How could I be so stupid?

by LiltingBanshee

A/N: Thanx to Marie Phantom, Kathy L., tink20, Twinkle22, you´llbemyangel, PhantomLover05 and phantomfan1911 for your sweet reviews, sorry I haven´t had time to reply to you personally, hope you will accept this little update as an apology:)
I haven't changed the rating for this story as nothing really graphic happens, however if any of you feel it's too much and I should change it please let me know.

"Mummy will you bring me back a present?" Alana asked hopefully, bashing her eyelashes at her mother. Christine lifted her daughter up in her arms and kissed her lovingly.

"Yes I will my love, you just have to promise to be a good girl for your grandmother the next few days ok?" she said to the little girl.

"I promise Mummy" Alana said.

Erik groaned and ran a hand through his hair. He stared at the computer screen, trying to figure out what to write next. He was working on the application for the financial support the Cultural department of the government offered to the Opera house. The sponsorship deal was due to be re-negotiated, and since it had been over a week since his conversation with Maurice without a word about his final decision for his support, Erik had decided to apply for a higher support from the government. He was working hard on putting the word just right so they hopefully would not reuse the application.
With slight frustration he got up from his chair to get something to drink from the kitchen. He had just poured himself a glass of ice tea when his doorbell rang.

"Now what!" Erik sighed. The last thing he needed was to be disturbed and he stomped towards the door to tell the person behind it just that. He flung the door open, but found himself quite surprised. "Christine! What on earth are you doing here?" he exclaimed happily.

"Well you're not the only one who gets to show up unexpectedly on someone's doorstep, but if you mind I can leave again" she smiled sweetly.

"You, young lady, are going nowhere" he said and pulled her to him. She giggled and sighed happily as she felt his lips descent on hers. After several long kisses he rested his forehead against hers and smiled at her. "I love you" he whispered sweetly.

"I love you too. Your daughter says hello and told me to tell you she loves you as well. I would have brought her, but the desire to have you to myself for a few days was too strong" she said, looking at him with innocent eyes.

"Is that so Miss Daáe? Well, I must say that I am deeply honored by your company and you're so very welcome in my home" he said and kissed her nose.

A couple of hours later they returned to his apartment having just gone out to get pizzas for dinner. As they walked up the stairs with their fingers entwined Christine couldn't help but smile at the whole situation.

"What are you smiling at love?" Erik asked her curiously.

"It just amuses me how backwards we have been doing things. Here we are with pizzas, getting ready to snuggle up together on the sofa like a pair of lovesick teenagers, but in fact we are really two adults with a daughter, fighting for our right to be together. The simplicity of the entire moment just struck me as funny when I know how hard it has been for us to reach it" she said with a little smile.

Erik bend his head and kissed her. "You have an absolutely beautiful way of thinking Christine, to just spend this time with you have been worth every moment of fighting" he said with love.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?" she asked him some time later as they were lazily sitting on the sofa watching TV.

"Spend a quiet morning with you, then go into town and do as much shopping as you want and then I will take you out for a nice dinner in a public restaurant. When I first met you, you were just a teenager and I couldn't take you out because of the age difference, then later on Giselle stopped us from going to restaurants. Tomorrow night I will take you out and show the world that you are mine and mine alone to love" he said and looked into her eyes that were becoming moist with unshed tears.

"Erik…I love you so much" she whispered in a choked voice

His only response was to capture her lips with his own. She eagerly accepted and he deepened the kiss putting his hands on her back to press her closer to him. Only when their need for oxygen became too urgent did they break the kiss. Christine carefully reached a hand up and removed his mask. Putting it on the table she gently leaned in and planted light kisses on his scarred cheek. Erik closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth of her lips against his deformed skin. She continued to kiss down his throat, but when she touched the soft skin beneath his ear with her tongue it became too much for him and he pulled her mouth back to meet his.
She felt him move his hands up under her shirt to caress her back and she lifted her arms up to allow him to pull it over her head. Throwing it on the floor he lowered his lips to kiss the top of her breasts and couldn't help but smile at the moans that escaped her. He felt her fingers work at the buttons on his shirt and found it being quickly peeled from his body. He gently pushed her down to lie on her back and felt a tingle run down his spine at the feel of her warm skin against his chest.
He ran a hand up her leg and settled it on the zip of her jeans. Slowly he ended their kiss and looked into her eyes for her consent.

"Erik… make love to me" she whispered.