Anna Elisabeth de Chagny was born three minutes after her brother Gustave Pierre and made her presence known so that even her family waiting downstairs knew she had arrived. Her father had quickly come back to consciousness at the sound of her wails and he was forever sold on the idea of having a daughter. Gustave Pierre of course, was his father's pride, being his heir, but he would hold a stronger bond with his mother and was, obviously the quieter twin. Anna Elisabeth knew right from the start that she had her father, the viscount wrapped around her chubby little finger. Christine laughed as the midwife handed her nervous young husband his daughter and the blue of his eyes melted. She looked down at her son, who was nursing happily and sleepily and said,
"I told you before you came, he's a sucker, didn't I?" The baby seemed to agree, looking up at her with big blue eyes.
Both children were fair haired and blue eyed like their father, but it was obvious that much of their features came from their mother, such as their wild curls and bright smiles. It was clear from the moment they met, that Madeleine Destler and Anna Elisabeth were going to be friends. Maddie with her quiet way and Anna with her funny chatter balanced each other out perfectly and by the time they were nearly two years old, they were inseparable, along with their good friend, Corinne Pierpont. Gustave and Anna were also blessed with a cousin, Erik Reynolds three and a half months after they were born and surprisingly the boy had been born with bright red hair just like his mother's.
James Westcliff Destler was destined to become one of the most renowned writers in France though his parents didn't know it until he was thirteen and his teacher sent a letter to their home. Besides being skilled in music, literature was his passion and he read as many books as he could as often as he could. His most renowned book would be called, Memoirs of a Ghost. A fiction, or so the world thought. His first book was published when he was sixteen and he traveled everywhere from London to Italy to Persia and even one voyage to America for inspiration. His first book was dedicated to his parents, all three of them.
Gustave Pierre de Chagny, who inherited the title of Viscount de Chagny after his grandfather's passing, proved to be an intelligent and kind person, acquiring his mother's acceptance of everyone, and his father's gentle character along with his financial knowledge. The Chagnys were like royalty in Paris, and though the girls fawned over him, it was an English Duchess that won his heart and broke it, since she had been promised to another man and married him shortly after.
Three years after the birth of their daughter, Roxana gave birth to another boy whom they called Julian Charles. After his birth, their doctor informed Roxana that she would no longer be able to have children, but to their astonishment, less than a year after Julian was born, Roxana informed Erik she was pregnant again, this time with their youngest Aurora Danielle. Erik was quite content with four children, though he never hid his adoration for his first daughter. It was not that he loved her more, it was simply that she was the first good thing that had come from him.
Brett and Meg Reynolds indeed did have more children and ended up with six. Two boys and four girls. Justin, Daniel, Isabella, Giselle, Catherine and Deirdre. In fact, it was Isabella who met Gustave Pierre de Chagny in Rome on a trip with her grandmother and grandfather, Daniel and Marie Reynolds, that they literally bumped into each other and became engaged two days later much to the surprise of their families. He was eighteen and she sixteen at the time.
Another surprise came for Christine and Raoul, when their daughter came home from her afternoon tea with Madeleine flushed and quiet. It was unlike the musically talented Anna, who was usually bursting with chatter or humming to herself shamelessly. They later found out what had Anna so dreamy. James had come home from his second trip to Persia upon finishing Memoirs while staying with Nadir Khan, his father's friend who had returned to Persia recently upon learning that his sister was unwell. Jamie, who now went by Jim to his family and friends, was none the wiser that his sister's best friend had designs on him, but agreed to escort her to the first ball of the fall season not long after her eighteenth birthday.
She'd convinced him to take a walk with her through her father's garden's and confessed her feelings for him. They'd ended up kissing, and much to her father's dismay, she too was engaged within the month. Raoul was devastated, since she was the only daughter he had, but he soon came around with the assistance of his wife and resigned himself to the idea, finding comfort in the fact that Jim was a good man, and his friends' son. Erik was a bit surprised, to say the least, and it was at their children's wedding that he and Christine laughed at the irony of it all.
"Isn't it funny, Erik, that history always seems to repeat itself?" She asked, nudging him playfully in the ribs as they watched the couple take their first dance. He gave an arrogant snort as she heard him do when he was going to correct her and suppressing a laugh she rolled an eyes.
"What?" She asked, crossing her arms. He looked down at her.
"If I do recall, Miss Daaé," He said, referring to her with her maiden name, "It was I, the male, who had designs on you...it was your daughter who was lusting after my son..." He said, chuckling as she smacked his arm.
"She was not lusting after Jimmy, she was...harboring affections for him." She said with a smirk. Erik rolled his eyes, draping his arm over Christine's shoulder.
"Call it what you like, Christine Daaé, but it's all the same." She shook her head, giving him a quick hug.
"There is a difference, Erik, between lust and love..." She replied and this got his attention and even drew a small smile from him, the distant feelings he'd had for her all those years before resurfacing if only for a moment.
