Chapter 39

On Thursday I took Erik home. I had gone there the previous afternoon and made sure to clean up. Since nobody had been there in so long it was dusty and I found several vegetables in the fridge that could have been used as weapons of mass destruction, they were so foul.

I made Erik's bed in Dad's room. Although I wanted to stay with him, he was in no condition to do anything other than sleep and I felt frankly comfortable and the thought of doing anything intimate in the house where my father lived. He was still at the hospital, but had said we could stay here. Whilst he and Erik seemed to be getting along much better, it was still a tentative relationship between them. We also had Darren in the spare bedroom and Nadir on the sofa in the study. I told them that it wasn't fair to make them pay for a hotel, since they were here to see us.

Once Erik was in bed on Thursday, I went downstairs. Nadir and Darren were talking cheerfully and I put the kettle on for tea. Darren looked at me.

"You look knackered."

"I am. But never mind."

I sat down at the kitchen table and looked at Darren.

"I need to talk to you."

"I'll run out to the shops and get some food. There's nothing to eat." Nadir said. When he was gone Darren sat down and smiled.

"What's up?"

"I need to know something."

"Sure."

"You've seen Erik's face." Darren nodded solemnly, frowning slightly. I took a deep breath, "Darren, he's been hurt. So many times, I don't think you could count them all. And too many times, it's been me who hurt him. Are you here purely out of curiosity or do you actually want to know Erik? Because I'm feeling a little overprotective right now."

"Christine, I'm here because I want to know my brother. I don't plan on rushing off anytime soon. In fact… I've been talking with Meg and she showed me the local college. It's got a fantastic mechanics course. I'm considering moving up here. I mean, Mum and Dad aren't going to love the idea but…"

He took a deep breath and looked at me,

"The truth is I've never gotten on with my Dad. My mum died when I was just a kid and he never really knew how to handle me and my brother. And Theresa's been a great mum to me, but I only stuck around because of my brother, Andrew. But he's getting old enough to look after himself now. I want to get out on my own, get away from London. I think this is my chance and I'm going to take it if I can."

I stared at him. I'd been so wrapped up in everything that had been going on, I was only just realising that I knew so little about Darren. He looked at me nervously.

"Do you think that'd work? I mean… its possible Erik won't even want me around. We've not even had a proper conversation since I got here. But I'd really like to get to know him. And you. I mean, let's face it, you're practically my sister."

"OK, but if I'm your sister you've got to stop calling me Hot Christine." I warned him. He laughed and grinned.

"OK, deal. There's Hot Meg as well."

"Who has a boyfriend."

"Is there anyone in this town who doesn't have a partner?" he said in exasperation. I smirked.

"Nadir?"

He looked at me with as serious face.

"Don't even joke. That's gross." I laughed and then hugged him tightly. He hugged me back and said,

"I think this is going to be good."

"I think so too." I replied.

Friday dawned as a glorious spring day. Nadir drove me, Erik, Darren and Meg up to the Manor. I helped Erik to walk, as his ribs were still extremely painful and he was weak. He leant on me as we stood on the driveway, staring at what had once been our home.

It was a blackened shell. All the memories, the love that had been there had evaporated. Now it was cold and dark and unwelcoming. It wasn't our home anymore. Erik sighed and I leant my head on his shoulder.

"It's so sad." I said quietly. "It looks so different."

"It's scarred." Erik murmured. I looked up at him and he gave me a despondent smile.

"We reckon if we work hard we can get the place up and ready in about three months." Said a builder, taking his hard hat off as we approached. Erik nodded and we stepped through the doorway into the blackened entrance hall. The rubble crunched beneath our feet and I clung to Erik as we stared around.

After a few minutes I shook my head, unable to stay. I let go of Erik and moved outside into the sunshine. Meg followed me and took my hand.

"You OK?"

"Meg, it's so horrible. Everything is gone. They can rebuild it, but it won't be the same. Like… like the music room. It won't be the same as it was the night I first kissed Erik. Nothing is going to bring that back." I said tearfully.

"We'll make new memories. Better memories." Erik said. He was standing in the doorway, leaning heavily on Nadir. I smiled through my tears and then wiped my eyes.

"God, I feel like I haven't stopped crying all week!" I laughed weakly.

Erik held out his hand and I rushed over to take it, hugging him gently.

"It will be fine. It won't be the same, but it could be better." He said quietly. I looked up at him.

"I know. We'll make it better. We've got our whole lives to make memories. And I'm going to start now."

I reached into my bag and pulled out a camera.

"My albums all got destroyed, so I've got to take lots of new pictures." I explained. I handed the camera to the builder who had shown us around and got everyone to stand in the burnt doorway to the Manor. Erik and I stood in the centre, with Meg on my right side and Nadir on Erik's left. I beckoned for Darren and he stood beside Meg. The flash went and the picture was taken. I took the camera and smiled.

"New memories. They've got to start somewhere. Might as well be here."

