Trust

I do not own P.O.T.O

In the middle of the night, Erik woke to hear Christine mumbling. She was turning around and she had beads of sweat all over her face. 'She's having a nightmare.' Erik thought.

''No.'' Christine mumbled. ''Get away from me!''

''Christine.''

''Help me!''

''Christine, you're having a nightmare.''

''Raoul, stop it! Get away from me!''

''Christine.''

''Erik, help me! Oh Erik, it was horrible!''

Erik watched her as she continued to talk and mumble in her sleep.

''I love you, Erik. I'm so happy that we're married!''

Erik silently laughed into his pillow and waited until she calmed down to go back to sleep.

The next morning, Christine was reading on the sofa, reading when Erik walked inside. She looked up and smiled at him, then she returned to her book. He walked over and sat down next to her. He kissed her head and she set her book down. She kissed him and he wrapped his arms around her. He placed tiny kisses along her shoulder and neckline. She reached up to pull the mask away, but he grabbed her wrist.

''What are you doing?'' he mumbled.

''Please, Erik. I just want you to take the mask off. You don't have to wear it around me.''

''Christine-''

''Oh, Erik. Just let me take it off. I've seen it before.''

''How do I know you won't just run and scream?''

''Trust. Trust, Erik.''

He sighed and lifted his head off of her shoulder.

''Alright. Just do it.''

He closed his eyes and Christine reached up and slowly took the mask away. He waited for her to scream or run away or turn her face away and plead for him to put it back on. Instead, she kissed him. Then, she gently caressed the marred side of his face. He didn't recoil or push her onto the ground and curse. He wrapped his arms back around her.

''I told you that I wouldn't run away.''

''I love you, Christine.''

Christine suddenly sat up.

''Erik, your leg! You weren't supposed to be on it. Oh my-''

Erik put a finger to her lips.

''Christine, I've done all of those things without my leg bothering me. I'll be fine.''

''But, Erik you-''

''Christine, I'll be fine.''

He kissed her again and told her to continue reading her book.

That night, it was Erik who was mumbling in his sleep. Christine rolled over and looked at him.

''Erik? Are you alright?''

''Stop it!''

''Erik.''

''Why do you hate me?''

''Erik, wake up.''

Christine tapped his shoulder. He rolled around alittle, but stayed asleep.

''Momma, stop it! You're hurting me!''

Christine felt her heart skip a beat. His mother treated him that horribly?

''Erik, wake up!''

''Stop hitting me!''

''Erik!''

Christine started to shake him alittle. He shot up in bed and his eyes were wide open. He was breathing heavily and staring at the wall. He looked down at Christine.

''Christine.''

He fell back down onto the bed and turned away from her.

''Erik. What's wrong?''

He was starting to shake. She placed a hand on his shoulder. She moved closer and could see that he was crying.

''Erik?''

''What?'' he sobbed. Christine kissed his head and started to stroke his hair.

''I'm here, now tell me what's wrong. You were having a nightmare.''

He turned so that he was facing her.

''It-it was...nothing.''

''It was about your mother.''

He stared at her for a moment and then sat up. He nodded his head and Christine sat up too. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his shoulder.

''Tell me what happened.''

''I can't.''

''Why not?''

She wiped the tears from his face and continued to stroke his hair.

''Alright. My mother hated me. She always made me wear a mask. On my fifth birthday, I-I...all I wanted was a kiss. She screamed and started to tell me never to ask for that again. I ran up to my room and cried. Later, I came down without my mask on and she screamed again. She locked me in my room and said that I was possessed. I ran away from home after that and a band of gypsies found me. They were horrible to me too. Some of them were kind, but no on listened to them. I escaped from there and went to Rome. I met an architect and got a job. His daughter...came home for the summer and...fell in love with me...I don't know why she would. Anyway, I tried to avoid her, but she threw tantrums everytime I did. Then, one day she came into the basement and started to look at my inventions. I told her that she was using it wrong and that she was going to break it. She threw another tantrum and smashed it. Then, she ran around the basement breaking things and ran out crying. Then, that night when...she...she wanted to see my face. I told her no, but her father came and told me to do it, so the fighting would stop. So, I...I..took it off and..she screamed. She ran to the edge of the roof and slammed against it. It started to break and...I tried to save her. I reached out my hand, but she kept screaming and finally, it...broke and she..fell down to the ground below. We ran down to see if she had survived, but her skull was split wide open. I grabbed my things out of the basement and got away as soon as I could.''

Christine listened to Erik's story intently and with wide eyes.

''Then, I went around showing my magic to people for money. That's when Nadir found me. He was almost like a brother to me. He brought me back to Persia with him so I could show the shah my magic.''

Christine put a finger to Erik's lips.

''Alright. You've told enough for now. Let's go back to sleep.''

Erik smirked at Christine.

''Oh no you don't. You were having a dream last night. Tell.''

''Erik, you-''

''Tell me about the dream.''

''Fine. I was being attacked by Raoul and you saved me.''

''That's all?''

''Yes.''

They both layed back down and went back to sleep.