Chapter 12

"Sit down." I said to Erik, pointing towards the chair in the kitchen and Gustave came and sat next to him. Erik still had his hand over his face and placed the mask on the table.

I walked over to the fridge, got the ice out and put it in a cloth.

"Here you go." I said as I put it over his already bruised eye. I looked down at the table and noticed his mask was missing.

"Erik, didn't you put your mask on the table?"

"Yeah I did. Where's it go-" He cut himself off when he looked at Gustave. He had Erik's mask on. It was too big for him but he had a really big smile on his face.

"Gustave what are you doing?" Erik asked.

"Seeing what life looks like for you. I think it's a bit big though."

Erik thought for a moment. "Would you like me to make you one?"

"Oh yes please!" Gustave said standing up and trying to walk without falling over. As we watched him, Erik's hand slowly moved from his face and on to the table. Gustave looked over a few minutes later, smiled and went to play the piano with the mask on.

"He looks so cute." I said as I looked over at Erik. It was then I noticed he had moved his hands.

"Mother! Father! Come here!" Gustave's voice came from the living room.

"Come on." Erik said giving me his hand.

We walked into the living room to see Gustave playing the piano with Erik's mask still on.
"Look father! I'm you."

He was playing a piece of music neither of us had heard before but it was beautiful. If it wasn't for the height and the size of the mask, I would have thought Erik was at the piano.

"What are you playing?" Erik asked.

"It's a lullaby I wrote."

"It's beautiful." I said.

"It has words." Gustave said. "Come and sing it mother."

I let go of Erik's hand and looked over the music. Gustave started to play my part on the piano so I knew how fast to sing and then I started.

"Hear those bells ringing soft and low

Bringing peace through the twilight glow.

According to everyone, night has begun.

Turn from your weary toil, day's work is done.

Hear them ring while my love and I

Drift and dream to the lullaby."

Erik clapped and stood up. "That's beautiful Gustave! Absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you father." He said.

"Christine." Erik said. I still remembered that tone. If I had done something wrong in a lesson he would speak like that.

"Yes master?" I said and he knew I was ready for anything he was about to say. I also knew Gustave would be giving us the strangest look.

Erik walked over to me and placed one hand on the small of my back and one on my forehead. He pushed slightly till I was standing perfectly straight.

"That." He said. "Is how to stand."

I giggled slightly when he moved his hands at his impromptu lesson.

"No giggling. Stand straight. Hands by your side. Heavens! I leave you alone for ten years and you can't remember a single thing." He said putting his hands behind his back and pacing.

"Erik-" I started but he cut me off saying "Master to you Christine." I couldn't help but laugh.

"Sorry. Master?" I said hanging my head slightly.
"Yes ange?"

"I believe our son is giving us weird looks." I said in half a whisper.

Erik looked over at Gustave and laughed. "I believe he is. Is something wrong Gustave?"

"What on earth are you and mother doing?" He asked.

I laughed. "Your father taught me how to sing."

"Really?" He asked and Erik nodded.

"Can you teach me to?" He asked, hope lighting up in his eyes.

"I sure can." He said. "That's if your mother doesn't mind." He said winking at me.

"Oh please mother!"

"Of course. You couldn't get a better teacher." I said walking towards Erik and placing a kiss on the right side of his face. He touched where my lips had met his face and blushed slightly.

"That's gross." Gustave said.

"No it's not. This is worse." I said and kissed Erik full on the lips. It was a quick kiss but it had been a new thing for us. We had never had time to kiss. Over the last month Erik had taken Gustave and I to New York to buy the latest fashion and toys for Gustave to muck around with. We had spent a week there and brought everything back. I know had a very full wardrobe. The rest of the time, Erik had shown us around Coney, where to buy food and drink and where the best hiding spots where if anything happened. He also took us to his place quite a few times. He had a large house filled with sheet music and models of things he was going to make for his shows.

"Yuck." Gustave said sticking his tongue out. All Erik and I did was laugh.

That night, as I closed the door and turned the light out in Gustave's room, I thought about Erik and how he was living. I looked over at the couch where he was sitting, reading the newspaper, mask back on his face and realized how alone he must be when he goes home every night.

"Erik." I said as I sat down next to him.

"Yes ange?" he said.

"Is there somewhere else we could stay?" I asked.

"Why? What's wrong with this place?"

"No, nothing but, I'm getting sick of the scenery and I think Gustave would like to be away from the beach a bit more and it's a long way for you to have to walk every day."

"Anything else, love?" He asked with a laugh putting the newspaper down.

"No." I said looking away.

"Where would you like to stay?" he asked.

"Well, Somewhere closer to you so then we could meet up more and spend more time together."
"Because seeing me every day isn't enough?" He said and I could hear the joke in his voice.

I put my head against his shoulder. "No." I said with a sigh. "We never get any time to ourselves in the day because of Gustave and then you normally leave before I put him to bed."

He let out a long sigh and fell back into the couch, taking me in his arms so my head was on his chest. I could feel his heart beating steadily and it was making me tired so I closed my eyes. But being in this position, with his left arm around my waist and his right hand slowly stroking my hair, I couldn't fall to sleep. Every nerve in my body was buzzing.

"Christine." Erik said suddenly after a very long silence.

"Hmm." I said opening my eyes and looking up at him slightly.

"How would you feel about living with me?"

"You wouldn't mind?"
"Not at all." He said moving his hand from my head to my arm.

"I'd have to ask Gustave, he's really only gotten used to seeing you every day but living with you would be different."

"That's fine. I'm sure once he sees the piano in the music room he'll be more than happy."

I smiled and closed my eyes again. The thought of finally being a happy family with Erik, something I had always wanted, could happen in a couple of days.

"Christine are you asleep?" He asked, shifting slightly so I was in a better position.

"Yes." I joked and a big smile crossed my face.

"I had better go then." He said.

"I'm awake!" I almost yelled and sitting up straight.

He laughed and pulled me back into his arms. "I'm not going anywhere, don't worry."

He turned my face to his and kissed me. "I should be going soon though. It's getting late."
I didn't want him to go. I kept thinking about how Raoul was still here and how he might come back while I'm asleep. I've always been a heavy sleeper.

"Do you have to?" I asked kissing him.

"Yes love. Why? What's wrong?"

"I'm… I'm worried Raoul will come back and try and take Gustave away that's all. It's stupid I know."
He put his hand under my chin and lifted my face to his. "It is not stupid. I'm worried about my son as much as you are. If you like, I could sleep on the couch." He said and I laughed. "What's so funny?"

"The couch? Why does everything always revolve around the couch?"

He got my meaning and laughed back.
"Because." He said kissing me and pushing me back into the arm rest so he was leaning over the top of me. "I can't be bothered going to bed just yet." He placed a kiss over my lips to stop my words.

His lips moved down to my neck and kissed along my collar bone.

"Erik." I warned.

"Yes dear?" He asked moving his hands down to my waist.

"As much as I would love to do this, and believe me, I would. We can't."

"Why?" He said moving his face back to look at me.

"What if Gustave wakes up and sees us? He has a habit of waking up in the middle of the night now and coming to get a drink. I've seen him do it."

He sighed and leaned back on his legs. "Well," He said. "There is only one thing to do about this."
"And what's that?"
He stood up taking me with him. The next thing I knew, he picked me up in his arms and I let out a cry of protest.

"Shh. You'll wake him."

"Put me down at once! I don't like this." I said hitting his shoulder playfully.

"Oh I'm sure you don't."
I giggled at him as he opened my bedroom door and sat me on the bed. He came and placed himself between my legs and kissed me again.