The next day after Beth was dropped off at school, Alastor and Charlie decided to just take things easy today and sit at the house until time to go to the cabaret. He mostly spent the day reading while she watched more of the TV. Nothing really eventful happened but around noon when he came out of his room to fix them a small lunch, he noticed that Charlie was crying.

"Charlie whatever is the matter?" He asked her concerned.

She pointed over to the TV screen which was broadcasting an old gangster movie.

"This is horrible." She sobbed.

"What is?"

"They just killed that poor man. They shot him in the head and left him on the street. He didn't do anything wrong, he was just an innocent bystander."

"That's what has you so upset? Oh Charlie." He chuckled. "Honey he's not really dead."

"He isn't?"

"No. No, it's just make believe. That's an actor pretending to be dead."

"Why would he do that?"

"For entertainment."

"You mean you people find death entertaining?"

"Not exactly. The main focus of this movie isn't that the man died. Well it is cause it's a revenge story but that's not the entertaining part. The entertainment comes from the characters who avenge him. How they struggle with their anger and grief. Do you understand that?"

"I think so. So no one really died in there?"

"No one really died. You read books right?"

"Right."

"And you know that the characters in books aren't real right?"

"Right."

"Well it's the same with characters in movies and TV shows."

"Oh..." She said getting the idea. "Okay. Now I feel so stupid."

"Don't. It's not your fault you don't know about these things. Nobody ever taught you about them. But you're learning about them now and that's all that matters."

He grabbed a tissue from the coffee table and started to wipe away her tears.

"Now stop weeping over such nonsense and smile. You know you're never fully dressed withiut one."

She smiled and giggled which made Alastor very happy. He did not like to see tears stain her lovely face. Just as he had never liked to see tears stain the faces of his sister and mother.

"You know I think that's enough TV for today." He said switching off the device. "Why don't you read a little something while I get lunch ready?"

Charlie nodded and walked over to the shelf where they kept their favorite books. She slowly ran her fingers over each spine of the books, reading their titles and seeing if any would appeal to her. There was quite a selection;

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald,

The Godfather by Mario Puzo,

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck,

Pollyanna by Elanor H. Porter,

Poems by Emily Dickinson,

Moby Dick by Herman Melville,

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Peterson,

She finally chose one.

The Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen,

She carefully took the book off the shelf and opened it up. At first she was completely astonished and amazed by the colorful and beautifully designed images that popped up on each page then when she started reading the stories she found herself laughing at the first two stories which were The Princess and the Pea and The Emperor's New Clothes. But then she read The Little Mermaid and it gave her a very strange feeling. A very sad and melancholic feeling. Of course she reassured herself that it was only story but she had a very odd notion that it was so much more than that. Particularly the ending.

"Yet the little mermaid did not turn to sea foam when the sun rose over the horizon." Charlie read. "Because she had loved so generously with no thought of herself, the precious sea maiden was permitted to become a spirit of the air. A Heavenly being who chose to watch over the prince and his bride til the end of their lives. And even today the spirit of the little mermaid still befriends and protects all those who's love is as deep as the ocean and as true as her own unselfish heart."

"That's Beth's favorite book." Alastor said. "Our mother made it for her and it's her most prized possession."

"It's beautiful." Charlie commented, gently running her fingers over the painted image of the sky maiden who was smiling down at the royal couple. She turned back a few pages and stopped at the picture showing the little mermaid perched on a rock, looking over the kingdom. Her blonde hair blowing in the salty sea air and her violet eyes filled with yearning.

"You know." He said looking at the picture as well. "I never noticed before but she kind of looks like you. Although she's a little younger and the eyes are all wrong."

"They remind me of my mother's eyes." Charlie observed. "Did your mother come up with the pictures all on her own?"

"Not quite. Mother did all the writing but she needed help with the pictures. She worked with a professional painter and she got the descriptions from an old friend. Though it is ironic that they ended up creating a story book character who resembles you."

That wasn't the only resemblance Charlie picked up on. Looking over the illustrations again she discovered that the little mermaid's father and sisters resembled Charlie's own father and sisters.

"Are you okay Charlie?" Alastor asked upon seeing the confusion on her face.

