Title: A Grand Illusion
Characters: Special guest :D & OCs
Chapters: Epilogue
Rating: K+
Warnings: Kidnapping
**Some weeks before…**
Miles away in a dark old home with heavy ivy growing up the side and a seemingly cold air about it, the now unemployed Donatien fell heavily into a chair. He lifted a glass of brandy up and sipped at it delicately, like one who was still not yet used to the taste of alcohol. Across from him, his father's own glass was already emptied.
"How did you fare, Son?"
The tiredness and sadness left the youth's face like a mask being slowly peeled away. His grin, cocky and shrewd, returned in full force, stronger even than the day he'd first met the Madame de Chagny.
"It was as smooth as silk. I told you it would, Father! Poor Madame feels so very sorry for me."
"And you left your little bag of tricks?"
"Yes. You know, I nearly forgot the music. But it's all in there. I wonder if they'll work it out without the letter?"
"I suppose we'll never know."
Donatien yawned, worn from a long day of riding. The house they lived in was much further from the home of the de Chagny's than he'd given Madame to believe, and he'd not stopped to rest. He'd wanted to be back with his beloved family as soon as he could.
"Did Maddie cause you trouble while I was gone, Father?"
The elder man smirked and waved his hand dismissively.
"Nothing a little snifter of brandy couldn't fix. I showed her some magic, as promised, and then she slept like an angel."
Donatien nodded and yawned again. His father stood up and moved over to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"You should go to bed. Get some rest. It's all done and you can have a good night's sleep for a change."
"Hmm… Yes, Papa…" he mumbled, his eyes already closing.
Erik smiled down at his son and shook his head a little, amused.
"Like an angel…"
He lifted Donatien in his arms as though he weighed nothing and carried him up to his bedroom, tucking him in once they were there as if the youth were but a little boy again. And then he began to unconsciously croon out a lullaby. It echoed softly around the big bedroom that he had only the year before been able to offer his son. Donatien had moved from run down apartments to unused attics to the cellars of the Opera Garnier. He'd never had a real home. Not like he deserved. Oh, it might have seemed a home at the time, but that too was all an illusion. Now though, the two of them had something real and they were happy at last.
In the room across the hall, Madeline de Chagny slept away. She'd been distressed at first when they told her she wasn't going to see her family anymore. But in the ways of all young children she had started to overcome her fear and sadness with the promise of many wonderful things. A new home, a new life full of magic and music, and a family to share it all with. Maddie filled the last empty hole in the lives of the two men; the new little sister that Donatien had always wanted, and a piece of Christine that Erik felt he deserved.