Kerri hadn't even realized she had dozed off until she woke up. Dinner had been eventful, in the respect that everything had gone smoothly. Almost too smooth. Kerri knew enough to trust her intuition, and it said that something was up in the house. A clock on the wall said it was eleven forty eight. Erik's arm was still draped over her stomach, his knee still wedged between hers. She moved slowly, both because Erik was a borderline insomniac and needed sleep, and because she learned it was the best way to get up.

Somehow she knew where the kitchen was from her bedroom. She didn't know what she wanted to eat, but she knew she was hungry. Surprisingly, Christine was sitting at the center counter, eating ice cream.

"You're up." She sounded surprised.

"So are you." Kerri sat across from her. She looked older, much older than the last time they had met. Her belly was big, and it looked like it hurt.

"I thought you would be sleeping." Christine sounded sad.

"No; I hardly ever sleep at night." Kerri took a chunk of vanilla out of the bowl with a nearby spoon.

"What about you?"

"I got hungry." She shrugged.

There was a moment of silence between girls.

"How do you do it?" Christine asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Erik are so….happy. Or at least you seem that way." Christine sighed.

"I don't know how to answer that. We just understand each other, I guess."

"God, what did I get myself in to?" Christine moaned, putting her head in her hands.

"Is something wrong?"

"No…it's just….oh, I don't know! First, Raoul hates Erik. I can understand that. It's logical. Then he found you and him together, and he wanted to kill him. Again, I could understand that. He tried to let you two go, but he couldn't do it. So he tried breaking you two up. He felt guilty, but he was trying to do the best thing for you. Then when we moved and you ran away, he just gave up completely. When he got your letter, he was so excited; he thought you were dead! And he went out and bought the Opera House and put it in Erik's name, which made no sense. And now here the two of you are, staying in our house, and Raoul actually used Erik's name."

"I'll admit I was surprised when I got his letter. But is it really so bad?"

"No! I mean, I think it's wonderful that the two of you are here, and Erik finally has something good in his life, but Raoul is…he's different."

"What do you mean? He's a little chipper, but generally the same."

Christine snorted. "Chipper is hardly the end of it. He is obsessed with his work, which, by the way, up until last month, was repairing the Opera House. And he won't touch me with a yard stick."

Kerri held up her hands.

"Okay, that's enough, stop right there. Raoul is my brother, and I do not want to know. In fact, it would be preferable to let me believe he is completely abstinent."

Christine shook her head. "I'm sorry. I just have no one to talk to…"

"Have you tried talking with Raoul?"

The older girl laughed. "What would I say?"

"Exactly what you're telling me."

"Oh, I could never do that! It's way too embarrassing."

"Well, I can't do a damn thing about it. I have my own problems to deal with. If you really want to work it out, you'll find a way to talk with him."

"Well how do you do it? You and Erik don't seem like the fighting type."

Kerri laughed.

"Oh, we've been angry with each other, trust me. We fight all of the time. But that's why we understand each other. Even if a discussion ends in a fight, we've still talked about it." She conveniently left out the part where the arguments frequently turned in to sex.

"What are you girls talking about at one o' clock in the morning?" Raoul stood in the doorway, robed with his arms crossed.

"The usual girl stuff. Nothing you should worry about." Kerri sighed.

"I've never known you to be 'usual'."

Kerri shrugged, rising from her seat.

"Marriage changes a girl." She kissed his cheek, turning back to Christine.

"Do you really want to know how I do it?"

Christine nodded.

"When I really want something, I play it out in my head like I want it to turn out. Then I make it happen."

Raoul turned to Christine, giving her a questioning glance.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing dear." Christine gave him a small smile, also rising to leave.

"Are you coming to bed?" She asked after leaving him standing in the doorway.

"Yeah, in a minute." He nodded absentmindedly. She did not wait for him.

Kerri did not go to bed right away. She went back to her room, turned on a lamp, and read. After about an hour, the sugar rush from the ice cream wore off, and she became extremely tired. She had slept for only a few hours previously, and now it had caught up to her. She was a sleep before her head hit the pillow.

"Kerri, come on, wake up." Erik was already dressed and ready to go as he gently nuzzled her awake.

"It's too early." She moaned.

"Well, that's not my fault."

"What are you doing up."

"Well, if we are going to find a house in Versailles, we'll have to get moving." Erik stood over her drinking a cup of coffee as she rolled.

"Raoul gave me the name of a realtor who does business there."

"You had a conversation with Raoul?" Kerri sat up. Erik nodded.

"Apparently he wants to make nice with us now."

He handed her a cup of tea.

"Drink it, you'll feel better."

She shook her head, slightly dazed.

"This has been a weird week."

"Indeed." He paused, fingering the blanket.

"Are you going to visit your parents?"

Kerri sighed. It was too early in the day to be tackling difficult tasks.

"I don't know. If I go now, she'll scream at me. If I wait until Saturday, she'll scream at me."

"Well, the question is where would she be less likely to physically attack you?"

"A police station." Kerri snorted. "I don't want to talk about this stuff right now. Can we please just concentrate on finding a place to live?"

She finally got up off the bed and tried to decide what she wanted to wear. It was hot out, so anything with layers under it was out of the question.

