A/N: Okay guys! I am so happy that you guys reviewed! You left me very happy! :D

Anyhow, I think many thought I finished the story. Well, after this the epilogue is next so, just be patient because I have already finished it. :) I hope you guys enjoyed my story and I love all your wonderful reviews.

Always and Forever

Chapter Twenty One

One Final Reunion

Four months later…

Erik and Christine decided to put the children in a large pram, and take them into town. Erik was still very afraid about being on the streets, but with Christine by his side he could accomplish anything.

Gustave, Francois, and Desdemona had turned six months old a few weeks past. It seemed as if only yesterday they were married in the church. And it wasn't until three days ago that Christine had said that she was pregnant once more.

They joy in Erik's face could not be described, he was beyond happy. Erik had purchased a large home and they had taken a lot of things from under the opera house and placed it in their new home. Erik had made two more cribs for the babies.

Erik had decided that they go to a walk through the streets of Paris. With Christine and his children by his side, Erik felt like he could take on the world. He never even thought of his mask.

As they walked the streets of Paris, Erik held on to Christine's hand the whole time. He placed a kiss on it every now and then earning a smile from Christine. They went to a park and sat on a bench and brought the pram closer to them. Gustave had fallen asleep while Francois and Desdemona were looking at their parents with little smiles on their faces.

The children were looking at them and pushing their hands out. Erik and Christine smiled and took them out of the pram. Desdemona was giggling as Erik bounced her on his lap. Erik smiled and kissed her chubby cheek. She giggled some more and began to drool. Erik smiled and wiped her drool away. Christine smiled and gave Francois his little rattle to play with. Francois rattled it harshly and then threw it at Desdemona.

Desdemona wiggled her bottom lip and began to cry. Erik shook his head and cuddled her closer hushing her. Christine scolded Francois while Desdemona just watch. Her eyes were red and watery. She looked at Erik and tried to grab his mask. Erik smiled and moved his head away.

"No. Not in public, princess." He said as he caressed her hair.

They put the children back in the pram and continued their walk. Erik ignored all the stares he received from people walking by. They went to a clothing shop and bought a few clothing for themselves and the babies. Erik seemed to smile at everything he saw Christine do with the children. It made him happy to know that he finally had a family.

As they walked, Christine began to notice Erik's sudden slow pace. She stopped and looked at him. "Erik? Are you all right?" she asked. He kept looking at something ahead.

"This cannot be…" He whispered. He moved away and run up to where he was looking. Christine was trying to catch up and pushed the pram. She rushed after him carefully, and saw that in the crowd of the Paris citizens, he was disappearing in there.

"Erik! Wait!" Christine called. She pushed the pram in his direction and walked in the crowd. "Ange!" She felt a hand pull her through, and look to see Erik guiding her. Once they stopped, Christine looked and saw a traveling fair. But it wasn't just one, it was the one Erik seemed to recognize.

"I used to be in this traveling fair… before I was sold." He made his way in and Christine followed after. Erik walked around. Christine was following behind him and looking at where he was going.

"What are you looking for?" She asked. Erik didn't answer. He moved his way to the tents and the gypsies gave them odd looks. Some protested of them being there, but one glare from Erik, they kept their lips shut.

Erik stopped as he found the tent he was looking for. "Stay here." He whispered to Christine and went inside the tent. Erik saw a women who was coughing and had wrinkles in her face. She looked up and saw Erik.

"You are not supposed to be here!" She hissed. She grabbed his arm and pushed him towards the exit of the tent. "Get out!"

Erik pulled his arm back and gently pushed her away. "After all these years this is how you greet me?" he said. The lady furrowed her brows in confusion; Erik smirked and removed his mask. "Can't recognize your own son, mother?"

Madeline's eyes widened and took a step back in shock. "Y-y-you!" she gasped. Erik gave her a deadly glare. "How? I s-sold you!"

"Well, let's just say, God sent me a beautiful angel…" He whispered. He looked back at Madeline and pointed to his face. "Quite handsome, am I not? The curse you placed upon me worked just fine, mother. And yet, she still loved me."

"W-w-who?" she asked. "Your whore?" Madeline spat. Erik growled, and grabbed her shoulders pulling her close.

"Never call my wife that!" he hissed. "I hand never killed a women, mother. Do not be the first." Madeline widened her eyes, and Erik released her shoulders from his deadly grip. Madeline frowned, but gave a small smile.

