Twisted Every Way(Phantom Of The Opera Fic)

Chapter 69: Coming Home

"Come On Peter!"

Peter lagged behind Ilios, tripping over stones and fighting the winds and grudges. "I won't come along."

"You'll come and you'll come quicker elsewise I'll find someone else to take."

He maintained his position stubbornly.

"I mean it." She insisted. "And you know who'll I'll take instead."

The shock of betrayal overtook him, she was such a fiery temperament! So cruel to his kind nature. He had thought, brought it upon himself.  

He decided he was to teach her a good lesson. 

"I see. I must wish for Elis bright blue eyes. And his humor to amuse your every whim. Only then can I be your only friend, the only one in your many selections." He chided with a sudden rush stupidity.

Ilios' pink frostbitten cheeks grew cherry red. Anger crept like a rash up her neck and sent quivers up and down her spine. 

"You take that back, Peter Gaston."

His arms crossed across his chest, unmovable in conviction. "I will not."

Her features softened, a sort of long-standing nonchalance and disregard for drama led her to let the matter go easily.

"Come now, you could knock him down in a twinkling; don't you feel that you could?"

Peter gave a laugh, "Course I could. he's half my size, even if he is big for Eleven." 

Eli appeared from the shadows on to the beach and shook his head. He had been out looking to play for an Opera again, something he did a lot these days. 

But once again his nerves had set in and just as the will arose in his throat to speak out, he had shrunk back into the shadows of the walls. 

"It's no use discussing what won't happen." Eli stated firmly in a rather begrudging nature, " I could beat him twenty times and it wouldn't make him any less than he is. The rich are rich and the poor are poor."

"We're no poor silly stop moping," Ilios scolded, "Even if we were, Peter still come and visit us, wouldn't you Peter." 

Peter grinned, "Speaking of the poor and unfortunate, where is your sulking corpse of a brother." 

Eli frowned, "You must tease him. He's been through enough." 

Even Ilios looked disapprovingly on Peters light nature on the subject of her brother. 

"It's been nearly 7 months!" Peter exclaimed, "His daughters growing up while he's of drinking gin in the kitchen and moping about. Yes, there is a time to grieve, but when does he live again? When does he breathe again?" 

"Everyone deals with things differently," Eli stated firmly, "We're in no place to judge." 

Peter sighed, his face going seriously in one of those rare moments of contemplation on his part, "I just miss hearing the old chap laugh. He always had the sun about him." 

He went and collapsed in the sands, gently placing his feet into the murky waters. "Poor man. Poor man."

Ilios came and sat along in the grasses beside him, though he would not meet her eyes.

Mustering what small resistance Eli had, he dealt his cards in the only way he knew how by priding her heart best as he could.

"It's nonsense anyway. All this rollicking about Peter.Were getting much too old for it. People will talk."

"People?!" Peter scoffed, "The skeleton people?! No sir. I come down here because there are no people. No wary eyes, no romances, and checkbooks."

"I'm just saying," Eli muttered sitting crossly down beside the pair. "It's nonsense. It's dumb."

A swift hand met his temple and knocked him from his senses.

"We'll hear non of that." Ilios stated resolutely, "Not one shilling of it. You're just as Father always said it. One blow to the arm and you go flying over backward. Must you be so cynical?! I always tell you things just as they are. Don't I?"

He held his cheek with his chilled hand in silence.

"Well stop gaping Eli and answer properly, don't I?" She prodded.

"I suppose, though I do wish you'd do it less with your fist and more with your mouth."

Peter gave a chuckle and helped Eli to his feet. "Come on then, we'll be putting some ice on that."

Christine gave a cry at seeing poor Elis deformed cheek all red and puffed, a little handprint stained in red all about it. 

"Ilios," She called in a rage. "Don't make me get your Father." 

Ilios dragged herself inside. 

"Ilios really this is getting out of hand. you must learn to control your temper. Some self-control please!" 

"Can't help it," Ilios muttered under her breath, "He's just asking for it." 

"That's enough," Christine scolded, "Go to your room." 

Peter put a hand on Christine's arm. "Come now, it's just a bit of play. They're just children  it won't do them any harm." 

Christine frowned, "They're not that young anymore Peter. They need to learn." 

Peter looked skeptically to the young girl in blue school clothes wavering on the railing. It was true, she was taller, more resolute, no longer the bumbling toddler he had so enjoyed frolicking about with. 

And Eli, why, he was a regular gentleman, speaking and going about like Don Juan himself. 

Erik entered and saw Peters troubled face, he gave a small laugh. 

"Peter silent and I thought I'd seen it all." 

Peter gave a heavy sigh and handed Eli some ice wrapped in a dishcloth. Eli thanked him and held it to his cheek. 

"Am I getting older as well?" Peter asked suddenly with genuine concern. "Have I changed as much as they have?" 

"Well," Erik shrugged, "When time passes, we do tend to change." 

Peter pursed his lips and shuddered. "I don't like change." 

Erik gave a glance to his son, so tall and proud sitting on the stool bearing his injury as his Mother buzzed about him in worry. 

"I don't like change either. But change can be good." 

"How?" Peter snarled. 

"I got her," Erik smiled meekly looking to his wife. 

Peter watched as Erik's eyes looked affectionately at his wife. 

"You love her a lot don't you." 

Erik blushed bashfully and nodded. 

"With great understandings come great pain, but also great love." 

"Love is nothing but trouble for me," Peter laughed. 

"Maybe you're looking for it in all the wrong places," Erik noted. 

"How so?"

Christine couldn't help but overhear. 

"You spend your time looking down. People who aren't looking out for you, just for them. It might be time for something better. Maybe it's time to look up."  She noted wisely. 

Erik smirked, "Maybe you'll find someone in your ceiling. Of course, only a fool would marry a person like that." 

"Erik."