.

Always

Hold on to me
I'll steal you from the hardest day
Don't be afraid
You have me here to guide your way
Through storms I will be here
I will not disappear
Always by your side

Always, Always, Always, Always...

- Always, Scott Alan

Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, nor do I own the song Always.

Hello! It's been forever! I've caught up on a lot of reading (Which by the way, FP33 has a new story out Phantom's Proposal you should probably check out, and You Are Love's Gentlemen's Agreement is coming to a close *cries in the corner*- they're both wonderful, go read them!) and beta-ing and other things that needed to be done in real life, so not as much time as I'd like to have to write. But I'm back! Together, dear readers, have made it to 50 one-shots! When I started this little collection I never would have thought I would make it this far! So in celebration, we check back in on where we left Erik and Christine in my "Always" universe from chapter 1 and 25. It's a long one (around 4,000 words!), so there's plenty to read! You all are wonderful and thank you for all your love and support through the years- here's to the next 50!

As 'Always', read and review- hope you enjoy it!


The rain pitter-pattered against the window of the small house on the outskirts of Paris. A fire crackled in the fireplace, filling the house with warmth on the chilly, February day. Christine sat in her favorite chair as she listened to Erik compose across the room. She had finally convinced him to move his piano into the living area so that way she could watch him and be comfortable as he played for her. The music room was fine, but there was no where proper for her to sit, and her six month baby belly didn't exactly enjoy sitting on the floor and she knew annoyed Erik when she sat on the bench beside him when he composed. So, she sat content in her plushy chair listening to him play as her eyes drifted open and closed…

"Argh!"

Christine's eyes flew open and she looked over at her husband. He had ripped his current piece of handwritten music in half and had scooted the piano bench a good three feet away from the piano.

"Erik?" Christine didn't dare to say more than that during one of his rages. Even though she had been married to him for eleven years now, she still felt the need to give him room and stay quiet when his temper got the best of him.

Erik shook his head. "I just…I need inspiration!" he growled as he forcefully stood up and flipped the piano bench on its side.

Christine sighed. Erik had been working on a lullaby for their baby ever since she told him she was expecting, but overtime he wrote one he declared it was good enough for 'Christine's child'— which Christine gladly reminded him that it was just as much his child as it was hers— and into the fire it went. However, Christine knew why Erik was so frustrated the past few days: their baby wouldn't kick for him. Oh it would kick for Christine, but for whatever reason, their stubborn little angel refused to kick for its father.

"I'm sure you'll find inspiration somewhere dear- it can't be that difficult…" but Christine's voice trailed off once she saw the look on Erik's face.

So maybe it was more difficult than she thought.

With a sigh, she stood, walked over to him and placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Come, you've been working on this all morning, why don't you take a break, hm? I could make some tea and we can just sit, maybe then the baby will kick for you-"

"No she won't, she's so smart she already knows who the father is and refuses to. She hates me!" Erik groaned, turning around to face Christine.

Christine patted his arm. "The baby doesn't hate you…your timing is just a little off."

Erik shook his head and began to turn away. "I don't know if I'm even cut out to be a father…it's not as if I had one to look up to as an example for how one should be…my ownfather wasn't even aware I existed."

Christine caught his arm in hers before he could turn away. "Now you stop right there, Erik. You are going to be a wonderful father- you already are! Look at how much time you've dedicated to the baby already! The nursery, the cradle, the lullaby-"

"I'm so sick of hearing about that damn lullaby," Erik muttered under his breath.

"Erik!" Christine swatted him on the arm. "Now stop wallowing and listen. Do you think I know how to be a mother? I hardly even remember my own! My father was all I had growing up until Mama Valerius came into my life. We didn't have much, but we had each other and I had his love. That's what matters: that you love our baby, no matter what-"

"I do, but-"

"But nothing," Christine looked him square in the eye. How could he doubt something like that? "Just love our baby and the rest will fall into place, I promise." Christine finished, pulling him closer to her.

Erik looked skeptical yet thoughtful for a minute before his face turned into a mask of despair. "Christine, I'm not exactly young- what if something happens and…and…I mean it happened to your father-"

Christine quickly shushed him. "Stop this. Nothing is going to happen to you. Don't you even think about it. What happened to my father was…was…" Christine stopped as tears began to roll out her eyes without her permission before letting out a sob and clutching her husbands shirt, effectively pulling him closer.

"Oh Christine, I'm sorry…don't cry, don't cry— I won't bring up again, I swear. Please, for me, please stop crying…curse these hormones! Christine, forgive your Erik, you shouldn't cry. Erik promised to never make you cry," he said as he hugged her to her chest. They stayed that way until Christine could pull herself together.

