The Girl Next Door
"I was most impressed with the poster you sent through." Erik commented. It was several days later and he and Christine were chatting in the hall after work, something that had become a bit of a regular occurrence. Christine smiled, pleased at his approval.
"I'm glad you think so. I want to do your work justice. Otherwise you could make life extremely unpleasant for me, being only next door."
"I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing." Erik said calmly.
"Glad to hear it." She said.
They said goodbye and went to their separate apartments. Christine tossed her keys onto the coffee table and glanced at the clock. Friday had finally arrived and Christine was hoping for a relaxing weekend. She turned the television on and flicked through the channels before settling on a rerun of Friends. With a mug of hot chocolate, she changed into an old pair of jeans, a tatty t-shirt and fluffy socks before settling on the sofa to watch the sitcom.
She awoke over an hour later to the ringing of the telephone. Christine hadn't even realised that she was asleep. She picked up the shrieking receiver.
"Yeah?" She said, a little groggy.
"You OK? You sound kinda out of it." Meg's concerned voice said. Christine rubbed her eyes.
"I'm fine. I just dozed off for a bit. What's up?"
"Well, Matt and I were going to get a drink later on and were wondering if you and Stuart wanted to come."
"Why would I know if Stuart wanted to go?"
"Oh, please. Who are you trying to kid? I've seen him meeting you everyday after work this week!"
Christine couldn't exactly deny it. Ever since their dinner, Stuart had taken it upon himself to meet her. She sighed.
"It doesn't mean anything, Meg."
"Sure. Anyway, we're meeting at the Trenton Arms at eight. See you there, maybe." Meg hung up. Christine stared at the phone and then put it heavily back on the cradle.
Call him, said that irritating little voice in the back of her skull. Christine chewed her lip. Oh, this was ridiculous! They were friends, weren't they? But… why did it feel like it was becoming more than that? It was obvious that Stuart wanted more from it than friendship. And he was the sort of person who wouldn't push. In fact, he seemed more than happy to wait for her. How many guys were willing to do that? She knew for a fact that there were a lot who didn't.
But Stuart was a nice guy. Really nice. She knew that he was, so why was she hesitating? Just because he had hurt her, didn't mean that every other man was going to. Time to… move on.
She got up and glared at herself in the mirror.
"You are going to stop being so childish. You are going to call him and invite him out for drinks. Because you are an adult and it is perfectly normal." She paused. "And the fact that you happen to find him rather… attractive has absolutely nothing to do with it."
With a deep breath, she picked up the phone, reaching for the piece of paper with his number on it. The phone rang a couple of times before he answered.
"Hello?"
"Hi! Uh… Hi, it's Christine." She said nervously.
"Christine!" He sounded positively overjoyed. "What can I do for you?"
"Well… Meg and Matt are going out for drinks later and Meg wanted to know if I wanted to go. And… and I wanted to know if… if you want to go."
Damn it, why did she sound like a nervous teenager? She bit the inside of her cheek as Stuart replied.
"That sounds great! Give me a time and place and I'll be there."
"The Trenton Arms, eight o' clock." Christine said, a weight instantly lifting from her chest at his agreement.
"Brilliant." He said warmly. "I'll see you then. Can't wait."
"Great. Bye."
She put down the phone, feeling remarkably proud of herself. Which, she knew, was perfectly ridiculous. It wasn't as if she'd done anything particularly brave. She'd just asked a friend out for a drink.
Big deal.
Erik was just returning home from an emergency at the theatre as Christine was leaving. She smiled at him as she closed her door.
"Have a nice evening, Mr Destler."
"I have no doubt that you will." He commented, looking her up and down. She'd changed from her comfort clothing into a stylish skirt, a pink top and tied her hair into a ponytail. She smiled at his comment, pulling a heavy coat on. The weather had become less than hospitable lately.
"Well… I hope so. See you later."
Erik watched as the elevator doors closed and scratched his forehead. How releasing it must be to simply go in and out as one pleased, without a care in the world. He envied that woman and her freedom. She was not confined to a place through an accident of birth. She could come and go whilst he lingered in this hallway, like a ghost.
Meg and Matt were already sat at a table when Christine arrived. She collected a drink and went to join them.
"God, you actually decided to be sociable? Should we be expecting four horsemen to ride past at any moment?" Meg teased. Christine eyed her and sipped at her drink.
"Just because you're more preoccupied with your social life than with your work…"
"I just balance it all out well." Meg said calmly. "So, will Stuart be joining us?"
"He said he might show up." Christine said carelessly. She didn't want to seem as though she were too interested. She didn't' want to give Meg more ammo than was totally necessary.
Sure enough, Stuart arrived five minutes later, his handsome face pink-cheeked at the cold weather. He shook himself, removing his scarf.
"God, it's freezing outside." He commented, sitting down and rubbing his hands together. "Time to go winter-clothes shopping, I think."
"Did you crawl through a hedge to get here?" Christine asked, plucking a leaf out of his blonde hair. He laughed.
"No, but the gale force winds may have ripped up a garden as I passed by."
