Author's Note: God, this chapter was so hard to write, it was one of the ones I was dreading but I'm glad I got through it. Only 20 chapters left!
Chapter 16-Assistance
Sleep evaded Erik and he laid awake, an angelic Christine wrapped in his arms, for what felt like numerous nights. He was certain it wasn't past midnight, but his pocket watch was unfortunately in the kitchen inside of his trousers, so he had no way of checking. He looked down at Christine whose face was plastered against his upper arm, which had been numb for quite some time, and brushed the hair from her forehead, hoping to wake her so he wouldn't leave her without explanation.
He needed to find Madame Giry and start his search for a home for his beloved, he would not have her living in a dank sewer forever. She deserved a beautiful chateau with a garden for her morning tea and plenty of room for both hosting the parties she spoke so highly of and children which seemed to be a topic increasing in frequency.
"My love, wake up," he whispered in her ear, speaking as gently as he could. His hand moved to her face, smoothing over the warm velvet skin of her cheekbone with the pad of his thumb.
Christine groaned and stretched her body before letting out a breathy sigh. Her eyes fluttered open and as he drew her gaze to his, a smile formed on her pink lips. The same lips that he quickly captured with his own, though hers were mostly unresponsive as they always were in her groggy states.
"I need to get a start on finding Madame Giry, will you be alright by yourself for a while?" he asked, pressing his cheek against the top of her head.
She gave a weak nod and pushed her face into his chest, kissing and nipping along his collarbone before he felt her lips turn up in a smile, "What if I asked you to stay and love me again?"
Was she trying to kill him? He nearly fainted the last time and he wasn't sure if he would be able to perform so soon, but if she wanted him to, he would surely try.
A lump formed in Erik's throat and he swallowed hard while trying to suppress a shiver, "I–I would have to stay then, wouldn't I?" he kissed the top of her head and pulled her tighter against himself, trying to will himself from giving into temptation, "But, I must add that I need to at least spend a couple hours finding the Girys' before I commit myself to the bed for the day."
Her affirming sigh vibrated against his skin and she nodded again, "Alright, I'll keep the bed warm for us."
"Thank you, my love," Erik whispered, pulling her lips to his once more, "I will do my best to be quick."
"Please, be safe," she breathed into him, her scent filling his mind, nearly intoxicating him. He could stay for a few minutes, perhaps please her, and simply slide into her, claim her for the second time that night. He could–he could–
Stay focused, find the Girys', he told himself, fighting against every animalistic urge within himself.
Of course, she would be waiting for his return, waiting for him to have his way with her again. The only thing in the way was time, he needed to be fast, faster than he ever had been.
"I will be back soon, I love you," he said, sliding from under the coverlet and tucking it around her body. It was the single hardest thing he had ever done to leave her in bed alone when she had expressed her want for him, but he had an errand. He had an urgent errand.
Control yourself, madman, he scolded as he stroked her cheek with his thumb.
"As I love you," she replied, burying her head into the pillow and closing her eyes, her hair splayed out behind her.
Erik walked to the entryway of the bedroom and waited, only long enough until he heard her soft snores. Then he tore his eyes from her, knowing that if he stood by her any longer he would have to wait until the next night to run his errand and he couldn't hold off that long.
He returned to the kitchen to retrieve his trousers, digging into the pocket to find his watch. It was only half past eleven in the evening and he smirked, pleased that he was nearly correct in telling the time. It wouldn't be light outside for several hours so he had plenty of time to check if the Girys' still resided in the apartment two blocks away from the opera house. If they didn't, he would simply need to find other means of seeking them out, though he would have to be sure never to tell Christine of such activities.
Dressing was quick for Erik after he tracked down all of his clothing, and once he was presentable enough for an old friend, he fixed his mask and wig in place and ducked out the mirror exit. Before stepping into the stables, he assured the hood of his cloak was pulled over his face then walked past Cesar, who kicked his hoof upon seeing his master.
"Not now, Cesar, I am only going two blocks. I promise, when I am able, I will take you for a ride," he reached out and ran his hand along his friend's neck and patted him, "One would think a week's ride would be enough for you. When we move next, I will build you a pasture, one where you can run as much as you'd like. Does that sound like a deal?"