"I bet she is not even real! A figment of your imagination, dear son. How can anybody ever possibly love you?" She spat. Erik clenched his hands in a fist. Erik went to the exit of the tent.

"Christine, please come inside." He called. Madeline crossed her arms over her chest and waited for this angel of his.

Christine walked inside with the pram going in before her and she looked at Madeline. She widened her eyes and looked at Erik, but he gave her a reassuring look. She calmed a bit, but still was nervous.

"You see, mother. I am not lying. She is my wife, and I question how could she love me, but I never doubt her love. She saved me from that fair you sold me to. She couldn't stand seeing me be whipped." He sneered at Madeline. "There was a handsome man who loved her, and could have made her happy with money, jewels, clothing… and yet she chose a disfigured freak."

"No… no. Not a freak, but a man and my angel." Christine whispered, and she hugged his arm. Erik smiled at her, kissing her forehead gently.

"She had my children-"

"Your children? She probably slept with someone else and had them!" she spat. Christine gasped.

"How dare you!" Christine yelled. Erik gently placed a hand on her shoulder, he went to the pram and picked up Francois who was sucking on his hand. Desdemona stretched her hands out to him, but Christine picked her up.

"I think they are my children… for that fact that Francois looks exactly like I do. Desdemona has my eyes and Christine's hair." He said. The shock in Madeline's face made Erik smile. He placed Francois back in the pram, and Christine put Desdemona.

"You," Madeline said to Christine. "are insane. Who could ever love a monster like him?"

"How could I not? He is the best thing that ever happened to me. I love him with ever fiber in my body. My father even was kind to him, he saw Erik like a son, until he knew the love he had for me… and I for him." She said.

"You disgust me." Madeline sneered. Christine looked at her and frowned.

"I disgust you because I love him?" Christine asked. "I believe you, are a disgrace. You couldn't love your son because he was deformed? How could you be so cruel, he was just a boy wondering where the love was!" Christine cried. Madeline's nose was flaring in anger, and Christine clenched her hands, trying to keep her anger in check. "You are a coward…" Christine hissed.

"Coward?"

"Indeed. You couldn't bear to look at your son, knowing he wasn't handsome… and so you gave him away hoping someone else would take your fear away." Christine said, her knuckles turning white.

"Who wouldn't fear him? He has the face of the devil!" Madeline screeched. Christine cocked a brow.

"Then he would take up after the mother, wouldn't he?" Madeline gritted her teeth and clenched her hands into fist. Erik smiled at Christine's insult. He once thought that his mother was the most beautiful women in the world, but after seeing Christine… his mother looks like nothing, but a witch.

"The reason I came here, mother…" Erik started. "Was to thank you."

"Thank me?"

"Yes." Erik stated. "You see, if you hadn't sold me to that traveling fair, I would have never met Christine, I would have never felt love, never had a real family." He said, as he looked at his children. "I would have lived here with you and we both know… we wouldn't want that." He growled.

Madeline felt a lump caught in her throat as he approached her. "I wish I could kill you mother. I wish I can make you feel all the pain I have felt with you and with Javert, but I am still grateful to you. That is the only reason you are still standing. The only reason why your heart is still beating. I became into a man… you never want to encounter." Erik hissed. "You see, people think of me as death himself. And perhaps I am, but none of their opinions matter anymore. I have the family I want and they are all I care about."

Madeline swallowed the lump in her throat. "So, you're not going to kill me. I-I will still live."

"Yes, because this is a mind over matter situation." Erik said as he moved away. "I don't mind, and you don't matter."

Erik moved away and went towards Christine who nodded and they left the tent. Christine looked at Erik who seemed to feel a great relief in him. He felt her stare, and turned to looked at her.

"I love you." She whispered. "Don't let anything she said get to you."

"Why would I? When my darling wife was defending me?" Erik smiled. "I love you too. I feel a great weight off my shoulders. Now I will never have to see her again." He said, as he placed a kiss on her temple and kept on walking.

Their next destination was home. The only place they wanted to be.

A/N: Yes, my friends. I know it was a short chapter for such a long update, but I will post the next chapter tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. :)

Anyway I wanted to ask, have anyone ever heard of the upcoming movie of Les Miserables? I have to say I want to see it, but I am not satisfied with the actors they chose to play the characters. I was disappointed in that. I know there are people to disagree with me, but that is just my opinion.

Review! And I'll love you guys forever!