Chapter 21: Whispered Words

Rose helped Erik to lay back on his pillows and he smiled up at her sleepily,

"Thank you" he murmured causing her to smile as she set his mask on the bedside table,

"Now... Do you want to tell me what your nightmare was about?" Rose encouraged and Erik sighed,

"... I dream't of a world I have no wish to see again. Christine was alive. She and I had raised Gustave together in the life we had planned together whilst she was pregnant" Erik explained and Rose could only frown in confusion,

"And... That was a nightmare?" she asked uncertainly,

"It was a nightmare because it was a reality in which you had died... A life without you... Is no life at all" Erik told her, slowly taking her hand in his own as Rose looked down with a sad yet bashful expression as silence fell between them,

"... I heard your voice... You whispered something to me. You said... I release you" Erik reminded her,

"Why did you say that?" Erik asked in a whisper and Rose looked up at the ceiling as she tried to stop herself from crying,

"Because... Because I was the reason you were sleep walking... I was the reason that you were suffering and I couldn't bare it. You felt like you were in debt to me some way so... I released you" Rose murmured, wiping away her tears,

"That's a lie... I had been in a hypnotized state and it may have taken a while but I know now what I told you... I know why I felt guilty... It's because I love you..." Erik whispered,

"Erik, please don't... You only think that you love me because... Because i've helped you. I gave Gustave my milk... I just... It's not real, Erik... It's not real..." she tried shakily as her bottom lip began to tremble and Erik sat up, pulling her close so that she rested against his chest and he brushed a tender hand through her hair,

"Shhhhhh... It is real... This is real" Erik whispered to her as he entwined their fingers and could feel Rose's hand trembling,

"Erik... Please stop" she begged in a whisper,

"I'll stop when you tell me that my feelings for you are not returned... Tell me you don't love me and we will never speak of this again" Erik encouraged, pulling away so Rose could look up at him as tears fell down her cheeks; Erik softly brushed them away with his thumb,

"... I can't tell you that" Rose told him and Erik sighed in relief; Rose couldn't help but give a soft laugh as he rested his forehead against her own and she cupped his twisted cheek gently and closed her eyes as Erik brushed his nose softly against her own before slowly pressing his lips to her own; Rose smiled into the kiss as Erik slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and Rose laughed brightly when he rolled her beneath him and they shared another kiss; Erik leaned up and pressed a kiss to Rose's forehead before smiling down at her,

"... I love you, Rose" he whispered and saw how she smiled up at him softly,

"I love you too" she whispered back as they shared another kiss just as the candle on Erik's bedside table burnt out completely.

Cute little chapter! Review for Chapter 22!

Kind Regards,

TheAuthor1996