A/N: The lyrics to the song in this chapter are from Charlotte Church's version of The Water is Wide.

CHAPTER 5

"My lady…the master is um…babbling on downstairs…quite intoxicated." Carolina said, coming into Roxana's room. Roxana sighed, setting down the book she was staring at. She could not actually say she had been reading it, as she'd been staring at the same word for an hour now, thinking. What in the hell was wrong with her asking Erik if he would give her a baby? Not that she wanted one, but she still could not understand the logic behind it. Like a child was just something you could gift wrap and place under the tree at Christmastime? It had been bothering her all day and apparently she had dragged Erik into her confusion as well. She followed Carolina down the back stairs into the kitchen where Erik had passed out on the table. Oh for the love of God…Roxana said and walked over to him. She nudged him.

"Erik…" She said softly. Nothing.

This time, she shook him a bit harder.

"Erik." She said in her normal voice. Still silence. She hit him as hard as she could in the arm and yelled, "Erik!" No response. "Ana!" She called to the girl who was standing with a smirk on her face. Roxana pointed to the sink. "Get me a glass of water, now please." She said and the girl obliged. Roxana nodded her thanks as she took it and drank a small bit before dumping the rest of its contents over Erik's head. His head shot up.

"Wha…?" He asked, looking around. She put his arm over her shoulder and hauled him to his feet. She'd had to do this for Justin once when his friends had gotten him so drunk he'd come home and passed out in the foyer.

"Christine?" He asked as she dragged him up the back stairs.

"Um…sure whatever you say." She muttered, smelling the alcohol on his breath.

Opening the door to his room, she collapsed onto the bed with him, nearly trapped under his arm as he fell onto her.

"God, men are so stupid…" She groaned, as she flipped him over and took his mask off, setting it on the table. He held her arms, grinning like an idiot.

"You're pretty…" He said and she wiped her cheek in frustration.

"Thank you. Now go to sleep." She said and he sighed.

"I love you Christine…" He said and she nodded.

"Yes, thank you Erik. Good night…" Again, she tried to leave but he held her arm.

"No, stay…don't leave me again…" He cried, now sounded like a lost child.

"Erik I'll just be across the hall…"

"Don't leave me!" He cried and she sighed in defeat, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Alright…" She said as he laid his head in her lap and she rested her head on the headboard, still sitting up. Not like it was easy to lie down in the black crepe dress with all the layers of skirts and petticoats and undergarments.

"Can you sing to me?" He asked and she shook her head.

"Erik you know I don't sing…" She protested but his grip on her arm tightened.

"Please?" He asked and she thought a moment before singing a song her father used to sing while working around the house.

The water is wide I can not get o'er
And neither have I wings to fly
Give me a boat that will carry two
And both shall row my love and I

Where love is planted O there it grows
It grows and blossoms like a rose
It has a sweet and pleasant smell
No flower on Earth can it excel

A ship there is and she sails the sea
She's loaded deep as deep can be
But not so deep as the love I'm in
I know not if I sink or swim

O love is handsome and love is fine
And love's a jewel while it is new
But when it is old it grows so cold
And fades away like morning dew…

She felt his easy breathing and gently got up.

"Well it's about time you drunken fool." She said softly as she pulled off his shoes and jacket before pulling the blankets over him and turning out his lamp. "Good night Erik." She said, closing his door and going into her own room. Ana was waiting for her to help her change out of her dress.

"Is he alright?" The girl asked Roxana as she unbuttoned the back of the black dress. Roxana smiled.

"He'll live…although I'd be willing to bet that he won't be feeling too well in the morning." She said as she stepped out of the dress and Ana began to loosen the laces of her corset.

"Boy, you should have heard him going on and on downstairs…he kept babbling something about an angel and that Christine girl!" Roxana shrugged.

"He's just a bit heartbroken…he'll be alright…he's just a little insane." Ana smiled.

"Oh…is that all?"

"Well, well, well…" Roxana said the next morning as Erik came downstairs still bedraggled and unkempt, only having bothered to put his mask on.

"Don't even say a word…" He warned, his voice low, his head throbbing.

"Mama!" Jamie's voice came as he ran into the room and Roxana looked up at Erik.

"He said Mama…" She said surprised and rubbing his head he moodily said,

"Yes dear. I heard him, I am not deaf."

"Did you teach him?" She asked and he shook his head.

