Chapter Twelve

Distressed Damsel

Meg paced the bedroom she shared with Raoul nervously. How had this happened? She had been sure to be as careful as she could and yet it had still happened. Raoul was going to be furious. He had made his thoughts on the subject known and she feared that he would leave her when she told him what had happened. So instead of him telling her to go Meg had packed all of her things.

Meg Giry was pregnant with Raoul de Chagny's baby. Meg began to cry when that thought entered her mind and collapsed on the bed. For a man who loved sex as much as Raoul did he said he never wanted children. Meg had understood slightly but now that she was pregnant she was happy about it. She wanted to keep the little bundle that was even now growing in her stomach.

She heard Raoul downstairs call her name and her heart froze. Here it came, the beginning of the end. He came into the room and frowned when he saw the bags of things that belonged to Meg. She was crying on the bed and Raoul went and sat next to her, pulling her into his arms. The name calling must have been really bad today.

He hated himself for doing such a thing to her but the thought of marriage frightened him almost to death. He heard the names he called her…whore, slut, hussy, harlot. The names only got worse from there.

"A bad day today, love?" he wondered.

"Oh, Raoul," she whispered. This girl loved him to much and he felt guilty, he did not deserve a love like this. He cupped her face and forced her watery blue eyes to meet his gaze. He kissed her gently on the lips and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Tell me what happened," he said.

"It has nothing to do with the name calling," she whispered. Raoul frowned. Then what had happened to her to cause her to cry. She buried herself against his chest.

"I love you, Raoul," she whispered with meaning. He smiled; he was beginning to realize that he loved her as well. Christine had disappeared as had his infatuation. Meg had been nothing but faithful and loving and he knew she deserved better then him.

"What happened to cause you to be distressed, darling, did you plan on leaving me?" he wondered, looking at the bags of things with a grin.

"No…but you are going to make me leave and I wanted to be ready," she whispered. Raoul was beginning to get confused.

"What are you talking about?" he wondered. She began to cry again and Raoul held her closer.

"You will hate me," she whispered. He knew that Meg was to kind to have done anything that would cause him to hate her.

"No, I will not, just tell me," he whispered, pushing the hair from her tear soaked face.

"I am pregnant," she whispered. Raoul froze and Meg pulled away in distress, going to her bags and beginning to collect them. Raoul stood up and stopped her, grasping her by the shoulders.

"You are pregnant…with my baby?" he whispered.

"Of course it is yours, you are the only man I have ever let touch me!" she sobbed. Before Meg could react Raoul was pulling her into his arms and kissing her fiercely. Meg was so surprised she could only stare at him when he pulled away.

"Oh, my darling Meg! You are wonderful!" he whispered, hugging her tightly. He had never thought this would happen! He was going to be a father.

"You told me that you did not want children," she whispered, looking at him intently.

"I said that because I never thought a woman I cared for would give me one!" he said.

"Then you do not hate me?" she whispered. Raoul shook his head with a gentle smile.

"No, Meg, I think I am falling in love with you," he whispered. Meg hiccupped and allowed Raoul to pull her back into his embrace.