Ilios watched with intrigue from the doorway as her father slid the razor across his face.

"Father?"

"Yes?"

She shifted her position ever so slightly and played with her hair, "Where did your beard go?"

Erik gave a small smile, "I shaved it off, see? It's smooth now, no more scratchy kisses."

Ilios pouted with a frown, "You can't put it back?"

Erik looked at her with a scoff, "Do you want me to?"

Ilios grinned and nodded furiously. It made Erik happy to see her so joyous. After her scare on the roof, she had fallen almost as silent as Eli, running around like his shadow doing everything he could wish for.

She made his bed, cleared his pate, cleaned his piano. Eli could barely be annoyed with her before she was off doing another of his chores, trying desperately to make it up to him.

"Father?" She asked again.

Erik gave a sigh, dabbing his face with the towel and giving a good look in the mirror. "Yes dear."

"Could I have another-"

Erik stopped and turned his attention to his daughter. Her eyes had cast downward and she was drawing little circles with her shoes, avoiding the question.

"Yes?"

"Never mind."

"What is it Ilios?"

"I'd have to ask Mother too. Never mind."

Erik was left with that small beginning of a question running around his head for the rest of the day. What had she meant to ask?

He had been lying awake with it racking his brain most of the night when Christine got up and paced awkwardly around the floorboard.

"Are you alright?" he asked with concern.

Christine gave a jump backward, "God Erik you scared me I thought you were still asleep."

He gave a small shrug, "I don't sleep."

He put on his slippers and sat at the edge of the bed, watching as her faint figure stood displaced in the middle of the floor.

"Is there something you want to talk about?" He yawned.

"Yes-" Christine started, "No I don't-But I do."

Erik gave a few words of encouragement until Christine finally spoke her mind.

She brought up how old she felt, her son so far away and her past so far behind her.

"Older yes." Erik nodded, "But wiser, and oh so much more beautiful."

Christine closed her eyes, fearing his reaction, "We are older Erik."

"Yes." he laughed.

"And with the Eli and Ilios grew up, they're slipping away so fast-I- I know we agreed but..."

"Christine speak your mind," He encouraged.

"Oh, Erik I don't know how to say it."

"Then feel it, deep enough for me to sense, and words will follow."

"Another child-"

"Christine," Erik smiled, rising and taking her hand, "If that's what you want. I'm willing."

Christine shook her head, clearly distressed. "I didn't want- Erik its such a mess."

"If you don't then we won't."

Christine fell into deeper despair, her hair hiding the horror in her eyes just barely.

"I didn't."

Erik raised an eyebrow and gave a laugh, "You don't mean?!"

Christine broke into sobs and nodded.

"Christine," Erik whispered taking a finger and turning her chin upwards to face his adoring eyes, "We will get through this. Everything will be so perfect."

"But Eli, he needs so much of my attention and care and she'll need so much of my time and-"

"Christine breathe," Erik laughed, "Eli is a smart boy, he understands. And Ilios will finally have something to look forward to, to devote herself to. A friend, without Gustave here she has such a hard time."

"I'm scared Erik, how can you be so calm this time?" Christine marveled.

"Because the worst has happened, and here I stand, breathing alive, loving." he took her hand in his and inhaled deeply, breathing in the crisp late night air. "Music is not about the notes Christine, its the space between them, the meaning deep below them."

Eli listened through the crack in his wall. Fear slipped in like a bandit into his little heart. He had almost hurt Ilios, what if he hurt someone new. What unforeseeable horrors could occur. Would it be a monster like himself? A Genius, or the perfect carefree angel he knew his sister to be.

Eli could think of nothing else to do, no other stability in his life.

He had to get Gustave home.

He needed a confidant, a friend.

He decided to lie.

Gustave had written of his engagement a week ago and the threat of Erik sailing across seas to kill him seemed sufficient enough to get Gustave over there.

He ran to his desk, lit a candle and wrote furiously, not noticing the little eyes peering over and glancing at his stationary. Something to get his brother home fast. 

"Eli?" Ilios moaned turning over in her bed, "Eli why are you awake."

"Shh," Eli said jumping back into bed and getting under the covers, "Sleep."

Ilios' eyes were wide awake, she had far too much to dream for while awake than she would if she were to sleep.

"Eli?" She said slowly.

He sat up in exasperation in the moonlight and she knew he was still awake.

"Eli-Might we go see the Opera now?"

Eli shook his head, "Father would kill me."

"Once he knows about Gustave he'll be mad anyway." Ilios's soft and tired voice plead, "Please Eli, Please?"

Eli groaned, he had forgotten that while a pest, his sister was partially as clever as he and his mother had been teaching her to read these past few weeks.

"Take me Eli," She commanded, "Or I"ll tell Mother to send Gustave a second letter saying not to come."

Drat.

"Fine!" Eli said throwing his hands to the air, "But you stay close and silent. And when it gives you nightmares, don't cry to me."

"I'm nearly Seven," Ilios frowned, "I don't have nightmares."

Eli got out of bed and tied his bathrobe angrily.

"Bed wetter." he snarked.

Ilios went red, "Opera Ghost."

"Toddler."

"Scamp."

"Shh!"

When the two had fixed themselves enough to go into the theater, the bedroom door creaked open, not loud enough to be heard over their parent's voices.

"Erik how can we be sure."

"It's a risk but-"

Ilios tugged on her brother's arm, "What are they talking about Eli?"

He quickly redirected her attention and helped her into the boat. His small fists worked hard and long at the knot that tied the stern to the dock and with Ilios help he soon untied it.

Ilios yawned and watched in that breathless heightened sense of life that only comes so deep into the dead of night.

As Eli rowed, following the path he had taken oh so many a night before, he couldn't help but smile. The candles had all been extinguished, leaving only the pale moonlight and cracks in the floorboards above to guide their way.

"Here," Eli called, helping Ilios out of the boat, "Up here."

"And then a left?" She said warily.

Eli looked at her, how did she know?

"I'm not stupid Eli. I followed you some nights. You could drown in the lake, I wanted to make sure you were safe."

Eli raised an eyebrow in surprise, he had thought his sister a lot of things, but never logical. Here a new side of her was coming to light, one that wasn't the useless girl he had come to love only as a sister but not a friend.

"Oh!" Ilios cried in delight, "They're singing Hanniable tonight! Mothers favorite!"

She skipped along merrily, humming think of me under her breath. Eli gave a sigh and shoved his hands in his pockets trailing close behind, enjoying the silence and his thoughts.

How many times would he walk this path with a new brother or sister? how could he protect them? How could he prevent the horror which was unpreventable? He was a man of science, deformity couldn't be up to chance, could it?

He considered asking Ilios but her blonde curls and sparkling eyes danced too happily in the brightening light of the Main Hall to disturb her.

When they finally emerged, sneaking through the mirror of the dressing room and entering the main foyer, Ilios couldn't help but swirl her small petticoat about. The blur of colors and murals and lights dazzled and dulled her senses, leaving her entirely in her brothers care. He escorted her quickly up the stairs and the two hid behind the banisters whenever attendants came rushing past.

When they reached Box Five, Eli sat Ilios inside and gave a nod of approvement. "Now stay put!" He commanded.

"Where are you going?!" Ilios whispered as loudly as possible.

"To see if we're safe," Eli stated with a nod. He would lock the secret entrance to the box as well as the staircase up to it. No one would disturb them tonight. He was done with complications.

He was done with trouble.

Little did he know, that trouble was by no means done with him.