Erik's POV

When I came down the stairs, I found Christine standing at the counter making tea. I was in my dressing robe, and she was in hers. When Christine spun around, she had two cups of tea in hand and a smile across her face.

"I was thinking that since it is such a wonderful night, we could sit outside and drink this?"

I nodded and held the backdoor open for Christine. When she was outside, I closed the door behind us and pulled out her patio chair. I didn't like being outside much, but sometimes, I would enjoy sitting out at night. That being the reason why I had a few patio chairs and a table on my porch.

"You work out here sometimes," Christine said, sliding a steaming cup in front of me. "I see you from my bedroom window."

"It's peaceful out here…One of the only places that I can work in peace. I have my office of course, but sometimes, I get disturbed."

"I'm sorry that I acted the way I did this afternoon, Erik…I should have listened to you before I acted like I did. Gustave just means so much to me… He's all I have left in this world."

"I know, Christine, but believe me when I tell you that I would never intentually hurt the boy. It was an accident, Christine…An accident. Do you understand me?"

Christine nodded and placed her hand over my own.

"I love you, Erik…"

"I love you too, Christine."

"It's so quiet out here…"

"Well then, we should liven up the party," I teased, standing to my feet and hurrying back inside for the slightest of seconds. From there, I pulled out my phonograph and turned it on, keeping the volume just loud enough so that Christine and I could hear the music that was being played. When I emerged from the back door once again, I approached Christine and held out my hand.

"Could I have this dance, Christine?"

"Me?" she teased. "Oh, you shouldn't have…"

Christine interlaced her hand with my own and I led her to the middle of my yard. With the fireflies lighting our way, I began to dance with my angel. It wasn't a slow song, no, it was more of a tango. Our bodies lined up with one another so perfectly as she and I moved from one side of my yard to the other. It was times like these that made me happy to be alive. In all the years that I have lived here, never had I ever tangoed or danced in my yard and at such a late hour. Yes, I have heard of a midnight stroll, but never a midnight tango in the light of the moon. Words couldn't describe the feeling I got from dancing with this angel.

"Mama?"

Christine and I had been having so much fun dancing, that we didn't even notice Gustave for a few moments. The child was out of bed, most likely from all the noise that Christine and I had been causing. When I noticed the boy, I paused our dance and spun around to face him. Christine rushed over to the boy and I stood there in the center of my yard with my hands wrapped around my back.

"Mama, I can't sleep," Gustave stood there and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, his brown locks disheveled and messy.

"Well then," Christine said, lifting the boy into her arms. "You are more than welcome to join Mr. Erik and me until you can sleep."

Christine carried the boy all the way over to where I was standing and placed him down. Gustave's eyes immediately went to the small fireflies that were floating around us, his hands going crazy at trying to catch one, but every time he opened his hands, he came up short.

"I can't catch them, Mr. Erik…"

I chuckled. "You're doing it all wrong, Gustave."

"What do you mean? I'm opening my hand and capturing them, but then, they disappear… They're magical, Mr. Erik."

Without saying another word, I headed into my shed and brought out an empty jar.

"I'll teach you how to catch fireflies…"

"Really, Mr. Erik?"

"Of course, Gustave…"

The boy got closer to me and I opened the jar.

"You see, Gustave, fireflies are very tricky to catch. You have to keep your eyes on them at all time…" I slid the jar's opening behind one of the floating fireflies and began to slowly move in on it. "And then, you move in slowly and seal the jar."

When the firefly was in the jar, I sealed it shut and handed it to Gustave.

"Wow, Mr. Erik…"

"See, now you try…"

Gustave went to town after that, jumping around the yard in an attempt to catch fireflies while Christine and I sat snuggled within one another's embrace on my patio lounger, chucking as we watched the boy. This had tired Gustave out, for a little while later, the child stopped jumping about and approached me, his eyes filled with exhaustion.

"Is Gustave ready for bed now?" I teased, lifting him up into my arms.

