I am so incredibly sorry that I continue to suddenly disappear without warning. Things as always are crazy, but who has a life that isn't just a little bit insane? I apologize and do hope to redeem myself.

Christine woke with a smile on her lips and a blush on her cheeks. Stretching her arms over her head, she opened her eyes, turning her head to behold the glorious sight of Erik's bare upper body, and his even more breath taking bare face. She slowly leaned over, gently running her hand across the right side of his face, her heart swelling with the love she felt for this man.

Before his eyes even opened, Erik's hand was atop Christine's his thumb brushing against her smooth skin. He opened his eyes to find her gazing down at him with all her love for him so clearly on her features. She leaned up, kissing her, wanting to make love to her all over again.

"Good morning beautiful," he whispered against her lips, pulling her on top of him and wrapping her in his strong embrace.

"Good morning my love," she breathed in return, her hands moving to his hair, wrapping the black strands around her fingers. He looked up at her with a mischievous grin, his fingers skating along her bare, silky back. It didn't take long till they once again succumbed to their mutual desires.

X

Meg grinned as she saw Christine's name flash on the screen of her cellphone. She cleared her throat and took on a serious tone as she answered.

"My, my missy. It's three in the afternoon. You were supposed to call me when you got home last night. I hope you have a good excuse and an even better apology."

Christine grinned, biting her lip before replying. "Well I don't know if this will suffice, but I do have an excuse. A hot, amazing, glorious excuse."

Meg giggled, settling herself down on the couch as she waited for Christine to spill whatever details she could squeeze out of her.

X

Nadir glared at the man before him, wondering how this man could have possibly made such horrible mistakes. He was just glad that the repairs on the opera were almost complete. He was more than a little shocked when Erik didn't show up that day. But he knew that both Erik and Christine needed to be spending more time together and he was glad that Erik had finally realized it, though he was sure it took some convincing on Christine's part.

He crossed his arms over his chest, staring the man down, "I expect you and your crew to be done with this by the end of the week, or you'll have Mr. Destler to deal with." He almost laughed at the expression those words left on the mans face.

X

The room was hot, almost unbearably so, something that neither of the sweat-pant clad people failed to notice as moved across a blue mat.

"Stop pouncing me damn it!" Erik growled, grabbing Christine's shoulders to prevent her from launching herself at him.

"I'm just trying to defend myself!" She countered, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting.

"Good try, but seeing as I haven't even attacked you yet, you're doing nothing more than creating a frustrating situation," Erik fumed, glaring at her in a way that had her knees turning to jelly.

"Oh shut up and stop being a pansy," Christine grinned, knowing that it wouldn't be long till Erik was beyond words and would be all man in a passionate fury.

In the blink of an eye, Erik had grabbed her, her back to his chest, her wrists closed in an iron grip behind her back. She sighed, knowing she'd have to try and work her way out of his hold, but not quite wanting to at the moment.

"Where's all your spunk now?" He taunted, pulling her back against his body, his breath fanning against her neck. She wondered if he thought he was actually being menacing, because at the moment, the only thing she was afraid of was how much she wanted him in that moment.

She gulped, forcing herself to take a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't see the flush on her skin as she attempted to pull herself together. She pushed her naughty thoughts from her mind and concentrated on the situation at hand. What were her instincts telling her? They told her to try and wrench her arms from his grasp, but she knew that wouldn't be enough. She furrowed her brow for a moment, and then, at a loss for what else to do, she slammed her foot down on his and in the next moment, used her entire body weight to try and force herself out of his grip. They were both surprise when, a second later, she her wrists were free. She looked up at him, her eyes wide, not sure if he let her go, or if her idea actually worked.

"Not how I would have gone about it, but effective none the less…"he muttered, wincing slightly at the throbbing pain that was now radiating from his foot. Christine smirked, shrugging a shoulder as she walked away from him, grabbing her water bottle and tossing him his own.

"What would you have done different?" She asked, relishing the cooling feeling of the water as it worked its way down her throat.

