Dedications: This is for my beloved Jamie-ness (squeezle I loooove you!), and also for my friends Claire, Mandy and Gina. Enjoy!
Two Steps Forward, One Back
By LadyWillow
He lay beside the lake, eyes closed and body trembling. Erik wasn't sure how this had happened. One moment he was stepping from the boat, and the next he was feeling a great and startling pain throughout his head. He had crumpled to the ground and fallen unconscious.
Now he was awake and groaning in pain, trying with questionable results to sit up.
Suddenly he was aware of a voice calling out to him from across the lake. Staggering to his feet, Erik pushed himself back into the boat and began to poll himself back to the other shore.
Christine came into view through the mist and Erik docked the oat and looked at the small woman. Christine gasped at the sight of Erik looking so weak, and rushed into the boat.
"Erik? My God, what's happened?" she demanded, reaching out to touch his unmasked cheek.
Erik leaned into her touch and let his eyes slip closed.
"I'm not sure. My head, it just hurts so badly, I can't seem to focus." He murmured, and Christine took the poll from his hands. At Erik's feeble protest, she smiled and kissed his forehead.
With great difficulty, Christine was able to poll the boat across the lake, and she gently tied off the boat and took Erik's arms in her hands.
"Let me help you into the house." She said softly, and Erik nodded, stumbling from the boat and leaning heavily against Christine as they moved into the underground home.
With great concern, Christine helped Erik into their bedroom and eased him down onto the bed. Working his shoes off, she then unbuttoned his suit jacket and white dress shirt.
"There… do you need anything? A drink, or something to eat?"
Erik shook his head, reaching for Christine's hand and tugging her closer.
"No. No, I need nothing except for you to sit here with me. I'm just a bit weak is all." He insisted, and Christine nodded, sitting next to him on the bed.
"Will you be alright?" she bit her lip.
"Yes, of course I will." He said softly, squeezing her fingers. "Don't worry, Christine. I'll be fine as soon as I get some rest."
Christine nodded and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, pleased when he responded. Just as the kiss was beginning to deepen, the sound of a baby's cries sounded from the other room. Christine groaned, and pulled back, smiling sadly at Erik.
"Bring him in here." Erik murmured, and Christine nodded, leaving the room and returning several moments later with a small bundle in her arms.
"Here's your big man." She said softly to Erik, sitting next to him and opening the front of her dress. Guiding her son's head forward, Charles latched onto Christine's breast and had his supper.
Erik smiled and stroked his fingers through Christine's hair, watching her feed their son and smiling in pride.
Several moments of comfortable silence followed, before Charles broke away and looked up at Christine with wide, adoring eyes.
Christine took Charles over her shoulder and gently patting his back until her son burped quite loudly, causing Erik to laugh and Christine to roll her eyes. Handing the baby to her husband, Christine then retied the front of her dress.
Erik held his son close and looked curiously at Christine, who sighed heavily.
I listened in on monsieur Firmin and Andre's conversation with Raoul and the police chief." She finally said. Erik rubbed Charles' back and looked loving at his wife.
"What did they decide?" he asked, tilting his head. Christine sighed.
"Madame Giry came in half way through, but she couldn't stop them. They're coming down to seal up these chambers next week."
Erik lowered his gaze and sighed heavily in resignation.
"I was afraid of that." He murmured, and Christine stroked his mask.
"We'll need to leave within the next few days." She whispered, seeing that her son had fallen asleep. "Where will we go?"
Erik handed Charles to his wife and let his eyes slip closed. "I'm not sure yet." He said softly. "Maybe to a hotel until we can find our own home?"
Christine stood and moved to the door, looking back at Erik and smiling. Quickly she put Charles back into his room. Returning to Erik's side she smiled.
"Why don't we go to my flat? We've been paying for its upkeep all these months..."
Erik frowned. "We've been paying for it as a cover in hopes that the Vicomte wouldn't figure out we were still here. Your flat may not be safe."
Christine nodded slowly. "Yes, but if it didn't work, then obviously Raoul doesn't think we've been staying there. Wouldn't that mean that my flat would be the safest place?"
After appearing thoughtful for several moments, Erik nodded. "Yes, I suppose you are right. We'll need to begin packing right away." He insisted, beginning to sit up and crying out as pain rushed through his head. Christine quickly pushed him back and covered him with the blanket at the foot of the bed.
"Well begin packing once you're feeling better. You need to rest right now." She insisted, moving the mask off of his face and setting it aside. "I'll go get you some hot tea."
Erik nodded, closing his eyes and listening as Christine left the room and closed the door securely behind herself.
-
"Where should I pack this?" Christine's voice called out across the sitting room as she held a strange wooden sculpture from Persia. Erik looked up from the medical books he was packing and smiled briefly.
"Put it in that box over there," he gestured, "near the divan."
Christine nodded and gently wrapped the sculpture in paper, then nestled it into the box between an ornate jewelry box and an oriental ceramic cat.
Erik jumped when suddenly two hands were on his shoulders, but he relaxed immediately after when he realized who was behind him, and he leaned back into the massage with a low moan.
"You spoil me." He murmured, closing his eyes in pleasure as Christine rubbed his shoulders. She smiled to herself as she seductively slid her hands from his shoulders and down his chest. Erik gasped and tilted his head back further as he moaned again.
"Let's take a break." Christine panted, and Erik was about to reply when a shrill cry came from the other room. Christine groaned and moved to the door, glowering at Erik as he laughed.
More later, because I should be doing my schoolwork, not sitting here in my classroom writing fanfiction. O.o