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The next morning, the snow has stopped, so Erik takes me on a walk.

"Where is it we're going?" I ask suspiciously when he insists that we leave our packages at the Inn. "We'll be returning?"

He gives me a look that tells me he will not be answering any of my questions, so I clasp my hands together and follow him like a good wife.

I cannot completely swallow my curiosity when he begins to lead me up a tall hill we had seen earlier in the distance. "What's up here? Is it something I would recognize? I don't remember this town at all. Are we staying in town?"

He says nothing, waking in front of me with a determined air.

"I wonder if it will snow while we're walking up. The little path is very slick."

He huffs.

"We're not going too much farther, are we? This is a very tall hill. Are we going to the top? How much farther? I'm just saying because then we should go and get our bags—"

He spins around and cuts me off with a fervent kiss, right on my lips. His breath is cool and steady, although he releases a growl in the back of his throat. When he pulls away, his eyes are alight with fury and desire. "For God's sakes, woman!" he says heatedly. "Will you please be quiet?"

I take my arms away from his neck and smile prettily at him. He seizes my arm, muttering, and pulls me up the hill.

I am quiet for a few minutes, but again, I cannot resist when we pass a few, sweet little cottages on our left. "Erik, where is it?"

"Ten more minutes." he replies shortly.

I maneuver carefully around the snow that has been unsuccessfully scraped off the path. I sigh.

Erik suddenly stops and turns around, frowning under his mask. He studies me, murmuring, "I don't know how you would want this done… but you like surprises, don't you? And you would want it to be a grand scene…" He steps forward, beckoning me with his finger. Spinning me around, he places both of his hands over my eyes.

"What is it?"

Shouldn't he know by now that I am an extremely impatient girl, and I have no time for his silly games?

He walks forward, nudging me gently with his knees so I will walk too. I feel the hill going up a little more, than leveling out.

"What—"

He puts one cold hand over my mouth, and shifts the other over my exposed eye before I can get a peek. It seems that he waits for a substantial moment; one blonde curl tangles in the wind and flutters over his fingers before he slides his hand down.

Erik suddenly seems nervous. "You can look now." he says unnecessarily.

We're at a little cottage, the structure varying of dark browns and whites, complimented with a pale blue. It looks rather empty… but it's in a nice way, as though the capacious areas could be filled with personal touches.

I think I know what it is, but I do not want to guess, in case I'm wrong.

"Whose is it?" I breathe, crossing my fingers in the folds of my skirt.

Erik tries to look as though my reaction won't matter to him. "If you want… yours."

Half of me is terribly exasperated: How in the world had Erik gotten this? Is this where he's been disappearing to the last several nights? It was such a long walk from where we'd been. He hadn't… killed the previous owners, had he? Why had it been such a secret? Did surprising me matter that much to him? Would it really be ours? How long ago had he planned this? Why d—

The other half of me was shining, because Erik had said it could be mine. He had found this for me, and surprised me with it, because he loved me. He wanted my reaction to be perfect, because he wanted me to be pleased with it. And I was, because it was perfect.

I must be waiting too long to answer, and Erik misreads my expression and says, "If not, I can keep looking."

I am too caught up in my own moment; I ignore him. "May I go in?" He releases me, and I bounce up the steps. I hold out my arms to him. "Come with me?"

He follows me, and I take his hand excitedly and all but kick down the door—Erik gives a little smile at my enthusiasm.

It is lovely.

It is already furnished with dark wood furniture and dark blue cushions. The rooms are tiny, but they are open, and I love the sensation of space.

Counting quickly, I establish that there is a sitting room, a large kitchen, one bathroom, and three small rooms. These bedrooms are the only rooms not furnished; they each have a bed in the corner, with a tattered quilt. And the largest room, with a larger bed, has a spacious closet with little drawers. I am delighted.

Erik lets me run around and stands there respectfully when I tackle him with a hug.

"Would you like it?" he asks, trying to pry me away from him.

"Erik, you fool, have you not seen me running around in joy for the last few minutes? It's perfect!"

"You could just be saying that."

"Would I really—never mind. I'm not going to argue with you right now."

"Christine, I want to be sure—"

I silence him with my lips, just as he did to me earlier. "For goodness's sakes!" I say, trying to mimic him. "Will you please be quiet? I love it!"

He thinks for a minute, trying to decide if he should be angry with me for mocking him. He hesitates, narrowing his eyes, and says, "Alright, wife. I will not doubt you."

I clap my hands together once. "Wonderful!"

He eyes me uncertainly again, not sure if I am using sarcasm or not. "There is no piano."

"We'll get you one." I assure him, although I have no idea how. I was quite sure it would be impossible, actually… but I kept that to myself.

Erik suddenly grins at me. "Erik did well, did he not?"

I touch one masked side of his face. "You are much appreciated."

I think it was impossible in that moment for him not to kiss me, so I allow him to.

But then, I am too excited to see my new home, which I have already fallen in love with, so I fall back and skip around, calling out my plans to Erik as he follows me once again.

"Our room… your study, Erik with all your music… Could this be a sewing room for me? Please? Or maybe a lounge….You can put a shelf up here… and here. And look! We can put flowers in here! They would have to be special… maybe for Christmas?"

Erik interrupts me. "Christmas?"

I nod vigorously, until I turn around and he's still standing there with a baffled expression.

"Christmas is in three weeks." I explain, remembering my little calendar I had thrown in my bag.

He frowns as if he's never heard of such a thing before.

I pause, unsure, and ask, "Do you know what Christmas is?"

He blinks and puts his head to the side irritably. "Of course I know what Christmas is, you silly girl." he sighs impatiently. "But we must put up flowers…?"

"Yes." I answer simply. "We have to decorate in order to celebrate, do we not?"

"Celebrate?"

"Yes, Erik, Christmas! Presents and such. Haven't you ever done that before?"

He shakes his head, and there is a strange look in his eyes that I cannot interpret right now.

"Well," I say determinedly. "You're going to now. We will celebrate and pray and have a special dinner, and I am going to put flowers up!"

"Yes, yes, whatever you say." he replies quickly, and I smile again. In the back of my mind, I am thinking about my poor Erik, who has never celebrated Christmas, never had the joy of a holiday and company to bring his cheer…

"Our new home, Erik! And we're going to put up decorations!"

He looks bewildered. "Why are you so—excited? It's only a house!"

I laugh once, tiptoe over to him, and take both of his cold hands, looking earnestly into his eyes, willing him to see what I was seeing. I pull myself closer to him, and his arms wrap around me, consumed by his sudden desire. "Don't you see, Erik? This is what you've always wanted! What we've always wanted. We are just like everybody else!"

It takes him a second…then it dawns on him, and he moans, and kisses me once, twice, over and over.

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