This chapter turns the whole story around, so be prepared!

Chapter 9

7 months later

Christine sat in her flat staring at her enormous pregnant stomach. Meg Giry sat on the other side of the room looking at her friend.

"I still think that you need to tell Erik. He has a right to know." Meg finally said breaking the silence. Tears formed in Christine's eyes.

"How could I do such a thing? I am already embarrassed at the way I acted towards him. That was so unlike me. I am never that manipulative and I never have been. Now I am going to have a baby, Erik's baby, and he doesn't even know about it. Oh Meg, I know I need to tell him, but I don't want to ruin his wonderful life."

Meg looked sympathetically at her friend,

"Well, you know that Mother and I are here for you and now that I am living with you, we will do our best to raise the child."

Christine smiled at Meg and got up to hug her.

"I truly love you, Meg Giry. You are my best friend and sister. I am, however, going to bed now. Goodnight." Christine said leaving the room and going into her bedroom. She put on her nightgown and struggled with her climb into bed.

Meg sat in the main room finishing her cup of tea and staring at the Christmas tree. She had to do something to help her friend; Erik also needed to be told that he was going to be a father. Meg knew that Christine wanted him to know, but she felt guilty about it and didn't want to ruin Erik's happy life. Meg decided that she would try really hard to make Christine tell Erik about her pregnancy. Christine deserved a happy Christmas, not a miserable one and Meg figured this would be the only way to get Christine's worries out of her head, knowing that Erik would help support the child.

Erik lay in bed, tireless of his own worry. Did Michele get the necklace that he was going to give Gabrielle for Christmas? He turned over and looked at his sleeping wife. Oh how beautiful she looked and how even more beautiful she would look in the stunning ruby necklace.

He couldn't take it anymore, he finally quietly got out of bed, put on his robe and mask and walked upstairs to Michele's room. He quietly knocked on the door and a sleepy blonde girl opened the door.

"Yes, Master?" She asked as she saw Erik at the door.

"Michele, did you get the necklace I told you to buy today?" Erik asked. Michele's eyes grew wide with surprise for she thought this interference in the middle of the night was due to some emergency.

"Ummm…Yes Master, it's in here." She said opening the door all the way allowing him to come all the way into her bedroom. She moved to her bed and bent down to grab a box underneath it. She handed it to Erik and he opened it.

"Oh, it is so beautiful. Do you think she will like it?" Erik asked staring at the necklace. Michele was once again surprised. Erik only usually talked to her in commands. This morning he secretly approached her with a ton of money and told her to buy this necklace. Now he was in her bedroom and asking her opinion on a present for his wife. Michele always liked Gabrielle, for she was a lot more easygoing and actually talked to Michele as a human being, but Erik, this was a rare occasion and Michele was almost positive that after tonight things would go back to the way they were.

"Oh yes, Master, I think Madame will like it a lot." Erik closed the box and handed it back to Michele.

"Sorry to disturb you, I couldn't sleep until I knew." Erik said as Michele put the box back under her bed. She stood and faced him.

"Think nothing of it, Master."

"Well, goodnight." Erik said walking toward the door and opening it. Michele followed him and said,

"Goodnight, sir." She closed the door behind him and got into bed. In a strange way, he is sort of handsome. She thought as she drifted back off to sleep.

Erik walked back downstairs and opened the door to his bedroom to see Gabrielle sitting up in bed.

"My dear, why are you awake?" Erik asked surprised.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that same question?" Gabrielle asked back.

"I couldn't sleep, so I decided to get a drink." Erik asked.

"Or were you just out having an affair?" Gabrielle said chuckling a little at her joke. Erik's face grew pale since he never forgave himself for what he did 7 months ago with Christine.

"No, I wasn't doing that." Erik said. Gabrielle laughed even harder at the look on his face.

