Author: Sparkling-Diva
Rating: PG-13 (possibly more later)
Genre: Romance/Drama
Pairing: Christine/Erik
Feedback: Yes, please! Also being nice would make me happy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gaston Leroux's Phantom or anything I might refer to based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical adaptation of it.
Summary: Christine makes an important decision that could forever change the lives of many…
Author's Note: It's a long chapter. A very long chapter considering my previous ones but I did it! Enjoy!
Chapter 9It wasn't hard nor was it easy but for the next few weeks Christine and Erik made their relationship work as they lived together. There was no denying that they were in love. Always there for each other and by on e another's side, there they were.
When night came, Erik would comfort Christine as he usually would through his voice like when she was a child. He would sing to her anything from romance to lullabys. Then she would fall into a deep sleep. He would wrap his arms tightly around her and thought to himself how he was the luckiest man to have the love of his life.
They had grown so close and not only with their relationship but as well as their friendship. Christine even got to realize that Erik had a soft, sensitive, and mildly humorous side. He learned of her caring and encouraging side in return.
Sometimes it seemed that they knew each other all too well which caused them to decide to tell each other more about their pasts and how they reached the point of where they were no.
"You really want to know," Erik said stroking Christine's hair as they snuggled close to one another in his bed. He wore his cape and her, her nightdress.
"Yes. If we are going to be together we should know absolutely every little detail about each other."
"I just don't want you to get sad and feel sorry for me."
"Your pain is my pain too," Christine said gazing up at him, "Tell me please?"
He then kissed her hand and responded by saying, "Very well then."
He took a deep sigh and said, "I was born in the outskirts of a town on the far side of the country. I don't know nothing much other than that. When I was a boy an old woman at the carnival taunted me explaining how my father, a drunk, had deserted my mother, a prostitute months before when she had discovered that he was pregnant with me."
"That's awful."
"Yes. Very much so."
"So what else happened?'
"She was cared of by other poor beggars. When she saw the look of me when I was born she was disgusted in turned me in to the only people who bared to take me. The traveling carnival."
"I'm so sorry…At least they saved you." Christine said kissing and caressing his cheek.
"So you would think. They took me in and made even more of a monster out of me. Iwas a scary attraction for people from all around to see. I was locked up in a cage, tortured, beaten, scared even more. I hardly ate. I was kept in the darkness. Darkness. Lonely and in pain. I had to learn to be lonely…"
"You are not alone. Never alone. Not anymore," Christine said.
"I know," he said kissing her forehead, "But at that point I was. There had been times where I had thought of escaping but then I came to realize that there would be no use since the rest of the world would just despise me as well so I stayed. I stayed up to when I was around 9."
"What happened?" Christine asked.
"I was traveling with the gypsies when we arrived here to perform for some children who were studying ballet and opera. A young girl…"
"Madame Giry?" Christine assumed.
"Yes. She helped me escape. She helped me hide here. She even brought me food and other things I would need as long as the gypsies wouldn't find me again."
"Then what happened?"
"Soon the opera house flourished and became so grand that in the shadows I would enjoy it in hiding. I would watch all rehearsals and back at the lair I would teach myself how to sing. Iwanted to be in the theatre so badly but I knew I could not. I just couldn't."
"Did you ever come out of hiding?"
"Once or twice on a few nights. I would walk the empty cold streets shielding my face from the world but it didn't last long until I gave up hope and the idea that I could be noticed or loved. I stayed in this opera house keeping to myself and every now Madame Giry would come and visit. I sometimes feel guilty when I assume that beside her daughter Meg being in ballet, the only reason why she was around probably because of her protecting me so that the others would not find me."
"You're not to blame. She loves this opera house. That's why she stayed. Don't blame yourself for everything."
"Anyway, one stormy night, I was wondering down the halls of the unknown underground lair when I heard crying. The sound of a young girl crying."
"Me?"
"Yes. You had just moves into that dressing room the night your father had passed away. A feeling came overcame explaining how I should comfort you. But then again, how could I? I didn't want to scare you. You were so young. When I came closer to the sounds of your tears I realized a crack in the bricks that a very long time ago used to be a sealed door even before I came. You must've not heard but when I got it opened a mirror blocked my way to you. I knew that there was no point of no return, no going back to my lair, so I did what I could think of at that time," he responded.
"You sang to me," Christine said softly, "You sang to me."
"I did. A lullaby. I did so after I head you ask for your angel of music to come help you. Your crying softened and when I peeked out away from the thin mirror I slowly came out and saw you were fast asleep holding onto a picture of your father with his violin. I felt so much pain over your loss that I took one of my capes and wrapped it around you so you would stay warm. I saw a vase of roses in the room and I took one and I placed it beside you so that you would know someone who cared for you would be there."
"Thank you," Christine said looking up at the so-called "Phantom".
"You're welcome," he said holding her close, "To my surprise you stayed in the theatre and I saw you grow up. I wanted to take care of you knowing what pain you had inside. So whenever I got the chance I began to portray the Angel of Music you dreamed about. I know that it was probably the wrong thing to do but I could not find any other way of being near to you at the time."
"It's alright," Christine replied.
"No, not quite. As you grew older…I-I fell in love with you causing me to do some things that wold put you in danger. I feel so sorry for what I have done up to this point. I've lied to you, I've hurt people, killed them, I-I…"
"Shhh…" Christine told him, "You did it out of love. You love me and I love you too."
"I know but-"
"Will you do me a favor Erik?" Christine said gazing up at him.
"Anything my angel."
"Sing me to sleep, please?"
"Alright…" the Phantom said as he slowly whispered to her a song…
When Erik finished his soft and low love ballad, he gazed down at Christine asleep.
"I love you," he whispered, before he took off to meet her in the land of dreams.