"What do you want to drink? I'm going up anyway." Matt said. Meg stood too.
"I need to visit the ladies. Back in a moment."
They disappeared and Stuart smiled at Christine.
"I've got to admit, I was a little surprised that you rang me."
"Oh?" Christine said, concentrating on her drink.
"Hmm. Not that I'm complaining. I guess stalking pays off." He teased. She scowled.
"You know that I didn't mean that!"
"No, but I'm not about to let it go. Do you know how much emotional blackmail that's worth?"
By the time Meg and Matt returned, they were arguing amiably about exactly how much emotional blackmail it WAS worth.
Despite Christine's feeble protests, Stuart insisted on walking her home.
"We don't want a second attack." He said firmly. They said goodbye to Matt and Meg and set off towards Gaston Place. The winds were still hard and fast and the air was chilled. Christine watched her breath coming out in puffs as they walked in silence.
At the door to the apartment building, she paused and looked up at him. He was watching her, his brown eyes thoughtful and dark. Christine hesitated for a split second before standing on tiptoe and kissing him swiftly on the lips. She sank back down onto her feet, staring at his chest so as to avoid eye contact. After a moment he said in a confused voice,
"What… was that?"
"It's… moving on. I'm moving on. And you're where I've moved to." Christine said, trying to convince herself. Stuart lifted her face so he could look at her. He examined her face for a few moments before saying,
"I don't know what you're moving on from. I'm guessing whoever he was, he hurt you. I won't do that, Christine."
"…I know." She said in little more than a whisper.
This time he kissed her. And now it wasn't like an awkward teenager, as her kiss had been. It was even romantic, in a sort of windswept, bundled-in-coats-and-gloves sort of way. Stuart put his arms around her, as he had been longing to do for some time now, although it was difficult as both were wearing thick coats against the weather. But he didn't care… because she had kissed him. She had said that she wanted him too.
After a few minutes they pulled apart and Stuart grinned at the sight of Christine's flushed face, her lips swollen and her cheeks pink with cold and pleasure. She smiled shyly.
"…I should…" She gestured at the door. Stuart nodded.
"Yeah. I'll call you tomorrow?" She nodded and tapped in the door code. With a final smile and wave, Stuart trudged off into the darkness, a hapless grin plastered over his face.
Christine examined her computer screen, frowning thoughtfully as she touched up the poster that Mr Khan and Mr Destler had selected. Firmin had left a message on her answer phone, telling her which one to work on and she had been at it since for nearly three hours now.
She selected a section of the poster and made it a couple of shades later before saving it and examining it with a critical eye. The intercom buzzed and she went to answer it, her mind still on her work.
"Yes?"
"Only me." Stuart said. Christine smiled and pressed the door release.
"Come on up."
She put the kettle on in anticipation and sat back down at the computer. Less than three minutes later there was a knock at the door.
"It's open!" She called, still concentrating on the poster. Stuart entered and made his way to the study. Christine glanced at him with a quick smile.
"Just give me a minute."
"I'll give you two."
"Big spender." She chuckled, tapping away at her keyboard. One minute and thirty-seven seconds later, she closed the computer down and swivelled on her chair to greet him properly. "Sorry about that."
"No problem." He smiled, pulling her to her feet. After a very friendly kiss, Christine said,
"Tea or coffee?"
"Coffee, please."
He followed her to the kitchen, looking around.
"This is a really nice apartment."
"My boss fixed it up for me. He knows the landlord." Christine said, heaping coffee granules into two cups. "I only moved in a few weeks ago."
"You've done it up really nicely. Very homey looking." Stuart complimented. Christine smiled.
"Well, let me give you the tour."
She guided him around the apartment. He had already seen the office, living room and kitchen so there actually wasn't that much to show him. He stopped at the piano. looked at her expectantly. "What?"
"You have to play!"
"Oh, no. I don't play in front of people. Besides, coffee is nearly is ready." Christine said, changing to subject. "Milk and sugar?"
"No milk, one sugar."
They sat together on the sofa with coffee and suddenly found themselves with nothing to say. After a moment of silence, Stuart gestured at a picture.
"Your parents?"
"Hmm. On holiday. France, I think." Christine said, examining the picture.
"How old were you?"
"God… about seventeen? Yes, I must have been." She counted in her head. "Yes, seventeen, about to turn eighteen. That was our last family holiday."
"How come?"
"Mum and Dad died." Christine said simply. "Mum was in a car crash and Dad committed suicide."
She said it so simply, you'd have thought she was merely commenting on the weather. Stuart stared at her.
"Christine…"
"It was a long time ago, Stuart." She said quietly, tapping a nail gently against the edge of her ceramic mug. "It hurt for a while but I don't need to hide from it anymore." She looked at the picture of her smiling parents, thinking about them.
"He just… couldn't live without her." She said quietly. "He just loved her so much that life wasn't worth living without her."
"He had you." Stuart insisted angrily. "Didn't that mean anything?"
"I don't hate him for what he did, if that's what you're implying." Christine said firmly. "I know why he did what he did. I wasn't happy about it, but… I don't know. It's hard to explain." She finished weakly. They sat in uncomfortable silence. Christine drank some coffee and then smiled at him.
