Erik would have fainted, but was afraid Christine would have panicked at having to see him like that. Instead he stared incredulously at her.
"Love me?" He shook his head. "You said you needed time for us to even attempt friendship again. How could….. No, there is no way that…."
She persisted. "I love you. I have loved you for a long time and you know I do." She caressed his unmasked cheek. "You knew before I was able to admit it to myself. For so long I dreamed of telling my angel that I loved him and now, despite these peculiar circumstances, I can." She gazed into his eyes. "That is, if you let me."
"Oh Christine, there is nothing I want more in this world but…."
"But what?" She gave him a weak smile.
"I don't know what is supposed to happen now." He looked perplexed.
She took his hand. "Say you love me, Erik and kiss me. Kiss me as a man in love and kiss me without that blasted mask."
So much was weighing on him. He had to tell her about his past and with that, surely all his dreams would vanish once again. For this was not a dream, in a dream they could go on forever as one and never look back. Yet reality was waiting to intrude and bring him down once more. He was just about to tell her why he couldn't do what she asked, when he saw her look at him with such love and hope in her eyes. Suddenly, the fears and doubts and skepticism all went away. He pushed his conscience to the side and ripped off his mask, pulling her towards him.
"You know I love you. I have only ever loved you."
He then pressed his lips to hers and they finally experienced a proper kiss between two willing and eager lovers.
While both were inexperienced, Christine reveled in the fact that this was now her second kiss. Erik tried to remember all the romance books he had read over the years, to give him instruction on how to handle such an experience that he had previously only dreamed about. After a few minutes, their mouths seemed to realize that they were actually magnets, destined to be pressed together.
At first their kisses were tender and slow, but soon became much more passionate and when he heard Christine make the most adorable sound, it gave him confidence that she was enjoying it and that he must have been doing it right. He deepened the kiss before the need for air caused them to break apart.
They stared at one another with such an intensity that Christine found herself having to kiss Erik again. She needed to be close to him and feel his body against hers. She had never known this kind of feeling before, except maybe during their singing lessons. Yet she actually thought she preferred this activity much better. She had to feel it again with him, only with him.
This time, their hands caressed their bodies, while their lips possessed them. In a moment, he couldn't quite explain, he picked her up and carried her to couch. Their lips parted long enough for Erik to caress her chin.
"Are you alright? Was it… Am I….."
"Angel, I have never felt so alive."
"So you… You don't want to stop?"
"Stop?! Are you mad? How could I possibly want to stop?" She was about move towards him, but then she paused. "Do you? Do you wish to stop, Erik?"
He shook his head like a fool. "You are the most beautiful, desirable woman in the world. What kind of a fool would want to stop?"
"Good." She then brought his face closer to hers and pressed her lips to his once more.
As Erik and Christine were getting lost in the moment of their kisses, Madame Giry was arriving to check in on Erik. When she entered his home, she decided to stop in the kitchen to prepare some broth but came to an abrupt halt when she passed the living room and saw Christine and Erik on the couch. She wanted to rage at once but stopped herself. Instead she cursed herself for entering Erik's home unannounced and felt embarrassed but also a little proud that her two children had actually managed to confess their feelings. She then swallowed hard and walked quickly out the door. If he does anything disgraceful, I'll kill him.
There was a ruckus from Madame Giry's leaving the room so quickly that Erik forced himself to tear his lips away from Christine's.
"Did you hear that?"
"Huh?" She was still lost in the moment to hear Erik clearly.
"It sounded as if someone had left the room. Who could have…?" He then glanced at the clock by the mantel. "Oh no."
"What is it?" Christine caught her breath.
"Annie was here."
"Annie?" Then Christine covered her mouth. "Madame?"
"Damn the woman! I will force her to return all my keys. She knows where the alarms are, so I didn't hear her coming."
"She saw us." Christine's face began to redden.
"Christine, I am so sorry. I never meant for…."
She then started to laugh.
"Christine?"
"Can you imagine the look on her face?" She started to laugh even louder.
Erik suddenly had a vision of his friend being so shell-shocked she couldn't utter one word. "Had I known I could have gotten her to stop talking, I would have kissed you in front of her sooner." He then starts to laugh as well.
"I love the way you laugh."
He stopped. "You do?"
She nodded quickly. "I love you." She threw her arms around his neck.
"I love you, too."
She then smiled. "I am so happy. How did this happen? I was so scared and miserable yesterday."
"We weren't kissing yesterday?" He winked.
"Better start making up for lost time!"
He took her in his arms and resumed their position on the couch.
A/N: Happy and no cliffhanger.
