-1Disclaimer: We own none of the characters from Phantom of the Opera.
Chapter Seven
Erik and Christine rode along in the hansom in a companionable silence. They were on their way to Jean Claude's home, and were just rounding the corner to his block. You must control yourself today, Erik... he is but her uncle, and there is nothing to be jealous about. He reasoned with himself. The hansom pulled to a stop, and Erik helped Christine out, paying the driver and walking to the door. Squeezing his wife's hand, he smiled down at her and brushed his lips over her forehead. "Do not worry, my dear." He whispered, then knocked at the door.
Christine smiled gratefully up at him and bounced on the heels of her shoes lightly, excited about seeing her uncle once more. She grinned when the door opened to reveal the handsome middle-aged man, and she beheld his handsome smile as he realized it was his niece. Unable to hold back, she pulled away from Erik's hand and threw her arms around Jean Claude's neck, cooing softly in her happiness.
Jean Claude patted her back and let her slip down flat onto her feet once more, smiling softly at her. "You've returned!" He smiled up at Erik and held out a hand. "How are you feeling, Monsieur?"
Erik smiled as he watched Christine latch onto Jean Claude, and he tried his best not to be phased by any of it. After all, she was glad to see him. Nothing wrong with that. Erik took Jean Claude's hand, smiling. "Please, call me Erik... and I'm feeling much better, thank you."
Jean Claude nodded and smiled, and stepped aside to let them in. "What can I do for the two of you? I was aware that you'd be coming for dinner, but I hardly expected you at this hour in the morning!" He grinned and squeezed Christine's hand. "I'll get some tea."
Christine placed a hand on his shoulder. "No... We need your help." She looked up at Erik and sighed. "We were going to move some things today from our old house to our new one... Would you help us? We understand if you cannot."
Jean Claude shook his head. "No, I'd be delighted to help. Although, we'd need a wagon and such, to move the contents of your old house to the new. I'm afraid I do not have that at the moment..."
Erik jumped in at this moment, resting a hand on Christine's shoulder. "I have a friend of mine bringing his wagon to the old house." He said simply, squeezing Christine's shoulder and resisting the urge to kiss the top of her head as he was so fond of doing.
Christine smiled and leaned back into Erik, motioning for Jean Claude to come along. "The hansom is still outside waiting. Our friends should be waiting for us." She watched as Jean Claude grabbed his overcoat and followed them out, calling to his servants before he exited.
Erik helped Christine into the hansom, glad that he had beat Jean Claude to it, then feeling guilty. Sill, he sat beside his wife and took her hand gently in his. The carriage started up quickly, and soon they were drawing closer to the Opera House.
Jean Claude looked out the small window of the cab, eyebrows furrowing at the sight of the Opera House, and looking even further distressed as the hansom stopped there. He looked over at Christine and then to Erik, a puzzled and enquiring expression crossing over his features. "You're not performing right now, are you, little love?" He asked Christine, one eyebrow rising now.
Christine shook her head and looked down at her hand entwined with Erik's. "Um... No, my uncle, I'm not." She looked worriedly up at her husband and decided to make her way to the door of the hansom, not enlisting the help of the men as she carefully stepped out of it on her own.
Erik gave Jean Claude an almost nervous look, before climbing out as well. Swiftly he walked to Christine, and smiled as he saw the cart a little ways away. "Ah yes, it appears that Nadir was successful in finding Jules..."
Christine nodded and moved forward, eager to get out of the cold. She pulled Erik along with her and turned her head to make sure her uncle was following. "Erik, I'm cold," she announced, looking sadly up at him. Before Erik could say or do anything, however, Jean Claude stepped to her side and placed his coat over her shoulders.
Erik bit down hard to keep from speaking, and instead smiled down at Christine. "You will be quite warm now, my dear." He said softly, placing a hand at her back and walking them to the rue scribe quickly. As they got closer, Nadir came into view, standing and looking quite peeved. Jules stood near by, hands in his pockets and looking around curiously at the people.
"Allah, Erik! You could have warned me that this entrance would be locked!" Nadir said, eyebrows furrowing.
Jules stepped over shyly to nod. "Got the cart over there for you, sir." He said, jerking a hand over his shoulder to point to the cart.
Erik smiled at Nadir playfully, and gave Jules a friendly nod. "Thank you very much, Jules." He said, reaching into his pocket to draw forth the strange key, which he slipped into the lock carefully. The door slid open with an ease that showed how well-oiled Erik kept it, and grinning broadly, he waved Nadir, then Jules, inside. "Shall we?"
Jean Claude grabbed Christine's arm and held her back from following her husband. "What is going on here? Where are we going?"
