Warning, mention of death for operatic purposes.

   Grace stayed with Erik for a week, sneaking off after bedtime and in between practice to help him and ensure he was not aggravating his shoulder. At last, when both of their tempers were running high, the time had come where he was able to move about on his own, and his shoulder was redd up enough for him to resume most of his old activities. Grace still kept a close eye on him of course, for he would not fully be back to normal until the end of the month.

    George and Nora were settled in their apartment on the Seine, and Rodger went back to America, promising to come back for Grace's birthday in January. Nora's little dog, Clairy, had a case of home sickness, so she sent her with him, knowing he loved her little terrier as much as she. Leo was more than happy to have the hairy, terrifying little thing gone.

    As far as the ladies, Grace accepted Erik's plea. "You've just tended my wounds, helped me when I could not help myself, now please let me help you." She viewed them a even, and he swore he'd take her to see the ladies once he made sure preparations for the January performance were under way.

     The thing about January, which made everything so much more difficult was the fact that this was the second opera Erik had ever written, and seeing as their were three leads, instead of two, extra, more extravagant costumes had to be made, and the orchestra had to learn how to work and mold their music with the new singer's voice - for Grace would be singing alongside Erik and Christina in his opera, Colère  de la Musique. The Passion of the Music.

    Grace liked the storyline. Erik played a bitter widow called Ténèbres, who was a composer and had only been married a month to a beautiful countess, Sérafina, who gave up her title for her love for him. However, he finds love again in the spirit of a young barmaid, Renata, who wishes to learn to sing and is played by Grace. Unfortunately his countess comes back to haunt him, angry he has stopped loving her, because she never stopped loving him. Unwilling to tear them apart and consumed by Ténèbres' darkness,  Renata kills herself and dies in her lover's arms.

   What Grace found appealing was Renata's sacrifice. If she let Ténèbres marry her, she would ensure her future learning all about music, and his dark passion and need to use her, a fresh beautiful flower of France as a muse. Renata knows though, deep down, that he is only obsessed with what she can offer him, and that he and Sérafina share a true love. Not to mention her swan song is comprised of her shouting  - singing - about murdering Erik when really she's just preparing to take her own life. Grace rarely had a good excuse to yell at Erik or sing aggressively to him. Rehearsals would be a wonderful stress reliever.

   And in other news, the other ballerinas were dumbstruck and had isolated Grace further, which she didn't care about to begin with. They couldn't understand how skinny, practically curveless Grace had snagged Erik's attention when they, beautiful and brazen only earned scoldings and a baleful eye. They mocked Grace and left her out of their conversations. For a while, Véronique acted the same way, but she gradually drifted back into Grace's circle. She and Fleur apparently had a lot in common, and Fleur practically revolved around Grace.

    Grace saw Gaston a few more times, here and there, scribbling notes and whatnot. He followed Erik everywhere, and Erik in turn, pretended not to notice. As to why this sudden change, she did not know. But ignorance never lasted long with Grace, and she was cornered after rehearsals one day.

   "Mademoiselle! I have some alarming news," said little Gaston, bouncing eagerly on the balls of his heels, a wide grin across his face.

   "Qu'est-ce? "

    "It concerns your safety, and I am quite worried!"

   "What is it?"
 
    He pulled her by the arm into a shadowy corner. "There's been a murder," he whispered quite loudly.

    She snorted. "Allow me to guess: you think Erik did it?"

   "It was the Vicomte de Changy - Mademoiselle Nilsson's first fiance, the one I told you about. I might be able to finally prove that the Phantom is still alive and in the theatre business! He could be put behind bars at last."

   Grace removed her arm from his grasp. "Monsieur, Erik is not a criminal."

   "Have you any idea how many murders he has committed? Il est un tueur ! "

    "I can't see that," Grace lied. She herself had felt his ruthless hands on her body, ready to rupture her windpipe with his punjab lasso, but she also had felt and seen his kindnesses and behavior towards others. If anything he had two peronalities, the murderer and the pushover, and the former was dormant for most of the time. She thought.