"No…I helped him. You see he's actually very bright. He imitates…I suspect that your son is just fine, and I think Andrew's presence and control over your household had something to do with his issue." He said as Ana came in holding a tray.

"Coffee my lord?" She asked and he nodded.

"Thank you dear." He said, taking a sip and keeping his eyes closed. The light was making his head throb even more.

"Erik, I am going into town today, is there anything you need?" He looked up.

"Not alone you aren't." He said and she folded her arms defying him with her eyes.

"And how are you going to stop me my lord?" She asked and he replied,

"Roxana, it is not safe for a woman like you to go out alone. Who knows what your brother-in-law would do if he saw you alone? Or what he has told people? I am coming with you." He said and she looked at him warily.

"And I am sure if Christine and Raoul decided to take a stroll in town, they wouldn't recognize you…" Erik shook his head.

"I will wear my fedora low and stay near the shadows." He said casually, as if it were just another day in the life.

"Fine Erik…as long as you accept full responsibility." She said and it was settled.

Roxana bundled Jamie up and pulled her own black hooded cloak on as Erik pulled his cashmere cloak and fedora on. They must have been quite a pair, both of them in all black.

"Mama!" Jamie cried, squealing in delight at the toy shop window. She shook her head.

"Not today my love." She said kissing his rosy cheek. Erik walked close to her as he scanned the streets. To his relief, they really didn't look much different than any other couple, except that they didn't hold hands or even touch.

"Oh no…" Roxana muttered and he looked up seeing the familiar light haired young man striding toward her with a grin on his handsome face and holding the hand of Erik's very pretty former love. She reached back and pushed Erik roughly behind the building with her arm before he could protest. He could still see from the shadows.

"Rox!" Raoul's gentle voice cried as he pulled the girl into a crushing embrace and swung her around.

"Raoul…" She laughed nervously, "How are you?" He shrugged.

"I am fine…tired, well exhausted really, but fine. You must meet my fiancée!" He said pulling the girl to face her. Roxana laughed, adjusting Jamie on her hip.

"We've met. At Angel's tea yesterday." She said and Raoul nodded.

"Ah yes…young Angelina. She and her sister Rachelle are well I trust?" Roxana nodded.

"So I hear you've married?" He asked and she nodded.

"Who told you?" She asked and he chuckled.

"Good Heavens dear, Andrew stormed into the tavern yesterday raving about it. Come to think of it, just after that he went to my house and asked my father's permission to court my sister Rosaline."

Roxana smiled warmly at the quiet young girl standing beside him.

"Yes, well…if your sister knows what's good for her, she'll stay away from him. He's like a disease. One that slowly spreads through your body and kills you." She said and Christine let out a small laugh as Raoul put his arm over her shoulders fondly.

"Well, we must be going…" Raoul said as Christine smiled shyly.

"I hope I'll be seeing you again Lady Westcliff." She said and Roxana smiled.

"It's Lady Destler now, but you don't need to be so formal. It's Roxana." She said and Christine nodded.

"Well, at least I'll know one person besides Raoul's sisters at my wedding." She said laughing and Roxana nodded as Jamie began to squirm impatiently.

"Don't forget Rachelle and Angel. We have tea at Angel's once a week, so you'll become more comfortable with us. It's the other horrid creatures of society you'll want to stay away from. Namely Jacqueline Marquet and Sissy Avenant." She said and Christine made a face.

"Sissy?" She asked and Roxana rolled her eyes.

"Short for Sibylle." She said and winced. Christine giggled.

"Well I suppose I would prefer Sissy then too. Goodbye Roxana." She said as Roxana squeezed her hand.

"Goodbye Christine. Raoul." She said nodding to both of them and walking back into the shadows when they were out of sight.

"All clear." She said and found him sitting on the ground.

"I don't feel well." He said, his hat so low all she could see was his mouth. She touched his shoulder unable to bend down with Jamie in her arms. He stood up and she took his arm, leading him back to the house. She didn't realize that Christine and Raoul had only stepped into the small café across the way for a bite. Not that they could tell who the mystery man was, but they saw her walking with him. Raoul simply shrugged and went back to his tea, but Christine was intrigued.

"Raoul…don't we know that man?" She asked and Raoul looked out the window for a closer look. He couldn't tell. He just saw that the man was wearing a black cloak and hat as were many of the other men walking through town.

"No dear…I can't say we do." He said and she nodded.

"I suppose you're right." She sighed and took a tentative bite of her bread and butter.