The stallion kicked his hoof again and whined loudly. Erik chuckled and turned to exit the stables, peeking out to assure there was no one in the alleyway. It was empty so he crept into the shadows and moved silently, taking the familiar path to the Girys' apartment building. It wasn't a long walk by any means, but it felt as if he was dragging his feet as he made his way down the dark streets. Perhaps his impatience to return to Christine was the culprit.
Finally, he came upon a tall apartment building and glanced up to the second story, finding the window that was farthest to the left and saw that a dim light was shining through. If the Girys' still resided there, they were certainly awake.
With a deep breath, Erik pushed the door open and stepped into the building, keeping his gaze low so as to not draw attention to his mask in case he encountered anyone inside. He headed directly to the stairs, not wanting to waste a moment, and took two at a time until he reached the landing for the second floor. He quickly turned, intent on finding the door with a small number seven drawn on with black paint. He raised his hand to knock, then paused, wondering how either of the women would react to seeing him.
The last time either of them had laid eyes on him was right before he stole Christine from the stage the night of Don Juan. It had been months, he had changed drastically and was no longer that man, but how were they to know that?
Perhaps, he should wait until daylight but he couldn't risk being seen. The Opera Ghost may have been declared dead, but who's to say a ghost couldn't have a ghost. He couldn't draw attention to himself in such a way. And, surely, the women wouldn't call the authorities on him and if they did, he would only need to flee, which he was very good at. He groaned and quickly rapped on the door, content to accept any outcome of their meeting.
There was no sound of life on the other side of the door and he felt his patience slowly dwindling. He raised his hand to knock again, but was stopped short when he heard footsteps, light footsteps.
The door cracked open, only slightly, enough for him to see the sleepy brown eyes of a young blonde girl. She blinked heavily as if allowing her sight to adjust to her surroundings, then her eyes widened and a look of shock crossed her face. Erik opened his mouth to speak, but the door slammed in his face.
He sighed and waited, knowing that eventually another would appear, reprimanding him for showing his face. He listened to the hushed whispers, wishing he could make out the words being said, then he heard footsteps again accompanied by a door slamming shut within the apartment.
Erik was greeted again, this time by an older woman with furrowed brows and flared nostrils. She wore a silk robe and had bare feet, her eyes just as sleepy as the girl's, though they were fierce. She looked at him as if he was a demon, and maybe he was after what he had put her through for more than half of her life.
"Erik, what are you doing here?" she hissed in a low voice, looking to be bracing the door with the weight of her body.
Did she think he was going to make a forced entry? He had never done such a thing in the past, so what made her think he would now?
He took a step back, wanting to show he was not going to force himself into her apartment and spoke softly, "Greetings, Antoinette. I trust you have been well."
"I am not your puppet any longer, you have no reason to be here," her voice was stern and it made him doubt his intrusion even further.
"I only have a favor to ask of you, one last favor and I will leave you alone. You may decline if you feel the need. May I come in?" he asked, being as polite as he could muster.
She narrowed her eyes, "How thoughtful of you to ask, normally you use the window to come and go as you please."
"I prefer doors these days, madame," he insisted, trying not to chuckle at the memory of swinging through the window like a madman, "Now, as I was saying, I have come to ask for help, you see, Christine–"
She held a hand up in front of her, stopping him from speaking any further, "No, I will not speak to Christine for you. She has made her choice, besides, she is married to the Vicomte. You have no business with her any longer."
Married? Erik thought to himself, curious as to why she would assume so, after all, no wedding had taken place.
"I am pleased to inform you that she is in no way married to that child, she broke off her engagement," he informed her, his eyes boring into hers. "Did de Chagny not come to you yet?"
"Why would she break off her engagement and why would de Chagny come here?" she asked, her eyes narrowing at him. They were like daggers and Erik couldn't seem to maintain solid eye contact with her in fear of lighting on fire so he looked down at the floor between them.
Did the Vicomte neglect to check if Christine returned to her guardian? That would be very unlikely of him to leave such a stone unturned, even if he was a dimwitted child.
"I would much prefer if she told you herself, now, can I come in? I would like to discuss this in private," he insisted, wanting to be in the safety of the apartment rather than a long hallway where anyone would see him at any moment.
