CHAPTER 22

Erik sat with his head resting against the tub as he watched the steam from the water rise before him. He couldn't get the image of what happened moments ago out of his mind.

He wanted her.

He wanted to give in so badly. He knew that he could have taken her and made love to her just then, but he wouldn't. He wanted his first time with Christine to be perfect. He would ask her to marry him and then they would share their intimate union as man and wife. He would do this for Christine because she was devoted to God, an angel sent down from his heavenly kingdom. He closed his eyes and thought about his plans in the morning. Erik would return home with two surprises for his Angel.

Christine sat in her bed, knees to her chest, resting her head against them. Her tears had dried upon her face as she thought of what had happened between her an Erik. She smiled at first to the thoughts of the closeness they shared and how it made her feel. She would have given herself to him, but he pushed her away. This thought made her smile fade and the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She wondered why he did not want her. She was sure that he was enjoying her as much as she did him. He spent years trying to be close with her and had gone to extreme measures to ensure she would be with him, which in the end had turned in his favor, but why was he acting as if he didn't want her now? He seemed so eager to touch her, but would always shy away when things became heated. She questioned if maybe he feared she would leave him again once they had become intimate, but if that were the case, would they ever become coupled? She closed her eyes and sighed at all the negativity floating in her mind.
Erik's bath had relaxed him considerably. All he wanted to do now was get some sleep. He was thankful to finally be in dry clothes. He got in his bed and stretched into a yawn. As he lay there with his eyes half closed, he could smell Christine's scent within the sheets. "Christine…" he murmured. He had to check on her before he would allow sleep to take him. There was no excuse for the way he left things. He only hoped that she would understand. He wearily got out of bed and made his way to her bedroom.

Erik opened her door quietly whispering her name. "Christine…" There was no answer. He got closer to her and saw her curled into a ball asleep. "She must be cold," he thought to himself as she slept above the covers of the swan bed.

Not wanting to wake her, he walked over to her armoire and took out a spare blanket from the bottom drawer. She stirred slightly as he carefully covered her within the warmth of the blanket. He brushed her curly locks away from her face as he leaned in to kiss her forehead. "You alone can make my song take flight - help me make the music of the night… " Erik sang softly.

As he turned to leave her, she grabbed onto his hand. Her eyes were focused on him dreamily. He was surprised she had even heard him. Then again, he always had this power over Christine whenever he sang to her.

"Stay with me?" she asked with pleading eyes.

"Christine, I…" Erik tried to reason, but she interrupted.

"Erik, please just hold me. I don't know what happened between us earlier, but make it right and stay with me tonight?" She begged.

This was the power she had over him. Erik could never refuse her.

Christine lifted the covers and he crawled in beside her. She nestled against him, placing her arm on his chest, and closing her eyes. "Sing for me, Angel?" she asked quietly.

"What would you like me to sing, Christine?" he yawned and looked down at her.

She was asleep.

He smiled at the thought of her being lucid one moment and completely unconscious the next. Erik decided he would sing to her regardless, because she had asked him to.

Softly, deftly,
music shall caress you . . .
Hear it, feel it
secretly possess you . . .
Open up your mind,
let your fantasies unwind,
in this darkness which
you know you cannot fight -
the darkness of
the music of the night . . .

He closed his eyes and fell asleep as the last note hovered around them.

Erik woke up freezing. Somehow during the night, Christine had tangled herself around the sheets and left him with none. She looked like a mummy from the neck down. He would have thought she was uncomfortable in that manner, but she was sleeping soundly.

Deciding not to wake her, he got up and went to his bedroom to get ready for the day.

After warming his body in a hot bath, he dressed and went to the kitchen to make a light breakfast. He made some Russian tea, warmed some bread, and found some strawberry preserves that Madame Giry had brought for him. "Christine will enjoy this," Erik thought with a smile. "Perhaps this will make up for my abruptness of last night," he hoped. He always knew how much she loved sweets of any kind. Finishing his breakfast in a flash, Erik readied a tray to take to Christine. He finished it off with his trademark rose and carefully made his way to her bedroom.

Erik stopped a moment as Christine giggled in her sleep. He moved closer to her and set the tray down by his feet. He watched her awhile as she smiled. Then she spoke.

"Papa, play me a tune."

Erik didn't know she spoke in her sleep. Her lips began to pout.

"Please, Papa? You promised to play for me so that the Angel of Music can come to me in the night."

Erik thought for a moment. "This would be the perfect way to wake her from her slumber, with music."

He walked out into the main room to retrieve his violin. "If it's an Angel of Music she wants, then she shall have it."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he positioned the violin to his chin and played. The music began to fill the room. Each note caressed him as he became one with his instrument. He closed his eyes as he played passionately and commanded the music as he bound himself to it. He was dedicated to his music and it to him. Nothing could pull him out from his trance, nothing except... for her. "That voice, I know it well, for I alone make it take flight." He opened his eyes and heard as he'd never heard before.

Father once spoke
of an angel . . .
I used to dream he'd
appear . . .

Now as I sing,
I can sense him . . .
And I know
he's here . . .

His beautiful Christine had awoken and was singing to him with adoration in her eyes. He would never tire of her heavenly voice. He placed the violin beside him and placed his fingers underneath her chin, pulling her closer, he sang in a whisper, "I am your Angel of Music." He kissed her lips tenderly.

"I shall want you to wake me in this manner forever, my Angel" Christine said as they parted.

"You have but to ask, bel ange, for I am your obedient servant." Erik said as he picked up her hand and kissed it. "Now, you must eat, though I fear it may be a bit cold now."

He retrieved the tray from the floor, setting it beside her.

"Oh, Erik! Strawberry preserves! You know how I love strawberries!" She eyed the tray with enthusiasm.

"Oui, I know how much you love anything sweet, mon amour, but be warned, I may grow jealous of your love for such things, forcing me to keep these delectable sweets from you," he said with a playful smile.

Christine glared at him teasingly as she chewed.

"Mon ange, you know that look will only make me want to savor in my own sweets." He moved in on her and kissed her, tasting the sweetness of the strawberries lingering upon her lips. As they parted he reminded her of the day's events. "Nadir will be here soon. Will you need anything while I am out?" he inquired.

Christine finished her tea, and then responded, "I will need you to come home to me as soon as possible."

Erik picked the rose up from the tray and touched it to her nose saying, "I shall be back before you even notice, Christine."

Erik and Nadir left while Christine finished getting dressed. She was excited to be seeing Meg and to be able to go out and enjoy the fresh air. She didn't mind being in the lair because she was with Erik, but the kiss of the sun and the endless blue sky always made her love being alive. She grabbed her parasol and made sure her skirts were in order then made her way through Madame Giry's secret passage. "Today will be a better one," she assured herself.
Author's Note
I hope this Chapter helped to make up for the last one. -smiles- E/C super fluff in just a few more Chapters, you guys can hang in there... I have faith in you all! -cheers-