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Public Service Announcement:

This story is not a 'How to Find the Perfect Husband' instruction manual. We all know that Erik the Opera Ghost is a man with severe behavioral and social issues, ones that ONLY come off looking good on a deformed musical genius, who is also a fictional character that does not truly exist. (shhhh, don't tell Erik I said that, ha ha). We also know that given time, Erik will come to understand his actions are not healthy, and change...because that's what we expect in a POTO FanFiction story...right?

If Erik were a real man living today, and he tried to pull all this manipulation crap on Christine, I would strongly advise her to call the cops, slap him with a restraining order, and sue the pants off of him for violating HIPAA regulations by moving her father. Again, only Erik the Opera Ghost could get away with any of this, and only because he is fictional.

Disclaimer: The thoughts and ideas contained within this story were written strictly for entertainment purposes only. I do NOT approve of anyone being in a controlling or unhealthy relationship, nor is it my intent to paint any person, nationality, school, or organization, in an unfavorable light. I sincerely hope that no one is offended by my writing, that was never my intention.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled chapter.

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Chapter 25

~X~

The following day was bright and sunny, pulling Christine outside and into the back yard, eager to plant her rose bushes and bulbs. Erik had been standing at the patio doors for quite a while, his hands behind his back as he watched her working in the dirt. He seemed very confused by all this, and Christine had to laugh when she would glance up to find him still there, watching her with a mystified look in his eyes. She would wave happily, and then go back to digging with the little spade and garden trowel she'd found.

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"So…how are you and Christine doing?" Amir asked in an amused sing-song tone, as he came up behind Erik and stood beside him, both watching her plant her rose bushes.

"Just fine," he replied, still a bit distracted. "But I have no idea why she insists on doing that herself. I've never felt the need to plant anything in the ground before…well, nothing I ever expected to grow, that is," he added a bit flippantly. He then got a suspicious look in his eyes and turned to stare at Amir. "Wait…why do you ask? What do you know?"

"Oh, I know a lot of things," Amir chuckled. "Such as how enticing Christine looks in a pair of Daisy Dukes and a tied off checkered shirt."

"Are you saying you saw her picking out those clothes yesterday and did not warn me?" Erik growled, not liking the idea one little bit.

"Hell no!" the Persian stated firmly. "If I had seen what she had bought at that store, I would have been on the phone to you immediately…afraid you might have a heart attack at seeing her in them! No, I just happened to come by the house yesterday, right after you got home, only to find Christine wearing that rather skimpy outfit and you upstairs…shall we say, otherwise occupied." Here he gave Erik a wink and a wide grin.

"You have a filthy mind!" he growled, turning to look back out the window at his innocent little wife. "I took a cold shower…that is all! Contrary to popular belief, I am not an animal! I do know how to control my body, and any urges I might be plagued with."

"Hey…don't go biting my head off just because you're sexually frustrated," Amir stated, holding up his hands in defense. "I would suggest you go visit that lady friend of yours, but I'm quite certain those trips have come to an end."

"Indeed they have," Erik said firmly. "I am a married man now, and I intend to remain faithfully committed to my wife."

"Good for you," Amir nodded. "I've grown rather fond of Christine, and it's good to know you would never disrespect her like that."

"Speaking of treating my wife with disrespect," Erik told him, turning to look in his direction again. "What is this I hear about you making her sit on a bench behind you and not allowing her eat her lunch with you?"

"I'm working!" Amir said in his defense. "Would you prefer I become distracted and lose focus?"

"Of course not, but neither do I care for my wife looking like some homeless woman talking to pigeons on her lunch break," Erik insisted. "I have offered to come share a meal with her some day when I can get away from the office. However, in the meantime, I think it would be acceptable for you to keep her company while she eats. And by that, I mean allowing her to sit beside you…not behind you!" His eyes then narrowed threateningly. "Just not too close."

"Fine..." Amir grunted, rolling his eyes in irritation. "The Big Bad Wolf will allow Little Red Riding Hood to share her basket of goodies with him."

"The what…with who?" Now Erik was really confused. "WHAT GOODIES?" He barked out accusingly.

