Christine's POV

I woke alone, much like I do every morning. But something was different this morning…I was Erik's fiancée. I looked down at the necklace I was wearing with his beautiful ring dangling from off of it. On my left ring finger, Raoul's gold band was still there. I was torn between two worlds, the one I was living, and the one I belonged in. I knew once spring arrived I would be breaking someone's heart, that heart most likely being Erik's. I couldn't promise him that I'd stay for good, but the least I could do was make him happy until it was time to leave. This would be mine and Erik's little secret, for Gustave didn't need to know. I placed on Erik's robe and walked out to the family room to find him groaning in agony over his desk.

"Erik?"

I approached him, finding that he was clasping his exposed skull with one hand while his other grasped the desk.

"Erik?"

"I'm all right." he angrily snapped.

But I wasn't convinced. I knew he was having a terrible migraine.

"Sweetheart, you shouldn't be touching your head like this." I gently pried away his hand, pressing a kiss to the exposed area of his head.

"Christine, could you be an angel and fetch my morphine from the bathroom?"

I did as he asked, bringing back the small kit he kept stored away in the medicine cabinet. Erik worked swiftly and quickly, filling up his syringe with the correct dosage, before shooting it into his forearm. He then placed he head down on his desk, closing his eyes to relax himself.

"Erik, do you want to lay down?"

"No, I'm all right where I am."

I knew today we were going to have to do something, otherwise, Gustave would surely go insane with being cooped up from the terrible snow storm and all. It was nearing the end of November, making Christmas only a few weeks away. Perhaps decorating the flat would occupy him for a while? To give Erik some space, I dressed for the day, ready to ask him where he kept his Christmas decorations. But after brushing my teeth and emerging from the bathroom, to my surprise, Erik was still fast asleep at his desk. Deciding to figure this out on my own, I opened the basement door and began descending down the dark staircase. His basement was cold, so cold that it brought back memories of Erik's lair back in Paris. When I reached the bottom step, I felt around for a light switch of any kind, finding it dangling from the ceiling. When the lights finally came on, I was met with a basement filled with piled boxes filled with Erik's belongings. I never knew he horded so much stuff. I sighed, knowing this was going to be as easy as finding a needle in a haystack. I began opening any box I could find to peek inside in hopes of finding some decorations, but I always came up short. The first few were filled with old books and romance novels, nothing of my interest at all.

I don't know how I came upon it, but as I was reaching up for a box stacked too high for me to reach, something hard and colorful fell on top of me along with a few boxes. I cried out in fright, pushing the thing off of me, only to realize that this thing was not just a thing, but a automaton...of myself! She displayed every detail I had. Curly brown hair, a thin build, my lips! She was even dressed in the same clothes I had worn on the night he and I made love over ten years ago. I had come to him wearing a pink and white shift, the same one she was wearing now.

"Christine?" Erik's voice was so near to me. Footsteps were coming from the stairs. "Christine, I heard a crash, if everything all right?"

I turned to see him standing right beside me now, his hand extended to help me up, but his eyes seemed nervous. It only took me a few moments to realize what they were looking at- the automaton!

"Y…You shouldn't be down here." he stammered, pulling me to my feet.

"Erik, tell me the truth." I demanded. "What is that? What is the purpose of that thing?"

Erik kicked it behind a few boxes, crossing his arms and staring at me with his Phantom gaze.

"What are you doing down here, Christine?"

"Looking for Christmas decorations." I said. "I wanted to decorate the flat."

Erik marched over to a section of stacked boxes, throwing down two at my feet, the lids popping open and a flash or red and green garland appearing before my very eyes.

"There, now let us leave this dreaded place." he demanded, picking up the boxes and carrying them towards the stairs. "You'll catch a cold again."

But I wasn't about to let this end…I wanted answers.

Erik's POV

Christine had ventured down into the only place I never thought to forbid her from-my basement. My basement was where I usually stored away any embarrassing objects that I had thrown aside over the years. My Punjab lasso, a few hookah pipes, and even that dreaded-

"Erik, why is there an automaton down there?" Christine snapped once we reached the top stair. "And why is she dressed in the same attire that I was in on that night ten years ago?"

I threw the boxes down in the family room before heading into the kitchen. Oh, why? Why couldn't she just let this pass?

"Christine, please, just-"

"Were you-" I spun around, meeting her eyes that were demanding an answer. "Please tell me you weren't-That you haven't?"

But how could I lie to my angel?

"Yes, Christine, I have."

