Music of the Night: The Phantom of the Opera Returns (Guile & Melody)

[Guile]

"Kill me? Kill me? Ha!" Erik let out and awful yell when Catherine tackled him to the ground. He regretted picking on her rather quickly. "I am freezing!" He yelled, trying to cover his face and push her off of him at the same time. "Get off of me you...you brat!" Erik laughed though he was in pain from her pulling on his hair. "Ow! Good God, are you three years old?!" All of a sudden he heard another voice and he sighed, for it got Catherine off of him. "Oh, Christine...you came just in time to see your daughter's attempt at murdering me. I believe you saved my life." His breathing was quick, and this 'ordeal' had certainly worn him out. However, he managed to smile up at his wife from where he lay on the ground. "Care to join me, love? It's quite nice down here when you aren't being attacked." He joked as he stood and limped on over to his wife, for his leg had fallen asleep. "I missed you, my darling." Erik greeted her with a kiss, wrapping his arms around her to pull her in close to him. "But don't worry, the house won't be lonely again and I shall keep you extra warm tonight." He chuckled, smiling at her before placing yet another kiss on her lips.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Catherine listened as her father stood. "I was three, nineteen years ago, and I'm not a brat. Are you three? You're the adult in this situation and yet you come after me with a snowball inside a chicken coop!" She laughed. "A child learns everything from her parents, remember that." Christine embraced him as well. "I won't join you in the snow. Not on your life." Madame Destler's face turned an even deeper shade of red by the time Erik finished talking. "W-What are...never mind." She knew what he meant.

 

[Guile]

Erik gave Christine a sly grin, though his own cheeks were starting to burn. He didn't think he would ever be used to such teasing and yet, he couldn't deny the opportunity to see Christine blush when it arose. Catherine's words made him laugh silently to himself and he would have let it go, but he couldn't resist turning just enough to glance at her so that he could retaliate. "And so I am an adult. Still, you are as well. Besides, you started this whole ordeal - waking me up in such a cruel way." He glanced at Christine, as if telling on Catherine. "Your daughter is wicked, did you know this? She hit me with a snowball while I was sleeping. We were inside and she attacked me with snow!" Erik's voice had started to sound uncharacteristically shrill by the end of his tale, but there was a large grin on his face the whole time. He turned to Catherine again. "And you have the audacity to turn this all around on me, as if I am the child. Ha!" Erik turned his head away from her, crossing his arms defiantly over his chest.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Catherine sputtered, not sure of her words. "How dare you! Honestly! I was merely waking you so that you could get to your pretty little wife sooner." She said this as if she were irritated, though she wasn't. "Pardon me for putting your needs before my own!" She danced away, into the waiting arms of Andrew. "Someone loves dancing, doesn't she?" Andrew teased, nipping her ear. "Jack Frost is nipping at ears now? How strange." Catherine giggled, stroking his cheek. Meanwhile, Christine laughed. "I know she's harsh, but not wicked." Christine hugged her husband. "Now, why don't you act your age until we get home, where I need you the most." She winked. "Or, did you want to stay here for a bit longer?"

 

[Guile]

Erik glared at Catherine, holding back a laugh, as she found her way into Andrew's arms. It was only Christine's touch that brought him to look back at her, even though a soft growl found its way out of his throat. "I beg to differ, my love." He joked and was going to protest acting his own age until he saw her wink. "Well...I suppose I could behave, if I really tried." At her offer to stay longer Erik's eyes widened in fake panic. "No, no. Absolutely not." He laughed and scooped her up into his arms suddenly, as if prepared to carry her the entire way home should he have to. "I won't stay another minute here. There are far to many de Chagney's in that house....I feel outnumbered..." Erik joked, grinning down at his wife.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Yes, I do believe we are the only Destlers here, dearest love." Christine squealed as she was scooped up. "But, don't worry. There are more of us waiting at home." She nipped his nose. "Now, why don't we go see them, eh?" They both knew the real reason that Christine was anxious to get home. "What can I say? They just can't get enough time alone, can they?" When Catherine realized what was going on with her parents, she waved them goodbye. "I'll be home later!" She cupped her hands around her mouth so that they could hear. "I'm going house shopping with Andrew later!" She had a feeling that there may be a negative reaction to this, but she didn't care. She was a woman that needed her own home.

