Tell me something, what is it about me and my having "The -----" chapter titles? They're just such easy names, but sometimes I still wish I could come up with something a little more creative! Ah well, as soon as I name a chapter, even if I don't like the name, I'm usually too lazy to change it.

-

Amme was improving; her organ playing was getting slightly better. Erik had decided that the piece he had chosen to teach her had been too hard for her current skill level, and Amme agreed. The new one he chose was slightly easier, but she still struggled with it, so he had chosen a third one. When Erik thought she was good enough, in other words, she could play it almost as well as he could, she was rewarded by getting to work on the second piece once again. She did much better with it the second time.

"Amme?"

Amme turned around. She had been in the middle of practicing, but she didn't mind the interruption.

"Yes?"

"I just…I was…I mean, I'm sorry I interrupted your playing."

"It's alright." She smiled gently at him. "What's on your mind?"

Erik tilted his head. Amme probably didn't want to know everything that was on his mind; some of it wasn't what you'd call "appropriate" for casual conversation.

"Well," he started, rather pathetically. "You've been doing much better with your playing, so, I just thought…um, well, I was out last night, and I saw this, and I thought…"

"Just spit it out," Amme advised him when he hesitated again, her smile turning into a grin. "It'll be better for you if you just get it over with."

"I saw this, and I thought, since you've…been doing so well, and…I thought…you might like it, so…I got it," he finished lamely.

"You got it…because I've been 'doing so well?'" Amme asked, but then she saw "it", and her question went flying out of her mind.

Erik, who did not see her distraction, answered, "Partly."

"It's so beautiful," She whispered, not hearing his response. Her hand reached forward to take "it."

"It" was a necklace, simple but elegant. A dark blue sapphire stone hung down from a silver chain. The stone was small, perhaps the size of Amme's thumbnail, and perfectly round. When she put it on, it fit neatly into the base of her neck.

"Would I be correct in guessing you like it?" Erik asked.

"Uh-huh," Amme replied, going to the closest mirror and examining it. All the mirrors there were broken, but she got the general idea of how the necklace looked on her. "What do you think?" She asked him, turning back so he could see.

"You're beautiful."

"Why do I even bother asking you that question?" Amme grumbled, but a faint reddish tint had appeared on her pale cheeks.

He put his arms around her. "You can ask whenever you need your ego inflated."

"I'll remember that," She replied, leaning her head against his chest. Then she let out a sigh, feeling quite content.

-

Amme walked home, feeling the small weight of the sapphire necklace she wore around her throat. She had decided she didn't care if the Phantom did seem only to get it as a bribe for her to continue her organ playing; it was just too pretty.

She strolled up to the door of her apartment. It was nice not to have to walk as far home, so that was the good part of the apartment. On the other hand, she did prefer to see the stars before falling asleep, but that was easily remedied by simply opening her window.

"Hello, John," she greeted her landlord as she walked past him.

"Bonjour, Mademoiselle," John replied. "Amme, I have a letter for you. I don't know who it's from, but here you go."

Amme took the letter curiously and looked at the handwriting. "It's from Virginia!"

"Who?"

Amme, who was already hurriedly opening it, just shook her head. "A friend of mine from home."

She began to read it as she went up the stairs to her room on the second floor.

-

Erik was busy. Busy, busy, busy. Plotting and stalking and writing operas and torturing Carlotta took up so much of his night, he was amazed he got any leisure time at all.

But that never stopped Laetitia from interrupting him. "Hey, bossman!"

He set his quill down. "What do you want?"

"I want to invite some friends of mine, and…"

"No." He went back to his opera.

"Why not?" She pouted.

"Because you'll flood the opera house."

"Will not!"

Erik turned and glared at her. "Yes, you will! Now, will you be quiet? I need to finish this!"

"Yes, oh wise and powerful leader!" Laetitia said sarcastically. "Whatever you want. I live to serve you."

"I wish you'd go back to whatever ocean you came from."

She flipped her tail. "English Channel, actually. And now that I've proven you wrong, can I invite some friends over?"

Instead of answering, Erik stood up and, taking his now completed opera, stalked over to the boat.

"If you don't answer, or you say no, I'll knock the boat over while you're still in it!"

The Phantom froze. Then he said, "Have you ever tried swimming without your dorsal fin before?"

