Charlotte took a deep breath, setting her suitcase beside the door. "It feels so good to be home."

"It does indeed. I've missed it," Erik said as he looked around at the house.

"Can you believe this is our first time being in the house as husband and wife?" Charlotte smiled.

"I know, it's lovely." Erik paused then and looked over at her. "Aren't I supposed to carry you over the threshold or something of that nature? Isn't that the tradition?"

"Perhaps," Charlotte shrugged. "Shall we go back outside and do it?"

"Yes, let's. We've held to other wedding traditions, so why not this one?" Erik took her by the hand and walked her out the front door before he scooped her into his arms. "There we go."

Charlotte giggled. "You're such a romantic."

"So you've told me," Erik said with a chuckle as he walked her through the front door in his arms. "There. Now it's official. This is our home as husband and wife."

"Wonderful," Charlotte grinned, kissing his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too. Now, I suppose we should unpack before Gustave gets dropped off."

"Yes, we should," Charlotte nodded. "However, we could just relax."

"We could do that too," Erik said as he walked straight into the parlor and fell into his armchair, Charlotte still in his arms. "I'm leaning towards that option."

"I see you have you no plans of setting me down," Charlotte giggled.

"No, not any time soon," Erik replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a squeeze.

"I love you so much," Charlotte smiled, kissing his cheek. "You are the best husband ever."

"Well, thank you. I do try. You're an amazing wife as well."

"Thank you," Charlotte said softly. "You're so wonderful."

Erik grinned and gave her a kiss. "As are you."

"Perhaps, but you are perfect," Charlotte smiled. "I could never be as perfect as you."

"Don't be ridiculous. I am nowhere near perfect. You, on the other hand, are more than perfect," he said softly.

"That's hardly true," Charlotte said softly, kissing his cheek.

Erik shook his head. "Of course not. You are perfect, my love. You just struggle to see that, for reasons I fail to comprehend."

"For the same reasons you fail to see that you are perfect," Charlotte chuckled.

"Ah. Is that it?" Erik asked with a smirk. "I should have known, I suppose."

"Precisely," Charlotte laughed. "Now, we really should unpack."

"But now I'm comfortable," Erik whined, sighing quietly.

"I am too," Charlotte sighed. "What if we make Gustave unpack our bags when he's dropped off and we just sit here?"

Erik considered that for a moment. "Do you think we could?"

"I believe I could persuade him if I bake cookies later."

"Should we make an attempt to convince him then?"

Charlotte nodded, resting her head on his shoulder. "By the way, did you wake up feeling sick this morning? I did. I thought maybe it was something we had for dinner."

Erik shook his head. "No, I was alright. How are you feeling now?" he asked.

"Perfectly fine. It was just this morning," Charlotte shrugged. "It was odd, but I guess it wasn't anything serious."

"Alright. Well, if it happens tomorrow, then we should start keeping an eye on it. I don't want you getting sick so soon after our wedding."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Charlotte giggled. "Don't worry."

Erik nodded and looked over at their luggage with a sigh. "I feel bad making Gustave unpack. We should probably do that now."

"No," Charlotte whined. "Let's just stay like this."

"Well, I suppose I can't get up unless you get up, so...I guess we have to stay like this."

"Exactly," Charlotte grinned. "That's my diabolical plan."

"Ah, I see," Erik said, resting his forehead against hers. "I'm comfortable with that."

"Good," Charlotte smiled, pressing a kiss to his temple.

Erik looked around the room for a moment before he rested her head on his shoulder. "It's funny how much you miss your home when you're not in it for a time."

"Yes, that's true," Charlotte nodded. "But I did enjoy our honeymoon very much."

"Oh, so did I. Seeing the sights, enjoying the weather...spending time with you," Erik said with a smirk.

"Yes, that was definitely fun," Charlotte giggled, kissing his cheek. "But of course, we can always spend time together here."

"Well, I would hope so," Erik said with a laugh.

"Let's hope Gustave doesn't walk in," Charlotte chuckled.

"Good lord," Erik replied, laughing and hiding his face in her hair. "He better not."

"Are you blushing?" Charlotte asked with smirk.

"Maybe a little bit."

"More like a lot," Charlotte laughed. "You're so handsome."

"Thank you," Erik mumbled, his face still hidden.

"Why are you so shy all of a sudden?"

Erik shrugged. "I don't know," he said, lifting his head and frowning when Charlotte giggled at how red he'd gone. "You saying we should hope Gustave doesn't walk in didn't help, though."

"You're so cute," Charlotte chuckled. "Have I mentioned how much I love you?"

"Once or twice."

"Wonderful," Charlotte smiled, pulling him into a kiss. "Because I do. Very much."

"I know," Erik said between kisses. "I love you too."

"I love you more."

Erik pulled away with a small smile. "I just remembered something. Get up so that I can get up," he said.

"Make me," Charlotte said with a cheeky grin.

Erik raised a brow, then gently pushed her off so she slid down his legs onto the floor. "There we go," he said as he got to his feet.

"Wow. I'm offended," Charlotte laughed. "Well, I supposed I should unpack."

"You said make you get off of me, so I did." Erik grabbed his luggage and laid it on the floor to open it. "Don't unpack just yet. I have something for you."

