E: *struggles to drag myself out of the dark Corner of Depressed Writers* Hello again, my lovely fans! Erik has a special guest for you all! Please help me welcome... my sibling! *presses button to make fake audience clap*
B: *glances over* I feel so very loved.
E: Yes, yes, I know, I know. I'm just too wonderful for words.
B: Definitely...
C: Well, I'm glad to see that you finally got out of that stupid corner.
E: Well, it was either that or face the wrath of my very hormonal and pregnant wife, and I figured I would have a better chance of surviving if I came out here.
C: ...Excuse me?
B: Oh, God, please don't fight!
E: And why the hell not?
B: ...'Cause... Well, you've been doing it since the first author's notes, so doesn't it seem a little... I don't know, tiring?
E: Do you want me to make love to my wife in front of the innocent watchers? Shame, sister, I want to save that for the actual story...
B: Oh, God, Erik (can't believe you're even forcing me to call you that) get a life! Why am I even here?
E: Because I grew bored while on vacation and since Christine has taken the liberty of ignoring my continuous stalking/texting, I dragged you into this.
C: Ummm... I'm right here, Erik.
E: Shush, Christine, Daddy's talking.
C: ...
B: *ignores what Erik is ranting about now* So how are you doing, Christine?
C: *goes along with it* I'm just fine, actually. The baby's coming real soon, so I'm getting a little anxious.
E: Hey guys...?
B: Oh really? So how is this chapter going to work out, exactly?
E: Don't ignore me... *eyes well up with tears*
C: Well, we're having a huge time skip going on. I'm pretty sure the writer here-
E: Who is named Erik and is still here!
C: -will explain it.
B: Well that's exciting! Do you mind...?
C: No, go ahead.
E: Hey! No, that's my job-
B: Everyone, please enjoy Chapter 26.
~0~
Roses of Life
~0~
"How're you doing?" Erik's deep voice asked quietly, the sound floating through the oak door. Christine smiled warmly as she watched the brass knob that belonged to the bathroom door turn, allowing it to open and reveal her husband who stood on the other side. When the wood was completely opened, Erik stepped inside and walked up to his wife as she lay in the tub, warm water almost surrounding her body completely. The top of her swollen stomach peaked above the liquid and she rubbed it in a loving manner as her husband kneeled down beside her.
"We're just fine, Erik," Christine assured, kissing his cheek before leaning further into the water. Her movement caused the water to ripple, and Christine watched the small waves with fascination before Erik's cool hand pressed against her exposed belly, close to Christine's own hands.
"It'll be soon, won't it?" he stated. His rough hands ran over the soft skin under them, and Christine closed her eyes as she thought of the idea. Indeed, it wouldn't be very much longer until their child arrived in the world to join them. The thought of it both frightened and excited her. "Come now," Erik said, his voice jolting her from her thoughts as she realized his touch had moved from her stomach to her back, "Sorelli will be here any moment, and we certainly can't have you soaking wet when you greet her." Laughing, Christine nodded her agreement before reluctantly standing up from the tub. As Erik helped her out of the bathwater and into a new dress, she recalled the news of Meg's own child.
It was a boy, and Meg had decided to name him Yevon. The name meant 'archer' and the two friends had both agreed that it would be a fine name for what they hoped to be a strong boy. Meg had finally decided upon the name after seeing her son and the already apparent spirit of a fighter. Though he was born prematurely, he had been expected around the time of Christine's child, he was already lively and active.
"Christine?" a voice asked her patiently. Blinking, Christine nodded her head, clearing herself from the distracting thoughts, and looked around the new surroundings. She was now currently located in the kitchen and Erik was gently guiding her to a pulled-out chair. "Christine, Sorelli will be here any moment now, okay? Do you need anything, ma chérie?" Christine couldn't help but show her excited smile as she placed her hand over her abdomen once again.
"No, I'm fine," she replied before feeling her stomach move from inside her. Her face instantly lit up as she turned to her husband. "Erik, the baby's kicking again!" Instantly at her side, Erik fell to his knees and pressed both his hand and face against the swell of her clothed stomach. He could easily feel his child's feet pressing against it's home and he broke out into a wide grin.
"Be patient, Jolee. You'll be out of there before you know it," he whispered to her stomach, pressing his lips against it in a soft kiss. Christine simply smiled down at him, touched at the scene, as her own hand was resting over his.