Christine bit her lip and shook her head. She handed him his coat back and squeezed his hand. "Forgive me, but just wait until we can talk. Follow us and don't speak a word to anyone. I trust you." She turned and grabbed Erik's cloak, still keeping her hand in Jean Claude's to pull him forward in the dark.
Erik walked behind Christine and Jean Claude, and soon they reached the underground house. Erik squeezed his way to the front, unlocking the door and opening it wide, he slipped inside and flopped back on the settee, throwing an arm over his eyes and groaning slightly.
Nadir and Jules walked in next, sitting on the other sofa and looking with mild concern at Erik, then watched for Christine and Jean Claude to enter.
Upon entering, Christine immediately went to Erik, while Jean Claude sat next Nadir. She knelt by his side and took his hand, then caressed his face, concerned.. "My love? What's wrong?"
Erik looked up with a small smile. "Nothing, I'm just unused to having my home... over-run with so many people at once..." He said softly, reaching out to stroke her cheek gently. Sitting up he groaned slightly, and then drew Christine to sit beside him, taking her hand and holding it tightly in his.
Nadir looked to Erik then, and smiled. "So, I suggest we move the heaviest items first... furniture and such." He said, looking to Jules for confirmation. The man nodded silently, wringing his hands and appearing a bit nervous, as usual.
Jean Claude could not imagine what in the name of all that was holy was going on at the moment. Where were they, and why was his home under the opera? He sat with a frown and couldn't focus on anything else but the man that Erik was. Erik obviously lived here before he met Christine. What kind of man did that make him? He wanted to know what was behind that mask... the other two didn't seem to care at all about any of this, in fact, the dark one seemed to be quite familiar with it all.
Erik nodded at Nadir, and looked around. "The furniture from here could go first... then the objects from Christine's room... leave my room be, however. Nothing inside but my clothing is coming along. The piano must go, dishes from the kitchen..." He trailed off, looking around. "Christine and I will find the other things we wish to take. However, Nadir can you bring the cart closer to the entrance?"
At Nadir's nod, Jules stood. "I will come along as well." He said, and Nadir stood, putting a hand to Jules' back and the two exited the home, closing the door behind them quickly.
Jean Claude gazed at the two of them, his hands folded under his chin. "The two of you have a lot of explaining to do, and you best do it now, so that our dinner may be less frustrating."
Christine gulped and squeezed Erik's hand tightly. She looked up at her husband and began very softly. "Erik lived down here for quite some time. He saw me crying and asking for an Angel of Music... so he lied to me and told me he was, and I couldn't see him, so I believed it." She continued for a while, leading up to where they were at the moment. "And then he brought me down here, where I fell asleep." She paused to look at Erik, smiling sadly.
Erik's eyes were filled with tears at the tender and gentle way Christine told the story, bringing her hand to his lips and placing a loving kiss to her fingers. "She slept and I composed, frightened of what I had done, and unsure if she would stay by my side now that she knew the man behind the angel she had grown to need so very much..." He looked down at his hands then, unable to meet Christine's gaze, and afraid of Jean Claude's.
Christine stood and went to the mantle, ashamed of what she had done to Erik. "I didn't understand why a man so beautiful on the inside would need a mask on the outside..." As she told this, Jean Claude stood and moved closer to Erik. "So I did the most unspeakable thing." She took a sharp intake of breath and bent her head to rest on the mantle piece.
Jean Claude couldn't take it. He wasn't listening to his niece. Driven by pure curiosity, he reached out and seized Erik's mask, ripping it away from his face. He gasped and stood back, his mouth gaping open.
Erik gave a great cry, hurling himself forward blindly to escape the gaze of the man who had just done what he had hoped would never occur again in his life. Blindly he clutched for Christine, falling to his knees.
Christine, at the sound of Erik's cry, turned, thinking he was depressed about what she had done so long ago, and ready to hold him and apologize. But what she saw made panic and adrenaline rush through her, and she fell to kneel by her husband, taking his head to her bosom and stroking his hair. Tears poured silently from her eyes and she angrily jerked the mask out of her startled uncle's hand, bringing in to rest in her lap as she held her husband. She glared up at her uncle. "How could you!"
Jean Claude shook his head and backed away. "I'm sorry, little love, I--"
"Don't call me that! Just leave! I trusted you! We trusted you! Go away and never come back here. We'll send the money to you and be through, do you hear me!" She bent her head to look away from him an brushed her lips against Erik's marred cheek, showing him all the love she possibly could while absolutely hating the uncle she'd come to love so much.
Jean Claude backed away, tears falling from his eyes, his heart still breaking. He turned and went out the way he came, feeling worthless and like another family member had died and left him to die, as well.
Erik's head snapped up, and he moved back from Christine, tears falling down his cheeks. "Christine, did I forgive you when you did this to me?" He waited for a moment, then wiped away his tears. "Then forgive him for the same morbid curiosity that plagued you that night! He is your own family, do not send him away!"
