Thank you all very much for the awesome reviews I got! The criticism is much appreciated. I just want to say that I've gotten into the habit of saying 'docteur' instead of 'doctor' because...well, just because. It's just one of my odd little habits that I have when I write. I'm not changing my style of writing for this story since I've already started it out like this, but I'll definitely apply it to my other stories. So, here you people go, Chapter 2! Enjoy!

Come to Me

Christine had been right about the pregnancy being difficult. She fell ill several times during her 6 months, but the worst was when she found out that she had cancer. The docteur wasn't sure what kind it was. All they knew was that the baby was going to be fine, because she was nearly done with her pregnancy, she was just starting her 9th month, and the cancer hadn't spread enough to harm the baby. Erik didn't want to believe the docteur when he was told that his wife was going to slowly waste away and probably die in pain. He begged the man to do something, anything, to save his Christine, but the only thing that the docteur told him was to make sure she was well taken care of and prepare a guest room for an in-home nurse.

Christine couldn't believe it either; her body was going to turn it's back on her, letting the disease spread like deadly mold. She was grateful that her child was going to be okay, but she or Erik didn't know how to tell Dominique that her loving Maman was going to die. Finally, they both decided that it would be easier if Christine told her, for she was closer to Dominique than anyone else.

"Niquie, you know I'm very sick, right?" she asked gently, hoping that she wouldn't break down in front of her daughter, that was the last thing that the little girl needed to see.

"Yup, but Papa told me that you were feeling better? Did Papa lie?" Dominique whimpered. Now that she looked, she noticed that her Maman was thinner, despite her big tummy, and she seemed to be more tired than usual. Christine looked into Dominique's mismatched golden eyes, the same eyes as her husband's. God, give me courage to tell her. Let me tell her she will not be alone.

"Papa would never lie to you, my darling, but I'm not as well as I used to be. You see, Niquie, Maman has a special illness. In a few months, I won't have enough strength to play with you. I will get very sick and very scary looking as later on, but you must not be afraid, my little angel." Christine tried to explain. How do you explain to a 3 year-old that her maman, her best friend, was dying from the inside out?

Tears welled in Dominique's eyes as she let her maman's words sink in. She was going to get really sick? She wouldn't be the pretty woman she had grown so used to seeing every day? "But, Maman, I don't want you to get sick! I want you to stay pretty, too! I want you to be able to play with me and my new sister or brother." she cried.

"I know, darling, I know. maman doesn't want this to happen either. But, you must be strong, Angel. You must help Papa take care of the baby and you must take care of each other." Christine smiled sadly , stroking Dominique's brown curls; just like how Erik stroked her's. Little sobs racked Dominique's body. She didn't want her maman to go! She didn't want to have to look after anybody! All she wanted was her maman to get better so they could take care of Papa and the baby together.

"Shh, shh. Don't cry yet, Niquie. I'm going to be here for a while longer, but I'll never truly be gone." Christine cooed softly. She hated to see her baby girl cry; it tore her apart. The only thing worse than Dominique crying was when Erik cried during the night when he thinks she's asleep. Why me, God? Why? Why my family? They've never done anything wrong! Please, help me to stay strong, even when I don't have the strength to do so.

Mother and daughter stayed like that for hours; Christine giving her child comfort while Dominique released all of her sadness. Erik had stood out on the balcony the whole time, listening to the conversation between the two. Tears wet his own face as reality finally sunk in; he would have to care for both Dominique and the baby. The baby who would grow up never knowing it's beautiful, wonderful mother.

^.^

"You're doing wonderful, my dear. Just keep pushing like the docteur said to." Erik encouraged Christine. The cancer had spread faster than anyone had ever expected, so she was now weak beyond reason.

"I can't, Erik! I just want to sleep!" she sobbed; her poor, sick body was giving up. Even if she lived through the birth, she knew she would never get to lay eyes on her child. She felt so tired. If only she could sleep, she could finish giving birth.

Erik held his wife's small hand tightly; his tears falling unabashedly down his face. He wished he could give his angel the dose of morphine that her body was craving to stop the pain, but it would more than likely hurt her more than help her. Lately, the pain medication had been doing absolutely nothing to dull down the pain of the disease and the docteur told him to slowly overdose her when it was no longer doing it's job. "Trust me, Monsieur, your wife will die in a painless sleep." But, Erik couldn't find it in himself to do such a thing to her; it was bad enough that she was dying. She didn't need to be drugged in order to die.

"I promise, mon ange, that you can sleep as long as you want when you're done, but please, Christine, please do this for me. For our child. For Dominique."

"Tell me more about Dominique. How is she?" Christine asked as the pain dulled a little. She hadn't seen her daughter in weeks. She didn't want her daughter's last memory of her Maman being frail and skeleton-like.

"She misses you very much, darling; she tells me that she wants to see you again, even if you aren't 'pretty' anymore." Erik told her. Christine's beauty began to diminish during the month; her cheekbones had become more protruded due to losing so much weight in such little time, her cheeks were hollow and pale, and her luxurious curls were now nothing but limp locks of hair. Yet, no matter how horrible she looked, Erik loved her more than anything else in the world.

"That's wonderful. Erik, please, stay with me." Christine whimpered as pain shot across her stomach once again. She again had to wonder why she was the one with the cancer! Why she was the one dying when she had a family to care for! Pushing, she felt as if she was going to explode! And then, a small cry rang throughout the room.