   "Then ask him about de Changy if you don't believe me, but please be careful Grace. There was a concierge who took his notes and letters, a friend, a woman he trusted, and he killed her by dropping a chandelier on her head - and the Palais Garnier records have proof of that, of the death of Madame Chomette. Please don't anger him until I can find enough evidence, hmm? Please, dear Grace. Then perhaps we can, together, convict him?"

   She had a horrible feeling that in Gaston's opinion, this was a romantic prospect.

   "I need to talk to Erik. Excuse me." Without another word, she took her leave of him, confused and worried.

   George had read about de Changy's death, had said he had been a patron, and that the Garnier was cursed - Madame Chomette had died, working there, the elder de Changy had been shot, a chorus girl had been found hung, as had a stage hand who'd been said to have a reputation for questioning, and now another de Changy was killed. Grace had no doubt Erik was incapable of murder. She had no doubt that he would kill her if it was absolutely necessary, a final resort. But she also could not doubt his caring nature and undeniably human side.

    She was so caught up in her thoughts she never hear him approach nor felt his presence until his hand was closed around her wrist. She jumped in surprise as he roughly pulled her in another direction, then realized he had just saved her from crashing into a wall.

   "What on earth has you so involved with the world inside your head?" His curious, sweet voice purred into her ear.

   She looked up at him wearily.

   "And why were you with Leroux?"

   "We need to have a conversation."

    "Tonight. After everyone else is in bed, around eleven, come down to my abode," he replied, letting go of her, eyes steeling over.

                                     🌹

    Erik ran a shaking hand through his hair as he paced around the outskirts of his home. He was late to his meeting with Grace, but for once, tardiness  - something he normally did not stand for in anyone - was the last thing on his mind. He was severely worried about why Grace had been with Leroux. Again. Did she develop feelings for him, the man he despised, the man who kept trying to put nails in his coffin? What if they wanted to marry. What if Leroux convinced Grace that he was the devil, the demon who ruined so many lives, ruthlessly, heartlessly destroyed everything good and innocent? He couldn't allow that to happen, to let Grace think that of him.

  He wandered into the deeper recesses of his home, still not yet ready to face her.

    However, he did not see her.

    "Grace?" He called out to dim lair.

   Silence called back.

    "Grace!" He yelled this time.

    "Over here! Here - no, in the water!"

   To his surprise she was swimming over to him. But then again, it was Grace. She could fight like a man, water plants, and drop sandbags on people. Nothing she did should surprise him anymore.

    He went over to help her out of the water.

   "I got bored after watching you pace about so I decided a nice swim was in order."

   And a nice dress soaking too.

   "I was already wet since Leo needed to be walked and it's raining outside," she said brightly as she accepted his hand up.

    "Yes, and now you'll catch your death," Erik complained. "I've no one else to play Renata, you know."

   "I greatly care about you too," she teased. He simply shook his head.

      "Come dry off by the fire." He tugged her over and placed her on the floor - her favored seat, as far as she had shown him - in front of the fire. He figured he'd light the stove on the other end of the room as well. And on top of that he tucked one of his cloaks around her shoulders.

    She caught his sleeve when he moved to sit on the sofa across from her. "Stay here," she said. He really did not like the somber tone of her voice, nor the way she was looking at him, as if something was worrying her but he didn't have a lot to do with it. Just something.

   He seated himself beside her and avoided her all-knowing, wise hazel eyes as they bore into his soul.

    "You take such good care of me," Grace said to him. Yes, now stop terrorizing me and tell me what I did wrong.

    "You do the same," he countered.

   Her lips tried and failed for a smile, accomplishing no more than a painful twitch.

   "Y-you take such good care of me, yet if the need arose... why couldn't you do the same for those people you killed?"

    A/N

   So French Lesson with an extra tip: Ténèbres means Dark. I really thought this was suitable for Erik. Really suitable. But I'm not sure if Colère de la Musique is dramatic enough. 😱💖💔

  And Qu'est-ce is What is it?

   Il est un tueur is He is a killer.

   Thanks to all of my lovely readers!