I am sorry to say, this is the final chapter in this tale. I hope all have enjoyed it, and that you will be looking for my next modern setting, Christine and Erik story; it will be entitled "Above the Hurting Places." Look for it in the coming weeks.

I bid you adieu. Enjoy.

BEYOND THE SHADOWS

CHAPTER 26

For a moment, time stood still - as a mother, who had mourned the loss of her only child for years, rested her eyes upon a man she had never thought to know.

Erik stood, fixed to the ground, as to give her time to acknowledge the reality of his existence. His eyes never left hers as he slowly moved toward her.

Abigail stood on trembling legs, her hand covering her mouth to quiet the shocked cries that were welling up in her throat.

"Erik…" she finally choked.

She moved her legs, but she suddenly could not support her own weight and slowly lowered to the floor as Erik rushed forward to support her in his arms.

She studied him; finding within the man before her, the perfect little boy she had held in her arms and the gifted son who sang to her with a voice beyond his years.

She moved her hand over his face, adoring his vivid, brilliant green eyes, the curve of his sculptured cheekbone, his thick, endearingly wavy black hair – and his beautiful mouth.

He was the very image of Gregory Lamour, the man she had fallen in love with all those years ago, but that did not hurt, it brought her joy…for she remembered the good times before her husband had succumbed to drugs.

"I thought he had murdered you…and I never went to look for you – I should have…"

Erik stopped her before she could blame herself, "You didn't know…"

He hugged her to him and Christine approached them in awed silence.

"I'm so sorry that I wasn't there for you…I should have protected you from…"

Erik lifted her chin and silenced her once again, "Mother, you did all that you could against a monster…"

"My beautiful son….I have longed for you and mourned for you; endlessly." She wept. "Every year, on your birthday, I lit a candle for you and prayed that you rested in the arms of the Lord."

"Shshshshshshsh…" Erik cooed as held her in his arms, "We're together now." Erik assured her.

He soothed her graying hair, remembering the dancing auburn it had once been. The years were evident in her hair only, but there was a deeply imprinted agony in her eyes.

Christine watched with avid eyes, as the man she loved finally knew his mother, once again. She saw her in his smile and the tender touch of his hands; she heard her in his lilting tone and his wonderful laugh.

"How did you find me?" Abigail asked, still in rapt awe at having him beside her.

"It took me several years to go through records and use my instincts to determine what was relevant and what wasn't." Erik admitted, "Your name had changed after you married, a fact of which I was not originally aware.

"I knew you had been a journalist before you married him, so I went on a hunch and started researching, my own wealth was amassing, so money was no object when trying to find you."

Abigial finally smiled brightly, with joyous tears trailing down her face, "Speaking of name changes…Erik St. Clair…" she teased.

Erik chuckled as he stood up and pulled his mother up beside him. "I had to, I did not want any association with Dad, and I felt that was the best way to rid myself of the negative magnetism he held over me."

He reached for Christine and drew her into his embrace. "Mom, I know that you are aware of who Christine is…she was sent here by me so she could find me and, in the long run, so I could have you back in my life." Erik admitted, "I don't want to change it, or intrude on it…I just want to be a part of it."

"You are my son, Erik…the only child I ever had." She lifted her bright, hazel eyes to his face and smiled sadly, "Your father made sure I could never have any other children."

Erik kissed her forehead and continued to hold Christine. Abigail pulled back and, for the first time, realized how close the two of them were. She lifted her perfect brows, shaped just like Erik's, and fixed an inquisitive gleam on him.

"Is there something else going on here that I should know about?" She asked with a smile.

"Mother, Christine and I were married three days ago." Erik announced with pride and joy showing in his face.

Abigail's smile could have lit up the room, "I gain my son and a daughter in one wonderful day…oh, and you have two half-sisters, and a nephew!" Her eyes filled with fresh tears. "I finally have my family."

"Me, too." Erik agreed as he ushered them out the door. "Me, too."

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

They spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on lost years and enjoying each other. Christine loved watching the two of them together; she could not believe how much like her he was…and she had never seen it coming.

"So, when do I get to come and meet the rest of the family?" Abigail asked.

"You are welcome any time." Erik assured her.

"Perfect." She smiled, "I'm due a vacation…in fact, Walt – my husband – has threatened to kidnap me if I don't take one." Abigail teased, "I will call Leslie Durgan, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, and let her know that I will be taking a much needed vacation for an undetermined amount of time."

Erik chuckled at the determined look on her face. "You can fly with us on my private plane…when do you think you could be ready to go?"

She came to him and wrapped him in her arms, "A few hours…Walt is retired, so he will be more than ready to go; we have no pets so there is no need to get a house-sitter. I will report to the police station that we will be out of the country for several weeks and they need to scour the neighborhood every day."

She pulled back and caressed Erik's cheek, "I will get to know my son and the family I never knew I had."

"Then it's settled, we fly tomorrow morning." Erik announced.

He immediately got on the phone to Nadeesh and asked him to send the plane to New York.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Walt was a rather tall, distinguished looking gentleman with alert brown eyes and graying brown hair. His face was full of laugh lines and he was always smiling. He and Erik became quick friends, realizing they had a great deal in common.

They went to Walt and Abigail's, played some cards until around 1:30 am, and then went to bed. The house was in a very upscale suburban area on Long Island, and Erik and Christine found the neighborhood very pleasant.

They arose early the next morning, packed the rental car, and headed for the airport. The jet was there waiting for them and, in a quick fifteen minutes, they were on their way back to the island.

