Fredrick and Katja sat side by side on the shore of the lake, much like they used to when they were children. Years ago, they had considered this 'their spot' and would spend hours playing on the bank and in the water together. "So how's my little sister feeling? You're not still sick are you?"

"Brigitte and Vati didn't tell you?" she asked in disbelief.

"Tell me what?"

Katja took a deep breath before blurting it all out in one giant rush. "I'mnotsickI'mpregnant."

"What?!"

She burst into tears. "I'm not sick. I never really was. I was pregnant."

Her brother stared at her, completely dumbstruck. "Bu…but…From them?" he gasped. "Oh Katja…"

"No," she whispered. "I…I'm almost certain it's Er…Erik's."

His eyes tripled in size. "Katja…"

"It's not what you think," she said quickly. "It was my choice, I swear. Erik would never hurt me or make me do anything that I didn't want to."

"Do you love him?" She nodded. "I knew it," he replied as if she confirmed something he had been suspecting for a long time. "I could see it from the way that you looked at him and vice versa that there was something going on between you two." He paused before continuing with, "Does he know?"

Katja nodded. "He was going to leave me," she sobbed. "He was going to leave so I told him. I told him and…don't tell Vati, but he… he proposed."

"Why didn't you mention this before?" he demanded. "What did you say?"

"I told him no."

"WHAT?!"

"He doesn't want to stay," she explained through her tears. "He doesn't want to stay, but I can't leave. I need him Fredrick. I need him, the baby needs him, but he doesn't want to stay. I didn't want him to feel forced into marrying me."

"So is he still going to leave?" Fredrick asked.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head.

"Then he'll ask you again," he said.

She shook her head. "No he won't. I already told him no."

"Yes he will," Fredrick insisted. "And I hope next time you'll say yes."

"Because of the scandal that will happen if people find out that it's Erik's?" she spat. "You don't want me to tarnish our family's name by having a child out of wedlock!"

"I want you to marry him because you'll never find another man like him!" Fredrick snapped. "You love him and he loves you. Don't you realize what you have? When people get married, love usually doesn't play much into the equation. They find someone they think they can live with forever and hope they don't wind up hating that person for the rest of their lives. I'm going to be honest with you. My wife, I don't love her. Don't get me wrong, I care very much for her, but it's not real love."

"But it hurts so much," Katja whimpered. "He wants to go, I want him to stay. We both try to do what we think is best for the other, but all we do is hurt each other and the more we try not to, the more we do."

"It's because you two keep denying that you are in love and belong together. If you just finally admit you do, things will fall into place."

"How do you know?" she demanded. "You barely know Erik! Fredrick so much has changed, I feel like we barely know each other anymore!" Katja hugged her brother tightly as she cried. "How can you possibly know that will fix anything?"

"He loves you; I can see it in his eyes. You're his whole world. He would do anything for you, I can tell. Vater sees it too. He doesn't want to because in his eyes, you're still his little girl, but he knows too. If you and Erik quit fighting your feelings, then all the pain you two cause each other will go away."

"You sound so sure," Katja whispered.

"I am," Fredrick replied. He stood and helped Katja to her feet. "Come on, let's go home. Vater won't be happy if you're out past dark."

"Vater needs to realize that I'm not a little girl anymore," she countered.

Fredrick put his hand on her shoulder. "He's worried about losing you again. Can you blame him for that? Besides, maybe Erik's back by now."

"Where did he go?"

Her brother shrugged. "I'm not sure."

"Liar," she accused, seeing her brother's expression. "You know where he's at."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't," he replied with a smirk. "But he wanted to tell you himself, provided things work out for him."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll see."

Erik stood outside the small theater that Fredrick had directed him to. While it was several steps below the Opera Populaire, it was better than nothing. When he asked if there even was one, Erik had expected him to laugh in his face. Now he could only hope they needed another musician. He wanted to prove to Dieter that he was more than capable of taking care of Katja, and employment seemed like a good first step. And since he had lived in an opera house for most of his life, the theater was the ideal starting place.

Rehearsal was ending as Erik made his way into the theater. Musicians and cast members went about their business, taking no notice of the masked man in the shadows. Soon the room was cleared of everyone but Erik, and three older men arguing over by the piano in German.

At first, Erik didn't understand what they were fighting about, but then the oldest man turned and started to walk away. The other two followed close behind. Carlotta had been in the spotlight long enough for Erik to recognize groveling and begging, no matter what the language. After the first man left, the two remaining turned to each other. "Was jetzt?"

"Ich weiß nicht."

"Wir brauchen einen Klavierspieler."

"Entschuldigen Sie," Erik interrupted, stepping into the open. Perhaps this was the opportunity he was looking for. He switched back to French. "I'm looking for…" He paused, trying to remember the name Fredrick had told him. "Monsieur Bauer."

