Erik's POV

After leaving Gustave alone, I sat my work down on my desk that was in my family room. After lightning a few candles, I turned on my phonograph and kept the volume down low so that only I could hear it. Music soothed me and kept me concentrating on my work. As I began to write, I heard my angel's voice.

"Do you remember this song?" she asked.

I shrugged. "It is on my phonograph."

"No, but do you remember it? When we were in Paris, you played this one night while we were in your lair."

"And just why did I play this exact song?"

"Because you asked me to dance."

I paused from writing and looked up at my angel. Everything came rushing back to me, for I remembered everything. On that night, I had been feeling rather horrible, for earlier that day, I had witnessed her and her boy kissing. Oh, it angered me, but I let it pass, let my anger settle within my stomach. I had been working on my music, Christine sitting in my armchair and staring at the fire. I wasn't sure why I had done so, but I asked my angel to dance. My heart began to leap when she agreed, and after turning on the phonograph, this very song began to play. We slow danced to this lovely little song, slow dancing like lovers did. Oh, the past hurt…

"So, I did…" I said, continuing to work. "History seems to always repeat itself. I haven't heard this song in years, but why now?"

I felt my angel place her hands upon my shoulders, their warmth sending waves of pleasure down my spine. Oh, how I missed it.

"Would you like to dance with me, Erik?"

My heart skipped a beat…Dance? With Christine? Yes, she had agreed to spend time with me, but I never expected her to make the first move.

"Would I ever deny my Christine a dance?" I placed my pen down and stood up, turning to face my angel. "Do you remember how to do it?"

Christine giggled and pressed her chest up against my own.

"My left hand goes here…" she placed her hand on my right shoulder. "And my right hand goes here…" She then placed her right hand on my left side.

As we slowly began to sway back and forth, I looked down into my angel's eyes and smiled. Oh, I missed this, I missed it more than anything in the world.

"Am I upsetting you?" she questioned, placing her hand against my cheek. I pressed my eyes closed and cupped her hand with my own.

"You feel so real, Christine…I hate living like this, I hate being alone."

"You're not alone, you have Gustave…"

I backed my angel up against the wall, and aligned my hips with her own.

"You know what I mean, Christine," I brushed my hand against her flawless cheek. "Having the company of a woman at your side each night and morning is what I truly pine for. It's been ten years, Christine, ten whole years since I last had you, had anyone…"

"And what do you suggest we do about that?"

Nervously, I cupped my angel's cheeks and pressed my lips against hers. Oh, it was wonderful! Oh, so so wonderful…

"I need you," I groaned. "I need you so, so much."

"Your bed is occupied, ange…" she cooed. "Perhaps another night."

I broke our kiss, and clasped my hand around her own.

"All right, angel, but how about some tea? I would love to just sit down and talk with you."

When Christine agreed, we walked into the kitchen. I was about to start the stove, when Christine forced me to sit.

"I insist, Erik." She assured. "You've always been the one to cook for me. Let me do it for a change."

"I like my tea a certain way, you should let me do it."

Christine rolled her eyes. "Three lumps of sugar and a dash of cream, stirred to perfection."

Once more, my heart leaped within my chest. How did she know how I liked my tea? I had always been the one to make it for myself.

"How did you know, Christine?"

"I've watched you long enough to know what you put in your tea…"

While our tea was boiling, Christine placed her hands against my shoulders and massaged them. I sighed as my limbs cracked against her fingertips.

"You're so stiff, ange…"

"Indeed. Ten years of living alone and working hard has left me in agony."

"Your flesh is really red."

"It's from wearing my mask. I wish I didn't have to wear it so often, but it's nearly impossible when one runs an entire amusement park. Though, on the other hand, I wish there was something I could do to make Gustave feel better. His day at school wasn't a patch of daises. I tried to make him feel better, but I believe I've failed."

"Never, ange…Gustave will come around within time. Just give him some space, give him words of encouragement. He will soon come to see that school isn't such a horrible place. He needs his father."

Christine placed my cup of tea down in front me, pressing a kiss to my cheek.

"You look tired, angel, you should go to bed."

"I haven't finished my work yet."

"Phantasma is closed for the winter, angel. You will have all winter to work, you need your sleep."

After drinking my tea, I stood up and pressed a kiss to Christine's lips.

"Goodnight, Christine."

"Goodnight, angel, sleep well, you're going to need all the strength you can get in the morning."

As I walked back up the stairs, I entered my bedroom and found Gustave still lying fast asleep beneath the blankets. Gently, I crawled beneath the blankets beside him and closed my eyes. I loved my son with all that I was and that would never change.