Christine blinked blankly, and began to sink down to the floor, her hair fanning out around her as her tears fell from her face to wet her long dark curls. She sobbed hard into her hands, into her dress, feeling helpless and utterly deplorable. What have I done! She cried fiercely and began murmuring incoherently.
Erik brushed a quick kiss to her forehead, then stood and rushed from the house maskless, calling out to the only family his wife had left. "Jean Claude! Jean Claude, where are you!" He doesn't know the way... he could become lost...oh God where is he...?
Jean Claude blinked away his tears as he ran into another rock wall and heard Erik's voice in the darkness. "I'm here!" He called weakly, looking around in the darkness.
Erik reached the man swiftly, his keen eyes finding him with little difficulty. Grasping his arm, he pulled him back the way he came, relief flooding his senses. "You're lucky you didn't find one of the pits!" He exclaimed, and in several moments they were back into the house.
Christine was right where Erik left her, mask on her lap, and suddenly self-conscious in the light, Erik grasped it gently and slid it back over his face, adjusting it slightly, then pulling Christine up into his arms and walking to sit on the settee with her on his lap. "All is well, my dear..." He said, although inside he felt as if he were dying. Will no one see me as a man before and after my face? Will no man accept my mask and not question the horrors?
Christine wiped her tears away, wrapping her arms around Erik's neck and pressing her head to his chest. "My uncle, I'm so sorry, I'm an ungrateful, atrocious, obnoxious woman... horrendous..." She continued to come up with the worst of adjectives to describe what she had done, but this did not make Jean Claude feel any better.
The man stood and went to her side, rubbing her elbow. "Christine, little love" he spoke softly, "Everything is going to be fine... Please do not speak of yourself so." He looked up to Erik and spoke sincerely, "I'm sorry." He stood and looked down at them. He felt horrible, but it was over now. At least he still had his niece. "We should begin to find the things you will need… they will be back soon."
Erik nodded slowly, still unwilling to unwrap his arms from around his wife, and very gently, not caring that they were being watched, he pressed gentle kisses to her cheeks and forehead, before brushing his lips to hers. Bringing his lips to her ears, he whispered softly. "I love you..." and he squeezed her to him tightly.
Christine sobbed one last time before nodding and replying, "I don't deserve your love, but I do love you." She stood and bowed her head as she walked past her uncle and on into Erik's bedroom to retrieve his clothes first.
Erik sighed heavily, giving Jean Claude a gentle look, before standing and rubbing the back of his head. "I worry about her so much..." He said gently, before turning to walk slowly toward his bedroom, following after Christine. "It is I who does not deserve your love, my dear. Do not blame yourself for what happened, do not blame yourself for anything... my dear, no one has ever stood up for me..." Tears filled his eyes as he stepped forward to draw her close to his body again. "You have made me so happy... and you..." A tiny sob escaped him. "Your first instict was to protect me... oh Christine..." He buried his face into her hair, holding her close and trembling.
Christine sighed and shook to retain her sobs. She held him tightly around the waist, not willing to let him go. "Oh, Erik, I love you so much, do you know that? I was so upset with myself for what I did to you... for what I have done to you... You deserve no less than a queen. But I know you are content with a simple ungrateful little girl..." She sighed again and closed her eyes. "I hope our children don't inherit my curiosity or my ungrateful ways."
"You are not ungrateful!" Erik insisted, squeezing her close. "Do not speak like that!" Pressing kisses over her face, he wanted nothing more than to take her home and show her just how much he loved her... but instead he settled for kissing her warmly, hoping that since he left the door open Jean Claude wasn't getting a free show.
Christine pressed herself against Erik and kissed him deeply, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you," she whispered, pressing kisses to his jaw and down his neck. "Come," she told him, pulling his hand to lead him to the closet. "We must pick out your clothes to wear during the day... though, I'm sure you won't be wearing them in the night." She grinned and wiped the last of her tears away, opening the closet door.
Erik grinned, taking her into his arms and pulling her into the closet with him. Swiftly he pressed her against the free wall, kissing her with a voracious passion and stroking his hands along her body. "Christine..." He groaned, trembling as he pressed his hips against hers.
Christine closed her eyes and moaned softly as her hands went to his waistband, and then up to his chest. "Erik... we can't possibly..." She looked around, to the closet door, and then back to her husband. "Let's make this quick," she murmured before pushing him against the wall instead, and her hands pulling her dress up over her hips in the darkness.
Erik grinned, bending low to brush his lips over her cheeks and down her neck as he fumbled with his pants. His entire body was shaking with need, and his mind swam, vision clouding. Reaching out, he stroked his fingers over her body, trying to figure out how exactly this would work.
