"Had Mother ever seen you like this?" Gustave asked raising an eyebrow. 

Erik grinned and shook his head, "She would never let me. Told me that I was to be how I was and she was to love me. I do say, however, I rather enjoy it."

Gustave stared dumbfounded at his Fathers symmetrical face, and then to the forlorn Eli beside him who seemed rather bored despite the colorful embrace he had gotten from his brother and niece earlier. 

"It's funny," Gustave commented with a laugh, "I've never felt I looked anything like either of you. Eli with his mask on looks your spitting image. But now, now I can see it." 

It made him happy, seeing how perfectly he fit between the two. 

Gustave gave a darting glance along the walls of the room "And Wade won't-"

"Wade says it won't change the beast he is inside," Ilios commented coldly as she brought a tray of tea to the table, "And other bitter nonsense like that."

"Don't hold it against him Ilios," Erik urged scoldingly, "He's suffered a trauma." 

Ilios gave a small scoff, "Who here hasn't?" 

"He'll grow out of it," Eli said assuringly to his sister, placing a hand on her back. "I did." 

"Where's Luke?" Ilios asked curiously.

"He went up to say hello to your Mother, she had something to give him." 

"I hear he's doing rather well towards college," Ilios noted. 

"Yes," Gustave nodded, "And like it or not in school he'll stay. it'll do well to keep him out of the war." 

"War?" Eli said in confusion, "What war." 

Erik sent Gustave a warning glance and Gustave acted quickly to change the subject. 

"Winnie and Mary seem to get along splendidly." Gustave smiled, "I was hoping they would. Mary has very few friends. Hardly any, she prefers to keep to herself." 

"There nothing wrong with that," Eli laughed, though the idea of war was still echoing in the back of his mind. 

"No," Gustave agreed, "Nothing wrong at all. I just worry sometimes, she gets in such dark moods."

Luke came bolting down the stairs, making a rather large racket that startled Erik out of his wits.

"Don't you know how to walk?" Ilios shouted with a laugh. 

"Ilio!" Luke exclaimed gleefully sweeping her up and twirling her about. "And Eli it's good to see you old chap."

"Old chap?" Eli murmured, "It's good we got him away from London when we did."

Ilios nudged and shushed her brother as Luke happily clamored on about the subjects of business and expenses and so forth. 

After a moment he leaned over and whispered in Eli's ear. 

"I've brought you the information you asked for." 

Eli gave a small nod, "About Winnie?"

"Yes."

"What about me?" A small voice peeped up from between them, looking with great intrigue. 

"Talking of how pretty you look in that little white dress," Luke grinned. 

"Erik-" Christine said starting to make her way down the stairs, "Have you seen my-" 

She paused, looking harder and expecting the apparition before her to disappear as Erik rose and gave a soft smile. 

Ilios hugged tightly to her brother. 

Christine covered her mouth and made her way down the stairs, Erik nervously wringing his hands together just as he had on the first night he had met her. 

Could it really be him?

Nervously she approached him, not sure entirely of who she thought the gentleman to be. He was familiar enough, from their many years together that she supposed she identified him and yet, no great understanding truly took place on her behalf. 

He seemed as if a stranger, so different in smile and earnest look that she wondered-

He approached her and reading her uneasiness extended two strong hands to her with a small smile. 

"Christine," he laughed softly, "It's me." 

Christine hesitated for a moment, reaching up and placing a soft hand to his cheek, she looked into his eyes. 

"Erik?" she laughed through tears. 

He nodded and kissed her hand, "Yes." 

"It's you!" Christine stammered baffled as the rest of the family looked on in happy admiration. 

Some thought of what they yearned for, others of what they lost, and one little girl wondered how the sight of something so normal as a man could bring her grandmother to tears. 

"Yes," Erik smiled, and against his every effort he felt tears beginning to well in his eyes. "It's me." 

Christine held him closer, "So this is Erik." 

"Indeed I suppose it is." He said weakly, her touch kindling love in him he didn't know how to repress. 

"I do wonder that you act so diffrent from my Angel." 

