Erik's POV

I most certainly had my work cut out for me. After I became the owner of part of the boardwalk, my work began. With the money given to me by Mr. Dulblair, I was able to hire construction workers. The first phase of Phantasma had begun, and while the heat didn't seem to disappear, I hardly did so from the property. The first thing I had them build, was an office where I could work in private. It was nothing special, but it would be my privacy. Because of all the hard work and long hours I had been putting into my park, I had begun caring for Gustave at my flat, rather than his apartment. It wasn't that I didn't like going over there, I was just too tired to do so after working all day. Plus, my flat was closer to Christine's job, making it easier for her to swing by after work for Gustave.

"Mr. Erik, you look sunburned."

I was working at my desk, when I heard Gustave's voice. The child had been playing with his circus animals on the floor while I finished up some drawings.

"It's not that bad," I said. "I've just never been out in the sun so long before is all."

Gustave crawled into my lap and looked down at my drawings. "I like them, Mr. Erik."

"Well, I'm glad."

"Could I come to work with you one day?"

I ruffled his brown locks. "We shall see, Gustave. For now, I believe it's best that you don't. It's too dangerous for children. Lots of debris and dangerous stuff."

When Gustave yawned, I lifted him into my arms and carried his body to my bed.

"It's time for bed, Gustave."

"But I don't want to go to bed, Mr. Erik…" the boy always acted as though he weren't tired, but I knew otherwise. After covering him up, I patted his back and stood to my feet.

"You know, Mr. Erik, my mama has always kissed me goodnight. She always has…"

"And mothers should kiss their children goodnight," I said, knowing that my mother never did. Oh, how I begged her for goodnight kisses, but never once had she ever done so. It hurt me to the core.

"Papas kiss their children goodnight too, Mr. Erik."

"Do they now?" I teased. "Well, that's what they should do, Gustave."

"I never had a papa to kiss me goodnight. And I've known you for a few weeks now…You're sort of like a papa to me in a way. Would you kiss me goodnight?"

I stiffened, for no child had ever asked me to do such a thing. I wasn't this child's father, and I knew I couldn't possibly kiss him. The last thing I wanted was for this boy to believe something would become of his mother and I.

"Gustave, you know I can't. I'm not your father, and I don't want to make it seem that way."

"But why?" he pouted. "We do everything together."

I ruffled his locks and smiled. "You'll understand someday, child. Now, close your eyes and get your rest."

When Gustave closed his eyes, I took a seat at my desk and continued working. Yes, my shoulders were achy, but drawings needed to be completed, and ready to go by morning. A little after eleven, I heard a knock at the door and rose to my feet to let Christine in. She, herself, looked utterly exhausted, for it was the peak of the season.

"You look tired, Christine," I said, moving aside to let her in.

She nodded. "I've been exhausted for days, Erik. I haven't been able to sleep."

"And why is that?" I questioned. "Would you like a cup of tea? I was going to make myself one."

Christine nodded. "Tea would be lovely."

Christine and I walked into my sorry excuse for a kitchen and I pulled a chair out for her. When she was seated, I started a kettle of water over the burner and turned to face the woman.

"Sometimes I believe that I'm not good enough to be Gustave's mother."

"And just why would you say that, Christine? I do hope that you're not staying awake over that?"

"I don't know what I'm doing half the time. I know that I try my best, but I can't help but feel as though I fail every day."

"You don't fail, Christine. You have a job, and soon, you will be working someplace better than that club. You'll be the star, Christine, the star of Coney Island. I can assure you."

There was a pause of silence, and then, I felt Christine's hand place itself over my gloved hand.

"I don't understand why you insist on wearing these horrible garments…Your hands are really not that bad."

The woman pulled the gloves from my hands before I could protest, her fingers brushing over the scars that were plastered among my wrist.

"No one can ever tell when your hands are sitting like this."

I pulled my hand from her grasp. "That's not the point."

"Then what is, Erik?"

I stood to my feet and turned towards the stove to prepare our tea.

"Clothing protects me from the world, Christine. Without it, I feel embarrassed and ugly."

I placed her cup down in front of her and retook my seat.

"You don't have to feel hideous, Erik…" Christine slowly reached across the table and pulled off my mask. I tried to hide my face, but Christine wouldn't let me. No, she placed her hand below my neck and lifted my head so that I could face her.

