A knock at the music room door yanked The Phantom from the world of "Don Juan." He barely had time to orientate himself to the room and set his pen down when the door opened,

"Dada, I come with the up most important issue," Charlotte skipped to her father's desk and stood behind him.

Erik sighed, "Charlotte, I am busy right now. You know I do not like being interrupted when I am writing."

"I know, but I told you it is important," Charlotte wrapped her arms around her father and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"And just what is so important, my darling?"

"Love."

"Love? And I love you too but…"

"And I love you, Dada but this is about a different love."

Erik pulled away from his daughter and turned around to face her. His eyes were large, "And what exactly do you know about different love?"

"The kind of love you and Mama have, the kind Gustave and Rose have. The kind that turns your cheeks pink and makes your breath fast when you see them."

"Wouldn't you rather talk to your mother about this?" Erik looked away from his daughter. When had my little girl developed curves and breasts? You would think I would learn to notice these things after Gustave. She can't possibly have these kinds of feelings.

"No Dada, I need to talk to you about this," Charlotte rolled her eyes and took his hands into hers. "If someone wants to be with you but they couldn't because they were scared of their boss, you would do something about it right?"

The several wrong doings of his past flashed before Erik's eyes, "What are you talking about, Charlotte?"

She sighed. "I'm talking about Rasputin, Dada! He loves me but he said I am the boss' daughter and he doesn't want trouble. Tell him there will be no trouble! Tell him he does not have to be afraid of you!"

The Phantom stood, "Rasputin, who? And he is in love with you?"

Charlotte laughed, "Dada you're funny! He's the stable manager who is Boris' cousin! Boris told you about him and you went and hired him personally. He's kind, funny, and he's great with Belle and the other animals."

Erik arched an eyebrow, "And he's in love with you?"

Charlotte smiled, "Yes and I with him. And he's worried to be with me just because I am the boss' daughter, that he'll get in trouble."

Suddenly all those comments about the stable boy seen riding with Miss Charlotte and the odd tall fellow at opening night of the new automaton show suddenly made sense to The Master of Phantasma.

"Be with you? How? Do you even understand what you are implying?" Erik squeezed his daughter's fingers tight.

"I do, Dada. I am not a little girl anymore. I feel the same about Rasputin; please let me have him."

"Have him? What do you mean have him?" Erik pulled his hands away from his daughter. Tears stung his eyes as ran his fingers through his thin locks. After a few deep breaths, he grabbed his mask and wig and put them on.

"Excuse me," He left the room and Charlotte chased after him.

"Thank you, Dada! Do you want me to come with you?"

"No! You stay here!"

Erik headed from his house to his amusement park, his mind racing. Who is this Rasputin? How much time is he and my daughter spending together? What had he been doing to her? OH GOD what has this man been doing to my little girl? His hands formed into fists as he reached the stables.

The tall man was alone, scooping up piles of manure into a wheel barrow, when he heard the door open. Seeing who it was he responded, "If Miss Matilda complained about manure out here today, I apologize. I only scoop at end of day."

Erik froze mid-step. Matilda? This was the wrong daughter!

"I am here about Charlotte!" Erik finished approaching the man tossed the Punjab lasso around his neck. Erik pulled it and brought the man to his knees, "What have you done to her?"

Rasputin spread his large six fingered hands and dropped his shovel, "Nothing, I do nothing to her, Mister Y!"

"She said you love her and want to be with her but you're scared of me! You're damn right to be scared of me!" He pulled the lasso just a little tighter. "Asking my daughter if you could have your way with her! How fucking dumb are you?"

"No..no…she came to me! She kiss me! Said you let her have me!"

Erik's eyes widen as he thought back to what Charlotte had said "I feel the same about Rasputin; please let me have him." The Phantom let go of the man and backed away.

"Your daughter nice, but Boris said stay away," Rasputin pulled the rope around his neck away. He gasped for air. "Boris said she no understand. I no listen and was nice back. Now she says she like me, that she get what she want." The man collapsed onto his hands and vomited. "I did nothing to…"

"It's okay, it's okay…" Erik helped the man lean back. He handed him his handkerchief before running over to the water pump. He filled a bucket with water and ran back to Rasputin's side. He sat down next to him, "Please forgive me, Rasputin, please forgive me."

The tall man wiped his mustache and mouth and then both men sat in silence listening to the sounds of the amusement park around them. After a few awkward minutes, Rasputin took a drink from the bucket and then turned to Mr. Y, "You were going to kill me, sir? Because you think I hurt Charlotte?"

"Please forgive me. I wasn't going to kill you…I…I just wanted to…"

"You angry, she your daughter, I understand. But maybe think…"

"Yes, yes. I'll give you a bonus to cover this," Erik stood and then offered his hand to help the other man to his feet.

Rasputin shook his head, "You offer me money to stay away from daughter?"

Erik sighed, "No to cover what just happened. Do you really care for Charlotte?"

Rasputin dipped the handkerchief into the bucket of water and wiped his face again. "I not know, sir. She nice and I enjoy her, but Boris said you spoil her, she no understand our people and hard work. Charlotte say you give her what she want."

Rasputin stood and locked eyes with Erik, "But I'm not thing you can give!"

Erik nodded, "I understand."

"Thank you, sir. Now I have work to finish."

Upon hearing the opening of the front door, Charlotte poked her head out of the parlor.

"Dada! What did he say?" Charlotte skipped down the foyer. "What did Rasputin say? Can we host him for dinner this weekend? Boris can come so he doesn't feel as awkward."

"Charlotte, Rasputin is a man with his own feelings and thoughts and beliefs."

She smiled, "Yes and now that you told him he will not get in trouble we can be happy together."

Erik sighed and closed his eyes, "I don't think you understand." He wrapped his arms around her. "I gave you everything you ever wanted because I was denied so many things."

Charlotte smiled as she returned the hug, "Yes you have, Dada and now you're giving me…"

"That's just it, Charlotte! I can't give you this! I or you or nobody else can make someone love you…"

The girl pulled away from her father and looked at him perplexed, "Are you saying he doesn't care for me?"

Erik paced the foyer. Oh how to phrase this. "He cares, Darling. It's just he doesn't want to have the kind of love with you that Gustave and Rose have."

"Is it my face?"

"No, Charlotte don't say that!" Erik exclaimed.

"Is it though? Don't lie! You know better than anyone! You told me to never hide it!" Charlotte screamed

"He didn't say anything about your face!"

"Then what is it, Dada? Why doesn't he want to love me?" Tears now streamed down her face.

The library door opened to reveal Christine, Matilda, and Arthur's faces in the crack.

The Phantom was defeated, his heart breaking in a way he never thought it could. Oh God it did not even hurt this awful when he sent Christine away with Raoul. "I don't know, Charlotte," he whispered.

"That's not good enough," she snapped. "He needs to love me!" She turned on her heels and ran upstairs towards her bedroom.