To my faithful readers –

I understand that the events in the last chapter offended some of you. However, I do not want to turn this story into a Pro-Life/Pro-Choice debate. I am saying this; I was not trying to offend or show bias by having Christine go through with an abortion. Quite frankly, it was part of the story and it was in 1875 in Persia…nobody was worried about a government's stand on abortion to the extent that they are now.

If you are no longer interested in reading, I fully understand. Just know that I did not mean for the chapter to go over as it did.

Thanks, and enjoy the chapter,

N.S.L. Jewelles

Chapter Twenty-Eight –In Time Gone By

Persia 1875

Christine

Days pass, then weeks, and still we remain in Persia. Erik has insisted that we don't want to risk getting caught by anybody working for the Shah, so we should wait for the events at the palace to become more a "thing of the past" before setting out for Paris. He's finally convinced me to go back, with much help from Reza, Nadir, Lalitha and Lakhi of course. I don't belong here, as much as I love my newfound family. I was never meant for this life, as I now see.

It is a warm afternoon in early summer and I sit reading one of Nadir's books on the deck when I hear a loud knocking on the door at the front of the house. I hurry to the sound and open the door. "Excuse me, Miss, I have a delivery for Erik Garnier?"

I open my mouth to speak when Erik's voice comes from behind me and his hands appear on my shoulders. "That's me, sir." The man's eyes flick up to Erik's mask momentarily, and he probably realizes that it's rude to stare.

"We've got a delivery for you, sir. Where would you like us to bring it?" Erik looks out the door and his gaze falls on a large box on a wheeled cart.

"Around the back will be just fine, thanks," Erik replies, steering me away from the door and closing it.

He moves to go to the back of the house when I grab his arm. "What's this delivery?"

A smile winds its way across his face and he replies proudly, "It's your birthday gift." With that, he walks away towards the back door and I hurry to follow. As I walk out onto the deck, I see the men lifting a large box onto the deck with directions from Erik. Finally, they let it down in a corner and Erik hands them their payment, sending them off.

I watch as Erik goes over to the large box and opens it, lifting off the outer wrappings and revealing a small piano. Erik turns around to find a bench and sees me standing in the doorway, awestruck. "Well?" he says, making his way towards me. I don't reply right away and Erik comes to stand right in front of me, looking down into my face.

Throwing my arms around his chest I reply, "It's wonderful." It hadn't truly occurred to me that this was the week of my twenty-first birthday, as I had lost such track of time. To think that one year ago I was dancing at a huge celebration at Chagny, ball-gown, corset and all, with Raoul on my arm, and now I am standing in the embrace of a man I had sworn never to even think of again, thanking him for gifting me with such a wonderful token of his friendship.

"There is a catch," he says slyly, breaking away from me, and I cock my head to the side in question. Erik picks up a little bench from the deck, places it in front of the piano and says, as he takes a seat, "You must sing for me."

"But I…" I protest, but Erik's fingers are already working their magic on the piano keys, sending vibrations throughout the air that seem to come to rest in my very soul.

"No buts," he says calmly. "Now, Va, Pensiero, from Nabucco, if you will," Erik continues, playing the flowing introduction to the song.

"I haven't heard it in so long, and it's for a…" I would have said "chorus," but suddenly Erik starts off the piece in his deep, melodic voice.

"Now you," Erik says, sounding gentle but strict all at once. Swallowing, clearing my throat, I begin the song. As the words flow from my mouth, it feels so natural even though I have not sung much, save for once, in the last however many years. Erik's piano playing soothes me, and I close my eyes as I sing.

As the piece comes to an end and Erik's playing ceases, I realize just how silent the world around me is. After a few long moments, applause breaks out from behind me, and I turn around to see Reza, Nadir, Lalitha and Lakhi back from the market, all standing in the doorway. I feel a deep blush rising to my cheeks as I watch them applauding me.

A shiver runs down my spine as Erik's hands come onto my shoulders and he says quietly to me, "A little rusty, but still beautiful," and my blush deepens.

Erik

The evening is warm as we sit out on the deck of the Daroga's home, basking in the beauty of the night. Nadir has his eyes closed, resting peacefully, while Reza has his arm around Lalitha, and Christine is talking quietly with Lakhi. I get up from my chair and walk over to the piano, sitting down and starting to play a gentle waltz, a calming but beautiful piece.

After a few moments, Christine stands and takes Reza's hand. "Dance with me?" she says, and I hold back my longing to rip them apart from one another.

