Christine was waiting for the new family member to arrive. She was eager to hold the new baby in her hands, and tried to imagine its face in front of her all the time. She had the habit of trying to imagine the newcomer's gender, face and habits. She was mostly wrong, though. She, for example, never imagined Mahtab to be boyish, or Noel to be so fascinated by fire and magic tricks. She imagined this new baby growing in her as a girl, a lovely little girl with blue eyes and maybe some blondish hair, as most of her children seemed to inherit her hair color instead of their father's. She was excitedly discussing name ideas with Erik, but they could not agree. Which name she liked, Erik disliked, and vice versa.

- Lotte. – Chrstine stated. – Little Lotte.

- No.

- Then suggest a name. – She moaned. – You seem like you are not even interested in our new baby.

- I am. – Erik answered shortly. – I can't get it out of my head.

It was true. Erik was constantly thinking of the new baby as well, but not in the way Christine would want it. He was so tired of young children. He felt like he had spent enough time already with newborns, and took his part of feeding, bathing, changing diapers for a lifetime. He was happy that his youngest child was already old enough to take care of himself, and he disliked the thought to start it all over at the age of 66. What on Earth was Christine thinking? Why was he able to still father a child at this age? Really, whenever he gets intimate with his wife, however rarely it may happen, Christine gets pregnant. Just like the goddamned rabbits, this family is multiplying.

- Whenever Erik removes his pants, he becomes a father! – He complained to the Persian. No one but him knew of the new pregnancy other than Erik and Christine. Erik wanted to vent to someone about his uneasy feelings, but he did not want the children to get to know about the new family member. He somehow had bad feelings about the happenings and was extremely superstitious about the issue of having children. He always was nervous about the new child's looks. The best pregnancy was the third, which he did not know about up until the day of the birth. Waiting always wore him out.

Even worse it was, as this pregnancy wasn't going well for Christine.

To tell the truth, it was the worst of the four she was going through.

Christine was a strong woman who handled moderate pain well, so anytime when she was visibly in pain, did alarm Erik a lot, as he exactly knew his wife wasn't a cry- baby. He was sure she handled pain better than him, yet he sure received more beatings, but she had more self-control.

Now she was suffering, visibly. She was feeling sick most of the time, had horrible morning sicknesses with endless vomiting, and weakness making her nearly unable to stand up from the bathroom floor by herself, needing Erik's help, she sometimes lost her consciousness, fell, and once she was bleeding from the womb. Dr. Bonsanté was afraid Christine might lose the baby, so he ordered her to rest as much as possible. She wasn't allowed to stand up, only if it was necessary, otherwise she had to stay in bed. In May, at the sixth month of the pregnancy, she was starting to get water weight and her ankles got extremely swollen. Erik was worried as this fact meant nothing good. Erik, somewhat knowing about medical issues himself, and reading many books about the subject of childbirth while Christine's pregnancies, he knew this sign could mean a problem with the fetus. The child drinks from the amniotic fluid, so part of it always disappears, but if the child can't swallow for some reason, it might happen that water collects in the mother's tissues.

The children were alarmed, of course, seeing their mother in this state, which made her unable to go to work or even take care of them, but Erik tried to comfort them by telling Mama will be all right, she is just a bit of ill. Christine wanted to tell the children about the new brother or sister they will get, but Erik did not want her to. Let it be a surprise, he told Christine. In reality, he was afraid the child won't survive, so they should not be prepared for a sibling.

Raoul and Yvette, as they learned about the news, and extremely felt sorry for both Erik and Christine, but now, especially Erik, who had to take care of a seriously ill wife and 3 children, they offered help for Erik. They wanted to take all the children to their home for the time Christine regains her strength, and Erik only had to attend her side, and concentrate on her, without the children. Yet Erik did not like to accept offers such as these, he finally agreed, as he wasn't a young man any more, and he wanted to collect his strength to nurse his wife correctly. The children accepted their fate without a word, and were partly happy they could spend time at the de Chagny house, with Sophie and small Philippe. Flo did not like to admit, but he had a crush on Sophie anyway, so it was always a pleasure to be around her.

- Behave. – Erik patted their heads as they got into Raoul's carriage. – Be good children and do as Tonton Raoul and Tatie Yvette say, will you? Papa is going to visit whenever it is possible. Don't worry, everything is going to be fine. Mahtab… please take care of the younger ones.

- I will Papa.

- You are the oldest, be the smartest.

- Will do, Papa.

- Florian, dear, you still have to practice mathematics. Tonton Raoul will give you problems to solve, and you have to obey and not throw a tantrum. Act as you were home with mt. Understood?

- Yes, Papa. – Flo nodded, but in his mind he was screaming. Oh no, the Math accompanies him even to the de Chagny house.

