Disclaimer: Don't own it. Wish I did.

XXX

Rehearsals seemed to come too early for Christine, who was happy to spend her day with Erik outside. However, work waits for no one, and sadly they returned to the Opera House, slipping unnoticed into the Rue Scribe and hurrying through the labyrinth passages, musty and moist, to the hidden house.

It didn't take Christine too long to prepare to go up to the stage, and she hurried through the process of changing into a more 'appropriate' dress, corset included this time. She struggled to pin her hair back properly, and gave a dramatic sigh of relief upon bursting from the Louis-Philippe room that she and Erik now shared.

She entered the sitting room silently, taking in the smell of wood smoke and incense that was Erik's home. She truly couldn't think of a more pleasant place to be than in Erik's presence, and as she moved toward the sofa she smiled broadly.

Sitting back against the soft cushions was Erik, a book in his hands, which he was obviously trying with some difficulty to begin to read. It was evident that he couldn't seem to shake thoughts, and as Christine sat down next to him she rested a gentle hand on his arm.

"Is something troubling you?"

Erik looked up, jumping slightly. He hadn't even heard her enter, so absorbed in his thoughts was he. He blinked his mismatched eyes a few times, and smiled ever so slightly.

"No Christine, nothing is troubling me... I am merely thinking, that is all." He assured her, raising his hand to trace the back of his fingers over her soft cheek. Christine smiled, tilting her head to feel more of the caress, and Erik averted his gaze shyly.

"Actually, my dear... we should really talk. But not now... you have rehearsal soon and I'm afraid this conversation may take a while longer than we have..."

She was worried now, but tried her best to hide it, and instead curled against his side. Shyly Erik slid his arm around her shoulders and held her close to his body, and she rested her head on his chest. Funny, even though they had been married in a small, private ceremony over a month ago, he still felt so shy around her... so cautious, as if she may thrust him away at any moment.

"All right, Erik... I'll hurry back right after rehearsal is finished and we can talk then." Her eyes slid closed, and Erik was content to hold her until she fell asleep. After all... she had enough time for a quick nap.

--

"Madame Destler! How kind of you to join us! We all are greatly privileged by your entrance!"

Monsieur Reyer was very cross, to say the least, when Christine entered the stage from the wings a bit late. Erik hadn't been able to wake her, she had seemed too peaceful and he wasn't sure exactly what their conversation that evening would bring... she wasn't too late, but her tardiness coupled with her strange distraction lately was enough to send Monsieur Reyer into a fit.

"Allow me to remind you, Madame Destler, that this opera does not revolve around you. We would find it quite simple to acquire a new diva and let you slip between the cracks!"

Her head bowed, thoroughly chastised, and only then did he relent.

"I apologize, Monsieur Reyer, it will not happen again." She said softly, peeking up at him through her eyelashes.

"See that it doesn't. Now, from the aria."

Much of the rehearsal continued in this fashion, and while Monsieur Reyer had been originally peeved by Christine's attendance, he had to admit that her singing had not lessened in quality of any sort, and instead she almost sounded... better than usual?

As soon as they were released, Christine tore off to her dressing room, and had almost made it to her door when Meg's voice called out.

"Christine! Christine, wait for me!" Dutifully, Christine turned and waited for Meg to catch up.

"Oh Christine, you sang so beautifully today! How is it that you keep getting better and better?" Christine only smiled slyly.

"Oh yes...I suppose having... him as your teacher helps..." She whispered, and Christine chuckled.

"He does have a name Meg..."

"Oh, I know... but it seems so strange to call him Monsieur Erik, after all..." Christine could only laugh.

"I'm sorry Meg, but I really must be going... I told Erik I would return home as soon as rehearsal had finished." At Meg's confused expression, Christine explained.

"Oh, he said he has something he wanted to talk to me about, that's all." She insisted, before giving Meg a quick hug and then rushing into her dressing room, closing the door tightly behind herself.

