Author's Note:

Dear Readers,

This is a one-shot idea that popped into my head one day. I've been tossing it around for a while and finally decided to sit down and write it. If y'all are interested, I may consider writing a cute smut scene and make this a two-shot. But, only if you're interested. I'm not putting in the extra effort to write cute fluffy smut if y'all aren't going to enjoy it.

So, please enjoy! Please review!

sarahandmarquis

P.S.

Yes, I will get an update on The Friend Shop and Through All Time at some point. I'm doing my best. My writing has kinda stopped for a while. We all have those days I suppose.

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"Erik, do you think I would ever lie to you?" Christine said, glancing up from her tablet. Her curled position in the armchair hid her almost completely, the heavy blanket she had thrown over herself turned her into an argyle mound in front of the crackling fireplace.

"Why do you ask, Christine?" Erik glanced up, golden eyes glowing at her from over the edge of the day's newspaper.

"I just wanted to know if you thought I would." Her blue eyes greeted his as her lips curled into a childish pout of sorts.

"Christine will do what she must to survive." He conveniently hid himself behind his paper again, cutting off eye contact.

"So, you believe I would lie to you to save my own skin."

"Wouldn't everyone?"

"Would you lie to me?" At that comment, the paper dropped, an indignant Opera Ghost facing her.

"Erik would do no such thing! He would never lie to you!"

"Why?" She asked, sensing she had nettled him which might provoke something of a conversation out of the man about their relationship.

"Because I love you." He insisted. "I love you. I would never dream of lying to you because I love you."

"Well, I love you, so, wouldn't that mean I won't lie to you?" He had no response for that, preferring to hide behind his paper again so he wouldn't have to voice his thoughts. "Tell me what you're thinking."

"Erik shouldn't…" He whispered.

"You said you wouldn't lie to me."

"Turning my own words against me now, are we?"

"You've spent our entire marriage doing that to me. Isn't this fair play?"

"Very true, darling." He lowered the paper and put it away. "It is late, you should sleep." He rose on spindly legs and bent to stoke the fire for his enjoyment late into the night while she would sleep alone in her bed.

"No, I'm not going to sleep until you tell me." He paused and seemed to crack beneath her words, weariness filling every muscle in his body.

"Isn't that in and of itself a life? That you love…me. You say it means you don't lie to me but…it's a lie. A lie to protect yourself from me." He kept his head down but she heard the broken tears in his voice. He craved her love but convinced himself long ago that it was impossible. Now she offered it, he couldn't believe because of his convictions.

"What if I wasn't lying? What if I told the truth?"

"Christine…love Erik? What a joke. I would laugh if it weren't in such bad taste." His suit coat stretched and crinkled, revealing the movement of muscles required for him to keep still, to keep from reacting.

"I want to show you something." She said, unfolding herself from the blanket and beginning to unbutton her blouse. "I did something a month ago…and, maybe it will convince you I'm not lying." Erik look up at her, blanching beneath the mask as he saw her undressing before him. He tried to look away but found himself entranced by the beautiful skin that he had never seen all the time they had been married.

The blouse soon fell free of her shoulders, leaving her in only a bra.

Her hand flew to cover her heart but not before he saw a few black lines covering pale skin.

"Erik, I love you. I really do love you. And, I wanted to prove that I love you. Two months ago, Meg and I went out to a tattoo parlor. She wanted to get something for herself and insisted I get something as well. So, I studied on the subject. I didn't want something I'd regret. So, I found a pretty font I liked and…had this done." She pulled away her hand and let him read the sweeping scrip inked into her perfect skin, forever marring it.

I love Erik.

The words were written plainly across her heart in pen's blood, never to be removed from her flesh.

"Christine…" He trailed off, unable to believe the sight emblazed before him. "Christine…I thought you'd devised the perfect punishment. I thought that was my payback for the hell I put you through. I thought…you lied to protect yourself. Anything, anything but that it was real. How could you love one such as Erik?"

"I just do. I just do. I can't explain it but I know love when I feel it. Please, Erik, believe me!" She implored, forgetting the anxiousness of being shirtless in front of him. "I'll wear this forever. I'll wear your name forever on my heart. I love you."

He couldn't tear his eyes away from her chest, those black pupils reading her tattoo over and over.

For a while, she wondered if she had short-circuited his system as he sat there, the fire long forgotten.

"You do love me." He finally whispers, trembling fingers reaching up and faintly brushing over the letters, almost as if he forgot how close his fingers sat to my breasts. "You do love me."

"I do love you. And, this is final proof." She sank down beside him, her knees disappearing into the thick Persian carpets. She held out her arms for him, allowing him an embrace to help cushion his shocked mind. He came willingly enough, laying his head against her chest, his hot breath escaping from the edges of his mask and heating her skin.

Shivers ran down her spine.

His body shook in silent sobs and, boldly, he lifted his mask and pressed kisses to the words, each of them receiving a caress from bony lips. Her heart raced beneath his touch as his fingers barely skimmed her back, earning a quiet gasp from her.

He tried to move away but she tangled one hand in his thin locks of hair and used the other to slip off the mask, tossing it far away from them.

"Do you believe me now?" He nodded, blinking away tears.

"I believe you."

She smiled and leaned in, pressing her soft lips against his. His fingers curled against her back, finding a hold against her spine, as she pushed him to the ground, never breaking the kiss.

Their bodies shivered in unison but the faint chill of the room had nothing to do with it.