This Dance

This is not our favorite song
But the night's moving right along
May I have your hand, may I have this dance?

I sense that you are amused
But you just bought those brand new shoes
It would such a shame, not to give us the chance

And oh, my love
There is only so many dances
We can take across the Nile.
So while is just me and you
I thought I might say to you
You put the beautiful in life

- This Dance, Five for Fighting

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, or the song This Dance.

The fire crackled and popped in front of Christine as she sat on the floor in Erik's living room. She sighed and drew her knees tighter to her chest, still staring at the contained flames.

"Can't sleep?" A soft voice sounded in her ear.

Christine shook her head, not caring to glance behind her. She watched as the shadow made his way over to her to sit beside her on the floor.

She scooted closer to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. They sat in silence like this simply letting the warm air engulf them.

Christine took a breath of air before the melody of a sweet lullaby seeped through her lips and into the room. It was a simple one, nothing complex, just a lullaby her father would sing to her on sleepless nights like this. She continued humming, never once budging from her spot on Erik's shoulder.

A jerk of Erik's shoulder and the dull squeak of the floorboard was all it took to put an abrupt halt to the song. Christine let her eyes travel upward only to see that Erik had stood up. He turned and started out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Christine asked, following his actions.

Erik spun around, catching Christine's arm in the process. She gasped and yanked it, but the movement only pulled her closer to him.

"Would you care to dance?" He asked, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Dance?" She laughed, looking up at him.

"Yes," he said. "That is, only if you want to."

"I...I-" Christine stopped, unsure of how to answer.

"It's jut that the melody you were humming...well, it reminded me of a waltz," he whispered into her hair.

"A waltz?" She scoffed.

"Yes, like the kind they play at the ball Masque..." He trailed off, directing his eyes towards hers.

"I know, it's silly. Quite childish actually. We don't have to." He removed his arms for her small frame and began to turn around-

"No!" She stopped him, reaching her arm out to him. "I would love a dance."

A nearly invisible smile leaped across Erik's lips as he pulled her back to him. Christine placed a gentle hand on his shoulder as she felt his arms return to their position around her waist.

"Are we going to start?" Christine asked since neither of them had begun.

"Of course we are," he stated, gulping as he did.

"Would you like me to start?"

"No, that would be very improper, and the man is... Would you?"

Christine giggled before nodding her head.

"Here now, step back," she said. Together they stepped back. "Now, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3- that's it!"

The two fell into a steady rhythm as they waltzed across the silent living room. The sweet lullaby from earlier pierced through the silence and accompanied them in their dance. Though it was Erik who now hummed the tune, letting his voice fill the air.

He lifted his arm and quickly spun Christine around, her curls spinning with her. Christine smiled as she landed and leaned closer to Erik. Erik's breath caught in his throat causing the song to fall out of tempo, but the dance didn't stop.

Erik's hand clutched tighter to Christine's blue nightgown, noticing how the brilliant color brought out her eyes. Christine pressed closer to him, her head resting on his shoulder.

The melody picked back up, however, they had stopped their movements. The two were simply standing in the middle of the room, each one holding on to the other with all they had. With a hesitant hand, Christine reached up and ran her fingertips down the side of his mask.

Erik froze at her touch, afraid of what was coming next. He could feel it now. Her fingers would curl around his mask and she would unforgivingly rip it away, revealing what lay beneath. Then she would run, never to return to him. He squeezed his eyes shut, certain that was destined to be the outcome. Yes, quite positive-

But his musings were cut off with the careful placement of a set of lips pressed on to his own. Erik's eyes snapped open as he realized what was happening. She hadn't run at all! Instead, this beautiful creature - no, angel - had only lifted his mask enough to kiss his lips. His horrible, horrible lips. Erik felt the tears well up in his eyes before he dropped to his knees at her feet.

"Erik, is something wrong?" Christine urgently asked as she fell beside him. His body shook from the cries that emerged from him and Christine placed a reassuring hand on his back.

"Nothing is wrong with Erik," he choked out through his tears. "No, nothing at all." He raised his head, taking her hand in his. "You have simply made him the happiest man in the world, that's all."

Christine looked at him oddly. "How so?"

"You have kissed me! And, oh! Erik does not deserved to be kissed, yet here you are, kissing him." He told her before hanging his head back down.

"Would you like another, then?"

Erik slowly raised his head. Surely I didn't hear her right...

"What?" He mumbled.

Christine slipped her hand under his chin before repeating her words. "I said, would you like another?"

Christine barely finished the sentence before Erik's lips came crushing down on hers. She threw her arms around his neck and returned the kiss, letting herself fall into his lap. They broke apart, each of them gaping for air.

"Thank you," Erik muttered before running a shaking hand through his hair.

Christine blushed and looked down. "Thank you."

She smiled before stealing a loving glance back up at him. There was one thing that was for certain, there would be no chance of any sleep that night.

The End