CHARLES

The day I turned twenty-six began almost exactly like the day I turned twenty-five. Dad left early in the morning to visit Mother's grave. The only thing different was that Erik had gone with him. Madeleine was stretched out tiredly from the night before. She'd given me my present early. Little Erik now slept in the nursery instead of our room, so I walked in quietly to check on him. He was already awake and holding his tiny foot in his hand. He now recognized me when I held him or spoke to him. He was beginning to hold his head up by himself. His hair was a mass of shiny black curls identical to my own. I only hoped when we had our little girl hopefully in the next year or so, that she would look like Maddie.

A year ago, I would have never even considered I would have a son and a wife, or even that I would be content as a husband and a father, but now that I have seen how wonderful it is, I realized how wonderful it is. The moment I saw Maddie, I knew she was the one and we still have our singing lessons. Of course, we fight through them and hardly ever finish them because we only end up back in bed. Not that I mind. I now consider myself to have two fathers, of course, calling Erik Dad sometimes had been strange for me and him, but we're getting used to it. Maddie also calls them both Dad, but it's easier for her because sometimes she calls Raoul Daddy, which he loves.

As I took Erik downstairs, his grandfather's walked in the door, both of them looking a but peaked.

"Everything alright?" I asked quietly so Maddie wouldn't have to wake. Erik shook his head.

"That was the hardest thing I have ever had to face." He said, holding his head. Dad nodded and urged him to the kitchen.

"I take it he faced Mother's grave then?" I asked and Dad nodded.

"He broke down the second he saw it. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to watch. Charles, he never even got to say goodbye to her." He said and I nodded, adjusting the baby as Madeleine appeared in her robe.

"Morning darling." I said as she nodded, taking the baby and rocking him.

"Happy Birthday Charles. We met one year ago today…" She said and I nodded.

When she saw Erik blankly sipping his tea she looked at Dad and I knowingly and sat beside him.

"How are you?" She asked, holding his arm. He looked at her.

"I've been better." He muttered and she nodded, putting an arm around him and resting her head on his shoulder.

"She would have wanted you to be happy today." Dad said to him, folding his arms. "It's Charles's birthday…he was her pride." I looked at Dad and hugged him tightly. Oh, how I missed her. Dad cleared his throat.

"Well…now that I have you all together. I must tell you something." He said and we all looked at him expectantly. He pulled from his coat pocket four tickets.

"I have four tickets here to the London production of Aida." He said and I looked around for my cat who usually slinked around when people were in the room.

Sure enough, she was at Erik's feet. I grinned.

"Dad, Aida! I love it!" I said and Maddie nodded.

"I've never seen an opera from the audience before!" She laughed as the baby completely fell asleep in her arms.

"Well, he's not really one for company is he?" I asked, taking him from her. He was getting big already. He was fourteen pounds and was beginning to coo and squeal in delight when Maddie kissed his cheeks. He also had a habit of pulling hair.

"I was just telling Erik today that you would be a great Radames one day!" Dad said, winking at Maddie. I sighed.

"Dad…I am an architect now…we have a baby…it's just not going to happen for a while." Dad laughed.

"I know Charles…but when you are ready to go back, I can assure you both, that there is a reserved spot for you two at the new Opera Populaire when it reopens next summer." Maddie shook her head.

"We're not going back for a while…" She said and Dad nodded.

"I know…" He replied and shook her head again.

"No…we're going to try for another one when Erik is a little older. A girl perhaps?" She said and I looked at her surprised. She smiled. Both men looked at me for confirmation and I nodded.

"A girl, yes." I said blankly, never taking my eyes off of hers, and suddenly I wanted her like I had never wanted her before. "Maddie…you look so tired, let me take you for some rest." I said, cradling the baby. She looked at Erik then at Dad as if I were crazy.

"Charles I am fine I really don't…"

"No Maddie, I really think you should get some sleep…now." I said, knowing damn well the begging was in my voice. I didn't care. Erik snickered as a small smiled played at Dad's mouth. Maddie still hadn't caught on.

"Charles I don't know what has gotten into you…oh!" She said, realization coming into her eyes. "Of course!" She said yawning. I slapped a hand to my head and sighed. Dad laughed.

