Author's Note:

Dear Readers,

Well, Chapter 5 has rolled off my fingers. I trust you enjoy this little bit of fluff (?) between Erik and Christine. I haven't much else to say so I'll leave you to read and enjoy!

sarahlet2999

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▪ Chapter 5 ▪

Hey, I don't know if you're around or not but I was wondering when we were planning to meet again?

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My sincerest apologies for my late reply. I was unavoidably detained. Yes, I would like to meet again. Perhaps the same time and day as before?

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That would work. I'm going to be working that day until four so maybe about six?

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Yes, I will be ready.

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Great! Would you like me to bring a movie or something? Maybe you can play your violin again?

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Feel free to bring whatever you want. I do not really care.

The words bit him and his mind taunted him with chants of "liar" while he clicked the send button, watching the text box appear below her message. For years, he had avoided films with great enthusiasm. Handsome people, falling in love with other handsome people, disgusted him instead of grieving him.

If she even considers bringing such filth into my sanctuary, our business deal is over.

His heart rebelled instantly against the painful idea. To never have her return, to never see the face of Beauty herself, it would be worse than enduring two hours of misery at her side. At least, if she were with him, he could enjoy her smiles and happiness, perhaps to the exclusion of whatever destruction of humor and romance played out on the screen.

Tempted as he had been to recant his comment about not caring, he resisted, occupying his fingers with plucking the violin instead of typing a recension.

For Beauty, he would endure even the sappiest of flicks.

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Yay! I'll bring my favorite movies and maybe a couple board games.

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Sounds wonderful.

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Closing the lid of her computer, Christine left the messenger and walked over to her small movie shelf. On the top shelf, Marvel and DC movies waited patiently for her attention, usually only appearing whenever their owner found herself in an odd mood. Below them, entire collections of I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith, and The Three Stooges chuckled at her, tempting her to begin a marathon that would last several days.

Tucked beneath them, her favorite movies awaited her attention, aware they would always end up being picked, whether guilty pleasure or good movies. Smiling, she pulled out the stack and spread them across the pressboard coffee table before plopping herself down onto a torn couch.

"All right. Labyrinth, Gunslinger's Revenge, The Mask of Zorro, Angel and the Badman, and all my Sherlock Holmes episodes and movies..." She trailed off and pushed aside The Mask of Zorro, concluding he wasn't likely to find an action movie with sweeping romance, and a willingly masked protagonist, to be his preference.

"That would mean Angel and the Badman is out too... He probably doesn't like westerns." Smiling sadly, she set the VHS aside. "Besides, he probably doesn't have a VHS player." Glancing between the three remaining movies, she sighed quietly, holding up Gunslinger's Revenge.

"You have to go as well. I would hate to scare him way with one of my guilty pleasures. And, it's a western." Sighing, Gunslinger's Revenge found itself on the pile of rejects. Looking back between the two sets left, she sighed and hung head in frustration.

"How can I choose between you two! I love both of you." Jeremy Brett and David Bowie peered up at from the cover at her, both their faces tempting her to take them both. "Oh, great. Y'all are both coming with me. He can pick." Scooping up the cases, she carried them out to the car and stashed them away in the back seat, being sure to lock the door so no one would steal them.

Confident in the safety of her children, she tucked herself into her apartment with a bowl of popcorn and a heavy blanket to enjoy Gunslinger's Revenge as a way of apologizing to the little mess about not picking it.

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She will be here soon!

Erik paced back and forth in the entrance hall, wringing his hands and adjusting the uncomfortable plastic mask. His cheeks, rubbed raw from the previous meeting had yet to heal completely, leaving him with the high chance of sores.

Already one sharp cheekbone had broken and bled.

Fingers twisted between themselves, tangling black gloves and pulling tendons. Several knuckles cracked. His gut tied itself in knots, irrational fear that she wouldn't like the meal he had prepared overtaking him.

What if I step wrong?

What happens if I make some great error? I must have done well enough last time but what if something happens?

His addiction had been properly sated earlier in the evening and the monster wouldn't require feeding until long after she had left.

I will not have to worry about that. Unless she stays very late.

The doorbell chimed.

Hands trembling, he turned the door knob and allowed her inside. Smiling, the blond angel in white swept into the house, beginning an instant bit of chatter about how nice the weather had been the whole afternoon and something about sadness for missing it because of work but his eyes focused only on the items tucked within her arms.

