back to his newspaper. Erik glared once at Lark, who had returned to her food, then glanced up. Rachel was staring at him. Feeling his mouth go dry, Erik narrowed his eyes at her before clearing his throat. She blinked and looked at him as if she had just woken up from some sort of dream.

"That's it," she murmured, looking surprised. Lark looked up and looked at Rachel with confusion, then looking at Erik. He only stared back at Rachel, not sure what to say. "That's it!" Rachel exclaimed loudly, causing Richard to jump and look up, irritated, at his sibling. "What's it?" asked Lark curiously.

The woman just shook her head and clapped her hands together excitedly before turning, and racing out of the room. Richard looked embarrassedly at his guests. "Please excuse me," he mumbled, "I have to go see what my sister is up to…" Erik shrugged as their host got up and raced upstairs calling after Rachel. Lark looked at Erik and grinned.

"I wonder what Rachel's up to." Lark mused, getting to her feet. Erik glanced at her. "Where are you going?" he asked suspiciously. The girl pushed in her chair and took another roll before heading out of the dining room. "I'm going to see what Rachel was talking about, of course," she answered, "Come on!" Erik sighed and also got up; he might as well go see for himself.

Plus Lark could get lost. Following the young girl up the stairs, Erik could only look around the mansion with a twinge of jealousy. He had had a house like this, as a child, but it wasn't as grand. Nor did he have a house now, unless you count the house under the Opera. Lark turned around and urged him forward. "Come on, Erik!" she scolded, "You have to keep up."

"What?" Erik snapped out of his thoughts to see Lark about two meters down the hall, her small hands on her hips. "They're in here!" Lark motioned to the door next to her. Erik walked up next to the girl and looked at the doorway. "Should we go in?" he asked, noticing the angry voices inside.

The girl shrugged worriedly, she too, had noticed the arguing voices. "Maybe we should leave them alone…" she mumbled, but Erik had already put his ear against the door. Lark made a face at him but he only motioned for her to do the same. Sighing, she too, placed her ear against the door and listened intently.

(Sighs) as much as i hate to put you all in a cliffy, i really have no choice! Hopefully i can update this weekend or Friday. Depends if my parents find me on here or not...lol