CHARLES

I woke up with a mouthful of Maddie's hair and her body half draped over me. I hadn't realized I'd slept there all night. I only meant to hold her until she settled and go to my own room. It was still quite early, since the sun had only just begun to rise. Maddie must have sensed I was awake because her eyes opened too and she looked up at me in confusion.
"Charles…" She said, her voice thick with sleep, "You slept here all night?" I shrugged.
"It would appear so…I'm sorry, I must have been more tired than I thought." I yawned and she smiled.
"I guess so." She said and I realized she was still laying with her body half across me. This could be bad…for both of us, seeing as involuntarily another part of me awakened. I shot out of the bed.
"I'd better get back to my room before Therese or Dad gets up!" I said quickly and ran from the room.

Oh God! I thought as I shut my bedroom door behind me. I want nothing more than to be near her and when I am finally near her, I run. Idiot. What if she'd noticed? I looked around my room unsure of what to do. This really hadn't happened much before, but a cold shower sounded nice. I sat on my bed for five minutes just staring at the wall, and things slowly returned to normal. I breathed a sigh of relief and laid back in the bed, taking off my old clothes and sliding under the covers. It was still early, I would just sleep a while longer.
"Charles?" I looked up to see Maddie in the doorway, her silhouette clearly visible in the pale early morning light. Not again…I pretended to be asleep, but she came in and nudged my shoulder. I looked at her tiredly.

"What is it Maddie?" I asked with a yawn and she sat on the bed. I pulled the covers tightly around myself.
"Why did you just run? Did I do something to offend you?" She asked, for the first time showing genuine concern.
"No no…I just um…something came up." I stuttered. It was the truth. Something had come up. Oh God Maddie…don't come any closer.
"I see…" She said, standing up. Thank you Lord. "Well, I am going back to bed. Thank you for caring enough to stay with me last night." I nodded at her.
"Anytime…" I said and she left.

"Charles get up! Get up!" Therese was shaking me awake about three hours later. I looked up at her groggily.
"What? What's going on?" I asked, wiping my eyes.
"Your Aunt and Uncle are here and they brought the dog." She said smiling and left me to get dressed. I hurried and picked out a shirt and pants to wear and brushed through my hair before running downstairs. Millie was sitting on the floor near her parents' feet rubbing the dog's stomach. It was a mutt, obviously part terrier and I was the one who had given him to my Aunt and Uncle. A short time after Mother had died, after we had come back to France from England, we had been on our way to the opera to see Carmen. Our carriage had run over this poor little mutt, and, being sixteen and an animal lover, I rushed to find a veterinary surgeon, much to the protests of Dad, on a Friday night. Luckily I had found one and the little dog was perfectly fine. I ended up giving him to Millie for her eighth birthday since she had wished for a pet so badly, and she had named him Gus.

Gus, sensing I was in the room, hopped up and pounced over to me, trying to get to my face. I picked him up and he showered me with affection, still energetic for an old dog. He ran instantly back to Millie and I sat in the armchair, trying not to meet Maddie's eyes across from me.
"So you went from uninspired architect to an opera star in a matter of a month." Aunt Laney laughed and I shrugged.
"I wanted to explore my options." I said and she nodded.
"Well, you did…what opera are you all doing next?" She asked and I looked to Maddie.
"I believe they said Il Muto." She answered for me and Aunt Laney nodded.
"I always loved Il Muto, didn't you Garrett?" She asked my Uncle and he nodded.
"One of the few that wasn't horribly drawn out!" He stated and she hit his arm.
"Not everyone loves opera…" I defended him and he smiled.

"See? My nephew defends me!" He stuck his tongue out at her and for a moment, it seemed like they were two teenaged children again. Maddie giggled quietly as Millie rolled her eyes.
"Started a party without me, did you?" Gabe's voice came from the door way and Millie instantly focused directly on the dog. I rose to shake his hand. He looked desperately at the beautiful girl on the floor who was patting her dog affectionately, almost fiercely.
"Gabriel…good to see you." My Aunt said, coming to kiss his cheek. "How is your Mother?" She asked him and he nodded.
"Well. As is Dad." He replied and moved to sit across from Camille on the floor.

