In Beauty

As her time grew closer, Christine's happy burden became increasingly difficult to bear, taking its toll on her aching back and making her generally uncomfortable. Restless nights became an increasingly common occurrence, and one in particular would prove to be very different from the others.

The day had seen her complaining about her back more than usual, and even Erik's skilled hands had not been able to bring her any relief. She had not eaten much at dinner, and retired early, yet been unable to sleep, or to even rest. She had laid on the bed for awhile, only to get up and pace a bit, then sit in the chair and attempt to read before abandoning the book to pace yet again.

Erik watched her with increasing nervousness. "Christine? You look most unwell…perhaps I should fetch the doctor."

She glared at him. "I am not unwell. Only huge and miserable and rather resenting you for it right now, Erik."

Erik cringed at her tone. "Forgive me, mon ange."

Her eyes flashed. "Do not attempt to placate me."

He opened his mouth to respond, but he thought better of it. He knew whatever he might say would only darken her mood. He sat back in his chair and continued to watch her lap the room in silence. His heart stopped the very moment Christine did. One hand flew up to press low against her belly and a hiss escaped through clenched teeth. Erik jumped to his feet at once and placed a hand to her back. "Christine…are you well?"

She drew in a shaky breath. "Y-yes…I…" She gasped, leaning slightly forward. "Or perhaps not."

Erik laid a hand over hers, his heart pounding furiously in his ears. "The child?"

Christine closed her eyes and drew a calming breath. Erik would not hear the biting response on the tip of her tongue to such a foolish question. Instead she met his eyes evenly. "I…think it may be time, Erik."

Panic flashed in his eyes. "You think? Do you not know?"

She glared at him in annoyance then, and a trace of sarcasm crept into her voice. "I have never done this before, but if you would prefer we wait until I am certain…" Her words died on another pained gasp, and Erik felt the contraction against his hand.

He swallowed heavily, "I am going to wake Antoinette…"

Christine slowly expelled a breath. "I think that would be best."

He turned to leave, hesitated, then turned back to Christine. "Perhaps you should sit…"

She brushed his hand away from and growled, "Just go."

He nodded, paused only long enough to grab his mask and found himself pounding on the door of Antoinette's room. Then he wondered why in the hell he was bothering to knock, and wrenched open the door. Antoinette was wrapping her robe around herself even as Erik entered. "Christine…the child…now…"

Antoinette nodded, shaking the lingering drowsiness from her mind, and rushed into action. She pushed Erik back towards Christine. "Go and sit with her a moment. I will wake Meg and Katie."

Erik wandered mindlessly back into the bedroom to see Christine still pacing. "Christine?"

She offered a watery smile, "Erik…" She held out a hand to him, and he took it, gently enveloping her into his arms. Fear nearly overwhelmed him at the thought of what was about to happen. She whispered, "I love you."

Erik could barely breathe, let alone speak, but he managed to push the words past the tightness in his throat. "And I love you, mon ange."

The tender moment was interrupted by the arrival of Antoinette, followed closely by Meg and Katie. The three women expertly took over the situation, questioning Christine about her pains and succeeding in getting her to sit down where Erik had failed. His jaw tightened, and he was completely unaware that his hands had clenched into fists as well. The words in the room were buzzing in his mind without form until Antoinette looked at him expectantly. "Erik…you will need to fetch the doctor."

He looked at her blankly. "The doctor?"

The damned eyebrow went up and she looked at him as if her were a child. "Yes, Erik…the doctor. It will likely be a long night ahead of us, but you'd do best to retrieve him now. Do not worry…Christine will be in good hands until you return."

He huffed out a breath, pushing past the ladies and kneeling before Christine. He placed a hand to her stomach, and looked deeply into her eyes. "I shall not be gone long, mon ange."

Christine smiled crookedly down at him, a single tear trickling over her cheek. "We shall be here waiting, angel."

He rose and pressed a soft kiss to her lips before spinning away with purpose. He'd have Doctor Winston at Christine's side within the hour if he had to sell what was left of his black soul to do it.

xXx

Erik rode hard into town, making the trip in less than thirty minutes. He could feel the fingers of madness taking hold of him again, and he nearly dragged the doctor physically from his house, growling at the man in helpless frustration. Doctor Winston had not commented on the outbursts, having had years of dealing with expectant fathers in much the same state of mind. The two men had arrived at the Rousseau house not more than an hour and fifteen minutes from when Erik had left.

