I was lying down on the sofa in the drawing room, in front of the cackling fire. I've been here for six days now. Erik said that I have a cold, and that I'm not allowed to get up until I am well. I smiled then. Now I knew how he felt when I told him that he couldn't move a muscle.

Erik's arms were much better. They healed a few days ago, only I didn't bother to find out. Erik was restless on that couch. I knew he couldn't bare to not get up and play his music. Lots of times during they day he would come and sing to me though.

I sighed and looked down at my hand. The ring was missing. Erik hadn't found out yet. I always hid it from him everytime he came by me. I didn't want to see his reaction when he saw the ring wasn't there. Maybe I should just tell him that Raoul took it? Would he believe me?

I sighed and lay perched on the sofa. My sickness was subsided, I could feel it. But Erik wouldn't allow me to move! All I could do was read.

"Christine?"

I jumped. I was so deep in my thoughts about the ring that I didn't realize Erik was right behind me. I quickly shot my hand under my blanket.

"Yes Erik?" I smiled.

"Are you feeling better?" He came up to the sofa and kneeled with difficulty next to me.

"I'm much better, thank you."

He smiled and lovingly stroked my cheek. I blushed. How did he have this effect on me? It was breathtaking.

"I am well enough to move around, don't you think?" I asked.

Erik put a hand on my forehead and stared at me for a few moments. Then, taking it away he told me, "Yes, you are well enough."

I smiled. "Wonderful!"

Erik stood up from his kneeling position near the sofa and said, "I need to be off to town, my dear. There are some errands I need to run. Will you be fine down here?"

"Of course I will." I replied, getting up from the sofa. It felt so strange, but so good to actually be walking again.

"I'll only be gone for a few hours." He said, taking my hand and leading me out of the room.

"What are you going to get?"

He smiled and sighed. "That my dear, is a secret."

I raised my eyebrow. Why would it be a secret? Nothing special was coming up, was it?

"What day is it?" I asked.

"Why my dear, it is Christmas Eve."

My eyes shot open. "What?" I cried in disbelief. "I didn't know it was already Christmas Eve! It came by too soon!"

"Time flies, does it not?"

"Yes, it does." I said, still bewildered.

As I walked with Erik to the boat, he got in and said to me, "Now you be good!"

"You know I'll be fine!"

Erik smiled lovingly to me and got comfortable in the boat. Then, he started to row away. I waved to him until he was out of sight.

I was curious about Erik. Ever since I came home that night, Erik only wanted me to stay on the sofa. He fed me, sang to me, and even carried me to the bathroom, even though I was capable of walking. The only thing he didn't do was ask me what happened. I thought he would of at least been a little curious.

But then the thoughts of Christmas Eve came back to me. I had to get ready! I should surprise him! I'll make us dinner! What will I wear!

Quickly, happily, I skipped quickly to my room. I wanted to surprise Erik, and I would! I would dress nicely, make a dinner, and try to make the place a little more merrier!

I hurried to the closet and pulled out a red dress, the perfect color for Christmas. It had a big satin red bow on the back, and cute white ribbons along the hem of the dress. I pulled the dress on and looked in the mirror to see if I looked fine.

Then I combed my hair with my brush and let it hang loose. I didn't want to put it up, nor did I want to put on any makeup. Natural beauty is what I like, not "artificial" beauty, as what I like to call it.

Hurriedly, I rushed to the music room. Erik's musical notes and papers were scattered everywhere. I thought about cleaning it up for him. Would he mind? No, of course not. It was a mess in here anyway!

I hurried to the piano, but only to be stopped by Ayesha. I practically tripped over as she hissed before me.

"What is it?" I asked Ayesha.

She hissed.

"Excuse me, but I'm trying to clean the room," I stared at the cat, who seemed to be glaring at me. "Is there a problem?"

Ayesha just sat there, as still as a piece of wood and I smirked. I was afraid of a cat! A cat! But as I smiled and tried to step over Ayesha, as fast as lightning she hissed and jumped up to me, clawing at my dress.

