Chapter Nine – Special Place

"So which direction do we go from here Miss Day?" Erik asked. Christine giggled and said "Well, we'll just enter the park and I'll give the directions as we walk." Erik nodded and offered her his arm. "Shall we go then?" Christine smiled at the gentlemanly gesture and took his arm. They entered the beautiful park and walked along the stone path. The lights were now on and lit up the whole place beautifully and the light breeze blew the leaves in the trees. The park wasn't deserted but neither was it busy. There was some people walking about as well but not a lot.

Just as they were walking by the lake Christine remembered something from the other time. "I'm quite surprised you know Erik." He turned to look at her. "About what Christine?" he asked. "About how strong your love is to me. You see when I begged Richard to take me away so I could escape from you. I thought you would have realized back then that I didn't love you. But you of course weren't the sort of man that took no for an answer. Then when we were in your lair I pushed a candle holder at you and shot you with a gun. Yet you still wanted me. I find that very strange because if a women was trying to kill a man he would either run from her or try to kill her in turn. But not you Erik. Why did you still want me then and even now after all that I did to you?" Erik was silent for a few seconds as they kept on walking but then he said "It was because I wanted no other women but you Christine. Even if you did keep trying to kill me, I still would not have let you go. I would have kept you with me until you finally learned to love me and not fear me." He said all this in a sincerer voice.
Christine stared at the ground watching their foot falls "Such a love, so strong and so true. Yet I was so blinded by hatred and fear that I didn't even see it." She said feeling guilty. Erik slipped his arm from hers and wrapped it round her shoulders hugging her to his side. "Look on the bright side, you didn't lose me in the end. I'm still here with you and now you understand that love, so it's not the end of the world. And there's no need for you to feel guilty." Christine wrapped her arm round his back and laid her head against his shoulder as they walked on.

When they came to the end of the path by the lake Christine turned and led Erik up and down a few grassy slopes. Soon they were approaching a tall great willow tree with and thick trunk and loads of droopy leaves. Christine let go of Erik's back to take hold of his hand, she led him through a gap in the droopy leaves. They now stood inside a large hollowed out space beneath the huge branches of the tree like standing inside a tent. The branches that bellowed to and throw around them were almost like a canopy of curtains. And though the gaps of the branches you could see the lake glowing a forget-me-not blue below the sky which had now changed to a radiant sunset orange. The skyscrapers and buildings with their lights now on lit them up like Christmas trees.
Christine smiled at Erik who was staring round at the beautiful surroundings. "This is where I like to come on nice evenings when there's no one about, I also practice singing while I watch the sun set. And in the summer I come to sit down here in the shade and read a book." She sat down on the soft grass, tucked her knees into her chest and wrapped her arms round them. "I find it a very peaceful place and quiet." Erik sat down next to her "I certainly is, I didn't expect that we would come to somewhere as lovely as this" Christine grinned and leaned against him, his hand came up to hold her once again and rubbed up and down her arm.