Christine had been pacing again when they arrived, looking slightly the worse for wear since Erik had last seen her. Her dark curls were wet with perspiration and her face was flushed. Still, she gave her husband a weak smile before the doctor steered her toward the bed and Erik was pushed out of the room by Antoinette.

His face darkened, "I am not leaving her!"

The woman shook her head, "You must for the moment. Doctor Winston must examine her."

"Antoinette," he growled.

She shook her head sharply. "Calm yourself, Erik. You'll be no use to anyone otherwise."

Fists clenched again, he spun away and flew down the stairs, heading for the brandy decanter. He poured the amber liquid with a shaking hand, raised the glass to his lips and paused. Slamming the glass back to the table without taking a sip, he paced back to the foot of the stairs. As he stared up to the landing, Erik did something he could not recall doing in nearly a lifetime.

He prayed.

Please…God…do not take her from me.

I know I have done nothing to deserve your mercy, but I ask this for Christine. For the child she carries.

They are innocent.

Please…protect them.

I love them.

He closed his eyes against the ache in his heart, and placed his very soul in the hands of a higher power. Then, straightening his shoulders, Erik made his way back upstairs.

He would not leave Christine's side again.

xXx

One would think that after the many visits Doctor Winston had paid to the house and the many exams he had administered to Christine, that she would have fully gotten over the awkward embarrassment she felt at being so exposed. She had not. Yet she was slightly distracted from her usual discomfort at this occasion by the far more pressing discomfort of her labor.

Doctor Winston finished his exam with a smile and a nod to her. "Everything is progressing exactly as it should be, Mrs. Rousseau. I daresay we've still some time yet before this little one makes an appearance. You'll do best to try and rest while you can."

Rest? He must be jesting?

How could she possibly rest with the sharp pains that had been tearing through her abdomen every several minutes? Yet Christine knew this was only the beginning. Her pains were not yet overwhelming her, as she knew they soon would be. She was suddenly terrified that she truly wasn't strong enough to cope.

Doctor Winston left the room, and Christine smiled slightly at the sound of Erik's voice booming from the hallway. "It is about bloody time." She heard the doctor calmly tell her husband exactly what he had told her, and then Erik was beside her, reaching for her hand with one of his own as he brushed the hair away from her face. "How are you faring, mon ange?"

Christine met his eyes and saw the worry there. She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I am well, my love."

"You lie. You are in pain and I am the cause."

She managed a weak laugh, "As I recall, we both had an equal hand in this. Whatever discomfort I feel shall be worth the blessing we are about to be given, Erik."

Christine could see by the storm in his eyes that he still doubted her words, and the time for simple reassurance was well past.

xXx

Darkness had been Erik's domain, his kingdom. Nighttime had given him power, given him comfort in the blanket of ebony that hid him from the world. His only light had been Christine, and she had been enough. Now, as the night engulfed them, Erik cursed every bleak, gray corner of it, for it dragged his angel deeper into an agony he could not pull her from.

The doctor had tried to eject him from the room some time ago, but Erik had refused to leave Christine's side. He cared nothing for propriety or the damned useless restrictions of custom. What man could wait quietly outside while the woman he loved screamed with the pain of bearing the life they had made together?

Christine gripped Erik's hand with a strength he'd not known her to possess, her nails biting deeper into his skin, drawing blood. He welcomed the sting of it. He could do nothing else.

She was panting, struggling to catch her breath between contractions. Her curls were plastered to her head, dripping now with the sweat that beaded on her face and trickled over her perfect, flushed skin. She had cursed at him…words he had not known to be in her vocabulary…in French and English…and he thought he'd caught a few Scandinavian phrases, as well. Between curses, Christine begged him to sing for her.

"What would you like to hear, mon ange," he had asked.

"I don't care…anything…just as long as I hear your voice," she'd said.

And so Erik had done the only thing he could for his angel as she weakened with the labor of giving their child life. He had given her his music.

xXx

Christine had never known just how much pain a woman's body could endure...nor for how long. Around her, she was aware of all the comings and goings...Doctor Winston monitoring her progress...either Madame Giry or Meg bathing her face with cool rags...offering support and encouragement...but one constant remained.

Erik.

She held on to him as though her very life depended upon it, and in her worst moments, Christine truly believed that it did. Every hour that passed seemed to sap more of her strength, but she knew she could not give in to her pain and exhaustion. Her child needed her. Erik needed her.

Hours faded together, lasting forever...yet melting away eventually into the morning light as it peaked though the windows. Doctor Winston was urging Christine to push, and she felt as though she was being ripped in two. The pain...the pressure...nearly unbearable...and then...then there was blessed relief.

