Taking place yet again in the Duboix inn.
A/N: This chapter is sad so prepare your tissues!
Christine stared out the blank emptiness of her room and sighed miserably. Five months…five long terrible months. She had been waiting on pins and needles, sitting with Madame Duboix beside the fire, crossing her fingers each time a letter from Madame Giry arrived. Three weeks ago a short letter arrived…
Dearest Christine,
As I have told you in past letters, I have been doing my best trying to locate Erik and pass him the information that you were and still are residing with Madame Duboix. Recently, Raoul has been badgering us into divulging where it is that you are staying, but we have stayed faithful and your address remains unknown. Oh, Christine I feel so horrible for having to be the one to tell you, but it must be done. Attached you will find a newspaper article containing some information. Gods speed Christine….
Antoinette Giry
Le Tribune de Paris
Opera Populaire's Phantom Found!
Nearly five months after 'Phantoms' mysterious disappearance, Viscount De Chagney identifies body. The body was found in a river near the Opera building and was unrecognizable except by the Viscount who has seen the man up close.
Christine had been unable to read any further and burst from the room screaming about how her life had now ended. Her heart had been broken since, and she ceased to smile or feel anything outside of emptiness and pain. Now heavily pregnant, Christine lived only for her baby. She had considered suicide, but everyday the baby kicked within her womb and reminded her what she now had to live for. She swore to herself she would live for hers' and Erik's baby.
A sudden noise caught Christine's attention and she turned from her reminiscing towards the form of Madame Duboix entering her room. The elder woman bore a tray and some food, but her true goal was to get Christine to smile.
"Christine dear, how do you feel?"
"The same as always…"
Truthfully, she was lying and she felt as though her child was trying to bite its way out of her body, but she'd never admit that to Madame Duboix. The sight of the tray of food made Christine's stomach turn. And earlier that morning she had awoken to the wonderful smell of a wet bed. As if the baby knew she were lying, a pain so intense that Christine cried out, rose from her abdomen and drew Madame Duboix to her side.
"My God honey are you alright!"
"The…baby…?"
Hailey put her hand to Christine's swollen belly and gasped in shock.
"Christine you're in labor!"
Panicked, Christine looked wide-eyed at Hailey and shouted as another bolt of pain shot through her.
"What…What do I do!"
"Relax doll, don't worry, it'll all be alright, I know how to bring in babies."
Six agonizing hours later and Hailey decided to fetch her neighbor. While Christine lay wallowing in pain, twenty minutes passed and Hailey returned with her neighbor Genevieve. While Genevieve dabbed Christine's forehead, Hailey commanded the birthing end and soothingly told Christine,
"Alright honey, the babe's head is crowning, you need to start pushing okay?"
Ten minutes faded and the room unexpectedly filled with the wails of a newborn.
"Oh Christine! He's beautiful! Look at your beautiful baby boy!"
Christine drew her new child into her arms and wept as she looked into his eyes and saw Erik staring back at her.
"Hello my little angel."
She was going to try and relax the still contracting muscles of her lower abdomen when Hailey spoke.
"Oh lord…Christine quickly push!"
Hearing the panic in her voice, Christine wasted no time and pushed frantically. Two minutes later and a second wail permeated the room. Silence greeted Christine shortly after the baby's wails ceased, and nervously she spoke,
"What, what is it? Is…is the baby alright?"
"Yes honey, he's alright…"
Christine still felt dreadfully uneasy, she just had twin sons, what on earth was wrong with the second? Her question was answered when Hailey turned around and presented the second boy.
"Erik…"
The newborn's left side of his face was perfectly normal, but his right…
"Praise God he's just like my love…"
Christine sobbed as she brought the child into her arms. To her he was the vision of beauty, an ethereal little bundle of pink flesh and silky raven-colored hair.
"Gustave…" She whispered.
"Gustave Erik Daae/Destler."
Raising her gaze, Christine smiled faintly at her second son.
"Jean Paul Daae/Destler."
At that, Hailey wept. Her husband Jean and her son Paul, both had died in a horse accident and knowing now that Christine had named her second son after the two made her normally babbling mouth snap shut.
"Christine…"
"You have been so kind to me, it is only natural that I name my son in honor of your kindness and care."
Genevieve filled the pause.
"Dear God, surely you shall not be keeping that deformed boy…I mean honestly, he looks like the Devil's Spawn himself."
Christine immediately glared at Genevieve, but nothing could prepare either woman for the smack presented by Hailey.
"You will leave my house immediately Genevieve, and I don't expect we'll be having tea this weekend. Now then good day."
Genevieve left in a huff, and Christine sighed as she drew her children up to her chest to feed. She knew that life would now be hard, she was a single mother with two sons and one was deformed, but she swore on Erik's, her father's and her mother's grave that she would shower both boys with love and protection till death and beyond.
End Chapter 8
A/N: Okay don't flame me for this chapter! Keep reading though the story only gets better! Review and I shall send hugs! A little info: Gustave is Christine's father's name. Genevieve will make another appearance and the twins will now become the most important characters.