- And you, Noel, - Erik lifted the youngest one up and kissed his forehead. – Don't set anything on fire. And behave as a gentleman. Let me be proud of you.

- Don't worry, Papa. – He smiled and kissed Erik back.

- Take care of Mama! – Mahtab said, as Erik helped Noel in the carriage next to her.

- I will. – He nodded, as he crawled back outside. – Thank you, Raoul. – He shook Raoul's prosthetic hand with a tired and sad expression in his eyes.

As the carriage rode away, Erik stood there alone for a few minutes, trying to follow it, firstly with his eyes, and after, his mind. He already missed his children, but he knew this solution will temporarily be best for everyone. With a deep sigh coming from the depth of his tortured soul, he dragged himself back in the house to see how his sweet Christine was doing.

He was only alone with Christine for a few days though, as the Daroga moved into the guestroom to be there when the time comes to either run for the doctor, or take watch over Christine while Erik does so. To tell the truth, Erik was relieved about that, as he needed emotional comfort, and the Daroga always relieved his uneasy feelings with chess plays in the evenings. Mohammed- Ismael was completely self- sufficient, so he did not cause trouble for Erik, but was there if needed.

Erik blamed himself for Christine's misfortune. He, even though accidentally and involuntarily, did cause all the pain and suffering to Christine. It was painful to see how awful his dear and sweet wife was feeling. He prayed for her and promised in his mind for a thousand times that he will never ever make love to Christine if she gets better once. He really did cause misfortune to each and every females in his life. Oh, at first… Suzanne, and after… his poor unhappy mother was sad because of him, he murdered Bisous, the dog, and then Mahtab in Persia was sentenced to death because of, and finally murdered by him, and…he … caused the death of that poor woman also… Annabelle.. When she removed his mask… why did Annabelle had to remove it…? Why? Those cries… he just wished her to go silent… and… she was too silent… and Mahtab… his poor daughter inherited his looks… and Christine, poor, poor Christine how much she has to suffer because of Erik…

- Erik… Erik… wake up!

He felt a weak grip on his shoulder as someone tossed him gently. He opened his eyes, sitting up in bed with shock.

- Is it time? – He jumped out of bed. – Are you feeling sick…? Where the Hell are my pants?

- Erik… you just had a nightmare and were crying in your sleep. – Christine explained tiredly.

- So… you are not going to give birth?

- No, not yet.

- Sure? – Erik whimpered.

- Sure.

- Good. – Erik yawned in a bad mood then lay back down with a sigh.

- Erik…?

- Yes?

- Who is Suzanne?

- A girl.

- And Annabelle?

- Who…?

- Annabelle. You were talking about her and Suzanne.

- She is my mistress. – Erik groaned and turned away in distress. – She is also expecting a child from Erik as he is Don Juan Triumphant! And so is Suzanne! Everyone is Erik's mistress! He is Don Juan Triumphant! He makes love to whole Paris every day. He is such a handsome man, he can do it.

- You are nasty! – Christine sent a kick towards Erik's leg, but she missed.

- Leave me alone. – He hissed. – I want to sleep.

- You don't let me sleep with your whining, then you get sarcastic! You are mean!

- You are annoying me with your constant jealousy. If I accidentally whimper a woman's name in my nightmare, you start accusing me of adultery.

- I did not… I just wanted to know who it was. She must have been important to you if you mention her subconsciously. I have the right to know about your issues. You also know about mine.

- Don't start this, Christine, God bless you, at 2 in the morning…

- Erik, it was you who brought up the subject.

- Next time I am going to put a cloth in my goddamned mouth before sleeping, so I won't talk.

- Erik, please, I can't sleep until you tell me.

- All right! – Erik sprung up in a sitting position in bed, and sent a glance towards Christine with which he could have stabbed her, then sighed. – You want a bedtime story! So: You thought Erik was an only child, right? Well, no. Suzanne was my twin sister, her face was like a painting, she was the beautiful little girl, and me, the horrid monster, and she wasn't alive by the time of her birth! She came first, and after some minutes, I entered the world, which caused my father to get a heart attack and die at the sight of my face. My sister was dead as a doorknob, and I had some kind of problem as well, as I only cried out when mother kicked me off of the bed. Well, to be short, I lived my life in my childhood with Mother's constant accusations that I had murdered two people by the moment of my goddamned and unwanted birth! She also kept crying about why… why me… why not she stayed alive… and I think she was right!

- No, Erik… of course not…

- So… my stillborn sister was named Suzanne, and buried in the cemetery, with my father, on the very same day. People thought she had only one child, who passed away. I did not get a name, and did not even exist to other people, and when we had visitors, I lived in the cellar for days. Are you satisfied?

- Oh Erik… I did not know you had a sister…

- Now you do.

- I am sorry for asking.

- Do you wish to hear Annabelle's story as well, or this was enough for today?

- Enough… - She whispered.