"Ask your wife," Amir snorted as he turned to leave, apparently now tired of their conversation. "She's the one who came up with those ridiculous code names."

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When all the rose bushes were planted, and Christine was just starting on the bulbs – having laid out the color pattern in what she hoped would be a very pleasing fashion when they came up – Erik at last joined her. As usual, he was wearing his pristine black dress pants and a white linen shirt, though the top two buttons were uncharacteristically undone, allowing her to see just the tip of the scar on his upper chest.

"Come to help?" she asked, knowing the answer before she spoke the words.

"You know, I employ gardeners to do such things as this," he told her, his hands stuffed deep in his pants pocket as he stared down at her.

"Yes, but I enjoy digging in the dirt," she insisted, not going to allow him to take away her fun. "Didn't you ever play in the mud and dirt as a child…just for the pleasure of it?"

The look on his face told her that no, he had not.

"I was far too busy trying to make sure I had enough food to eat, a roof over my head, and a few coins in my pocket," he informed her, his voice deadpan. "I did not have the time, nor the desire, to dig in the dirt."

Christine stopped what she was doing and looked up at him, her heart almost breaking as she tried to imagine the hell he must have gone through growing up. She knew so little of his past, but so far, what she did know was not pleasant. Erik must have recognized the pity in her eyes and looked away uncomfortably.

"I did not say these things to garnish your sympathy," he stated. "That is simply how things were, and I will not sugarcoat the past. Though if it upsets you, I will not speak of such things further."

"Erik…I want to know about your past," she told him. "And I don't expect you to paint a rosy picture for me simply because you don't think I can take it. I'd rather we have an open marriage."

"An open marriage?" Erik asked, his eyebrow raising skeptically.

"Not open in that way!" Christine countered, not wanting him to imagine she meant for them to have extra marital affairs. "I mean open communication…open to the idea of talking about our past. Not secretive."

"You know that I cannot promise to never keep secrets from you, Christine," Erik warned. "We already discussed this. Yet…I did agree that one day I would tell you all I could."

"And when that time comes, I'll be ready to listen," she assured him, giving him a sympathetic smile before turning back to her work.

Erik continued to observe her silently, though she tried her best to ignore the uncomfortable sensation of being watched so closely. Her husband had a maddening way of making her feel like she was under a microscope a lot of the time, almost as if he were dissecting her every move, word, or action. When she was finally finished, patting the dirt down over the last bulb, she sat back on her heels with a sigh of satisfaction.

"There, all done," she announced, looking up at him with a wide grin. "Now, come fall, we should see a little bit of color. Yet I think the true rainbow will have to wait till next spring." She then turned her eyes back to the patch of earth with a slight frown. "That is, of course, if I did it right and didn't plant the poor little bulbs upside down or something. Still, I guess I stand a fifty-fifty chance of success."

"All this work, and your plants might not even come up?" Erik sounded aghast at the notion, suddenly turning his narrowed eyes towards the cultivated earth.

"Erik," Christine laughed, noting his accusing stare. "You can't intimidate plants, no matter how hard you try. They either will, or won't, come up…there's nothing you can do about it." She then rose to her feet, brushing off her jeans as she picked up her supplies and headed back towards the house, chuckling over her husband's odd behavior.

"I might not be able to intimidate plants," Erik muttered under his breath, still eyeing the ground dangerously. "But I sure as hell can influence the gardener!" He made a mental note to instruct the man to make certain he gave Christine's little flower bed his utmost attention and care, insuring that she would reap a plethora of color from each tiny bulb.

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Evening found the two of them in the entertainment room, Christine quietly reading a magazine while Erik worked on some of his never-ending paperwork. It had become a comfortable routine for the two of them, and even though it looked like her husband was oblivious to her presence, Christine knew better. It was times like these that she felt oddly comforted, his silent company making the room feel homier. As she turned the page of her magazine, an article caught her attention. 'Five ways to tell you are dating a psychopath'. Well, this might prove interesting, she thought as she began to read down the list.

Point number one… They tend to have a charm about them and are quite charismatic as well as intelligent. Hmmm, well, that fit Erik to a tee, and yet the same could be said for a lot of people. Her father was a very charming man, as well as intelligent, and she was pretty certain he was mentally stable.