"You love him very much; I can see it in your eyes." Abigail observed, as Christine watched Erik head up the aisle to talk to the pilot.

"He's unlike any man I have ever known…he swept me off my feet." The younger woman replied. "I prefer him without the mask, but he refuses to part with it in public…but I'm working on it."

"Maybe the two of us together can convince him." Abigail said with a wink.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Arriving at the island proved to be a fanfare. Erik had called ahead and told Rebekah, Rachel, Nadeesh, and Sachin to be prepared for his mother and stepfather to pay a visit.

Seeing the island and all that Erik had achieved, brought everything into prospective for Abigail. She had known that Erik, even at the young age of four, was genius and would go far in his life, but she had never imagined that it would be to this extent.

She fell in love with everyone and everything, and Walt was every bit the doting father and grandfather. He had never had children of his own but was eager to be a father to Erik and his sisters; and a grandfather to Sachin.

"I can't believe we have been here a month already!" Abigail said. "I never want to leave."

They were at the dinner table and Erik smiled at her words, "You don't have to leave." He emphasized, "I have remodeled and updated the cottage house, I give it to you as a gift…I want you to live there."

Walt and Abigail shared a stunned look, "Erik, we don't know what to say." Walt replied.

"Just say yes."

"Yes!" was the unison reply.

"What will I do about the magazine?" Abigail suddenly asked.

"You have been wanting to sell anyway, now is the perfect time." Walt stated.

Abigail smiled and knew that was what she wanted to do…the rest of her life would be spent with the family she had lost at a very early age.

Christine watched the exchange and felt like she was living the fairytale life. She had dreamed of this life as a little girl, but never thought to actually live it; she was living proof that dreams did come true.

"Erik…" Her voice was small and timid, not trying to take away from the moment.

However, Erik was so attuned to her voice that he would have heard her speak above a hurricane. He looked from his mother's animated face and leaned into Christine, sweeping his lips across her cheek as he did.

Christine would never tire of his touch, she craved it more now than the day she had wed him. They made love several times a week…at night, and when the house was empty; never tiring of each other. Erik's touch was the air that she breathed; without it, she feared she would waste away.

"I think you should know…" she whispered as he leaned his ear toward her sweet mouth, "…I confirmed it today."

He turned his eyes toward her and raised his perfect brow, "Confirmed what, my love?"

She smiled brightly and tears leapt into her eyes, "I'm pregnant."

As if every ear was listening to her every word, the room became silent. For his part, Erik was in complete shock.

He had no idea where his voice had run off to, it had never failed him in the past…but now, trying to give his wife a response, he found he could not speak.

His smile was heavenly and Christine knew he was beside himself with joy, "Are you alright, Erik?" She asked with a teasing smirk.

Finally, he was able to make some rudimentary sounds with his throat and eventually, words proceeded forth.

"I'm going to be a father!" He did not question it, he stated it for reiteration, and then pulled her toward him for a passionate kiss.

"I'm going to be a father!" he announced again, more forcefully.

Abigail was the first to arise and give them both hugs of congratulations. "You will make wonderful parents." Her words were spoken through happy tears and then Rebekah and Nadeesh followed suit.

Meg and Rachel had found an apartment in Glasgow and had moved in, amid Erik's protests. He wanted to take care of his little sister. Rachel insisted she would always need him but wanted to make her own mark on the world, much like her big brother had.

He wound his arm around Christine's shoulders and caressed his hand lovingly over the still flat tummy, adoring the idea that his child rested safely within her womb. He kissed her temple, and then slipped down to nuzzle her ear with his nose and lips.

"I love you, Christine…thank you for making my life worth living." He whispered.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ayden Terence and Abigail Teagan St. Clair were born December 30 and the twins were five pounds 12 ounces each. They were perfectly formed and had all their fingers and toes, much to their father's delight.

Erik had never seen anything more peaceful and awe inspiring as when he saw his son and daughter resting at the breast of his beautiful wife; there was something strangely erotic about it and Erik responded by giving Christine a passionate kiss.

"Now stop that you…" she teased, "…that's what got us to this point in the first place."

Erik laughed, sat down on the bed beside her, and wrapped his arm around her neck. He took Abby in his arms and sang to her softly, and then watched as Ayden nursed the sweet nectar of his mother.

"I feel sorry for any man who isn't me…" Erik finally murmured through his tears, "…and I never thought I would say such a thing."

Christine looked over at him, noticing the tender way he caressed Abby's dark hair and marveled at its softness. He almost lost his composure when her tiny hand wrapped around his pinky finger and squeezed with all its might.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

There were two more children born to Erik and Christine St. Clair; an auburn haired boy with blue eyes named Jerrod Pierce was born three years later, followed by a black haired, green-eyed angel named Fallon Rianna two years after that.

It wasn't until Erik and Christine had shared twelve years of blissful marriage that Erik, at the age of 43, had to have the bullet removed due to increasing discomfort and increasingly risky seizures; thankfully, he had no adverse affects and recovered fully from the surgery.

Christine ended up writing a series of historical romance novels based around their love story and Erik's history. She recreated them in different periods of time and with different life situations, but the same everlasting love. The circumstances surrounding his life were what made up legends, and Christine did a remarkable job of putting it in book form.

She did create a yearly scholarship program in Erik's name, which awarded one deserving, but financially incapable high school senior from each state a chance to attend the university of their choice with a major in the performing arts or architecture and design.

They would never know how many lives they touched with their generosity or how many lives were changed by their story…thus, they lived.

The End