A/N: Ahhh! You all…I am so sorry about this ridiculous amount of time that I haven't updated. As usual I don't have an excuse, but I do apologise and I hope I'll be forgiven.
I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! Thanks a bazillion to Midasgirl, for not only betaing this for me, but also for giving me the confidence to post it!! And also for just being an absolutely wonderful person.
To all of my reviewers: All of your words mean so much to me, I cannot possibly thank you enough for taking the time to leave me your thoughts on this story. And thank you to all of those who sent me private emails too : )
Riene: Now really, this chapter I must have all my commas. (Well…I mean definitely as Cat helped me where I forgot) Haha, I have gotten better at that I think though. But anyway, thank you for taking the time to actually sit down and read this, it means a lot : )
Christine Persephone: And you too reading my story! I'm honoured. And yes…I'm working on that confidence thing…
Angelic Lawyer: Well, you'll just have to wait and see if I've changed my mind, hehe. Thanks for your lovely review.
Fantome: Your reviews are such a joy to read. You just love to analise everything and its brilliant : ) : ) : )
Lady Willow: Don't die! :P
sage: Thank you very much for your review. You didn't really finish your sentence (I do that a lot, lol) but I assume you meant to say you don't like having Clementina and Annette just hanging around. But I don't know, I figure not everyone you meet in life has to play such a pivotal role. Not everyone you meet becomes your best friend, not everyone stays in touch with you. People come in and out of your life often and you don't always notice. Not to say they won't be used more… :P
Mystic Darkness, Opera Ghost Kid, Jenn, tinagirl259, escawing, Phantomgurl33, lafantome574, Capricorn Chaos, JULIE :P, musical, sharonarnotdon, Jessica Lauren, and asthalanthil: You guys really keep me going. Thank youuuu! : )
And now…after much waiting…enjoy! (And I hope the spacing on this chapter holds out crosses fingers)
Christine woke to find late afternoon sun shining in her eyes. She heard footsteps behind her; someone was moving about the room. Turning over, she squinted sleepily at Meg, who was setting down a bowl and a glass of water.
"I thought you'd be hungry," Meg said. "And you do need to get up, the doctor said he would be back tonight."
Christine groaned, still half asleep. "It's too bright in here," she muttered, bringing her arm up over her eyes.
Meg laughed shortly. "Nonsense, it's the afternoon! The sun is practically setting. Besides, it's good to have some light in here."
"No," Christine said groggily. "Won't you shut the curtains?"
"Oh, fine," Meg sighed. "You'll turn this room into a cave."
"I don't care," she muttered, watching Meg pull the drapes closed through half shut eyes. Christine moved then to look at what Meg had brought her. She made to sit up and Meg quickly went to help her, propping up the pillows more behind her.
"Are you feeling all right?" Meg asked gently.
Christine shrugged. "I suppose I'll live…I'm so tired."
"Well, you can sleep for awhile longer after you eat," Meg said, attempting to sound cheerful. "I'll…I'll be right outside, if you need anything."
Christine frowned slightly, disappointed that her friend wanted to leave. "Am I such horrible company that you must rush out of here?"
"Oh no!" Meg said immediately. "I just…I thought that maybe you'd like some privacy."
Confused when Meg looked away from her, Christine demanded, "Meg, what is it?"
Meg shrugged. "I…I just don't know what to say to you." She paused. "And that sounded horribly stupid, I'm sorry."
Christine sighed, and leaned farther back into the pillows, closing her eyes. "Just sit down, Meg." She felt the bed sink slightly as Meg sat and pulled her knees up under her. "Is Erik here?" she asked, not opening her eyes.
"No," Meg answered.
"Did he say when he'd be back?"
"No."
"Oh."
There was silence for a moment, not entirely uncomfortable, but Meg wanted it broken anyway. "Can I talk to you about him, Christine? About Erik?"
She nodded, her eyes still shut. There was another length of silence. "I thought you wanted to talk," Christine said.
"I do," Meg said slowly.
"Well then…"
"Well, I don't know where to start."
"All right, then I'll start. So, Meg, what is it about Erik that you wish to discuss?"
Meg sighed and flopped down on the bed, laying across it in the wrong direction at the foot. It didn't matter, Christine wasn't looking at her anyway. "I suppose…" she started. "I…I suppose I want to know what you're going to do. Will you go away with him?"