"Well you were right in stomping on my foot, but the next thing after getting a hand, or in your case, hands free, would have been to turn slightly, raising your elbow, and basically slamming it into my face," Erik replied nonchalantly, walking over to her.

"You want me to slam my elbow into your face?" She asked, incredulous that he'd allow himself to take such a beating.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I doubt you would deal much harm Christine, and anyway, I was thinking that you wouldn't actually slam it into my face, just simulate doing so, to demonstrate the proper way to get out of such a hold."

Christine frowned, offended by his opinion of her strength. She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "I could hurt you if I wanted," she mumbled, looking down at the mat.

There was a pause before Erik responded. "I've no doubt you could," he said, his voice emotionless. He made a show of stretching before looking at her with a grin. "Well I think that's enough for today princess. We wouldn't want you to strain yourself."

Christine felt blood rush to her face and neck, her temper instantly flaring as he knew it would. "Don't you dare patronize me, or I swear, I will kick your ass!"

Erik let out a roar of laughter, looking at her with the biggest grin she'd ever seen on his face. He was enjoying this!

"If you're trying to piss me off, it's working. Don't think that just because you are a man, it makes you stronger than me, or gives you more stamina. I am just as capable, if not more so, than you are of spending the day going over this crap you call self defense. Or is it that you're the tired one, and you're afraid I'll leave bruises on that precious skin of yours." Christine heard her voice shaking, and cursed herself for it. If anything, she needed lessons on how to control her volatile temper.

Christine scoffed as she watched Erik shake his head, chuckling the entire time, as he gathered their things and headed for the door. She narrowed her eyes, and raises her arm above her head, threw her water bottle as hard as she could, aiming for his head, but happy enough to see it hit his back. He stopped in his tracks and turned around, fixing her with a glare that made her heart stop.

"You are going to pay for that my dear," Erik purred in a voice that made her sure she would definitely regret her action. In an instant he had crossed the mat and the next thing she knew, he had grabbed her. She nearly swallowed her tongue as she looked up into his smoldering eyes. She looked up at him with all the courage she had, not sure what he was going to do, but hoping that he wouldn't plant her ass on the ground with one of his ridiculous ninja moves.

Christine yelped as he let out a ridiculously loud roar, and suddenly his head swooped down, his mouth on her neck. She laughed as he kissed her skin.

"You see, if I was a vampire, you'd now be either dead, or undead. Aren't you lucky you have a beast like me for a boyfriend instead?" Before she could reply, he'd hoisted her up, and threw her over his shoulder. She protested, reaching her hands down to swat at his shapely rear.

"Put me down, you ogre! I will not be carried about like a piece of meat!" She emphasized her point with another firm smack of his behind.

"But my dear, I'm only acting on my baser instincts-carrying you back to the cave to make sweet cave-man love to my woman." He thumped a hand against his chest, something Christine couldn't see, though she laughed all the same.

After promising to behave herself, at least until they got home, Christine was placed back on her own two feet. She smiled happily and smacked Erik's butt once more, before prancing out of the building towards the parking garage, knowing she was in for it once they got home.

XXX

One and a half weeks later

Christine was going to puke, she was sure of it, any second now she was going to toss her cookies, and then pass out. Meg stood behind her, a hand on her shoulder, whispering soothing words that had no effect on her whatsoever.

What had they been thinking giving her the leading role? Were they crazy? Surely they were, because there was no way she wasn't going to mess this up in one way or another. What if she forgot the words, or got nervous and missed a note, or stood in the wrong spot, or froze and did nothing at all? Erik would be so disappointed. She'd be so disappointed. She had wanted this so badly and for so long, and now, here it was. The moment her biggest dream was going to come true, and she was going to mess it up. The curtain would come up, and she'd pass out, or freeze, and then run off stage.

There was no way she could do this! No way. She'd just hurry off now and find the understudy. Surely, that would be all right. Surely she could do a much better job. Surely-

But Christine didn't get to finish that thought. For just as another negative thought started to form itself in her mind, the orchestra struck up and the curtain was rising. In an instant, the nervous bubble of anxiety and dread in her stomach was transformed into something else entirely. She smiled brightly and stepped into the spot light.