Oh my God! How long has it been since I last updated this one? At first I wanted to, but I was extremely busy, and then I thought that the story was basically finished anyway. I know if I had written the final chapter way back when it would have been different, just a short mention of engagement and wedding and happily ever after. But when I re-read the story last week in order to get a grasp of the characters again, I realized that there were a whole lot of open ends that I would not have considered addressing back then. So maybe it was for the best that I waited so long with this final chapter...

Anyway, you know that I do not own these characters (with the exception of the Stantons)...

And if you liked this story, make sure to check out my new one, "Try to Forgive".

Chapter 29 - With You, Now and Always

Erik and Mr. Stanton decided to stop by at Nadir's place on their way to the hotel where they would be meeting Christine for dinner. The loyal friend deserved to hear the news first-hand from Erik and he should also be part of the little – for now unofficial - engagement celebration.

They found Antoinette Giry still with Nadir. After all, even with the discovery of Raoul's scheming there were still many details that needed clarification, such as, why neither of the two of them had been able to travel and thus find out the truth in time. They agreed that Raoul had really had luck on his side in this regard. For if either Nadir or Antoinette had had a chance to investigate the mystery of the missing letters, none of this would ever have happened.

Erik's mood darkened, when his two oldest friends shared that opinion with him. If only... If either one of them had been able to cross the Chanel in time, his poor Christine would have been spared all the hurt and humiliation she had had to go through as Raoul's wife. Mr. Stanton put a comforting hand on his son-in-law's shoulder.

"You will make it up to her," he told Erik softly. "You will make her forget all her sufferings. You will make her just as happy as you have made my Amanda-Ann."

Erik nodded. "Our Amanda-Ann," he whispered. "What have I done to deserve the love of not one, but two such wonderful women?"

"By being the man you are, Erik," Carl Stanton replied. "My Amanda-Ann could not have had a more loving and caring husband than you. And I am sure that you will be just the same for Madame de Chagny, once you two will finally be married."

Antoinette hugged Erik. "I have never met your former wife, but from what Christine has told me about her, I would like to think that she is your guardian angel now, to both of you. She wanted Christine, her friend, to be happy, and I doubt she would have wanted you to remain alone. An angel's prayers may well be what made Christine find the evidence of Raoul's betrayal."

Mr. Stanton nodded. He liked the way this friend of Erik's was thinking.

Xxxx

Half an hour later, they arrived at the hotel where Christine and Madame Giry were staying. They reserved a table for dinner and met with Christine.

Although the conversation at dinner mostly revolved around the discovery of Raoul's manipulations and the happy reunion of the couple, there were a few other topics that needed addressing. For one, Christine would most definitely have to go back to Paris and deal with Raoul's relatives, before her engagement to Erik could be made official.

"I do not want to keep the house he left me," Christine confessed. "But it is de Chagny-property, thus I cannot really sell it. But maybe I could somehow make it available to Raoul's cousin who has also inherited the title. I know that he would like to have it. And after I learned about André's and Firmin's involvement in withholding our letters, I would not want to remain a patron of the Opéra Populaire anymore. But then, they are our business partners, what with the production exchange, and Meg and Madame Giry are working there,... I therefore would not want to harm the Populaire too badly by canceling my support."

Erik had a great solution for these problems. "Let Raoul's cousin rent the house from you, and tell him that instead of monthly payments of rent, you want him to donate the appropriate sum to the Populaire as their new patron. It does not matter whether or not he enjoys the arts, but that way you would be rid of the house and despite not supporting André and Firmin personally anymore, they would still have the funds to stage quality productions. And as to Meg and Antoinette,..."

He looked at his old friend. "You know that I am running a theater here, Antoinette," he told her. "So far I have been able to rebuild the quality of orchestra, choir and soloist singers and with Christine helping us out as leading lady in the future, the musical aspect of our productions is assured. The visual side such as sets and costumes, I can also handle quite well. But I am not too knowledgeable about dance and ballet. Would you and Meg therefore consider...?"

Antoinette grinned. "Are you offering me a job and to Meg as well?" she asked. She had already wondered if maybe she could ask Erik to help her and her daughter find positions here in London, so that they all could stay together, once Erik and Christine would get married.