Smiling at the couple, the docteur announced to them, "It's a boy."

A boy! A little baby boy! Christine wanted to cry, but all of her strength was gone to do so. Instead she looked up into Erik's misting eyes, pleading with him silently for her to hold their child before she left. Erik nodded at her request, he got up and followed the docteur over to the table, where he was cleaning up the crying boy.

"Monsieur, please, let my wife hold our child. She...she just wants to hold him once."

"Of course, Monsieur. I'm so sorry. I just wish I could have done more for her." the docteur apologized, tears of his own forming in his eyes. He had known the couple for 7 years and had grown rather attached to the family.

"You've done everything you could. I must thank you for keeping my Christine with me when all the others gave up on her." Erik sighed, cradling his boy. He was handsome; he had curly black hair, Christine's brown eyes, and his slightly tan skin. Slowly walking back over to his angel, he gasped at what he saw. She was looking right at him, her big brown eyes held excitement which he hadn't seen since she fell ill.

"Erik, let me see him." she asked; her voice was hoarse, but it still held the angelic quality that Erik loved so much. Quickly coming to her side, he sat next to her as Christine took the squirming boy out of Erik's arms.

"He's so perfect, Angel. He looks like you." she smiled happily, "Hello, little one."

Erik couldn't help but smile as the baby cooed sweetly up at his mother. For an instant, he was transported back to the day Dominique was born; Christine was healthy, if a bit tired, and crying her heart out over the joy of having a little girl.

"He is, mon belle. What do you wish to name him?" Christine had every right to name the baby. But, before she could say anything, Dominique burst into the bedroom, tears covering her rosy cheeks.

"Maman!" she cried, crawling onto the bed and burying her curly head into Christine's thin chest. How she had missed her maman! Despite what all the mean nurses said about her maman looking ugly, Dominique looked up at her and smiled warmly. She was still the same pretty woman who she loved dearly. Remembering why she ran in here, she looked at the moving bundle in Christine's arms. "Is that my little brother?"

"Yes, Niquie. Do you want to help us name him?" Christine asked weakly. She was so tired, but was overjoyed to see her oldest child looking at her with love; she had expected her to sob at the sight of what her maman had become. Yet, she was proven wrong. Now I know how Erik must have felt when I first looked at him. Terrified of rejection.

"Yes! Papa can help us, too!" she giggled, holding her papa's fingers with her delicate hand.

"Papa can help." Christine sighed and fell into deep thought. What would be the perfect name for her son? John? Peter? Jacob? Then, the name hit her!

"Charles!" both her and Dominique cried out. Laughing, Christine looked up to see Erik nod in approval; his eyes sparkling. "How about you pick out the middle name, Angel. Dominique and I already have picked out the first name."

"Gustave." he answered without a moment of hesitation. It was a fitting middle name for his baby boy; it was Christine's father's name.

"Thank you, Erik. He would very much appreciate that." Christine whispered. Erik could tell that his wife was slipping away from him, so, he quietly told Dominique that it was time to say good-bye to Maman. Tears formed once more in the tiny, golden eyes, but she confidently held her head high as she talked to her maman for the last time.

"I love you, Maman. I'll miss you so much!"

"I will to, Niquie. Do you remember what I told a while ago, about me never leaving you?"

"Yes."

"I'm not lying. I'll always be with you and little Charles Gustave. I love you, my Dominique." Christine whispered and kissed her daughter for the last time. Fresh pain was coursing through her body, but she wouldn't let the little girl see it. "Darling, may I have some alone time with Papa? I promise that you'll see me again."

"Alright, Maman. I love you." Dominique said, giving her parents a loving, watery smile, and ran out of the room.

Erik knew that this day would ultimately come, but he never wanted to believe that it would be so quick. Stroking her hair, he kissed her forehead with all of the love and compassion that he could muster. "I love you, Christine. I have loved you as a teacher, as a friend, and as a husband."

"I love you, too, mon ange. You've truly been my Angel of Music." she smiled, but it turned into a grimace from the blinding pain. She didn't want to leave yet! There was so much she wanted to see and do with her family! Her family!

Erik panicked; she was leaving him behind. She had been his world since she was a child. How could a kind, loving God be so sick and twisted as to let her die like this? She had been a true Angel on Earth, sharing her warmth with even the lowest of human beings. If someone had told him nearly 7 years ago that he was going to be married to a beautiful woman and have two wonderful children, he would've thought them to b insane! But now that he had tasted heaven in all its glory, he didn't want to give it up.

Christine had to comfort her Erik somehow. She couldn't die and leave him to weep over her. Putting a feathery kiss to Charles' forehead, she began to sing,

My father once spoke of you, my Angel.

I used to dream you'd appear.

Now as I sing, I beg you,

Please don't mourn.

Erik finally gave into his tears as he watched Christine sing one last time; her voice sounded like it did the night of her debut. "I love you." he rasped out as she drew her final breathes.

"I love you, Angel."

It was over now.

Their music of the night.

Omg, I'm almost crying! I hate having to kill someone off *fans face to hold back tears*. For those who have read my story, Memories, you know that my Great Gram past away about a month ago and this is another dedication chapter to her, but this time Christine is the one with the cancer. It just felt right, writing another chapter for her. As mushy as it may sound, it was pretty much her working through me to write this. Now that the sweet part is over, I lied about this chapter being the Epilogue, but it is definitely going be next chapter! Reviews will soothe Erik!

^.^