Chapter Nine:  If You Stick Together

Erik and Christine made their way downstairs about an hour later, Christine's face still showing a bit of the shock at Erik's news.  They were met in the dining room by Marie and Gerard, who were taking in a leisurely breakfast.

Gerard was the first to notice the couple coming into their midst.  His head came up from his newspaper, and he smiled as the two made their way into the two 'guest seats.'  "Ah, Erik, Christine, good morning!  I trust you both slept well?"

Christine merely nodded, still unable to speak through her shock, and Erik replied on his own,  "Yes, fine thank you."

Gerard glanced questioningly between Christine and Erik a few times before his gaze finally rested on his nephew.  Erik simply nodded, hoping the older man would understand.

"I see,"  Gerard mumbled as he refolded the paper.  "I did as well, so I don't see any reason to go on in veiled circles any longer.  I am seeing someone this afternoon about the proceedings.  Perhaps the two of you would wish to join me, Erik?"

Erik turned his gaze toward Christine,  "If that is alright with you, my dear?"

Christine looked up to meet his gaze, and the confusion finally left her face as she smiled,  "Of course."

"Good, it's settled then.  The appointment is at noon."  Gerard stood from the table and picked up his plate, then spoke again,  "I do have a little business to attend to before we leave, so if you will all excuse me, I shall meet up with you at a quarter to."  He then proceeded with his plate to the kitchen area, and then back through the dining room, stopped to give his wife a quick kiss and an "I love you" and was out the front door.

Marie finally spoke to the pair,  "I must say, I was a bit shocked when Gerard told me of your . . . relationship to him, Erik."

"If it bothers you, Madame . . ."

"Not in the least.  I know Gerard has had a longing for family, even before I met him nearly eleven years ago.  The two of you will be good for each other, Erik dear.  You've needed family for a good many years now yourself.  I know you've finally found love, now you've found more.  I daresay Gerard already told you that you are always welcome here, the both of you."

Christine glanced at Erik after Marie paused in her little speech, and she could see Erik's skin redden just slightly in areas where the mask did not hide his skin.

"Yes, he did Madame."

"Good,"  Marie answered simply as the cook came out with two more plates filled with food and set them before Erik and Christine.

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Christine watched as Erik paced nervously about the drawing room, wishing there was some way to calm the nervous energy she could sense pulsing through him.  The power pulsing through the air in his presence was no more diminished here than it was on the house by the lake, and the thought secretly filled Christine with a strange delight.

"It's almost time, Erik,"  Christine broke the silence softly, her voice barely more than a strangled whisper.

Erik nearly spun, a sight that was just as impressive without the cape he favored when they went out.  His own voice came in hushed tones as he answered,  "Yes, I know."  He stalked over to where Christine sat and knelt before her.  "I can only hope this goes well, he did not tell me exactly what he had planned, I know it was for fear of giving me false hope, but I have to believe if there is a way for us to be married without . . ."  his voice choked slightly, and he fought for a moment go get past the lump that had suddenly taken up residence in his throat,  "without certain papers that we lack, that Gerard can do it.  He's certainly determined enough."

Christine smiled sweetly, her face surprisingly angelic,  "Yes, he is.  I realize just how lucky we are to find him, Erik."

Erik gave her hand a gentle squeeze,  "Yes, we are at that."

The door in the foyer swung open, allowing a shock of cold air to blow through the house before it banged closed again, and the blast of air was followed shortly by Gerard entering the drawing room.

His eyebrow quirked at the charming tableau before him, and his question shortly found voice,  "Are you both ready then?"

Erik rose slowly, and offered his hand to Christine as she stood as well.  Finally having conquered the lump in his throat, Erik's voice betrayed none of it's previous worry when he answered melodically,  "Yes, very much so."

Together the three walked out into the light of the day.

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They arrived at the church without a second glance being spared their way in the streets, and the three of them let out a collective sigh of relief, although Erik was still very tense as he looked to Gerard in question, a question he never had a chance to ask as a young priest came up to inquire their business.  The electricity crackled in the air as the young man looked upon Erik's mask with open curiosity and wariness.

"Yes, Father Margot,"  Gerard answered,  "I have an appointment with Monsignor Dominique this afternoon."

"Yes, Monsieur Degardeau, the Monsignor is expecting you,"  Father Margot replied as he motioned for them to follow him, and then paused and gestured them to stay in a rather large foyer just beyond the nave.

The three stood in silence for several tense moments, both Christine and Gerard sensing Erik's wariness of what was to come, when the silence was broken by the door which the young Father Margot had disappeared into opening.  The now open door revealed a wizened, older man in a monsignor's robes.

