Chapter Eleven

Christine woke in Erik's arms early the next morning, just as the sun was making its way up into the sky. She felt slightly embarrassed when she realized that she was completely naked, not even covered by a blanket. She tried to stay as still as possible, not wanting to wake Erik, whose arm was wrapped tightly around her small waist. Christine noticed that she had a few bruises sprinkled on her neck and collarbone, she would have to think of a story to explain that to Henri, and she was quite sore. This surprised her, it was not as though it was her first time... But it had been a long time...

A few moments after she, Erik woke, not opening his eyes just yet. At first he was highly confused at why there appeared to be someone sharing his bed, but then the previous night came rushing back to him. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked down to find Christine. "Good morning," he said quietly.

"Good morning."

"Did you rest well?" Somehow, he was afraid that she regretted what had happened between them last night.

She nodded, smiling softly up at him. "Yes. Did you?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, I was quite exhausted," he said with a slight smirk. He fell silent, before asking, "Christine, do you regret what we have done?"

"No, of course not…" she said, her hand finding his and taking it her own, bringing it to her lips.

"I would not wish to take unfair advantage of you, given the current state of affairs…" he said quietly. He secretly wished that they had been wed, so she would have been completely his, but it was too late to go back now.

"Do you regret it, Erik?"

"No… How could I?"

Christine shrugged, "I… I don't know," she said quietly, "Things just moved quite fast last night."

"Yes… I suppose that they did… You did not seem to object, however."

"No, I didn't…I'm not sorry it happened…"

"I am glad…" he said, allowing himself a small smile as he kissed her forehead softly.

She closed her eyes, and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you," he replied, kissing her cheek. She cupped his cheek in her hand, and leaned up, kissing his lips tenderly. When the kiss broke, he tightened his embrace around her slightly, reveling in the feeling of her soft, bare flesh, against his own. He kissed her messed hair, smiling for a reason he could not pinpoint.

Christine sighed contentedly, resting her head on his bare chest once more and closing her eyes. "Claire will be waking soon," she murmured quietly, then added more to herself than to Erik, "I'll be needing to feed her."

"Of course..." he replied softly, sincerely not wanting her to part from him.

Christine laid in his arms for a while longer then gently unwrapped his arms from around her waist and rose from the bed, crossing the room to retrieve her chemise. He watched her silently a moment.

"Christine?"

She turned to face him, pulling her pink, silk chemise over her head. "Yes?"

"Do you feel elderly any longer?" he asked with a small smile. She laughed and shook her head.

"No, thanks to you."

He laughed quietly as he settled back against the pillows once more, completely content. She crossed the room, laying down beside him on the bed. She propped herself up on her elbow, and leaned down to kiss him. He wrapped his arm loosely around her waist.

"I love you, Christine," he said, brushing a stray curl from her cheek.

She smiled down at him. "I love you too," she replied, kissing him once again, more deeply. She broke the kiss, slightly winded. "Perhaps I shall put on something other than black today..."

"Why do you suggest that?"

"Maybe it's time for me to come out of morning."

"It has not been the appropriate interval of time, dearest," he said delicately.

"Does that really matter?"

"I expect it would to you, and the rest of society... It has not even been a year," he replied gently.

"I'm already an abomination to the rest of society," she said with a hallow laugh. Thanks to the de Chagnys. She pulled away from him, sitting up and leaning her back against the headboard.

"In truth, it does not matter... To hell with society..." She smiled slightly, hugging her knees to her chest.

"I suppose you should wear what you wish, if you truly do not feel the need to mourn any longer... It is up to you, ange... Only you can decide when you are ready to move on..."

"I am ready to move on," she said quietly, "with you... I want to be with you, Erik."

He joined her in sitting up, and took her hand in his. "Thank you, Christine," he nearly whispered. He could barely believe this was real... The only thing that kept him from believing this all to be a dream was the feel of her soft, small hand in his, and the look of love in her chocolate brown eyes. In spite of himself, tears began to gather in his own cool green ones.

Suddenly he noticed that he was still exposed; embarrassed, he drew the sheet over himself before turning his gaze back to Christine. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into an embrace, feeling tears begin to sting her own eyes.

He kissed her head gently and rubbed her back through the soft material of her chemise. "My love," he whispered, for no apparent reason... He just wanted her to know...

She turned her head and kissed his cheek lightly, then rested her chin on his shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you." He adored the feeling which occupied him when he held her... when he told her that he loved her. There was nothing sweeter in this world, he knew, than to love and be loved in return. "You must feed Claire soon, darling." He said this with the ambiguous tone of both a question and a statement.

She nodded, not braking the embrace just yet... She wished they could stay like this the rest of the day, but knew that she had her children to take tend to, who would be waking soon if they were not already up. "Yes, I suppose so."