Disclaimer: Don't own Phantom.

Notes: This chapter finally lives up to the rating. You have been warned.

ALSO, this chapter has been heavily edited, as I felt that such an important scene as the joining of Erik and Christine-body and soul alike-should be more detailed emotionally and the like. So enjoy a much better love scene.

Chapter Fifteen

XXX

"He's dead? You killed him, Erik…?

Christine had been silent for several tense minutes after Erik had admitted as to how he escaped, and he let out a soft sigh of relief when she spoke.

"Yes. It was the only way to escape, Christine. The only way to save you. I suppose I never did it before because I'd never even realized it was an option. What I fool I've been…"

She was pale, and her eyes darted around nervously.

"What happened after you killed him?"

He swallowed hard. "I took the key from him, let myself out, and went to find you right away." He didn't mention the desire he'd had to desecrate the body, to string him up for everyone to find in the morning, to show them all that he was not to be trifled with.

"You... left his body there, then?"

"He didn't deserve a burial." He hissed, and Christine frowned, cautious for a moment as she looked at him, before she softened. He was still the man she rescued… how could she judge him for doing what he needed in order to escape, and to rescue her?

"Oh Erik, my poor Erik…"

Then the tears were coming, and neither knew who was sobbing harder as their arms wound around each other. All the tension that they'd carried since the night she had orchestrated his escape was being released, and their lips met in a series of damp, desperate kisses.

It took several minutes for Erik to calm enough to speak, and even then his voice was choked with tears.

"Shh… you aren't angry with me, are you?"

She shook her head, burying her face into his neck before speaking with a muffled voice.

"Of course not. No, no Erik, I could never be angry with you for saving yourself, I only… you killed a man. It will take me some time to grow used to-"

Faltering, she fell silent and he nodded and kissed her cheek.

"Perhaps you should lie down and rest? You've had quite a shock, my dear."

She nodded absently, lost in thought as she stood and allowed Erik to help her into the bedroom. Once she was comfortable beneath the covers, Erik made to leave the room. He was caught off guard, however, by the tiny hand that grasped his sleeve.

"Lay with me?" Came Christine's soft voice, and Erik felt the tenseness in his body recede. If she wanted still to lie in his arms, she must not be too afraid of him or what he had done.

Moving to the edge of the bed, he removed his waistcoat and unbuttoned his shirt, then kicked off his shoes and lowered himself to lie at Christine's side.

"How did you do it?" she asked almost immediately as she folded herself into his arms.

"Do what?"

"Kill him… how did you do it?"

That again. Fighting the growing dread in his stomach, Erik held Christine a little closer.

"I pulled up a board from the cage floor, ground it against the bars until it was pointed enough, than stabbed him." He said simply, and he felt Christine flinch.

"Oh."

Sighing, Erik closed his eyes and prepared for a restless night.

So he was quite surprised when he felt warm lips against his own.

"But you're still gentle, you would never hurt me… would you?"

His eyes flew open and he felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach. "How could you ask me that? I would never hurt you. I could not. I could not hurt you any more easily than I could tear out my own heart, Christine."

She nodded, trailing her hands over his chest, lip caught between her bottom teeth and a nervous excitement in her eyes. This was the time.

"Show me that your touch is still gentle. Show me that you won't hurt me." She whispered, kissing him sweetly.

"How?"

She blushed prettily and leaned down to shyly whisper in his ear.

"Make love to me, Erik."

He felt his heart stop, then double in tempo.

"Christine," he fumbled for the right words, but panic overtook him, "we aren't wed, and I've never-that is, I haven't really the slightest clue as to how-"

"Shhh now, Erik." She laid her fingers against his lips, marveling at their softness, "my soul is already yours; our bond is stronger than any marriage. As for the other, we'll learn together."

"You-you're certain?"

She responded by taking his hand and guiding it to her breast.

He was undone then, and touched her eagerly, sliding his hands over her chest, then across her back. She arched under his touch, mewing softly in pleasure and making Erik grin and kiss her upturned lips.

"Christine…" he breathed, eyes slipping shut as he rolled over her body and felt their hips touch intimately. A soft, surprised sound slipped from her lips as she grasped the back of Erik's head and kissed him forcefully.

He was aware of a building pressure, no longer unfamiliar after spending so much time in her intoxicating presence, but this time it was filled with an urgency that made his head spin and his loins burn in anticipation.