- Exactly I feel like this as well. – Erik moaned. – Excuse me, I… I just… need to get up. Good night.

Erik got up and left the bedroom without another word and slammed the study's door behind his back. He threw himself on the couch and closed his eyes. He wanted to clear his mind out to feel and remember nothing at all. He found out he wasn't able to fall back to sleep so he dragged himself to the cabinet in which he kept his medicines. He took a huge sip of laudanum and crawled back on the couch and finally passed out.

Christine felt extremely guilty about the scene between her and Erik. She should have learned by this time that she should not ask Erik about his past. It gives him so much pain and more and more horrible events come up to the surface about his life. And why would Erik cheat on her, really? And why was she jealous of the women in Erik's past when he was a devoted and loving husband? She could not understand herself. If she wasn't feeling so miserable, she would make up to it.

Thankfully, Erik woke up in a much better mood after sleeping through the whole night in a dreamless slumber, and apologized to Christine for being irritated. Christine was touched and she also asked for Erik's forgiveness about being jealous and torturing him.

- Oh, you could not know…- He placed the tray on her lap with the breakfast he had prepared for her. – I over reacted, which happens if I talk about my past.

- I understand. And I promise I will never ask about Annabelle, or anything in the past you don't wish to talk about.

- Thank you. – Erik sighed in relief. - And I promise to be calmer if I can.

- Erik, may I ask something?

- Sure, my dear, but you should eat as well. – Erik pointed at the food. – You are going to need strength for today.

- I will, just… please answer truthfully.

- I will.

- How do you really feel when we are expecting? I seemed to think you are happy about it, but last night, after I found out what had happened to your sister, I wonder if you are ever worried.

- You wished me to tell the truth. – Erik started cautiously. – So Erik is going to tell. But Christine shall promise she will not be angry with Erik about what she has to hear.

- So you are not happy. – Christine looked at him uneasily.

- I am. I mean, I like children since we have them. They have their good side. But each of your pregnancies is a nightmare to Erik as he is always worried. He worries about both your and the child's health, and the child's… face.

- Understandable, Erik, I am not angry, but why did you not tell me? Sadly I did not notice your worry, and so I wasn't able to help you.

- Erik was afraid Christine will hate him for not being completely happy about having a new child. – He admitted softly.

- So you just collected your frustration in your soul? – She inquired sadly.

- The Daroga always listens when Erik needs to vent.

- Erik… Christine listens as well. Please feel free to come to me with everything that bothers you. Will you?

- He will. – He nodded and caressed her face with his hand. – I love you.

- I love you too, Erik. – She smiled.

On the 14th June, after two more weeks of better or worse days, in only the seventh month of the pregnancy, Christine could not fight more. Time had arrived. Erik, in complete horror, ran to fetch the doctor. He came right away, as he knew Christine had a complicated pregnancy, and the child was coming way too early. Only in August it should have arrived.

- Doctor… - Erik dragged the doctor's cloak nervously.

- Yes? – He turned back.

- If you have to choose between Christine and the child… save Christine. – He asked.

- Erik was sent out of the bedroom, as the Doctor thought he would only panic and be in the way, so he retired to next to the Daroga in his study. He was too nervous to play chess with his friend, so he was just stimming and praying. He bit his lip until it bled and he bit off all his nails. The Persian sometimes patted Erik's shoulder to comfort him, but the ex- Opera Ghost did not seem to notice his friend's presence in the room.

Christine cried as she was being murdered, and Erik always wanted to jump up to protect her from whichever pain, but after some time, she fell silent. He was listening, but no crying could be heard any more. God… she was too silent… Erik hated this much silence… God, don't make Christine go all silent…. Forever…

After endless hours, the doctor walked out of the bedroom and knocked on the door to the study. Erik walked there as a zombie, and opened it mechanically, then noticing the doctor's expression, he already knew something was terribly wrong.

- Erik… I have bad news. – He lowered his head.

- Christine…? – He whispered nearly inaudibly.

- Well, Christine is… in a bad shape, but she will be better soon.

- She is not dead…?

- No. And she will stay alive. Erik, she lost some blood and… and has fever. She is weak.. This pregnancy was much too complicated and… she lost her consciousness and has to be left alone for a time, and should not be bothered… the smallest of excitement can cause her state to go worse. – He sighed.

- And the child? – Erik asked monotonously.

- Well… it is the bad news. – Bonsanté cleared his throat. – Erik, the child…

- Died?

- Not yet. – He answered. – But it will. Look, it…. It is not… not…

- Not strong enough for life. – Erik completed the sentence.

- Exactly.

- Does Christine know about it?

- No. She is unconscious.

- Don't tell her.

- I won't. – Bonsanté nodded. – It could cause her to suffer more, she needs to stay the calmest possible.

- Is it sure it can't be saved?

