Six months later...

She laid stiffly in bed, and I watched as she struggled to get out of bed. I gently shoved her back down and wrapped her dangerously protruding stomach with the bedsheets.

"I don't want you getting out of bed yet, dear. What do you need?"

"I need something to eat."

"Alright. I need to make dinner for Gustave anyway. Anything in particular you want?"

"Just surprise me, dear. I like everything you make."

"Alright."

I went downstairs to where Gustave was waiting in his dining chair and I sat down beside him.

"Alright, Gustave. Mother will be joining us for dinner, what do you want?"

"I'm not sure. I like everything you make."

"That's exactly what your mother says."

I found myself fighting back tears as I stared into his gorgoues blue eyes. I ran a gentle hand through his thick, black mess of hair, just like my own. He smiled as I kissed his cheek, my own son, I loved him so much, my own flesh and blood. Yet, another child was destined to arrive at any time.

I let go of the boy and stepped into the kitchen to began making dinner when I heard a faint knock on the door.

"I'll get it!" Gustave screamed.

I prepared the fresh chicken I had just bought at the market yesterday and then threw it on a steel plate that was above some hot coals. I went to the front door and Gustave was there, surrounded by Madame Giry and all of my associates.

"What are you doing here, Antionette? You have a good mind coming here after your daughter shot Christine's former husband. Fleck, Squelch, Gangle, welcome in and have a seat at the dining table. You too, Gustave. Dinner should be ready in a few minutes."

Gustave went to the table along with Fleck, Squelch, and Gangle. I stared angrily at Antionette, but she stood and took it.

"Why on earth did you come here?"

"Meg wanted to apologize for killing the Vicomte. That, and I heard you married Christine. Congratulations, you finally got your wish. Not only that, but you also impregnated hehow what term is she on?"

"Is that really your information?"

"Who saved you from that Opera House?"

"Ugh! She's full-term! There! Happy?!"

"Quite. Now, aren't you going to invite me in?"

I slowly rolled my eyes and waved my arm as a welcome. Luckily, I had cooked enough food to feed an army, and an army this was. I noticed Christine limping downstairs and I rushed to help her. I guided her downstairs into the dining room and sat her down into her regular seat.

I went into the kitchen and retreived the serving platters, placing one, along with silverware, on everyone's placemat. I returned to the kitchen to get the chicken, potatoes, and asparagus. I dished everyone's platter and put the empty containers in the wash basin. I joined everyone else at the dining table and slowly began to endulge in the peaceful meal.

The silence was interupted when I found Antionette, Fleck, Squelch, and Gangle staring at Christine as if she were an alien of some sort.

"What?! Have none of you seen a pregnant woman before?"

They all stopped staring and began eating again, even Christine had given me a look of confusion and then joined the rest quietly eating. I'd finished my meal, because in a while I hadn't eaten, I'd always been taking care of Christine and my son. Then Antionette dropped her fork, her plate barely empty and looked at Christine.

Christine looked up and dropped her fork, her plate half empty, and watched Antionette watching her.

"So, just out of curiosity, Christine. Is being with Erik everything you hoped for?"

"Is this delema really nessecary?!" Antionette interrupted my words.

"Christine?"

"Well, yes. If you don't already know, I love Erik with my heart and soul. You know, with Raoul, he would beat me, starve me of affection, it was as if all of his manly desires just disappeared! But Erik is so gentle to me, so caring, so affectionate, so passionate. And if you have a problem with our marriage or our baby, then you should just go away. Nothing could separate me from Erik now, nothing on earth!"

Her speech was quite moving. Never had anyone in their life fought for me with such passion, at all for that matter! But this beautiful lady, my wife, the mother of my children, and the inspiration of my music was fighting for me with such kind words that no one had ever used towards me.

And as soon as everyone finished their meals, I gathered the dishes and put them in the wash basin. I saw Christine out of the corner of my eye and her eyes bulged, her hands clenched tightly against her womanhood and vocal cords vibrating a scream that made even my ears hurt.

