"Erik" - her voice called out barely above a whisper. Getting up immediately, ignoring the pain in her head and the sickness in her stomach, she made her way unsteadily out of the room to find her beloved. She knew he would react strongly but she didn't think he'd actually leave - still he had to have his reasons and she needed desperately to find out what those reasons were.

She found him standing in the doorway looking out to the outside, his form was stock straight, no emotion showed but she could feel it eminating from in waves. It was mixed, like she knew it would be but still she couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding that clung to her heart.

Carefully she walked up to him, and softly she placed a hand to his shoulder. She was startled slightly as she realised that he was shaking.

"Erik...?" it was more of a way to break the silence than an actual question.

"You should be in bed..." came his reply, thick with emotion.

Still he stood with his back to her, his eyes seeing nothing and everything, a thousand thoughts ran through his head - all the fears and wishes conflicting with one another as it slowly dawned on him what she was telling him.

"Why did you leave my love?" she questioned him now, they couldn't leave it like this.

"I...I don't know Christine. It was more impulse than anything. You were trying to get the words out and I knew what you were trying to say and I...I just lost control for a minute." he faltered, tears falling freely down his cheeks now and he turned around to face her.

The look in his eyes told a thousand words and stepping forward slightly, she caressed his cheek slowly and placed a kiss on his lips. She felt him smile underneath her lips, it was small but it was there.

Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves he gently swept her up into his arms and carried her back into her bedroom before laying her down onto the bed. Christine closed her eyes and she felt the bed sag slightly as it took the weight of them both, she felt him lay down beside her and she gracefully entwined her body with his as he pulled her close to him.

"I love you Christine" his voice came queitly

"I know Erik... god I know"

Erik placed a small kiss on her bandaged forehead cursing himself as she drew in a small breath on contact.

"I was so worried I'd lost you Christine, you are my life. When I saw you lying there it was if I'd lost part of myself, I am nothing without you. I went out with the soul intention of killing the man whom I thought had again shattered my life into a thousand pieces and stood laughing as I wept. When the rider caught up with me and told me you'd awoken, my heart soared. When I came back I knew the second you covered your stomach that you were with child and I...I...I'm so scared Christine... what... what if..."

She felt him rest his head on the top of hers, taking care to manouver around the bandage. She felt him screw his eyes shut and his body shuddered with unshed tears.

"You had it all Christine, a beautiful fiance, a beautiful life above ground, with money and status and you're here with me now... in the darkness... it is no life for a child..."

"You forget Erik, that I came willingly. Never once doubt my love because you know it isn't true. I love you Erik, to me you are beautiful. You are more myself than I am, you echo my heartbeat, you are the other half of my soul"

Christine closed her eyes again and felt his hands slide slowly down her body to rest on her stomach, he held her protectively, she had never felt so loved as she did now.

"You know I would lay my life down for you and our child...he will not ruin what we have Christine, ever!" he growled softly.

"We shall get a house above ground my love, our child shall know the sun, unlike its father it will not dwell in the shadows."

Christine nodded, she was already succumbing to the tired that coursed through her veins. "We shall my love..." she said quietly before Erik noticed her slow, even breathing - she had fallen asleep. With a small smile he pulled her even closer, he was going to be a father...