The next couple of weeks were haywire. Erik downright refused to let me miss class and I found myself running from college to home to the hospital to the shops and a hundred other places in between. Nadir and Darren stayed living with us and between us we proved quite effective at running the house. Erik began to heal gradually and I often found him sat at the piano in our house, writing new pieces of music with Ayesha usually sat on the piano lid or curled up on the stool beside him.

We didn't often find time to simply talk or even relax. More than once I ended up eating dinner on my feet or sat at the computer finishing an essay. Darren got himself a job at the local garage, working on cars which he thoroughly enjoyed, although it was only until the new school year started. Nadir took it upon himself to ensure that all the legalities regarding the insurance were in place and was often at the Manor, making sure that the builders were doing a good job.

Three weeks after the fire I got home one day to find Samantha was there, chatting with Nadir and Meg. I smiled at her.

"Hey Samantha."

"Hi Christine. Just checking in, seeing how everyone is and your Dad told me to remind you to call your Aunt."

"What? Oh, yeah." He'd told me to do that a couple of days ago and I'd completely forgotten. "I'll do that tonight. Want to stay for dinner?"

"That'd be nice."

We all went into the kitchen and I turned the oven on, relieved that I'd bought plenty of food. With six of us to feed, plus a cat, it was going to take a lot of work. I went to a cupboard and took out Erik's medicine, gave it to him with a glass of water, gave Darren a telephone message, reminded Nadir that there was a letter for him waiting at the hotel and fed the cat. Samantha watched in amusement as I did all of this.

"You're very organised."

"I have to be, there's a lot to do." I said, taking vegetables out of the fridge. "Meg, can you get the big dish out of that cupboard?" she passed it to me and then said,

"Christine, relax. You literally just walked through the door. Take a break."

"Meg, can you cook?"

"No."

"Exactly."

"But I can cut vegetables. Give me that." She took the knife out of my hand. I turned to the chicken and found Darren was already preparing that. Nadir and Erik were peeling potatoes and Samantha had started to make tea.

"OK, why do I feel like I just got made redundant?" I asked. Erik gave me a smile.

"You do too much around here."

"We're giving you the evening off." Darren said firmly. Meg grinned.

"I brought your bike over. It's outside, why don't you go and clean it or something?"

I grinned and said,

"OK, I need no more convincing." I brought out a box of cleaning supplies from under the sink and went outside. My bike hadn't been cleaned in three weeks and it looked like it. I spent nearly an hour and a half sat on the pavement, cleaning every inch of it, checking the motor, oiling and polishing the whole thing.

A shadow fell over me as I was tightening a screw. I looked up and saw Raoul standing awkwardly nearby. I rolled my eyes.

"What do you want?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were OK. I haven't seen you in ages."

"That's because I've been avoiding you." I said calmly, peering at the screw and cleaning the tool I was using with a rag. Raoul sighed.

"Christine, I'm sorry."

"You should be."

"Isn't there anyway I can make it up to you?"

"You could never talk to me again. That would work nicely." I said casually. Raoul frowned.

"Christine, come on. We've been friends for so long."

"And then you got me drunk, kissed me when you know I have a boyfriend and now you're bugging me whilst I'm trying to get my bike running properly." I pointed out.

Raoul was about to speak but the door opened and Erik stood in the doorway. He looked from me to Raoul and then moved out onto the pavement.

"Dinner's almost ready, Christine." He told me, but keeping his eyes fixed on Raoul's, who looked a bit nervous.

"OK, I'll just pack up." I said, putting my tools away and picking up the cleaning supplies. Erik looked at Raoul.

"Can I help you, Mr de Chagny?"

"…No. No, I guess not." He said quietly.

As we were heading inside he said,

"I really am sorry, Christine." I stopped and looked at him, my hand on the door.

"You said that last time, Raoul. I don't think I can trust you anymore." I said softly. Raoul looked down at his feet and then looked at me again.

"Well, I am sorry. I know it doesn't mean anything to you, but it is true."

I paused and then nodded. Raoul nodded back and walked away, hands stuffed in his pockets. I looked at Erik and shrugged. Erik put his hand in mine. This would have been very touching but I was covered in motor oil and he grimaced.

"You should probably wash before dinner."

"So should you." I smiled.

Dinner was fun that evening. We sat around the table, laughing and joking, eating the delicious food. Darren had proved to be a pretty good chef and we all complimented him. Whilst the others were talking about the approaching birthday of Erik, I turned to Meg.

"How are you holding up?" I asked her. She and James had broken up two weeks previously and she'd been pretty devastated. She smiled.

"Completely over it."

"Really?" I asked, surprised. She nodded.

"Yeah… I mean, it was nice while it lasted, but I think I should find someone who I have more in common with."

"Good for you." I said positively.

"What do you think, Christine?" Nadir said. I blinked.

"Sorry?"

"Erik's birthday, two weeks. Twenty eight years old, we really should do something." Nadir said, cutting a piece of chicken. I glanced at Erik and grinned.

"Plenty of jokes about how old he is?"

"Christine…" he said warningly and I put my hands up in a surrendering motion.

"OK, no jokes. Well, maybe a few. I am only human after all. What did you have in mind, birthday wise?"