I screamed and kicked my leg, trying to get Ayesha pryed off me. Eventually, Ayesha couldn't keep hold of my dress, so she jumped off me. I looked at the cat in shock. I swear, this cat could understand English!

Ayesha trotted away, obviously looking for something useful to do, or looking for a spider to kill. I smoothed out my dress and breathed out. That cat was ridiculous.

I looked back at Erik's piano and decided that maybe I shouldn't fix it up. He probably had everything where he wanted it to be, and I was sure that he didn't want anything where he couldn't find it. Sighing, I sat down on the piano bench.

When I was alone, and there was nothing to do but think, I thought about home. I tried to just forget about it, but I just couldn't. It was impossible. I wanted to go home so badly, but ever since, I hadn't told Erik about it. I didn't want to upset him more.

It felt like so little time that I was thinking about home, dad, Meg, and Seth. But before I knew it, a cloaked figure with a white mask was in the doorway. I jumped.

Erik smiled when he saw me. He examined me closely and said,

"It seems you are dressed up, my dear."

I blushed. "Yes."

"May I ask, what for?"

How stupid was I! I was so busy dreaming about home that I forgot about making a dinner! Blushing even harder than I already was, I bent my head and fixed my gaze on the floor.

Erik walked up to me and put a gloved hand on my cheek. He lifted my chin up and asked,

"What is it, my love?"

"Oh it's just that," I paused, wondering if I should go on or not. But Erik nodded and I continued, "I wanted to make us some dinner, but I - "

I couldn't finish. This was too embarrasing.

Erik chuckled, which made me smile a bit. "That's fine my dear, perfectly fine."

Erik stoked my chin one last time before walking out the door and to the drawing room.

"What are you doing?" I called behind him.

He turned to look at me. "Oh, it's nothing, dear. Aren't you tired? It is quite late."

"I suppose I'm a bit tired."

"Then you must sleep, dear child."

"But I want to stay up! It's Christmas Eve!"

He raised an eyebrow and I smiled. He didn't know what I did on Christmas Eve.

"Well, every Christmas Eve, ever since I was a child, I always stayed up until 10:00. It was like a tradition for me. Don't ask me why, it's just what I used to do."

Erik looked at me as if I was nuts, but then he laughed a bit. I smiled too, knowing that what I used to do was ridiculous.

"My dear, if you are tired, you are to sleep. Tomorrow is Christmas, a long day. You need your sleep!"

I bit my lip and smiled. What was he hiding?

Just as Erik was about to turn around and walk into the drawing room, I asked,

"Erik? What are you hiding from me?"

Erik stopped dead in his tracks and turned around after a few moments.

"I am hiding nothing from you."

"Then may I come in with you?"

"Why? I thought you were sleepy."

"I want to see what you're doing."

Erik once again raised an eyebrow at me. "Go to sleep, Christine."

I sighed. I knew it wasn't worth arguing over. I walked over to my room as Erik hurried into the drawing room.

I pulled off my red dress and folded it up, setting it on the dresser. I could wear it tomorrow, since I barely wore it tonight. I put on a pink nightgown and crawled into bed. When my head hit the pillow, I felt drowsy. I just wanted to sleep, sleep, sleep...

My door opened. My eyes shot open. Erik was standing there, staring at me. I smiled weakly at him. I was very tired now, I just wanted to get some rest.

Erik came towards me and sat on the edge of my bed. Lovingly, he stroked my hair and I closed my eyes. His touch felt so unbelievably good.

Just then, Erik's lips had touched my own. I smiled at him as he kissed my cheek, then my ears, my neck, my chest...

He laid on top of me, and kissed my lips hard and passionatley. I moaned in pleasure. But suddenly I felt unsure. We have never done this before. Was it too early? So many questions. I just wanted it so much, I didn't want it to stop.

"Erik, wait." I said. But Erik didn't stop. He kept kissing my ear, sucking on it, biting it.

"Erik, please, stop!" I begged. He stopped.

"What is it?"

"Erik, I feel like we are doing this too soon - "

"Too soon?" He asked, outraged. "I've waited long enough! You know that we were meant to be together, Christine. You know you want this. It isn't happening fast at all."