"Erik, nothing is going to happen to either of us. We'll be fine and we'll always be together," Christine said through her tears as she looked up at Erik.

"Always?" Erik repeated, brushing a tear away from under her eye.

Christine sniffled and nodded. "Always."


Erik was quiet the rest of the day. He didn't touch the piano, nor his organ, nor his violin or any of the other instruments he had acquired and learned to play. He didn't sing, nor did he draw. Instead, he kept himself tucked away in their small 'library' as Christine liked to call it— in reality it was an extra room that Erik had installed book cases into and set two desks, one for himself and one for his dear Christine. By the time Christine had set the table for the two of them for supper he still didn't emerge. Christine walked over to the door of the library and knocked.

"Erik? The table is set— are you coming?" Christine asked through the door.

No reply.

"Erik?" Christine repeated, slightly worried. What if something had happened? Surely he wouldn't have done anything disastrous—

"Yes, I'll be right out."

Christine almost jumped out of surprise at her husband's answer. "Thank goodness," she whispered out of relief.

The door opened and Erik stepped out, looking a bit flustered. He walked straight to the dining room, never meeting Christine's eyes. Christine cocked an eyebrow and followed behind him. What had he been up to all day? She was immensely grateful that he hadn't done anything harmful, but his silence made her uneasy. The past eleven years had lightened him up and he usually talked more freely and almost always smiled at her. At least he hadn't resorted to putting his mask back on. She was proud of that fact. Truth be told, she didn't even know where the mask was- she hadn't seen it on him in over a year, at least while they were tucked safe inside their home. Outside was different: he always wore his flesh colored mask to walk about so as to not be stared at. But inside the house his walls had fallen and Christine had done her best to keep anything from rebuilding them.

Christine took a seat across from Erik and began to eat, however Erik just picked at his food. Christine frowned. She knew that he didn't have the biggest appetite, but he still usually ate.

"Erik…what's wrong? You can tell me," Christine spoke up, tired of his silence.

Erik finally met her eyes.

They looked red as if he'd been crying.

Instead of answering, he sighed and turned back to his still full plate.

Christine swallowed and looked back down at her plate. Why had he been crying? Had she done something? Had he done something? Was it the baby? If only the baby would kick for him then maybe he'd been fine—

"I've done some research."

Christine glanced up. "Research?"

Erik took a deep breath and then released it before nodding. "Yes, on what you would do if I was ever…not around…"

"Erik—" Christine warned, setting her fork down.

"Now wait just a minute before you pounce," Erik said, hands held up in defense. "I read that it is customary for a child to have godparents- more specifically a godfather," Erik finished.

"Oh," was all Christine could manage,

All that worry, all that pain, all that anxiety about his attitude all day, and it was all because of a godfather— ha! Christine pursed her lips together to do her best to not laugh, but the giggles burst forth. Christine laughed, relieved that all her worry was for nothing.

Erik glared at her from across the table.

"Christine, this is a serious matter. We need a godfather but we have no one to ask!" Erik said, seeming to be very concerned.

Christine settled and gave him a confused look. "What do you mean? What about Nadir?"

Erik looked at her with wide, incredulous eyes. "Oh, wouldn't that be just dandy. Hello, so sorry to have bothered you, but my wife is six months pregnant and oh, by the way: you're the godfather! It'd be an ideal way to give him a heart attack. Besides, I refuse to have that bumbling old imbecile to be my child's godfather. Here I thought you were a good judge of character…I wouldn't trust that man to watch over a rock!"

Christine rolled her eyes and reached across the table to hold her husband's hands. "Erik, I don't see the issue- he practically raised you! He's the reason you are sitting here across this table from me instead of in a coffin in the ground somewhere in Persia! He's your best friend— I simply don't see the issue."

Erik shook his head. "You don't know him like I know him, I'm the one who raised myself, he simply happened to be the one commissioned to watch over me, and you see how well that turned out," he snorted.

"He saved your life," she shot back.

"Oh not you too!" Erik groaned as he put his head in his hands.

Christine ignored him. "Think of how happy he'd be— it's like he'd be an Uncle or something. He'd feel included, it'd be so nice. He's all alone with Darius and I can only imagine how lonely that gets—"

"Darius is plenty company. I said it once, and I'll say it again- that boob of an old man can stay out of my child's life."

Christine huffed. "I'll ask Raoul."

Erik froze. "You wouldn't dare…"

"I would and I will," Christine stated, her eyebrow cocked.

Erik grumbled for a moment. He hated being reminded of him. That man had been out of their lives for years and Erik didn't intend to invite him back in. Erik pursed his lips before muttering one word:

"Fine."

Christine grinned.