Point number two…They are willing and able to draw people into outrageous schemes to get their needs met. Now, this one she could not deny made Erik look bad. But did that mean that every businessman out there had a mental deficiency? Sure, he had got her to sign the contract, but she in turn got something out of it in the process…right?

Point number three and four were a bit more vague…willing to break all kinds of rules, and not known to have any close friends or family members, only colleagues and associates. Rule breaking was not something Christine had seen much of from Erik, but mostly since he made all the rules. As for friends…did Amir count? Erik had said he never knew his family, so how could he have formed any close ties to people who had left him on his own at an orphanage?

Point number five caused her brows to furrow together, and she tried to decide if this was a sign, or simply the way he wished to present himself. The article said that a psychopath was quick to anger and left one feeling frightened at times. Christine peered over the top of her magazine and studied the man sitting at the desk, doing her best to analyze him objectively. Yes, Erik was intimidating…tall, strong, wore a mask, and often left you feeling uncertain about what he was thinking. Yet, in all the time she had known him, had he ever truly frightened her…to the point where she would fear for her safety? Granted, he had yelled, groused, ranted and raved, yet if she was being honest...so had she! Several times she had shouted at Erik in anger, yet he had never done anything threatening in retaliation, but instead apologized quite sincerely.

Going back to the article she continued to read on, it saying that such an illness was often passed down from parents to children, mostly coming through the bloodline of the mother. Well, that was rather sexist, she thought with a wrinkle of her nose. However, this got her thinking about Erik's parentage, wondering if he knew anything more about them than he had told her previously. He had not seemed too upset when he mentioned it before, perhaps it was not one of the many topics he considered taboo – unlike his scar and how he met Amir. Taking the chance she cleared her throat, gaining Erik's attention as he looked over at her questioningly.

"Yes, Christine?" he said, his pen instantly stilling. "Do you require something?"

"I…I was just wondering," she began, licking her lips as she mustered up the courage to speak. "What do you know about your parents…your mother especially?"

Erik was silent for a moment, simply staring at her with that unreadable expression of his. Finally after what felt like an eternity he gave a heavy sigh and looked back down at his papers, as if distancing himself from the conversation just a bit.

"Not much," he answered quietly. "Growing up in the orphanage, they only said that she had died, thus leaving me a ward of the city. Later, when I had the means to do so, I conducted my own investigation, only to discover that she had been listed as Jane Doe. The hospital records said she came in off the street, already in labor, and died there in the emergency room due to complications giving birth. Her body was never claimed, and after the appropriate amount of time, she was cremated. I do not know what was done with her ashes."

"I'm sorry, Erik," Christine whispered, her heart aching for him.

"There is no reason to be, I did not know her, and as I said, the doctors theorize that my facial deformity was a result of her careless use of drugs during her pregnancy," he related, still unwilling to raise his eyes to look directly at her. "She held no regard for me, thus why should I mourn the loss of her?"

"And your father?" she probed.

"I know even less about him," he chuckled, no humor in his tone. "Some one night stand, or boyfriend who did not wish to be saddled with the responsibility of raising a deformed freak, I can only assume. For just like my mother's body…no one came forth to claim me either." He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, staring at the wall for a moment. "I had once thought that finding where I came from was important, that it would give me a sense of belonging…but I quickly abandoned that absurd notion. Where I belong does not rest in the past, it lies in the future, and I alone decide where that will be. We all must make our own path, regardless of where we come from. I shut the door on that part of my history a long time ago, Christine, and I have never looked back."

She sat there for a moment, not sure what to say. She knew he didn't want her pity, and yet by him divulging these things she felt she needed to offer him something.

"I don't remember much about my mother," she said, watching as Erik's eyes slowly turned towards her. "She died of breast cancer when I was only four. I do recall she had a very kind voice, soft hands, and a smile that would light up a room. There are, of course, lots of photos, a few old home movies, and some letters from her, but they're not the same as true memories."

"I have seen some pictures of your mother, Virginia Daaé," Erik revealed. "You favor her greatly in looks."