Madame Giry sighed and stepped aside, gesturing for him to enter, "If I ask you to leave, you must do so immediately."
Erik nodded and stepped into the small living area, noticing that everything was very well-kempt unlike in the past, perhaps they had yet to find employment and had too much time on their hands. He made a mental note to ask of their situation after their discussion as he would not allow the two women to suffer due to his actions.
"I will keep my visit as brief as possible, I'm afraid I promised Christine that I would not be gone longer than necessary," he gestured to the couch, "May I sit?"
Madame Giry nodded and waved absently at the couch, "If you must, now, tell me what happened? Why is Christine with you? Is she safe? Is she with you willingly?"
Erik took a seat on the couch, leaving plenty of room and motioned for her to join him. He would not have her uncomfortable in her own home. She stared at the spot for several seconds before committing to it and taking a seat. Though he noticed how she leaned away from him and sat as far away as possible. Perhaps she was scared of him.
His eyes moved up to hers and he softened his face, attempting at least some semblance of normalcy. It bothered him more than he would like to admit that she was uncomfortable near him. He could tell her entire body was shaking, but he couldn't tell if it was anger or fear, maybe both. After a moment, she relaxed and righted herself, smoothing her hands over the front of her robe.
"Safer than she has ever been and she is with me quite willingly," he assured her, letting a smirk pass on his lips. Willing was an understatement to how much Christine threw herself at him daily, but he wouldn't tell Madame Giry of such behavior. "We have been living together for months, we only just arrived in Paris this evening."
"Living together? Where?" she pressed.
"The cottage, the one Monsieur Lefevre transferred to me," he smiled, trying to ease some of the tension in the room, feeling as though saying they were living together had been a mistake, "We are looking for a more permanent residence and we were hoping you would be willing to assist with that."
Madame Giry sighed and closed her eyes, "Can I see her before making my decision? I need to be absolutely certain that she isn't being coerced into something she doesn't want."
"Of course, I have already informed her that you and Meg are more than welcome to visit, though I cannot bring her here. We need to be careful with who sees her, at least for the next month or so," he offered, hoping that she wouldn't be opposed to being in the basements of the opera house again. She hadn't stepped foot in his domain since he returned from Persia.
"How so?" she asked, her eyes snapping open.
Erik sighed, afraid he had said too much, "I would prefer if Christine told you, I have no business sharing the private details of her life."
She narrowed her eyes, her lips curling in as she spoke sternly, "How did you two find each other?"
He froze, having not thought of an answer to the question and pondered what he should say. The truth perhaps, but she wouldn't like the truth. Would she react terribly if he decided not to lie to her? Would she alert the authorities that the Opera Ghost still lived?
Erik took a deep breath and committed to the truth regardless, "I–I will not lie to you, I took her the night of her engagement party, but–"
Madame Giry gasped, "You stole her! I knew it!"
"If I hadn't then the Vicomte would have–" he started before realizing how close he had been to revealing Christine's private matters. "I am ashamed of my actions, but I assure you, no harm has fallen on her. She is safer with me than de Chagny. If she wishes to share with you the happenings of her time there, then you will understand."
"Take me to her, now, or I will call for the police," she demanded, standing from the couch and heading to the door.
As her hand came in contact with the handle, Erik stood so he was prepared to flee if he had to, but still pushed as he needed her help, "I would like for you to join us tomorrow–"
"Erik, I am not going to ask again, take me to her, I will not allow you to manipulate her, those days are over," she insisted, stepping towards him, her presence nearly overbearing.
He moved backwards, wanting to rid himself of the odd feeling, "It's not like that, I have no reason to lie to her any longer. She has forgiven me and we–she loves me," he watched carefully as her face twisted. He was unsure if the expression she wore was disgust or shock, "Please, Antionette, all I wanted was to be loved for myself and she has finally given me that. For the first time in my miserable existence, I have someone who truly loves me. You must understand–"
"I loved you once, when you were a boy," her voice wavered and Erik could have sworn he saw the glint of tears on her waterline, "Of course it wasn't a romantic type of love–but that was before you began your threats and control over my workplace!"
