The Match©2006

By Phantasmarose

Disclaimer: I lay no claim to any of the original POTO characters such as Erik, Christine, Meg, Raoul, and Madame Giry. These belong to Leroux, Kay, and ALW. The settings outside the lair and all original characters to this story belong to me.

A/N: Thank you for your reviews. I am so sorry for the delay, but a combination of work related deadlines and the FFN downtime combined to extend the delay. Read and Review Please.

Pawn to King's Rook level 4

She stole a look at him out of the corner of her eye. His hair hung loosely around his face. The bright sun almost made it look blond, but Christine knew it to be darker than that. She walked on his left, his unmasked side. This was the first time Christine had seen Erik outdoors. He was pale, and he looked relaxed in the sunshine. He was dressed in his usual dark trousers and white shirt. A natural creature of the night Christine had thought that he would feel uncomfortable in the daylight, but he did not appear to have a problem. He held her hand as they walked from the main house to the Rose garden. The large garden meandered easily around the property each section of the garden contained different colored roses. They were now entering the yellow rose section. Erik began to look pensive as they continued their walk around the flowers. He lifted her hand, kissed the back of it, then turned it palm up, and kissed it again. This action made her shiver, and she caressed his unmasked cheek with the back of her fingertips. They walked for a while holding hands, pointing at a particularly beautiful specimen and nodding to each other. It occurred to Christine that they were acting as a normal courting couple would. She was proud to walk by his side. They walked on, until they stood in the pink rose section.

"Christine, do you like this garden?"

"Oh yes Erik, I love all these flowers." She twirled in place, her white skirts flowing and wrapping around her, a little laugh escaped her lips, and smiled up at him. Although he held a partial smile, she saw sadness in his eyes and guessed his thoughts. "A smaller garden would do just as well," she said quickly.

"How would you feel with no garden at all?"

Christine looked deeply into his eyes. "Would you be there?"

"Yes."

"Then, I would need no garden." She buried her face in the crook of his neck and blotted out her view of the garden. "I need for you to be there Erik. That is all."

"You deserve a garden my love."

"I deserve to be loved by you." He still did not look convinced, so she continued.

"Erik, I've never had a garden. I have lived most of my life at the opera house. A garden would be nice, but it isn't something I can miss." He smiled a little at this.

There were so many paths ahead that Erik felt unsure which way to turn. Slowly, they meandered toward the red rose section. She liked the way his hand rested on her waist.

"Let us sit for a moment," he said.

They sat on a kidney shaped stone bench, their knees touching, and facing each other. The bench was among the red roses, slightly recessed from the path, thus giving the sitting lovers privacy. The rose scent permeated the air. His intense eyes were boring into her face, almost as if it were the first time he saw her. Amber flecks danced among the green giving then a shimmering fierce quality that disconcerted her.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Do you love me Christine?"

"Do you have to ask me?"

"I need to hear it."

She took his head in her hands and carefully began to pry the mask off.

In one lighting fast movement his hands were on her wrists.

"Don't!" His eyes betrayed the alarm he felt.

Her hands remained by his mask. "Do I belong to you Erik?"

"Yes, your mine!"

"Then, you are mine too. All of you, your hands, your body, your eyes and your face."

"You don't want anything like that," he said, looking away from her. His insecurities built over a lifetime returned in full force. He wanted to run back to the dark room. This idea of a 'walk' was turning into a disaster.

"I want to see your full face now Erik. Remember, your face is now mine."

He trembled as he closed his eyes, and allowed her to remove the mask. Even though he knew that she was familiar with his face, taking off the mask was always difficult, even indoors. Oh God, in public, in broad daylight! It brought too many memories of rejection and grief. His Christine wanted it, so he allowed what he considered a travesty. Every one of my disgusting features will be on display!

Christine placed the mask on her lap, and allowed his marred side to bathe in the sun. The bright light evened out his features, making them seem almost ordinary. Looking at his face intently, she saw a rare beauty in his uneven features. His light brown hair looked totally blond. Erik's eyes were tightly closed, so he missed seeing the way her eyes lovingly caressed his face.

"Do you like being like this in front of me Erik?" she whispered.

Eric felt the sun evenly on both sides of his face. It felt strange but wonderful. Then he felt the warmth coupled with a light breeze cooling off his skin. Still, he kept his eyes closed, even when kisses light like butterflies rained on his ravaged features. It made him smile.

