The next morning the woman lethargically snuck away from the bed of her officious, sleeping husband the chilly morning darkness still prevailing.

Sage wrapped the woven shawl tighter to her body as she walked through the row of tents, noting that without the bustling crowds the place seemed absent of life.

She couldn't stop thinking about the information she got out of her captor and the repeat of the nightmare that had been stalking her.

Her devitalized body slowed as she passed through the tent where she performed almost every day.

A hand caressed one of the eighty-six bars that made up the web of steel.

Edward had told her the number of bars recently; a distraction that apparently proved worthwhile for him for that moment.

But the day he murmured that he had also spoke of his non-humanity, calling himself horrid names.

Monster.

Freak.

Jim had gotten to him again.

All because of those "sessions."

She wasn't even supposed to know about them.

A number of her fellow "performers" had taken her aside and told her, what they had witnessed.

Her captor still tortured Edward.

Breaking him, so Sage might come to hate the beast.

Stupid child.

As she opened the flap and left the tent she wondered if there would be a way to elucidate to her captor, to reveal his wrongs.

It might take a while.

She wondered where she could find a drug to paralyze him, as she opened the door to the trailer, smiling.

From inside she heard the suave voice of the boy who had comforted her love when she couldn't.

Erik was truly brilliant; though he had his quirks.

Her excited young friend was talking about his opera again with Edward, mask off.

"I think that works perfectly. With this the plot is perfect!"

Turning to look at Edward, she could see a weak but amicable smile which comforted her immensely.

Erik, the sagacious, wise being that he was, always knew how to cheer up her love.

He gave Edward a worth she couldn't seem to give him, and had an understanding of his friend that Sage could never truly feel.

She waited by the door for a moment until Erik's eyes turned on her, Edward's following.

The boy immediately ran up and embraced her in a hug.

No matter how much of a gentleman he made himself out to be, he really was just a kid inside.

Sage pressed her lips against his deformed skin muttering an early morning hello, then moved over to her love and wrapped her arms around him, kissing his neck, whispering her greeting, as Erik sat down on the other bed, smiling.

As she looked to see Erik holding in a bubble of laughter she thought about how he only took off his mask willingly with her and Edward.

It always felt like an honor to see him without it, happy.

But yet again, the disfigured boy thought of them as family, surrogate siblings, or perhaps pretend parents, sage being the mother he always wished for.

She found herself asking him about this opera he was taking on, but he just kept smiling.

So the woman looked to Edward who simply said it was a secret.

Sage laughed a bit, changing the subject.

"I heard you play your cello last night; lately all you've played is your violin, and though you sounded amazing, I wonder of this is for your opera?"

"Thank you, I felt I was getting rusty, that's all."

The woman knew he lied, but wouldn't say a word. She knew why he played now. And maybe she could start to figure out about this opera.

Letting it go, letting her boys have their secret, she asked Erik if he knew where to find poison and possibly something to paralyze.

"You mean to get rid of that annoying animal that keeps bothering you right?"asked the boy slyly, turning serious.

Sage just nodded starting to rub circles on her love's back.

Edward grew serious as well, looking curious.

Erik nodded back, walking out the door.

"Jim told me he would want to be poisoned if he had to die. I want to paralyze him first though. Are you satisfied?"

"Fine. But know the guilt will haunt you for the rest of your life."

The woman scoffed.

"I will be rejoicing for the rest of my life…anyway you wanted to know about the nightmare, right?"

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Sorry I've been taking so long to update, but I just broke through a week long writer's block, which totally sucked.

But I can write againcheers

Warning, this story has at least two more chapters after this, but don't worry I'll kill the bastard off soon enough. I wanted to use this story to show a bit more of Sage and Edward's life in the freak show and put in Erik, cause being such a huge phantom fan, I couldn't help myself.

And yes, Erik does not belong to me; he belongs to all the people who put him in books, plays, and movies.

I will try to put up the next chapter soon, since today is the first day of my week long break!