The Girl Next Door

Erik just looked at her, unable to process her reply. She watched him with sad, dark eyes and a quivering lip which she bit on to stop it.

"Erik, I can't…. don't… anything. I'll give you anything that you ask of me, but I can't do that."

He sat up and put his hands on her shoulders. He was shocked to feel her trembling.

"Christine…"

"I can't…" Her voice broke as her eyes filled with forced-back tears. Erik cupped her cheek.

"It's alright." He kissed her forehead, cursing himself for causing her this distress.

"I'm sorry, Erik, but…" She took a deep breath. "I don't want to get married, not again. I know that it would be different with you but I just think about everything that I did wrong last time and I couldn't bear to put you through that or have to go through it again myself."

She met his eyes at last.

"I'll give you my life, my heart, my body, anything you want. But I won't marry you. You can have everything from me. But not that."

"It alright." He repeated, pulling her into his arms. "Don't explain. You don't need to."

They clung together, silent other than Christine's laboured breathing.

"I love you." She said suddenly.

"I know."

"You have to know. I'm not saying it because… because I want to hurt you, or because it's what I think is right. I'm saying it because I'm so happy and I'm scared that things will go wrong."

Erik didn't reply. Instead, he kissed her. For one, it seemed the only way to stop her from talking and for another, it was the only thing to show her that it truly didn't matter.

"I don't believe you." Meg said on Monday morning as she looked in on Christine, who was sat at her desk with a cup of coffee and a chocolate croissant. "You and Erik are back together and you haven't instantly come to gossip with me and Sorelli? What is wrong with you?"

"Fine, thank you for asking. And how was your weekend?" Christine muttered, sipping her coffee as she logged onto the computer. Meg crossed her arms.

"C'mon. Spill the details."

"I am very much not in the mood." Christine replied. Meg frowned and moved into the office, closing the door.

"You and Erik are back together, right? Because I worked way too hard for you to mess it up now."

"You worked hard? Yes, we are together."

"And this is making you miserable? God, there's no making you happy." Meg said, sitting down opposite her. Christine glared at her briefly before biting into her croissant. Meg watched her closely before saying in a quiet voice,

"What happened?"

Christine picked a flake of pastry from her croissant and crumbled it between her fingers.

"…He asked me to marry him, Meg." She said softly. Meg's jaw dropped but Christine carried on before she could speak. "I said no."

Her next phrase was one that cannot be repeated as Meg threw a pencil eraser at her head. It hit her directly in the eye and Christine glowered at her friend as she rubbed her eye.

"Meg!"

"You stupid woman!" Meg said in an incredulous voice. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Meg, you don't understand!"

"Oh, I understand perfectly. I can't marry you Erik, cos Raoul was a bastard, and I screw up and heaven forbid that I should actually let myself be happy for once in my goddamn life!" Meg said in a high-pitched voice. Christine scowled.

"I don't sound anything like that! And stop pretending that you understand, because you don't."

"No? This isn't because you're terrified that it'll go the same way as it did with Raoul? Well, I hate to break it to you and destroy your lovely little delusion, but Erik is not Raoul. What you have with Erik is so different from Raoul that you actually have no reason to say no, other than you're still afraid." Meg stood up, fuming. "Three words, Chris – Get. Over. It."

And with that she stormed from the office. Christine gaped after her and a small voice in her head tried to reason that Meg was all wrong.

Except she wasn't.

Erik paced the stage at lunchtime. The actors were all off, as were the stagehands. He was alone. He rubbed his chin as he examined the set. The backdrop was for Hannibal and he paused to examine the details. But his mind was actually miles away.

He knew why she had said it. He knew he probably shouldn't have asked. And yet, some small part of him, for just the briefest of moments, had thought that she would say yes.

"Erik, do you even understand the basic principles of what 'lunch break' means?" Nadir said dryly. Erik turned to look at the dark skinned man who was standing in the doorway.

"I'm not hungry."

"It doesn't just mean food. It means getting away from work for half an hour." Nadir commented, moving up the aisle to the stage. "

"There's too much to do. Where you listening to Eleanor this morning? It was a nightmare. If I have to hear her desecrate Think of Me one more time…"

"I heard about you and Christine." Nadir said casually. Erik looked at him.

"What, exactly, did you hear?"

"That everything's sorted out."

"And it is. So there's no need to discuss it further." Erik finished dryly, still pacing the stage as he examined the fine details of the set. Nadir just carried on smiling. He picked up a stray copy of the score and perused it absently. Erik glanced at him and frowned. Why was he smiling in that incessant fashion?

