Through Music We Love

V - Cecilia

We were escorted into a hotel room and left alone. Gustave ran off to find something to play with and Raoul started to rant.

I ended up drowning it out to familiarize myself with the room. I felt around and found a grand piano. I struck one of the keys to find it in perfect tune.

"Father won't you play with me?" Gustave asked. "Look at this toy I found!"

Raoul didn't respond. Gustave asked again to no avail. Once more?

"Not now, Gustave." He snaps. Gustave made his way over to me and leaned against me as he played on the piano. Somehow the melody sounded familiar. "What are you playing?" Raoul asked angrily.

"I don't know, father." Gustave spoke innocently. "It was just sitting on the piano."

"Well it gives me a head ache." He mutters. Christine went to soothe him, muttering supposedly calming words.

Suddenly Raoul was called out of the room leaving Christine, Gustave and me to our own devices. I placed my hand on the piano keys and started to play quietly.

"Why does father never play with me?" Gustave asks. "Does he not love me?"

I spin around on the bench and turn my head in his direction. "He is just stressed with all the people who want to hear your mommy sing. He gets so tired but I'll play with you, Gustave." I soothe, bringing my hands back to the piano.

"There is a cello over there!" Gustave bounces off the bench. "And a violin, a flute, a fiddle, and -- what's this?"

I slide off the bench and slowly walk over, smashing my shin into a chair. Gustave places a heavy wood into my hands. I trace its shape and count the strings before pronouncing it a viola.

"Cecilia, its late. You can play together tomorrow." Christine interjects, ruining my pleasant mood.

I sigh. "I suppose..." I extend a hand to Gustave, placing the viola on the chair. "Come along, let's get you to bed." I say having him lead me to his room.

I settle him in his bed and head out of the room. As I'm making my way towards where we were before I hear a loud thump. I move a bit faster being cautious of my surroundings.

"Christine? What happened? What was that sound?" I asked, hoping desperately for a response. Even if she was an enemy she was mostly harmless, I didn't want to encounter a more menacing character with Gustave in the next room.

"She seems to have fainted, Madam." A rich, smooth voice spoke up, a slight tremble shook the words. My heart nearly stopped in my chest. Was that...?

I knew that voice. I knew that voice! It was the voice of my love. The voice of my Erik. My Erik...

I moved towards it slowly, worrying for my shins and knees. I stretched out a hand and felt it touch a textured jacket. Erik's warmth radiating out of it.

"Erik?" I whisper. Fear tittering away in my head saying it was just a dream. That I'd fallen asleep with Gustave without realizing it.

A warm hand engulfed my cold one as he spoke. "Yes my dear."

I hiccup as all the tears I hid from Christine, Raoul, and Gustave came in a flood. I clutched his jacket and cried until he pulled my face up and wiped the salty water off my face.

I slid my hands over his face, the warm skin and cool mask. "I missed you." I sighed, throwing my arms around him.

"I missed you too." I heard him murmur into my hair.

We strode out to the balcony and chatted for a bit before setting into a comfortable silence. A moment later Gustave ran up and clung to my skirt, crying about a nightmare of drowning.

After soothing his tears and introducing him to Erik, Erik started to tell of what he would show Gustave of Phantasm. I couldn't help the smile that crept across my face. I wish the rest of my days could be spent like this. Just me and Erik and little Gustave. We could travel and play music and explore everything we could. Maybe return to France after a few more years.

"I'll show you whatever you want to see." Erik gently tells Gustave.

"I want to see everything!" Gustave shouts.

"And I'll show it to you," Erik says. "But it will have to wait until tomorrow. Now go back to bed and tomorrow will come sooner."

I heard Gustave run off and I laughed.

"What brought you up to my second floor room in the first place, Erik?" I inquire, turning my face in what I hoped was his direction.

He rested his hand on my elbow and guided me back into the room. "I heard of your arrival and I had to see you. I left a cello in the corner," he pressed a piece of wood into my hand. "And your bow has been kept in perfect condition."

I encased him in a tight hug and soaked in his warmth and the smell of ink and paper and candle wax. "Thank you so much, my love." His arms returned the hug before he pulled away.

"I must be leaving." He muttered. "The fop will return any moment."

"How did you know he'd be gone in the first place?"

"A little note involving a bar and money."

I chuckled, resting my hand in his. "Well I expect to hear you sometime tomorrow. I've missed your voice."

"It will be done, my love." He whispered, kissing my hands before leaving me and my warmed heart to swell with love.

I moved back to the music corner and began to play, not concerned that Raoul would return or that Christine would awaken. I lost myself in a sound that I had missed for so long.

I lost myself in my music, my love, and my soul.