A/N: This is an adaptation of my story titled "Erika's Story." The title pretty much says what it's about. There are sort of references I guess you could say to Love Never Dies in this story that may be a little confusing if you haven't seen it. I do not own Phantom of the Opera or Love Never Dies, but Erika's somewhat my character (although I believe her name may have been used before, but I'm not sure, I've only started reading a few Phantom Phanfics recently. The name just came to me one day).
"Do you want to hold her?" Christine asked for the third time now.
Erik was reluctant at first, but he slowly sat beside his beloved Christine and she carefully transferred the tiny bundle into his arms. He gazed down at his and Christine's beautiful newborn daughter, fascinated by her beauty. The fact that she was beautiful gnawed at him on the inside, hut he was glad that the infant looked more like Christine rather than him. Erik stroked his daughter's tiny hand and she gripped his finger tightly, bringing Erik a warm feeling he had never felt before.
Christine smiled softly, "Isn't she beautiful, Erik?"
His lips curled up to a smile and he nodded, "She is the second most beautiful thing I have ever seen."
Christine blushed, still smiling, "She needs a name."
"You choose her name, love, just as we agreed before she was born."
Christine gave it some thought and then after a moment asked, "Erika?"
Erik wasn't at first sure about naming this beautiful child after him, but he knew when she opened her beautiful eyes, the same color as his own, the name was meant to be hers.
"Erika." he agreed.
The two of them smiled and gazed at their daughter, whom they both decided to name Erika Rose Daae.
Two years later
Erik sat at his organ, playing a new song he had composed, when he felt something tug at his shirt.
"May I play, papa?" Erika asked.
He smiled softly, lifting his daughter to his lap.
"Thank you." she said, bringing her little hands up to the keys.
Much to Erik's surprise, Erika began to play random notes that flowed into one of the most beautiful melodies he had ever heard. He then began to play in harmony with his daughter, who smiled and giggled as her mother walked in. Christine smiled softly, watching Erika and Erik, listening to the music.
"Alright, Erika, it's time for bed." Christine said as the song came to an end.
"Papa sing a goodnight song?" Erika asked, looking up at her father.
Erik nodded, rising from the organ, holding Erika close to him. He carried her to her room and sang a lullaby to her softly as he and Christine tucked her in.
Erika smiled, slowly drifting to sleep, "Goodnight papa. Goodnight mama."
The cause of the fire was unknown…for all they knew the fire could have been because of candles left lit or something of the sort, but it was now out and Christine was dead.
If only she had been in front of me with Erika…why wasn't it me, lost in the flames? Erik thought.
He turned to see Erika, her face buried in her hands, crying. He carefully picked her up and snuggled her close, "It's alright, Erika…" he tried to comfort her.
"Papa?"
"Yes, angel?"
Erika, believing her father would be angry, slowly looked up, revealing a severe burn on the right half of her face. Erik wasn't sure if he should go into a fit of rage or worry, but he went with is instincts and found the doctor, who was about to leave.
"Is there anything that can be done?"
The doctor picked up his bag, "I don't believe so, sir. If it doesn't get better within the next few weeks or so you should get her to a doctor."
Erika rested her head on Erik's chest on her father's chest, wiping tears away "My face will get better?"
"We can only hope, love…"
"I wish mama were here…she would know what to do…"
"I know…" a tear rolled down the unmasked side of Erik's face, "I know."
Erik, Meg, and Madame Giry (who was holding Erika, who now wore a mask similar to her father's) stood in an arc around Christine's grave, tears rolling down their cheeks. Madame Giry carefully sat Erika on her feet and handed her a rose with a black ribbon tied to it.
"I love you, mama…" Erika said, placing the rose on the grave, "I miss you very much."
She turned and ran to Erik, who took her in his arms, crying.
"It's alright, child…" Madame Giry rubbed Erika's back, trying to comfort her.
Erik whispered soothingly to his daughter, "Your mother is always with you in your heart. She is your guardian angel."
"And other Angel of Music?" Erika asked, looking up at her father.
He nodded and gently kissed the unmasked side of her forehead.
A few years had passed since the fire and Christine's death. Erika's face never healed and the doctor has diagnosed the injury to be a third degree burn, which has deformed the right half of Erika's face.
It's a miracle she survived the burn… Erik thought, watching his daughter play his new organ in their new house near Coney Island, where Erik now had a show called Phantasma.
When Erika finished she got up on her fathers lap and asked, "Will you sing me a song, Papa? Any song?"
Erik began rocking Erika in the chair and began singing the first song that came to his mind, "No one would listen, no one but her. Heard as the outcast hears. Shamed into solitude, shunned by the multitude. I learned to listen. In my dark, my heart heard music. I longed to teach the world, rise up and reach the world. No one would listen; I alone could hear the music. Then at last, a voice in the gloom seemed to cry 'I hear you; I hear your fears, your torment and your tears.' She saw my loneliness, shared in my emptiness. No one would listen, no one but her. Heard as the outcast hears. No one would listen, no one but her. Heard as the outcast hears..."
Erika sensed that her father was choking back tears; she was beginning to as well. She sat up and looked into her father's eyes and began to sing part of something her mother had once sang, "Love never dies, love never falters. Once it has spoken, love is yours. Love never fades, love never alters. Hearts may get broken, love endures. Hearts may get broken, love endures."
Erik looked at his daughter, surprised at the fact she could already sing almost exactly like her mother. She was only five years old!
"That was beautiful, Erika. Where did you learn that?" he asked.
"Mama…she came to me in my dreams and sang it to me."
"And that is how you learned the song?"
"Yes, and to sing."
"Incredible…" Erik said.
"She also taught me a song she had once sang with you, papa."
Erik thought, and then said, "Did the song by any chance start with 'In sleep he sang to me'?"
She smiled and sang, "In dreams he came."
Erik chuckled and continued to sing the song with her, shocked to hear that Erika could hit the very high note at the end of the song.
"One day, my angel, you will be singing in the leading lady's slot in the show."
Erika smiled and began to fantasize about the day that would happen.
Thirteen years later…
As the years had passed, Erika had grown into a beautiful young woman. She looked very much like her mother, but still wore a mask on the right side of her face to keep her burn a secret between on her, Erik, Madame Giry, and Meg. The day had finally come; it was Erika's first night singing in her father's show on Coney Island. She stood center stage as the music to a song she had composed and written lyrics for herself…
"Child of the wilderness, born into emptiness, learn to be lonely. Learn to find your way in darkness. Who will be there for you? Comfort and care for you? Learn to be lonely, learn to be your one companion. Never dream out in the world there are arms to hold you. You've always known your heart was on its own. So laugh in your loneliness, child of the wilderness. Learn to Be lonely, learn how to love life that is lived alone. Learn to be lonely, life can be lived life can be loved alone." She sang.
Erika curtsied the way her mother used to as she received a standing ovation. Erik smiled with pride, watching from the shadows. He then felt a presence in the air and heard a voice whisper, "Well done, my angels." He turned to see what seemed to be Christine's figure and smiled softly. She smiled as well, just as she faded away.