She finally decided on a deep but vibrant green skirt and a white blouse. The green in the skirt brought out the green in her eyes and made her pale skin seem almost translucent. She was wearing black silk slippers that she had bought at a market in Venice.

"You look nice." She smiled, jumping as the baby kicked.

"Do you want anything to eat?"

"Do I have a choice?"

Erik shook his head.

"Alright then. Let's go down to the kitchen."

"You know where the kitchen is?"

"Yes." She smiled. "Christine and I had a conversation last night."

"You talked to Christine?" He exclaimed in mock surprise.

"Yes; this house is just full of surprises."

"Next thing you know, we'll be having twins."

Kerri followed him down the corridor, sliding down the banister versus walking.

"Don't say that."

"Why not?"

"Because twins mean that there are two of them. And we will have out hands full with one as it is."

"What about me? I 'm going to have my hands full with you, too."

Kerri stopped in front of the door, glaring at him. He smiled tauntingly, pushing the door open behind her.

There were servants and cooks bustling around the room, but no one looked when they entered.

"You'd think they were feeding an army."

"They probably are." Kerri took a croissant as it passed by on a waiters shoulder.

Suddenly, a crazed cook started screaming at them in what sounded like German. Erik shouted back, and the cook shut up, staring at him in awe. He said something else, pointing to a stove. Still in shock, the man just nodded and walked off.

"What'd you say to him?" Kerri watched him walk away, following her husband.

"That I wanted to cook. And to please stop shouting." He paused, taking eggs from a basket.

"I think he was surprised that I spoke German."

"I was surprised you spoke German." Kerri added, watching him break the eggs into a bowl.

"I didn't know you could cook either."

"Why wouldn't I?"

Kerri shrugged.

"Well, you never eat any way, so one would assume that you don't know how to cook."

He frowned.

"I eat."

"Not regularly."

"That isn't the point. I can cook quite well."

Kerri hoisted herself up onto the counter.

"We'll see."

He handed her a green pepper and a knife.

"Chop this up."

She smiled, making a face at having to work.

"No, no." Erik shook his head, standing behind her and putting his hand over hers.

"Chop at an angle, not straight down." He moved her hand the correct way.

"Why does it matter?"

"It doesn't. It's easier for you."

"What are you two doing?" Christine stood behind the couple. Erik glanced behind him, not hesitating.

"Making omelets." Kerri smiled. "Do you want one?"

She shook her head.

"No, thank you."

"You're as bad as Kerri." Erik scoffed.

"I beg your pardon?"

"She never eats."

"Look who's talking!" Kerri nudged him.

"I eat.

"So do I!"

"You don't eat right."

Kerri looked at Christine mouthing 'I told you'. Christine smiled, sitting on a nearby stool.

"I had something earlier."

"Ice cream at one o'clock in the morning hardly counts."

Christine was shocked.

"How did you know that?"

Erik turned to face her. She gave a quiet gasp. He looked good.

"I know everything."

"Stop being arrogant." Kerri slapped his arm, breaking their momentary gaze.

"Are you sure you don't want something?" Erik turned back to the stove, pouring the egg in to a pan.

"I'll be alright."

"So, how have you been? We didn't really get to talk last night." Kerri sat next to Christine, swinging her feet.

"Tired. Hungry. Sore. My ankles are huge."

"Do you think you'll dance again?"

"I don't know. Not any time soon."

"What about sing? God knows we need a soprano." Erik sighed.

"Why not use Carlotta."

"Erik gave her an apprehensive look. She laughed.

"I'm sorry I asked." She bit her lip in thought.

"I don't know. I might sing. I would have to talk to Raoul."

"About what? He's not your employer, he's your husband. It's not his decision."

"It would be nice to have his consent."

"Do you do anything without asking him first?"

Christine straighted. "Excuse me?"

"You're not a child, Christine. You don't need his permission."

"I know that. But it would be nice to have his support."

"If he doesn't support your dream, why did you marry him?"

"You're impossible." Christine sighed.

"It doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't have to." Christine shook her head.

"Everything has to be logical with him." Kerri groaned. She finished the omelet Erik had set before her and grabbed a banana from the fruit basket.

"I'm wandering around. Find me when you're ready to leave." She walked off. Christine watched her go, thinking of how much better she looked than five months ago.

"Where are you going?" She rested her chin in her hand, watching Erik eat.

"House hunting." He sighed.

"You sound so thrilled."

"So how have you been doing? You look pale." He made eye contact with her, and the intensity of his gaze still set her back.

"I haven't been sleeping well recently."

"Kerri doesn't sleep at all and she doesn't strike me as sickly."

"I've been under a lot a lot of stress, okay?" Christine snapped.

"I'm sorry I offended you."

"Well, stop interrogating me."

"Whether you choose to accept it or not, I still care for you. And you should not be so troubled."

"I doubt Kerri would be thrilled to hear you say that."

"I love Kerri, and she knows that. She also knows that she cannot change my feelings for you." He rose to leave, stopping next to her.

"Or your feelings for me."

"I feel nothing for you." She said slowly.

"Then why are you trembling?"

She waited until the door had closed behind him to sob.