A/N: Hello, everyone! As always, I would like to thank everyone who reviewed – you all just make my day! Enjoy the chapter!
Christine's POV
When I awoke in the morning, at first I was confused by the unfamiliar sound of two voices drifting up from the floor below. I sat up and gently stroked Ayesha, who was curled up beside me, as sleep slowly cleared from my mind. The first voice was Erik's – I could recognize it anywhere – but the second… belonged to Nadir, I realized after a moment. It seemed so strange for there to be another person here after month of being alone with Erik. I decided that I was perfectly happy with it being just the two of us normally. Maybe I shouldn't have felt that way, but I didn't really care.
I pulled myself out of bed and showered and dressed quickly, knowing that they were probably waiting for me downstairs, and it wasn't good manners for a hostess to keep her guest waiting for her. Was that what I was – a hostess? That would imply that the house was my home as much as it was Erik's, that we were equals here… almost as if we were married.
I felt a slight pang of longing as I thought the word, even though I knew it was ridiculous. Why should I even think about wanting to get married? I was only nineteen, and besides that I was already sure that Erik and I would be together for the rest of our lives; we needed each other as much as we needed food or water or air or anything else that kept us alive, and I knew that I would always have him. Why should I care at all about a ceremony, a simple formality that declared that we loved each other? I didn't even know if a legal marriage would be possible considering there was no legal record of Erik's existence.
I made myself push the thoughts aside – I felt a little weird thinking about marriage, and even weirder knowing that I wanted it, or at least some small part of me did. Instead I focused on finishing getting dressed and heading downstairs.
Erik and Nadir sat at the breakfast table, talking casually. Erik smiled when he saw me entering, and I thought of how much I loved his smile and how happy seeing it made me. I went over to him and kissed him on the cheek before sitting down beside him and beginning the breakfast that was waiting for me.
"Christine, I was just telling Erik that I've heard wonderful things about your voice," Nadir said to me.
Erik scoffed. "Wonderful doesn't even begin to describe her voice, Daroga," he said. "Even the best reviews that she received from her performances last year don't do her justice."
"Erik's just a little biased," I laughed. "And he thinks way too much of my voice – it's really just alright, nothing that special."
"I may be biased, Christine, but your voice is absolutely better than alright," Erik said firmly. "You're perfect, divine, and anyone who has heard you sing would agree to that without hesitation."
I blushed at Erik's praise. "I'm only good because you made me good," I said softly, which earned me an affectionate smile.
"Daroga, perhaps you, being a relatively unbiased audience, could provide Christine with a little more clarity on how good she is," Erik said. "She seems to have forgotten how much audiences adored her."
Nadir smiled at the suggestion. "How could I possibly refuse a private performance by the highly-acclaimed Christine Daae?"
We set up in one of the music rooms after breakfast, clearing sheets of music off of a chair so Nadir could sit. Erik sat down at the piano to accompany me, flipping through the scores of pieces that we had worked on over the last months. "What would you like to sing, my dear?" he asked me.
I thought for a moment. "A duet."
Erik chuckled. "The Daroga wants to hear you, my dear, not me."
"Actually, I'm quite intrigued," Nadir said. "I know of your musical genius, Erik, but I've never heard you sing."
Erik sighed. "Christine will sing something alone first. Then we will sing together." Songs were quickly decided on, and Erik played a few opening bars for me before I began.
"Think of me,
think of me fondly,
when we've said goodbye.
Remember me
every so often –
promise me you'll try.
On that day,
that not so distant day,
when you are far away and free –
if you ever find a moment,
spare a thought for me."
I sang the song with the masterfulness that came only through Erik's teaching, that always surpassed my knowledge of what I could do, and my voice soared through the melody. As soon as the final notes rang out, clear and strong just as Erik had taught me, Nadir rose to his feet and applauded.
"I have to agree with Erik, at least on this matter," he said. "That was brilliant, Christine."