"Would you consider working for me, Antoinette?" he asked. "With Christine as prima donna, you in charge of the ballet and Meg as the prima ballerina, I am sure we could become the leading opera company in London."

Madame Giry was only too happy to accept and she knew Meg would be thrilled to come to London as well. Of course, just like Christine, she, too, had to go back to Paris, in order to negotiate the end of her and Meg's contracts with the managers and to prepare their move to London.

Christine brought up yet another topic. "I do not want Raoul's money," she confessed. "It would seem like ..." She paused. It would make her feel even more like a whore than his unwanted attacks on her person had felt. It would be as if Raoul had payed her for all the humiliation she had gone through during her marriage to him.

"And since I will both, remarry and return to the stage, I won't need it anyway," she added.

Erik understood her. "We can found a charity," he suggested. "Something to help children with disabilities, or maybe young girls who have fallen prey to..." He did not want to spell it out directly, fearing he might hurt Christine's feelings that way. After all, in a way, her situation had not been too different from that of some such young women.

Christine beamed. "That is a wonderful idea!" she agreed.

It was finally decided that Christine and Madame Giry would return to Paris the next day, so that they could settle their affairs and prepare their move to London as soon as possible. As much as Erik and Christine hated that they would have to separate again for a few months, they both agreed, that the sooner everything was arranged, the sooner Christine would be back and then they would not have to separate ever again.

"Once you are back," Carl Stanton said, "we will make your engagement official, and the wedding could take place a few weeks later."

Erik beamed. He could not thank his father-in-law enough for all his understanding and support. "That would be lovely, father," he said. "And would you do me the honor of being my best man? I guess Meg will be your bride's maid?" he asked Christine.

Antoinette nodded. "She would not want you to choose anybody else for that honor," she explained.

Mr. Stanton coughed. "There is one more point," he announced. "Erik calls me father, and even with Amanda-Ann gone, he will forever be my son now. Therefore," he looked hopefully at Christine, "will you allow me to call you by your given name and will you accept me as your father-in-law or father or whatever? As Amanda-Ann's friend you are as much her legacy to me as is Erik, and you two are all that I have left now, that my dear girl is gone..."

Christine hugged him. "I would be honored, father," she said, tears in her eyes. "And if there is one thing about all that has happened over those past couple of years, that I do not regret, it is that Amanda-Ann could find love and happiness with my Erik."

Xxxx

Half a year later, Christine and Erik got finally married in a private ceremony. Mr. Stanton, the Girys, Nadir and his faithful Darius were the only guests.

When the couple retired to their room later that evening, Erik hesitated. He looked at Christine. "You know, we do not have to..." he whispered. "I can totally understand if you would not want something like that ever again after what Raoul did to you..."

Christine looked at him lovingly. "So far I have only known the horrors of physical couplings," she told him, careful to avoid the word "love" that had had nothing to do with her submission to Raoul. "I would like to get to know the loving aspect of that act, and who better to teach me that, than you, my love?"

Erik nodded. He would try his best to make her forget those terrible experiences. He would be the most considerate and gentle lover she could dream of. With him she would feel worshiped and adored, not used.

"The moment you will feel uncomfortable you have to tell me to stop, though," Erik whispered, before kissing her. While his kisses and caresses grew more and more passionate, he tried his best to be patient and to give Christine time to adjust to his ministrations. As much as he desired her, he really took his time. His patience was rewarded, for Christine relaxed more and more and he began to sense that she was beginning to enjoy his caresses. Hesitantly at first, she began to reciprocate, to kiss and touch him.

When she finally begged him to make her his, he once again asked her, if she was sure. Christine nodded. "I have never in my life been more sure of anything," she whispered. "Please, Angel!"

Erik could not deny her. Afterwards she snuggled up to him and kissed him tenderly on the mouth. "I had no idea it could be like that," she whispered. "That was beyond my wildest imaginations of how it could possibly be when two people are deeply in love. I have never experienced anything like this with Raoul," she continued. "Even though I did not come to you as a virgin anymore, to me it still feels as if this had been my first time."

Erik pulled her close. "Sh, my love. Don't think about those terrible times anymore. The past is the past. We cannot change it, but we have survived it, and we are finally together. That is all that matters."

Their lips met again in a passionate kiss...