A/N: This story is my contribution to the PotO Paris Commune week on Tumblr, which was created to mark the 150th anniversary of the final week of the Commune, running from May 21st to the 28th 1871.
"Here you go, my dear," Erik said quietly as he sat a cup of tea on the table in front of the sofa where Christine was seated, idly perusing the day's newspaper while she waited for him to finish up in the kitchen for the evening. "It's quite warm; you may want to let it sit for a few minutes."
Setting the newspaper aside, Christine smiled her thanks for the warm beverage, while privately bemoaning the fact that Erik was hovering somewhat nervously next to the sofa. Even after all their time as husband and wife, he still seemed to be slightly afraid that she would reject him at any time.
Trying to act as though she didn't notice his hesitation, Christine patted the seat next to her. "Won't you join me?"
Even when given that explicit invitation, Erik still hesitated. "Does Christine need anything else? Erik could play for her?"
Raising her arms to him, Christine replied, "All I really want is for my husband to sit with me, Erik."
Finally giving in to her request, Erik sank down next to her and put his arms around her gingerly, finally relaxing a bit when Christine slid her arms around him in return as she nestled her head against his chest.
When she felt Erik's bony hand come to rest lightly over the slight bump at her waistline, Christine sighed with contentment and nuzzled even closer to him. Every day he seemed to become more accepting of her condition, and it made her hopeful that, no matter how badly their marriage had started, they were now on a path to a much happier and more peaceful future.
Resting her head against his thin chest, Christine enjoyed the sound of the spring rain pattering against the windows of their apartment, smiling when Ayesha strolled into the room. After giving Erik and her a thorough looking-over, the little cat jumped nimbly into the armchair that sat adjacent to the couch and began to groom herself.
She felt more than heard Erik's chuckle. "Look at her," he said indulgently. "She's such a little diva." Christine murmured her agreement as she picked up her tea and took a drink before settling against her husband once again, trying not to think too much about the fact that Erik often referred to her as a diva, as well.
After a few more peaceful moments of silence, Erik asked her pleasantly, "Anything interesting in the newspaper today? I haven't looked at it yet."
Shifting a bit, Christine glanced up at him. "Now that you mention it, there was something I wanted to ask you about. There was an article about the Commune, since it's currently the anniversary of the final week of fighting.
"We've talked about a good deal of your past, but not much about that time. I suppose I was just wondering what it was like for you."
Erik made a noncommittal noise, taking a moment to organize his thoughts before answering his wife's query. It was true that he had told her more about his past than he had ever dreamed he might share with another - about his time in Persia, about Russia, about what it was like to grow up in his childhood 'home', and even about the hellish years that had directly followed his time there. Still, he was careful to consider his audience when discussing all this with Christine - someone as pure and good as she was didn't deserve to hear the full ugliness that humanity was capable of.
Christine apparently mistook his hesitation, stroking his arm gently and looking up at him with a loving look in her blue eyes. "I'm sorry, Erik. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I was just curious."
Erik returned her gaze, feeling his own grow misty as he regarded her. How had this divine creature ever willingly decided she wanted a life with him? "No, Erik doesn't mind at all. It wasn't the worst part of my life, but it certainly wasn't the best either," he responded, giving her a knowing look that he hoped made plain exactly what that best part was.
It seemed his answer pleased his lovely wife, because Christine leaned up to quickly press a kiss to his desiccated cheek, before pulling back with a sweet smile on her face. "Well, I'm very happy to hear that. But I suppose that one reason I asked is because it made me think of my father.
"I don't recall him ever mentioning the Commune, but of course I was just a child, and I know he wanted to shield me from any unpleasantness whenever possible. Looking back now, though, I think he would have agreed with what they believed in in principle. Maybe not with some of their methods, however. My father was a very peaceful man."
Erik's first instinct was to tell Christine that he felt exactly the same about the Commune that she surmised her father would have, but fortunately he stopped himself before he did. He had already used her father's memory against her in a way that was unforgivable - it was only due to Christine's incredibly loving nature that she had found it in herself to pardon him for his lies. Although he wasn't always successful, he had vowed to do his best to be honest with her going forward - and this was something he could indeed be truthful about with her.
"To be quite honest with you, my only interest in the Commune was how the repercussions of their movement would affect my life. It seemed very likely that Erik would continue to be reviled by everyone he met whether the Commune or the Republic was in power." Hesitating, he glanced at his bride, afraid that he would see judgement in her expression, but Christine seemed to accept his selfish outlook at face value, merely nodding encouragingly as though she wished for him to continue.
Would he ever fully accept the fact that this perfect angel cared for him, was actually interested in what he had to say? It still seemed like a dream he would awaken from one day to find it had only been a cruel illusion. Collecting himself before he became lost in rumination about Christine, Erik continued speaking.