"Shall I take the baby while you two…um, rest?" He asked and I scowled at him, taking Maddie's arm as he took the baby.

"Have a nice nap!" Erik called, chuckling as he sipped his tea. His grief momentarily forgotten.

"Goodness Charles!" Maddie cried when we were finished. "What has gotten into you?" She asked and I shrugged.

"I don't know…seeing your hair all wild and hearing you talk about wanting a daughter. It made me crazy for you!" I said nuzzling her neck, and she took a deep breath, settling beside me. She laughed.

"Oh Charles…you are insane and I love you." She said, yawning. "Now that you mention it I really am tired." She said and I laughed. "Happy Birthday Charles…did you get everything you wanted?" She asked and I nodded, pulling her close.

"Much more." I said, resting my cheek on her head.

Hours later all of our friends and family was assembled in the house just as they had been the year before. Only this time, Deirdre Bennett was Deirdre Reynolds, and soon to be mother. My cousin Daniel never left her side. Not once. I'd never seen him so happy. Rosaline and her husband Stephen sat near her parents. He was a nice man, older than her by about thirteen years but very kind, and he adored her. Gabe and Camille had not arrived yet but Alex sat beside Geni pestering her.

"Bennett! I swear to God, if you don't stop it, I going to…" Aunt Laney grabbed her arm firmly.

"You'll do nothing, love. Now behave yourself." She said, smiling at everyone.

"She hates boys." She explained as Geni scowled, sitting between her parents. Uncle Garrett laughed and kissed her cheeks. She'd really grown up this past year. Replacing the awkward child she'd been, she had rounded out a bit and had grown into her face, which was quite pretty. Almost an exact replica of Rosaline as a matter of fact. She was also more self possessed. She no longer seemed to want to be the baby, but a woman. Alex Bennett was now fifteen, and his voice was nearly changed into that of a man. He had Aunt Meg's blonde hair and his father's chiseled features. He was still a bit awkward and skinny but he was definitely not a little boy any more. Geni pretended to despise him, but it was clear she thought he was pretty terrific.

"Um, Maddie…can I hold the baby?" Geni asked shyly and Madeleine nodded, smiling as she sat Geni down beside her and I placed little Erik in her arms. Aunt Laney smiled.

"She's never been around babies because she is the baby!" She laughed as she knelt beside her daughter and helped her hold his head.

"Mama…I can't wait to have children." She said and Uncle Garrett nearly choked. I chuckled, putting my arm around Maddie.

"Well, you'll have to wait at least three years or you'll send your father into an early grave with the heart attack he'll have!" She said, brushing Geni's hair from her face as Erik laughed where he sat near us.

"And you want to have a girl." He said to me. I nodded.

"It can't be so hard…" I said and Aunt Laney gave me a look.

"Sure it isn't." She muttered, and kissed her daughter's cheek.

"Maddie, he's so…lovely." The girl cooed as she touched his thick hair. Her hair was long and shining and hung over her shoulders in sweet waves. Maddie nodded.

"He is lovely…and he's not crying, which means he must like you!" She said, kissing Erik's head. Geni leaned over, giggling and when she did, Erik got a good handful of her pretty hair and put it straight in his mouth. She shrieked and Maddie took him gently back, prying his fingers off of my little cousin's hair. I laughed as Geni pouted.

"Mama…maybe you're right. I am not ready for children!" She sighed as Aunt Laney laughed and pulled her into her arms.

"Oh Geni…you are so sweet." She said, kissing her forehead. Geni looked back down at my son, who was falling asleep in Maddie's arms. She pulled her hair back and kissed his little nose.

"It's alright…I still think you're wonderful." She whispered and sat between her parents again.

Alex laughed.

"Dumb girls and their dumb babies." He said sticking his tongue out at her which she repeated. Aunt Meg grabbed his ear.

"Alexander enough!" She said. "Next time, I will beat you with Granny's cane until you beg for mercy if you don't leave that poor child alone!" She said and both Maddie and I hid a smirk.

"Whew! Little Giry, I am afraid of how you're going to be as a grandmother." Dad exclaimed, brushing his light hair out of his eyes and chuckling. Uncle Will nodded.

"She's quite insane…" He agreed and Erik sighed.

