The Devilish Assassin Meets The Angelic Detective

*** At Erick's Place ***

Elle decided to open up with Erick. Just like what Erick said to her, she should share her burden with him. It would make her feel better. One of her burdens she was carrying right now was her secret, hiding her true identity against him.

She won't be able to tell him her identity as Catseye but she could tell him about her other-self. And she would start by talking about her parents.

"It's about… my parents." Elle said to him. Erick was stunned for a moment after hearing her words.

"Did you remember everything now? All your memories?" Erick asked her as he fixed his gaze to her.

Elle shook her head as a response. "Nope… I partly remember some childhood memories with my parents."

"Is that the reason why you are looking so sad today? Do you miss them?" Erick softly asked her as he caressed her face. Elle nodded at him as she wrapped her arms around his body while she leaned on his chest.

After 16 years, this was the first time that Elle would be having a conversation about her deceased parents once again. She did not even talk about her parents with Phantom. But to Erick, she was willing to share some memories of her life together with her beloved parents.

Erick bent down to give her a peck on her forehead before he said "Go on. Tell me and I will listen."

"I remember how my father would always give me a hug every time he wanted to comfort me whenever I was sad or hurting. It was very effective." Elle smiled from that thought.

Erick let out a soft chuckle. "Hmm, no wonder, the first thing you asked me when you arrived was a hug. I hope I also succeeded in comforting you just like how your father always used to do. But don't get me wrong. I am not your father. I am your man."

Elle giggled from that remarks. "Should I call you Dad or Daddy?" she said as she teased him.

Erick frowned because of her teasing but he was glad to hear Elle's giggles. He wanted to make her smile and laugh more often. He did not want to see her sad.

"I just told you that I am not your father. I am your man. Don't call me Daddy, I prefer if you will call me Hubby! You should call me 'Hubby' instead." Erick said as he pinched her nose. It was her punishment for calling him 'Daddy'.

"I don't want to. I prefer to call you 'Baby'. My Baby." Elle did not want to give in.

Erick let out a husky laugh. "Alright, call me Baby but I will call you Wifey. It's still fair, am I right my dearest wifey?"

Elle just nodded and smile at him before she continued to tell him more about her parents.

"If I could remember it right, my parents are just like us. They were sweet towards each other, sometimes they were teasing each other but in the end, it was my mother who always lost in the end." 

"Why is that so?" Erick asked her curiously. "Is it because Mom is a short-tempered person just like you?" Erick added to tease her.

"Dummy! Of course not. It was because my father was so shameless as you." Elle pinched him on his waist. Erick just laughed out loud at her response.

"But admit it. You love my shamelessness." Erick whispered to her.

"You are wrong. If you are not strikingly handsome, I won't fall with your shamelessness. I will beat you." She spat back at him.

Erick squeezed her on his arms. "You are becoming violent now, my dear wifey. You are very confident since you already know I won't fight back. I am willing to be your punching bag if that will make you happy."

Elle let out a soft chuckle "Just like my father. He would always be the first one to surrender and raise his white flag if ever he had some arguments with Mom."

"Really? I hope you can remember them so that we can search for them as soon as possible. They might be worrying so much as their beloved daughter has been missing for a long time now. I also want to meet them and ask your hands in front of them. I hope they will like me for you and give us their blessing to our relationship." Erick said as he was feeling so hopeful.

"I don't remember their names. I could even barely remember their faces. We won't be able to meet them. As far as I could remember, they were both gone a long time ago." Elle mumbled with a hint of sadness in her voice. Her eyes had sunken into dark hollows and her heart was filled with longing.

Erick was dumbfounded when he heard the last statement of Elle. He knew what she meant by 'They were both gone a long time ago.' Elle's parents already passed away. But why and how? These were the two questions running in his mind right now.

For some time he sat in silence hugging Elle while considering whether he should say a word or just keep quiet. The sullen atmosphere engulfed the entire living room. Nothing could describe the emotions he felt at that discovery. His heart was bleeding for her. He could feel her pain and her deep sorrow.

'If only I could take away her pain, erase her sorrow until the only thing she could feel is genuine happiness then I will do anything for her.' Erick thought to himself as he continued to hug her tight to console her. Letting her know that he was always there for her, no matter what.

After several minutes, Elle spoke again to break the silence. Erick's presence, his warmth, his love, gave her strength to continue to open up and share with him a portion of her tragic past that keeps on haunting her. It was her misery, her burden, her demon.

"Do you still remember the moment we first slept together?" Elle asked him.

"Yes. You were having a nightmare at that time." Erick said as he reminisced that night. 

He was angered and feeling helpless that moment when he saw Elle was crying non-stop, feeling frightened of something. It seemed like his heart was being squeezed seeing her like that. He could not bear to see her again like that.

"My parents' death has something to do with my nightmares," Elle revealed to him truthfully.

"Erick… my parents did not die by natural cause nor by accident. They were murdered. My parents were murdered in our own house. I witnessed it with my own eyes." there was a hint of sadness and hatred in her voice.

Erick, once again, was astonished by her revelation. Knowing her parents already passed away brought him a deep sorrow but knowing that her parents passed away because they were murdered by someone was another thing. He was burning with anger.

Erick clenched his teeth as the look of sheer fury appeared on his face. He was silently cursing whoever did that to Elle's family, making her suffer all these years because of that unpleasant memories. Erick's grip on her body tightened. 

Elle could also feel his rage at this moment. Erick was sympathizing with her. The stored tears started to flow from her eyes down to her cheeks like pouring rain. Her tears began to soak Erick's shirt but he didn't mind, letting Elle cried her heart out.

Erick just remained silent as he wiped away the tears in her face. His gaze never left her face.

'I won't let you feel the same sorrow and pain again. As long as I am with you, I will always make you happy. I will protect you with all my life.' Erick had sworn to himself as he watched his beloved woman, sobbing in his arms.

After God knows how long, Elle finally stopped crying as she calmed herself down. She was feeling better now as she was able to share her burdens with him.

" Thank you. I feel better now. And sorry about that. Your t-shirt is soaking wet now because of my tears." Elle chuckled as she apologized to him.

"You are so silly, apologizing for such a thing! I don't mind even if you shed a billion drops of tears. However, I will make sure you will not cry because of sadness but because of happiness. Thank you for sharing your burdens with me." Erick caressed her cheeks which were still wet with her tears.

"No one knows what the future holds, but if we face everything together, surely we will grow together, living happily together," Erick said to her with so much tenderness and love. His words were filled with promise that washed away her fears.

Erick's eyes were staring intently at her. The woman in front of him was the most strong-willed and very brave person he had ever met. He was very grateful that he found her. For him, he was very lucky that this woman loved him back. He loved her so much that he thought he would never love any woman in his life unless that person was Elle, only her.

He bent down to plant a soft kiss on her forehead. He repeated his action as he showered her face of soft kisses, gently kissing her swollen eyes, her nose, her cheeks, and her chin. He savored the last part of her, it was her lips. Pouring all his emotions towards her, he kissed her tenderly and passionately.