"Ah, Gerard!  I've been expecting you,"  the elderly priest boomed without preamble, his voice belying his frail appearance.  "This way, if you please."

Erik, Gerard, and Christine followed Monsignor Dominique into his inner sanctuary, where the priest motioned them into a small sitting room and four cozy armchairs which formed a near circle.  The priest sank into one of the chairs with a sigh as his companions each claimed one for their own.

Monsignor Dominique broke the silence that had fallen,  "So Gerard, I know something must be serious must be for you to ask to meet me on such short notice."

"Yes, serious indeed, Quentin.  Albeit a happy serious.  I need a favor of sorts."

"A favor, Gerard?"  Quentin Dominique's right eyebrow raised with the question.  "As much as you've done for this parish over the years, you know there is little I can deny you.  As a friend, even less."

Gerard smiled,  "Yes, as I hoped."  He paused and indicated his companions,  "but forgive my deplorable manners,  my nephew, Erik Laramie, and his fiancée Christine Daae."

"Nephew?"  Quentin asked.  "Charles' boy I take it?"

"Yes,"  Gerard nodded.  "They have a rather . . . singular problem, Quentin."

The priest studied Erik cautiously for a moment before speaking again,  "I can only imagine what problem would cause Charles Laramie's son to wear a mask, although if I have not missed my guess, it would not surprise me that Madeleine would not have it so.  Continue, Gerard."

Gerard glanced from the corner of his eye at Erik, and noted the stiffening of his nephew's arms at the mention of his mother's name.  "As I said, they wish to be married, yet they are missing some documentation that the new republic requires you to keep.  I had hoped, perhaps, we might find the way around that."

Quentin smiled ruefully, his glance darting between Erik and Christine throughout, and he had noticed the quick looks the couple had spared for each other.  "By documentation, you mean?"

"Erik is lacking a birth certificate, yet if I'm not mistaken that can be waved if a family member vouches for his identity, correct?"

"Correct, Gerard, and I have no doubt you would vouch for Erik."

"Of course,"  Gerard answered without pause.

"And Mademoiselle . . . Daae?"

"Yes Monsignor?"  Christine replied.

"I am to assume you can also vouch for yourself?"

"Yes, Monsignor."

"Then I see no problem,"  Quentin smiled openly now.

The reaction on Erik and Christine's faces as the old priest said that were of pure ecstatic joy, interchanged quickly between them as they reached out simultaneously and grasped the other's hand.

"Have the two of you discussed a date?"  Quentin inquired.

Another quick glance between Erik and Christine, before Erik's reply,  "No, we haven't as yet, Monsignor, as we had not been sure with my lack of paperwork . . ." he trailed off at the priest's stunned look from the mere sound of his speaking voice.  It was a look he had seen often, and yet, he was almost glad he had not spoken before, as now he knew that the priest was not a mere puppet to his vocal cords.

"Then perhaps you would like to take this evening to discuss it, and meet me here tomorrow afternoon and finish up with the details?"

One more glance between Christine and Erik in which Christine nodded her head in approval,  "Yes,"  Erik spoke for them,  "That would be perfect.  What time, Monsignor?"

"I am free tomorrow at one in the afternoon,"  Quentin Dominique replied simply.  And with that he rose, as did the other occupants of the room,  "I look forward to seeing you then."

Erik stopped to shake his hand before parting, and whispered to the priest,  "Thank you, Monsignor Dominique."

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Authors Notes:  First, to Rose, thank you for the information on Queen Victoria (yeah, you can tell it's been a long time since my High School European History classes!)  And I can only say, well, Marie was by no means from a poor family, as Erik was born into middle class, I have to assume that Marie lived in a similar fashion to Madeleine.

Ash:  I only took out the Celine song in chapter seven so far, but then I had also started going out of order in the lyrics, so now I'm starting to have a problem fitting the lyrics to the chapters . . . although eight and nine were fairly easy, I already used the next line so I have to skip yet again!  ARRRGH!  I'm about to start perusing through other Celine songs for good chapter titles just so I can keep some of that flow going J

Deirdre:  Yeah, I've seen fics like that too, which is just why I have to be different, and no apology necessary, I'm kinda glad I had someone a little bit worried, shows you're paying attention J

And I hope you all like this chapter . . . it didn't come as easy as the others and I fear that the logistics of the story are making me stray a bit from my original focus which was the Erik / Christine relationship . . . I do, however, have some really nice E/C scenes plotted out for the near future.

Questions I want to raise:  Will they return to Paris?  Will Christine continue to sing at the opera house?  And will this wedding go off without a hitch (or an objection?)  Let me know what you think!