She gasped. Who wouldn't upon knowing that I had been living a fantasy for the past ten years? As I had said before, I was living on an island filled with whore houses and brothels. I would not allow myself to ruin what memories I had with my angel on that blissful night. But I was a man, and I needed something to release my manly urges. For at least a year I had been strong, so strong that I had not touched myself or bought the company of a woman. Most nights I sat there through my lusting urges, writing and trying to concentrate on something else other than the growing desire that was straining my trousers. But it was nearly impossible not to feel the urge for such desires. Every second in Coney Island there would be couples holding hands, couples kissing and whispering sweet, seductive words into one another's ears. Just seeing it happening before my own very eyes was enough to bring back memories of that night, instantly triggering my memories and desires.

But touching myself was not enough. Yes, it gave me the pleasure I needed to stop my urges, but not enough to put out the wildfire I had set off within my memories. And so, one night I made an automaton based off of my angel and placed her in the same sexy attire she had worn on that night. For ten years, I role-played that night from memories, making love to it as if she were truly there. Sometimes I would give myself a shot of morphine before entering my chambers to make love to the contraption placed on my bed, for it heightened the entire sensation. Of course, the automaton couldn't respond to my pleas, or scream out from the pleasure I surely gave it, but it was enough for me. But months ago, when I found out Christine was coming, I threw the contraption into the basement, giving up on it in hopes of receiving the real thing again. Christine was never to know about it, but now….oh, how embarrassed I felt.

"So Meg was right." she growled. "The drugs, the whorehouses…"

Meg? What was she talking about?

"Meg?"

Christine nodded. "She told me that you were lying, that you spent endless nights at the whorehouses consumed in drugs."

"Never, Christine. There was only that automaton and my morphine, nothing more." I grabbed her by the hands, pleading with her to understand. "I needed it, Christine. I am a man, just like Raoul, with manly urges… I needed you."

We would have continued, but Gustave came walking out.

"Mama, is it breakfast time yet?"

Christine only looked at me before heading to the counter with Gustave. I knew I had caused her pain. I knew she was angry with me. But, I couldn't blame her. It was, after all, myself who had left that morning, not her. As far as I know, I could have been making love to Christine for ten years if not for my act of stupidity.

"Mister Y!" my son came running into the family room a few moments later filled with excitement. "Mama said we're going to decorate the flat for Christmas! Can we get a tree! Can we go out and find a tree?"

"If it's all right with your mother." was all I said as I continued to work from my desk. What else could I possibly say? Christmas was never a happy time for me, and even with company this year, I doubted it was going to be any different. Yes, Christine might have agreed to be my fiancée, but it was turning out to be that way only when the two of us were alone in my bedroom. But I didn't want to give up on her, for I knew there was a great possibility that she would leave come spring time, but I didn't want to give up on trying to change her mind. But what was it about the boy that made her love him so much? Drinking and screaming all the time? Surely, I had the anger part of it down flat, but the drinking? I don't think my body had the youth or strength needed to withstand such toxic. The occasional glass of wine, yes, but glass after glass of whisky? No, of course not. I'd surely die of alcohol poisoning before the stroke of midnight. Or perhaps it was his good looks? Either way, I couldn't change my appearance, nor could I drink myself into oblivion…my charms were going to have to win her, but even they weren't helping the situation.

But what if I wrote her a song? What if I wrote my Christine a song she would not be able to resist? I could play if for her on Christmas as one of her presents. She would surely love it! So much that she would want to stay with me forever. But would that even work? Just one song? My mind was burning with so many ideas, so much that one fantastic one came into mind. What if I wrote not just a song, but an entire opera, and dedicate it to my angel? Surely an opera would make her stay, right? Oh, what was the use... Nothing was going to make her stay, not even an opera.

"Papa, are you ready to go yet?"

By the time I came out of my deep concentration, Christine and Gustave were already dressed to go outside. But I made haste, throwing on my jacket and gloves before accompanying them towards the place in town that sold Christmas trees. Christine and I walked beside one another as Gustave ran ahead, scooping up snow in his gloved hands and throwing it up into the air. He seemed excited, and as long as he were happy, so was I.

"Are you still cross with me?" I firmly questioned, my hands gracefully settled behind my back. Christine looked up at me, her expression seeming not only worried, but also a bit confused.

"I was a bit-" she paused, thinking about the right word. "Surprised. But the more I thought about it, the more I can't help but feel terrible for you."

"Don't start this pity party again, Christine." I warned. "What's done is done."

"When is the last time you-"

"Months ago."