- Sadly no. – The doctor shook his head.

- Boy or girl?

- Boy.

- May I see him? – Erik asked.

- Erik, before you see him… there is something else you should know.

- Let me guess: he inherited… someone's looks in the family.

- Exactly. – Bonsanté nodded ominously. – Do you still want to see him?

- Yes. – Erik sighed. – He is my son after all.

The doctor arrived back with the naked, extremely small child in his hand. The baby was white as wax, had no nose and those sunken cat-eyes as Erik. The skeletal frame was too well- known as well, and seemingly it was barely alive even at that very moment. He was wheezing and sometimes choking, which fact indicated he had some problems with his lungs. The only thing he was able to do was blinking sometimes, but not a single cry left his lips.

As the doctor left, after promising he will return later to check on Christine, Erik was left alone with his small dying look – alike. He sighed and started crying silently as he was rocking it in his arms back and forth. As he was examining his horrid features, he involuntarily started stroking the baby's cheek and walked to the children's room to spent some alone time with the baby. He wanted to hold him until the very last moment, and enjoy their time the most he could. He was singing Brahms's Lullaby to the baby, who just wheezed in his arms, and after a time, the golden stars in a baby skull closed and did not reopen again. Erik slowly lifted the baby up to his ears and listened at his chest, but he could hear nothing. He burst out in a painful sob, and hugged the dead little thing close to himself, rocking it back and forth. After he calmed down a bit, he kissed the baby's forehead for the first and last time, and whispered:

- Sweet dreams, Beau. Sweet, sweet dreams.

He slowly placed the child on the pillow at one of the beds, and walked back to the study to the Daroga. He dropped on his knees, and started sobbing uncontrollably for a time, while the Daroga just made an attempt to hush him.

- Now what… what should Erik do…? What should he… tell Christine… ?

When he finally calmed down and composed himself enough to visit Christine in the bedroom, he tried to look and talk as naturally as he could in the given situation.

- How are you feeling my angel? – He asked, noticing Christine's opened eyes.

- Tired. – She sighed. – And… where is the baby…?

- I put it down… to sleep.

- I am afraid.

- Of what, my dear?

- I won't be able to feed him… I have no milk.

- Oh… that isn't a problem, dear. – Erik replied. – We are going to raise him on gruel.

- Gruel?

- Yes, babies who aren't fed with breast milk for some reason, are kept on gruel. Mother fed me with that as well, as she refused to breastfeed me, and as you see, I survived quite well. – He smiled bitterly.

- I am calm then. – Christine closed her eyes again.

- Just sleep my angel… sleep. – He whispered sadly, then left.

In the evening Erik bundled the tiny corpse in a blanket and took it to the nearby forest to dig a grave for him. He would not want to give it to the undertakers, as he had the sad feeling they would laugh at his miserable little son, and anyway, he wasn't registered anywhere. He did not exist at all. He was born and he died without anyone knowing about his existence other than the Daroga, the doctor, and Erik. The small grave was dug, and he placed the bundle down in it, then buried it underground and sang a Requiem for him, fighting back his tears.

- Now what should I do…? – He cried. – How should I tell this to Christine…? How in God's name am I going to show her the child she is expecting to see…?

As he was walking back to his car, his heart heavy by grief, he suddenly heard something strange. At first he mistook it just by the sound of some animal, perhaps a cat. Yes, it sounded like a cat's whining when it is hungry. But after some moments the cry got stronger. It was a baby's cry. Now he could hear it for sure. Did he lose his mind finally and heard a baby's cry in his mind? Or… was it really a baby crying…? Can it be his son wasn't dead at all and now he was crying? But no, the sound did not come from the direction of the freshly dug grave, but from further in the forest. What the Hell? Cautiously, mainly for the reason to find out if he turned out mad, he walked closer to the sound, and it got stronger and stronger as he got closer to it.

Finally it reached to a bush. Under the bush there was a tiny thing moving and the cry of the baby was the loudest right there. Erik leaned down and reached down to touch the thing, and suddenly he felt skin. Yes, bare skin of a human. Erik lifted the tiny human up and looked at it closely. It was a baby. A baby girl. She looked like a healthy baby girl, totally naked, as God had created her. Erik examined her carefully from each angles, and then he removed his coat, bundled the tiny thing in it so it won't catch a cold, and took it home with himself, placing it on the car seat next to him.

What a miracle! He needed a healthy child to replace his dead son with it for Christine, and here she is. It is totally the same, even better, as this child has a normal face. What a luck that someone just wanted to get rid of this baby today! Such an awesome replacement. He did not care even if her father was Beelzebub himself. He and Christine expected for a child, and they shall receive one. This thing sure isn't needed by her real family – well, she receives one.

- Welcome home, Belle. – He cooed as he lifted the child out of the car and kissed her forehead.