"That's what my father always says as well," she smiled, proud of that fact. "Yet, I've always wanted to know what she was like on the inside. What did she dream about, what were her pet peeves…what made her tick?"

"It would seem that fate has cheated us both out of the privilege of knowing such things, Christine," Erik surmised. "And yet…at least you are assured that she loved you. That alone should be a major comfort to you." He then cleared his throat and picked up his pen once more, effectively saying that the conversation was over and that he needed to get back to work.

Christine stared at the magazine in front of her, but she was not focused on the words, her mind lost in thought. So, Erik was truly an orphan…with no parents, no grand-parents, no aunts or uncles that he knew about. She too was alone, with only the obscure cousins or distant relations dotting her past. For years it had only been her and her father, and that had been just fine. Yet not to know where you came from…that must be hard on Erik. No wonder he was so adamant about having an heir and providing two parents for his child. A typical family life, something he never had for himself…that is what he was striving to create.

Shaking her head to clear her mind, Christine looked down at the final paragraph in the article. There it stated the quickest way to decide if you are indeed dating a psychopath was to try this simple trick. Yawn…if your partner is motivated to yawn as well, it shows that he or she is capable of demonstrating empathy. It proves that they are caring enough to sympathize with you, and thus possibly prove they are not clinically deranged.

Well, that should be easy enough to test out, she decided. Christine was rather tired, so releasing a yawn was not difficult at all, and after she did, she waited. Nothing. Erik had kept working without even seeming to notice. She tried again, this time making a bigger show of it, thinking perhaps she had been too subtle the first time. Still no response from him. Well, drat! This was not looking good. A third yawn escaped her lips, followed by a little sigh, hoping to garnish a reaction from her husband at last. When nothing happened once again, she gave up in a huff, hunkering down further against the sofa pillow and mentally deeming the article a sham and a mockery to good journalism. For Christine refused to believe that she had married a potential ax murderer.

"Come, Christine," Erik said, having managed to rise from his desk and come to stand beside her without making a sound. She couldn't stop herself from jumping just a bit, startled by his sudden nearness. "It is obvious that you are exhausted. It is time for bed."

"But your work?" she protested, seeing that he still had a stack of papers he had not gone through yet. "I don't want to stop you from finishing."

"Your health is far more important than some insignificant paperwork," he argued, holding out his hand as he helped her rise from where she sat. "I will not have you become overly tired and fall ill again. It is late and you have school in the morning."

Christine ceased her arguments and allowed him to guide her upstairs, ducking her head as a pleased smile spread over her lips. How ridiculous she now felt for even considering Erik to be some emotionless psychopath, deciding that the yawning exercise was a silly crock. If Erik didn't care about her, or her feelings, he would certainly not have set aside his own work just to see that she got a good night's sleep.

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As she readied herself for bed, Christine couldn't help but think of all they seemed to have accomplished over the past nineteen days. They had gone from strangers to…to…well, she had no idea how to classify what they were now, but it was far from strangers. They shared a bed - platonically for the time being - ate and lived together, conversed pleasantly, as well as formed a student/teacher relationship that they both seemed to enjoy. There was no love as of yet, but even Christine could no longer deny the sexual attraction that seemed to ignite within her whenever they touched. It was a start.

After they had both climbed into bed and the light had been extinguished, she lay there for a while, thinking about where to go next. They had become friends, or at least friendly, so what was the next step? Did Erik have a plan for this as well? Dare she ask?

"Erik," she began before she could talk herself out of it.

"Yes, Christine?" he responded, no sign of sleepiness in his voice – proving to her that he had agreed to come to bed only for her benefit, and not his own.

"Are you…happy?" she asked, sounding very unsure of her wording.

"Happy?" he parroted.

"With…well, the way things are going," she continued, rolling over on her side and facing him as she spoke, her hands sandwiched together between her cheek and pillow. "Are we progressing in a manner that pleases you?"

"To be perfectly honest, Christine, I had no set schedule on how all of this would proceed," he admitted, sounding almost embarrassed by the confession. "Once you signed the contract…well, that was as far as I had planned ahead. The rest of this is uncharted waters, so to speak. But, am I happy?" He paused there for a long moment, as if contemplating the seriousness of such a question. "I can honestly say yes, I am the most happy I have ever been."