"One thing that worked out very well for Erik was that during the war, the siege, and then the Commune, work was officially suspended on the Opera, so it was very easy for him to build his house, as well as trap-doors, secret paths, hollowed-out pillars, and the like.
"And during the siege, and even more so during the commune, there was always food stored in the Opera. You know your Erik doesn't require much in the way of sustenance, but to have it so readily available in such a difficult time was certainly ideal."
At this, Christine made a little noise of distress and burrowed against him even closer. Instinctively, Erik tightened his arms around her as she murmured into his chest, "Oh, I hate even thinking of what that time must have been like for people. It's so horrifying."
Erik stroked his hand over Christine's brown curls soothingly, humming almost imperceptibly to comfort her. After he could feel some of the tension drain from her form, he resumed his tale.
"But there were things I hated about the Commune, as well. So much beauty was lost to the world - the buildings that were burned, as well as the artwork and books that were destroyed. You know that there is nothing Erik values more than the arts. Well, until Christine came into his life, of course," he added hastily when she tipped her chin up at his choice of words. Apparently, Christine accepted his addendum, because she graced him with another of her lovely smiles.
With a slight curve to his own lips in return, Erik continued, "And I dreaded the thought of what would become of the opera house, in the extremely unlikely event that the Commune should actually succeed. I had already put so much of myself into it, and I truly thought it would be the one legacy I would leave behind - or the only positive one, anyway.
"Had they prevailed, the thought of it never being finished, never being used for its intended purpose, hurt Erik greatly. It was to be the place he lived out the remainder of his cursed life, finally left alone in peace. And at the time, I took a great satisfaction in the fact that I would eventually be entombed in a temple meant to worship music - which, as you know, Erik loves more than anything in the world, with the exception of the other beings that reside within these walls." There, he had remembered to qualify his words with no prompting this time, and judging from the pleased expression on Christine's face, his beloved appreciated that fact.
"Also, to speak plainly on the matter, the Communards were simply annoying, interrupting Erik when he was trying to work on the Opera, and generally being a nuisance to his peace and quiet," he said, chuckling a bit as he recalled something. "In fact, I even spent some time trying to convince them that the building was haunted - my first turn as the opera ghost, as it were, although I didn't have much success."
Gratified at the little comforting noise Christine made as she patted his shoulder as though to console him for his lack of success, Erik added, "That's all right, though, it did give me a good idea of what concepts merely needed some work to be effective and what needed to be discarded entirely when it was time for Erik to start being the Ghost in earnest. As you know, my methods were later quite effective with M. LeFévre - and eventually with those idiots Firmin and André as well, no matter how they tried to resist at first.
"Sometimes I do wonder, however, if I could have found a place among the Communards, no matter that I cared little for or against their cause. Perhaps a group with such radical ideas about society could have found it within themselves to accept Erik, and his life could have been different after that point."
Christine responded to Erik's statement without thinking. "Well, I'm very glad you didn't attempt to find out."
When Erik merely looked at her questioningly, Christine grimaced slightly and hastened to explain herself. "I'm sorry, Erik; that was thoughtless of me - of course I would wish to take away some of your past suffering if I could. It's merely the thought of what that change could have meant for us - the idea of not being with you here and now, and perhaps never having known you at all, breaks my heart. I do not care to even contemplate a life without you by my side."
Nearly overcome with emotion at hearing such words from his beloved's lips, when for so long he would have considered Christine freely granting him her affections an utter impossibility, Erik swallowed before letting his golden eyes drift beside her to rest on the small cat sleeping with her back to them, returning his gaze to hers while moving his hand in a gentle circle over the slight swell at her waistline.
"Erik understands exactly what you meant, my love. And I wouldn't change a thing either, not if it meant that there was a chance I wouldn't be here with you now." Seeing the gleam that entered her lovely eyes at his words, Erik leaned forward slightly and pressed his lips reverently to her forehead, before leaning down and capturing her sweet mouth with his, pulling back briefly after a few moments so he could look her in the eye as he spoke.
"Not only would I not change anything, Christine, I would go through it all again, every moment of agony and loneliness, if it would ensure that I was here with you now. Being with you would be worth it in every way."
For a moment, Erik wondered if he had said something wrong as two jewel-like tears escaped Christine's glistening sapphire eyes to track down her perfect cheeks, but before he could apologize, she pulled him down for a blistering kiss before rising from the sofa. Taking his hand, she silently urged him to walk behind her to their bedroom, and Erik followed her all too happily.
For he hadn't been lying, or even exaggerating - to have the bliss he had now, with Christine, Erik truly would go through every miserable day of his life all over again. This paradise he had found here on Earth with her was worth every second of his suffering, and he intended to spend the rest of his days proving that fact to her.
A/N: Thank you for reading! As always, comments are appreciated!