"See?" she said, smiling at me. "Doesn't that feel better?"

"How?" I asked, pressing my eyes closed. "How is it that you can look at me? No one could, Christine, no one…"

I lifted the mask out of her hand and held it close to me.

"Perhaps I was afraid of you years ago, but it brings no horror to me now. You're a man, Erik, one who deserves to be loved."

"I don't deserve anything, Christine. I deserve to be treated horrible, because I am horrible."

Christine was about to say something, when a rumble of thunder occurred, followed by pouring rain.

"Dreadful weather," I began, switching the subject. "I don't think you should be going home tonight."

"I couldn't possibly stay here," Christine replied. "It would be inconviencesing you."

"Nonsense, Christine. It's extremely late anyway…And Gustave, look at the boy, he's already fast asleep. It would be wrong to disturb him now. No, you will sleep on the bed with him."

"And just where will you sleep?"

"On the couch…"

"Erik, that would be extremely uncomfortable."

"I've slept in worse places, Christine. Sometimes, the hard and cold ground was the only thing I had. I shall be all right."

With that being said, I rose to my feet and reached hurried to my wardrobe to pull out a pair of night clothes. From there, I slipped off my shirt and fitted the loose one over my body.

"Here, Christine…"

I handed the woman a long shirt and spun around to give the woman her privacy.

"Thank you, Erik…"

"Don't thank me, Christine."

When I spun around, she was no longer dressed in her work attire…No, her curls were down and she was dressed in my shirt that came down below her knees. Christine lifted the sleeve of her shirt to her nose and inhaled deeply, pressing her eyes closed as she did so.

"Your shirt smells so good."

I chuckled. "And just what does that mean?"

"It smells like you."

"And that must mean that I smell good," I said, rolling my eyes.

"You do, Erik…"

I ignored her statement and pulled a few extra pillows and a blanket from out of the closet and made up my bed on the couch. Christine, on the other hand, crawled into bed beside Gustave's sleeping form.

"Comfortable?" I asked.

She yawned and nodded. "Extremely…"

When my bed was made up, I laid down and covered myself.

"Goodnight, Christine…"

"Goodnight, Erik."

The room fell silent, and only then, did I close my eyes. Even when I slept, I only slept a few hours. Sleep was never my friend. No, I had too many horrible memories stirring within my mind, too many nightmares waking me up. Yes, I could have sent Christine home, but it was raining and I wasn't that cruel. It seemed so wrong to disturb Gustave from his somber sleep. I wasn't sure why I slept in my mask that night…Gustave had already seen my face, but Christine didn't need to know that. She didn't need to know what went on between the child and I. For hours I tossed and turned as the rain continued to fall, my body sweating as the horrible nightmares plagued my mind. My master whipped me over and over again, leaving me shivering and sweating heavily…

"No…" I jerked awake at one point, a flash of lightning scaring me. I sat up and ran my fingers through my hair, noticing that it was still night. "Dear God…"

I moved myself from off of the couch and entered my small bathroom to splash some water over my face. If there was one thing I hated, it was nightmares. When I felt better, I crawled back onto the couch and closed my eyes. Though, the flat was stuffy, and therefore, I moved out of bed once again and approached the nearby window to crack it open. The rain ran off of the glass and plummeted to the ground below. The rain could be heard louder now, but the sound would lull me to sleep.

With a light breeze blowing in through the open window, I was able to lay back down and close my eyes.

"Erik?"

I groaned and rolled over, placing the pillow over my head.

"Erik, are you all right?"

I wasn't sure if Christine calling me was in my head or if it was actually happening. Though, when I felt hands lightly touching my shoulders, I gasped in fright and rolled over.

"It's all right, Erik, it's me…"

"Christine," I groggily ran my fingers through my hair and sat up. "I'm sorry, I had a nightmare, is all…I needed to open the window…The air circulates a bit better."

"It's all right, Erik…I just wanted to be sure you were all right."

"I'm fine, thank you. But what about you? Could you not sleep? Is the bed not comfortable?"

"No, it was quite comfortable, I just couldn't sleep is all. I heard you groaning in your sleep."

"I'm sorry, Christine. I have problems with nightmares. My past has not been an easy one to live and I find myself plagued with nightmares."

"Have you tried drinking a glass of warm milk before bed?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I've tried everything, Christine. My scars run deep…So very deep."