"Love? No, you despised me, you did your duty to feed me and clothe me, but then you left me in the dark afterwards," his voice cracked and he couldn't help the tears that fell from his eyes, "I had no one to speak with but myself, I had no one to hear me. You were all I had and you left me to live, if one could call that living, down there, alone!"
She scoffed and turned away from him, "If you hadn't gone to Persia as I requested then none of this would have happened!"
"Persia?!" Erik bellowed, but he was speechless afterwards, unable to find the connection as to why Persia was the problem. She had not mentioned it being an issue until that moment, though she did show blatant disgust to the idea of him leaving for an indefinite amount of time after he received his summons. The disagreement had been brutal and he was sure that if the opera house hadn't been empty, the whole company would have been able to hear it.
"Yes, I didn't know if you would come back from that place. I was worried sick waiting for letters but none ever came. When you did return, an entire year later, I might add, you were different, changed," she took a deep shuddering breath and let it out in a heavy sigh, "I don't know what they did to you over there, but you no longer cared for human life and I couldn't find it in myself to keep visiting you as I did."
Erik clenched his jaw and looked away, "They didn't do anything to me, I was a willing subject."
"A subject? For what?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder at him.
"You know what, don't play coy with me," he hissed, deepening his rapidly quickening breaths, knowing that if he didn't he would lose control of himself. He couldn't let his anger rise, it would only lead to him doing something he would regret and his work over the last few months would have been for nothing.
Madame Giry faced him, her eyes avoiding him just as she usually did when he would make his demands. He felt guilty for making her feel as if she needed to be submissive when speaking with him, it was something he had never wanted from her. It had merely developed overtime and eventually it became normal behavior.
"I thought–I thought that you may have been harmed in some way. I assumed they had forced you to do such things," she said meekly.
Erik turned his face to the floor in shame, both for his actions in Persia and for her feeling the need to be frightened of him, "I wish I had been. As I have said, I am ashamed of my actions and I no longer wish for anyone to fall victim to them. I have promised Christine, and–and myself, that I will never commit another misdeed in my life."
"Promises can be broken," she whispered, the words lingering in the air between them.
He let out a heavy sigh, recalling the promise he had made to her a little more than ten years before. His urgency to train Christine's voice had made him agree to any condition that Madame Giry requested. How was he to know he would fall in love with Christine? If he had, then he would have never promised to only think of her as his student.
Erik opened his mouth to speak but shut it quickly, worried that anything he would say would only further frighten the woman who stood trembling before him. Instead, he simply sat back down on the couch and dropped his head into his hands, closing his eyes. Self pity was rather easy for him to wallow in and he easily settled into the emotion. His heart hurt and he had no idea how to soothe it as he usually thought of Christine to do so, but thinking of her in his state only seemed to worsen it. The promise he made so long ago had been broken and the guilt lingered over him, threatening to delve into his soul and rip out any humanity he had left.
A soft voice pulled him from his thoughts, "Though, I know what it feels to love someone who is forbidden," it was closer to him and he felt the bowing of the couch next to him as the source of the voice sat next to him. "I was the same with–well, you know who."
Oh, he definitely knew who she was speaking of, the same man who took advantage of her love, physically abused her on any occasion he could, and left her once he discovered she was with child. The same man who Erik had wanted to murder for doing such a thing, but the fool had disappeared before anything could be done about him.
Erik slowly opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her. There was sadness in her eyes, one that he hadn't seen for quite a while, and her bottom lip was trembling, "He didn't deserve your love, Antoinette."
Her gaze flicked to his and she wiped the tears from her eyes, "Yes, I know, I just feel terribly for my little Meg. It pains me to this day that she was raised without a father."
As he shifted himself into an upright position, he noticed her hand was resting between them and feeling the need to comfort her, he grabbed it, holding it between two of his own. She didn't recoil, only closed her eyes and dropped her head against her chest, letting her tears fall into her lap.
"It was better that she had no father than one who would have harmed her," Erik said softly, summoning the gentleness he used with Christine when she was upset. He had very little knowledge of comforting women, but he knew Christine and hoped that knowledge would carry over to others.
"I suppose you are correct–for once," Madame Giry smiled and let out a heavy sigh, raising her head and wiping her tears with her free hand, "I still remember when you first came to me after I gave birth. When I saw you with Meg, holding her as if she was your most precious possession, I had hoped that you would have been the father she needed."