Christine insisted, "Do you like your mask off when you are with me?"

"Yes, I do. I want to be like this with you," he answered honestly. His answer astounded him, and his eyes fluttered open to stare into hers.

"Why Erik?"

"What?"

"Why do you enjoy having your mask off when you are with me?"

He didn't answer at first, and she thought he wouldn't until he sighed and she saw his eyes grow bright.

Tears threatened to slip out between his dark lashes. The lump forming in his throat made it difficult to answer her.

He strangled a sob, and said with a thickened voice, "Be…because you love me," he stammered, a shudder going through him, but he remained still and did not remove his face from her hands. He felt his apprehension drain from him, and melt in the sunshine.

"Somehow you have the ability to make feel normal when I'm with you, my love. I feel just like any other man," he said this so low she had to strain to hear him.

"You are not just any man Erik. You are the only man I love, and I love you exactly as you are and no other way."

Erik opened his eyes then, he found it impossible to comprehend that she did not just suffer watching his distorted visage it, but accepted his face as it was.

Not able to stop himself he continued to protest, "My face is deformed."

"Yes, and I love it deformed. Exactly as you are," she repeated, "and no other way."

His mouth hung open, and all he could mutter was "Oh Christine". His heart raced in his chest, as he claimed her lips in a deep passionate kiss, letting his hunger for her show. His body's longing on display. Christine returned his kiss, and they sat on the small garden bench professing their love for each other through their lips. A few minutes later when they parted to catch their breath, he was panting. After a few deep breaths, he asked her "Christine do you ever worry about our future?"

"I think about it, but I'll be with you so…I know I'll be safe with you Erik." She shrugged.

Her head lay on his shoulder, and he held her within the circle of his arms. She leaned into him and felt shrouded by his love. Erik held her tightly, his mind spinning with the new responsibilities he had gained.

--------------------------------------o

Erik sat on the edge of the smaller of the two chairs in his room. Madame put her tea down and leaned back. "The vicomte is taking me back to Paris tomorrow… after Dr. Morel examines you."

"I don't need to be examined. I'm fine." He scowled.

"No, you are not. Do not think that I don't see how twitchy you are getting."

"I am my own self, as always."

She looked at him with her inimitable stare, that ripped all pretences away. She picked up her tea again and sipped quietly. He did not dare look her in the eye.

"I turned a blind eye to your doings for too long Erik. When you are stronger, we will talk about your problem."

"I actually do not…"

"Erik! You have someone else to think about now. Do you want Christine to bear witness to your…"

"Of course not, I love her." He felt mortified remembering the spectacle he had made of himself a few days before.

"Then, we have to take care of that little problem…when the time comes."

He could take care of that business himself, but the rest he was not so sure about. He did not dare tell Madame Giry how frightened he was for his and Christine's future. Now that he had so much to lose, he felt the weight of his inexperience outside the Opera House dragging on him. He was not up against the boy anymore, he was up against humankind.

"Madame what do I do? I love her…and I can't lose her…not her. I have no experience in this, and I need to keep her safe," his voice revealing the nerves he was trying to keep under control.

Calmly, she reminded him, "You must still have money from your business at the Opera House. Right? At least that won't be a problem."

"Yes, yes, but I'm a fugitive. How will I be able to keep her safe and happy if we have to be on the run?"

"I can't answer that…you may have to leave France…eventually. For now, you are out of Paris." Lucette's eyes took on a sad glimmer. She had never thought of him moving away and now she was suggesting for him to leave France. Still his and Christine's safety were the priority.

"We'll always be on the run. She doesn't deserve that kind of life." His shoulders slumped almost imperceptively, but Lucette caught it.

"She wants a life with you."

Erik combed his hair with his hand several times before he answered. "She's a child still. What does she really know of what she wants?"

"You are threading on dangerous ground Erik. Do not tell her what to feel, and don't assume what she should want. Christine herself will let you know, she advised him."

"From the moment I wake up, I am terrified. I keep thinking what if I do or say something to make her hate me. What if I wake up and she realizes I'm…disgusting."

At his words, Lucette shook her head. Always back to the same self-loathing. When would he realize his worth?

"That should keep you on your toes," she chuckled lightly. "At any rate you know were to find me." Lucette sat back to finish her tea. Erik groaned. Being almost normal was going to be anything but easy.