"I was just joking with you, don't get serious on me." Erik breathed a sigh of relief and took off his robe and mask. He climbed into bed next to Gabrielle and she blew out the candle on her side of the bed. She lay down on her husband's chest and listened to his heartbeat for a moment before saying,

"Besides if you did have an affair, you wouldn't be sleeping here right now." She tilted her head up and kissed him on the lips.

"I love you Gabe." Erik said closing his eyes.

"I love you too." Gabrielle said as she drifted off to sleep. Erik, however, only got about an hour's worth of sleep that night.

One week later, Christine stood with Meg outside of Erik's office building one afternoon.

"Now Meg, don't tell him, just ask him to meet me for lunch and tell him that I desperately need his help and that I am in serious trouble." Christine instructed with her voice shaking with nervousness and being cold.

"Christine, everything will be fine. Go across the street and wait for me." Meg commanded. Christine turned to walk away and turned back around to watch Meg disappear into the building. Christine almost threw up with nervousness on the street, but held it in.

Meg climbed the stairs and arrived on the second floor. She began to wander down the hall and read the signs on the doors until she reached "Erik D'Avignon." She quietly knocked on the door until she heard a voice commanding for her to come in. She opened the door to see a man with his back turned toward her. He turned around and she saw his white mask staring back at her.

"Hello, Monsieur. I don't know if you remember me, Meg Giry."

"Of course, Adele Giry's daughter. What is it that you come here for?" Erik asked in a surprised tone.

"It's on behalf of Christine Daae," Meg started but stopped as Erik's face turned into a frown. "She is in a lot of trouble where even I can't help her. She needs your help, desperately. She wants you to meet her at the café across the street for lunch. Please say that you will Monsieur, she needs help in the worst way. If she doesn't receive help, I don't know how she will live." Meg said adding the last sentence in knowing it was a lie, but it would convince Erik to do what she wanted him to do.

Erik sat thoughtfully for a moment wondering what kind of trouble Christine could have been in. Even though they parted on bad terms for the second time, he would do anything to help her. So he agreed to it.

"Oh thank you, Monsieur." Meg said happily leaving the office. Erik sat dumbfounded at his desk thinking about what just happened. He shook it off and went back to work, wondering how soon noon would come and his curiosity would be ended.

Meg walked outside and across the street to where her friend was waiting.

"Well?" Christine asked impatiently.

"He's going to meet you." Meg announced. Christine almost fainted. She felt so guilty despite all the times that Meg reassured her that this was just as much Erik's fault as it was Christine's. Meg put her arm around Christine and led her down the street to their flat. When they arrived, Christine announced that she was going to rest for an hour before she had to leave again. Christine lay down on her bed, tossing and turning in nervousness.

Erik looked up from his drawing to look at the clock for the hundredth time and finally decided that he could leave. He got out of his chair and put on his hat and cloak. He walked down the hall to Jean's office and poked his head in,

"I am going to lunch; I will be back in an hour." Jean didn't look up from his sketch and replied,

"See you then Erik."

Erik walked out of the building and walked across the street to the café Meg was talking about. He walked inside the crowded café grateful to be out of the cold and looked around for Christine. He finally spotted her and sat down across from her. She looked different, but he wasn't sure how.

"You look surprised to see me." Christine said without any kind of greeting.

"You look different." Erik said bluntly. Tears began to form in Christine's eyes due to guilt for what she was about to tell him, or shall we say, show him. Christine couldn't take his stares anymore and finally jumped up,

"This is why I look different."

Erik's eyes opened as far as they could open. He was shocked at what he saw; he also wondered who impregnated his lovely Christine. She finally sat down, putting her elbows on the table and laying her head in her hands. Erik felt sympathetic knowing this is why she needed help, as big as she looked, he figured that the Vicomte was the one who did this to Christine and now he wouldn't pay for his mistake because she left him to find Erik. Erik watched her cry for a moment before reaching out and taking her hand in his. She looked at him through teary eyes.

"Christine, how did this happen and who is the father?" Christine angrily looked at him wondering how he was such a genius, but could be so stupid.

