Here it is a short boring little chapter but the next one will be better I promise ... BIG thanks to my Taylor girl and Lindsey Sterling for getting me through this chapter anyway hope you enjoy ... Read on my lovelies!

Early the next morning Erik was at his desk pondering many different things, but then he was tore from his thought when Christine entered the room. She hadn't changed out of her nightgown yet and the look she had was unreadable. Erik smiled at her then looked at her with concern. "Is everything alright Christine?"

"Where did you go?" She asked.

He laughed a little "What do you mean?"

"You left last night. I don't know when but you were gone for a long time. I was worried. I heard you come in. I didn't go back to sleep until an hour after you came to bed." She explained with a small amount of sadness in her eyes.

Erik sighed. "I had something I needed to do I didn't mean to worry you." Christine went to him and sat on his lap. Erik wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head.

She then stared at the designs on the desk. "Is this for the new Palace?" She asked.

Erik nodded. "The Shah has requested last minute alterations to the throne room, adding on the fact he has recently decided he wants secret passages added on, I wonder if we're ever going to get out of here."

Christine smiled and laughed a little. "We will. And if it looks impossible then I guess you and I are just going to have to team up and kill the Shah." Erik laughed. Christine looked over his design and Erik just stared at her in wonder. She looked at him and smiled "What?" She asked.

He smiled and asked "Do you honestly think you're parents would have liked me?" She laughed. "I mean just look at me?" He asked with a laugh motioning to his mask less face.

Christine laughed and stroked his face. "They would have loved you. Mother would have loved the mystery of, practically everything you are. My father would have enjoyed finding out all of your talents, and picking your brain on anything involving art or music. I think it's safe to say you would have fit in very well in my family." She said laughing. "Let's face it; we're all a bunch of oddballs." Erik laughed.

"Well when you put it that way." He said making her laugh harder.

"Erik," She said once they stopped laughing. "Promise me something."

"Anything, just name it." He replied.

"As soon as we get to Paris, before we start moving in to a house, or even think about getting a house, we will be married. Promise me that. And Promise that you won't ever leave." She said. Erik could see it all in her eyes. He could see everything she had lost. She had never gained anything since her father had died, and Erik understood why she want him to swear this to her.

He placed a finger under her chin and looked her in the eyes. "I swear, that I will never ever leave you Christine, and as soon as we get into Paris I will get us to the first church I find and we will be married." She smiled as he touched his forehead to hers. He wanted so badly in that moment to tell her that he loved her, but he knew that it wasn't the right time. Not yet. He knew that love was still something sore with Christine so he kept quiet and just enjoyed the feeling of her in his arms.

Maya and Nadir lay in bed out of breath once again. Maya rolled over and laid on Nadir's chest catching her breath from their love making. She looked up at him and smiled "Will you ever cease to amaze me?" She asked making him chuckle.

"Only when you stop amazing me." He answered and she laughed.

Maya lay back on his chest and sighed running her fingers up and down his chest. "I have to go back tomorrow." She said.

"Shh." Nadir replied. "Every year we go through this and every year I tell you the same thing. Shut up." Maya laughed. "This is the only real time I get with you, where neither of us will get in trouble might I add." Maya sat up with him "I don't want to think about what will happen tomorrow, or next week, or anything else. I just want you in my arms, and to think about what we are going to do next." Maya smiled and giggled.

Maya went back into his arms and they just sat there holding each other. "Do you think things would be different if Katelyn and Gustave had made it out?" She asked.

Nadir thought for a moment then shrugged. "I don't know. You and I probably wouldn't be together, because Christine would be with them in Paris, and I wouldn't constantly have to pull in into my office for 'questioning'." They laughed a little. "So, yes, now that I think of it things would be a lot different."

Maya looked at him with an odd face. "So, you're saying that our relationship is pretty much because of my nineteen year old niece."

Nadir thought again then nodded "Yes. That's what I just said I believe." Maya couldn't help but laugh.

Then she sat up and kissed him deeply. "And I have no idea why, but I find the fact that we wouldn't be together very interesting." Nadir made a face questioning what she meant. "I mean considering we had this going before I came to the Harem, I think something different." She said with her sweet little seductive smile that always drove Nadir crazy. "Maybe, the Shah would have became bored with me sooner, maybe I would have been lucky enough to have him toss me aside. And maybe you would have come to my rescue. Maybe it would have been a sappy little love affair that turned into so, much, more."

Nadir shook his head at her and grabbed her by the waist pinning her down on the bed. "You are just a torturing little vixen." She giggled her smile still present and a devious look in her eye. "And that look is so not helping you right now." He said with a little smile.

"Then maybe, I don't want to be helped." She whispered.

Nadir laughed a little and just stared at her. "How did you go from that innocent girl from Paris to this temptress?"

"I met you." She replied.

"That's a good enough answer for me." Then Nadir kissed her passionately. Nadir had no idea what this upcoming year would hold, but he did know that it would have so many challenges. With Christine off the streets and with Erik it changed everything, and with Maya admitting she wasn't going to make it out of Persia it changes a lot. Nadir knew he wasn't ever going to leave Maya he loved her more than anything in the world. He only wished he could have her like this every day. He wished more than anything he could call her his wife, but he knew that if that day was to come it would be a very long time. But Maya, his Maya, she was worth the wait.