"I don't know."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that I don't know, Meg Giry," Christine snapped. "He can decide for himself what he wants to do."
"All right then, I'll ask what you want to do…and don't you dare say, 'I don't know.'"
"I want to spend the rest of my days with him," Christine said casually. She sighed and sat up when Meg didn't say anything. "Don't make me think about anything definite. Not right now. I have nothing to tell you."
Meg still did not respond, and this time Christine made no attempt to keep the conversation going. But Meg did speak; she was full of questions, and did not know the proper way to ask any of them.
"And what of the child?"
Christine tensed slightly. "What of him? He is my own and will stay with me."
"And with Erik as well?" Meg asked.
"Why must you speak in that tone? I've already told you that Erik can do what he pleases. I can't make a decision for him now, can I?"
Meg turned and propped herself up on her elbows to look at Christine. "But where will you go?"
There was a pause and in that moment, her strength wilted. Christine looked down and responded softly. "I don't know." She closed her eyes, on the verge of starting to cry, something she could not bear to do again. "I guess I keep hoping that Erik will have the solution to all of this."
Meg bit her lip. She had been trying not to upset Christine, although there wasn't much for it at the moment. She had every reason in the world to be upset. "Well, maybe he does!" she said, her voice sounding a bit too cheerful to be authentic.
Smiling softly, Christine looked up. "So you want to convince me of that, do you?"
"Of course I do!" Meg said. She then pulled herself up into a sitting position and sighed. "I should go… Mama doesn't really want me in here 'disturbing you.'" She rolled her eyes and stood up. "But I'll be back soon."
Christine smiled as best she could and watched Meg leave quietly. Her eyes traveled to the bassinet holding her baby. It was a miracle that he was so quiet. She had thought that all babies were loud, screaming things. No, he cried rarely, usually when Christine had fallen asleep again and he was left unfed. But...oh, she hoped it wasn't a bad sign that he didn't cry all the time. Could that possibly mean that he wasn't healthy? She shook her head. That was just a silly analysis of it. She was no doctor and knew nothing about it. Christine looked at the food that Meg had brought and grimaced slightly. She couldn't eat, she felt…tired. It was more than tired, but she couldn't think of another word for her state of being. She leaned back into the pillows and let her eyes close. They did not open until she heard the sound of the baby crying to see the doctor had come again.
She was feverish for much of the night. The child was removed from her room and Meg was left to sit up with Christine while she lingered between sleep and delirium.
Erik had come by very soon after the doctor had left, entering a home full of bad news. Christine was in no danger, though they had been left instructions to watch her carefully, keep her warm, and not allow her to be up and about. The doctor had seemed much more concerned about the babe, to the distress of all. The boy was weaker, shouldn't have lived this long. A priest was to be sent for the next day so that he might be baptized should the terrible happen….
Erik had taken all of this in, speaking quietly with Madame Giry behind Christine's cracked open door. He had gone into the room, but had left quite quickly, tense and unwilling to speak to Madame on his way out.
Now, as Meg held onto Christine's hand, she rather wished that he hadn't left so quickly. If he was here her friend might stop muttering his name so…
Meg dozed off after midnight, unable to keep her eyes open a second longer. However, she started awake after only a few minutes when Christine abruptly grabbed her arm and cried out. The girl jumped violently at being awoken in such a manner and shook her head a few times, trying to process what was happening around her. Her eyes focused on Christine, grasping her arm tightly and breathing heavily.
She stood up quickly, exchanging her arm for her hand in Christine's grip. "Christine!" she whispered quickly. "Shhh, it's all right, dear. Calm yourself!"
"Meg!" she gasped, between her harsh breaths.
"I'm right here; please calm down, Christine…" But there was no immediate response. Meg repeated her name again in hopes of getting her to relax, to recognize her.
Christine took several more gasping breaths, before her breathing began to slow somewhat, but her grip on Meg's hand only tightened.
"What's the matter?" Meg asked her, worry creasing her face.
"Meg, he has no name!" she managed to say, through the tears that had suddenly appeared.
Meg frowned, her head still slightly clouded due to the late hour. "No name? The baby you mean?"
"Of course! I…oh, God, Meg, he has no name! Is he all right? I wasn't thinking..."