"I am yours, Christine," He assured her, "No matter how I appear. Look into my eyes if you doubt it." 

She looked steadily into his eyes and brushed away his tears, "I doubt it not." 

Erik grinned sheepishly and reached for Ilios hand. "I have something of a surprise for all of you. I've procured the dining hall for the evening." 

An uproar of excitement and confusion overtook the family. 

"How did you manage that Father?" 

"I simply sent Andre a word of warning." Erik smirked, "I couldn't have done it without Eli." 

Eli turned away bashfully under his Mothers interested eye. 

"I've already sent for David don't worry, Father will have to put up with it for tonight," Eli assured his sister with a whimper. 

"Indeed," She nodded with a smug secret smile of her own, "And brother dear, I have sent for a lover of your own." 

Eli frowned severely, "Who?!"

"You'll see," Ilios chuckled sticking out her tongue as she took her Gustaves arm. 

"Ilios!" Eli yelped frantically, his heart pounding nervously, "Who?" 

"Are you coming?" Erik asked slowly turning his head towards his granddaughter. 

Mary looked up and followed him hesitantly through the door. 

"It doesn't seem as dark down here now," She noted with a soft innocent smile. 

Erik nodded, "It doesn't?"

"Could I ride with you?" Mary asked, her voice trembling ever so slightly. "I'd like to ask you some things." 

Erik nodded and the family departed each to their own boat and Mary and Erik to the long canoe. 

"Mother?" Winnie asked sadly, "Why can't I ride with Papa?"

"Let Mary have her turn dear," Christine said with a cough that made Ilios turn white with fear. 

"What should I call you?" Mary asked Erik slowly as the undid the ropes and set out onto the waters.

"You could call me grandfather I suppose." He shrugged. 

Mary frowned, "No, you're much too young for that." 

Both sat in thoughtful silence. 

Erik gave a small shrug of his broad shoulders, looking over the girl curiously, "I suppose then, you could call me Erik." 

"Erik." Mary repeated, "Is that your name?" 

"Yes." 

Mary smiled timidly and gave a nod of approval, "It suits you." 

"Does it?" Erik laughed. "Why thank you." 

Mary reached under the seat and felt about. When she had first climbed in she had thought she had seen a small white piece of porcine glittering up at her. 

"Is this the opera ghosts?" Mary asked plainly holding up the mask to Erik with adoring little eyes. 

"How do you know of Opera Ghosts?" Erik asked in surprise. 

Mary quickly turned and looked around for her Father, "I read Mothers diary sometime. She says there was a troubled ghost with a mask."

Erik continued rowing. 

"Was it you Erik?" 

He gave a hearty laugh that echoed off the cavernous walls and Gustave would have suspected his daughter of mischief were the two not already rowed so far ahead of the others. 

He gave no reply,no immediate one, but after a few minutes, took the mask and placed it on. 

"What do you think?" 

"Truly?" Mary asked with a small giggle. 

"Please, Madam speak only your mind."  Erik said with an amused smirk. 

"I think," Mary said in a thoughtful manner, "That you are much too tall, and rather too old to be the Ghost my Mother wrote of." 

"Oh?" Erik said with a touch of disappointment. 

"And-" Mary added with a small nod, "Rather far too handsome for how she describes him." 

Erik took the paddle up from the lake and splashed the young girl with some water, making her shriek in delight. 

"Did Father really live down here?" Mary said looking around.

Erik gave a nod. 

Mary bit her lip hopefully. This could be her chance. Her eyes darted along the walls and candles of the passage, walls that held secrets perhaps deeper than her past. 

She looked up at Erik, his eyes fixed on her, but also, she could tell on the horizon far ahead. It was a funny sort of thought, but in his eyes, she could almost see a layer of her own. A layer she had observed in the mirror before. 

And with that strange mask covering half his face, he seemed rather a diffrent man. Indeed, his entire countenance, his words, and manner had all shifted. 

But she did not fear the change, but rather welcomed it. 

The mask seemed to serve as a barrier between her fears and her questions. 

And so with a trembling hand, she began to ask all her heart yearned to know.