Erik awoke on Saturday morning feeling very rested, content to stay in bed for the rest of the day. He would have gladly done so, but the pups were making too loud a racket to be ignored.

He shifted his leg slightly and tried to move his arm but finally opened his eyes to find that Christine had pinned his hand beneath her. Erik smiled, so happy to have her with him again. The past week had been hell for him, and he knew that she hadn't fared much better.

Erik realized that silence between two people could be deadly, and there was no room for misunderstandings between them. Perhaps there was a way that they might make it through this difficult time, so long as they remained honest with each other.

'It's really not so different than the arrangement we had before. I hate what's happening but I can't take my frustration out on her, none of it is her fault. She does these things to protect me. Beautiful girl! When this is over, we'll leave the city to get away from all this. For now we can only weather the storm…'

"We can't stay in bed for much longer, can we?" Christine asked him.

Erik raised his brows; he hadn't even realized that she'd woken up!

He smiled fondly down to her sleepy blue eyes and pulled his hand out from beneath her. He stretched his numb fingers. "Ah, as much as I'd love to, the dogs will never let us," he said as King and Snow began to scratch at the bedroom door.

Christine groaned slightly and then shook her head. "We're coming, we're coming," she called out to the eager pups. She stood up from the bed and straightened her night slip as Erik sat on the edge of the bed and yawned deeply.

He stood up and went to his bathroom, intent on a shower. "I'll be ready in fifteen," he said to her.

Christine nodded and opened the bedroom door, where the pups immediately jumped on her, eager for attention. "Okay, we're getting ready," she said as she pushed them off of her.

She went into the hall bathroom and splashed water on her face before applying a little moisturizer and makeup. Christine made quick work of brushing out her hair and putting together an outfit of black denims and a turquoise sweater.

It was going to be a casual, lazy Saturday, she could already tell, and so she didn't bother with jewelry or perfume. She sat down on the guest bed and Snow leapt up to join her. Christine stroked her pup's soft white fur and smiled somewhat dreamily that she and Erik had reconnected.

If she had her way, they never would have met in the way they had; they would have met under completely different circumstances- perhaps Erik would have been working on an opera production in which the Manhattan Ballet would be a part of. They would have flirted and Erik would have asked her to dinner. From there, who knows what could have happened?

She shook her head.

I can't waste time wondering what it would be like if things were different. This is the way things are, and we'll just have to take it as it comes…even if things end between us, I'm still going to enjoy what we have while I can…'

Christine had found that she loved Erik for more reasons than she could name. She loved him, she loved him, but how could she tell him and expect him to believe her when he knew that she was a trained deceiver?

Erik knew that sexual dancers were all exceptionally skilled at making men believe what they want to believe; Christine, or rather Diamond, had charmed men out of their money easily, night after night, for months.

Christine shook her head.

I am not Diamond. I'll tell Erik tonight, but it's up to him if he believes me or not…

Their walk was pleasant, made so by the agreeable weather and the fact that Erik and Christine were speaking freely. The tension between them had dissipated the night before when she had gone to him, and it seemed to have disappeared now.

Erik's large hand enveloped hers as they walked, and Christine smiled, giddy with relief, as he told her about the latest opera production.

"We're nearly finished with all the stage design, but the production won't go on for a few more weeks. I'll show you what we have so far later on tonight, if you'd like," he suggested as the pups trotted along in front of them.

Christine rose up on her toes and kissed his neck, then his cheek. "I'd love to see it, Erik. I'd also love it if you could meet Raoul tomorrow after I see him for lunch," she said, remembering her friend.

Erik raised his one exposed brow at her. "You want me to meet him? Are you sure that you'd rather not have time to yourselves?"

He didn't mind if she went off to visit with this young man on her own, and he certainly didn't want to seem the overbearing third wheel to their reunion.

Christine shook her head. "Well, we could have lunch and then come see you afterwards," she suggested.

Erik nodded, "I have an idea. Have your lunch and then bring him by the opera tomorrow afternoon- that way I could treat you both to a viewing of the rehearsal. It's like watching the real production, though the performers aren't in costume,"

"Erik that's a fantastic idea!"

She is so happy today...

"Fantastic? No, just selfish. This way I can have you to myself for tonight- whether we dine in or out," he said with a laugh, pulling on King's leash to reign the pup to him.

They walked a while more and then let the dogs into the free field where they could play a bit and Erik could speak more closely to Christine.

They found a bench and he took her hands into his. Her skin was chilled by the cold air, but he warmed her and did not hesitate to brush her lips with his own. Erik didn't think that he had to tell her how glad he was that they were speaking again- he was overjoyed to have his young friend back by his side.