So this is lust…

Glancing up to meet her gaze, he saw that Christine too was affected by the sensations evoked by the touch of their bodies together so entirely. He was aware that a better man would be sweeping her off of her feet, speaking flowery words into her ears about the way the light made her hair a golden halo, how her skin, pink and glowing in anticipation and need was enough to bring a fire through him the likes of which no man had ever known. But he was unable to speak, his tongue had turned to lead in his mouth. It was all he could do to continue breathing, and as it was, each inhalation was a rasping pant through his parted lips. He could taste her in the air. And she was his.

Within minutes both were undressed and Erik was shyly slipping his fingers between Christine's legs, shocked at the soft smoothness of her inner thighs, amazed by the way she opened beneath his touch, her legs parting and seeming to draw his fingers down to the warm, soft wetness that waited for him.

He watched Christine's face with rapt attention, taking in every detail of her flushed cheeks and moist, parted lips as she panted and writhed beneath his foreign and slightly unsure touch as he slowly moved his fingertips through her folds, dipping into the source of her heat before drifting back up to brush an area that seemed to send lightning throughout her body at the slightest touch. He longed to see what he was doing, from both an academic and passionate place, but felt that this was not the right time for such explorations. He set aside everything but his love for her, and his overwhelming need to become closer, even closer than they were now, to become a part of her.

"Oh Erik… please, I cannot wait another moment…"

Her voice startled him from his thoughts and his head raised to take in her features once again. Her eyes were liquid darkness, wide and pleading.

So this was it, then.

The only problem was that he had just the most vague idea of what to do. Looking at her with helpless eyes, he gave a cry of surprised wonder when her tiny hand closed around his hardness.

"Put-oh God, Erik-put this inside of me..."

He moaned and nodded as he felt her fingertips tighten around him and tug just a little. A sensation not unlike losing consciousness rushed through him, leaving a slight ringing in his ears and making his eyes roll up into his head for a moment.

"I know," he managed to growl, voice lower than it had ever been before, "but how?"

Shivering, Christine guided Erik over her body and wrapped her legs around his waist, giving a small cry of shocked pleasure when his hardness pressed against her aroused flesh.

"With a gentle push, Erik began to drive himself against her heated and slick mons, a choked cry of pleasure flying from his lips as he found a rhythm against her body, a rushing sensation beginning to blind him to everything but the pleasure. Christine's hands on his upper arms, squeezing tightly broke him free enough to hear her words.

"-inside, Erik. You have to be inside of me!"

His hips moved back far enough for his fingers to replace them, and he rubbed again, until he found that molten core once more, and everything in his mind clicked.

With a nearly feral moan, he grasped his rigid flesh in his hand and guided the head of his manhood to that secret place, and gave a strangled grunt as he felt her hot, tight muscles clench around him. Pressing further brought him to resistance and he faltered, eyes flicking up to meet Christine's.

"Go-go ahead…" she whispered, voice pinched, and with a thick moan Erik thrust fully within her and cried out in pleasure, his voice drowning out Christine's gasping whimper of pain.

Looking at Christine then, Erik saw the tear-tracks on her cheeks and felt his blood run cold.

"Oh God, I've hurt you!" he gasped, ardor cooling as he tried to pull away.

"No, stay Erik. Its okay, it was supposed to hurt. I-I'm fine now. Please…"

Shivering, he pressed a loving kiss to Christine's lips as he slowly began to move within her. Rocking in and out of her tight warmth, Erik felt a delicious tingling heat spreading through his body. Judging by the look on Christine's face, she was feeling the same thing.

"Oh… don't-don't stop!" she cried suddenly, and Erik groaned, moving faster and tossing his head back. The feeling that things were about to end came over his consciousness and he fought for control, tightening his buttocks in an effort to stave off whatever was building, trying instead to focus on Christine and her wails of pleasure, her inarticulate cries of "almost, almost!"

He managed to prolong things for a minute, maybe two, before he lost control.

"Something is happening! Christine! Christine!"

With a great cry he felt a rush of pleasure fly through him and he fell on top of Christine as he spilled himself within her, giving erratic, deep thrusts that brought the head of his member hard against the opening of her womb as he came in great bursts. He was distantly aware of her soft gasping cry of completion as she clenched and spasmed around him.

The both lay for several minutes, silently catching their breath and feeling the heat that had been so intense within their bodies slowly recede.

"Oh, Erik…" Came her tiny voice several minutes later, and he shivered, stroking her cheek.

"I love you, Christine." He whispered slowly rolling to his back and whimpering in disappointment when their bodies separated. She moved to her side and kissed him sweetly, as she curled into his arms and closed her eyes.

"I love you too." she murmured, and just as she was falling asleep, he touched her arm.

"Sing for me?" He whispered, and with a loving smile, she complied.