When he nodded, I smiled and carried him inside, placing him down in his bed. Christine came in as well and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"Get some rest, love…"

"Mr. Erik, can you read me a story?"

"A story?"

Gustave nodded and reached beneath his bed for a book. I looked up at Christine, but she just shrugged her shoulders before placing a kiss to my neck.

"I'm going to go upstairs, Erik. You two have fun and I'll see you in a few moments."

"All right, Christine…"

Christine closed the door on her way out and Gustave placed the book into my lap.

"Well, what do we have here?" I stared down at the cover and read it out loud. "Mary Shelly's Frankenstein…"

"Yes, please read it to me, Mr. Erik… Before, I could only look at the pictures. I don't know what the words say."

"And just where did you get such a book?"

"Mama bought it for me a few weeks ago when she was in town."

I never heard of this book before, but I opened it to the first page, taking notice to the colorful picture that took up most of the page. It was a man standing next to a table and on the table, there was a body covered by a white sheet.

"Victor Frankenstein, was a doctor who believed that death wasn't really death at all…In fact, in his studies, he found that electricity can cause the body's nerves to move, even after death."

I turned the page to find that the next picture was one of this Victor character stitching up a human body. I found it disgusting and too morbid for a child, but Gustave seemed to be enjoying it.

"…So, one evening, Victor Frankenstein went to the gallows and cut down a freshly hung body, dragged him back to his workshop and stitched him back together. From there, he used electricity to reanimate his body…"

"Turn the page, turn the page," the boy excitedly cried.

I did as Gustave asked and flipped to the next page where there was a picture of the deformed monster sitting up off the table.

"It's alive…." I said, continuing to read.

"No, you have to say it like a mad doctor, Mr. Erik…Like this…IT'S ALIVE!"

I read on flipping page after page, finding that this monster's life wasn't easy at all. People hated him, when in reality, he only wanted to be loved…Much like me. I was glad when Gustave fell asleep halfway through the book, for I slammed it closed before finishing the story and tucked him in. After turning out the lights, I wallowed upstairs to find that Christine was already asleep. I, myself, was exhausted, so therefore, I crawled into bed beside the woman and closed my eyes, quickly falling into a deep slumber. In my dreams, I dreamt that I was lying on Frankenstein's table, dreamt that he was stitching me up…I felt the needle weaving in and out of my flesh, even though I wasn't even alive yet. And when the electricity hit me, I jolted awake, sweat pouring down my face.

"Erik…"

From outside, a loud rumble of thunder and a bolt of lightning occurred. I gasped for breath and heard Christine calling out for me.

"Erik, it's all right…You were having a bad dream."

I pulled my knees into my chest and concentrated on breathing.

"Erik, are you all right?"

"No, Christine, I'm not all right…" I angrily snapped, tossing back the blankets and rushing over to the window. I took a deep breath and leaned my arm against the cool glass.

"Erik, what's wrong?" Christine was at my side in a matter of seconds, her hands placing themselves gently only shoulders. Yes, she was only trying to comfort me, but in my mind, she had angered me.

"No, Christine, just let me be."

"Were you dreaming about the gypsies again, Erik?"

"Is that all you think about?" I growled. "The gypsies? Oh, Christine that's all you believe me to think about. There was more terror in my life, woman, than being raped for ten years by my filthy master. No, I don't know what you're trying to teach that boy of yours, but giving him picture books about monsters is hurting me to the core, Christine."

"What?" she gasped. "What are you talking about?"

Angry, I stomped out of the room for the slightest of seconds, returning with the Frankenstein book I had read Gustave. I threw it into her hands and stood before her with my arms crossed over my chest. Christine flipped through each page, tears forming in her eyes.

"I told him not to show this to you…"

"And why is that, Christine?! Because maybe it would have hurt my feelings? He's five! And yet, you're purchasing picture books about grotesque monsters…A man who was stitched together and brought to life, only to live without love. Are you trying to teach him that people like me have a hard time finding acceptance?"