Jean Claude, outside the door, was becoming very anxious indeed. He frowned and knocked on the door. "Christine? Erik? We must begin our work..."
Christine growled and turned so that she was against the wall. "We've already begun," she stated loudly, and held her dress up as one hand as she held onto Erik's shoulder with the other and brought one leg up his calf and around his hip. She pulled his head back down to hers and kissed him fervently.
Erik moaned softly as he finally won the battle with his pants, and crouching down a bit, he covered Christine's mouth with his as he thrust deeply within her. He couldn't help a deep groan of pleasure as he withdrew, only to press back into her again and again. His legs gave out then, and with a thud they landed to the ground, Erik atop Christine. He smirked, nibbling at her neck as he moved within her.
Christine closed her eyes and smiled in ecstasy, meeting his thrusts and keeping her moans of his name very low and soft. She clutched his neck, his hair, and her feet pressed into his calves to urge for more. She began to moan louder, not even in her right mind any more.
Jean Claude heard her moan, and raised an eyebrow. "Erik? Christine?"
Erik gasped in passion, throwing his head back and moving swifter and swifter within Christine. His gasps of pleasure began to grow into whimpers and then soft moans as he ran a hand up to stroke her cheek, then moved it down to brush over her breasts.
Christine cried out in pure bliss, moaning Erik's name over and over as she felt herself so close to her furious release. She moved her hands to Erik's lower back and tried to shove him deeper as he moved, and moaned his name several times. As she realized that she was so fast to climax at Erik's actions, she felt shudders overtake her and she threw her head back as she tightened around him. "Oh God! ERIK!" She trembled violently and squeezed him to her tightly, her eyelids fluttering.
Jean Claude's eyes widened as he realized Christine might be in trouble. He moved into Erik's bedroom, not taking much notice to the surroundings, and went to the closet where the sounds of distress were coming from. He opened the door swiftly and his mouth nearly fell to the floor.
Erik made a final thrust, head flying back and eyes closed tightly. He gave a short cry, strangled in sound as he allowed himself to collapse atop Christine, gasping for breath. Suddenly he felt eyes on himself, and he swiftly turned his head, eyes wide.
Jean Claude gawked at them, more at Erik who had obviously just finished his love making, and he turned around quickly to avoid catching any further glimpses. "I uh... I'll just... wait in Christine's room." He walked out swiftly, realizing he didn't even know where Christine's room was. He turned back, a hand covering his eyes. "Where uh... where would her room be?"
Christine couldn't believe what had just happened. She blushed every color of red and pink anyone had ever beheld, and she pulled Erik's chest to hers to completely cover herself. "At least it wasn't Nadir," she whispered to Erik almost inaudibly, but realized it would've been easier had it been the Persian.
Erik chuckled softly, before calling out to Jean Claude. "Just...go into the sitting room..." He said, his voice strained with embarrassment. Turning to Christine then, he gently kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry, my dear... I've embarrassed you before your uncle..." But he couldn't keep much of a straight face, and he had to chuckle softly. "Well... at least he didn't faint..."
Christine giggled and bit her bottom lip, looking down between them. "Erik, the way you are acting, you're telling me you want those twenty children." She kissed his cheek and toyed with the ends of his hair. "Do you want twenty children, Erik?" She giggled again. "If I could carry them all at the same time, I'd have them by now!" She rubbed his back. "But I don't mind..."
Erik laughed lightly, pressing his lips to hers and slowly forcing himself to withdraw from her body, whimpering at the aftershocks of pleasure that washed over him. "Christine...I would like to go back to Nadir's right now, and make all twenty children in succession." He said, a soft sensual growl to his voice.
Christine pulled her dress down over her body, situating her breasts into the whalebone of her corset and running fingers through her wild curly hair. Grinning seductively, she stepped forward and slowly buttoned Erik's pants, and jerked him by the waistband to her. "It seems so long as to have to wait for tonight..." She stroked fingers through his hair. "I cannot wait until we are situated and can stay in bed all day long." She blushed and looked down, shaking her head slightly. "I've never been this brazen... I can hardly believe myself sometimes."
Erik grinned, nibbling at her neck as he slid his hands to her back, caressing her lovingly. "I like you this way... don't try to change, my dear." He said softly, his lips brushing her ear. "You're comfortable with me, that's why you're brazen." He whispered, slipping his tongue out to brush against her ear playfully.
Christine giggled and pulled away, slapping his chest playfully. "How can I not be brazen? You drive me crazy!" She put an arm around his waist and lifted her face to his to kiss him chastely. "Poor Jean Claude," she spoke as she turned to Erik's suits. "At least he and Nadir will make conversation easily..."
Erik smiled down at his wife, chuckling as he pulled every article of clothing from his closet and carried them through the room, tossing them to rest across the coffin. Moving back to the closet then, he reached up to the highest shelf and pulled down several crates. "We can pack things in here." He said softly, folding his suits and setting them inside.
