Chapter 10: Shadow and Lover

1919

The car stopped, the driver opened the door. Meg got the girls out and they walked out to the cemetery. She felt a cool breeze settle on her face and she pulled her shawl tighter. The two girls looked at Meg as she stood there and they tugged on her sleeves.

" Grandmother, aren't we going in?" one asked

" Yes, we are," she replied

" What's wrong Grandmother?" the other asked

" It's nothing my little darlings let us go in before we catch cold," Meg said

She took her granddaughters' hands and walked into the cemetery. She looked at the monuments and the many tombstones, they were all very pretty and yet so sad. The two girls ran off to find a tombstone that called to the three of them. Meg looked around and found her father's tombstone. She looked at the tombstone and looked at what rested on the tombstone.

" You were here," she whispered, " Your are alive still."

1874

Meg looked at the note and her hand shook as she read it. The note was that of a note of demands. She tore the note up and fell to her knees and cried at her bedside." Erik, I want my son now," she sobbed, " I want my little boy."

" Your such a woman," Erik's voice echoed in the room

Meg looked up hearing the coos of Gabriel and she stood up wiping her tears.

" Pitiful woman," Erik's voice rang

Meg turned around and saw a rose placed on her vanity with the black silk ribbon. She pleaded for her son, but Erik's laughter taunted her.

" My son is two years old and will soon be speaking, why should I give him up woman?" Erik laughed

" He's not your son!" Meg cried out

She looked up in a full length mirror and saw Erik's reflection holding Gabriel.

" Let him go you selfish bastard!" she shouted, " He's my son!"

" You have denied me from my son for one year and now I have denied you too," Erik said

She lifted a chair and threw it at the mirror, it shattered and Erik stood there protecting Gabriel from the shattered glass.

" Now, now Meg, you should control your temper when our son is here," Erik said

Meg walked to him, she was so exhausted from lack of sleep, lack of nutrients, and lack of hope. Erik looked at her and saw her stumbling toward him and Gabriel. She held the red rose and ripped it apart and tied the black ribbon in her hair.

" You repeat history my dear," Erik said

" Give me my son," she cried, " Give me my baby boy…my life."

Meg fell weakly towards Erik and Erik caught her before she hit the ground, then lifted her up. He looked at Meg and saw she had fainted from starvation and proper care. He tossed her over his shoulder and turned into the emptiness.

Hours later, Meg heard the sounds of a music box playing and then the sounds of someone singing. She sat up and looked about seeing she was in a large room and in the comforts of a luxurious bed. Meg breathed deep and tried to remember what happened. Erik walked into the room carrying a tray of food and hot tea. Meg looked at him as he sat it down on a nightstand.

" You're a wake, that is good," Erik said

" What is that?" she asked

" Just what it looks like," Erik replied, " Food and tea."

" You probably poisoned it," Meg said

Erik walked to t he bedside and sat down and touched her face. She looked at him not feeling comforted anymore by him.

" How could you do what you did?" Meg whispered, " How could you steal my precious son?"

" How could you deny me that joy in having a living child?" Erik questioned, " I waited a year to see my son, hold my only child."

Meg turned away and Erik turned her head towards him. Meg looked at him and grabbed hold of his black mask and ripped it off along with his black wig. She breathed deep as he remained with the same expression.

" Are you happy now that you have ripped off the surface of my face?" he questioned

" I was mistaken, I thought there was a real man beyond the mask, beyond all that disfigurement. I was wrong there's only a scared monster," Meg said

Erik grabbed her hands and placed it on his disfigured half.

" Let me help you rip off the curse that I bare," he growled

He made her nails scratched the surface of his face, making her claw at his ugliness.

" Stop it! Stop it!" she cried

" No," he said

His face began to bleed as he made her dig into his face. She broke her hands from his grip. Erik breathed deep and looked at her as his face showed scratches to prove he bled.

" Did you find the man you wanted?" he breathed deep

Meg looked at him and turned away from him.

" Did you find the man your wanted!" he shouted

She winced in fear as he yelled, he grabbed her by her wrist and she cried out. He pushed her against the bed and looked at her. He undid the first part of her dress and looked at her with anger.

" Do you want another child to have as your own?" Erik questioned

" Let me go Erik!" she cried out, " I don't want another child, I want my son… I want my son!"

Erik looked at her as tears fell from her face. She breathed deep, her chest rising and falling in exhaustion. Erik let her go and sat down at the side of the bed, turned away from her, he looked at his hands and then at a mirror.

" What am I doing?" he whispered

Meg turned on her side and did not look at him, but listened to him as he slightly whimpered. She sat up, her hair falling over her unlaced bodice, she looked at Erik as he sat there. She got up and stumbled over towards him and placed her hands on his face. He looked up at her and saw the tears that stained her face, his face too showed that sadness as well. Meg leaned to him and kissed him on the lips, she then began to undress him. She pushed him to the bed and straddled over him, then kissed him.

" Why?" she whispered, " Why am I so angry with you, but so in love with you?"

Erik looked up at her seeing a change in her attitude towards him. He kissed her and turned over laying her on the bed, then began to undress her.

" Stay….stay with me," he whispered

" I am with you," she replied

Meg kissed him and he slipped her dress off her slender body and then removed the rest of his garments. Erik took her in his arms and they slowly got into the mood. Playful kissing turned into hot and heavy passion. Pleasure escaped from their lips as they tumbled in bed. Touching and feeling up on each other, as they showed each other how they loved each other; but at the same time they fought for higher power over each other.

