"Living in the shadows, hiding from the sunlight - hiding from the one light that might help to guide you.
Hiding from tomorrow, hiding from the day only brings a sorrow. That won't go away. Wand'ring in the darkness, living ev'ry midnight. Doesn't ever rid night of nightmares as love might. Life is full of dangers, strangers ev'ry turn. Living in the shadows that's no way to learn."

Eponine quietly tiptoed out into the main chamber of the lair, admiring as Erik worked a way at the piano, singing an unfamiliar and new song. It was sad, it reminded her of the music he used to play before she'd fully wedged herself into his life. Sure he still roamed in shadows, ashamed of his cheek and his deformed morals and personality. He saw himself as damaged goods no matter how many times she stroked his cheek and kissed away his worries. She knew Gustave tormented him, but she didn't understand why he reverted backwards – especially with a new baby possibly on the way.

"The more you learn, the more you seek. The more you find, the more you care. The more the world is kind. One thing I can tell you: life should be your lover. Help you to discover your reason for being. Soon you will be seeing what you're all about. Living in the shadows, you'll never find out. Living in the shadows
I'll never find out."

"What do you think of it Eponine?" Erik asked, turning around and meeting her gaze with heated eyes. It a quiet furious glare that struck her to the core.

"I-" was at a loss for words. Since she'd been back she hadn't seen him become angry with her watching him play. "Heard you playing."

"And?"

"It's beautiful." She felt as if she'd been thrown back in time to a time where they were strangers. "I didn't mean to interrupt you."

Erik watched her retreat back towards the bed room and he cleared his throat, "Would you care to come and sing for me?"

"Perhaps I should rest…"

"You could come and sit beside me while I compose." He'd seen that he'd been too cruel towards her, too quick to act out towards her harmless spying. "I didn't mean to snap."

Eponine bit her lip, "I was afraid there. We had been alright for so long… I wondered what had changed."

"Nothing, I'm just thinking about Gustave, that's all. Do I deserve a second try at a child when I've failed with him?"

"Of course! You were taken from unnaturally. It was out of your control. You deserve to be a father for real."

"I hardly know how to father a child, I've had no model. Look at how I treat you."

"Far better than anyone's ever treated me."

"I kidnapped you because I felt alone. I had to force someone for company."

"But then our souls found each other." Eponine clutched her bosom.

Erik shrugged his shoulders, "But did we really fall in love?"

"You question your love? You married me." It was fitting that her "prince charming" wasn't as she'd thought, just as her mother had always said about her father.

"No!" Erik nearly shouted the word, sending papers fluttering to the ground. "Of course not! I just mean…We were so quick to think we were in love and I think I'm only now comprehending love. With Gustave I thought I loved him even before he was born, but now I feel this love for him despite him being a disappointment. Love is there no matter what's happening. Good or bad."

Eponine smiled, clearing the distance in a matter of seconds and wrapping her arms around him. His arms warmly wrapped around her and held her to him. "You've changed so much."

"You've helped me understand so much. Life and death, together and separate, love and hate, desire and need, so much." Erik chuckled suddenly, "This song I was writing is foolish. That's why I wrote something darker." He passed her the half scribbled score for an untitled piece.

"Yesterday I loved you as never before, but please don't think me strange. I've undergone a change and today I love you even more! My heart cannot be trusted, I give you fair warning. I openly confess tonight I love you less than I will tomorrow morning!" Eponine felt her emotions rise and swell. "Good Lord, I must be pregnant to be this sappy."

Erik wiped away a tear, "I'm afraid to be too happy because something always happens. The Fates intervene."

"I know." Eponine whispered, leaning against his shoulder.

~o~

"Where would I find Adele?" Montparnasse smirked as he approached Antoinette during a break in the rehearsals. Ballerinas busily moved about the opera house, lounging in empty seats with their gracious legs resting over the tops, some stretching in tempting ways. It was just his sort of atmosphere, which he knew tortured Antoinette.

"Perhaps back on the streets were the sorts like her find themselves."

"You fired her?" 'Parnasse was proud of Antoinette for having the gall do to such a thing. "Jealousy makes one do such beautiful things." He'd miss the red head as a bedfellow, but was sure he'd find a replacement in no time amongst flirtatious and young ballerinas. They'd taken one look at him when he'd walked in and truly started working their "stuff".

"She was a poor ballerina. Never stretched-"

"She stretched good for me."

Antoinette thumped Montparnasse on the ear, "Enough of your sexual mockeries. I will not have you prowling my girls as some sort of sick revenge against me. I do not want you back."

"Stiff shoulders," he stroked his hand down her arm. "Harsh features," her cheek. "Cold eyes with a hint of jealousy," he smirked into her gaze. "Just like I like them." Without warning he caught her cheeks and kissed her with a sudden ferocity. "Now if you excuse me, there's a pretty little tart that's stretching most seductively."

"Bastard." She gritted as he coolly brushed past her.

"You had the bastard daughter after all." He retorted without a second glance back. She was left to watch as a young blond ballerina rose to her elegant feet and sauntered over towards Montparnasse. He oozed charm and it made her sick to know that she'd ever fallen into his arms. But they were arms she craved almost more than she craved to be with him.

A/N: *cough*filler*cough* 1st song is from Victor/Victoria and the second lyrics are from "Once Upon a Mattress".