"Oh, dear. Did you steal an opera score from somewhere?"

"How did you know?" he asked with a roll of his eyes. "No, of course not."

"Then what is it?" Charlotte giggled.

"Sit on a chair instead of the floor and I'll give it to you."

"Alright, alright." Charlotte got up and sat in his armchair, fiddling with the skirt of her dress as she waited.

Erik smiled as he walked over to her, hands behind his back, before he finally handed her a velvet box. "Open it up," he said, kneeling on the floor in front of her.

Charlotte complied, gasping when she saw the sapphire necklace inside. "You didn't!"

"I did," Erik replied with a grin.

"I saw you looking at in the store window, but heard you say it was too expensive. So when you went to go get us gelato, I picked it up for you."

"That's so sweet," Charlotte smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much."

"Of course, my love. Can I help you put it on?"

Charlotte nodded, moving her hair out fo the way.

Erik got to his feet and took the necklace in his hands, standing behind. her to clasp it around her neck. "Go look in the mirror," he said.

"Okay," Charlotte grinned, going into the bathroom to look in the mirror. "I love it!"

Erik followed her down the hall, smiling as he watched her look at herself from every angle. "I'm glad. I knew you loved it. I figured I would get it for you as a little gift."

"Little? This cost a fortune," Charlotte laughed. "Thank you so much. I can't believe you did this."

Erik smiled. "Anything for you, my love," he said. "And it may have been a bit expensive, yes, but I knew you would love it, so I was happy to spend the money."

Charlotte hugged him tightly. "I love you so much," she said softly, giving him another kiss.

"I love you too," Erik replied, giving her a tight hug.

—————

"Papa, Charlotte, I'm home!" Gustave called before he turned to wave to James and his mother before they left. "I have Phantom with me too!"

Charlotte immediately ran out of the kitchen to embrace the boy. "Gustave!" She smiled, kissing his cheek.

"Hi, Charlotte! Welcome home!" He said as he hugged her tight

"We both missed you so much," Charlotte grinned. "How was spending two weeks at James'?"

"It was lots of fun! I slept in his room with him, and we played outside all the time! His sister, April, spent time with us too, and Elizabeth's cooking is really good. James and his family liked Phantom a lot too."

"That's wonderful," Charlotte smiled. "Your father and I got you a gift from Tuscany. He's still unpacking, but let me get him."

"A gift? Really?" Gustave asked.

"Of course," Charlotte nodded. "Erik, Gustave's home! Bring down the you know what!"

It didn't take long for Erik to hurry down the stairs, his hands held behind his back. "Hello Gustave!" he said, a wide smile on his face. "How are you? We missed you."

"I'm good," Gustave smiled. "How was your honeymoon?"

"Oh, it was lovely. Italy is beautiful," Erik replied.

"Wonderful," Gustave grinned. "What's behind your back?"

Erik shrugged. "I'm not sure," he said teasingly. "I guess you'll have to wait and find out."

"Oh, just give it to him," Charlotte chuckled, shaking her head at the excitement on Gustave's face.

With a grin, Erik brought the gift out from behind his back to show his son. "It's a music box," he said as he handed it to Gustave.

"Wow," Gustave smiled, running his fingers over the musical notes carved into the wood. "It's so beautiful."

"I thought you'd like it."

"I love it!" Gustave grinned. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome. Now give me a hug. I've gone two weeks without one," Erik said as he kneeled down in front of him.

Gustave tightly embraced his father. "I missed you, Papa."

"I missed you too, my boy," Erik said, holding Gustave tight and standing up with him in his arms. "Were you alright with James?"

"It was fun, but I still missed you both," Gustave nodded.

Charlotte cleared her throat. "Erik, I did have something for you, by the way. I just didn't give it to you earlier because it was buried in my suitcase."

"Oh, love, you didn't have to get me anything," Erik said, giving Gustave one last squeeze before setting him down again.

Charlotte handed him a rectangular box. "When I went to get gelato...I was really running to a shop and then I got us gelato after to cover my tracks."

Erik shook his head. "I should have known," he said as he opened the box and saw the beautiful watch inside. "Oh, Charlotte, it's lovely."

"I saw you looking at it when I was looking at the music boxes," Charlotte chuckled.

"Yes, I had thought about going back for it, but now I'm glad I didn't."

"I am too," Charlotte giggled, kissing his cheek.

Erik pulled the watch out and slipped it on his wrist, smiling at his wife. "It's perfect. Thank you," he said as he gave her a quick kiss

"You're welcome," Charlotte smiled. "Now, who's ready to eat dinner?"

"You're still going to make dinner?" Erik asked. "Love, you must be exhausted."

"Past tense, dear. Made dinner," Charlotte chuckled.

Erik paused. "Yes, you did that already. I need to sleep, good lord."

"Yes, we didn't do much of that," Charlotte said with a smirk.

"Charlotte," Erik said, chuckling as he spoke.

"What? There was a lot to see in Italy."

"Good. Safe answer," he replied as he walked into the kitchen. "Come on, Gustave. Let's go eat."

"What does she mean?" Gustave frowned suspiciously.

"Nothing, nothing," Erik said, patting his son on the shoulder. "You'll learn when you're older."

"Okay," Gustave nodded, sitting down at the table.