"So there we have it, Nadir will do. Now…when are you going to tell him? Tomorrow? The sooner the better you know. Less chance for him to have a heart attack," she said with a wink as she ate a forkful of food.

Erik groaned.


Sun peeked in through the curtains of their bedroom, bathing the room in a soft, golden glow.

"Good morning to you too…" came Christine's groggy voice.

She was answered by a series of soft kisses pressed to the side of her neck and shoulders. She giggled and rolled over so that her eyes met her husband's. Erik lay beside her under the covers, one hand under his head and the other over his wife's ever-growing stomach. Erik gave a small smile- something that Christine rarely saw before she had shared the news of her pregnancy, but was now almost always present on Erik's face.

Especially when she smiled back.

"Do you know what today is?" she asked quietly as he began to trail his kisses down her arm.

"Hmm?" he hummed out.

Christine sighed and gave a slight roll of the eye. "We're meeting with Nadir, remember?"

Erik hesitated with his kissing.

"The old goat can wait…" and with that, Erik resumed.

Christine laughed and sat up with a slight groan. Erik pouted as she put a stop to his kissing adventure, but helped her sit upright.

"You can't put it off forever. He's your best friend, Erik," Christine said, looking down at him.

"You're my best friend," Erik replied as he sat up as well.

Christine smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "And you are mine, but he still deserves to know."

It was Erik's turn to roll his eyes and rest his chin in the palm of his hand. "I still say that my private affairs are of no concern to him."

Christine shook her head and placed her feet on the floor, slipping on her bed shoes. "And I say that he's a nice old man who cared for my husband before I could and he deserves some happiness," she retorted with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh come now! You make it sound as if the old ninny is my father!" Erik stood up as well and helped place a robe over his wife's shoulders.

"Well, I suppose I'll have to go on my own then-"

Erik gasped. "You will do no such thing! You can't go anywhere on your own! Think of the baby, what if you fell, or you were mugged, or-"

Christine placed a finger over his lips. "Then in that case help me get dressed."

Erik sighed, defeated.


Knock knock knock!

With Christine tucked safely under his arm against his side, Erik rapped on the Persian's door.

"Perhaps we should come back another time- he's probably asleep, old men are like cats you know…" Erik said hurriedly when the door failed to open.

Christine simply glared up at him.

"Fine, fine…" Erik raised his fist to knock once more, but the door was opened before he had the chance to knock again.

Darius stood behind the door frame peering out at the couple in front of him.

"Master Erik," Darius greeted as he gave a slight bow and opened the door wider.

Erik cleared his throat and stared at Darius, an expectant look in his eye.

"And Madame Christine, of course," Darius quickly added.

Erik nodded before leading Christine into the humble flat. Oriental decorations hung from the walls and fine silks were draped here and there. A soft, thick Persian rug— similar to the one in their own home— laid on the floor under their feet, and soft plush chairs were placed around the main room.

"Ah, Erik- you and Christine were supposed to have been here two hours ago if I'm remembering correctly," a voice came from behind them.

"Then your memory must be slipping in your old age…" Erik muttered as he turned around.

"I could say the same for you," said Nadir, taking a step closer.

"Old Goat." Erik took a step nearer.

"Old Bat." Nadir dared another step.

The two men stared at each other, noses— or lack thereof— inches from each other, before erupting into laughter. Nadir clapped his hand over Erik's shoulder as he doubled over laughing.

"Darius, put on some tea if you will," Nadir said to Darius as his laughter settled down. "…and get the brandy out while you're at it," he added after a moment before turning back to Erik.

"Have a seat, have a seat, it's been ages since I've seen the two of you, I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me," Nadir said as he plopped down into the closest chair.

"Believe me, I tried…" Erik mumbled.

Christine gave him a good elbow in the arm.

"We would never do that, we've simply been busy," Christine said quickly, covering up for Erik. She pulled her shawl closer to her, effectively hiding her stomach.

"Oh?" Nadir asked, leaning back in his chair.

Christine looked at Erik to continue. Erik refused to look at her back. Christine sighed and took matters into her own hands.

"Well, Erik has been wanting to tell you something—"

"Oh you're really going to pull me into like that? How childish of you…" Erik grumbled, cutting his wife off.

Nadir was incredibly confused. "I believe I'm quite lost— what news?"

Erik looked between Christine and Nadir before finding the words to say.

"I…I mean we…er…this is harder than I thought," Erik stuttered as her put his head in his hands.

Nadir raised his eyebrows. "Oh don't tell me, you're finally moving and I'm the one who has to find you a house. I should have known…you know it's about time you started doing your own dirty work for a change. Buying and delivering all your supplies underneath the opera for all those years was tedious—"

"No no no, that's not what I'm trying to say!" Erik quickly shushed him knowing that if he didn't, Nadir would go on for days.