Gustave ran from tree to tree once we arrived at the tree stand. I stood there beside my angel, letting the both of them pick out a tree together. This would be my first Christmas ever celebrated and the last thing I wanted to do was ruin any of it. Both Christine and Gustave had chosen one taller than me. They said it was the most beautiful tree they had ever seen, and I couldn't help but feel the same. After paying for it, the clerk tied it up and I carried it home. Christine offered to help countless times, but I refused.

For the remainder of the day, I refused to take part in any decorating of the flat they were participating in. I sat at my desk working on some new attractions for Phantasma, peeking every few moments to see what they were up to now. My son raced from one end of the flat to the next, hanging red and green garland from every corner that would withstand it. But having my angel here with me and hearing her giggle were both good signs. I had worked well into the evening that day, never breaking for a single moment. But for a brief second, I had stopped in order to hug Gustave goodnight. Sometime later, Christine emerged from the guest bedroom, rummaging around a box that was placed beside the tree. It seemed to amaze her that I had so many decorations laying around. But truth be told, that I only had them because of a disastrous Christmas in Phantasma a few years back. I had wanted to decorate the park in colorful lights and decorations, having it open during the evening hours all throughout December. Though, after decorating and preparing to open on our first night, a horrible snowstorm tore through Coney Island, leaving my decorations and lights covered in ice. After taking them down, I had stuffed them into boxes that wound up in my basement, never to be touched again.

"Erik, come decorate the tree with me."

I looked up from my work, never really knowing why I had agreed on such a thing. I rose from my seat, approaching her as she placed a bell ornament into my hand.

"I'm not particularly fond of Christmas." I said.

"And why not?"

"Because the holidays are a time for love and happiness, and I haven't anyone to love or to love me."

I hung the small bell on the a high branch, looking back at Christine who was running her fingers along a star ornament.

"Things are different now, Erik."

"What? Until spring?"

"Don't make me talk about it. I want this to be a happy time for us."

"Until spring." I argued.

"Did I say I was leaving for sure?"

"Here, Erik," Christine replied, changing the subject. "Put the angel on top of the tree."

As much as I wanted to be angry with her, I couldn't help but be happy that she was beside me.

"The angel?" I teased. "All right, if you insist."

I lifted her up, causing her to giggle.

"Erik…"

"You said put the angel on top of the tree."

"Erik, put me down…"

"We're almost there, Christine, reach for the top…"

Just hearing Christine giggle, caused me to laugh as well. Hearing her laugh always put aside my anger and upset attitude. She was in my arms, and I was twirling her around the family room as she continued giggling. When I lost my balance, we plopped down on the couch, my body laying on top of her own. She was looking up towards the ceiling, and I could only wonder why. When I dared to look upward, there, hanging above us was a strand of mistletoe.

"It's bad luck if you don't follow the tradition." she stated.

I cupped her cheek. "Well, best not to break it then."

And then, I kissed her. Not just a little innocent kiss either…No, I kissed her as if it were to be my last. When we broke away, I stared down at her, speechless upon her beauty.

"Christine, I don't ever want to lose you."

My angel was speechless. She even looked away with a hint of sadness in her eyes. My fingers trailed to her necklace and twirled the engagement ring around.

"Someday, I hope to see this upon your finger."

But my angel only sat up and pulled the necklace from my grasp, stuffing it back below the collar of her blouse.

"I told you I couldn't make you any promises, Erik."

I stood from my seat, knowing that our happiness for the evening was over.

"Is my charm not enough to prove to you that I'm the better man? Or is it my disgusting appearance that makes you want to run back to your boy?" I growled.

"Erik, it's not like that."

"Then which is it? If it's the verbal and physical abuse that turns you on, I can do that! I can drink like a pig and stagger around if that's what'll catch your eye!"

"You think I enjoy that?"

"Why else!" I waved my hands in the air. "You know what I don't understand, Christine? I don't understand you! Raoul might be handsome, but he drinks like a fish, pushes you around like his slave, beats you, yells at you-And yet, here's a man who might not be the most loveliest thing to look at, but he would never hurt you, never treat you like a slave, can't drink more than a few glasses of wine because his body rejects it, and yet, you treat him as though he's the bad guy."

"Erik-"

But I knew there was no since in arguing, for I knew Christine would never agree to my explanation.

"That's what I thought, Christine. Goodnight."

And with that, I stormed to my room and slammed the door shut. Why was it so hard for her to see me as the better man? Oh…Christine.

Yeah, I know the last few chapters have been very hurtful for Erik, but some fluff is coming up soon. Yes, I need to brighten the mood if only for a short while... Please review! Thanks again!