Hey there. I have returned

I'd like to thank Gene's Gal for her support with the last chapter :)

And now... *curtain rises* on with the show


CHAPTER SEVEN

(Nine months later)

Erik held her as she screamed; mopped her feverish brow.

"Christine you're doing wonderfully my love" He kissed her.

"Papa?" she was delirious though the pain. "Is that you?"

"No Christine, it's me, Erik"

"Just keep talking to her Erik" advised a woman's voice from the doorway.

Erik whipped around, still cradling Christine. "Joanne!"

Erik's relief didn't go unnoticed because she slipped a reassuring arm around his shoulder.

Erik was scared, he'd never seen a baby before, apart from Pierre Giry, he'd certainly never seen one being born. He tried to back away but Christine had cried out and was squeezing his hand. He stroked her cheek gently. "I'm still here."

"No" she held on even tighter.

Erik looked to his old friend for guidance. "Is this normal?"

"Yes, mother and child will be fine" Joanne assured him.

Christine cried on.


After several hours Christine stopped crying and a tiny pair of lungs experienced air for the very first time. Joanne cradled the tiny naked form. It looked at her in wonder. She swathed the infant in a white shawl which she had brought with her.

"It's a girl." She smiled placing the bundle in Christine's waiting arms.

"She's beautiful." The young mother smiled and set about feeding her nameless daughter.

Erik, who had fallen asleep in a chair near-by, chose that moment to wake up. He grunted slightly as he came round; the bundle in Christine's arms, having finished its first meal, grunted in response. Erik rubbed his eyes; the baby grunted again.
Erik looked at his beautiful wife reclined against the pillows. She smiled at him.

"Christine?" He stood quickly. "Are you alright?"

Erik's rather naive question made Christine laugh.

"Erik, I know I fainted not long after we met but I'm stronger than you seem to think."

The baby grunted again, she liked the noise; it made the creature holding her pay attention.

Erik looked at the bundle.

"Is that…?"

"Yes, our daughter, come and see."

Almost hesitantly he approached the bed. He'd had various nightmares regarding the baby. He looked at the bundle; the bundle looked back at him. He felt empty. Her eyes were black and inquisitive; she had a short thick jet black thatch of hair on her scalp, her little face was, on the whole, pale and pretty, but that still left Erik's worst nightmare; she was like him!

Erik sighed. "I'm sorry Christine"

"I beg your pardon?" Christine stared at her husband

"I'm sorry Christine" He repeated, clearer this time

"What for?"

"The baby…"

"She's beautiful Erik" Christine snatched the mask away. "just like you"


The baby had found another thing she liked; a creature with a white face. The creature holding her pulled the new creature's face off. The creature had two faces. Under the white one was yet another thing she liked. She had only been in this big colourful place for a very short time but something told her that this creature with two faces was a good thing because it would be easy to find. She grunted and burbled happily. 'I like you' she told the two faced creature.

Joanne had made her goodbyes and left the young family. Eventually Christine managed to persuade Erik that it didn't matter what the baby looked like, it had nothing to do with the way she felt about her.

"I'm not vain Erik, if I only judged you by the way you looked I never would have married you, would I."

This outburst left Erik speechless. He had to admit that she had a valid point.

"Erik?"

He looked at her

"Take her" She offered the child to him. He hesitated.

"Are you sure?"

"You are her father!" She pointed out

"I know I am" He took his daughter. She was warm and surprisingly heavy considering how small she was.


The baby tried to say hello to the two faced man who was now holding her. He had colder arms than the last creature. This was another thing she liked; she nuzzled in to him and grunted happily.

"She likes you" Christine smiled and kissed Erik's cheek. "And she looks just like you."

"Yes, I suppose she does." He kissed his daughter's forehead. He was unsure of where Christine was going. He was shocked when she suggested the baby be named after him.

"Erika?" He asked. "You want to call her Erika?"

She nodded.

He looked at her sceptically. "I don't think so"

"What about, I don't know… Cara then" she suggested hastily

"Cara?" He mulled the name over for a few minutes then he smiled at his now sleeping daughter. "Very well, Cara it is."


This chapter is my favourite so far but let me know what you think of it.

Till next time dear reader I remain

your obedient servant

- MV

lol :)