"What are those?" He inquired, torn between resignation and the tugging feeling of excitement. The covers didn't appear to brightly colored or composed of intricate artwork. Clutched as they were to her chest, he couldn't see the titles, leaving his mind to stew over the tortious possibilities. Her fingers loosened around the cases as she hung her up purse on a hook in the hallway.

"Some movies. I didn't know what you would like so I just brought my favorites. Maybe after dinner we could look through them?" A sparkle of hope touched blue eyes and Erik bowed his head in consent.

At least she will be happy with her choices. I shall content myself with her pretty smiles during the duration.

"A wonderful idea. Shall we... eat?" She nodded, setting the cases aside and shedding her light jacket.

"Let's go! I'm starving."

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"Oh, that would delicious!" She exclaimed, settling back and lightly patting her belly in contentment. "You should have been a chief." Clinking the dishes together, she gathered them together and ushered them off to the kitchen before he could comment or complain.

Following her, he attempted to fuss but she hushed him with a wave of her hand, dunking the gravy-covered dishes into a sink filled with soapy water.

"Do you want to leave them to soak? Maybe we can look through the movies?" Her gut, busy with the fine meal, paused to twist into a fine knot.

What if he doesn't like them?

What if he thinks I'm weird?

I mean, he's weird but he might want to be around a normal person!

"Yes, that would be...nice. What did...you bring?" He asked, bracing himself for idiocy.

"Labyrinth. You know, that '86 film with David Bowie?" The name fell familiar upon his ears but he failed to place its importance or place in his life. "And, the Sherlock Holmes Granada series. By far the best ever made. The BBC is great and all and Benedict Cumberbatch is a wonderful Holmes, but nobody can replace Jeremy Brett." She paused for a moment and laid her and over her heart. "May he rest in peace." Sweeping by him, her perfume slipping beneath the mask and reaching his nasal cavity, strong enough for even him to catch a delightful whiff of.

At least one sounds somewhat sensible.

"Which one would you like?" She asked over her shoulder, turning slightly to give him the view of a pretty blue eye framed in golden locks.

"Sherlock Holmes, please." He responded, grateful for the sensibly of at least one of her options. "I am... somewhat familiar with his... cases. Um...those books were some of the few... that I enjoyed."

One of the few classics that offered a stretching of the mind and some mental escape.

"Yay!" A spring entered her step, her hands clapping together as she scooped up her precious collection and turned for him to lead the way. "If you enjoyed the books, you'll enjoy these." Her skirts swished prettily about her legs, lean now he paid attention to them. Blushing beneath the mask, he kept his eyes above her neck and led her into the living room, an abandoned room in his house.

"You don't spend much time here...do you?" Her eyebrow arched.

"No...I prefer my office or composing room." To have a proper living room, one must first live.

"Then, let's make up for lost time." Her eyes flickered between the cases in her hands and him. Boots shifted on the hardwood floor, creaking one board as the weight changed. "I suppose we can begin with the first..." She bit her lip and cautiously handed over the first season, her eyes pleading with him to be very careful.

I'm holding someone's most prized possession.

His finger shook faintly as he stepped over and fiddled with the TV and DVD player, leaving her admire the room she stood in.

Redwood made up the floor planks, the color and grain perfectly complementing the white upholstered settees and chairs. A set of chairs found their home in a corner, surrounding a redwood card table. Two couches, one plush and the other svelte, sat at an angle to each other, the V created by their position pointing directly at the TV, braced against the opposite wall between two high windows.

Music played and drew her attention to the TV and the masked gentleman kneeling before it, the mask illuminated by the electronic glow.

"Are you ready?" She asked. "Is it working?"

"Yes. Please, find yourself a seat." Without a moment of hesitation, she sunk into the unused cushions of the lavish couch and tucked her feet beneath her skirt. Erik withdrew from the TV, passing her the remote and found his place opposite her on the settee.

After clicking through the menu and beginning with the first episode, Christine eyed him before patting the place beside her.

"Here. Sit here with me." A grin covered her lips as the intro played in the background. He hesitated, limbs shaking and heart threatening him with failure.

"Won't you be more... comfortable with me... over here?" Shaking her head, she again patted the seat cushions. Reluctantly, he settled beside her, careful to keep all things belonging to his person at least an inch from her.

I doubt she will enjoy a moment with me beside her.

Her head found his shoulder as she snuggled against him, warding off the slight chill in the room, just as the episode began.