"Um…" Laetitia couldn't see where he was going. "No? It's sort of attached to my tail."

"That could be fixed."

Her eyes opened wide. "You…wouldn't!"

He tilted his head, and smiled innocently.

"You…would?"

"Don't touch the boat," He replied pleasantly.

"No wonder you're so unpopular at parties…" the mermaid muttered as she sank underwater.

Erik rolled his eyes, and started rowing to the other side of the lake.

-

He was almost to the place where he typically dropped off his operas when he caught a few snatches of conversation.

"Are…are you sure, Mademoiselle Eledhwen?"

Erik paused when Amme's name was spoken, and listened closely.

"I'm quite sure," she reassured him.

"Well," Andre hesitated. "We'll certainly miss you."

"How long should you be gone?" Firmin asked businesslike.

Erik felt a lead ball drop in his stomach.

"I'm afraid I don't know," she responded. "It could be a week, it could be a month. I have to get a few things sorted out at home."

"May I ask why you're going?"

Erik pecked out to look. Firmin had his back to him, but Andre was very clearly worried. Amme's face revealed nothing. It reminded Erik of how she looked when he first saw her: blank, hard, emotionless, empty. However, when Andre asked his question, a small crack appeared in her careful mask, sorrow and uncertainty showing through.

"It…it's rather…hard…for me…I…I just…I…." Erik had never seen Amme struggle to find words like that before. "It's personal," she finally finished, her mask intact again.

"I see…" Firmin frowned.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Andre wanted to know, but Amme shook her head wordlessly.

"I'll be fine."

"You're leaving…tomorrow, correct?" Firmin waited for a confirmation, which came as a nod.

As soon as it was clear the conversation was over, Erik threw his opera out into the entry hall, which hit Carlotta on the head as she entered. But Erik didn't laugh, or even stop to enjoy her shock; he was too busy rushing over to Amme. She had just gone into her dressing room, and Erik hurried after her.

"What do you think you're doing?" He snarled as soon as the door closed.

She didn't turn around. Instead, she began to gather her few belongings into small piles. "I'm leaving."

"I figured that, strangely enough. But why?"

"I need to go."

Erik waited, but that was clearly all the answer she would give. "So…we're leaving tomorrow? I wish you could've told me sooner."

At last, Amme turned. "You're not coming."

He gaped at her. "Excusez-moi?"

"I'm going alone. Well, not quite alone," she amended quickly. "Starlight and Fate are coming, if they want. But you're not."

His temper was flaring up; he had to work hard to keep it relatively under control. "How come…a cat…and a horse…get to decide…whether they go with you…or not, but I…can't…go…with you…no matter what…I want?"

She looked away again. "I'm sorry, but this has nothing to do with you."

"The hell it doesn't!"

"I'm sorry," Amme repeated in a small but firm voice. "But that doesn't change anything."

"Oh, really?" Erik breathed. "I don't have to listen to you, you know! I'm going with you, no matter what!"

"Don't!" She begged. A few tears leaked out. Erik, noticing this, drew back, horrified with himself.

"Amme, I'm…"

"Don't," she repeated. "Please, don't."

He folded his arms and leaned against the wall, watching as she gathered everything into her arms.

When she finished, she turned back to him, biting her bottom lip.

"Au revoir, Mademoiselle."

"Namárië, Monsieur."

-

"Amme!"

"Virginia!" Amme smiled, a little sadly. She leaned over slightly and hugged the smaller elf. "How are things?"

"Oh, they're all right." Virginia returned the embrace before stepping back. "Are you alright?"

Amme considered that question. "I've…been better."
"Of course." Virginia sighed. "Well, there's no use putting this off. Once you get settled, Vanya wants to…remind you of your new duties."

"You can tell Vanya she doesn't have to," Amme replied softly.

"But…I know you know them already, Amme, but it doesn't hurt to have a reminder."

"That's not why I refusing." She took a deep breath. "I'm not doing it."

"But then…." Virginia's light brown eyes widened. "Why? No one will think worse of you, Amme, if you take…" she broke off, thinking hard.

"I need to go back," Amme whispered.

"No." Virginia looked horrified. "You can't! These are your people, Amme! You can't turn your back on them for a human!"

Amme stared off in the distance. "I already have."