"Should we be doing this?" I asked, frightened.

Erik smiled and kissed my forehead. "Only if you want to."

I closed my eyes. "Yes, yes, I want to. But wait! You must take your mask off for me."

"Oh, Christine, I can't..."

"Erik, you must! I've waited long enough, and you know that I won't be afraid! I promise you! I love you for who you are Erik, not what you look like."

Sighing, Erik closed his eyes. "Pull it off. Now. Before I change my mind. Hurry up! Just get it over with - "

Without thinking, I yanked the mask off. I wasn't frightened, I didn't jump at all. My eyes didn't even become wider. As I predicted, the half of his face looked like the brilliance of Lon Chaney's make-up in the 1925 version of The Phantom of the Opera. I smiled and kissed his bony cheek.

He smiled and opened his eyes. Tears were coming out of his eyes now. He kissed my lips and pulled off my nightgown with no difficulty. It was happening. It was finally happening.

XxXxXx

My eyes fluttered open slowly, trying to adjust where I was. I frowned, as my vision was blurry. I rubbed my eyes and blinked, then understood I was still in my bed. I turned my head a fraction and saw Erik, fast asleep next to me.

I gasped. It had happened, we actually did it. And I thought it would never happen. Smiling, I put my hand on Erik's elbow. I laid my head back on the pillow and tried my best to fall back asleep.

But it was no use, really. Erik shifted around under the blankets and eventually his eyes opened. Embarrased, I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep.

Erik's hand touched my arm gently. "Christine?"

I fluttered my eyes open and smiled to him, sweetly. "Yes?"

"Good Morning, and Merry Christmas my love." He told me, and kissed my lips with passion. I returned the kiss, and when we were finished he said to me, "My dear, get dressed and meet me in the kitchen. We will have breakfast and then I need to give you something."

I nodded, and while grunting, Erik got out of the bed and walked away to the kitchen. I didn't need to change out of my nightgown, for it was already off. I folded it up and set it in my closet. I grabbed the red dress that I had worn yesterday and pulled it on me, then combed my hair and applied just a tad of pink eyeshadow.

What did Erik want to tell me? I shrugged and walked to the kitchen, where the breakfast was already prepared and Erik and I ate, while starting many different conversations. For some reason, Erik was acting strange. He was eating breakfast, and he had fallen asleep. Someone was going on, but what?

When we had finished eating, Erik and I walked into the music room, holding hands. I felt like I was a middle school student, holding the hand of her new boyfriend that she loved dearly. But yes, I was just a teenager, and this was the man I loved dearly.

Erik told me to sit down and make myself comfortable, and I did. Erik sat down next to me and folded his hands together.

"Erik, wait. Before you say anything, take your mask off. I don't want you to keep it on." Erik had taken his mask off before he left the room to prepare breakfast.

"No, my dear, I don't want to ruin your day - "

"Oh Erik, please! You know that I don't care what you look like! Please, just take it off. For me? Besides, it's Christmas!"

Erik sighed and took his mask off, but very slowly. I smiled once he had set it down on the footstool. I kissed his cheek before he could protest.

"Christine, I must ask you something. It's uh, very important. And it is very difficult for me to ask so, I will do it right now." Erik stood up from his place on the couch and kneeled down before me. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a stunning diamond ring.

"Christine, will you marry me?"

XxXx

Erik: SAY YES!

Christine: Ooh, make me say yes!

Me: You'll see. (grins)

ERIK: MAKE HER SAY YES OR I WILL PUNJAB YOU WOMAN!

Me: (backs away from Erik) Ok, well I just want to say that unfortunatley, I don't know if the next chapter will be the last one or not. I know, it is very sad for me to end the story, but I hope you will like the ending! I haven't gotten to writing it yet, because I am so busy with school. So it might take me a while to upload it! But you all have been fantastic reviewers! I love you all so much! And don't worry, I will still be here! I am writing a lot of comedy PoTo stories, so be sure to catch those!

Christine: Review or Erik will punjab you!

Erik: (evil laugh)