"Hurry up, Jolee!"
"Now, now," Erik scolded playfully, "don't rush her, love." Gently kissing her stomach once again, he lifted himself up from the ground and brushed aside the wet locks before kissing his wife's forehead. "I'll be right back, alright, Christine? Call for me if you need anything," he said before turning around and walking out of the kitchen. When Christine was sure that he had left, she leaned fully back into the chair, a dreamy sigh escaping her lips as she allowed her mind to wander.
Her eyes looked around the room, trying to find something to focus on, before she finally spotted the window leading outside into the garden. The whole area was covered in a light blanket of snow, and she smiled. So much had happened since she learned of her pregnancy nine months ago, and it seemed like everything had just rushed by her, almost as if she was in a dream-like state the whole time. Events passed by her, like pictures being flashed, as she thought of the time leading up to where she currently was: her and Erik's blissful wedding, watching him every night as he sung gentle lullabies to their unborn child, and even being reunited with him after weeks of isolation.
But, of course, there were still haunting memories that plagued her dreams and followed her around even in broad daylight. Even though it had happened months ago, Christine was still disturbed by the memory of Raoul forcing himself onto her, and even more so with the way her and Erik had reacted to it. At first, she shied away from her husband, too afraid of how he would think of her to allow him to get close. But, after she had disappeared with Sorelli and talked to a mysterious woman, Christine returned to her home and was immediately confronted by Erik. They fought, which Christine had expected, and many words were passed from one to the other in their raised voices. Eventually, Christine told him of her true feelings about the situation before leaving him to stand alone in the room as she took refuge in their bedroom.
Though Erik apologized late into the night, and though Christine had forgiven him, the young brunette still was fearful. She become even more reluctant to leave the safety of their cottage and surrounding area, fearing an encounter with the man that had, without a doubt, put her through hell. And, much to her relief, Erik agreed with her on the notion. He had stated that, along with the threat of Raoul, she had to start taking better care of herself since she was becoming far along with her child. So, to him, the ability to keep a constant watch over her was ideal.
And now, here she was, patiently awaiting the return of her husband and the arrival of her child.
"Oh, Jolee," she whispered quietly, leaning forward slightly so as to whisper to her. "I cannot wait until you get here. I'm becoming so excited that I fear I might lose myself in it!" Feeling a kick against her palm in response, she smiled warmly before straightening out and closing her eyes. Things really were starting to seem like a complete dream, everything going by so quickly that it hardly seemed like everything she went through had truly happened.
But now was not the time for such thoughts. Time had gone by, from the pregnancy in spring to the cold winter nine months later, and their was nothing that she could do to change anything. Not that she wanted anything to change to begin with.
Sighing in contentment, Christine opened her brown eyes to continue watch the snow fall outside the window. However, it was while she did this she began to feel the oddest sensation...
~0~
"Erik," his angel's voice called out. Said man sighed, wondering what Christine would want to eat for the night. Her choice was different everyday, the cravings never staying in one place. Thus was the reason why he was out in the cold weather, bent over a tilled bed as he set up a blanket to protect the grown food from the light snow before he was ready to gather them. Tightening the knot on one of the sticks that kept the blanket propped up, Erik then stood to his full height as he surveyed his work.
"Erik!" Christine called out again, her voice more desperate than last. It was clear that she was in a great deal of pain, and Erik didn't need to hear his name being called again to bolt into the kitchen and run up to his wife, currently bent over her stomach in an attempt to cope with the pain. Reaching his hands out, he managed to pull her into a somewhat upright position so that he could see what was wrong. Almost instantly, he spotted a dark stain on the dress he had placed in her but moments ago and panic immediately filled him. He knew what was happening and, as he picked up his panting wife, wondered where the hell Sorelli was.
"The baby's coming; where's Sorelli?" Christine asked breathlessly, speaking aloud his own questions.
"She'll be coming soon, Christine," he said, reassuring her as he carried her toward their bedroom and gently placed her down on the bed. "Just...Just breathe, Christine," he instructed. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you." Christine furiously nodded her head, doing as told as she leaned over again, clutching her stomach so tightly that her knuckles were beginning to turn white.
"Erik, it hurts," Christine moaned, clenching her jaw as a contraction hit. Her abdomen seared with pain and her vision wavered slightly. As it passed, she removed her hands from her stomach and wrapped them around Erik's neck, breathing heavily. The pain was beginning to grow, and she only wondered with fear how much more it would hurt.
