The Love of a Stranger

Ob1MegOb1

Chapter 22

(Jasmine)

I was laying on my bed my heart heavy. William had come up directly after speaking with Erik. He had then asked if we could talk alone without Rebecca. I had told myself not to think the worst, to not dread it with every step he took towards me. But as soon as he sat beside me and placed his hand on mine I could sense it in every sense of my being that the worse was coming.

After he had told me everything I just wanted to be alone. I just wanted to figure it out. But the more I lay there thinking about it the more lost I got. I should have seen this coming a long time ago. This wasn't a sickness to suddenly rear its head…it was slow and steady in killing its victims. My heart was just so broken to think that he would be facing this for the rest of his shortened life now.

My whole body relaxed though as I felt his hand on my shoulder. I had been so involved in my own mind I hadn't even heard him come in. "Jasmine," he said softly, but I was already up burying my head in his chest. The tears came of their own free will and he slowly put his arms around me as I began to sob softly. I felt so upset that here I was again in a horrible emotional state twice in one day.

As I started to calm down I couldn't help but laugh rubbing my forehead against his shoulder, "Don't think that this is going to be a regular occurrence with me."

I could feel him shake his head against my own, "I think I know better than to expect anything about your family anymore."

I was surprised by that statement. Because I could feel it in his body language, and I was surprised at the reaction. "He caught you by surprise as well?" I said softly. I felt him gently nod his head and I was even more surprised. To think that anything could surprise him was beyond my comprehension in the short time I had come to know him. It seemed that nothing ever seemed to escape his notice.

"Its because I now know my normally sharp but cold senses are becoming clouded by emotion," Erik muttered. "And while I could see things coming a mile away when I had no feelings and no attachments, I would never trade it for what I feel right now. This sense of love, sadness…companionship. It is the first time I have truly felt human and not a cold heartless thing."

I gripped his shirt a little bit tighter. Never had I comprehended what Erik was giving up by loving us. But maybe like he said…he wasn't really giving up anything…but maybe he was gaining something instead.

(Erik)

Oh god had I really just done that? Had I really just poured my heart and soul out to her? Unfortunately that seemed to happen a lot with her, but then again it was also side effect of having somebody you care for. Somebody who you felt you could tell anything without feeling like you were losing yourself as well.

"What are we going to do?" Jasmine muttered. She had stopped crying now, and I knew she had just wanted to get it out of her system. She had been crying a lot lately, and I think she felt like she had had enough.

"We need to let him keep going however he plans to do that," I said simply, "We know he has no plans for giving up, so lets just let him deal with it on his own for now."

She nodded her head but I could tell she was still hesitant about something. "Rebecca?" I asked her already knowing the answer. She nodded her head and I sighed, "That my dear is entirely up to you. It won't hurt her to know, but maybe we can allow her some time with her brother. You should also ask William because maybe he will want to tell her himself."

She smiled, "You're right, of course. I keep forgetting," she said almost sadly, "He's not a little boy anymore." I saw her lip quiver at the mention of that…it hit her that much harder that this was happening…it was happening because in this small amount time, he had grown into a man.

I gently touched her cheek and smiled wishing once again she could see it, "He's been raised by you. I know he will do the right thing."

She smiled slowly getting up, "I don't deserve that much credit…but thank you." She smiled to herself slowly making her way to the door.

(Jasmine)

As I felt myself go outside the room I let out a deep sigh. It seemed that everything was still swirling around me and nothing was settling down. Not even these moments with Erik could be calm and quiet. I slowly made my way downstairs careful of each step. I could hear Rebecca and William laughing in the next room. I smiled at that before heading outside. Even though there were very few landmarks around the estate I was always able to make it to her tree.

I sat back leaning my head against it just listening to the sound around me. The wind was blowing gently against her skin cooling it so pleasantly. Would they ever get back to this? Where they could just relax and enjoy the simple things around them.

The footsteps were so soft at first that I didn't hear them. But as they came closer I straightened up leaning forward. "You are brave to come here," I said softly, "Not only because of Erik, but won't your fiance object as well?"

The woman at my side was silent, and though I had only heard her footsteps once before, I recognized everything about Christine instantly. Her smell above all, she was wearing the same fragrance as the day she had come to the house.

"I came to make sure…" Christine said softly.

My heart skipped a beat at that, knowing what she was going to say. She had come to see if Erik was okay.

"He wasn't harmed by your husband. Lucky for you he isn't much of a shot," I said coldly.

"Actually he is an excellent shot," Christine muttered, "but it can be hard to kill a ghost."

I balled my fist at the comment, "So even you of all people resort to calling him that."

"Yes," Christine said defensively, "because whether you want to believe it or not he is. All he ever did was magically appear and reappear. It is hard to believe now that I ever fell in love with someone who wasn't really there. And that's why," she said her voice breaking, "he could never really have me or love me for that matter."

"Than why are you here?" I said my voice tense, "if he means so little to you, then why come all this way to make sure he is okay?"

"I wish to speak to him about it," she said softly, "there are still some things that need to be said."

"I swear to god if you hurt him," I said tensely…I could feel the rage starting to course through me.

"I never hurt him," Christine muttered, "I think he always knew he could never have me," she said her voice faraway.

"Then why did he take you away?" I said smugly.

"The same reason he took you away as well. He's lonely," she said softly. "He'll do anything not to be lonely. No matter who it may hurt."'

I turned away from her resisting the urge to say something horrible back to her. "Jasmine!" a new voice called and I was glad to hear William.

"Will," I said standing up, "Could you please escort Madmoiselle Daae inside. She wishes to speak to Erik."

I heard his intake of breath at that, and I sighed, "Please just show her inside. I believe Erik is still in his room."

"Jasmine," Will began but I raised my hand shushing him. Finally I heard his footsteps walk away along with hers. I sat back against the tree taking deep breaths trying to calm myself. Yes that crazy energy was still swirling, and she had just added a whole new depth to it.

(William)

I led her to the side door before I finally turned on her not being able to stop myself. "Why are you here?"

"Excuse me sir?" she said defensively.

"Everything is crazy right now madmoiselle and we have your fiancé to blame for that. And now you show up throwing a wrench in everything."

"I warned your sister," she said her eyes stony, "that things would be dangerous if she stayed connected to Erik. She chose this path for you and your sister. But there is still a chance that you can come back to some sense of normalcy…"

"Sorry madmoiselle," I said stonily, "I tried that already and all you people did was use us. It's pretty sad that I can find more safety and trust in the hands your so called crazy man than with a woman we trusted for years. So I hope for your sake Miss Daae that you are here to move on. Because the last thing we need is to lose trust in yet another person."

She was silent as she moved past me and into the house. I closed my eyes knowing I had probably said too much. "He is upstairs Miss Daae. First door on the right." I slammed the door behind me heading back to where Jasmine was. This whole situation was frustrating, and it wasn't going to help things at all. He could feel his breath starting to catch again. He needed to calm down, stress seemed to be a factor in aggravating the disease. Unfortunately there had been a lot of that lately hence why his condition was rearing its ugly head.

But right now he needed to be there for his sister. Because this was going to be hard…for all of them.

(Erik)

I heard footsteps coming toward the room and I got up prepared for it to be Jasmine or William. But as I turned around I wasn't prepared at all for who walked through the door.

"Hello angel," she said simply.

My heart skipped a beat as I barely managed to mutter, "Christine."

TBC

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