"Christine! Please, it's all right… He's fine. He shall have a name tomorrow, I promise." She took her hands and placed them on Christine's hot cheeks. "Calm down, everything will be fine."
"But Erik has to be here!"
"I know, he'll be here," Meg said soothingly. She noticed her efforts were beginning to take affect. Christine was relaxing slowly. "There, you see? You should sleep, everything is all right." She felt as though she'd repeated that a hundred times, but if it was helping…
"All right…" Christine said, slowly leaning back onto the pillows.
"Everything will be all right," Meg said again. She breathed an enormous sigh when Christine's eyes closed. She could only guess from where that episode had stemmed! It must have been her fever…or perhaps she had been dreaming.
Meg left the room briefly and returned with a wet cloth that she placed on Christine's forehead. She then rearranged herself on the chair placed beside the bed, attempting to find a comfortable position. It didn't take long for her to realize that this was impossible. Satisfied enough, she stopped her shifting about and stared at Christine for a few moments. She hated taking care of her like this… She was more than happy to do it of course, but…oh, she wanted her friend to be well! It was horrible to see her in this bed for so long… She could barely care for her own child in the state she was in. Meg's eyes closed without her permission and before she fell asleep she hoped so much that Christine would be well in the morning.
Christine's fever was gone when the dawn came. Again she awoke to Erik watching her, but it was a welcoming sight this time. They regarded each other silently for several moments before Christine closed her eyes again, a tired sigh escaping her lips. When she opened them again, Erik was standing beside her, a glass of water in his hand. She had not even heard him move.
He placed his hand behind her back to help her sit up, an action that made her tremble. Why did it seem like it had been ages since she had last seen him? She accepted the glass he gave her, but it stopped halfway to her lips when she noticed the empty corner.
"Where is he?" she said immediately, looking up at Erik with wide eyes.
"He is safe, just in the next room," Erik said.
"Oh," Christine said. She felt a strange sensation in her stomach, nervous about the child being out of her sight.
"Madame Giry has told me…" Erik paused. "They are bringing a priest today?"
Dropping her gaze, she nodded slowly. Her fingers unconsciously twisted into the bedsheet. Everyone knew it…the child needed a name in case he should die. Her grip tightened on the sheets and her hand that held the glass began to shake, so much that Erik took it from her.
He slowly lifted his hand and caressed her hair. "It will be all right, my dear." He raised the glass to her lips. "Drink this."
Christine grimaced as the cold glass touched her lips and, still drowsy and not thinking properly, shoved it roughly away. Erik said nothing, simply set the glass on the bedside table. She turned her head away from him, suddenly the sight of him was unbearable. She felt weak; she wanted to give up...just give up everything. How much longer could she stand all of this?
"Christine." Erik's voice whispered her name softly; the bed moved when he sat beside her.
Involuntarily, she looked at him again. She hated that she could think of nothing to say to him. They always talked so naturally... Instead she decided to throw her arms around his neck. Christine buried her face in his shoulder, feeling the scratch of his jacket, breathing in the scent of him. This comforted her the way nothing else could, just being so close to him, feeling his arms around her. Here she would always be safe...
When she spoke, her voice was a whisper and it sounded as if she were struggling not to cry. "What do you think...for a name?"
Erik tensed, and slowly pulled away from her, though she still held onto his arms. "You are asking me?" he asked, slightly confused.
Christine nodded, "Well, yes... I mean...I'll...we'll have to think of an original name for him. It feels wrong to name him for anyone...when he belongs to no one but myself."
She had already thought about this. Her beautiful baby boy... She had felt an urge to name him Raoul, even though that thought was ludicrous. The thought had come to her before she had the time to consider what that meant. The child was…no, it wouldn't be proper. And how would that hurt Erik? He would be named after no one.
Christine frowned in confusion when Erik stood up suddenly. "What is it?" she asked him.
"Did you know…before I was born, I was to be named for my father."
Christine's eyes widened, and she said nothing. She was afraid to do anything that would stop his commentary, curious of this story from so long ago.
"But then…I wasn't," he said simply, his voice devoid of emotion. "Oh yes, it would have been wrong to name me for anyone. I didn't deserve anyone else's name, did not deserve that connection."