"Everything's fine." She assured him. "Stories like these just have a very strong effect on me."

She decided to dwell on this odd discovery later. After a few hours had passed, they left to pick up Beth and go to the The Claire de Lune. Alastor made sure that Beth and Charlie were given a good table and then headed backstage to get ready.

"You don't have to prepare yourself just yet Ally." Rosie told him. "It's amateur night."

"What's that?" He asked.

"Once in awhile I like to give customers a chance to show off on stage. Just for fun mind you, a little something to let everyone know I'm not that prim and proper."

"Does that mean I'm not going on tonight?"

"No you are but it'll be later. After all the amateurs have gone. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all. Let's see if anyone tonight is as good as me."

He sat himself down at the table where Charlie and Beth were, the three of them watching several customers try their luck at performing. Some were actually very good like the gentleman who sang West End Blues but others like that tone deaf woman who song I Wanna Be Loved By You were down right awful.

"I wonder what everyone would think if I sang up there?" Charlie thought out loud.

"Why don't you give it a try?" Beth suggested, overhearing her.

"Oh no!" Charlie protested. "I'd be too embarrassed. Too shy. What if I sound ridiculous?"

"You couldn't be worse than that woman." Alastor said. "Why not dear? You said so yourself the other night that you love to sing and I'm curious to hear what you sound like."

Charlie blushed.

"I don't know."

But before she knew it, Beth had volunteered Charlie to go up next and she was ushered right on stage. She was tempted to get off and run somewhere to hide but the supportive gazes of Alastor and Beth encouraged her to not be afraid. So after taking half a minute to think, she told the band what song she wanted to sing and looked out over the audience nervously. Soon music filled the club again and she proceeded to sing.

"Somewhere beyond the sea,

Somewhere waiting for me.

My lover stands on golden sands,

And watches the ships that go sailing."

Her voice was so pure and clear, like heavenly chimes. All became quiet and still as they listened to her with great fascination and awe. Almost certain that they were being entertained by an angel.

"Somewhere beyond the sea,

He's there watching for me.

If I could fly like birds on high,

Then straight to his arms I'd go sailing.

It's far beyond the stars,

It's near beyond the moon.

I know beyond a doubt,

My heart will lead me there soon.

We'll meet beyond the shore,

We'll kiss just like before.

Happy we will be beyond the sea,

And never again I'll go sailing."

The audience members and the employees were instantly beguiled by her singing. Mesmerized to the point that in that moment, they desired nothing more than to hear her perfect voice. However the most enchanted of all the listeners that night was Alastor. No one's singing had ever called to him in the way Charlie's did and it had a curious effect on him.

Her voice teased something deep within his subconscious. A forgotten dream, or was it a memory? He couldn't decipher which it was. He suddenly found himself lying down and soaking wet, his head throbbing with pain and his mind full of fog. He felt a powerful urge to just sleep.

But then he heard someone speak. He was too water logged to make out what the words were but he knew for certain that someone was there. His eyes were so heavy and so tired but he willed them to open. He just had to know who was there.

His eyes opened slowly and he weakly gazed upon an incredibly beautiful face that wore a most tender expression. She looked at him with soft eyes and gently stroked his wet hair. But when her lips delicately placed a kiss on his forehead, he felt his heart yearn for her. Who was she? He had to know her name. He had to know everything about her.

All of a sudden her expression became one of great anxiety and she slid away from him.

"Wait! Don't go!" He had desperately wanted to cry out to her but he was too weak and exhausted to even speak.

Finally his eyes could stay open no longer and he was forced to succumb to unconsciousness.

"We'll meet, I know we'll meet beyond the shore.

We'll kiss just as before.

Happy we'll be beyond the sea,

And never again I'll go sailing.

Sailing.

No more sailing

No more sailing."

That's when it at long last became clear to Alastor that something bizarre had happened. Something that he never thought would ever happen to him. In fact he was sure that it was impossible. But he couldn't deny it anymore. Her beauty had caught his eye, her cheerfulness and curiosity had intrigued him, and her gift in song had ensnared him. Like it or not, he had developed feelings for Charlie.