Christine placed a quick kiss on his cheek as she took a crate. She walked towards the door, pausing to tell him, "Let's go to my room now," and then she exited. As she made her way through the underground home, she was sure not to make eye contact with Jean Claude. At her door, she paused to make sure Erik was following her.
Jean Claude wondered if he should get up and help, though he figured they'd be fine with the smaller items. He sat back and made sure to look at the ground or his shoes when they walked past him.
Erik slipped along behind her, glancing to Jean Claude and smiling slightly. Reaching Christine's room, he looked around, then met her eyes. "What do you want to take?"
She pondered for a moment, and then motioned toward her closet. "Let's pack the easiest things first." She set the crate down on her bed and walked to her closet, and turned to beckon Erik forward with her slender pointer finger. She giggled and held out her arms to him, moving back more into the closet.
Erik grinned, rushing into her arms and squeezing her close. "Shall it be a custom, then, that we say goodbye to each closet in the most intimate way?" He asked slyly as he buried his face into her hair.
Christine wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling broadly. "And we'll say hello to all the new closets, too..." She bobbed her eyebrows up and down playfully.
Erik laughed as he pressed a kiss to her forehead lovingly, letting his hands stray to her hair, then down her sides, and finally to rest on her hips. Slowly he slid his lips down to press against hers, and Erik tried to count how many times that day they had made love already. Twice? Three times...?
Newlyweds! Christine thought in her mind, her hands pressed against his chest and her head tilted to accommodate his kisses. He really wants to! We'll never get everything moved at this rate. She smiled and let her hands slide to his cup face in her hands and pulled away. "Or we can just wait and say hello, that would be more appropriate, wouldn't it?" She smiled brightly and turned to all of her lovely dresses that Erik had acquired for her.
Erik had to chuckle as he wrapped an arm about her waist, standing at Christine's side as he too looked at the gowns. "Yes, I suppose so..." He said with a sly smirk, as he brushed his fingers over the delicate material of one dark silk dress.
"What was running through your mind as you bought this one, Erik?" Christine inquired with a bemused expression as she pulled out a see-through silk gown, a very light blue color. One of her eyebrows raised inquiringly and she grinned broadly.
Erik smiled devilishly as he leaned in to brush his lips against hers, stroking his fingers up her side and trailing the tips over her breasts as they slid up to her cheek. "Well, my dear... I thought that was quite obvious..."
Christine shivered and gave him a particularly seductive gaze. "I suppose I'll have to keep it handy, then?" She smiled and continued to pull her dresses down, and as soon as she had a good armful, she walked past Erik and to the crate on the bed, placing them all in. She went back to the closet and as she began to gather the rest of her dresses, she asked quietly, "Are you excited, Erik?"
Erik gave a playful smile, wrapping his arms about Christine from behind and brushing his lips to her ear. "That would depend on how you mean your question, my dear..." He whispered, letting his warm breath tickle her ear. "Am I excited about the new house, or am I...excited?" Gently he pressed his hips against her, knowing that his excitement was quite noticeable.
Christine raised both eyebrows and a mischievous gleam came into her blue eyes. She turned and raised one leg to rub the back of his thigh with her knee. "Are you... excited about... what will be exciting in the new house?" She bit back a giggle and pressed her chest against his teasingly.
Erik grinned slyly, letting his lips trail over her face as he spoke. "Mmmm... very, very excited, mon ange..." He purred, keeping his arms wrapped tightly around Christine's waist. Slowly he pressed his lips against hers then, nibbling at her lower lip playfully.
Christine leaned against him and ran her fingertips across his scalp, and down his neck, tickling softly. She pulled back and raised an eyebrow. "Erik... You're so energetic... I'm glad." She blushed and turned, sorting through her dresses again. "I mean, I'm glad that you're feeling better..."
Erik smiled, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek, then helping to grasp some of the dresses. "I'm glad as well." He said softly, packing away the dresses, then looking about the rest of the room.
Christine took some of the towels from her adjoining bathroom and set them into the crate. She spotted her warm slippers peeking out from under the bed and bent down to get them. "I'm hungry," she announced as she poked her head under the bed.
Erik grasped a few things from the vanity and set them within the box as well, smiling down at his wife. "I think that very soon we will be able to eat..." He said gently as he stepped to the door and looked out to see if Nadir and Jules were back. He heard the door opening and smiled. "Ah, Nadir and Jules have finished moving the cart." He said, moving from the room and glancing back to be sure Christine was following.
Nadir stood in the sitting room, looking down at Jean Claude. "What is the matter?" He asked, taking in the man's flushed face and nervous behavior. "Has something happened?"