"Touché Christine. You win." He said, drawing away. Before walking away, he looked down at her and grinned. "Christine, I love you..." He said, swallowing and she nodded.
"I love you too...Angel." She teased and he chuckled again as Roxana appeared out of the crowd.
"Erik, you'd better go see about your firstborn daughter. She wants permission to take a carriage ride with Justin Reynolds." He looked at his wife, his previous conversation forgotten as he began to storm toward his daughter, Christine and Roxana trailing behind.
"Madeleine...what is this about?" Erik asked, his arms folded. She laughed excitedly.
"Oh Papa...Justin wants to show me the countryside!" She said excitedly, and he sighed heavily.
"Will there be a chaperone?" He asked roughly, eyeing Justin Reynolds. Maddie nodded, squeezing Justin's hand.
"Of course silly! Aunt Annie is coming along." She said and he nodded, defeated.
"Of course you may then..." He said, almost sadly, but if Madeleine noticed, she didn't indicate it as she kissed her father's cheek and left the ball hand in hand with Justin, Annie trailing close behind.
As he sat at the table with Raoul, who also looked depressed, he couldn't help but smirk.
"What are you pouting about?" He asked and Raoul nodded toward Anna.
"She hasn't even danced with me yet..." He said sadly. "Adrianna Khan is dancing with her father...why doesn't mine want to dance with me?" Erik patted his friend on the back and slid a drink in front of him.
"I know the feeling...mine just left with Meg Giry's son." He thought a moment before saying. "Men should have the right to lock their daughters up until...until...well, until...oh, I don't know...I just wish it wasn't so damned hard to watch them go."
Raoul nodded in agreement.
"I know it. I cried like a baby when I gave her away today." He replied and Erik chuckled.
"That's because you always were a crybaby..." He said, and Raoul scowled at him.
"Don't even get me started on your faults, Erik Destler, because if I remember correctly, you had me tied to a portcullis threatening my wife with my life." He said, winking at his old friend. It was a joke between them now. Erik grinned.
"Good times, my friend..." Raoul was going to retort, when Anna interjected.
"Daddy...I know I've neglected you all night...but I was sort of hoping you would dance with me..." She said and Raoul looked at Erik triumphantly.
"Well get out of here you dolt and dance with your daughter before you begin to cry again." He shot at Raoul, who gladly did. Jim waved to him from where he stood between his mother and Meg and he smiled proudly at his son, who he still affectionately called Jamie when they were at home. His other son, Julian was seated between two of the Reynolds girls along with his best friends, Alana's son Erik and Rosaline's son Georges.
Elisabeth's children were still fairly young as she had been twenty before she'd married and twenty-two when her first child was born. She had been unable to attend tonight since she and her family lived in England but they all sent their love and were planning a visit in the winter. As Erik watched everyone in the room enjoy themselves, he realized he was completely and utterly alone and the empty feeling, he'd once felt began to creep back into the pit of his stomach when he felt a small tug at his sleeve. He looked over to see his thirteen year old daughter standing there, on the verge of tears.
"What's the matter Aurora?" He asked, extending his arm to her, she crawled into his lap.
"Those stupid boys called me ugly and dumb." She said, sniffling. He looked up to see his younger son and friends laughing at each other.
"Don't you believe them Aurora...you're the prettiest girl in this room." He assured her and she sniffed.
"Really? Even prettier than Anna? Or Maddie?" She asked and he nodded.
"The prettiest. I promise." He grinned as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and gave him a peck on the unmasked cheek.
"Thank you Papa...I do love you the most." She said smiling and looking so like Roxana, he could have cried.
"I love you too darling...just make your Papa a promise." He said with a smile and she looked at him.
"What Papa?"
"Don't ever fall in love." He said and she made a face.
"Oh, I won't...boys are so dreadful and mean..." She said and he chuckled.
"Oh...you won't think that soon enough..." He smiled as she ran off to her friends across the room.
"Erik Destler...I can't believe you just made your daughter promise to never fall in love." Roxana's low voice came from behind him as her arms wrapped around his shoulders. He grinned.
"Sneaky, aren't I?" He asked and she laughed.
"You think so..." She replied, sitting beside him. "I had a dream last night." She said and he looked at her, interested.
"Oh?" He inquired.
"Justin was in it...it was like...he never died...he said he was happy for us all and that he would be here today to see Jamie get married. He said Andrew was safe now...and then he hugged me and he was gone." Erik nodded, looking at Jamie, who had rejoined his bride and grinned.
"He is here, Roxana...look at your son. Our son. He's still there...in Jamie's blue eyes...in his soul. In your heart. Don't ever let him go Roxy...just leave a little room for me." He said, kissing his wife's cheek. She smiled at him, a tear escaping her dark eye.
"Always, Erik...you saved me." She said and he shook his head, pulling her close and resting his chin on her head.
"No Roxana, you saved me."
So, that's all folks...as for the kids and the rest of the details...well, that's another story.