They didn't talk for a while they just watched as the sky glowed brighter and brighter as the sun was setting somewhere behind the skyscrapers. Christine then asked "Erik, what was it like when you saw me step out onto the stage yesterday?" He rested his head against hers. "Well, it was very unexpected for me, I had just spent a hundred years without you. So the thought of you just appearing out of the blue was highly unlikely. Because from what I remembered you had disappeared before my eyes in the midst of those flames. And I never saw any trace of you since that night. Then came yesterday I was all set to watch another lot of girls audition for the show I was producing. As I was sat there on the balcony I was starting to get bored, because a lot of the girls that auditioned were nothing as good as you ever were. Then as if by magic there you were stepping out onto the stage. At first I thought I was imagining things, but then you spoke and said your name was "Christine Day". Erik stroked his fingers over Christine's cheek "I wondered how this was possible, because you didn't look a day older from when I had last saw you. Unless you were just a reincarnation, but still you had the same name and I couldn't think of an exclamation that fitted. And to make it even more incredible you sang the very song that you were my inspiration for. Oh your voice was just as beautiful as I remembered it." He leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Then when that sand bag knocked you out I was so scared that I had lost you all over again." Christine let go of her legs and wrapped her arms round Erik's neck and rested her chin on his shoulder. Erik embraced her back stroking her hair.
"When I came to your side I was so terrified that you were dead, but then your eyes opened I was so relieved you were alright. I was also a little relieved that you didn't recognize me straight away, because if you had you probably would have been scared and panicked. And it would have been in front everyone and how would we have been able to explain it to them? Still, with you in the dark I took the opportunity to pretend to be someone else, and tried to see how easy it would be to win your heart that way. And from what I discovered it wasn't hard. Then of course, you being a very smart girl, worked it all out and discovered my true identity. I then saw that there were only two possible futures. Your fear would come back and you would keep fighting to escape from me. Or the impossible would happen and you would accept me and be mine, which of course you have done"
Still in his warm embrace Christine could easily see everything from his point of view crystal clear. It was easy to believe all that he said. "If I had chosen the other option and I had escaped from you last night, what would you have done then?" she asked. Erik's hand rested still on the back of her head "I would have kept following you and I would not have given up to keep trying to win your heart." Christine gripped the back of his coat like a lifeline and shut her eyes tight. "I could never escape from you, even if I did run." She said. "Probably not" Erik replied.

Christine remembered that Erik himself was still a prisoner in his curse with the devil. And now the devil bitch had been trying to get between them and break their bond of love. Despite all that they had done so far Erik was still cursed. If love was the only way to break the curse and to prove that Erik could still be loved despite what he looked like. Christine had to try harder or else there would be another dreaded visit from that asshole devil. An idea sparked in her head.
She let go of Erik and leaned back. "You don't want me to leave you do you Erik?" she said grinning. Erik's eyes widened "Never ever, my Christine." Christine's grin widened until it was almost ear to ear. "Well if you really don't want me to…. Try to catch me!" She leapt to her feet and ran out from under the willow. Erik burst out laughing and jumped to his feet "Get back her you!" he laughed and charged after her. Then the two of them where running up and down the slopes laughing their heads off. Soon Erik caught Christine round her waist, lost his balance and the two of then rolled down a big hill and landed in a heap at the bottom. The two of them were still laughing and now also panting for breath. Erik turned over and sat up, he placed his hands on the ground on either side of Christine's face so he was now leaning directly over her. "I caught you!" he said playfully. Christine giggled breathlessly and closed her eyes. Erik slipped his hand under her back and pulled her upright. "Come on Christine, up you get." Her said and helped her to her feet. That had been both fun and breath taking, but she got her breath back as she got to her feet.

By now the sky had gone dark and stars were starting to shine. She turned back to look at Erik who was also looking at the sky. "How perfect, for this lovely day with you to end with a starry night." He said. Christine knew how to make it end even better for him. "Erik" she said quietly. "Yes?" he asked turning to face her. Christine came up close to him, placed her hand on his cheek and kissed him long and full on his lips. Erik mirrored her movements and placed his own hand on her cheek and kissed her back with so much passion and love. When the kiss ended they leaned back slightly to look at each other. Erik looked into her chocolate brown eyes and Christine looked into his bluey-green eyes. They leaned in and kissed again and Christine threw her arms round Erik's neck. As Erik wrapped his arms round her waist he lifted her up off the ground and spun her round in the air. She giggled as he put her back down on the ground. They embraced again just as all the stars had switched on in the dark night sky. "I love you Erik" she said into his shoulder. "I love you more, Christine" he said burying his face into her hair and holding her tight.


Author's Notes

Ah, such a nice place don't you think? I certainly would like a special place to go to like that.
So much love and so much happiness. And such a nice chapter that took me a lot of thought of how to put together and set.

Let me know what you think of it in your reviews.