"That's me. I'm the manager," one of the men said, stepping forward. His brow furrowed as he studied Erik. "Aren't you the one who rescued Katja, Dieter's daughter?"

"Yes, that's me," Erik replied. "My name is Erik Destler. I was wondering Monsieur, would you happen to have any openings for musicians?"

He gestured to the other man. "Herr Schmidt, my conductor, usually handles all auditions when we have openings. What do you play?"

"What do you need me to play?" Erik asked.

Bauer rolled his eyes. "Herr Destler, I need someone of skill, not an amateur who decided one day to play an instrument," he said dismissively.

Erik's nostril's flared with anger. "Monsieur, I mean you no disrespect, but I am no 'amateur'. I practically grew up in the Opera Populaire in Paris. I am more than capable of playing a majority of the instruments used in a pit orchestra, but I specialize in piano and violin."

"The Populaire was one of the greatest opera houses in the world until it was destroyed," the conductor whispered to Bauer.

"Well our pianist of nearly twenty years has just announced his retirement, leaving us with no one," Bauer sighed. That must have been what the argument was about, Erik realized. "I suppose we can afford to go ahead and give you an audition."

"Is there anything in particular that you would like me to play?" Erik asked as he sat at the piano.

Schmidt shook his head. "Since we weren't exactly prepared for him to leave or you to come so quickly just play us something that showcases your skill."

He paused for a moment before setting his fingers in motion, playing one of his own compositions. When Erik finished he turned to the men standing behind him. They looked utterly dumbfounded. "I… I'm not familiar with that piece," Schmidt finally sputtered.

"I wrote it myself," Erik explained. "I am a composer as well as a musician."

The two Germans exchanged a look of disbelief. "When can you start?" Bauer asked, practically breathless.

"Where's Erik?" Katja asked.

"He's not back yet," Dieter replied. "How do you know he didn't leave?"

"Because he promised me he wouldn't! And Erik doesn't break promises!"

"Liebling, I want to talk to you about him. He said his mask could put you in danger. Why does he wear it?"

"Vati, promise me you won't ask him about it!" Katja begged.

"Why does he have it?"

She buried her face in her hands before reluctantly telling him. "Erik has a deformity. People get scared so he wears the mask to hide it okay? It's nothing bad. I've seen his face though. It's not scary. It's just different, but people don't realize it. Please don't ask him about it though. He's so self-conscious about it. Please promise me you won't."

Her father nodded, seeing her distress. "Okay Liebling, I won't."

Just then the sound of the door opening reached them. "Erik!" she cried, running down the stairs.

The moment Erik walked in the door Katja threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Where have you been?" she demanded.

"I had something to take care of," he replied, untangling himself from her under Dieter's strict gaze. "Fredrick was supposed to tell you not to worry."

"Don't drag me into this!" her brother exclaimed. "I tried to, but she just got upset that she was being kept in the dark. So how did it go?"

"How did what go?" Katja's father asked.

Erik looked from Katja, to Fredrick, to Dieter. "I got a job today," he announced.

"What?" Katja shouted. "Where?"

"The theater needed a new pianist and that's me."

"That's fantastic Erik!" she said with a smile.

Brigitte's nose crinkled in disdain. "A musician?" Erik had forgotten that Katja told him that she hadn't been allowed to learn music because it wasn't practical.

"Yes," he replied. "I've been one all my life."

Before she could say anything more, Katja leaped to Erik's defense. "You haven't heard Erik play." She grabbed Erik's hand and pulled him down the hall, gesturing her family to follow. "You have to hear him. It's like magic."

She pulled him over to where the piano sat abandoned. While clean, it had clearly been unused for a long time now, which was why Erik had avoided it until now. But with urging from Katja, he reluctantly sat and began to play.

For the second time that day, he had completely stunned his audience. "Whoa," Tanja whispered. Erik hadn't even realized that she was in the room. Then he saw that the piano was outside her bedroom, and when she rubbed her eyes he realized she probably had been in bed and heard him.

"See?" Katja said proudly. "Music's not always a waste of time."

"Alright Katja, you proved your point," Brigitte replied with a begrudging smile. "Now come on, it's getting late. You've already woken your sister."

Katja's jaw dropped. "You can't be seriously telling me to go to bed!"

"You need the sleep," she replied gently. "Especially in your condition."

"Go," Erik added. "We all ought to be getting to bed."

She hugged him tightly. Erik placed a kiss on her temple before she reluctantly disappeared into her room. He moved to go to his own room, but Dieter stopped him. "Take care of her."

German Translations

Was jetzt?-What now?

Ich weiß nicht.-I don't know.

Wir brauchen einen Klavierspieler-We need a pianist

Entschuldigen Sie-Excuse me