Author's Note
Just to refresh everyone's memory, at the end of Chapter 11, Christine had just slapped Erik on the arm playfully and told him to behave himself...

On with the show…

CHAPTER 12

Erik pulled Christine against him. "Do you really wish me to behave, mon chér?"

Before she could answer his lips met hers. Her body relaxed in his arms as he caressed her back. She slid her hands underneath his shirt and felt his well-sculptured chest. He took in a breath as he felt her hands rubbing across him. He growled and kissed her with more force. At this, she couldn't help but part her lips invitingly. He curiously moved his tongue, touching it to her bottom lip. She whimpered slightly and he withdrew.

He had read about kissing and other such intimacies. Having free reign of the opera house granted him with several opportunities of viewing others coupling. By no means was he a peeping tom, but he had seen enough to know. Though he had never had the chance to practice anything he learned. "All this knowledge might as well be nonexistent!" He thought in frustration

Christine looked into his eyes. Her penetrating brown eyes were pleading for him. He gently began to explore her mouth with his tongue once more, but this time hers met it. Their tongues danced together, both their bodies trembling, as this new sensation stirred within them. They were both so inexperienced, yet it made it all the more perfect. They would learn and teach each other the joys of the flesh. As their kiss reached a feverish intensity, Christine could feel something build in the pit of her stomach. Her hands moved all about his chest, circling and rubbing his warm skin.

Erik could sense his desire for Christine growing. He knew they were getting dangerously close to a point he would not be able to control. He quickly ended the kiss, leaving Christine breathless. "As much as I enjoyed that, mon chér, I fear we cannot continue." Erik was dumbstruck at his own words.

"Erik, my Angel, I do not understand… do you not want me as I want you? Did I do something wrong?" She bowed her head, frowning.

He reached under her chin for her to meet his gaze. "No, no. Do not mistake my words, mon ange. It is because you were doing everything so right! I want our first time to be perfect. Not here. Not like this." He gestured to himself. Rudely being interrupted earlier by Nadir, he never got the chance to clean himself up properly.

Christine looked at herself and realized she shared his unkempt appearance. She threw her arms around him in an embrace. "I love you, Erik. It will be perfect someday… soon I hope!" She blushed into his chest.

"I love you too, Christine." He kissed the top of her head.

Erik wouldn't make her wait long, but first a proposal was in order, a marriage, and an unforgettable wedding night to ensure the setting would be just right.

He secretly smiled to himself. "Come, Christine. We both could use a bath." Erik stated.

"Are you saying that I stink, Monsieur?" Christine darted a playful glare at him.

"I am saying that we both stink, mon chér." Erik moved out of the way before Christine could slap him on the arm.

"Careful, Mademoiselle… You know what happened the last time we played this game." Erik winked at her before heading to his bathroom.

She was left with a smile, blushing profusely.

Christine eased herself into a hot bath. Her skin tingled as the rose water covered her. She massaged the lavender soap into her hair. She was pleased at all the things Erik had for her. He knew her so well. She smiled and she relaxed against the tub and let her eyes close for a moment.
Erik felt refreshed as he finished dressing into his night attire. "That bath was well overdue!" he thought, as he combed his hair. He looked at his dresser. The black mask lay there indifferently. "This won't do," he said, as he held it up. He rummaged through several drawers until he came upon what he was looking for. "Much better!" In his hand he held a white half mask, identical to the other he had discarded. "At least this one won't cover up my entire face," he reasoned. He was complete, once he set the mask in place. "No, there is one thing left to complete me… Christine!" He smiled.

Christine donned a light pink nightgown that was in her armoire. It fit perfectly, though she wasn't surprised. Erik had filled her room meticulously with everything she could possibly need. She sat at her vanity brushing through her curls. She was about to put it up but was interrupted.

"Leave it down, mon ange. It becomes you." Erik was hypnotized as she let her hair fall. It cascaded across her shoulders and settled along her back.

"These long curls get tangled when I sleep, Erik." She held a stray lock in her hand.

"Then I will brush it in the morning," he stated simply. "Are you ready for bed, bel ange?"

"Oui. I almost fell asleep in the tub!" She was mildly embarrassed of that.

Erik scooped her up and carried her to the swan bed. He gently placed her into it and began to cover her with the crimson silk sheets.

"Are you not joining me, Angel? We don't have to do anything but sleep. I will behave."

"I fear I will not be able to behave," Erik stated honestly.

"Please Erik? If I behave, you will too! I need you to hold me," Christine pouted.

"Does she not know how she has me wrapped around her finger, bending to her will?" Erik sighed, knowing he would not win against her. He walked over to the other side of the swan bed and slid in-between the sheets.

She nestled her head against his chest. He brought his right arm around her, holding her to him. Her fingers stroked across the light patches of hair scattered across his chest, as he inhaled deeply.

"Erik?" Christine asked.

"Yes, mon ange?" Erik replied.

"How close are you with Madame Giry?" She asked looking up at him.

"I've known her since I was a boy. She saved me and brought me to the opera house." He answered delicately.

"Saved you?" Christine was puzzled.

"It's rather complicated and it also pains me to bring up my past. I've had nothing to be happy about in my life, until you came into it, mon ange." Erik admitted to her.

Christine furrowed her brow. "I'm sorry, Angel. I do not mean to pry or cause you pain. You can tell me someday when you're more comfortable."

