Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from "The Phantom of the Opera", They belong to Gaston Leroux / Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Every day has twenty-four hours. For twelve of them she was his. She came at dusk and left at dawn. Though they spent each night together they never did what other men and women did at that time. It wasn´t because of her – she was willing to give him that as well. But Erik didn´t want it. He didn´t need this kind of physical intimacy. Sometimes when she fell asleep on his sofa he pushed a strand of hair out of her beautiful face and felt that this was enough for him.
At day she belonged to the other man, who led her into the sunshine. With him she visited parties and met other people. She did all the things she couldn´t do with Erik. Whether she also did this one other thing – Erik preferred not to know it. What did it matter, as long as she came to him at night? Every time she was happy, full of new impressions and ready to do what they both liked. They sang together, or he accompanied her on the piano. And he was happy because she was.
But all good things have to come to an end sooner or later. Today was the last time. They sat on the roof of the opera. Erik had wrapped his cloak tightly around both of them as it was still quite cold this early in the morning. Like every day they watched the stars fade and the sky change its colour. While the dark velvety blue grew lighter and the first stripes of purple appeared Erik started speaking. "Today is the last time.", he said, though he was fully aware that she would never forget it. "We both knew it couldn´t go on like this forever. You´ll be a married woman soon."
Christine nodded. Leaning her head against his shoulder she whispered: "I want to thank you for this wonderful time. I couldn´t just cease having one part of my life, I had to get used to it gradually. Thank you for helping me!". "I would do anything for you.", he said seriously. She knew.
By the time she had found the right words to continue the purple already turned pink. "I´ll miss it, though. It´s not easy to give up so much. But it´s better like that. Every day I feel as if I was deceiving you, both of you." "That´s why it´ll be no longer possible once you´re married." Erik smiled slightly. "I don´t want my wife to meet another man."
Christine looked at her future husband lovingly. "Of course you don´t want that. You´ve given me so much time to adapt to my new situation. I understand that you cannot let me leave the opera anymore when we´re married." "I could never forgive me if anything happened to you in my absence…"
She put a finger on his mouth. "You don´t have to justify yourself. I accepted these rules together with your marriage proposal." Her finger lingered one moment or two on his bottom lip before she leant closer to kiss him. It was the first kiss they shared.
"You have to go.", he reminded her as the first rays of sunshine tickled their faces. "Today is your…" "I don´t need a last time, Erik.", Christine said. "I want to spent the entire day with you. Just like the rest of my life."
The End