 

[Guile]

Erik laughed at her delightful squeal. "Good. There had better be." He grinned at the sharp, yet loving, sensation of her teeth on his nose. "Yes, let's." Erik started to carry her off, but slowed when he heard Catherine calling out to them. At first, nothing was out of the ordinary, until she spoke of house shopping. Immediately, Erik's heart sank in his chest. What could he do? He certainly could not refuse her this right, for that is what caused their argument the night before. Thanks to his temperament, Catherine had fled the house in the middle of a storm! He knew better than to argue with her. She was a grow woman and well, it was time for her to make such decisions like this. If she wanted to leave home, it was her right. So, he simply nodded in response and continued walking in silence. Inside he was screaming, begging his little girl not to leave, but he knew it was irrational to think such thoughts. She had a family of her own and now she needed a home of her own, did she not? Oh, it was all so painful to Erik and yet he hated himself for feeling that way. Why must he be the one to put a damper on what should be an exciting time for Catherine?

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Catherine, in all honesty, was full of a similar anxiety. She had never left her home without someone in her family with her. She hadn't even stepped outside the Opera House without some sort of guide. What would she do now? She was an adult. She would have to figure this out herself. "Like I said, maybe we can convert my dressing room into a home." Catherine explained to Andrew. Immediately, her husband accepted, knowing how much her family meant to her, how close they were. "Erik, she's still our baby, but she's not a baby anymore. But, we have a baby of our own waiting at home for his Mommy and Daddy. We must hurry, don't you agree?" She attempted to take his mind away from Catherine. "Come now, Erik. Please?"

 

[Guile]

Saddened though he was, Erik forced himself to look at Christine. Her words cheered him up, but not as much as seeing her in his arms, content there. Just looking at her reminded him of the wonderful life they had made for themselves. They had beautiful children and a happy marriage. It was all he had ever wanted, right? And now, it was his. Yes, without Catherine at home a lot would feel out of place, but she was still there. She was not leaving for good, only to a new location. "You're right, Christine. I'll be alright I think. I just...I have to let it go." Erik gave her another kiss, guiltily for his own sake, and smiled reassuringly at her. "Yes, I'll be fine." He promised, picking up his pace again to get home to the rest of their children.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"You're not missing anything. She's still our little girl. You have no reason to be so sad." Christine assured him, stroking his cheek. "Please, try to relax, my love." The trip back seemed to take forever, but, eventually they made it back. The lights were shining brightly in their home. "You know, you haven't been yourself in a while. You haven't been that old mysterious being that you've spent years trying to perfect." She pointed out with a smirk. "Have the managers been doing their job or have you just given up?" Her head lay against his chest, her ear pressed against his heart. "I do hope that they're pleasing you, but, if they aren't, I don't know. Box Five, it seems, is covered in trash and junk from lack of use."

 

[Guile]