Her cheeks burned and Christine desperately wanted to disappear. She couldn't bear him throwing those words at her. She thought of her son, whom she really did love so desperately, she thought that perhaps he should receive someone's name. Oh, how could anyone think otherwise? How could she have been thinking he was undeserving? It wasn't as if he was to blame for what had happened to her. He was innocent, had done nothing, didn't know the circumstances of his birth… And Erik…she hated his parents so completely for being so evil as to punish their child in such a way! His back still faced her, he could not see her weep for him. Perhaps that was better; he wouldn't like that at all. The point of the story was not to make her pity him…
The point was…that she loved her boy. She had feared so many times that she would despise him, be incapable of loving him. But now when she held and his soft blue eyes, that so reminded her of her own, stared up at her, as if he truly could recognise her as his mother, oh, it filled her with such joy. It was unfair of her to say he didn't deserve to be named for someone. He deserved it. He deserved a fine name.
She wished she were holding her son at that moment. Her son… Looking back up to Erik, she made her decision, though her tears nearly choked her as she said, "He will be named for you then."
Erik swirled around, and stared at her as if he didn't understand the language she had spoken. He shook his head slightly, as if he thought he'd simply imagined it. "What?" he asked, slowly.
Christine looked straight into his eyes and repeated, "He will be named for you. That is my decision. His name will be Erique." She stopped for a moment. "But I wanted you to help me, so…what do you think?"
Erik was so taken off guard that Christine nearly smiled. She'd never seen him this way; she had truly shocked him this time.
And he was shocked. Never had he imagined… No, this was impossible! He couldn't understand how this was happening. A child…named for him? It was not his child, no, but it would bind them. The woman he loved more than anything in the world loved him enough to name her child for him!
She was still staring at him intently, so he managed to say, "Are…Christine, are you sure that's what you want?"
"Oh yes," she said softly. "It is what I want. It's a fine name to have."
Erik was speechless. He could not think of a single thing to say…well, except for one thing. He hoped it wouldn't be too colloquial. Sitting down on the bed, he took her hand and said, "Thank you."
Christine smiled, a truly happy smile, that thrilled Erik completely. He trembled as she squeezed his hand. "You deserve this, Erik. And so does he…"
At that point, Erik stopped and took the time to examine his exact situation. It was unfathomable how it had come to pass. It was not too many years ago, when he had been a heartless murderer, a monster in his eyes and those of everyone around him. He had known then that he would die alone just like he had lived; alone, that he would never know love. But he had been wrong! Christine loved him… Never would he have imagined that events could turn the way they did. Through many tragedies, Erik was on a path towards finding true happiness and peace. He knew what he had to do.
He stood up abruptly. Running a hand through his hair, he paced a few steps before stopping to gaze down at Christine. She was so beautiful, so pleased that she had touched him. Erik struggled to sort out his thoughts.
"Erik, talk to me," Christine said to him, unable to watch him thinking so hard, knowing he wanted to tell her something.
Erik sighed, he felt so confused. Everything he had ever known about himself was so changed. He hadn't adjusted. Finally he managed to speak. "Christine… It's…I hardly recognise myself anymore. …The image of what I once was is fading now."
He stopped. Sitting back down on the bed, he took Christine's hands and looked down at them as he spoke. "I can never forget the horrors of my past, but…they are truly leaving me now. I'm becoming a different person, a new man." Looking up at her now, his fingers brushed her cheek. "One who is fit to love you. Christine, you did this. You, your love have done this. I am in your debt, for you have saved me."
Christine stared at him for a moment, tears welling in her eyes. But this time they were not tears of sadness, which was really quite a relief for her. However, she had no idea what to say to him now. His words made her so happy. She was thrilled by them, happy with herself, knowing that maybe she was truly beginning to repay him for all he done for her, for the love he had shown her.
Before she could find her voice, Erik stood up abruptly. The expression in his eyes startled her.
"What is it?" she asked him, frowning at the change that had come over him.
He stared at her for a few moments as if memorising her, penetrating her soul. "Do you trust me, Christine?"
She started slightly, wondering why he would ask such a thing. "Of course I do," she answered.
"I have to go. I promise you, I'll be back as soon as I can be."
Christine frowned, confused. "No…why? Where are you going?"
Erik knelt beside the bed and took her hand, rubbing it gently as he said, "My love, trust me. It will be all right."