Him? A father to a child who was not his own? It was impossible. Especially not at such a young age! The thought confused him and he slowly pulled his hands away, folding them on his lap, "I was but a child, I could never have been her father."
"Meg was very fond of you," she assured him, reaching for his hand. He did not protest and allowed her to mimic his previous actions, "I never understood why you stopped visiting her. After a while, she stopped asking for you and a couple years later you left for Persia and I–I lost hope in her ever having a father."
Guilt washed over Erik again and he felt his heart clenching once more, "I–I assumed that once she was old enough, she would be frightened of me. If I had known you wanted me to be a larger part of her life, I wouldn't have–" he paused and swallowed hard, thinking of if he would have even been able to be a child's father at such a young age. His father had passed away before he was born so he was at a loss as to what the proper duties would even have been.
Had Madame Giry really believed that he could have cared for Meg in such a way? To take her as his daughter and raise her as his own? It made no sense to him that anyone would want him to be the father of their child.
Christine does, Erik thought to himself, his mind straying to him once again holding a newborn child in his arms, but it would be his own. His very own flesh and blood, much different than when he held Meg more than twenty years prior. The same girl Madame Giry had hoped he would take under his wing as his daughter.
A feeling of shame flooded him and he felt tears prick at his eyes before quickly swiping them away. He felt terrible for how he left both of them, Meg for abandoning her after years of attention, and Madame Giry for giving her false hope that he would be the girl's father. He bowed his head, "Meg deserved a father and I'm not entirely sure I would have been appropriate for the role, though that is not to say I wouldn't have done my best."
"I have no doubt about it," Madame Giry assured him, releasing his hand and standing from the couch, "Now, are we going to see Christine now? I only need to ensure you are keeping her well, then I will help you."
Erik nodded, pushing any lingering emotion to the side for private thought and stood with her, "Yes, as I have said, I would prefer tomorrow evening, but if you cannot wait, I am more than willing to accommodate your needs. I only wish to show you I mean no harm. The Erik you knew after Persia no longer exists."
Madame Giry looked at him skeptically for a moment, then her face softened, "Tonight would be preferable."
"Of course, I will take both of you to her, I only ask that you not reveal our location to anyone. As I have said, there are unsavory folk looking for her and I would hate for her to return to the Hell I took her from," he stated, cursing himself for opening another opportunity for questioning.
Though, instead of inquiring further, she nodded, "Alright, but I will leave Meg here for now and if I deem Christine safe, then I will allow Meg to visit tomorrow evening. I will inform her of our decision."
Erik bowed his head in acceptance and watched as she moved to the door on the back wall of the apartment. She opened it and stepped inside, then he heard hushed whispers and the stamping of a foot. He smiled and tried not to laugh while imagining the small girl throwing one of her tantrums as she always used to do when she didn't get her way.
Only ten minutes had passed before the two women emerged to meet Erik in the living area. Madame Giry had fully dressed along with Meg whose eyes were glued to his. He noticed that she wasn't trembling as she was when she first answered the door and he could have sworn he saw wonderment behind her wide eyes. Had she been listening to the conversation between her mother and himself?
Erik greeted her kindly, "Good evening, mademoiselle."
The girl curtsied, a bit formal for the meeting, "Monsieur."
He looked at her for a moment, just briefly, to imagine how she would greet him if he had stayed and been her father, then he tore his eyes from her and looked at Madame Giry, "Shall we be on our way?"
In truth, he was far too impatient to return to Christine, who he knew would be sleeping soundly. She was far too heavy of a sleeper and undoubtedly had not moved from the position he had left her in.
Madame Giry nodded, "Yes, Meg will be joining us after all. It seems she is far too eager to see Christine."
Erik chuckled, noticing that the noise made Meg jump slightly, "Yes, Christine is as well. She was very enthusiastic to see the both of you," he moved to the door, passed the two women who stood beside the couch, "It is not a far walk, only a few minutes. Please, follow me."
He opened the door and stepped into the empty hallway, waiting for the women to join him. They did and he led them down the stairs and out into the streets of Paris, turning down the alleyways to the Opera Populaire. They arrived at the stables, Erik greeting Cesar and Beauty before finding the switch to open the stone wall.