"You can't ignore me forever Camille Reynolds…" He said lightly and she shot fire at him with her eyes. Her blue-green eyes that almost everyone in my family had. Except me. My parents had always told me I took after my grandfather, Gustave Daaé, but I didn't see the resemblance. I don't think they did either.
"I have no desire to talk…" She muttered and looked at him intently. "You're wearing a mask." She said, it was a statement more than anything, but he nodded. "Why? You never cared before." She said and he looked a bit embarrassed.
"I was shopping for Christmas today and I just…I didn't want people to…you know, stare." Camille shook her head.
"That's your problem Gabriel. You let your fear of what everyone else thinks get the best of you." She said and snapped her fingers for Gus to follow her out of the room.

Gabe took the mask off and looked at it. Maddie joined him on the floor and put her arms around him in a supportive way.
"She's right you know…" Maddie said gently, "You shouldn't be ashamed of who you are." He shrugged.
"I don't try to be…but it's not easy for me. I mean, I know I am not horribly deformed like those you see in institutions and such, but people still stare and it hurts. I am twenty-eight years old, but when those people look at me I feel like a five year old again." I looked down at my hands, feeling uneasy for him. He was so right. I couldn't imagine being deformed, or disfigured. Not that I wouldn't take the burden from him in a heartbeat after all he'd done for me. People who were different didn't have a chance in this world. Children who were born with marred faces could be thrown into an asylum and beaten daily, simply because they weren't always easy to look at. It sickened me. A child who was abused and suffered brain trauma could be punished for the mistakes of their parents.

Aunt Laney had sat back down and looked at Gabe sympathetically.
"She's angry because she cares, you know." She said quietly and Gabe nodded.
"I need to go talk to her…" He said and left the room.
"I think that would be a good idea." Aunt Laney said and he rose to leave. Maddie sat back in the chair, she had been sitting in.
"Where is everyone?" I asked my Aunt, referring to Genevieve, Rosie and Dan. She laughed and rolled her eyes.
"Rosie and her fiancé took Genevieve to buy a new dress for Christmas, and Daniel…well, actually I don't know where Daniel is. That boy has been very sneaky these past few weeks." She said and Uncle Garrett nodded.

"I think he's seeing someone." He said, and she looked at him in surprise.
"Has he said anything?" She asked and he shook his head.
"No, but he's always leaving with little trinkets, or flowers." He replied and she nodded. Maddie and I looked at each other, and she had a look of understanding in her eyes. She couldn't possibly know about Deirdre and Dan, unless…of course. Deirdre. The biggest gossip at the opera. She couldn't hold a secret in if her life depended on it. Dad always laughed that she was just like Aunt Meg used to be. Still, it must have been nice for Deirdre and Dan, to realize they had feelings for each other, but how hard to keep it a secret. If I loved someone, I would want to tell everyone. I sneaked another sidelong glance at Madeleine, who was talking to my Aunt about being in the ballet.

"I've been in the ballet for six years now and from the way it looks, I'll be there for six more or longer…" She said and I smirked to myself. Not if I have anything to do with it, you will be leading soprano. In fact, unbeknownst to Madeleine, I had sent a letter to the London opera, my family having been good friends with the managers there and gushed about Benedetta in the letter, saying she was a gem and a prize any opera would be proud to have. I also mentioned how much she was paid here and said she could be lured away for a bit more. I sighed, looking at her. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve. Tomorrow, I would pick up the locket from the jeweler. Tomorrow things could be different.

Okay this chapter is not good. I am sorry…I don't know why it didn't turn out right. Anyway…I will post the Maddie chapter soon to make up for it.