"I hope that's all, Christine..." Meg whispered, a fearful expression set in her eyes.

XXX

Arriving home, Christine shed her cloak and moved into the library, where Erik sat at his piano composing. He refused to tell Christine anything about his new opera except that it was much better than Don Juan Triumphant ever could have been. She didn't pry, knowing he would reveal more when he found the time to be right.

"Erik, I'm home, cherie." She said softly, coming behind him to wrap her arms around his waist and lay her head against his well-muscled back. She could tell he was smiling even though his face was turned away, and he moved to make room for Christine on the bench next to him.

She seated herself and turned to face her husband curiously.

"Christine...I don't know how to put this in an eloquent manner, so I'll just say it bluntly. You're not happy here."

Her eyes widened and she grabbed his hands, pulling them to her chest and meeting his eyes with her own. "What foolishness is this? Of course I'm happy here! Why, I happen-" She was cut off by Erik's finger over her lips.

"I am not saying, my dear, that you are unhappy with me. You've removed all doubt from me long ago with your love... I merely mean that you are not happy here, in the house..."

Guiltily, her eyes lowered slightly, although she did not move away. Erik only smiled knowingly.

"And this, Christine, raises a problem. For you are not happy here, so you must not remain. And yet... I cannot leave."

Her head snapped up, and she regarded him critically. "I will stay here then. I will not be separated from you."

"And I will not have you living somewhere that you are not happy with." He countered.

Christine appeared thoughtful for a few moments, than spoke slowly and gently, hoping not to overstep boundaries that still existed. "And why, Erik... why can't you leave this place?"

He stood up abruptly, sweeping about the room in a fevered pace, his head lowered.

"I wonder why, Christine. Why is it that the Opera Ghost, a monster, cannot leave his home far from light? Try to figure it out, my dear... I dare say this isn't too difficult of a problem?"

Slightly hurt, Christine stood as well and moved toward Erik, who backed away from her until he reached a wall. Feeling cornered, his entire body tensed, and Christine quickly moved away to give him his comfort zone back, although all she wanted to do was draw forward and hold him close. Damn the world and all the pain they had given him! Did he not understand that with her he could do anything? Isn't that was love was about?

"Erik..." She entreated gently, "You're no monster... you're a man, you've said as much yourself many times... isn't it time that you shed this last vestige of your past? Isn't it time you moved on?"

An unreadable expression passed over his face, before he appeared to break, and he turned away quickly to hide his rapidly welling tears.

"Oh Erik..." She whispered, moving forward cautiously, a hand outstretched as if to touch him.

Slowly he sank to his knees, and a very slight sob was audible. Rushing forward, Christine wrapped him in her arms and sighed in relief when instead of pulling away Erik buried his face into her chest, clinging tightly to her much like a lost child as he sobbed out years of hate, of misunderstanding meted out to him in large handfuls since he was old enough to remember.

Slowly his tears subsided to a soft hiccup, and Christine rubbed his back lovingly, as he drew back to meet her eyes. Gently she reached up, moving to take his mask from his face. His eyes widened, his mask was only removed after they went to bed, when it was too dark to see properly the ravaged flesh... it had been his wish, not Christine's...

She pulled the delicate porcelain away and brushed away the tears from both cheeks, before kissing both cheeks gently.

"Erik, I do love you so... please... will you at least think about it? Imagine our house, Erik... a beautiful little place outside the city... we could be alone, and I could have a garden... and you an entire room devoted to your music and art and science... oh Erik, we could watch the sun set through our bedroom window every evening, be wakened by the first rays of daylight on our face!"

Erik watched as a gleeful transformation came over Christine's face, her eyes were closed as she pictured her dream home in her mind, and a small smile graced her full lips.

Erik, however, grew very nervous. She wanted so much... could he give it all to her? Everything she desired? And then he spoke the words so familiar to his lips.

"If you wish it, Christine... I could deny you nothing."