Christine smiled at him, so wonderful, and gripped his hand tighter. "Erik, I'm happy that we're all right now."

He looked into her eyes. "I am as well, love. If we both try to weather this storm, and end it as soon as we can, I think we'll be just fine."

"Amen to that!" Christine exclaimed. "If I could, I'd happily burn the place down. We could do that tonight, couldn't we?"

Erik laughed. "You bring the matches, I'll bring the gasoline. We'll dance over the ashes."

"That does sound wonderful…the dancing, I mean, not the arson. I was only kidding. Well, half-serious, anyway."

"Of course you were. The same thoughts have crossed my own mind more than a few times this week, if we're being perfectly honest."

"I am. But enough of that. I don't want to talk about that place anymore." Christine declared.

"Tell me more about your friend, this Raoul de Chagny."

Christine looked down, away from him, as if guilty. Erik reached forward and cupped her cheek, turning her back to face him. "Did I hit a nerve, I wonder?" He asked her teasingly. "Were you and he…?"

Christine shook her head, "No, no, it's not that. We were never together…Erik, you're my first…oh, what's the male term for mistress? Is there even a word for it?" She asked in charming confusion.

Erik shook his head. "Master is the opposite of mistress, but even I am not so arrogant to think you would call me that," he said with a smile.

She playfully shoved him, "Good! I would never call anyone master. But back to the point, you're my first boy-"

"If you call me your boyfriend, I'll throw you to the crocodiles in Central Park Zoo." Erik said sternly. "We've both been out of high school long enough, don't you think? And I am no boy."

Christine laughed at him, "All right, as you wish- you're not my master, not my boyfriend…so what does that make you?"

"I'm your man, Christine." He said sincerely as he took her hands into his and kissed them each.

"My first man, then. Do you understand?" She asked him.

Erik nodded.

He understood her perfectly.

"Raoul might have had feelings for me, but he never acted on them. I love him; he's still my friend. His family moved to New York a few months ago, it was just chance that he saw me yesterday," Christine said.

"You mentioned that he said his family would like to see you."

"He did say something about that, but I don't think it's a good idea, especially now. I loved his mother- she was more of a mother to me than mom ever was. I just…one de Chagny at a time, you know?" Christine sighed. "I don't want to sit down and have to explain everything to them all; hopefully by now Raoul has passed on my love to them, with my explanation."

Erik brought her into his arms and kissed her neck.

"I will meet your friend tomorrow, Christine. Raoul is important to you, he'll be welcomed with open arms," Erik promised her.

Their day was spent together; everything standing between them fell away.

Since they had awoken late in the morning, breakfast was skipped over and Christine was happy to make lunch for them both.

Erik watched her as she went about making sandwiches- for all Erik's skill in the kitchen, he lacked the imagination for cold lunches and desserts. Luckily, Christine excelled where he fell short. He liked that they were able to balance each other.

Such a small thing, really, but it endeared him all the same.

After lunch they lounged for a while, Erik gave Christine a gentle neck massage while he told her the story of how drunk he'd been when he decided to get himself tattooed. The blazing eagle scarred into his shoulder blade was a good reminder not to indulge beyond his limit.

"Now I've told you my story, let's hear yours," Erik coaxed as he kissed her shoulder.

Christine smiled and leaned her back against his chest, shivering slightly as his hands came around her waist to settle on her stomach. "All right, well I wasn't drunk when I got mine," she said, wiggling the ankle that held her modest black star. "Raoul actually dared me when I turned nineteen, sort of a crazy birthday dare. He promised to pay for any tattoo that I picked out- I didn't want anything huge. Not much of a story, huh? Not much of a tattoo, either." She shrugged.

Erik moved quicker than she could blink, standing and taking her ankle, lifting her by the leg. She exploded into laughter as he raised her foot into the air and tickled her mercilessly.

"Erik, Erik stop!" She laughed.

He stopped tickling, but he didn't release her ankle. She practically dangled above the couch and Erik didn't appear stressed to lift her. Perhaps she was lighter than she thought.

"It was a wonderful story and this," he moved her pants leg to the side to reveal her ink, "is a wonderful tattoo."

"Will you let me down?"

Erik lowered her slowly and caught her into his arms as she launched herself at him, playfully fighting. He held her to him, content and feeling more than a bit playful himself.

"We must stop this," he told her. "If we spend the day rough-housing, we'll be too tired to dance tonight,"

Christine stopped struggling against him, "What are you talking about?"

"I've made reservations for tonight. Dinner and dancing- I'm not much of a dancer myself, you'll have to teach me." He teased.

Christine smiled, "I haven't danced in ages!"

She kissed him eagerly, hardly able to wait for the evening to begin.