Madame Giry and Meg had been in the Opera House for hours. The shadows were growing larger as the sun was setting, adding another eerie layer to the somber sadness that shrouded their former home. The smoldering was gone, the remains either charred or soaked in soot and black water.
The grief in her mother's eyes was more than Meg could bare. It had been her mother's life…her life…for as long as she could remember. What would become of them now was a mystery.
Word had been received by the fire master of all of the ballerina's and chorus girls whereabouts. Some parents had been arriving late in the day to pick them up, others were taken in by relatives, or friends. Madame Giry was grateful for the love that Paris was showing them. Another prayer answered.
"Mother?" "Yes dear?" "Mother shouldn't we at least go back and check the dressing rooms…the room with the door?" Meg said, looking at her mother, doubt in her eyes. "My dear Meg, you know very well that the search parties have been down there a number of times. Should they have found anything, there would have been celebrating in the streets." Meg looked down at the ground, realizing the truth in her mother's words.
"Meg, we can at least look, if that would help your heart get through this tragedy." Madame Giry said resignedly. Meg's eyes perked up a bit as she and her mother walked behind the soot covered stage, to the rear dressing rooms in the Opera House. Madame Giry opened the door first to her room. She had a small but suitable room while she was there. Never having returned to her home after her husband's death, preferring to stay near Meg.
The room smelled of burnt feathers and wood, but had essentially escaped the ravages of the fire. Perhaps it had been the brick hallway, or the sturdy door. Whatever it was, Madame Giry was most thankful. Nearly all of her treasured things were with her in that room. Her family bible, her pictures, her notes from Erik. So many memories. She fell to her knees leaning against the post of her bed and began to cry bitterly.
Meg rushed to her side trying in vain to comfort her. "Mother, it will be alright….it will all be alright…I can feel it." Madame Giry reached out clutching her daughter in her arms. The two sat crying as the golden shafts of sunlight shone their last, and darkness descended.
XXXXXXXX
Erik woke, finding Christine at his side gently rubbing the small of his back. Her tender hands caressing his skin. He reached out running his index finger along her jaw. "You are awake." She said smiling at him, only inches away from his face. "The sweetness of this moment shall live in my mind forever my dear Christine."
She looked deep into his eyes, seeing something in them she had not seen before. There was a glimmer, faint though it be, a glimmer of a bare soul, one daring to trust, allowing itself to be loved. She lifted her hands running her fingers through his hair, gently rubbing his neck and shoulder. "I'm glad it pleased you. To know I'd brought you some comfort…for all you've done for me…" Christine could feel the love she had for this man….her husband…welling up inside of her. Not the love that had captured them several times before on their first day as husband and wife, but the kind of love that is shared when two souls begin to fuse and merge. They lay just looking into one another's eyes….
"Christine, come closer my dear, let me wrap you in my arms forever." Christine smiled and nestled into the crook of Erik's arms. He gently pulled her to him, resting her cheek on his chest. "Tonight we will leave this place. We shan't return here unless we have to seek refuge again, but it is my hope that we shall not need to. I'll need you to remember the way back here in case we become separated or …." Erik did not finish. He knew the dangers that the outside world could bring them.
"If you should find yourself alone, you may come back here, and I will find you. The stone will be difficult for you to move, but I think you could if you needed to." Christine looked a little worried. "I said I would never leave your side. If something happens to one, it happens to both. Our flesh is no longer separate now, what has been joined can be separated only by death or God himself." Christine said resolutely.
"My heart swells to hear you speak of such things…but I offer this only as a solution in case the need arises. You know I would fight to my last breath to keep us from being parted…but sometimes we cannot control all circumstances." Erik looked seriously at Christine. "This has been a safe place, a wonderful place for me, one that will always be filled with sweet memories, that only the two of us share." Christine smiled at him again, nestling down against his bare chest once more. "Erik?" "Yes my dear, what is it?" "I love you." Erik felt warm. He would never tire of hearing her say that, never. "I love you too." Erik managed as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Now my dear" Erik said, kissing Christine's forehead, "we must dress and plan for our travels." Erik began to sit up, pulling Christine up with him. She whimpered a bit, having been warm and cozy. Erik laughed. "My dear Christine, we cannot stay in bed forever!" He smiled kissing the end of her nose.
"I don't see why not, it is a perfectly fine place to be!" She pouted her lips, causing Erik to chuckle. "You are so adorable, I've never seen you pout this way before. Well…maybe once…when I ended our lesson abruptly one night after you started to lose focus…you pouted that night…but even that was not as endearing as this!"
Erik turned to her, pushing her playfully back against the covers and began to smother her face in kisses. Christine began to giggle, pushing at Erik's mid section trying to get him to stop. "Don't, don't, you're tickling me…" Christine managed between gasping for air and laughing."
"Tickling you? Really?" A large grin spreading across his face. He reached down to Christine's sides and began to playfully run his fingers across her stomach, causing her to curl up into a ball in fits of laughter. There the two of them lay, reaching out like two playmates trying to get the best of one another, taking turns being the victim and the aggressor. True newlyweds in anyone's eyes. Sweet laughter filling the cave, blooming love filling the room.