"Tell me about your parents."
"Extremely average. They live on the other side of town, Dad's a security officer and Mum dabbles in gardening."
"Brothers or sisters?"
"A little sister, Kerry. She's nineteen, at university in London." Stuart grinned. "She's a bit of a brat, but I couldn't do without her."
They kept to safe subjects after that. Favourite films, debating silly things, teasing each other childishly. It was sweet and simple, so deliciously uncomplicated that Christine barely recognised it for what it was – happiness. Not completely happiness, you couldn't expect that after their short time together. But it was enjoyment of another persons company and an amiability that Christine had not had in a long time. They spent the whole day talking and getting to know each other until it neared six in the evening when Stuart suggested they go and get something to eat.
They emerged from the apartment, still talking cheerfully when the opposite door opened. Erik stopped short at the sight of them. Christine smiled.
"Hi Mr Destler."
"Miss Daae." He inclined his head slightly before looking over at Stuart.
"This is Stuart Wilkins." Christine explained. "Stuart, this is Erik Destler."
"Nice to meet you."
"And you. Excuse me." He disappeared down the corridor towards the chute.
"What do you fancy? Chinese?" Stuart asked.
"There's an Italian down the road, it's supposed to be really good." Christine suggested. Stuart nodded.
"OK then. Italian it is."
"So?"
"So what?" Christine said, scanning the paperwork that had been left on her desk. Meg leant over the edge of the cubicle.
"So what happened with Stuart?"
"Not much. Have you seen this?" Christine thrust the paper at her. "Have you seen Carlotta this morning?"
"She's with Firmin." Meg said, passing the paper back. "Yeah, Firmin already told me about that."
Christine switched her computer on, slipping a disc into it.
"As long as I don't have to baby-sit, that'll suit me. I finished up the poster, by the way."
"When?"
"On Saturday, before Stuart came over."
"He went to your apartment?" Meg said excitedly. Christine scowled.
"Yes. We had coffee, talked for a while and then went out for dinner. And yes, we've decided to see each other. So you can stop with your matchmaking plans and start trying to set Sorelli up with someone."
"Keep me out of this!" Sorelli snapped.
Meg pouted and Christine opened the poster.
"What do you think?"
"I think if you carry on like this, the rest of us are going to be made redundant." Meg said. "That is really good, Chris."
"It had better be. I poured my metaphorical sweat and blood into that thing." Christine said, reaching for the telephone as it began to ring. "Hello?"
Her face went serious and a little colour drained from her cheeks.
"Speaking. Yes, I… OK. Yes, of course I will. I'll… thank you. Goodbye." She placed the telephone down carefully, looking at it with a frown. Sorelli and Meg exchanged a glance.
"Christine? What's wrong?" Sorelli asked.
"…They've caught him." Christine whispered, touching her scarred cheek. "They arrested him this morning, they want me to go and confirm that it's him."
She stood up and moved swiftly to Firmin's office, knocking and entering before he had a chance to reply. He and Carlotta were sat at the desk, leaning over a portfolio. Carlotta sneered at her but Christine had no time for her attitude.
"Yes Christine?"
"I've just had a call from the police. They've caught the man who attacked me and they want me to go now and identify him." Christine said. Firmin nodded.
"Of course, take the rest of the day."
"The poster is up on my computer, I'll get Meg to give it to you."
"Let me know how it happens. Do you want someone to go with you?"
"No, I'll be fine." Christine said, leaving the office.
"Joseph Buqet, forty-eight." The police officer said to Christine. "The DNA matches but we want a witness. You're the most recent victim of the four. The two rape victims don't want to see him at all and the robbed woman is out of town so you're our only witness."
Well, that didn't at all pile on any pressure, Christine thought vaguely as she followed him to a room. It was just like being on television, looking through the one-way glass at the man sat in the room. He was largely built, with dark hair and a scrubby beard on a red, pock-marked face, dark eyes sunken in. Christine shuddered and nodded.
"Yes… that's him."
"You're positive?"
"Definitely." She whispered. How could she forget the face that had been haunting her dreams? The police officer nodded.
"Good. We've read over your statement and now that you've identified him there shouldn't be any trouble getting him convicted. We might need you to testify and we'll contact you if that's the case."
Christine cast a final look at the glaring figure at the table and nodded.
"OK."
A/N: Thank you to everyone for the kind words and reviews that you left. It is appalling how many of you have lost people to cancer as well. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in this. Tomorrow night I'm going to give blood and I encourage the rest of you to as well. It's not a lot but it could make a hell of a difference to someone.
Thank you for the lovely reviews. I can't believe over a hundred reviews for four chapters! That's just ridiculous! …don't stop though. I know, still no Erik/Christine. The way I've planned this story out, it's going to be a while before we get any action in that department. I always feel that I get them together too soon and I'm going to amend that. Seriously, in 'Cold, Cold Heart' they were together by chapter 9 out of 45. A little quick? Methinks so. But think how ultimately satisfying it will be when they DO get together!
Lotsa luv
Katie