Once they were home, Erik started to feel a lot better. A familiar environment! He never realized how much he needed this place. It had been so odd, sleeping in a normal home the night before. "Given up?" Astonished, Erik looked down at his wife and smiled. "The Opera Ghost does not give up! However...it seems he has been distracted by things he deems far more important." He placed a kiss on the top of her head and held her tighter to his body. "Still, if box five is as neglected as you say...perhaps I will have to have a word with them about cleaning it up and preparing it for use again. It has been quite some time since I have watched a performance. Perhaps, once this is all sorted out with the managers, you and the children would like to accompany me to one?" Erik suggested, grinning at the idea. "It will give me a chance to examine the cast, to see how well the managers have been doing in my absence. I may just find something that I disapprove of. It would not surprise me. Those fools know nothing of music."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Oh, hush. There is no need for such talk." Christine teased. "I'm surprised at you. Do you ever put me down? I have two legs that aren't broken and you need to use your arms every once in a while." Looking out at only the three younger children and Jasper, Christine realized how empty their little nest would be for some time. "My, my, we have to get used to it being this quiet." Christine managed to pull loose, but also managed to stumble and fall on her rear for the thousandth time in her life. "There's got to be an easier way to break free of you. Perhaps when we go to the next performance, you can handle being without me on your arm for that time." She winked.

 

[Guile]

"Of course not! Why would I put you down? Just because you have perfectly functional legs does not mean that you have to ever use them. And I need never use my arms. Yes, I think I shall carry you everywhere you go from now on." Erik joked, smirking down at her as she struggled to pull away from him. When she finally did, Erik laughed at how she managed to fall, even as he bent over and extended a hand to help her up. "You see? this is why I carry you. It is far safer that way. You tend to hurt yourself when I don't help you. Which is exactly why you will be on my arm the next time we go to a performance." He teased her.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"You are despicable." Christine reached up to take his hand, but she wasn't about to be pulled up. She actually gathered all of her strength and heaved him down with her. "There, that's your fault for hurting me when I dropped! You should have caught me." She kissed him and shot up onto her feet again, sprinting away. "Stay back! Stay back!" She called over her shoulder as the pitter patter of her feet echoed along the walls. "You should be able to be alone and have me at a further distance than five feet." With the strength and agility of a kangaroo, she flew onto the bed and held the curtains closed. "When will they grow up, Miss Giry?" Lilly asked Meg, while their sitter braided her hair in the mirror. With a tiny laugh, Meg answered. "Oh, Lillypad, you will learn someday what it's like to be in love." Her belly was flat now. She had given birth to her son a while ago. "Like myself and Marcus, as a matter of fact."

 

[Guile]

Erik let out a grunt as he hit the ground, the wind being knocked out of him for a few moments. "My fault? Caught you?" He paused as she kissed him. "But you said you wanted me to let you go!" He groaned as he jumped to his feet and ran off after her, ignoring her pleas for him to stay back. He came to a sudden halt when he realized she had held the curtains closed on him. "You really must stop sending me mixed signals, darling." Erik teased her, placing his hands on his hips as if waiting for her to give in and open the curtains. "If you don't I'll end up getting confused. I'll go back to thinking you don't truly love me." He held back his smile. "Then, you'll have to work extra hard at convincing me that you do."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"It's not mixed signals. It's me trying to get some of my own air." Christine corrected him with an unseen smirk. "It's already quite stuffy in here and you need to learn boundaries." Still not letting go, she struggled to lie down on the bed. "Oh dear, it seems we've reached yet another stalemate. I am alone behind these curtains and you're outside. One of us has to give up and it won't be me. You will receive no such weakness from me." Christine laughed.

 

[Guile]

Erik rolled his eyes at her explanation like a child. "Boundaries? You are the one who came to me today complaining about how I was not able to be beside you last night." He smirked, deciding to try a different tactic. "Alright, Christine, you win. I give up. I will stay out here and you...you feel free to stay in there, alone, for as long as you wish." Holding back laughter, Erik took a seat in a nearby chair after turning it toward the bed so that he could see if she tried to come out. Now, let's see how long she can last like that...

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I'm not falling for it, Erik. I know for a fact that, when I finally go to sleep, you will be so very drawn to watch me, like you've always done. Therefore, you will try my patience, wait for me to sleep, then you will slip in bed beside me. Either that, or you, my dearest love, will bring me back to the chair with you." She said this matter of factly. Even as she played with the silk, she was grinning. "I can read you like a book, my husband."