How was he going to put this? Christine and himself and the doctor Erik had found were the only people who knew of Christine's pregnancy. How would the daroga even react? Would he attempt to take Christine away from him? Take the baby away from them? No, that wasn't going to happen, he would't allow it!

"Erik," Christine whispered as she placed a calm, gentle hand on his forearm.

Erik glanced at her only to see her give him a slight nod of her head. He sighed, he knew what had to be done.

"Christine…Christine would you stand up?" Erik said, eyes on the floor.

Christine slowly stood, her shawl dropping to the floor as she did.

Nadir gasped.

"Christine….you're, you're— Erik! Did you do this?" Nadir yelled as he stood up.

"What do you mean, did he do this?" Christine shouted back before Erik had a chance to say anything. "He's my husband!"

"Now I didn't mean it like that—"

"I should string you up for that kind of accusation," Erik said as he stood to his feet.

Nadir opened his mouth to speak and then shut it. And the opened it….and then shut it again. He looked at Erik and then back at Christine. He then rubbed the back of his neck with his hand before settling on looking at Erik.

"Well, it's about time."

Erik blinked. "About time for what?:

"I mean, you made the poor girl wait eleven whole years- it's about time you two had a kid! I was beginning to think that you simply couldn't father any! What a relief that is I suppose…" he trailed that sentence off once he saw the look on Erik's face. "To think, a little Christine running around causing havoc! Or a little boy...or twins! what if it's twins!"

"Twins?" Erik said suddenly, shocked.

"Oh, there's only one in there-" Christine interjected.

"But all the same, congratulations," Nadir finished, smiling.

Christine smiled back. "Oh I'm so glad you're happy!" She said as she hugged Nadir. "Now Erik has one more thing to say- don't you, Erik?"

Erik hesitated, but couldn't help but be slightly relieved that Nadir hadn't murdered him and taken Christine far away. "It is customary for a child to have godparents and we were wondering if perhaps…well…" Erik swallowed and sucked up all his pride. "Would you be willing to take on the job as godfather?"

Nadir was quiet for a moment, frozen where he stood. Him- a godfather? Out of everyone in the world: they thought of him? His lip began to tremble and tears began to form in his eyes.

"There would be no greater honor," was he was able to mutter before embracing Erik with a bear hug.

Erik stood still before awkwardly wrapping his arms around Nadir. Christine quickly joined in their hug huddle, crying. Erik was the first to pull out, sniffling as he refused to cry.

"Oh, just think- I could be Uncle Nadir!" the Daroga smiled.

"More like Grandpapa Nadir," Erik added, dabbing at the tears that had managed to slip from his eyes.

Nadir laughed and turned to Christine. "May I…?" he nervously asked, pointing to her stomach.

Christine smiled through her tears and nodded, taking Nadirs hand in her own and placing it over her stomach. Almost as soon as Nadir placed his hand on top of her stomach, the baby gave a kick.

"My dear goodness! It kicked! It likes me!" Nadir gasped.

"Move!" Erik said abruptly, pushing Nadir's hands out of the way and replacing them with his own.

No movement.

Erik huffed.

"If you didn't want me touching your wife all you had to do was say so, Erik," Nadir said, crossing his arms.

Erik glared back.

"The baby refuses to kick for Erik," Christine explained, putting a hand on her husband's shoulder as he still stood hunched over her stomach.

"See, even you admit it."

Christine sighed and shook her head at her husband's remark.

"The tea is ready," Darius announced as he entered the room. He placed the tray down and looked at all the teary-eyed people in front of him.

"Did I miss something?"


Night had fallen once more and Erik and Christine were home in their living room. The day had been eventful, but meaningful, however Christine was ready to just go to sleep.

"Christine?" Erik said softly.

"Hmm?" Christine hummed, half asleep.

"Thank you," Erik said, taking a seat beside her on their sofa.

Christine opened her eyes and looked at him. "For what?"

Erik gave a small smile and entwined his fingers with hers. "For making me ask the Daroga to be our baby's godfather, for making me a father…for loving me…"

Christine smiled and brought his hands to rest over her stomach. "Thank you for making me a mother," and with that she leaned for a kiss. Their lips touched and Christine began to make the kiss deeper—

Erik gasped and pulled away.

"The baby! She kicked! Christine she kicked for me! I felt her!" Erik was practically jumping from excitement.

Christine giggled and kept his hands firmly against her clothed stomach. "I told you the baby didn't hate you- you just needed the right moment."

Erik kissed her baby bump and then her forehead.

"And the right moment I found indeed."


The End