Erik jumped at the knock at his door, sending a stream of ink across the page he had been writing on. He set aside the quill, dabbing at the stain before it settled. He stood, perhaps it was Jules, asking if he wanted anything final-

Christine's voice echoed through the door. "You had better get your mask on, I am coming in." Her voice left no room for argument.

Erik jumped, spinning round his room, finally finding his mask where he had tossed it on the bed after supper. His hand fumbled with the familiar ties. Must she? Must she try and try to reach him. Why was she so concerned, yes, he had no longer had much time to spend with her and yet...

He lit a few more candles before opening the door, surprised to see Christine. Her eyes were red, tears stains still on her cheeks. She was dressed in her robe, his eyes crept down to her stomach, where he could barely see the child poking out.

The thought of being a father still made him light headed. Every time he saw her touch his stomach he would long to reach out and stroke it. The closest thing he could to reach his child.

But he held himself back.

At first, he couldn't bear the sight of her. The thought that he had taken the risk of spreading his deformity. The shame made him feel sick. He began avoiding her, skipping their chess matches so that he could hide from his shame.

Oh, he hadn't admitted it to himself at the time. All kinds of excuses had come up in his mind. He was far too busy with spring coming. He had been neglecting his sword practice, as their chess matches had taken up too much time. He had often heard the woman of the castle complain. How their husbands would call them to their beds far too often, surely she wanted some time alone, surely she wanted peace when she was pregnant.

They were all excuses so that he didn't have to see her, didn't have to think about the thing he had done.

Eventually the sight of her didn't fill him with horror as it used to, but by then avoiding her had become habit. Habit to think that she was happier without him. Habit to refuse her requests for him to ride with her. He really was a busy man, it was easy to avoid her with all he had to do.

She seemed happy enough. (Or so he told himself.) She had Meg and all the women of the court, she was happy! Of course she was, without a monster like him bothering her every minute of her day.

But then that night had come. Her hand tightly grasping his, her watery brown eyes shining in the moonlight. Just as her eyes shone up at him now. Only it was worse, because she had already cried, and she looked as though she might do so again.

"Are you ill?" He asked hurriedly. "Come I will send for-"

"I am not ill." She snapped, and she stepped inside. "I've been crying."

Erik flinched, watching her march over to his bed, she sat on it firmly. She set her watery eyes on his. "I'm not moving until you tell me why you've paid so little attention to me since I told you of our child."

Erik shut the door behind him. "It's nothing-"

"It is not nothing." She spat, a tear trickled down her face. "There is something, you've been avoiding me. You barely speak to me, and even then it's not as it used to be. You never call me to your room anymore, and I-" She choked back a sob. "I- I miss you. I miss-" Another tear fell.

Erik opened his mouth to speak, but she interrupted suddenly. "Listen, I- I know I am only a commoner. I know I shouldn't ask such things of you. If it had been this way from the beginning, I wouldn't expect- I didn't expect- But then you were so wonderful and-"

She shook her head, hunching over her hands, which were twisting around themselves. "It doesn't matter. I won't expect so much attention again. But I just realized tonight, perhaps- you regretted- and then I knew I had to settle the matter." She looked up. "Do you want to annul our marriage?" She finally said.

Erik went cold, from his fingertips to the edges of his toes, the cold crept in filling him. Then it broke, and it was swirling inside of him. He watched Christine like a halfwit.

She blinked, waiting for a few moments. Then slowly continued. "I understand- I'm sure we could find some family tree relation... if you wanted..." Christine said with her red rimmed eyes, only now she was watching him with confusion, not sadness. She was oblivious to the rising storm inside him. "I know that you'd want a noble mother for the child, not a commoner. Just, if you don't want the child," her hand went to her stomach, she hunched over again. "could you let me keep it? I could return to the-"

The storm spilled out before he could stop it. Wanting to halt such treacherous words. "Stop!"

Christine's head snapped up, her eyes filling with confusion. "I'm sorry? What-"

"Stop. No- stop stop talking!"

She stared at him, eyes wide and confused. She watched his hands trembling, trying to find something to do. They ran through his dark hair, smoothed out the wrinkles in his tunic.