Christine was stunned. The happiest he'd ever been? The weight of such a responsibility was a bit staggering, and she worried over her ability to keep it up. What if this was the best she could ever do? What if she found she could never offer Erik more than what she felt right now, a tentative friendship with a smattering of sexual attraction? And did she even want to give more? Yet, as Erik turned his head towards her and she caught the look in his eyes, reflected in the moonlight, she felt an overwhelming desire to try…to give him more. His past was a tragic mess, his present was fraught with loneliness, and by his own admission, she alone held the power to change that. Yes, Christine would do her very best to allow any and all positive feelings to develop between them, this she swore.

"I…I'm glad, Erik," she quietly confessed. "And thank you for talking with me about your parents tonight. I really appreciate your openness in doing so. It means a lot."

"It does?" he sounded stunned.

"Yes, very much," she assured him. "That's what I was talking about today when I said I wanted an open marriage. When you share things like that with me, it makes me feel…closer to you. Like I know you better. I enjoy that."

"I…I enjoy hearing about your past as well, Christine," he told her, sounding as if he had just solved a mysterious puzzle that had been frustrating him for a long time.

"Well," she said with a sigh, suddenly feeling as tired as Erik had earlier assumed her to be. "Good night."

"Good night, Christine," Erik replied, watching as she rolled over, back into her usual position, facing away from him. He was quiet for a moment and the spoke again. "Christine…why did Amir refer to himself as the Big Bad Wolf and you as Little Red Riding Hood today? What does that mean?"

"Nothing, Erik," she told him with an adorable giggle. "Just a couple of silly names I made up. Trust me, it's nothing to worry about. Goodnight."

Erik, however, got very little sleep that night, spending many hours wide awake thinking about what his wife had said about feeling closer to him…and how Christine might look in a sexy little dress, wearing a red hood and cape. She was definitely everything that a big, bad wolf could want.

Look...more bonding!

And we learned a little bit more of Erik's past too...well, we learned that he knows very little about it!

So...how many of you are now going to try that yawning trick on your 'significant other'? I got this all from an article on line...but don't believe everything you read! I don't want to have to write another disclaimer. ha ha.

So, Erik is going to punjab the gardner if Christine's flowers don't bloom, huh? Silly man.

Wow...I'm shocked Amir walked away from that conversation with all his teeth. ha ha.

Guest Reviews:

Guest C: And as much as Erik believes otherwise...he IS just a regular guy. Subject to the same desires as any man. Ha ha, I'm sure if Erik is around, Amir is only too happy to take a break from his guard duty and go get himself a nice sweet coffee. Ha ha, no cool hats, but getting to pick up a piece of the coat is cool! Just as long as it was not a part covered in goat-blood. ha ha. (boy, if one didn't know we were talking about the musical of Joseph, that might sound really creepy!) Thanks.

phantomphan: I'm tickled that you got such a kick out of me slipping in the title of my other story. It made me laugh too. Thanks and I will indeed continue!

Kristin: She's not completely oblivious...just...well...unaware? She didn't plan on getting Erik all hot and bothered...but now that she knows she can, she will be more careful. Amir is a man too, so of course he would know just how Erik felt when seeing her in that outfit. Gerald was thinking "Man I hope she comes out soon, I really, really don't want to explain to Erik how all my tires got stolen and the limo was keyed and all my headlights smashed." That's why he got out and stood there looking mean...to protect his car! ha ha. Yep, Daddy Daae getting better is something we are all hoping for. Time will tell. Thanks.

Guest: Now up to chapter 49 actually, and yes several major events HAVE happened by that point. Some that make Erik VERY happy...some that made Christine Very happy...some that drove Erik insane...and a good many secrets have been revealed about Erik, Amir and Antoinette's past. ha ha. Not sure how else I can describe things without giving anything away. ha ha.

Guest: Glad you enjoyed it. I will keep the one you are reading in mind, but with the wide variety offered by Fan Fiction, I already have so many other stories I have to read first! ha ha. So many stories...so little time. OH, and I have to finish writing my own too. ha ha. Thanks for the recommendation though, I appreciate it.