"She takes after her mother, God bless her." He said and Aunt Meg looked up at him with such a look of gratitude in her eyes I thought she might cry.

"Thank you Monsieur. Now as for you Chagny, you can kiss my…"

"Mama!" Deirdre cried in shock coming back into the room.

"Everything come out alright sis?" Alex asked, with a snicker. Dan hid a laugh too, not very well though for his wife heard him and elbowed him in the stomach.

"Oh you know I love you Di." He said, calling her his pet name for her. She pretended to narrow her eyes at him and glare at him until she sat down careful before bursting into giggles.

"Oh come here you flake." She said and he gladly sat beside her.

"Hello? We're here!" Camille's voice came from the foyer as she walked in positively grinning from ear to ear as Gabe took her coat. His face was flushed and I didn't know if it was from the cold or excitement but the two of them were simply bubbling.

"Alright," I said, hating to be in the dark. "Out with it you two." And Gabe looked up, tossing his mask aside without care.

"I didn't say a word." He said grinning mischievously. Aunt Laney shook her head.

"Oh tell them Millie." She said and Camille held up her hand to flash her shiny new engagement ring.

"Millie!" Geni cried and ran to her sister as Deirdre crooked her finger for Camille to go to her since she didn't want to get up. Gabe came over to shake my hand and kissed Maddie's cheek.

"It's about time." She said, pinching his cheek lightly. He laughed and shook Erik's hand as well. They'd met at our wedding and obviously their similar situations had helped the conversation along.

"Congratulations." Erik said, nodding toward Camille who was blushing as Deirdre prodded her with questions.

Maddie handed the baby to me and moved to join them as Gabe took her place beside me and gently tugged at little Erik's foot.

"Hello there little man…you look like your Papa…" He said in a baby talk voice. He then smirked up at me. "We're all so sorry you couldn't look like your Mama." He said, elbowing me in the arm. I punched his shoulder and he laughed. "Kidding…he's adorable. We're going to have about ten, right Millie?" He called as she looked up.

"What do I look like, a machine?" She asked as Uncle Garrett shook his head and rested it on Aunt Laney's forehead. She smiled and kissed his graying light hair.

"Oh Garrett…we still have Geni." She said and he looked up at Genevieve who was smacking at Alex again. He sighed.

"Not for long. Do they have to grow so fast?" She giggled, squeezing his hand.

"Usually dear."

I looked at Maddie and grinned, thinking of our son and the daughter we would have soon. The daughter who had not yet even been conceived. She smiled back sitting beside Deirdre and patting her abdomen as they spoke quiety with Rosie and Camille. Maddie had grown from the unsure chorus girl into a woman and had become my wife. She had given me a son. She'd given me everything I never wanted and I couldn't have been more indebted to anyone. As I looked down into my son's green eyes I knew that this was the life I was meant to lead. The life that my parents had run from, but everyone deserves a second chance. I looked over to my father, the man who had conceived me and grinned. Then I looked at the man who raised me, who looked at both Maddie and myself with such pride it tore my heart in two, for when I had found my birth father, he hadn't lost a son, but had gained a daughter. The daughter he had sorely wished for. A daughter born of the love he'd shared with another tortured soul.

I realize now that we cannot stay angry or become embittered because of the fate we have been dealt. The only way it will be better is if we want it to get better. Even if you think you've lost everything, there is so much to gain. I had the proof of it sitting in my arms and holding one of my fingers in his tiny hand. My mother had loved my father, it was clear in the way he looked at me and my son. A horrid twist of fate had shunned him from the world, but it was the love of a young girl that had brought him back into the light and given him what he'd secretly longed for. Freedom, but above all beauty. His dreams of beauty were now a reality and although the girl he'd loved so well was not here to share it with him, she was surely waiting for him beyond the lake…beyond the world. She would wait until the day he joined her and they could finally be together. Maddie and I met eyes then and I knew we'd found Heaven already. My love…my Maddie, my Madeleine.

Two more…sorry…I know I said there would be 4 more counting this one, but it is pointless and I think this ending the Charles/Maddie saga is better. So, there are two more chapters!

Thanks…sorry if this is eh…but it had to end and don't worry! I am doing a prequel! Yay!

Sydnee!