Chap.7
Erik was silent, while walking down the street. Even when Christine said his name, he didn't answer her. Not even a nod. Christine let him lead her, she was surprised when they bystanders were giving him looks, and he didn't do anything. Not even tense up. "Erik, are you sure you are alright?" Christine asked him. Again he did not answer.
They were walking for about 15 minutes when they came to a park. "Rest." He said to Christine, no emotion in his voice. Christine sat down and Erik started to walk away, and then stopped only a few feet away and just stood there. Christine watched him do nothing for five minutes. Then he turned around and walked toward her. "come. We must continue." He walked past her, not holding out his hand for her to hold. Not waiting for her to stand up. Christine knew something was terribly wrong with him and she wanted to know what.
"Erik please tell me what is wrong. It is odd that the Phantom of The Opera would go out, if those people not believing you, is the problem." They were on the road again, starting to head into woods. "Christine…" He stopped, and held out his hand behind him and motioned with his fingers for her to come. She did, and when she was close enough he pulled her into him, holding her so tight it was like someone was going to take her away any minute. "That's not it. What you said to me in there, "it will be alright my love." I was amazed that you still loved me, after what I did. And it made me think how grateful I was to have you. Then I thought. "What did I do to deserve this, to deserve love like this?" I did nothing. I don't deserve you Christine." He released her, and continued walking. Christine just stood there, a sad look on her face. "Erik." She said calmly. He stopped again. She slowly walked up to him. "That is no way to talk, Of course you deserve me. I chose you. I chose you over Raoul. What I felt for Raoul was I thought love. Then I considered my feelings for you and realized it was much more powerful. What I felt for Raoul was a Crush; it's you that I love."
"Christine." "Don't even say it. I love you and you love me." He nodded. "Good. Now no more talk of I don't deserve any of this...we must go…I am getting hungrier by the second. Where exactly are we going?" Now Erik seemed to loosen up. "To my old friend's house. We write to each other now and then. He was my friend when I was little, before I got…" Christine didn't know that he was in the circus. A stupid little attraction the "Devil's Child" His first Murder. "Before I moved down to the Opera Populaire" he covered up. "He was one of the only people who didn't mind my abhorrent face. But my Aunt Mattie didn't mind it either, she loved me for me. She loathed my mother for loathing me."
They came to a large cabin. Although not that large, to them anyway, to other people it might have looked like a mansion, but Erik and Christine lived in the Opera Populaire. "Stay here. He does not know anything about you. I only tell him how I am doing, never said once I was teaching a chorus girl and fell in love with her at the same time." Christine nodded. Erik walked up to the door, and knocked on it. He heard rustling inside, and then the door opened. A woman was standing there. "May I help you sir?" the woman asked. She was quite friendly. "Umm yes madam. Does Gaston De Rubio live here?" The woman nodded. "Gaston! Visitor." She called out. "Oh please come in." Erik shook his head, "no, I had rather stay outside." The woman shrugged. "Suit yourself." The woman walked away, she walked into a room and Erik heard her say, "Gaston! You have a visitor. Get your lazy butt up and go greet him!" The woman had a thick French accent; it reminded him of Madam Giry. Madame Giry, his good friend. He must admit that he missed her; He longed to see his friend once again. Now she started yelling in French, and a male voice entered the picture also in French. Finally a man with short black hair and a mustache and a goatee came out mumbling something to him. He saw Erik and stopped. "Sorry Sir, about that. What can I do for you?" Erik looked at him sideways. "Oh come, Gaston. You can't tell me you don't recognize me." Gaston scanned Erik and then shook his head. Then he remembered he had his mask on. "Oh yes, the mask that might be why." He removed his mask and Gaston gasped. "Erik?" He asked. Erik nodded. Gaston smiled, "Oh my God! I haven't seen you in so long! How have you been?" Erik nodded. "Wonderful, for the last few days at least." Gaston was terribly confused by what he said. "Gaston, my old friend, I would like you to meet somebody." Erik walked away and disappeared behind the trees. He came back and Gaston saw he was leading somebody. A woman! He was leading a woman. They came to the door and Erik saw Gaston's eyes wide. "Gaston, this is Christine. My faithful love and companion." Christine curtsied. "It's a pleasure Monsieur." She said. "Erik, you never told me anything about her." Gaston complained to him. "Yes. And I am sorry. I thought it was not necessary. But now, We've had a long journey and Christine is hungry. Do you have any food that we might be able to eat?"