"Do what Sorelli told you," he said, "those breathing exercises." Though he had already told her to do so, he was at a loss on what to do as Christine began screaming, another contraction hitting her hard. As he held gently onto her, whispering soothing and encouraging words into her ear, he wondered what was keeping the woman so long.
~0~
Sorelli entered the quiet room, gazing upon her daughter as she carefully held onto her sleeping son. "Would you like to come with me to Christine's?" the woman asked Meg, remaining in the doorway.
"I'd love to," she said, her voice happy and light as she readjusted her hold on the baby. "Just let me get Yevon ready before we go." Nodding in agreement, Sorelli left the door's entrance as Meg stood up from the rocking chair she had been resting in and gently placed Yevon into his crib. Walking to the small bureau placed off to the opposite wall, she opened one of the drawers and shifted through it's contents before finding a warm blanket. Grabbing it and pulling I out, she then walked to the rocking chair and quickly placing it over the wood as she reached down into the crib and picked up her sleeping child.
"Come along, Yevon," she whispered, gently kissing the top of his head as she swaddled the babe. "We're going to see Christine now, dear."
"Meg!" Madame Giry called out, returning to the door with Meg's coat in hand. "Hurry along now, we're going to be late." Quickly placing the coat onto her body, Meg followed closely after her mother, huddling her son close so that it would fight off the cold, and continued to do so until they arrived at the opera house.
It didn't take them long until they moved through the backstage and into the labyrinth underneath, then out onto the open field that held the cottage the expecting couple lived in. "Has Christine's baby come yet?" Meg asked as the two women stopped, looking over Yevon to see that he was still warm.
"No, but it'll be any day now," Sorelli said as she fussed over her grandson, tucking the blanket tightly around him as her daughter smiled. However, as she kissed the top of his head the small child began fussing, something both woman had grown quite unaccustomed to.
Hearing a painful scream echo throughout the field, Meg glanced at her mother and began running towards the house with her, only the thought of Christine in pain on both their minds. When they arrived at the front door, Sorelli threw it open only to be greeted by Christine's painful cries. "Sorelli?" Erik called out, his voice loud enough to be heard over the cries. "Is that you?"
Running towards the source of the man's words and the woman's sobs, Sorelli threw open the door to the bedroom and frowned slightly upon the sight of Erik desperately holding Christine, trying to take her mind off the pain. "She's in a lot of pain," Erik explained, looking up to the older woman as he held his crying wife close. "I don't know what to do! I can't stand seeing her like this."
"She's in labor; it's suppose to be painful. There's nothing you can do. Now let her go for now," she explained, trying to remain calm since it seemed the other adult in here clearly had no intention of doing so.
"Isn't there anything I can do?" he asked, ignoring the woman's orders.
"No," she said forcefully. "Now let her go." Looking down at his wife, Erik reluctantly lowered her back down onto the mattress, having been slightly holding her the whole time in an attempt to comfort her, and moved back slightly. His presence was quickly replaced by the ballet mistress as she whispered a few calming words to the woman before moving down the bed and carefully moving the hem of the dress up until it rested at her waist.
"You aren't that dilated yet," she explained as Christine rubbed her stomach worriedly, biting back a particular painful moan caused from another contraction, "so you probably have several hours to go. Are you hot or cold?"
"Hot," Christine replied weakly. Sorelli nodded in response.
"Get me a bowl of water and some clean cloths," she said aloud to the two persons standing off to the side, not really caring all to much who answered. Meg, instantly jumping on the opportunity, dragged Erik outside the room along with her before handing off her still sleeping son then walked off to retrieve said items. By the time Erik realized what had just happened, Meg had returned and shut the door tightly before he had the chance to get in.
"It's going to be okay, Christine," Meg promised, placing down the water-filled basin she had grabbed onto the floor before taking a cloth and soaking it in water. Quickly wringing it out, she went up to her friend and pressed it against her face, watching as her friend sighed when the cool water touch her burning skin.
"Where's Erik?" she asked, her brown eyes looking around desperately for her missing husband before another moan escaped her throat. The contractions were starting to become more painful, and she was barely able to get through them without Erik at her side. She didn't know if she'd be able to get through this whole birth without him beside her.
