A/N Thank you to all who reviewed. I am so happy so many of you love the story so far. I makes me happy. I never thought it would do as well as it has been doing. Well here you go and please review.

Ch. 9

Christine's POV

The knowledge that I was having to return to Paris was at times frightening. The night Erik and I had come here had been a relief to me; I was getting the chance to start over with him. The truth was that was all that I had really wanted. I wanted to be able to show him how much he meant to me without past interferences getting in our way. I thought all my past grief was where I left it, in the past.

The last three days had gone by in a haze. I could hardly look Giry in the eye let alone talk to her. I know that she was sorry for what she had done, but I felt as if she had somehow betrayed me. In my mind she in some way did. Then if I thought about it, I was furious at Raoul. I had asked him to help me get out of the situation with Erik, yes, but when he realized that secretly I wanted to stay with Erik, he should have let me go.

In my heart of hearts, I believe had I not wanted to stay with Erik, he would have let me go.

The other truth that upset me the most was that parts of me blamed Erik for this. I was angry at him for letting this happen to us. He had promised me that I would be safe with him, I had believed him. I believed that I would be safe in his arms. In his arms I thought the world couldn't touch me.

But it appeared that the world could.

I was leaving in the early morning. I didn't want to spend my last night doing anything else besides loving Erik. When I was with him my whole worlds seemed brighter.

"Christine, I'm sorry that this is happening to us." Erik cried softly. "I should have just killed him."

I laughed on the inside; secretly I now wished he had too. "I'm sorry too. I wish I had never let him back into my life. I wish I had listened to you the whole time."

"Well no time for regrets now, right?" He said to me.

"Oh but Erik, I do have so many regrets, it hurts me to think of this last year and a half. It's been nothing short of a nightmare, it really has." I cried into his chest.

"Don't worry my angel; I will be watching over you the entire time, you will not be harms as long as Erik is there for you." He said as he cradled me.

The knowledge that Erik would be watching over me, instantly made me feel safe.

"Erik, I love you so much." I cried out. "I fear that you will never know the extent of it."

It was at that exact moment when I suddenly felt a stirring in my stomach.

"Erik the baby is kicking." I squealed out excitedly. "Did you feel it?"

"No, but you felt the baby." He said dumbfounded.

"It was, I know it was." I said as my lips hit his.

When he pulled away from me, in his eyes, I could see the world and everything he wished to give me. "I will get us out of this, I swear it. It will all be alright."

Even though I had long since stopped going to mass, I prayed to God that he would shine his light down on us and bring us a miracle. A miracle that we were in desperate need of.

OOOO

The next morning was exceptionally quiet. I sat at the table while trying to eat something before we departed; the only problem was that I could not stop fidgeting. I could tell I was beginning to annoy Erik, Giry and Meg.

"Christine, how about we stretch our legs a bit before that long ride back to Paris." Meg finally said after the past five minuets of my silverware clanging together.

"Um, okay." I said embarrassed at myself.

At first we did not really know what to say to each other. The idea that we would both die if I did not return with her probably put a stopper to conversation for a bit. Finally Meg broke the silence.

"I'm sorry that this is happening Christine. Especially after you fought for freedom so hard." Meg replied. "You don't deserve this."

I took a deep breath. "That is the thing Meg, no one deserves this. But this is my mess, I need to finish cleaning it up."

"I just don't understand it though Christine, Phillip is constantly watching over Raoul." Meg replied.

"Well what's done is done right, what I want to know is how that ring got on your finger." I teasingly said. "Look at that ring, I cannot believe I missed it before now."

"We are getting married next month, oh Christine, I'm so excited. I never wrote you about it because I wanted to tell you about it in person." Meg squealed delightfully.

"Well I am surprised, but I hope you two are going to be happy." I told her happily. "But I have to ask, it was quite known that Phillip, Comte de Changy was bedding Sorille. How in the world did you ever get him to propose?"

"Well Raoul had become very bothersome to Maman and myself, so me being me, I marched right up to the door rang the doorbell, and asked to speak with Phillip de Changy. I yelled that he needed to get his brother in check and to have him leave us alone. He responded to that, by asking me to dinner." She laughed. "He told me it was my fiery spirit that had attracted him to me. It sounded ridiculous, but I believe him."

"I cannot believe Phillip de Changy is finally going to settle down. It's quite the shocker. But not as shocking at the fact that it's with an Opera Rat." I teased her.

"Yes, I was quite shocked when he proposed. I honestly didn't expect it to go anywhere. I just figured it would be nice going to dinner with a man who had manners." She replied.

"Do you love him Meg?"

It took her a moment before she finally began to speak. "I didn't think I could love him. Knowing about his past and the things that he had done to Sorille and to you, but then again I never believed he'd take me as his wife."

"Oh Meg,"

"But now Christine, when I look into his eyes, I see all the promises of tomorrow. I know that he loves me. I know that I love him too."

I could help but ponder her words. We were so lucky to find two wonderful men that cherished and adored us. We had found two men willingly enough to go to the ends of the Earth just to make us happy. The fact that Erik was willing to murder for me said a lot, but the fact that Phillip, Comte de Changy was willing to marry below his class said even more. I truly considered Meg lucky.

"Aren't we lucky girls? Look at all God's given us." I whispered.

"Yes very lucky indeed." Meg whispered back.

"I will be watching over you the entire time, maybe I'll even sneak into your room late at night." Erik teased as we began to say our goodbyes to each other.

"Don't try to make me smile Erik. I'm to upset to smile. I don't want to leave you." I cried. "Please don't make me go."

"Christine look at me." Erik commanded me. "In the eyes Christine."

Slowly I looked up to meet his fiery gaze; it caused chills through my body.

"Do you honestly believe I would ever let him come between our happiness?" Erik asked.

I laughed. "Do you not see it Erik, he already has."

"No my angel, he tried to take you away from be before and he lost, he's trying to do it again. But do you not see that it's not going to work. Where would Erik be without his Christine?"

I looked into his eyes once more and saw the promise he had made the night of Don Juan. This man would bring me home again. Even if that meant we would have to destroy another.

"I love you Erik."

Erik had grabbed me so tight when he kissed me, I didn't think it possible for Madam Giry to pry me away. I understood that she was helpless on all of this, but I was still angry at her. I was still angry at a lot of things.

"Come Christine. It's time that we get going." Giry told me.

"Fine." I replied grudgingly. "Let's get this all over with."

I took a few steps towards the carriage before I heard Erik call my name out. I turned around to meet his unwavering gaze.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I love you."