Christine clutched Erik's coat from behind him and peaked her head out to see her uncle sitting with wide eyes as if he'd just seen a ghost. Seen a ghost with a woman... She tried to stifle a bout of giggles and pressed her head into Erik's back.
Erik laughed softly at the vision before him, drawing Christine against his body and wondering just how Jean Claude was going to explain his expression.
Christine's uncle laughed nervously and shook his head. "Nothing happened!" He insisted, casting a quick glance at his niece and her husband. "That is, nothing happened to me. If you want to know something that happened, you can ask my niece and her ever-active husband." He looked back down at his hands, his face turning pale at the memory of seeing his niece underneath Erik.
Erik laughed at the words, throwing his head back as he shook with mirth. He turned to Nadir, giving a disarmingly innocent smile. "Why my dearest Daroga, I assure you nothing out of the ordinary occurred."
Nadir shook his head, taking a few steps forward. "Erik, you may give a man an attack one of these days with your behavior." He said, trying to be stern but beginning to chuckle himself. "I am pleased that you are well, my friend... but perhaps you should refrain from... such acts... in the presence of others?" He had to laugh then, patting Jean Claude's shoulder. "You get used to it..." He mumbled, before standing next to Jules, who had said nothing throughout the whole ordeal, choosing instead to merely chuckle at the turn of events. Never before had he known Erik to be so happy...
Christine stood on her tiptoes and whispered in Erik's ear, "I think it very amusing indeed that they choose to blame you for our acts." She grinned and playfully shook her finger at him as she lowered back to the ground. "You must contain yourself, Erik, or I'll swoon." Jean Claude, examining this, snorted and rolled his eyes. Funny how he was already getting used to this.
Erik laughed, throwing his arms about Christine and squeezing her close. "My dear... in order to do such a thing you would have to be kept far away from my gaze!" He said with a broad smile, before brushing his lips against hers.
Nadir smiled at the love that was so obvious between the two of them, and looked to his watch. "It is dinner time nearly... My friend, Jules and I can begin to move things to your home if you would like to take your wife and her uncle out for dinner..." He said warmly, knowing that this last bit of family should spend some time together.
Erik looked down at Christine, smiling. "Well, my dear... you did say you were hungry... would you like to go eat now?"
Christine nodded and smiled wide. She looked over at her uncle who seemed a bit timid at the thought of having dinner with them. "Would you like to, Jean Claude?"
He gazed at them uneasily. Who knew what they might do? She might simply try to feed him and he'd be uncontrollable! I should need to protect my niece, Jean Claude told himself, an eyebrow raised in Erik's direction.
Erik gave Jean Claude a smile, before brushing his fingers over Christine's cheek.
Nadir looked a bit impatient wondering what was going to occur. "Are you going to leave, or not, my friends..?"
Christine gazed lovingly up at her husband before speaking softly to Nadir, "Are you sure the two of you will be able to handle everything?"
Nadir nodded. "Oh yes... we should be able to handle things completely, do not worry Christine." He insisted, smiling.
Christine nodded and reached for his hand. "Thank you so much for this, Nadir. We don't know what we'd do without you, honestly." She moved from her husband to her uncle and touched his arm. "Our crates of clothes and such are in the Louis-Philippe bedroom on the bed. There's still the dishes to attend to…" A worried look came over her face before it disappeared and she looked up at her uncle. "Do you have a key to our new home?"
Jean Claude's suspicious eyes left Erik and he smiled gently down at his niece. "That I do, child." He motioned for Nadir to come forward. "Their home is the one I could never sell, Monsieur Kahn. It's about two miles from my own home, you remember, don't you?"
Nadir nodded vaguely, smiling at the thought of the home. "Such a lovely place..." He looked to Erik and grinned. "I'm glad you have it, my friend... such a place is befitting for you after all these years here, below ground."
Erik smiled warmly, holding Christine's hand tight in his own, he brought it to his lips and placed a soft kiss to the back of it. "Nothing but the best for my queen." He said warmly, turning his head to meet Christine's gaze.
Christine smiled shyly and suddenly became very aware of the fact that she was the only woman in the room. She held her uncle's hand as he gave Nadir the key to the new home. She reached for Erik's arm, still smiling adoringly at him. "I love you," she whispered. "And I'm hungry."
Erik laughed, resisting the urge to pull her into his arms, and instead he led the way from the home. "We will meet you at your home, Nadir?" He asked, and the Persian man nodded.
Christine slipped her left arm through her husband's arm and her right arm through her uncle's. She smiled up at them both and let Erik lead the way through the darkness, though she had grown quite accustomed to it, herself.
Jean Claude was still uneasy about his niece's husband. He seemed to be a very upstanding gentleman but all that he had just learned of him and then seeing him atop his niece was not something he exactly liked the idea of. He gently tugged Christine closer to him.