Christine brushed her hand across my cheek and smiled. "Goodnight, Erik."

"Goodnight, Christine."

I waited until Christine was asleep once more and then I, myself laid back down. For the remainder of the night, I laid awake, closing my eyes every once in a while, but waking to a horrible nightmare. The following morning, I awoke at five and dressed, finding that Gustave and Christine were still fast asleep.

"Mr. Erik?" when I heard Gustave's voice, I spun around to see the child sitting up in bed and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"It's early, Gustave, go back to sleep."

"Where are you going?"

"To get breakfast. I shall be back in a little bit. Now, do as I say and lay back down before you wake your mother."

"All right…" he yawned, lying back down beside Christine.

After rolling up the sleeves to my white shirt and slipping on my gloves, I left my home, headed towards the Coney Island bakery. For some odd reason, I was feeling a bit hungry this morning, and so, I would purchase a few pastries to share with Gustave and Christine.

"Fancy seeing you here, Erik…Long time no see."

I was paying for my pastries, when I heard a familiar voice. Curious, I spun around to spot Madame Giry standing behind me. Oh, I hadn't seen the woman in so long, and frankly, I was glad.

"Madame," I greeted.

"I would have thought to find your obituary in the paper by now. Without an eye constantly watching you, there's no telling what you're capable of doing to yourself."

"I'm doing perfectly well, thank you."

"Really? Meg said she was at Luna Park the other day and didn't see you in your usual spot."

"If you must know," I growled. "I no longer work at Luna Park. I quit…"

Yes, it was a lie, but I wasn't about to tell Madame Giry the truth.

"And just what do you do for work now?" she sneered. "You know as well as I do that there are no jobs for people such as yourself. Don't tell me you've gone back to stealing again."

"I am doing no such thing!" I barked. "Since you're being so nosey, for your imformation, I have purchased a nice piece of the boardwalk. If you head over to thirty second and fifth, you can see the beginning stages of Phantasma…"

"Phan what?" she questioned.

"Phantasma," I replied. "It will be Coney Island's newest amusement park come next season. For someone who couldn't get a job, sure got himself one…The owner of the boardwalk enjoyed my ideas and soon, I will be the owner of my own park."

"And who will be your shining star?" she chuckled. "Christine?"

"Perhaps," I began. "Why not? She needs my help and sadly enough, I have needed hers lately. We might not be lovers, but we do work well together."

I was exiting the bakery, when I felt Madame Giry grab a hold of my shirt.

"How dare you insult me in public, Erik!"

"Insult you, Madame? I have done no such thing…"

"Meg and I put a roof over your head and kept you safe, and yet, you couldn't even come to us and offer her a job."

"It never popped into my mind, really."

"And yet, Christine left you all those years ago, never caring what happened to you, and you offer her a job."

"Enough!" I growled, pushing the woman away. "Enough…"

"How easily you forget what she has done to you. It's her charm, isn't it? If not, it surely must be her body. You forget everything, Erik…You always do. And yet, the pain inside yourself fades away, if only for a little while. Meg and I deserve half of whatever you make from that precious park of yours."

"What you did was a kindness, Madame, but the past is the past. It chose to make a life for myself, and that's what I'm doing. What happened years ago is over. Good day…"

"She will hurt you again, Erik! You're playing with fire…"

Yes, her words hurt, but Christine and I were friends and nothing more.

Please review! Sorry that I am late with updating. I have been calming down from the best day of my life...That being Ramin Karimloo's concert. It was amazing! I got to the theater early and was walking around...when all of a sudden, I took a wrong turn down an alley and came face to face with his tour bus! Him and his band were unloading his things and I was in shock! I must have watched the man for two hours before going into the venue. He was so amazing and wonderful in everything that he did that night. He sat around and answered questions from the audience and told stories about how he got the ideas and lyrics to every song he wrote. And then, at the end of his concert, he allowed everyone to take a picture with him. What made me even more amazed, was when he pulled out his digital camera and made the audience stand together with him for his own picture with his fans. It was awesome...And I actually got to meet him...I may never wash my hand again. LOL. He signed my ticket and I got my picture taken with him. But what made the night complete was when I got front row tickets to his show in my home town on Thursday...Looks like we shall meet again very soon. Anyway, enough about my life long dream to meet Ramin.