"Never…" she cried. "Erik, the boy likes picture books and monsters. I'm sorry…But I would never ever buy him books where the characters are compared to you…Never. I'm not trying to teach him anything, I promise."

"Is that what you think I am?" I cried, hot tears slowly falling down my cheeks. "A monster? A stitched up monster that walks through life unloved?"

"Never…I love you, Erik. I love you no matter what you are."

Christine tried placing the book back into my hands, but I slowly pushed it away.

"I can't sleep," I said, changing the subject. "I'm going to work instead."

"Erik, please believe me when I say that this book is not you…"

"It's close enough…" I growled, throwing a clean shirt over my head and rushing to the door. Christine tried to call for me, but I wasn't listening to her, not even when I left the house. Deciding to work in my office, I unlocked the gates to Phantasma and headed inside. I had expected to be alone, but instead, I had come face to face with Meg Giry. The moment I flipped on my lights, she was standing there, her eyes filled with want. Oh, she was even still dressed in her work attire.

"You have a lot of nerve being in here," I growled, taking a seat in my usual spot. "What do you want?"

"Mr. Tilyou told me that I was going to be the leading act…He agreed to it."

"And you should already know that Christine is the leading act and that won't ever change. As for Mr. Tilyou, you should know that he doesn't have any authority over anything that goes on in my park. He may be written down as being my partner, but he is hardly that. He has to go through me in order to have a decision made…He knows this."

"Then you should also know that Mr. Tilyou is becoming tired of Christine. Don't you know this?"

"No, and I don't care either…"

"You should, because as soon as Mr. Tilyou mentions this to your boss, your star will be tossed aside."

Oh, I was becoming so angry with this girl! How dare she come to my office and attempt to threaten me in such a way! Tired of the girl's threats, I jolted out of my seat and approached her, pushing the woman against the nearest wall, my hand at her throat.

"You listen to me, and you listen good, Giry… Christine is and always will be the star of Phantasma…Do you understand me?"

I had frightened the girl, for she nervously nodded.

"Good, now get out of here…"

I gave the girl a shove towards the door, and when she was gone, I slammed it shut.

"The nerve of that girl…" I growled, taking a seat at my desk once again. After sitting for a few moments, a knock occurred at my door. I believed it to be Meg again, but when I looked up, I noticed that it was not Meg, but Mr. Dublair…I found it strange, for he never came to my Phantasma office.

"Sir?" I stood, but the man waved his hand at me.

"Oh, be seated, Mister E…I've come to ask you what your plans were for the fourth?"

"Fourth?"

"Of course, Mister E, it's the most crowded night of the summer season. You have to have a plan of events, especially fireworks."

"Well, besides fireworks, what did you have in mind, sir?"

When I noticed that Mr. Dublair was still standing, I motioned to the chair that was across from my desk.

"Please sit, sir…"

"I'll stand, thank you…I'll only be here for a few moments. Anyway, I was hoping that you had a plan."

"Christine is the star, as you know. I was thinking that she could sing maybe a few songs…Like a concert. Right now, she's only singing one song a night. Maybe we could have a lineup of performers…And Christine can be the main act."

Mr. Dublair smiled and patted me on the back.

"I knew you had it in you, Mister E…Work on that line up and pay a visit to my office next week."

As Mr. Dublair was heading towards the door, I looked up and called his name.

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Mr. Tilyou has been bothering me. He supposedly wants Meg Giry to take over for Christine. He said that she is an old dog with no new tricks."

"And so?"

"I…I want you to tell him that Christine will be the only star in Phantasma as long as I am living…"

Mr. Dublair tipped his hat. "Will do, Mister E…And sir?"

I looked up. "Yes?"

"If I were you, I'd put a ring on that pretty little finger of hers before it's too late."

"Sir?"

"Oh, don't act as if you don't know what I'm talking about. I've seen the way you look at her. I know how you feel for the woman. Take my advice, marry the girl…Make an honest woman out of her."

When the door closed, I looked back down at my work.

"Marriage it is…"

I'm back! Anyway, sorry about the long update, but I am back now. Please review!