"Excuse me?" She whispered.

Erik shook his head. "No- don't say such things. Never say them. I don't- why. Why would you say such things?"

She stared at him. "I thought it was what you wanted. You were so distant, perhaps, you wanted and you were too polite-"

"No. I want none of it. None of it. I thought it was what you wanted." He explained hurriedly, his hand were shaking so hard, nearly as hard as the night he had run from the King's castle.

She looked at him, her red rimmed eyes scanning him from his head to the floor. "I want to be with you." She whispered.

He didn't allow himself to hope. "B-but why?"

She stood. "Because I'm your wife. Because you are my husband. Because you are my dearest friend. And-" She inhaled. "I love you."

Now it was his turn to stare.

She was blushing crimson, hiding her face in her hands and turning away, but she went on. "But of course I understand if you want an annulment. You should have a noble wife not-"

"Please- stop stop stop talking!" He said. She looked at him through her hands.

Erik ran forward to her, he knelt before her. Afraid she would say more terrible things. Suggest again that he would ever have to be without her- "No, never leave, never go." He grasped her fumbling hands and tucked them under his chin, needing to feel her against him. That she was not going. Hot tears spilled underneath the mask. "I need you." He gasped. "Please, never go, never leave. Never go."

He looked up at her, her face going in and out of focus as more tears fell. "I love you, never go Christine. I love you."

The shock in her eyes made him panic again. What if she didn't want it? What if she didn't want his love? He threw his arms around her waist and sobbed. "I know I am ugly, I know I am worthless, but I will do anything to please you. Please, never leave me. Please, I will give anything- anything."

Her hands touched his hair, then began stroking it, and he wept harder with relief. He clung tighter, relishing her touch.

"Erik- do you want to take your mask off?" She asked absently, her voice dazed. "We can blow out the candles, continue in the dark. Then you could cry easier-"

Erik jumped up to his feet, grinning from ear to ear. "You will stay, you will not leave your Erik?"

She had been crying again, the tears streaming down her cheek, but she was smiling too. "Not unless you want me to..." She whispered hoarsely.

He shook his head rapidly. "Erik does not wish it, he does not." Erik ran to the candles, realizing too late he could not blow them out. "Will Christine..."

She was at his side in a moment, her pretty, perfect, wet, face shining in the candlelight. She blew them out one by one, when the last of the smoke blew from the last one Erik tore off his mask, tossing it onto the table.

He saw her reaching blindly for his hand. He grasped hers, sobbing and kissing her hand, up her arm, though she wore sleeves. Her arms twisted around his neck, and then they were kissing each other, both crying, both afraid to let go.

When they stopped, holding each other, and crying. Christine spoke.

"I assume you don't want an annulment then?"

He slumped, resting his head on her shoulder. "No."

She released a long breath. "Erik, why did you become so distant, if it wasn't because you regretted our marriage. I know it has something to do with our child… but-"

They settled on the bed together until they were comfortable in each other's arms. And he told her of his shame, then belief that she did not want him.

At this her head rose from his chest and she looked up at him. "I will always want you." She told him firmly. "You are my husband… of course I want you."

He choked back a sob of relief, though the room was so dark that even he had trouble seeing, he felt it was bright as the sun. She loved him! She wanted to be with him always!

"Ah, but I did not know that." He murmured, leaning down to brush a brief kiss on her lips.

She smiled as he pulled away. "Perhaps we ought to tell each other these things." She murmured. "I wouldn't want this to happen again."

He chuckled darkly, while holder her all the tighter to him, her head settled back onto his chest. He pressed his lips to the curls of her hair. "Neither would I." He whispered.

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! This chapter is FINALLY DONE! *runs around in circles screaming* I had the hardest time figuring out some good motivation for Erik. I can't believe I've spent all these chapters building up how Erik is avoiding Christine, she's sad, awwww. And I never ONCE thought. "You know, what would actually cause all this stuff."

And I KNOW that I gave a reason (Sorta) in the chapter where she admits the birth of her child. But it was just that- a sorta reason. And sorta rasons are not good enough.
Hopefully this was all sense making. Was this a good resolution to the last three-ishy chapters?

Reviews make authors happy. :)