Erik frowned when he felt Christine pulled closer to her uncle, and tried to ignore it, reaching out to touch the back of Christine's hand with his fingertips, he looked down at her lovingly. Leading the way through the passages, they came out of the Rue Scribe and Erik moved toward the street then, flagging a hansom and smiling to Christine, then to Jean Claude. "Shall we?"
Jean Claude gave a fake smile and helped Christine into the hansom before Erik could, and sat next to her. Christine looked confused for a moment and she tried to move to the other side to sit with her husband, but Jean Claude's arm slid around her shoulders and he kept her there beside him. He was beginning to think Erik was no good for his only family he had left...
Erik became quite uncomfortable then, looking to Christine as if unsure if he should speak up, or keep silent. Finally, he concluded that he wanted no repeat of the day before... he had upset Christine quite greatly, after all. Closing his eyes against the sadness that welled inside him, he looked out the window as the hansom began to move. "I've told the driver to drop us down town... I figured we could decide from there." In all honesty, the thing he wanted least was to wander the streets in search of a place to eat in broad daylight, but he wanted to seem as normal as possible to Jean Claude.
Christine bit her lip, her mind screaming at her at what was going on. Though, she didn't know just what was going on. Jean Claude suddenly seemed very protective, but why would he want to protect her from her husband? All she wanted at that moment was for Erik to be holding her hand, she wanted to sit next to him and tell him of how much she appreciated his bravery in venturing out in the daylight. Jean Claude was making her very upset at the moment, but she shook her head slightly and tried to ignore it.
The hansom stopped, and Erik slipped out swiftly, not even attempting to assist his wife or waiting to watch her uncle hand her out. Instead, he paid the driver, and stood with his head down, trying to pull his fedora further over his face and nearly shaking in his discomfort.
As Christine was let out of the hansom by Jean Claude, she reached for Erik's arm, and caught the cuff of his suit coat. She struggled against the hand Jean Claude had placed at the small of her back, and wrapped both of her arms firmly around Erik's, lifting her face to be kissed.
Erik turned in her embrace, smiling broadly down at her and lowering his head swiftly to kiss her dotingly. When his lips slid from hers, he held her close, and whispered softly into her ear. "Is it just me, mon amour, or is there something strange about your uncle?"
"He is acting very strange," she whispered in reply, squeezing Erik to her body tighter. "I can only hope he's uneasy because he caught us in the indisposed." She pulled back and held his hand as she looked up and down the streets. "What do you want for dinner, Erik? Jean Claude?"
Jean Claude scowled silently at the two of them, especially Erik. He was nothing but a monster, and he probably cared nothing for Christine's feelings. He only wanted her body! At Christine's soft question, he narrowed his eyes at Erik in a glower. "Hopefully he won't answer "you," for his own sake." He turned and began walking up the street, where two or three pleasant little cafes resided.
Erik's eyes widened in shock, and he looked down at Christine, barely veiled anger and hurt in his eyes. "What on earth did I do to earn his hate!" He cried, furious that once again the pain that society caused him was coming to pass. His body went stiff, and his first instinct was to run... but if Christine had taught him anything, it was to face his problems...
Christine's eyes filled with tears and she slipped her arms around Erik's waist, burying her face in his chest. "My love, I'm sure he just resents what he saw of us... I will talk to him, Erik. I'm so sorry..." She looked up at him and stroked his cheek. "We can say we need to go back and help them move things, fragile items we forgot..." She bit her lip and looked worriedly at the ground. "You don't have to deal with this, Erik. I'm sorry I brought you into this mess."
Erik shook his head, stroking his fingers through her hair. "No Christine... we will eat with him, and try to figure this out..." He sighed, aware of people looking at them, and brushed his lips against her forehead. "Come, let us try to catch up with him."
Christine nodded and held his hand as she advanced forward, calling out to her uncle softly. She saw him turn and stop, waiting for them to walk with him, and then he pointed to the cafe in the middle of the three there were on the street. Christine looked up to Erik and shrugged, then nodded slightly. Jean Claude spoke to the host, and they were led to a little table in the very back of the restaurant, half of the table shrouded in darkness.
Erik pulled out Christine's chair for her, then pushed it back in when she had seated herself, smiling down at her lovingly as he moved to sit beside his wife. Once seated, he self-consciously reached to his mask, adjusting it and trying to fight away the rising unease at being in public. In truth, he felt as if he were about to throw up and cry all at once. Vaguely he wondered if he wasn't getting a bit ill, but he forced the thought from his mind.
Jean Claude sat across from them, where the light of the restaurant surrounded him, and he thought with a frown how Christine seemed to be one of the light, and yet because she was married to this fiend, she had to be in the dark. Though as he watched Erik's expressions towards Christine, he saw nothing but love and adoration shining in the man's eyes... or was he mistaking that for lust? He shook his head and lowered his eyes to his menu.
