A/N: Hey! I'm sorry I wasn't able to give you this chapter earlier, but school started back up, and I just didn't have time! I made this chapter a bit long, so as to make it up to you. Warning: there is a particular graffic part...if you are queasy with "home made" surgeries...don't read that part, lol.

6. Tender Loving Care

When Christine came back, she was carrying a pitcher with hot water, a bowl with several rags, and a sponge. She had to go back for a few towels, but before she left, she went to check on Erik.

"Erik? I have to go get some towels. Until I get back, keep the blanket on." She reached down and pulled the covers up over his chest, and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. Erik nodded and closed his eyes wearily.

She walked to his kitchen and found a compartment with dishtowels. She decided that they were not big enough, so she took her search in his washroom. When she found what she was looking for, she quickly grabbed a bunch of towels and almost ran back to Erik.

Erik's eyes were closed when Christine returned. She approached him quietly and sat by him. She did not have to see if he was asleep, she knew. She was about to touch his arm and wake him, when she stopped and listened. He was breathing painfully shallow. She could hear his breath rattle in his lungs, and heard the internal battle to get more oxygen.

Christine did not want to scare him, so she just silently panicked. To take her mind off him, she stuck her finger in the pitcher to check the water's temperature; it was warm, just as she wanted it to be.

When Christine composed herself, she touched Erik's arm to let him know that she had returned. She then, neatly folded the blanket to his waist once again. Next, she took the sponge and squeezed it underwater, retrieving it. She wrung it above the bowl and brought it over to Erik.

He looked at her with frightened eyes. She looked back in sympathy, "Ok, I am going to wash your wounds and I need you to stay still. If I hurt you, I have to know." With that, she gently rubbed the sponge over him, stopping to wring out bloody water into the bowl, and then refilling from the pitcher. She sang to him the whole time to soothe his nerves, which apparently worked, because he fell asleep.

After about five agonizing minutes, she stopped and dried him with the rag. The towels that she had placed under him were doing their job well. When she finished cleaning him off, she wiped her hands on an extra rag and leaned over Erik. "Angel? I am finished. How do you feel?" He murmured something inaudible, and she had to lean down closer.

"What was that, love?"

He whispered in her ear, "Christine….where…are you?"

She squeezed his hand and said, "I am right here! Open your eyes, silly!" She cracked a smile, but it quickly went away. Erik had opened his eyes, and Christine saw that he was trying to blink back tears. She realized that he must be in unbearable pain; his wounds were deep, and she still had to fish out the bullets. One of them had obviously pierced his lung. He held her hand tightly in his pain, and she thought he would break it. He released her hand and fell asleep again.

She watched intently while he slept, and put a kiss on his head before getting up and going into his washroom. She knew that there would more bloodshed, so she went to get more towels.

Before she left the washroom, she just stood there staring at the towels, contemplating what had just happened. Christine jerked her head up when she heard a coughing sound; raw and painful. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her to Erik's side.

He was sitting up, coughing non-stop, when Christine suddenly appeared beside him. She grabbed him and started rubbing his back, until he relaxed and slumped back onto the pillow. She looked at him with terror and deep concern. He was shivering and she went to pull the blanket over him, but stopped when she saw fresh blood trickling down his skin.

Christine gasped and found a clean rag. She put pressure on the only hole that was bleeding; the one over his left lung. When she did this, she heard a wheezing sound escape from his lips. She looked up and saw his eyes start to glaze over. She yelled in response, "Oh my God, Erik! ERIK? Answer me, damn it!" She thought she saw a flicker through his glazing eyes. He had coughed up blood, and it scared Christine.

She knew he was still alive because she could feel his heartbeat and his weak attempts to breath. She quickly changed rags and used another one to wipe his mouth off.

"Oh God…Erik…hold on, ok sweetheart? Just hold on…" She was nearly in tears, but she knew he would not leave her. He couldn't. Not after all that had happened.

She had to remove the bullet while he was still unconscious, that way he wouldn't feel as much pain.

Christine had to think quickly on how she would do it. Cut him open, reach in and grab it? No. Find a teaspoon and scoop it out? No. She decided to see how deep it went in first.

Christine checked to make sure that he was still unconscious before doing anything. Satisfied, Christine slowly lifted the rag and looked for anymore seeping blood. She saw none, and held her breath. She knew the risks…one wrong move, and she could push it in further, never finding it. Oh, the things people do for love… The hole was big enough for two fingers….She put two in and grimaced when she saw Erik's face contort in pain, but he did not wake. She was trying her best not to pass out.