Taking the cloths Meg had set off to the side, Sorelli took a few of them and placed it near the foot of the bed before setting the rest off to the side. "Go get Erik if she wants, Meg," she instructed.
~0~
Having been shut out from the room containing his wife and daughter, Erik stood dumbfounded before the door as he held Meg's small child in his hands. Unsure of what to do he turned from the door and began walking further into the house before arriving in the nursery room he had built for his own child. Gently, as he was scared that he was going to harm- possibly break- the tiny being, he put Yevon into the crib.
"Now...you listen here," he said to the child, who was now awake and staring up at him with bright, expecting eyes. "When...When Jolee gets here you need to be...nice..." he trailed off, miffed as Yevon began squealing in delight at his warning. The gesture, however, began to make Erik laugh. Why am I talking to this child as if he could understand me, he thought with mirth before turning away from the crib. Seeing a rather comfortable looking rocking chair placed in the room, he soon found himself sitting in it and watching Yevon as he squealed and tried to talk. The sound was drowning out the painful screams of his wife, which was beginning to bother him as they clearly turned more desperate and distressed.
Leaning forward, Erik buried his face into the palms of his hands, trying to block off the noise that seemed like a grate against his heart. The thought of his beautiful angel going through so much pain and suffering was starting to drive him insane. And the screams, the sobbing, just kept coming. Time never seemed to pass, yet when he looked up to the small little clock he realized that several hours had indeed flown by.
Hearing footsteps approach the small nursery, Erik didn't even bother to lift his head up as Meg opened the door and peered inside. "Erik?" she said, taking in the scene of the man, appearing defeated, as he tried to stop his heart breaking from the sound of his wife's cries. "Christine needs you," she explained. "The baby's taking awhile, and she doesn't think that she can make it through-" Before she could even finish her sentence, Erik ran past her in a blur of black and quickly made his room into the bedroom.
"What the hell are you doing to her!" he demanded, running instantly to Christine's side. Sorelli glared at him as he whispered soothing words into Christine's ear before turning back to her, glaring right back at the woman.
"I'm not doing it, your child is!"
"This didn't happen before you came!" he shouted in retort.
"You're being completely irrational. If you're going to go insane, leave," Sorelli replied calmly before turning back to the task of helping Christine deliver the child.
"I'm not leaving," Erik hissed. Turning to Christine, he wiped away the sweat beading on her forehead. "Are you okay? How much does it hurt?"
"Lots..." she whispered, her voice weak from the earlier screaming. "Water..." she begged of him. Nodding his head, Erik turned to the smaller basin off to the side to get her some before he was stopped.
"Only give her ice chips, Erik," Madame Giry instructed, "unless you want her choking to death." Staring grimly at the woman, Erik didn't bother to reply before he took some of the ice chips set aside and pressed one against Christine's lips. As she took the cooling chip into her mouth, Erik carefully smoothed back her hair before kissing her forehead.
"On the next contraction, I need you to push," the older woman instructed, much to Christine's immediately refusal.
"I can't!" she exclaimed through her tears. "I can't do it. Bon Dieu, Erik, I'm not going to make it," Christine sobbed. Her whole body shook, trembled, as she cried. She was going to die, she knew it. That was the only thought in her mind as Erik wrapped his arms tightly around her. Their daughter was going to have to grow up without her, without a mother. However, Christine was sure that Sorelli could be a wonderful replacement. "Take good care of her, Erik," she said through tightly clenched teeth.
"Don't say that," Erik ordered, his voice demanding as he took her hand in his. "You will make it through this, Christine. And I will be right here with you. I know it seems like it's unbearable now, but soon our daughter will be with us and it will be over."
"Christine, I need you to push on the next contraction!" Taking a deep breath, the frail woman lifted herself forward and push with all the strength she had left in her. "Good!" Sorelli praised. Collapsing back onto the pillows, Christine panted heavily as Erik kissed the top of her head.
"Jolee's almost here, love," he whispered encouragingly. Nodding weakly in agreement, Christine waited with baited breath until the next contraction came crashing down on her already weak body. The pain was so great, she couldn't even cry anymore, just keep pushing until it finally stopped. Collapsing back onto the pillows again, she heard a loud cry.
