I do not own any of the POTO characters, however Rene, Christian, and any others inroduced in this story, are mine,and mine alone! Please let them continue to be such! Thanks!
Chapter 1- New Beginnings With an Eternal Reminder
Rene spent most of her days cleaning and organizing Erik's things. She was appalled to find that he had not put his things in any sort of order at all. She often found herself buried in his old dusty things, giggling and joking with him of what a scatterbrained twit he was.
Erik composed often, and now he would write all of his music for two people. Rene would sometimes aid him with the lyrics and so, she always knew the songs that he created quite well. Regularly she would sing to his music as she rummaged through his ancient belongings.
Sometimes when Rene was having a bad night, she would sleep in the bed and Erik would settle himself on the floor for a restless night of dozing. When the nights became too much for her to bear, Erik would climb into bed with her and pull her to him softly. She would sob into his massive shoulders and he would sing to her until her breathing steadied and she slept, however tense her slumber was.
Rene had a great memory and so she remembered exactly where Erik had buried the body of her only other love behind the opera house. She had decided long ago that an unmarked grave was highly inappropriate for Christian Perrault, and so she had planted a rose bush at the head of his grave, which for reasons unknown to her had grown red roses, instead of the white ones that she had paid for.
Rene and Erik had an understanding that once a year, on Christian's birthday Rene would wait until the sun had set and then go to his grave and morn. For the first two years she mourned by crying, and as time progressed she found a way to live with her guilt, and so she would speak to him, and inform him of anything that she thought he might have like to know.
Three years into their marriage Rene fell ill and sat in bed for a week, only rising to vomit in a safer place than her bed. She carried on like that until Erik could hardly stand it. One morning Erik entered the room, yawning from another night of sleeping on the hard ground.
Rene was sitting up in her bed. Her eyes wide and her face extremely pale. Erik ran over to her. He sat on the bed, taking her hand into his. "Are you alright?" He asked, rubbing her hand.
She turned to him, smiling broadly. "Erik…" She said, a tear ran down her beaming face. "I'm pregnant."
Erik stared at her for a moment, too stunned to speak. Then he took her in his arms and held her close, as more tears of joy ran down her bright face. He laughed, happily, and let her go. She gazed at him, waiting for him to say something. He tried to speak, but the words came out in incomprehensible burbles. She smiled at him, his eyes saying everything that his voice could not.
Eight and a half months later, Rene gave birth to a strong healthy little boy. As no doctor would be allowed into the caverns under the opera house, Rene had given birth in Madame Giry's room. Madame Giry herself, had helped deliver the child.
During the birth, Rene had some complication, but the doctors told her afterward that she and her baby would be just fine. Then they cleaned off the child and handed him to her, wrapped in a white, wool blanket.
Rene held her baby in her arms, and Madame Giry shooed all of the medical professionals away. Erik had been hiding and so when the room was clear he revealed himself, and walked over to Rene and the small pink bundle in her arms.
The baby looked like its mother. This was plain to see in his almond shaped eyes and curly dark brown hair. His face was not long and slender like Erik's but rather heart shaped and intense like Rene's.
Erik held the baby as if were the most valuable treasure in the world. He cuddled it close to his chest and noticed how the child settled when he could hear Erik's heart beating.
"Erik…?" Rene said from where she lay. Erik turned to her, and sat on the foot of the bed, still holding his child close to him. "Erik, I have decided on a name for him, if you would allow me."
"Of course, my love." Erik replied, smiling warmly and gently at his beautiful wife.
"I would like to name him Christian." She said. Erik looked taken aback for a moment, and then he looked down at his baby. The child kicked a little and fussed slightly, but he kept his eyes closed.
Erik returned his gaze to Rene. "My dear," He reply with all sincerity, "If that is what you wish to name him, than that is what we will name him."