Chapter Twenty Five

Eight days. Eight days and Erik had yet to show any sign of recovery. Christine did not know what she was going to do if he never woke up. His wounds were serious and as each hour passed the more Christine prayed for some type of miracle. Jammes had proven invaluable to Christine, being there for her all day long, taking her mind off of Erik with something that they would both enjoy if only for a little while. It seemed for a long time that Philippe had gotten his revenge on Erik in the worst possible way.

Rupert burst into the study where both Christine and Jammes sat reading. His face was flushed and his breathing coming in short pants.

"Mademoiselle-my lord has woken!" he gasped. Christine gasped in disbelief and flew from the room, Rupert and Jammes following shortly behind. A million thoughts were running through Christine's mind but the first being a pray to God, thanking him for hearing her prayers. When Christine reached the room both Rupert and Jammes let her go in alone.

Erik's eyes were open and he tried to smile weakly when she came in. Christine flew to him, forgetting for the moment that he was injured. She kissed him, tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. She pulled her mouth away to rain kisses all over his face quite frantically. He groaned in pain and Christine pulled away in shame.

"Oh, Erik! I am so sorry!" she gasped.

"No, Christine, I am glad to see you too," he answered. Christine found herself unable to stop her tears.

"Erik...I thought-I thought you would not-"

"Shh, do not speak of such things," he commanded. Christine climbed onto the bed and gently laid herself down beside him, needing to feel him close to her.

"I love you, Erik," she whispered. Erik said nothing. Christine turned her head so she could look at Erik, and there was an unexplainable emotion in his eyes. Christine felt her heart fill with dread.

"Erik, I said I love you," she whispered, a little more insistantly. She needed to hear him say the same thing. Had to hear him say it.

"Christine, I think-"

"Erik, I just told you I loved you, twice," she whispered, beginning to panic. Why would he not say it?

"I find it difficult to say that in return, Christine," he whispered. Christine sat up, looking down on him in disbelief.

"What?" she whispered. He swallowed and closed his eyes.

"I sat there and watched the way Philippe treated you...I saw the way you kissed him, Christine," he whispered. Christine was shaking her head, slowly making her way off of the bed. She had to get away from his words.

"I was doing what I had to do," she whispered, her eyes pleading with him to understand.

"There were other ways. I had the dagger. You could have pushed him toward me and I would have killed him easily," he said. Christine admitted that she had not thought of that.

"Erik, I was not thinking clearly," she whispered.

"Yet your first thought was to kiss him!" Erik snapped, suddenly becoming angry. He had replayed that moment countless times in his mind and each time was like he was being killed again and again.

"I saved your life, and mine. That is the only thing that should matter, Erik," she whispered. Erik turned away from her.

"You should have stayed in the hidden room," he said.

"And watch you die?" she screamed. His eyes snapped to hers, equally angry.

"At least death would release me of the pain from seeing you kiss the man who destroyed my family!" he hissed. Christine could not believe she was hearing this.

"How can you say this, Erik?" she whispered.

"I no longer wish to speak of it," he replied, equally quiet.

"Fine. I will leave you to rest."

xXx

Christine pressed her tear soaked face into the pillow of her bed. How could Erik feel this way now? After everything they had been through? She knew he felt as if she betrayed him and she had no idea how to change his mind. She was so tired of everything. Of her tears and of feeling as if she had done something wrong when she knew she had not.

"Everything will get better, Christine, Monsieur Erik is having a hard time dealing with everything right now," Jammes said.

"So am I," Christine whispered. Jammes pulled her into a tight hug.

"Do not worry, he loves you, I know that much," Jammes said.

"I am not so sure anymore..."