Erik glanced down at the menu, but felt as if any eating would be poor for himself right now, and instead set the menu aside and closed his eyes slowly, focusing on breathing properly and not breaking down. He hadn't just sat in public in such a very long time, after all... his social anxieties were rearing their ugly head and he swallowed hard, fumbling to Christine's lap and taking one of her hands in his, he clutched tightly to it.
Christine's gaze left her menu and she settled her eyes on her husband, who seemed to be having a serious panic attack. She grasped his hand in hers and reached up to stroke his face. "Erik, my love," she whispered, almost inaudibly, "No one is looking. Calm yourself, mon amour, we're in the shadows once more. I am here to protect you."
Erik nodded feebly, feeling a terrible wave of dizziness pass over his body. Squeezing his eyes closed even more, he wanted so badly to lean against her and be comforted by her arms around his body, but he knew that this was not the place. An almost imperceptible whimper escaped him as he began to tremble, clinging tightly to Christine's hand. His throat tightened and he chanced opening his eyes to look down at Christine, fear blazing in his eyes.
Jean Claude watched Erik suffer and wondered what the hell was wrong with him. Couldn't the man be normal for just once? His eyes became even wider as Christine put an arm around his shoulders and took Erik's head to her bosom, stroking his hair and murmuring soft words of comfort to him. "Christine," Jean Claude ground out through gritted teeth, "This is a public place!"
Erik pulled away from Christine's embrace at Jean Claude's words, swallowing hard against the feeling that he was going to be sick, and instead looked balefully at Christine, sent Jean Claude a very confused and almost saddened look, then stood and quite simply walked away, toward the rest rooms. Once out of their line of sight, he dropped to the ground along the wall leading to the men's restroom, and pulled his knees to his chest.
A man coming from the bathroom almost tripped over him, and knelt down in concern. "Sorry there, sir...are you all right?"
Erik didn't look up, instead just nodding his head. "Yes, I'm quite well, thank you." He said. The man shrugged, gave Erik a manly pat to the shoulder, and continued on his way.
The table he sat at was right next to the one that Christine and Jean Claude sat at, and the woman who sat across from the man looked concerned. "What is it?" She asked and the man shrugged, looking perplexed.
"I have no idea... some fellow was sitting against the wall by the men's room... seemed sick or something... should I tell the manager?"
The woman shook her head, taking his hand. "No, I'm sure whoever he's with will take care of him... you're such a kind soul, dear..."
Christine's eyes widened and she stood up immediately, but was stopped but Jean Claude. "Let me handle this," he told his niece, and when he caught sight of the terror in her eyes, he put a finger over her lips. "Sit down and I'll return with your husband." With that, he turned and moved towards the men's room, and spotted Erik. He stopped beside him and squatted by his side, looking over him. "What's wrong with you, Erik?"
His eyes were wide and slightly glossy as he raised his gaze to look at Jean Claude, his face even whiter than usual and matching his mask almost perfectly. His first instinct was to say nothing, but instead he spoke up. "Can't breathe..." He croaked out, shaking as he continued to hyperventilate. His lips were becoming blue tinged, and he turned his head away, unwilling to let Jean Claude see his weakness.
Jean Claude patted his back and tried to soothe Erik, frowning as he did so. "How can I help? Tell me what to do, do you want me to go get your wife or do you want me to help you somehow?"
His head swam, and all Erik could think was that Christine was alone right now. "Christine..." He gasped, eyes slipping closed.
Jean Claude stood and quickly made his way back to their table, reaching out for Christine's hand. "He needs you. I am going to flag down a hansom and I want you to get him out of here."
Christine nodded, dumfounded, but stood and walked as fast as she could manage to where the men's rooms were. She knelt beside Erik and put one of his arms around her neck. "Please, Erik, try to stand for me... We're going back to Nadir's, and you can rest there." She hoisted him up and made for the entrance of the building, seeing Jean Claude waiting by the hansom.
He helped her get Erik in and kissed her hand before helping her in. "Be safe," he murmured, watching the cab speed off. And he knew it then and there. Erik needed Christine, loved her, would do anything for her, and she needed him.
Erik leaned fully against Christine in the hansom, his arms wrapped around her as if she were the only thing holding him from death, and he pulled in great lungfulls of air, trying not to cry as he knew it would only make things worse.
Christine willed her own tears not to fall, and stroked his hair and back to console him. She was deeply disturbed by these events, worried immensely for her dear husband who she felt she couldn't live without. Would he ever fully heal? Or would the effects of his past finally tear him down? Christine didn't want to know. She didn't want to think about losing him. She just wanted to hold him in her arms forever and ensure his safety there.