"You're happy."

"Am I not allowed to be?" Nadir asked innocently. Erik raised his eyes and Nadir laughed, closing the score. "Yes, Erik, I am happy."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

Erik ground his teeth but Nadir grinned at him.

"I asked Sorelli to marry me." He announced. Erik froze but Nadir didn't appear to notice. "Well, I told her that I was planning to ask her and she said that when I did ask her, she would say yes. But that's as good as having it confirmed, wouldn't you say?"

"Nadir, whilst I couldn't be happier for you, you are perfectly aware of my feelings towards gossip."

"This is hardly gossip, Erik. But thank you for your support." Nadir said, still smiling inanely. Erik offered a miniscule smile and then stepped agilely down from the stage.

"I suppose it's your noble attitude that compels you to give her child a father?"

"That and the fact that I'm very much in love with her. That plays a small part as well." Nadir added. Erik lifted an eyebrow and turned to see Raoul de Chagny entering the room. Nadir noticed him a second later.

"Mr de Chagny, what can I do for you?" He asked. Raoul smiled cheerfully at him.

"Just coming to see how many tickets I can reserve for Hannibal. My brother's bringing his fiancée and I've got a friend coming. I'm glad that you haven't sold out yet."

"No, but I suspect you're here just in time." Nadir said. Erik was silent, watching as the pair left the room, avidly discussing the approaching opera.

Raoul hadn't even spoken to him, had barely glanced at him and yet Erik felt an irrepressible hatred for the handsome young man. Hatred for having everything that he could not have. For being able to walk in public without being stared at and pointed. For being able to laugh and love all the simplicities of life.

For having had Christine as a wife.

Erik hated that this man, in all of his innocent, good-natured existence had failed to appreciate the true preciousness of what he had possessed. And in doing so, he had taken away Erik's hopes of having it.

Christine was home first. Cat was waiting by the door as though his routine had never been altered. They went upstairs together and Christine made tea, as well as pouring some milk for Cat, who lapped at it delicately and watched her intensely until she stopped to pay him some attention. Which, in his mind at least, he rightly deserved, being a cat.

Christine smiled and scooped him up into a hug as she contemplated her day. She and Meg had sort of made up. Well, they were talking at least, after Christine pointed out to Meg that she had to work this out by herself and whilst she was gratefully for Meg's help, she would be better of without it.

And then she'd bought Meg a muffin and all was well with the world.

"Christine?" She turned at the sound of Erik's voice. He removed his coat and smiled as she came out of the kitchen, Cat now perched about her shoulders. She handed him a cup of tea and said,

"How was your day?"

"Not bad. Tensions are running high." Erik replied.

"I'm not surprised." Erik didn't answer. Instead he kissed her. She blinked and then smiled.

"What was that for?"

"Because I love you." He replied frankly, turning to put his tea down and leaving Christine with a smile on her face.

Cat leapt down and stalked along the sofa to sit on the arm, where he could see everything that was going on. Erik turned to Christine again and said,

"I'll make dinner tonight."

"Would you? I wanted to finish some work off."

"Of course. And then I thought we might indulge in some music. It has been too long sine I heard you sing and I doubt that you've been practising." Erik said. Christine had to admit that she hadn't. She disappeared into the office whilst Erik used her kitchen to prepare chicken chasseur. Cat sat on the table, watching as he sliced chicken and keeping a careful eye for any stray pieces of food.

Erik began to slice mushrooms and thought about their current arrangement. It wasn't ideal. Living in separate apartments, even if they were together the majority of the time was rather inconvenient. Perhaps, eventually, they would move out and buy another home. A house, maybe, instead of an apartment. Even if marriage wasn't on the agenda, did Christine want children one day? That wasn't something that Erik particularly envisioned in their future. What would his children look like? There was the possibility that his offspring would be… well, it was hardly ideal. What future could he provide for Christine? He wasn't fantastically wealthy, not to the extremes of the de Chagny fortune, although he was very comfortable in his intake.

Did Christine wonder about these things too? Erik wondered that as he cooked the chicken. It was all so big and complicated. Plan an opera, and Erik was your man. Plan a future – not so much. All hew knew was that he did not have a future if it did not include Christine. She had offered him her life, her body and her heart and he intended to take all three.

"What are you thinking?" Christine's sweet voice came from the kitchen door. She was watching him with a small smile on her mouth. Erik glanced at her.

"I thought you were working."

"I have been, for the past half hour. I've finished. What were you thinking about?"