Quickly standing up with a screaming, bloody child in her hands, Sorelli smiled warmly up at Christine. "It's a girl," she whispered before grabbing some left over cloths and placing the child in them, still holding her as she leaned forward and handed Erik the scissors. "Would you like to cut the umbilical cord?" she asked. Nodding his head, though it was clear that he was nervous and unsure, Erik walked over and quickly did as told before Sorelli stood to her full height and walked off to the basin of water Erik had eyed earlier.
Washing off the baby, she quickly grabbed a warm blanket and swaddled her before handing the still screaming child to it's mother. "Congratulations," she said with a wide grin. Reaching out with trembling arms, Christine took her baby in her arms as Erik walked back up beside her, sitting on the edge of the bed as he peered down. She couldn't stop smiling, despite how utterly exhausted she felt, as she rocked the crying child and held her close.
"Hello, little one," she whispered, kissing the top of her head before pulling down the hem of her dress so that Jolee could nurse. Lifting her head up to see her husband, her smile grew more bright as Erik looked down at their daughter, his eyes swimming with tears threatening to spill.
"She's beautiful..."
"Of course she is," Christine told him, reaching up and gently touching the baby's face. "She's ours." Out of the corner of his eyes, Erik noticed that Meg and Sorelli were exiting the room in hushed whispers, but put aside the thoughts as he bent down so that his head rested atop Christine's, his emerald eyes gazing down at his nursing child.
"Ours..." he whispered, feeling his eyes start to sting. Christine noticed and tilted her head up further to kiss him on the cheek.
"Our family."
"Can I...Can I hold her?" he asked her nervously. Nodding her head, she waited until Jolee was done nursing and carefully held her out for him to take in his own arms. Slightly scared, Erik gently picked her up and held her close. One of his hands supported more than half her tiny body, and the other held whatever was left. "Will I break her?"
Christine giggled, "No, of course not, silly. Just be sure to support her head." Erik suddenly froze, completely stiff, as he noticed his tiny daughter begin to fuss.
"What do I do?" he asked Christine, beginning to sound panicked.
"Rock her," she advised. "She just wants attention, Erik." As he wondered how exactly he was to perform that task, he looked down as he heard the strangest noise. Jolee was crying. He didn't know what to do as he attempted to calm down his child.
"Is she crying because of how I look?" he asked, his heart sinking in his chest as he realized that he was currently not wearing his mask.
"No, Erik," she said sternly. "Babies cry; it's just what they do."
"But why after she looks at me for the first time?"
"It's just bad timing, Erik. Trying singing to her." Erik paused, looking down at his daughter as she squirmed in his hands before taking a deep, shaky breath.
"What is a youth...? Impetuous fire..." he sung softly, peering down at his child as he watched the soothing affect of his deep voice on her. "What is a maid? Ice and desire... The world wags on..."
"Erik, that's a rather inappropriate song for a newborn," Christine scolded slightly, yet Erik only smiled in response as Jolee's cries stopped.
"But she's likes it, dear," he pointed out. "See?" Christine only sighed.
"You two are going to drive me mad." Erik smiled in return before leaning forward and kissing her gently.
"She's perfect..." he whispered, leaning closer to his wife so that Jolee rested against her chest, still being carefully held in his hands. "Never before have I felt so...at peace..." His emerald eyes, glistening with all the tears that were beginning to form, turned to look at Christine. "I love you."
~0~
E: Hello again, my lovelies! Did anyone miss me all these lone weeks? I know I missed all of you.
C: Shouldn't you be working on that journal for class?
E: I should...start. *heh heh* Yea, I haven't even started yet. I really should, because I'm about five or so days behind. It's not my fault I don't understand it! Besides, I'd much rather waste my times with my lovely stories all happy and typy and...stuff.
C: Typy isn't a word. Good Lord, you are out to kill me!
E: It's not my fault! Made up words are the best words!
C: Ugh, I still remember all those words you told me that you misspelled. My head and heart were actually hurting from all the...horror.
E: Oh, psh. Anyways, I deeply apologize for how long it took me to write this. I just had major troubles blocking my creativity, but someone who has become very close to me has brought me out of my little funk.
C: So, we both hope that everyone enjoyed the chapter. I still don't understand why Erik spent so much time whining, I think that it turned out wonderful in the end.
E: Yea, yea, yea. As always, please review on the chapter. I spent a long time writing it, so make sure to reward me!
C: We can't wait to see everyone for the next chapter.
E: Until next time, we hoped you enjoyed the chapter.