Gustave's POV

The next morning when I woke, my father was still laying asleep beside me. He seemed so tired and I didn't want to disturb him. After reaching over on the night table for his pocket watch, I noticed that it was seven in the morning. Yes, I didn't want to get up, but I needed to. After stretching, I dragged myself out of bed and headed downstairs to dress. I didn't want to go to school, but for Mister Y, I would try again. After grabbing by little leather bag that was filled with my school books, I walked back upstairs, expecting to see my papa dressed and ready to walk to work, but instead, he was still asleep.

"Bye, Mister Y." I whispered. "I'll see you later."

After walking outside, I began to trek to school alone. Perhaps Mister Y was right, perhaps today would be better. Deciding to get to school faster, I cut through Phantasma, slipping my thin body through the gates. As I walked through the deserted boardwalk and closed up stands, I gazed up at the sky, feeling fall's cool breeze blowing in. It was humid just a few days ago, but how quickly something could change. Suddenly, I was grabbed and thrown on my butt. I cringed and looked up to see Iggy standing over me with two other boys. Tears rushed to my eyes as I grasped my arm that was bleeding due to it gliding across the concrete ground.

"Aww, cry baby, cry…" Iggy wailed.

When I tried to stand up, he pushed me down again. Yes, I wanted to cry, but I stayed strong, hoping to be left alone. The other two boys grabbed hold of my bag and dumped it in front of Iggy.

"A sandwich?" Iggy laughed. "And some books?"

Quickly, I crawled away and hurried to my feet, running around Phantasma as Iggy and his friends chased me.

"You can run, but you can't hide!"

I made it to the gates that were closed over the Maze of Mirrors and jumped on them, attempting to climb all the way to the top. Though, my butt was still in reach, and Iggy grabbed hold of my trousers and pulled me down. I hit my the ground with a sickening thug, my trousers tearing and reveling my undergarments.

"It's time to get cleaned up Gustavo!" Iggy cruelly assured. His two friends lifted me up and carried me towards the Phantasma bathrooms as I kicked and screamed.

"Let me go! Put me down!"

But they wouldn't listen. The next thing I knew, my head was placed in the toilet, Iggy flushing the water over me. I coughed and choked as the nasty tasting liquid went up my nose and entered my mouth. To make things worse, Iggy pulled my undergarments up over my back until they tore. I screamed! Oh, how I screamed!

"Leave me alone…"

And finally, I was dropped on the bathroom floor and left alone. I was crying, wet and my clothes were torn. I couldn't go back to school…I refused to go!

"Mama…" I cried as I buried my head into my soaking wet knees. I couldn't go back to school, I couldn't go back to Mister Y…No, I had to stay here until school ended. Only then would I sneak home and clean myself up. For the entire day, I sat there curled up on that bathroom floor, freezing and shivering. When the Phantasma clock tower rung out the hour of three, I gathered up my books and hurried home. Knowing that I couldn't go in through the front door, I snuck around to my bedroom and crawled in through the window. I was still sobbing uncontrollably, but I grabbed my towel and hurried up the stairs, finding that Mister Y was thankfully out. Since I couldn't reach the shampoo, I filled the tub up and sat there in the warm water, rubbing the wash cloth over my sore flesh. After sitting there crying, I wiped my eyes and drained the tub, crawling into my pajamas and heading downstairs to lay down. Today had been worse than yesterday…I had hoped it to be better, but it was anything but. Tomorrow, I would not be returning to school, I wouldn't ever return…I just needed to figure out a plan.

Erik's POV

When I woke, I gasped when I took a look at the time and saw that it was nearing nine. I sat up and ran my fingers through my hair, knowing that Gustave had walked to school on his own. After getting a shower and dressing, I decided to get some work done, taking a seat at my desk in order to get it done. After filling out about one hundred forms, I stood up and decided to do some grocery shopping. Yes, I had wanted to meet Gustave after school to walk him home, but by the time I finished shopping, it was already too late. Deciding to catch my child at home, I entered my kitchen and placed the grocery bags down on the counter. The house was quiet…too quiet to be exact. By now, Gustave should have been in the kitchen working on his homework… Curious, I left the food alone and walked down the hall to his bedroom. When I opened his door, I found him showered and in his pajamas.

"Gustave, is everything all right?"

My child was curled up beneath his blankets, facing the window. When he didn't answer me, I approached his side and noticed that he was sleeping. Deciding not to disturb him, I walked back out to the kitchen and began putting the groceries away.

"Why is Gustave in bed?" my angel asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Long day, I guess. Then again, who knows how much sleep he got last night. I'll let him sleep until dinner and then I'll wake him and help him with his homework."