"I was thinking about what happened yesterday." He said. Christine's smile faded but Erik continued, "And I think it important that you know that I don't mind. And that the offer still stands. And that it always will."

She looked at him and then smiled.

"Anything I can do to help with dinner?" She said. Erik smiled back at her.

"The potatoes."

She moved past to fetch water for them and Erik was vaguely aware that his adoration for this woman had intensified tenfold just by seeing her in the doorway.

At a quarter past ten on Wednesday morning Christine received a message from Firmin's secretary, requesting her presence in his office. She knew at once what it was about. The new representative of Guidacelli Tech had arrived.

Filled with trepidation, Christine crossed the room to knock at Firmin's door. He called for her to enter and she pushed open the door. Firmin beamed at her.

"There you are. I'd like to introduce Sophia Hart, from GT. Sophia, this is Christine Daae."

"I've heard a lot about you." Sophia said, standing to shake Christine's hand with a smile. She was a tall, proud-looking black woman, dressed fantastically and with her hair pulled back from her face in intricate braids. Christine smiled.

"I doubt anything that you've heard is good."

"Miss Guidacelli hasn't exactly been pleasant about you, but I try not to prejudge people I'll be working with." Sophia said warmly. "I'll look forward to getting to know you."

"Ditto." Christine said. She was already warming to Sophia. She looked to be a no-nonsense sort of person. Firmin glanced at his watch.

"It looks to be about time for all the employees to take an unauthorised coffee break. Why don't you two go and beat them to the coffee?"

The two women stood and left the office, going to the coffee. Christine poured them both and cup and then smiled, almost nervously at Sophia.

"So…"

"Hmm." Sophia smiled and then said, "I have to ask. Did you really call Carlotta a spoiled bitch?"

"Yes." Christine admitted. "But there were circumstances."

"I'll believe that." Sophia laughed quietly. "I'd rather not get into any fights, if it's all the same to you, though."

"That'd be great." Christine agreed. "How long have you been working at Guidacelli Tech?"

"Around six years. I had a child and I wanted to start working again, so I applied there."

"Boy or girl?"

"A girl, Bianca." Sophia took out her purse and held out a picture. "She's five now. Gorgeous girl, my husband takes care of her during the day and he works night shifts at the hospital."

Christine looked at the photograph. It portrayed an adorable little girl, smiling with pearly white teeth.

"She's lovely." She said, handing the picture back, "Sorelli's pregnant, she's one of the women here. She'll be going on maternity leave in two weeks."

"Who will?" Meg said, appearing by the coffee and pouring some. She caught sight of Sophia and grinned. "Hey, you must be Carlotta's replacement. Glad to have you onboard."

"We were talking about Sorelli." Christine added. Meg smiled.

"Oh, yes. It's a good job she's going, you know, she looks like she's going to pop any minute."

The conversation struck up between Sophia and Meg. Christine listened, smiling. In all honesty, she felt very relieved. Sophia didn't look like she'd be the sort of person who would cause problems. In fact, she looked like someone Christine would enjoy working with. She took a sip of her coffee, feeling rather relaxed, which made a wonderful change.

Christine made dinner that night. Deciding that a stir-fry would be easiest, she began slicing peppers and meat, whilst Erik sat at the piano and wrote music. Every now and again she would hear him playing bursts of music, bittersweet at times, joyous and beautiful at others. The music encircled her as she cooked and she vaguely wondered what it was. Whilst the food cooked, she opened a bottle of wine and poured two glasses, putting them on the island counter in Erik's kitchen along with two plates and some cutlery. The delicious smell was making her stomach rumble and she munched on a piece of celery as she cooked.

She served up the food and went into the living room. Cat was sat on top of the piano, watching Erik with curious eyes. She smiled at them both.

"Dinner's ready, if you're finished?"

Erik looked at her, smiled and slipped the piece of sheet music into its rightful place in the folder, surrounded by costume and set designs. For a moment his hand lingered over the cover of the folder, where the words Don Juan Triumphant were imprinted.

"Yes," He said softly. "Yes, I'm finished."

A/N: Sorry about the wait. A semi-writer's block combined with a cold and lots of schoolwork, as well as a party and work equals not writing very much. But the next two chapters are nicely planned out to bring the story to a close at Chapter 40.

Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews; you really wouldn't believe how much they cheer me up. Not to mention how many of them there are! Over one thousand, five hundred? Are you guys SERIOUS?

This chapter is dedicated to two people who left me such wonderful reviews that I can't do anything but dedicate: Nade-Naberrie and Morrigan the Nightmare Queen for the two longest reviews in the history of ever.

Love and appreciation

Katie