A moment of absolute silence.

Then the cry of a baby split the air, loud and strong.

Christine's heart was pounding wildly beneath her breast, pumping exhilaration through her blood and into her exhausted muscles. The sound was so beautiful to her and she focused on Doctor Winston's face as he saw to the child. He was smiling when he looked at Christine.

"A daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Rousseau. Strong and healthy."

She closed her eyes against the tears streaming over her cheeks. She gave another grateful squeeze to Erik's hand, opening her eyes again to see the baby being brought to her by the doctor. Her breath caught and held, her arms suddenly aching for the precious weight of her child, and she reached out to hold her daughter for the first time.

Erik's eyes never left Christine. The torture she had endured had torn at his soul, and he could not quite believe that it had truly ended. Even as he'd heard the first cries of their daughter and silently rejoiced, part of him was still expecting this moment to slip away. He hadn't been able to look at the child yet, instead watching his wife reach out with trembling hands to take the tiny babe into her arms.

Christine's eyes had already been brimming over with tears, but the flow increased as she gazed down at her daughter. An expression of love unlike anything Erik had ever seen lit her face. "Oh...Erik..." Her voice was a reverent whisper. "She is so beautiful."

Taking a deep breath, Erik dropped his eyes away from Christine and onto the child. His chest tightened painfully and he could barely breathe at the first sight of his daughter…his perfect daughter. Her skin was flushed red, but there was not a blemish on her tiny face. A face already framed with a cap of dark curls.

She will look like Christine.

He knew in that moment, without a doubt, that he would do anything for this child…just as he would do anything for her mother. He could scarcely believe that he'd had any part in making something so beautiful. "Exquisite." He pressed a soft kiss to Christine's cheek, unable to stop the tears that thickened his voice. "My love…my angel…thank you..."

"Angel…" Christine whispered. "Angelique." She turned to Erik with a watery smile, seeing the stunned adoration in his eyes. "She must have a name, Erik. I can think of none more appropriate, can you?"

Without conscious thought, he found himself tracing a trembling finger over the baby's soft cheek. "Angelique." He smiled. "Bel ange."

xXx

Angelique Christine Rousseau had met nearly everyone who would ever be of any real consequence to her life on the very first day of her existence. Indeed, Antoinette and Meg had taken turns gushing over the baby, just as any grandmére and aunt should do. Katie had made a solemn vow to watch over her new little mistress for as long as she remained in the Rousseaus' service. Even le Vicomte de Chagny came to call and offered his sincerest congratulations to the new parents.

Of course, the two most important people to Angelique had been the two most in awe of her. Christine had quickly forgotten the pain of childbirth and stubbornly resisted the exhaustion threatening to overcome her just for the pleasure of holding her daughter in her arms. Erik had not left their side, and studied his daughter with an artist's eye, learning every detail and marveling at the being he'd helped to create.

Yet when Christine smiled at him and asked him if he wished to hold their daughter, he had hesitated. "I…do not think that I should, mon ange."

Christine frowned at him. "Of course you should, Erik."

He looked at Angelique longingly, "I might…hurt her."

Christine smiled at him. "I trust you. Our daughter trusts you."

Drawing a breath, Erik let his wife transfer the tiny baby into his arms, slowly…carefully…until he sat beside Christine holding their daughter awkwardly. He felt the wetness on his cheeks as he sat staring down at the wriggling bundle. Angelique looked up at him with wide blue eyes that already hinted at turning to the same vivid aqua color of his own. Unhappy with the way her father was holding her, she began to wail, and panic flickered in Erik's eyes. "Christine?"

She was watching him though a sheen of tears, a trembling smile upon her lips, and she whispered, "Hold her closer, Erik. Let her know her papa has her."

He sighed raggedly, shifting the baby slightly in his arms until they were both more comfortable. The crying lessened…and Erik began to feel a little more confident. Smiling tentatively down to his daughter, he began to sing a lullaby. At once, the crying stopped and Angelique happily settled into her father's strong arms.

Christine leaned her head against Erik's shoulder, her heart nearly bursting with happiness at the sight of father and daughter together. The love she felt for them had no equal…and she knew Erik felt the same. There would be obstacles yet to overcome, of course. Erik would never be easy, and their daughter would certainly bring them both a great many challenges in the future.

But for the moment, their little family was perfectly content.

And it was only the beginning.

A/N: There you have it…Baby Phantom…their little angel. Only one more chapter…a sort of epilogue.