She shook her head. "You can't leave me, Erik…"
"It pains me to do so, but I must."
"But why?" she cried. "Why so suddenly, why right now? Erik, please…"
Erik bent his head, "Please, don't cry, Christine. I promise it will be all right. You will be safe here. Everything will be fine." He stood then, bent over her, and kissed her lips, tasting her tears as he did so.
"Erik…." she said, in a last feeble protest.
"I love you, Christine. I will be back soon."
And then he was gone, out the door, leaving Christine with his name on her lips and tears streaming down her face. What did that mean? He would be back soon? From where? Why this decision to leave her so suddenly? He had seemed so happy a moment ago! What had happened?
Meg stopped outside the door of her building, a bag slung over her shoulder and Vincent's hand in hers. She turned to him and smiled softly. "Thank you for walking me."
"And you will tell me how things are in there?"
"Yes…Although I've already told you that Christine is all right…"
Vincent shrugged. "I know, but I don't want to have you worrying about anything by yourself."
Meg shook her head and laughed. "Vincent, you say such things…"
He attempted to look serious, but had to smile as well. "Come to me if you do have any troubles, dove."
"I do." She blushed slightly as he kissed her on the cheek, then looked towards the door. "Wish me luck," she said, squeezing his hand.
"It will be fine," he said with a smile. "And I will see you tomorrow."
Meg nodded, reluctantly released his hand and stepped inside the building, starting her trek up the stairs. She was returning from a rehearsal that had been a complete failure without her mother around. Some of the girls had tried to maintain order, but in the end it all really was pointless. She might as well have never left the house in the first place.
Meg opened the door to the flat slowly, poking her head around the door first. Her mother was sitting in a chair, reading something off of a paper, in the otherwise empty sitting room. Meg sighed and walked inside, dropping her bag by the door and plopping down in the chair nearest the door.
"How was rehearsal?" Madame Giry said, without looking up.
"Not very productive."
"Well, I expected as much."
Meg waited a few seconds, listening to nothing in the quiet room. "Is Erik here?" she asked.
Madame Giry nodded. "Yes, and you'd do well not to address him as such while he's here."
Meg looked at the floor, though her mother still hadn't looked up at her. "Is he…staying?"
"I don't know, Meg." She looked up to examine her daughter's expression. "Does it bother you that he's here?" she asked seriously.
"Oh no!" Meg answered immediately. Christine wanted Erik here after all…. "No, it doesn't bother me really…"
Madame Giry frowned. "Is there something wrong?"
Meg shook her head. "No…it's just…strange…"
"What's strange?" she asked, going back to the letter in her hand.
"I don't know…" Meg muttered.
"You're mumbling, Meg."
"I know."
Madame Giry looked up, annoyed, and put the letter down on the table beside her. "Meg Giry, what is the matter with you? Now I asked you if you minded him being here and you told me that you didn't, so I don't expect to hearanything else from you."
"Yes Mama," Meg said quietly. She hadn't meant to bother her mother… She didn't know what was wrong really. Erik's presence didn't bother her. But it did feel strange. She couldn't describe it to her mother, because she knew him too well. But Meg knew him only through what Christine said about him. Well…and through their brief encounter the other night. It was odd to think of herself getting to know him personally. He was supposed to be an enigma to everyone wasn't he?
It was odd to think of herself getting to know Erik. But she did have reason to trust him now, and not just because of what Christine told her, but because he hadn't said anything to her mother about finding her with Vincent the night before. Not that Meg expected her mother was completely oblivious…and she wasn't trying to keep Vincent a secret…he just hadn't been brought up officially yet.
She sighed and stood up, grabbing her bag and quickly ducking into her room. She would have liked to talk to Christine, but Erik was with her… Christine didn't need her right now. Of course not, not with Erik around… He was all she needed.
Just then, she heard the front door close and then Christine's voice call, "Meg?"
Perhaps not…
A/N: In regards to the child's name, Erique… He is so named because I rather wanted a less Germanic spelling and a more…pure French spelling I guess. Now, the "proper" French spelling of Erik…is Eric, but I figured if the baby was named that everyone would have about ten heart attacks and die. And that would be no fun at all. And so, his name is Erique, which is unusual, but I figured it would go over better than Eric :P
Thanks so much for reading! Please leave me a review! : ) Thanks a lot!