Please Read the Author's Note Regarding My Latest Story :)
May 25th - 26th 1882
The unusual trio was stunned into silence by the piercing scream, but, as soon as it stopped, their senses returned. Meg was first to move: darting over to the bedroom in a cluster of blonde waves. Marie immediately felt the uncomfortable glare of the masked man's eyes on her, and so she followed quickly in pursuit, making sure to close the bedroom door behind her.
The ballerina was already staring wide-eyed at Christine, her dear friend, who was clawing at the bed sheets around her. The brunette curls were a mess, but Meg could still catch a glimpse of the pale face beneath them, her eyes shut tight with pain and teeth firmly gritted. The young woman's state had withheld essential oxygen for a moment, but, once she heard Marie stumble in behind her, she regained composure. She moved swiftly round the bed, passing her mother and the doctor who were talking in hushed tones, before setting herself at Christine's left side, tenderly prying her fingers from the sheets before weaving them with her own. Meg noted the maid stepped forward to comfort her Mistress as well, merely resting her hand on top of Christine's in a thoughtful gesture.
Her friend turned her head weakly at the feeling of contact and Meg grew sad at seeing the clouded look in the once beautiful green eyes, as though she were lost. She was almost relieved to see Christine attempt a smile at the sight of someone familiar, but this was soon replaced by an uncomfortable grimace.
"Meg," the blonde flinched at the hissed tone of her mother, and she turned briefly to face Madame Giry. "Did you not do as I asked?" There was a pause in which Meg wore a look of confusion, apparently convincing enough for the ballet mistress who sighed in exasperation. "The Vicomte? You were supposed to fetch him before Christi-"
"We went to the house, Maman," Meg quickly cut in, turning her gaze down to her hand as she stroked Christine's fingers absent-mindedly. "But we couldn't find him among the crowds, even the servants were unsure where he'd gone…"
"It's true, Madame," Meg smiled gratefully at the sound of Marie's voice. "None of us can afford to focus on the master's whereabouts with so many people in the house on one occasion."
Letting her brown orbs wander up, Meg marveled at the way the maid held her mother's stern gaze, not flinching for a second – strange to think that, mere hours ago, she was a shaking doormouse of a girl. Eventually, she saw Madame Giry's stone face relax as she sighed in defeat, having been forced to accept the feeble excuse. Meg knew her mother would more than make up for the lack of questioning later on.
"Meg…" The hoarse whisper coming from Christine meant Meg felt obliged to meet her friend's sad eyes once more – the sight turned the ballerina's stomach. "I heard him here… my angel…" Meg gave a pitying smile before shaking her head softly at the foolish words. "His voice was with me… I felt his touch…"
Christine stopped then, wincing as another contraction no doubt ripped through her. She looked like a child herself, Meg couldn't help but think, as she lay on the bed pale and losing energy by the second.
%%%
Another couple of hours passed as Christine's mutterings continued, Meg growing increasingly worried as her skin grew paler (though how that was possible she didn't know) and her fingertips became cool to the touch. She tried to listen as her mother and the doctor whispered at the foot of the bed, the sound only growing more urgent as time passed.
As Christine gave a slight grunt, signifying a new contraction, Meg could feel her heart begin to beat faster in panic. Surely by now the pain should be greater than before, but it was as though Christine had lost all her energy and had none spare to complain. Meg resorted back to stroking the girl's fingers as she felt tears prick the corners of her eyes – surely her friend could live..?
"Madame," The doctor finally broke the heavy silence that been hanging between them all for a long time now and as Meg looked up to see his face she was discouraged by his sullen expression. He nodded to the bump, keeping eye contact with Christine: "It's time."
Meg turned back to see her friend's reaction, but saw little or no change in her expression – in fact Christine seemed to be struggling just to keep herself conscious. The blonde quickly squeezed the soprano's fingers with her good hand and whispered encouragement to her in preparation for the next contraction: "Just keep holding on, Christine…" She muttered as close as she could get to the brunette's ear. "I need you to hold on so you can have your baby…" She felt the tears finally escape her and Meg sniffed slightly before leaning right into Christine's ear, so she practically breathed the last phrase: "Do it for him…."
At this she felt the muscles of the hand clasped within her own tighten and the pale face turned to look at Meg. She gave Christine a knowing smile and lightly kissed her clammy forehead, knowing she needed her support more than ever, before crouching back at the bedside level with their hands.
The brunette blinked for a moment before the cloudiness that had taken her eyes was removed, letting the sparkle return within the pale green. The corners of her coral lips turned up slightly in, what Meg assumed, was appreciation. But then, Christine's attention was taken as her face crumpled in pain.
"Time to push," The doctor ordered gruffly.
Christine squeezed Meg's hand with all her strength as she bore down, teeth clenched and eyes closed as she leant forward. After a few seconds she collapsed backwards, taking in shallow and rapid breathes as she tried to regain energy before she was suddenly overtaken by the need to push once more.
Meg watched this happen four more times, each one taking more of Christine's life from her. By now, her friend seemed a mere shadow of earlier that day – or now she thought of it the previous day – with her hair tangled and sweaty, her skin waxy and her eyes bloodshot. She was alarmed as she watched Christine droop when she fell back this time, her eyelids fluttering and her breathing rough and desperate.
"One more time, that last push didn't seem too do anything." The doctor called out, his focus entirely beneath the sheet at the end of the bed. Madame Giry and Marie were both watching him intently and so neither noticed, as Meg did, Christine's rapid decline.
"No, no, no…" Meg whispered as she watched Christine's head roll over to face the door, letting out a light sigh as though she were ready to lose this clash with childbirth. Meg was about to release her friend's hand and tilt her head toward her, pleading with her once again to keep going and to battle on. The tears rolled down as she tried to peel back Christine's fingers when she noticed the girl shift. Turning her attention back to her friend, she saw the soprano had pulled herself up, as though trying to sit, but her attention was focused beyond the other side of the bed.
Meg quickly followed Christine's line of sight and her eyes reached the door just in time to see the shadowy figure step back and out of her view. She remained watching the spot where Erik had disappeared, until she felt the tight grip of Christine's fingers against her own once more, the nails embedding in the flesh of her palm.
Looking down, she noted more determination than there had been at any point that night now set in her friend's face, as though the sight of her self-proclaimed 'angel' brought her power. The push lasted twice as long as those previous, about ten seconds, and Meg couldn't help but be impressed at the strength Christine clearly possessed to give such a great final* effort.
As the exhausted young woman shrunk back onto the pillows once more, her face now bright with colour and fresh sweat after mere moments, Meg couldn't help but marvel at the sudden transformation. A heavy silence fell over the room as all four occupants awaited a sound they all desperately wanted to come…
…And then, as the cries finally began to fill the air, a great sense of joy swept through them all.
%%%
Sorry for the lack of update – I've been struggling to write this chapter well enough for me to like it :/ I'm hoping that the next few chapters will work much better and soon enough I'll have to start thinking about continuing the storyline cause otherwise I'll run out of story (don't worry, I have an idea for the rest of it… I think :L)
Anyways enjoy, and please review cause it makes me happy (:
And if you enjoy this, please go check out my new Phantom related story (currently a oneshot) – Come To The Angel – it explores Christine's arrival at the Opera House and if I continue then I may change the storyline or just continue it as a lead up to POTO – anyway please read!