"Gustave has never crawled into bed this early, angel…"

"Things can change, Christine. I wouldn't worry…"

With that, my angel disappeared, leaving me to make dinner. Deciding to make pasta, I set the table and stirred the noodles. When everything was ready, I turned my face towards the hall, and yelled for Gustave to wake. I poured him a glass of milk, and set out his portion, waiting for him to join me. When I heard footsteps, I turned to see my boy entering the kitchen, seeming half exhausted and pale. Something seemed wrong with him, but I wasn't sure what. He didn't even greet me as he took a seat in his usual spot and stared down at his meal.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't here for you today, Gustave." I said, taking my seat. "I should have been awake to make you breakfast and walk you to school, but I worked myself too hard the previous evening, I guess."

I placed my mask into my lap and took a sip of my water. From out of the corner of my eye, I watched Gustave pick around his meal with his fork. Oh, why wasn't he eating? Gustave was always hungry. There wasn't a second that went by where he wouldn't be hungry…Oh, he wasn't even eating. Something was certainly wrong. It was usually me who didn't eat.

"What did you have to eat today?"

"I'm not hungry." He murmured. "I'm tired."

"Tired?" I questioned. "You're never tired. Is everything all right, Gustave?"

When Gustave didn't answer me, I reached over to touch his hand.

"Gustave, look at me…"

And just as I had asked him to do, his eyes raised to my own…Oh, he didn't look right, not at all.

"Gustave, please, talk to me…"

"I' m just tired…"

"You can be excused if you wish…"

And without saying a word, my child rose and wallowed back to his room. After I was finished with my meal, I turned to clean the dishes, feeling hurt inside, feeling as though Gustave were upset with me for not walking him to and from school. Yes, it was wrong of me to do, which was why I needed to make things right.

"Erik, something is most certainly wrong with him." Christine assured. "He doesn't look right."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "He's fine, just tired. That's what he told me."

"It's a mother's instinct." She replied. "A mother knows when their child doesn't look right. A father should know as well."

"He looks perfectly fine!" I cried. "He just looks tired…Look, I'll let him sleep it off and in the morning he'll be fine."

"I hope you're right, Erik."

After I was finished cleaning up, I took a seat at my desk and began to work. Phantasma was closed and yet, I still had millions of forms to fill out. Deciding to turn on my phonograph and pass my time listening to music, I turned to do so. I was busy filling out checks, when I heard my son's weakened voice.

"Mister Y?"

I stopped writing and turned to see him standing there clutching his stomach.

"Gustave, what's wrong?"

I didn't even have a chance to say anything more, for within seconds, he bent over and vomited all over my hardwood floor. Oh, this boy was sick! I shot up to my feet, ready to yell and scream at him, but my angel was there to stop me.

"Erik, be sympathetic. He's ill…"

Oh, how my anger wanted to come out, but I kept it inside myself. My boy was standing there covered in vomit and standing in a puddle of it barefoot.

"Gustave," I grabbed a wash cloth and wiped his face, scooping the boy up into my arms and carrying his crying form up the stairs. I discarded his dirty clothing and placed him in the tub, running a hot bath for him.

"Oh, please stop crying." I cooed as I ran the water over his head. "It's all right…"

But Gustave wouldn't stop crying. After washing him, I wrapped his body in a towel and carried him downstairs, rummaging through his wardrobe for a new pair of pajamas. As I was dressing him, I took notice to his underarm…It was covered in a large scab, one that seemed too fresh to have been from a few days ago.

"Gustave, what happened?"

But my child wouldn't answer me…He just continued crying. Knowing that I wasn't going to get anything out of him tonight, I laid him back in bed and covered his body. Before turning out the lights, I hurried to the basement and brought back up a bucket, placing it at his bedside.

"If you feel like you have to vomit, Gustave, the bucket will be here."

My child had finally stopped crying and was lying there with tears in his eyes.

"Get some rest, Gustave."

After turning out his lights, I left his room and grabbed my mop in order to clean up the vomit that was covering my floor.

"You did a good job, ange…" Christine said as she knelt there wiping the floor with a rag.

"Yes, thank you for helping."

"Well, back in Paris it was always just me cleaning up Gustave's fluids."

"I left a bucket for him." I said. "Hopefully it was just the one time."

"Check him tomorrow before school." Christine said. "If he's still sick, let him stay home."

"His arm is scratched…"

"It is?" her eyes seemed concerned as she looked up at me. "Did he say what happened?"

I shook my head. "No, he was too upset. I'll try again tomorrow, ange…"

"I hope he's not sick." Christine said. "I hope he is just upset over something."

"Upset over what?"

"Perhaps something happened at school today. Perhaps he was made fun of again."

"He didn't say anything."

When the floor was finally cleaned, I carried the mop into the kitchen to wash it out.

"I'll keep my eye on him over night."

Christine smiled and pressed her lips up against my cheek.

"Just like I have my eyes on you, ange…"

Awwww, sweet chapter, I think. Please review!