"So, this is how you disappeared," Meg murmured, moving towards the tunnel and stepping inside.
"Yes, I had a route behind one of my mirrors in case of emergency," he answered, gesturing for Madame Giry to enter next. Once she had moved through the entrance, he joined them and flipped the lever to close the wall. "Watch your step, there are some uneven stones. I've only ever had to use this path a handful of times so it's not up to the standards of ladies, I'm afraid."
He moved past the women and grabbed one of the torches from the wall, running his hand up the side, igniting the flint with the small piece of metal he had dragged up the side. A simple trick he learned during his time with the gypsies, merely stage magic that excited the people who visited the circus.
A quiet gasp came from behind him and he glanced over his shoulder only briefly to see Meg staring at the flames with a wide smile. He looked forward, attempting to push his thoughts away, trying again not to feel guilty for his selfish actions when she was only a small child. He could not let the feeling consume him, he had other matters that needed to be taken care of first.
Erik started walking forward, listening to the two pairs of footsteps behind him, trying to be as slow as he could so he wouldn't rush them. He couldn't have them tripping due to his impatience to see Christine. The journey didn't take long, only a couple minutes, but soon, they were standing in Erik's living area.
"Please, take a seat anywhere you would like," he glanced around the room, making note as to how little seating he had. "I'm sure the lounge would be to your liking, make yourselves comfortable while I fetch Christine."
He turned towards the bedroom, his heart rate increasing at the thought of seeing Christine. Being away from her for any period of time always made him antsy but he couldn't help it. Her hold on him was stronger than anything he had ever felt before.
As he turned the corner into the bedroom, he smiled, seeing her still sleeping peacefully just as he predicted. She was so beautiful, even as her mouth hung open and heavy snores filled the room. The coverlet had shifted from her, revealing her breasts, but he tried not to stare at them. He was a gentleman after all, and gentlemen don't watch women sleeping naked.
After removing both his cloak and coat and draping them over the end of the bed, he knelt next to her bedside and pulled the coverlet over her breasts. He had wanted to wake her gently, but as soon as he touched her, she jolted awake, looking around wildly.
"I apologize," Erik said immediately, worrying that he had accidentally scared her. He had no intention of doing so, but sometimes he would without even trying.
Her swollen eyes found him and she sighed while offering a small smile, "It's alright, I have had a hard time keeping asleep tonight it seems. I feel like I just fell asleep," she sat up and pulled the blanket with her, rubbing her eyes with her fists, "Have you come to join me in bed?"
Erik shook his head, though the thought was tempting, they had guests, "No, my love, but please get dressed. I have a surprise for you."
"Why do I need to be dressed?" she complained, twisting her face with a look of disappointment.
He chuckled, "As much as I enjoy your nakedness, I do believe our guests will not."
Her eyes widened and she smiled widely, "Guests? Meg? Oh, I have to get dressed as soon as possible!"
Christine shoved the coverlet to the side, revealing her entire body to Erik, before pushing passed him and jumping down from the bed. His eyes followed her, attempting to keep them above her waistline, though he could see her bottom. It was right in the lower part of his vision and he couldn't help dropping his eyes to stare at it. There was no harm in doing such a thing since she was awake.
He watched as she bent over slightly, revealing more of her flesh, and he had to pull lightly on his collar to be rid of some of the heat he was feeling. Perhaps looking at her in such a way was not as good as an idea when they had to be presentable to guests. He flicked his eyes up as she turned towards him, a dress and chemise draped over her arm.
"You know, I forgot to mention that I will be needing new stockings. All of mine have gone missing," she grinned and moved to the bed, setting down her dress and pulling her chemise over her head.
Erik froze then slowly rose from the bedside while attempting to hide any embarrassment on his face. He surely had the guiltiest face a man could have, "I'm sure they will turn–"
"Erik, you didn't have anything to do with my stockings going missing, have you?" she asked, taking a step towards him and crossing her arms over her breasts.
He shook his head, trying to feign ignorance with his tone, "Of–of course not. Do you think I'm some kind of thief?"
Had she discovered the stash he kept under his side of the bed back at the cottage? Surely not, she wasn't strong enough to lift the mattress and if she had been, they were tucked so far back that her arm wouldn't have been able to reach.