"How do you think it happened? And who do you think is the father? I am staring at my child's father!" Christine said almost shouting. Erik was shocked to hear what she said. He felt his heart beat so hard he thought it might come out of his chest.

"Christine, we only shared one night together, this can't be."

"Oh can't it, Erik?" Erik still couldn't believe his ears. He felt so guilty for what was happening. If only he could have contained himself, his life would be peaceful for the first time. He sat for a moment and finally said,

"Christine, I am here for you, for both of you. This is my responsibility too. You know that I will always be here."

Christine faintly smiled at him, she believed what he said, but she didn't want to have to give her child up to him even though the child would have a better life with Erik. The waiter finally came over to the table,

"More tea, Madame?" he asked.

"No thank you." Christine replied.

"Can I get anything for you Monsieur?"

"I just realized that I am not hungry." Erik replied keeping his eyes on Christine. The waiter looked disappointed knowing that he wasn't going to get a big tip off of this table and walked away. Erik finally spoke again,

"Tell me where you live so I can see you now, for I am sure that once I explain this to my wife, I won't be able to come home for a few days." Erik said sadly. This was a problem, and for once he didn't know any way to handle it. He was going to be a father, but with the wrong woman. He hoped that Gabrielle would understand, that was all he had now was hope.

Christine told him her address and said that he could stay with her if that were to happen. They rose out of their chairs and Erik left money on the table for Christine's tea and a small tip. Exiting the café, Erik turned to Christine and told her he would keep in touch with her soon. He watched as she disappeared around the corner and he walked across the street to his building and up the stairs to Jean's office.

"Jean, I have to have the rest of the day off. I will be back in the morning." Erik said rushing out of the office. Jean looked up and was surprised at what just happened. He wondered what Erik's reasoning was, but knew his reason was appropriate.

Christine opened the door to her apartment and saw Meg sitting in her usual spot on the sofa.

"So, how did it go?"

"He's going to help, and he might come over tonight if Gabrielle makes him leave."

"Why would she do that?"

"Because of what is going on."

"But he wasn't even married when it happened."

"I know, but I guess it's still considered an affair."

Erik nervously turned the doorknob to the front door of his house and walked inside. He felt sick to his stomach and was sweating a lot. Gabrielle heard the door open and close and instantly walked toward the front door to see who was there. She was surprised to see her husband standing at the door taking off his hat, cloak and gloves.

"Erik, what are you doing home so early?" She asked. He looked at her and she noticed how pale he looked and how much he was sweating.

"Erik, are you all right. You look extremely ill. Come on, let's get you up to bed." Gabrielle said grabbing his arm.

"No." He replied shaking her off.

"Erik, you need to rest." She said tugging again at his arm again.

"Damnit, I said NO!" He shouted pushing her off even harder. Gabrielle almost lost her balance and was shocked at her husband's behavior. She turned around and began to walk down the hall leaving him alone until he called her back.

"Gabe, I need to talk to you about something serious." She turned back around and followed him into the library. He shut the door and poured himself a glass of brandy. Gabrielle took a seat in one of the armchairs wondering what it was that he had to say and why it was causing him to be so angry.

Erik finally sat down opposite of her and explained the entire story. When he

finished he waited for her reaction until she began to cry.

"How could you do this to me?" She asked in between sobs.

"I wasn't thinking, I let my ridiculous ego get a hold of me." Erik said thinking of the best way to explain himself. Gabrielle cried a few minutes longer until Erik got up and touched her arm.

"Don't touch me!" She suddenly yelled and pulled away. She got up out of the chair and walked out the door,

"Collect some of your things and get out!" She yelled back.

Erik was waiting for this moment. Now everything was ruined. He slowly walked upstairs and packed a few clothes and went back downstairs to put on his cloak and hat. He left his house and got into his carriage telling his driver to take him to Christine's. He looked behind him and watched his house with his beautiful wife inside disappear and he began to cry himself, feeling sorry for himself and the mistake that he made.