 

[Guile]

Erik smirked, but forced himself to hold his laughter. Oh, how right she was! Once she was asleep he would long to give in and lie beside her. But he would never admit that she could read him as well as she claimed. He was determined not to give in this time. No, he would prove to Christine that he was not as weak as he seemed. "Alright then, my dear. If you are so sure of yourself, why don't you go to sleep. I promise you that when you wake up I will be right here in this chair, and you will be sleeping where you are now." Erik raised a brow and grinned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Unless, of course, you would like to give in now."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Never! Your charms will not work on me this time!" She sounded more confident than she really was. "I will never go to sleep with you staring at me like that. You aren't my papa. You cannot put me to bed whenever it suits you." She argued, though fatigue was truly getting to her. "You will not win this fight. You may be able to push others around. You may have been able to mold me into your perfect angel when I was young, but that is over now!"

 

[Guile]

"Of course, dear. Whatever you say." Erik simply grinned at her words, nodding in fake agreement, as if it was quite adorable that she was fighting a loosing battle. "Deny it all you wish, my dear, but you have always been my perfect angel." He knew she couldn't keep this up for much longer. She sounded confident not to loose this battle, but Erik would do all that he could to win as well. Christine was pitting herself against the cunning Opera Ghost, and she would do well to remember that. That's why he began to sing softly, gently - letting his voice float like a breeze from his lips to her ears where she lay in bed. "Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation. Darkness stirs and wakes imagination. Silently the senses abandon their defenses..." He paused for a moment, smiling - waiting to hear more protests from her.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine groaned, knowing that her husband was only making this worse. He was cheating! "You know that's my favorite..." she yawned. "You're such a cheater. It's not even time for bed, is it?" She didn't know what time it was exactly, bite she felt that it was late, considering that the journey home had taken a while. "You're not going to win." She was as red as Erik's roses when she heard him call her 'my perfect angel'. "Not fair. You're using sweet music and lovely words to stun me."

 

[Guile]

A soft chuckle arose from Erik's throat as he listened to her words. "Oh, it's late enough, Christine." He smiled, satisfied when he heard her yawning behind those curtains. Then he whispered to her, a bit teasingly. "Why, of course I will win. I always do, my love." Erik's voice was so sweet sounding when it was soft like this, and he knew it. He used that to his advantage. "I only speak the truth, Christine. And you know better than anyone that my music comes from my heart. Now...hush." Erik drew out the 'sh' sound just a little, to tempt her into closing her eyes and sleeping, before continuing his song. "Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor. Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender..." Another pause from him, almost as if he were teasing her.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Christine fought against her own body. "I'm not going to let your music take over again." She sat up and opened the curtains just a bit. The red velvet felt so inviting, but she wouldn't give in, though his words, especially the 'hush' that Erik chose, just to get her head on the pillow and her eyelids to close for the night. "You won't win this." She managed to climb out of bed and start to walk around. "Because, I'm not tired yet. Even if I was, you have no right to tell me when I should lie down." She defied him yet again. "I am a woman who is perfectly capable of making her own decisions." She found it much easier to deny his words, because Gustav's violin was no where to be seen. He couldn't get to it. "You cannot win."

 

[Guile]

Erik smirked when he saw her open the curtains and step out to walk around. He listened to her words, but he didn't believe her. He had heard that yawn of hers. Perhaps she could force herself to stay up, but she was tired. "You are lying to me, Christine." Teasing softly, Erik turned his head to grin at her. "I know you're tired." He stood then, still feeling awfully confident in himself, and sat down at his organ. "However, if you wish to stay up then feel free to. As you say, you can make your own decisions." Erik was trying not to laugh at the way he was calmly twisting his words to make it seem like he was agreeing with her. "Don't mind me. I'll just continue the song from over here, for myself." He began where he left off, playing almost as softly as he was singing. "Turn your face away from the garish light of day. Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light...and listen to the music of the night."