Gaston nodded and invited to come in. They did, "Please, Erik…Christine? Was it?" Christine nodded. "Please make your self in that room over there." He pointed to a room. "I will make you something to eat." Erik and Christine walked into the room. They saw a couch and a few chairs. Erik headed toward the couch, then stopped. "I am hesitant about taking a seat here." Erik said to Christine. "Well he did say make ourselves comfortable." Christine walked past Erik and sat down on the couch, doing exactly what Gaston told her told her to do. Erik sighed and Walked over and sat down next to Christine. Christine placed a hand on her stomach. "Oh Lord, I am so hungry." Erik took the hand that was on her stomach and held it in his. "Gaston should be here soon." Christine nodded. "Could you ask him if we could spend the night. I am feeling rather sleepy." He let go of her hand and put it around her and started to caress the side of her cheek with his finger. "I will ask him, and if he says no. I shall ask for a horse to borrow so you don't have to walk." Christine rested her head on his shoulder and yawned. "I love you Erik." She whispered. "How I love to hear you say that. I love you too Christine."
Just then Gaston walked in. "Im sorry to intrude on your little moment but the food is served." He held a tray. It held a plate of toast and a jar of jam. Gaston saw Erik staring at it. "sorry, it's all I had." Then he raised his voice. "Mary Anne forgot to go shopping!" He called into the other room. "I don't care. I am too hungry to care." Gaston brought over the Tray and placed it on Christine's lap. And Christine started to it. "Excuse me mademoiselle, if you don't mine me asking. Are you Christine Daae?" Christine looked up at him, nodded, then back to eating. "Oh Mademoiselle, I saw you in "Hannibal" and thought you were exquisite, When you are finished with your little meal. If it is not to much trouble, may I have your autograph?" Gaston said holding up and pen and pad. Christine looked up, swallowed and started to laugh. "Monsieur, I must admit that I never had anybody ask for my autograph before. Of course I will." She held out her hand and motioned for him to give her the pen and pad. He did. She neatly signed To Gaston De Rubio, Dear friend and fan, Christine Daae. She put the pen down and handed the pad and pen pack to him. "Thank you. Miss Daae." Erik was amused by all of this. That one of his best friends was His love's fan. "Well…Christine you're famous!" Erik said. "Nonsense I have one fan." Christine like it was no big deal. "Two...Three." "Three" was sadder. "Who?" Christine wondered. "Me and…" He didn't want to say his name. That name brought anger, fear, jealousy, sadness to his heart. "And the Vicomt De Changy." He said through clenched teeth. "Oh him! I've met him. He was at the market place the other day. He looked pretty down, I heard him saying that his love left him, and then he became angry and said probably for that monster." Erik glanced at Christine who's eyes were turned to the ground. "Christine?" Erik placed his hand on her shoulder. She gasped and picked up her head. "Im sorry." Erik pulled her into him and Gaston thought he was just hugging her for the sake of her hugging for her, but he wasn't. "Don't leave me. Please don't leave me. I love you." He whispered into his ear. "I would never leave you." She whispered back. "good. I love you with all my heart and soul, Christine and my life would be nothing without you." She started to rub his back slowly and started to sing softly in his ear. "Pitiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known. God give me courage to show you, you are nor alone." Erik released her and stared at her wide eyed, remembering that's what she said to him that night, that night she left with Raoul. He leapt to his feet and walked over to a corner. He placed his palm on his forehead and his breaths became labored. "Erik?" Christine asked gently. He slammed his fist down on a desk that was nearby. "Damnit Christine!" He turned around, full of rage. "I cursed myself that night! Wanting to die right then and there. Watching you walk away with your "Love", taking all my hopes and dreams with you. I loved you with all my heart Christine and still you ran!" He closed his eyes for a moment, supposedly trying to stop the tears that were visible in his eyes. "After all I did, trained your voice. I made you what you are today! I curse all the days I tortured your soul. I curse all the time I killed Joseph Buquet and Ubaldo Piangi. I curse cutting down the chandelier. You know what Christine I just curse my life!." Christine stood up and started walking over to him. "my poor pathetic, Horrible…" He got cut off by Christine's lips on his.
She kissed him just like she did that final night at his lair, telling him that she loved him. Christine pulled back and watched as he opened his eyes slowly, she gazed into them lovingly. She saw all anger gone and now all the sadness of the world was back. "Erik. Im sorry for causing you so much trouble. Please forgive me." He raised his hand and cupped her cheek with it. "Of course I will darling. I will always forgive you. Always." They embraced in another hug.
"Im sorry to ruin this moment again, but I am awfully confused at this point. Will someone please explain." They released and Erik smiled. "Sit down, Gaston. It's a long story." They all sat down and Christine and Erik took turns telling the Story of the Phantom of The Opera.