"I'm really not that bothered about having a celebration." Erik said calmly but I shushed him.

"Don't take this away from me! I love birthdays. Even if it's just a dinner or something, when was the last time you really celebrated your birthday?"

Erik looked a little bit awkward.

"Well… I don't tend to celebrate in general. Before I knew you, I didn't even celebrate Christmas."

"See? This is good. Your first birthday party." Meg put in. Erik hesitated and then sighed.

"Very well. But nothing big. Just dinner." I squealed and hugged him. He winced and I jumped back in horror,

"Oh, Erik, I'm sorry!"

He didn't reply, clasping his sore ribs in agony.

Have you noticed that when you have a lot to do, suddenly time speeds up and you found yourself buried under a mountain of chores? That's what happened. Erik's birthday was in two days and I'd hardly done anything to prepare for it. Meg, Nadir, Darren and Samantha had done most of the planning and I'd vaguely nodded along.

I got home, soaking wet from rain, clutching three bags of shopping with an essay to write, birthday presents to buy and killer headache. Darren and Nadir looked at me as I walked in. I didn't answer their enquiries about my day, just dropped the shopping onto the kitchen table and collapsed face down onto the sofa.

After a confused pause Darren asked,

"Are you OK?"

"No. I have an essay due tomorrow, I'm drenched, my heads hurts and I still haven't bought Erik a birthday present!" I wailed. Nadir looked at me pityingly.

"Christine, you have to learn that we are here to help. Go and change out of your wet clothes and do your essay. We will cook dinner and tomorrow you can go with Meg to buy a birthday present. Everything is organised for the dinner, it will be fine."

I stared at him.

"It's all organised?"

"Yes. Now go." Darren said, pushing me towards the stairs. When I went back downstairs ten minutes later, Erik was sat at the piano, playing. I smiled and sat at the computer, Ayesha leaping up onto my lap as I typed.

Meg wandered in and I looked up at her.

"Most people knock, but OK…" I said, saving my essay. Erik paused in his playing as Meg said,

"Christine, I've got a problem."

"What is it?"

"It's my Dad."

I stood up and dumped Ayesha no my empty seat, pulling Meg over to the sofa.

"What's wrong?"

"Well… Mum's going away for a couple of months to stay with relatives in France, but I can't go because I need to finish up college. I know that's only a few weeks, but afterwards Dad wants me to go and stay with him. Mum said I can't stay at home by myself, she really doesn't trust me after what happened with the microwave." She winced as she recalled the incident.

I paused, confused.

"So what's the problem?" Meg huddled up on her chair, looking thoroughly miserable.

"…He and Denise are having a baby."

"What?"

"She's a month gone already. God, I don't even get on with Denise that well and Dad just wants me to go there and pretend like we're a happy family all summer. I don't want to go, Christine. I can't…" she couldn't say anything else, because she'd burst into tears. I hastily hugged her as she bawled into my shoulder.

After a few minutes I said,

"Stay with me. I know it's a little crowded, but you can live here."

"Are you sure?"

"Hey, everyone else is. Why shouldn't you?" I joked. Meg smiled tearfully.

"You mean it?"

"I wouldn't say it otherwise. I have no idea where you're going to sleep though." I said, trying to figure it out.

I sent Meg to the kitchen so she and Darren could talk whilst I tried to think of a sleeping arrangement. Then I noticed Erik watching me, a tiny smile on his face.

"What?" I asked curiously.

"Any other strays to take in?"

"Well, what was I supposed to do, tell her to get lost? She's my best friend. We'll figure something out."

"I know you're not happy about it, but you could come and sleep with me and Meg could go in your room." Erik said. I smiled.

"It's not that I'm uncomfortable, it's just that… well, it's my dad's room."

"Move Darren into your father's room, we go in the spare room, Meg takes your room and Nadir stays in the study."

I considered him and then smiled.

"You think of everything. OK… all sorted. We're like one big, multi-cultural family." He smirked. I crossed over the room and hugged him gently. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me.

"Let's just hope they don't decide to send your father home. Because that could be a little awkward." He murmured and I rolled my eyes.

"No joking about that. My head might just explode from the pressure."

"Hmm. Go and finish your essay before dinner."

"Yes sir." I said, saluting as I crossed back to the computer.

A/N: Definitely going to keep going. I'm too greedy; I can't let my characters go yet! Hee hee, never mind. This chapter is pretty much trying to show Christine trying to cope.

Thank you to everyone who has voted for me! Aw, you guys are the best.

A question that a lot of people have been asking is if Erik and Christine use protection. The answer, although I haven't put it in, is YES. Remember – protection is good. I won't go into a lecture, because most of you probably get it from teachers/parents etc. but let's just assume that Erik and Christine are using protection.

And yes, in regards to my other unposted story. I do have too much time on my hands. But what the hey, don't complain, it just means I get more written! Although I'm kinda nervous about posting my new story. I'll tell you once it's up but I can tell you now that the title is 'From Angel's Eyes', it's a modern story and it is, of course, Erik/Christine. Would I write anything else?

Lotsa luv

Katie