She nodded slowly, her eyes quizzical, "I don't believe you."
He scoffed and turned away from her, chewing on his lip and thinking of anything he could say to keep his thievery from being discovered. She had to have seen him stealing away with them, or perhaps she had noticed him shoving them into his pockets. But he had been so careful! He always ensured she had her eyes closed or her face turned away.
"What makes you think I had something to do with it?" he asked, curious as to what he had done wrong while he thought he was being as careful as possible.
"My love, the only times my stockings have gone missing were when I lived here and during our time at the cottage. I am not as naive as you think I am. Why is it that everytime you offered to rub my feet, you had to go upstairs for a few minutes afterwards and no matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find my stockings?" she asked, her voice was closer to him and he felt the heat of her body on his shoulder.
Erik's face heated even more, and he cursed himself for not being careful enough, "I don't think now is an appropriate time for this conversation. Perhaps we can continue it later."
"Oh, we will continue it later, you have my word," she whispered under her breath.
Dammit, Erik thought. His only hope was that she would forget and he would simply obtain stockings for her and add them to her trunk as she slept. That way, she would believe she dreamed the scenario. Yes, he would only need to ask Madame Giry to purchase them for him and discreetly pass them off to him the next night.
Christine was stepping into her dress and pushing her arms through the sleeves, before reaching up behind her, attempting to tighten the laces. He stepped forward quickly, not enjoying the struggle of the woman before him.
"Allow me, my love," he breathed, attempting to keep the small amount of anger he felt at bay.
She pulled her hair to the side and straightened her back as his fingers worked the silk laces tighter. He moved from top to bottom, tying a bow with the excess fabric, well, something resembling a bow.
"There, all done," he murmured as he moved his fingers from the laces and up to her neck where he pulled her hair back into place. She shivered as he did so and leaned back into him, her head resting against his chest.
"Thank you, my love," she whispered, taking one of his hands and kissing it. Her warm lips sent a deep shudder through his body and he knew if he didn't step away from her in that moment, then he wouldn't be able to control himself.
He moved backwards, bumping lightly into the bedside table, "Your guests are waiting for you."
Christine looked over her shoulder at him, a smile on her lips, "Yes and once they leave, perhaps we can…" but she didn't finish her thought, instead she moved to check her hair in the vanity mirror.
Erik let out a deep shuddering breath, "Christine," he barely whispered, stepping forward, not caring about being unable to control himself. He gripped her shoulders, facing her towards him and hooking two of his fingers under her chin. Her face was mere inches from his, her hot breath filling his senses. He was content in just being close to her, wanting to keep himself in somewhat of a fixable state, but her lips were on his in seconds. He kissed her softly, not allowing her to deepen the kiss as an extra precaution.
He mustered all of his strength and pulled back, chuckling, "Must you tempt me every second of the day? I hardly have control of myself when I am near you."
Christine looked dazed and he couldn't help the smirk that came to his lips at the knowledge of what he did to her in return. Her wide eyes bore into his as she spoke softly, "I have to–guests. We have guests."
"Yes, indeed, it would be rather rude to keep them waiting any longer," he whispered into the air between them, regretting that he hadn't pushed to have Madame Giry and Meg's visit the next night. As soon as he was able, he pulled away completely, content on leaving the room as quickly as possible so as not to tempt himself even further.
Once at the exit, he glanced back and saw Christine straightening her dress and fixing her hair again. He noticed the knotted curls, which he would be sure to brush through in the morning. After a few seconds, she faced him and joined him at the exit, taking his outstretched hand and allowing him to lead her into the larger cavern.
Madame Giry and Meg sat close to each other on the chaste lounge, the latter looking around with wide eyes and when she spotted Christine, she shot up and bolted across the room.
"Christine! I've missed you!" the girl cried as she threw her arms around her friend. They both collapsed to the floor, Erik's hand being torn from Christine's as they fell.
"My sweet Meg," Christine whispered, her voice wavering lightly. Erik could tell she was close to crying which had been exactly what he was expecting of their reunion. After all, the two had been the best of friends being the same age and in the corp together.