I ran to her and quickly took her upstairs, everyone quickly following behind me, including Gustave. I laid her carefully on top of the bedsheets and everyone gather around the bed to watch. I figured that since I had four others in my home they should at least make their presence useful.

"Gangle, get some towels from the closet! Squelch, I need you to roll in that cradle quickly!"

"Is there anything I can do to help, sir?"

"Yes! Get some quilts for the cradle. This will take a while darling, don't worry."

I gently squeezed Christine's hand and kissed her. I got closer to her, close enough to look down and see her womb, but far enough to see her pretty, brown eyes. Gangle came in with the towels and Squelch rolled the cradle quickly into the room. Gangle set the towels on the bed and I grabbed one of them, laying it under Christine's womb. She let a painful scream rip from her throat as another contraction seized her.

"Shh! It's alright, dear. I'm here... I'm here with you."

I squeezed her hand again, gently, and she cried when blood started pouring slowly from out of her womb. I looked scarcely at the pouring blood and worried, would this kill her, I hoped not. I would have no idea what to do without Christine. I wiped the thought of her dying from my mind and watched as the top of the baby's head peered out from her womb and sunk back in again.

She pushed a second time and again the baby's head came out of her womb, but this time stayed in place. I took the opportunity to pull out the rest of the child and Christine let out a heavy sigh of relief as I took out my pocket knife and cut the umbilical cord. I pulled the entire cord out of her and laid the brand new being on the towel.

"Fleck, could you dispose of this, please?" I held out the umbilical cord to her and she threw it in the wastebin by our bed.

I kindly kissed Christine on the lips and even Antionette was in tears at how much I loved this woman. I picked up the child as Christine slowly sat up, reaching out her arms to hold the baby.

"Erik, it's a girl!"

"A girl! Congratulations, Christine!" And to my surprise, those words came from Antionette's mouth.

"What do you want to name her, darling?"

"I'm not sure. Gustave is named after my father, maybe we could name her after your mother."

"Madeliene? That's a name too rechad for such a beautiful girl. Maybe we could name her after your mother instead, she was probably a really nice lady."

"She was."

Christine stared down into her eyes and stroked the fresh curled hair. She stared deeper and then decided to plant a kiss on the little girls head.

"Charlotte? I think it fits."

"Of course it does, dear."

"Excuse me, Christine?"

"Yes, Fleck?"

"Can I hold her?"

"Sure."

Christine let Fleck hold Charlotte for only a short time, but it lived. Fleck returned Chrarlotte to Christine and then everyone else began to leave, except Antionette.

"Erik."

"Can't you see that I'm obviously busy with my family?"

"I know you have a right to be hostile about me being here, but Christine is my adopted daughter."

"Is this true, Christine?" She did nothing but nod and I felt like a complete idiot.

"Then, Antionette, why were you saying such cruel things about her? She did nothing to anyone but be a kind and sweethearted woman. You have no right to treat her any less than Meg."

"Everyone was just jealous about your love with her, including Meg. She fantasies about you two making love, but when she found out that you did it with Christine she was jealous. In case you didn't know Erik, you're rather desirable with the mask on."

"Whatever. It doesn't matter anymore what she or you say. All I want know is my family with Christine by my side. Christine has much more to offer than Meg. And besides, there is no one on earth who can train her voice to perfection, it's almost as bad as Carlotta."

"Say what you want to, Erik. Just remember we supported you."

That rechad woman finally left and Christine, I, and our children succesfully had a peaceful home to ourselves. I stood up and took Charlotte, putting her in the cradle. Then I took Gustave's hand and led him into his bedroom, laying him down and giving him a good night kiss.

I returned to the other bedroom and laid next to Christine, her facial expression full of exhaustion. I lifted her and put her body lower onto the bed so she could sleep more comfortably. I cuddled beside her and fell asleep with her body in my arms.