10. Let Their Fantasies Unwind!

Meg and Christine both descended from the platform and went over to their husband's. Madam Giry came over and rolled Erik off the top of Raoul. The gun was lying on Raoul's chest, next to a bullet hole a few mere inches from his heart. But it was no use. He was dead. The crowd had gathered round to see the commotion. Meg knelt next to Erik and saw blood soaking through his shirt. She unbuttoned it and saw that, strangely, he was unharmed. The blood was from Raoul's bullet wound. Christine stood up and walked away from Raoul. She had loved him, once. She knelt beside Meg. Meg threw her arms around her best friend.

"I am sorry Meg," she apologized again. Meg shook her head.

"It's not your fault. But now our husband's are both dead," Meg said, breaking down into tears. Christine cradled her best friend in her arms as she looked at Erik. He was lying sprawled on his back, the blood from Raoul's wound all over his shirt. His mask was askew and his eyes were closed. Christine looked away from his body. It was a horrid sight to see. Her own husband dead next to his enemy. Meg let go of Christine and lifted Erik's head. She put it on her lap and fixed his mask on his face. Suddenly, to everyone's astonishment, Erik began to move.

"Erik?" Meg said, stroking his hair with her fingertips. Erik didn't say anything. Madam Giry took one of his hands.

"Erik, wake up, my love," Meg said to him. His eyelids began to flicker.

"Meg?" he said, the pain in his voice recognizable. She stroked his hair and whispered "Shhh" to him. He moved slightly and Meg took one arm round her shoulder and Christine took the other. Madam Giry went on ahead and hailed a carriage. Christine got in first and helped Erik into the seat next to her. Then Meg got in and Madam Giry got in the front with the driver.

"The Opera Populaire," Madam Giry said and the carriage set off for the Opera House. As the carriage moved off, Christine looked out of the window at the dead body of her husband. She smiled. She was now free.

xxxxxx

They got back to the Opera House. All the ballet girls and boys were crowding him, asking how he was and offering to help. But Madam Giry shooed them back to the ballet dorms and she continued to help Christine and Meg get Erik down to the lair. Meg took him to the bedroom and helped his change his clothes. His back had been hurt from the fall and needed some help. Then they sat down on the edge of the bed together. Meg took Erik's hands in hers.

"I am glad to have you home Erik. I don't know what I would have done without you," she said but Erik put his finger to her lips. He smiled.

"I am home now," was all he said before climbing into bed and falling asleep quickly. Meg took off his mask and placed it next to the bed on a table. She turned to her wedding dress which was lying on the floor. She picked it up and hung it in the armoire. Then she picked up Erik's coat and cravat. She put them down on his chair and sat on the edge of the bed. She ran her fingers through his hair.

"We're all going to be one happy family now," she said, wiping a stray tear from her eye. She went back out into the living area. Christine was sitting on the couch, no doubt feeling a bit anxious about being back in Erik's home. Meg came and sat beside her and took her hands.

"Thank you for stopping them," she said to Christine. She smiled and kissed Meg's cheek.

"I must leave Meg. People will come asking me about Raoul's death. And I know that it wasn't Erik to blame," she said, standing up. "May I see him?" Meg nodded and Christine went to the bedroom. She saw Erik's sleeping form on the bed and she went over to him. She looked down upon the twisted flesh of his deformed cheek.

"I'm sorry for all the pain I have caused you," she said to his sleeping form. She sat on the edge of the bed and began to cry into her hands. Meg came into the bedroom and saw Christine crying. She hugged her friend.

"Maybe you should go home, get some rest and come back tomorrow," Meg suggested. Christine nodded and left. Meg went to the armoire and pulled out a nightgown. She began to undress.

"I've not seen that body in a while," Erik's voice suddenly said. "Don't put anything on, just come to bed." Meg climbed under the covers, then pulled off her corset and dropped it to the floor. She saw Erik get out of his clothes and she had to help him with his shirt. Then they snuggled up to each other. Erik suddenly heard Meg sniff and he looked into her teary eyes.

"Meg, my love. Why the tears?" he asked. She looked at him. She kissed him passionately on the lips. He closed his eyes and let the feeling he hadn't had in two months wash over him. He kissed her back. When she broke away, she looked into his beautiful blue eyes.

"I am just glad that our child will have a father now," she said and started to sob. Erik felt tears building up too and had no choice but to let them go. He cried with her for about ten minutes.

"Oh Erik, there's something you need to feel," she said. She took Erik's hand and laid it on her stomach. He waited for a minute and suddenly smiled when he felt the baby kick at his hand. He kissed Meg and held her close to him.

"I've missed this," she said. Erik nodded and kissed her neck. His kisses got more heated and she kissed him back. Then they made love to consummate the marriage they had two months earlier.

Awww, Erik and Meg are reunited! You knew I wouldn't kill Erik. No way! Anyway, I am nearly at the end of my fanfic. Just the Epilogue to go! Hope you can R & R for me! Love you all x x x x