Erik looked into her doe-eyed gaze and his anxiety within ceased momentarily. "I'll never be comfortable talking about my past, but it is unfair of me to keep it from you, Christine. I wish to tell you, so you don't have to wonder about it any longer." Erik took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"My mother never showed me any affection. She hid me in my room from birth and I was taken care of by the maid. I've known of this mask all my life. I was not allowed to take it off, except when I was bathed. I used to ask the maid why my mother never came to see me. She never answered me. She only shook her head when I asked such things."

"One day I removed my mask and looked upon the horror of my own face. I traced along the ridges and bumps. Some places were sunken in, almost hollow, and the color was so pale, you could visibly see the veins. I was frightened and angry as I quickly placed the mask back in place."

Christine rubbed at his chest trying to comfort him.

"I stormed into my mother's room and yelled at her. "THIS is why you do not acknowledge me?" I ripped my mask off and her eyes grew wide. I ran up to her and pointed at my face. "THIS is why you do not love me, Mother?" Her face started to redden with rage. She screamed at me to put my mask back on. "I am your son! Why don't you love me? Even with THIS, you should love me!" I wept and sank to the floor. I expected her to finally give in and love me as a mother should love her child. But instead I was rudely awakened by the slap of her hand across my face."

Christine held him tighter. She was crying into his chest.

"Shhhh. It's alright, mon ange." He stroked her hair nervously, trying to hold back his own sea of tears as he continued.

"I fell to the floor and she kicked me. She screamed for me to get out, over and over again, kicking me and beating her fists against my head and back. She dragged me by the hair, out of her room, and shut the door to me. I lay there weeping. I couldn't stand. I cried myself to sleep in front of her doorway. I woke up during the night and was able to stand thankfully. I walked to my room, grabbed a few things, stuffing them in a small bag, and left."

"For months I lived off the street, begging for money and food. I was either invisible to the world or mocked and feared. I almost starved to death on the streets until a band of gypsies came across me. They sheltered me and fed me. I thought surely I was saved. I was wrong. Once I got better, I was thrown into a cage and became a freak show. "Come see the Devil's Child!" They would say. I was whipped and beaten every time before they'd unveil me to the paying customers. The laughter and screams drove me into insanity. I don't know how I ever survived it."

Christine was disgusted at how the world could be so cruel to her Angel. More tears escaped her as she continued to listen.

"On one particular night, a group of ballet rats came to see me. As usual, they all laughed, pointed, screamed, and threw rotten food at me. I glanced up at the crowd as the gypsy kicked me and I noticed a small blonde girl gripping the bars of my cage, sorrow in her eyes. I never felt so ashamed. Looking into her eyes, something inside me snapped."

"As the crowd made their way out of the tent and the gypsy began to pick up the coins from the floor, I grabbed the whip and wrapped it around his neck. I was so enraged. I hadn't noticed the blonde girl pulling at my arm. She yelled at me, telling me the gypsy was dead. She pleaded with me to hear her. I finally loosened my grip as she opened the cage and dragged me behind her. I didn't know where she was leading me. All I could hear were screams and dogs barking. She told me the Gendarmes would be looking for me for murdering that gypsy."

"It w-wasn't your f-fault, Erik. It was self d-defense!" Christine sobbed brokenly.

"Shhhh. No words, mon amour. Please just listen." Erik kissed the top of her head then continued.

"We came to the side of a building. She opened a small window and told me to go in and hide. I couldn't believe that she was helping me. After everything she had seen, she saved me. She met me the next day where she had left me. She told me I was inside the Opera Populaire and that we were sitting in its Chapel. She told me there was a secret door behind the mural of the Angel and that I should go down into the cellars away from the cruelties of the world. I asked for her name, which you know is Annette Giry. I told her my name was Erik and that I never knew my last name. She told me to not waste anymore time and to hurry down into the cellars. I asked if she would forget about me down there and not come to see me. She kissed my forehead and told me she'd never abandon me. She had promised and I believed her."

"She took care of me all these years, bringing me food and furnishings that had been discarded by the opera. She would come down and read to me, always leaving the books behind. I absorbed everything from those books, requesting she bring me all types of text. I was drawn to music the most. I learned to compose and play instruments on my own. I also loved to draw. I found comfort in sketching and designing all sorts of things."

"Taking on the persona of the Opera Ghost was my doing. I needed money to buy the things I required down here. The leftovers the opera had provided me were no longer enough. It was rather easy convincing the managers and everyone else that the Opera Populaire was indeed haunted. The ballet rats helped me with their gossiping, unbeknownst to them. I also staged a few mishaps to take place every now and then to complete the illusion. I never hurt anyone, well, until recently, but in those earlier times, I told Annette I would never hurt anyone with my 'foolishness,' as she called it."

"She was my protector of sorts. She was the only one allowed to send me my salary every month and always made sure that Box 5 was always free for me to enjoy the performances. She never approved of my choice of employment, but she knew that there was no other way for me to earn a paying salary. She had no choice but to aid me."

"I owe Annette my life. As long as I live, I will never be able to repay her for the kindness and compassion she has shown towards me."

Erik's tears were flowing freely now as Christine caressed his uncovered cheek. She placed kisses all over his face and told him repeatedly how much she loved him.

Exhausted, Erik let his tears drown him to sleep as Christine comforted him.

Author's Note x2
To: Pertie, PhantomLover05, PrinceDiamondLuver, and Twinkle22, this one's for you! Thanks for the fab reviews from my regular readers as well. Everyone has been kind to me. Thank You All! -big hugs-