"Thank you. And now for our duet," I said brightly. Singing with Erik, hearing his ethereal voice harmonizing with mine, was always exciting for me. It was easy to get lost in the music when Erik sang. Again, Erik played a few bars opening and I began the song.
"Once upon another time,
our story had only begun.
You chose to turn the page,
And I made choices too.
Once upon that other time,
we did what we thought must be done.
And now we have no choice.
We do what we must do…
We love.
We live.
We give what we can give,
and take what little we deserve."
When Erik joined in I became wrapped in the deep, warm resonance of his voice, so melodious and rich that it was inhuman.
"Once upon another time,
I knew how our story would end,
and maybe I was wrong,
but now the moment's gone.
Were it still that other time,
I'd make time itself somehow bend!
But now I'm not that strong,
and time keeps moving on."
Our voices joined together in an unearthly harmony as the song reached a beautiful crescendo.
"We love.
We live.
We give what we can give,
and take what little we deserve.
We love.
We live.
We give what we can give,
and take what little we deserve…
Once upon another time."
We finished the song with just as much applause from Nadir, if not more. I laughed and curtsied playfully, feeling happy and very much in love – music had a way of connecting me to Erik like nothing else could. Erik's music always had that effect on me; it solidified my bond to him, made us complete in a way that was still beyond my understanding. It entwined our very beings irreversibly.
Erik's POV
After a few days, I was almost getting used to have Nadir around. Of course, that didn't mean that he was always the most welcomed presence.
It was starting to be frustrating, not being able to be alone with Christine for more than a few moments, not being able to hold her and kiss her like I wanted to. I had become very spoiled, I realized, during the short time I had been allowed to kiss her freely. It still seemed unbelievable to me that she could love me as I loved her, and I treasured and craved her gentle touch more than anything in the world. And now that Nadir was around constantly, every touch, every kiss, was chaste and sweet, no more than what would be done in public. After about a week I was ready for Nadir to leave if only so I could kiss Christine properly again, and whenever we wanted.
The few moments that we had together, too, were often interrupted, almost as if Nadir was doing it on purpose. He would just walk casually into the room, not even noticing us, and sit down with a book before glancing up and, seeing us staring back at him, saying, "Oh, hello," or "Oh, there you are."
I would roll my eyes, and one time Christine dissolved into a fit of embarrassed giggles before excusing herself from the room, muttering something about being tired.
"So," I said, matching Nadir's nonchalance. "Have you started looking into any long-term arrangements yet?"
Nadir sniggered. "Kicking me out already?"
"Soon," I said, "but not quite yet, I suppose. Unless, of course, you somehow manage to start being even more unbearable than you are now."
"I'll probably get an apartment in the city," Nadir went on. "I've found that I quite like it there, even if I have only spent brief amounts of time there before. Besides, that way I'll be close in case I feel like bothering you."
"Thanks for the consideration," I said dryly, making Nadir smirk.
"I know that you and Christine are happy and doing well now, which is what I came here to learn," Nadir said after a second. "And I'm sure that the two of you are ready to have this place to yourselves again."
"What in the world could make you think that?" I asked sarcastically. "But I am glad that you can see that we're happy and that I'm not holding her here against her will. Besides, who knows? – maybe it will be nice having someone who could visit once in a while."
"Well then, once I get an apartment, I would be happy to visit the two of you whenever you want me to, and probably when you don't want me to, as well."
I had to chuckle at this, then paused for a second. "Daroga," I began. "There's an idea that I've been having lately, and for once I would actually like to hear your opinion of it."
Nadir sat up a little straighter, sitting a little closer to the edge of the chair, intrigued. "And just what might this idea be?"
"Something that I need your help with," I told him. "A surprise for Christine."
What do you think? I probably won't be able to update again until Saturday or Sunday because I'll be at All State Orchestra, but if I get enough reviews, I might be persuaded to blow off school work to update sooner. Maybe I'd even update over the weekend as well as over Valentine's day – I have some super special chapters as Valentines to you all!
By the way, songs in this chapter were from Phantom and Love Never Dies – I obviously do not own them.