When her fingers were in almost to her knuckles, she felt cold metal, and sighed greatly when she released the air that she was holding in. It was in deep, but luckily she could just reach it. She held on to the bullet and slowly pulled it out, and felt relieved when she saw it emerge from his wound. Her other hand was holding onto his, to direct his attention to her hand, not her fingers, should he wake.

His chest wound started to bleed profusely again, just as she predicted. Christine put more pressure on it this time until she was sure that it stopped, and took the sponge to it. She was grateful that she had retrieved a sewing kit earlier, and set about her next task.

When she had finished stitching him up, she wiped her brow with the back of her hand, and sat in the silence for a split second before getting up and tending to the second wound. The bullet wasn't in as far as the first, but was still deep enough to cause problems. Luckily, there were none as she worked swiftly. Christine cried silently as she stitched him up, thinking the worst could have happened.

She looked up at him when she felt a hand on her face, still shaking from weakness. Christine saw pain behind his look of pure adoration for her. He opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him.

"No Angel, you need your rest. Just concentrate on breathing." She saw hurt, and she held his hand to her tearstained cheek for as long as she could, kissing his palm repeatedly. His hand went limp, and she opened her eyes. She moved from his side to his head, and put his head on her lap. She was singing to him while stroking his hair as he slept.

It had roughly been 12 hours since Christine found Erik, and she felt drained and very worn out. She swiftly got up and put his head on the pillow. She went to find more clean towels, another pillow, and another blanket. After about fifteen minutes of searching, she came back and put everything on the ground by him.

Christine neatly arranged the towels on the ground so it wouldn't hurt her back. She wrapped the blanket around her and lay beside Erik, her hand resting on the very edge of his torso. She did not want to obstruct his breathing, but her hand was there to make sure he was. Before she knew it, she drifted off into a much-needed deep sleep.

Christine awoke to Erik's coughing fit. He was sitting up again, but his back was towards her, giving her a closer view of his scars. At the sight of them, Christine felt hot tears running down her cheeks. She scooted closer and rubbed his back, waiting for the fit to cease.

At her touch, Erik jumped slightly. He did not know that she was awake. Well, I wasn't exactly quiet, was I? He suddenly coughed up blood again, and his whole body was unnaturally painful. He felt Christine stop rubbing his back. Instead, she was tenderly kissing his scars and crying softly.

He turned around and gave her his "please-don't-do-that-or-I-will-cry-too" look. His heart shattered when he saw the deep sadness in her eyes, looking back into his. With that look, she smiled sadly and picked up a rag to wipe the blood from his face. She reached up and cleaned him off, then slowly pulled the rag away from his mouth. His hand caught her wrist and he slowly pulled her closer in a very delicate hug. He ignored the intense pain and decided that Christine was worth it any day.

She was aware of his pain because he tensed, but he did not make a sound. He seemed to be at peace whenever Christine hugged him, so she let him hold onto her, both of their pains understood in that brief moment.

She pulled away from him, and pressed her palms just below his shoulders to support him. He had turned ghostly pale from loss of blood, and he couldn't help but put his weight on her. Erik felt weak and he hated it. Christine has done too much for me already. He closed his eyes and willed himself to breathe. Each intake of air hurt, and he inhaled much lighter and more frequent to lessen the pain.

Christine was sharp; nothing he did, no matter how hard he tried to cover it, could go past her unnoticed.

"Erik, you need to get a lot of rest until you are healed enough to walk around. You lost a great amount of blood, and you will be weak for quite a while." She moved a hand behind his head and started pawing at his hair. "You gave me a big scare…if only it was me instead…" At her words, Erik had a newfound strength. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. He said firmly, "No Christine. Don't. Just don't. Promise me you will NEVER wish that upon yourself. You have no idea…You are so small…you wouldn't be able…" Erik's words were stuck as he choked on his tears. He gently shook her shoulders and looked at her in despair. His voice came out in a whispery whine, as his strength died away. "Promise me Christine! Promise me…" His efforts hit him hard, and he had to let go of Christine's shoulders. He almost fell forward, but he shot out an arm to break his fall. The impact of his fall sent a sharp pain through his body. He doubled over and yelped, grabbing his chest.

Christine's eyes widened in horror and she grabbed him before his arm could give away. She straightened him back up and sobbed out, "Erik! I'm sorry! I promise!" She put her hand behind his head again, and positioned herself so she could hold his weight. She put her arm on his back, and her other arm crossed to his other side and snaked behind him. Before he passed out, he looked at her questioningly. He went limp and she slowly and gently lowered him onto his pillow. She chuckled and said, "Erik, seriously darling, you need to rest. Look, you're already asleep, you arrogant fool…I swear…men and their ego's." She lay back down beside him and thought what would have happened if she lost him. She reached over, grabbed his hand, and held it tight. She cried herself to sleep, only living on hope.