" Erik," she whispered

Erik continued pleasing her and felt her body give into his touch and yet she found a weak point and won him over. The war continued and Meg and Erik seemed to make up as they made love.

After hours of making love, they fell into each other's arms and Meg drifted to sleep.

" I win," he whispered

" Not a chance," Meg muttered

By the late evening Meg opened her eyes and looked around to find an empty bedside, with a note on the pillow. She sat up pulling the covers over her naked body, she lifted the note and opened it.

Dear Little Giry,

Come and join me in the next room for something to eat. There is fresh clothing in the standing closet. There is some fresh water in the basin to clean up a little, I'm afraid that is all I have. We will talk of nothing more than our hopes…leave the past behind you.

Erik

Meg laid back in bed and closed her eyes for a little, then got up and dressed. She walked into an open area and saw rose petals scattered on the ground. She walked on and then saw candles lighting her path, then entered a dinning room. She saw Erik standing at the end of table and looked at her. His black mask matched his black attire and yet it made him both handsome and mysterious. She walked over and he pulled out the chair for her, she sat down and looked at him. He poured her some wine and she looked at the glass then Erik sat down. Meg opened the covered platter and revealed a beautiful meal, gasp slightly and looked up at Erik. Erik raised his glass and Meg looked at him, he made a toast to their future and the hope of another child. Meg ate the beautiful meal and Erik watched her.

" Is your face alright?" she asked

" It is," he replied

Meg nodded and they ate in silence, but afterwards Meg spoke of trying to become a family. Erik walked next to her and kissed her hand, then sat beside her.

" Our futures are different," Erik said, " You will go one path and I will go another. What ever happens we will find each other again…I am your shadow and you are mine. We have become one twice and so it is only right that we take each other's shadows."

Erik slipped around her neck, a piece of onyx. He kissed her neck and looked at her.

" This will be me with you all the time," Erik whispered, " If you lose this, you will become only another face and forget me."

Meg looked at it and took his hands then kissed them.

" I won't," Meg whispered

Late that night Meg and Erik laid in the same bed and Erik rubbed her arms.

" Erik," she whispered

" Yes?" he asked

" Where is Gabriel?" she asked

Erik turned to his side and looked at her, she looked at him as his exposed face stared at her.

" He's with your mother," Erik replied

He kissed her and leaned over her, her gently ran his hands up and down her body. She slightly squirmed and Erik kissed her and whispered sweet things in her ear.

2 months

" Meg, Meg," Madame Giry called through the door

Meg looked at herself in the mirror looking horrible, she felt ill and fell back into bed.

" Mama, get the doctor," she called

" Open the door," Madame Giry said

Meg got up and opened the door and her mother looked at her. Meg looked tiered and pale, Meg stumbled towards her bed. She fell to her knees and her mother ran to her.

" Meg," she said

" Doctor," Meg said

Her mother lifted her daughter into bed and covered her up.

" I will go get one," Madame Giry replied

Meg closed her eyes as she moaned and felt a hand resting on her head.

" My angel, you are ill again," Erik whispered

" I think…I think…" Meg muttered

She tossed a little and Erik sat beside her and stroked her head.

" You feel well, but you look as though you have not slept," Erik said

" Erik, don't leave me," Meg whispered, " Don't let the darkness get me."

" I'm right here," he replied

A doctor came and once more told Meg she was pregnant. Meg fainted out of shock and woke up minuets later with Erik by her side.

" Erik, there's a baby coming…your child," Meg muttered

" I know," Erik whispered," I know Meg…I planned for this child Meg."

She slapped him and he backed off from her slaps.

" You planned that!" she shouted, " I'm the one who has to carry this child!"

" Shh, it will not be difficult," Erik said

" Erik you bastard, I don't want another child and still be unmarried," she cried

Her emotions were so out of line that Erik backed away from her as she went through her line of emotions. He looked at her and then kissed her, she quickly got a good hit on him.

" You carry this child for 9 months," Meg growled

Erik sighed and then left quickly before she spoke of other things. Meg slapped the cool cloth on her head, she started crying with mix feelings.

For each month that went by, Erik stayed away from her afraid she might do something she would regret. Erik took care of Gabriel as Meg went through many stages of moods. Erik stayed in the shadows and listened to the doctors reports to Madame Giry as he watched Meg.

By the end of her nine months Erik made an appearance to be with her, but he was pushed out. Madame Giry stayed with Meg as she pushed, the cries of a child were heard. Meg cried once more with tears of joy and Meg held her new child.

Another baby boy and Meg looked at him, this child's appearance was not perfect. His face showed a similarity to his father's disfigurement, but there was no disgust. Erik walked in as soon as the nurse and doctor left and walked to Meg.

" Where is my beautiful child?" Erik questioned

" Right here Erik," she said, " but shh, he's sleeping."

" He?" Erik questioned, " Another boy?"

" Yes," Meg said

Meg lifted the child and Erik sat down beside her and looked over her. He pushed the cloth that blocked his view. His eyes showed disappointment slightly, he looked at Meg.

" He's beautiful, Erik," she said, " He's just as handsome as Gabriel."

Erik took the child into his arms and looked at his son. He touched the child's face and then traced his mask where his disfigurement was.

" A permanent scar that is transferred to you Ombre," he whispered

" Ombre?" she asked

" I want him to be called Ombre," he replied, " Only because his name means where I hide."

" Shadow," she whispered