Erik smiled and stepped over them, moving to sit on his organ bench, facing towards Madame Giry, "As you can see, she is unharmed."
The woman nodded, "It seems so, though I would like to ask her some questions," she looked over at the girls who sat laughing together, "Christine, Meg, why don't you come join us."
The girls scrambled to their feet and walked hand in hand over to the chaste lounge, Meg took a seat next to Madame Giry, while Christine sat on the foot rest closest to Meg.
Madame Giry reached out and took Christine's hand, "My dear, I trust Erik has been keeping you well and has been a proper gentleman."
Erik leaned against the edge of his organ, careful not to press any keys, covering his smile with his hand. He had been quite the gentleman, only doing what Christine wanted. Even if her demands were rather unladylike. Perhaps she should be the one who was being chastised.
Christine nodded quickly, "Yes, very much so. I am very happy with him. We plan on getting a new home!"
"That's wonderful, now, tell me how you and Erik found each other again. I am intrigued to know the story," Madame Giry asked.
Erik sat straight up, knowing that she was attempting to produce a different telling of things from Christine. He wasn't worried though, as he had not lied and he was rather proud of himself for being so honest. In fact, he had expected Madame Giry to ask Christine the same questions that she had of him. His only fear was that Christine would attempt to paint him in a better light and he didn't want that.
Christine glanced over at Erik, a look of apology crossed her face then back at Madame Giry, "In all honesty, Erik stole me from my engagement party, but I'm glad he did. I couldn't stay another day at that horrid place," she looked down and pulled her hands into her lap, "I know Erik may not have been in his right mind when he came to me, but I can assure you, in these past few months, he has treated me with more compassion and kindness than a woman could ask of a man."
"I see and Erik told me that it is dangerous for you to go out in the daytime, at least for a while. Why is that?" Madame Giry asked, shooting a glance at Erik. She looked to be believing Christine and he felt a sense of relief wash over him.
Christine's face dropped and he could see her bottom lip quivering. He wanted to comfort her, to kneel next to her and take her into his arms, but he couldn't. He didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable by being in such close proximity to him, instead he gave her an affirming smile.
She took a deep shuddering breath, "A–After the investigation, I went to Chagny to live with–with Raoul and he attempted to force me into bed, saying I had to prove my love. I said no and eventually he stopped, but the damage was done," she paused and wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes, "Before my engagement party, Raoul's brother, Philippe, offered me an escort to the ballroom and–"
"You don't have to continue, my dear," Madame Giry interrupted, standing and kneeling down next to a now sobbing Christine. "Those men did terrible, awful things to you, no one deserves to be treated in such a way."
Christine nodded meekly, "I know, which is why I am glad Erik found me again. Without him, I don't know where I would be. He doesn't like when I call him an angel, but he truly is one."
Her eyes connected with his and he had to look away from the intensity of it. She was correct, he despised being referred to as an angel. He had been under the guise of one for ten years and it only brought Christine and himself pain. Though, her calling him one always made his heart skip, and he wasn't sure why.
Erik swallowed hard, still feeling the eyes of Christine on him, "de Chagny has sent his brother to search for Christine. He showed up on our doorstep a week ago and I was less than convincing when he inquired about her. We fled that day, and now we are here, living in a sewer, which is why we need your help."
"I am more than willing to help, now that I know she is safe and what the situation is," Madame Giry said and Erik turned to look at her, "Should we discuss specifics for housing? We can take a walk, leave these two to catch up."
"Oh, please, monsieur!" Meg cried, prompting Erik to look at the women, pulling his gaze from the burning candle flames.
He sighed, not wanting to leave Christine but ultimately nodded, "Yes, we can walk through some of the back tunnels. They are safe, no traps."
Madame Giry stood and stepped to stand next to him before glancing back at the girls, "We won't be long."
Christine had moved to sit next to Meg and they were already conversing and Erik could have sworn he heard his name being said. Meg looked up at her mother, "Alright, mama, we will not move from this spot."
Erik stood from the bench, and ushered Madame Giry toward the kitchen where he had an entrance to his unused tunnels that led nowhere. He often used them for storage, though he hadn't used them for years due to the rats eating into his possessions. He took one last glance at Christine, who looked up at him and smiled, before ducking into the labyrinth.