Erik wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. He never wanted to let her go again. If they stayed like this, entwined in each other's arms with their limbs tangled together, who would be able to separate them? Éponine shifted in his arms so she could be face to face with him. Dislodging her arm from somewhere in the tangle and cupping his disfigured cheek. For now they could forget about everything that had happened in ten years. The only thing that mattered was that they were together again.
Erik closed his eyes, enjoying her gentle caress that he had longed to feel. He had longed to feel so much that was Éponine. Erik moved his hand beneath the covers to rest on her hip, stroking the skin their gently. She winced, a little gasp of pain escaping her lips.
"What's wrong?"
"It's nothing," Éponine lied, biting her lip. His piercing gaze was too much to stare at and lie. "Honestly it's nothing. You have a strong grip and there was nothing gentle about our reunion."
"I've hurt you," Erik's expression dropped from loving and blissful to grave in a matter of seconds. "I'm sorry."
"Its fine," Éponine laughed softly, brushing her finger tips through his hair. She had noticed that in ten years the hair had begun to thin on the disfigurement side. "Love marks."
Erik didn't laugh at her playful remark, "These hands can only hurt."
"Erik," Éponine begged, grabbing his hands forcibly and looking at them. The scars were far worse than they had been before. He inflicted so much damage on his talented hands. They had only had a few scars before, attempts to stop the Cat o' Nine Tail in the past. Now, she couldn't even begin to conceive that these were his hands. There was hardly any skin that wasn't the shiny pink puckering skin. "Oh, Erik."
"The hands of a murderer."
Éponine shook her head, pressing her lips into the knuckles and letting her lips brush the skin. "The hands of my husband." Her fingers slipped between his, pressing their hands together and holding them tight.
"Why do you love me?" Erik asked, his eyes fixated on the ring she still wore.
"I love you," Éponine said softly, "That's all I can say. I can't explain it, but it's there in side my heart."
"I could have been better. I lost it when you vanished. I became a murderer that deserves no compassion from anyone." Éponine frowned, scooting forward towards him and pressing her lips into his hands. She would never feel afraid of him. Even if he had murdered and hurt himself she knew he would never intentionally harm her. A few bruises in the throes of passion were nothing.
"How does it not bother you?" Erik asked as he broke away from the kiss. "No matter how many times you hear that I have killed you don't seem afraid."
"Because I trust you." Éponine rested her forehead against his, giving him a soft smile. "I was raised by a family who didn't care about murdering. My closest friends were leading a revolution that would see unknown numbers killed. I was used to it."
"I don't deserve you or our son." Erik cupped her cheek and snaked his hand beneath the curve of her waist and rolling them over in one swift move. "I love you Éponine."
She laughed, pushing herself up from his chest. "I love you too." She could tell that he was trying to be strong, to ignore the pain that he was feeling that betrayed him and shone through his eyes. In ways he was a different man than the one she had left sleeping peacefully ten years ago. But he was still the man she loved.
"You might have accepted me, but what of Erik?"
Éponine chuckled, nestling her head against his chest hearing his heart beating beneath the scarred skin. "He's stubborn like his father."
"Or like his mother."
Éponine flapped his chest playfully, "I'm not stubborn I'm determined."
"Who keeps you here?" Erik asked suddenly, thinking of the discarded dress the maid had brought to her.
"A man. I do not know his name and never have tried to find out. I rarely see him. He brought me under 'orders' ten years ago." Éponine replied with a heavy sigh, kissing the palm of his hand. "He occasionally sends me a few new outfits a season, I've dinned with him at least once a year."
"How does he keep you here?"
"For a year I was confined to only this room, but after Erik was born they allowed me privileges to a whole wing of this house."
"Erik." Erik said with a smile on his face. "My son. My son. My son?" He tested the words in his mouth.
"Erik Gabriel Destler," Éponine nodded her head, "I chose Gabriel because it means angel."
"A son."Erik wrapped his arms around her, smoothing his hands up the curve of her back. "You've had ten years to know him and now I've seen the child I never knew I had."
"I'm sorry that he ran off like that. He'll warm up to you I promise."
"So much for the normal life we wanted for our child." Erik moved to kiss her neck, sliding his lips against the pulse he found there. "I've missed you so much."
Éponine smirked down at him, "I can tell that you've missed me."
"I'll be gentler this time." Erik whispered into her ear, his breath teasingly brushing against her skin. "I promise I won't hurt you."
"You didn't hurt me." Éponine purred leaning against his lips as they coasted along her skin. "I told you a long time ago that I would rather be hurt by you then loved by someone else."
Erik groaned as she shifted a top him, laughing at the sly smirk on her face. "Tease."
"What I'm best at," Éponine kissed him, her tongue teasing against his lip and begging for entrance. "It doesn't feel like any time has past."
A/N: Well I've reached 50 chapters! Making this my longest FF ever! I'm really proud of how it's come out so far. This chapter was a little angst and a lot of fluff. Next chapter he tries to bond with little Erik. I hope it doesn't get to confusing with two Eriks now!