"Christine, you're asking me to…waltz?" Reza asks incredulously.

"I'll teach you," Christine replies, pulling him from his seat as Nadir, Lalitha and Lakhi look on. As she directs him in how to waltz, I try and ignore the jealousy creeping up through me. I know that I shouldn't feel this when I know that nothing will happen between Christine and Reza, but it unnerves me all the same.

I feel Nadir's familiar hand on my shoulder. "I'll play, Erik. Dance with her." I consider protesting, but Nadir puts a firm hand on my shoulder and pushes me off of the bench, taking a seat and beginning to play a more exotic, but still ballroom-sounding, dance piece.

Reza is facing towards me, still dancing with Christine, and he nods his head a little to me, almost reading my thoughts. He spins Christine around and lets go of her hand as I catch her in my own. She seems a little flustered at the sudden change of partner, but moves with grace as if there was no interruption.

Now, I do not think of myself as an expert dancer, but I use what little I know mixed with Christine's education in the subject to an advantage and I do not embarrass myself too much. The feel of her waist beneath my hand makes my blood pulse faster and I am very aware of how close she is. I spin her around then pull her back in to dance, but by placing my hand on her waist as she returns to me inadvertently pushes her even closer to my own body.

The music comes to a beautiful ending and I look down at Christine, her cheeks flushed a pale rose from dancing, her chest rising and falling softly. She smiles softly and I pray that she cannot see the tiny tear that falls from my eye down the mangled flesh behind my mask.

Christine

I sit alone on the deck after everyone else has gone to bed, looking out at the night sky and knowing that somewhere beyond the horizon is Paris, bustling with nightlife, people going on with their daily routine of drinking, gambling, and making love. And here I am, away from everything I've known, and yet I am happier than I could be amongst them.

There is movement near the doorway and I avert my eyes from the heavens to see Erik walking towards me with two cups in his hands. He takes a seat beside me on the bench and hands me one of them. "You need sleep, mon amour. This will help you rest." He places his hand beneath mine and pushes on it, trying to move the cup closer to my mouth.

Looking into the liquid, I ask jokingly, "There aren't any drugs in it, are there?"

Erik chuckles a little and replies, "Drink," sounding a little annoyed. I do as he says and take a sip of the hot tea, letting its soothing warmth seep into me. Taking a quick glance to my side, I see Erik drinking his own tea, watching the sky. The sensitivity he's shown me in the last month, at least, have been more than I could ever have expected of him. It endears him to me more than anything in the past has, and I am grateful for it.

After placing my cup on the chair next to me, I take a silent but deep breath and tuck myself under Erik's arm, placing my own arms around his body and resting my head on his chest. He seems a little surprised at first, but then adjusts his arm around me for comfort and plays with the ends of my hair. "Is something bothering you, Christine?" he asks concernedly.

"No," I reply softly, shifting my head a little, feeling his heartbeat beneath my cheek. "I was just thinking, that's all." We fall into a somewhat awkward silence, only the sounds of our breathing and of Erik drinking his tea coloring the air. I curl up close to him, basking in the feeling of protection and security, knowing that the man beside me truly cares about my wellbeing and happiness. "Erik?" I ask.

"Yes, mon ange?"

"Do you ever think about the opera?" I imply cautiously, knowing how sensitive the subject is and fully aware of how wrong this conversation can go.

"I try to forget it," he replies curtly. "Why do you ask?" Erik continues, setting his cup down on the arm of the bench.

"It's just…" I start, then breathe in very slowly and start again. "It's just that I've been thinking about it so much lately and I know that what I'm doing is wrong because of what I promised the Holy Father! I haven't been very religious and I know I shouldn't care anymore, but it hurts, Erik," I confess, pressing myself against him, curling into an almost fetal position.

"I can't say I can identify with you," he replies truthfully. "I am not religious and never have been and…" he trails off, falling into a short span of silence. "Christine, I don't know that now's the best time to talk about this. Another time we'll sit down and talk," Erik says soothingly, standing up from the bench, walking towards the door.

Something deep inside me seems to break, and I feel like I am trembling all over, that whatever has just happened has taken something away from me and without it I am not whole. "Erik!" I call after him as I stand up from the bench, walking towards him. As he turns around to face me, I say softly, "I can't wait."

Cautiously, but with speed, I reach my hands up, one on his mask and the other on his unscarred cheek and pull his head down to mine until there isn't a breath between us. Then, unsure of what I am getting myself into, I move closer and press my lips to Erik's in a soft but passionate kiss.