May 26th 1882

Christine let out a sigh of relief at the sounds of crying and finally any feelings of impending doom she'd felt flooding through her had washed away. Instead an intense bliss settled in her heart as she shifted herself up slightly, trying to get comfortable whilst straining to catch a first glimpse of her child at the same time. The thankful expressions on all of the faces around her were a reminder of how disastrous this whole thing could've been but right now Christine didn't care about that. She felt tears trail down her cheeks as she watched Madame Giry swaddle the squirming infant in a peach-coloured sheet that had somehow remained clean throughout the night, her normally stern expression softening as she did so. Finally as she saw the woman make to hand over the bundle, Christine lifted her weary arms and excitedly looked down as she nestled the blankets close to her breast.

A heart-shaped, delicate face was cushioned between the folds of material, the lips a delicate pink and puckered beneath an adorable button nose. Christine found the energy to bring her hand round to the baby's head, lightly brushing back the wisps of chestnut hair similar to her own, and as she did so the baby's eyes finally fluttered open. If the new mother had still had any uncertainty about paternity then the striking ghostly-blue eyes would've confirmed it – however in Christine's case this was only further evidence of what she knew to be true. Yet this reminder did not make her feel guilty or sick as all the others had over the past months, nor did it make her want to forget and play at happy families with Raoul like normal. Instead Christine beamed at the miracle she held, fresh tears welling up, as she planted an affectionate kiss to the fragile forehead of her premature newborn.

"It's a girl," Madame Giry spoke gently and brought to Christine's attention the fact that she was being watched. The brunette let out a slight laugh, perhaps in shock though she wasn't sure, before looking back to the daughter she now cradled lovingly – her daughter.

"Oh Christine," Meg sat carefully on the edge of the bed reaching out a hand to stroke the little girl's head. "She's beautiful, so small too…" Christine smiled grew even wider at the truth in her friends words – this child was a blessing.

"I think you ought to try feeding her, Madame De Chagny," The doctor chipped in with business in his voice, clearly wanting to finish up after a long night and leave them to it. Christine nodded gratefully to him and then watched as he left, with Madame Giry and Marie (whom she'd been unaware was present) following behind.

Left alone with her best friend, Christine slowly passed her daughter to Meg before sitting herself up in a more comfortable position and unbuttoning the front of her dress as best she could given the fact it had apparently been partially torn off her at some point. Tenderly she took the baby back in her arms and supported the petite head as she encouraged the youngster to suckle, with success. A touch on her elbow caused the soprano to turn; Meg was quite clearly enamored with the child already.

"What are you going to name her?" The blonde almost whispered the words before turning her gaze to her friend once more.

Christine nibbled her lip slightly as she looked down at the cherub-like creature she'd created, her thoughts rather cluttered. She tried to think of any of the names she'd found in books whilst spending endless days in the library, awaiting Raoul to finish work. There was only one she could remember: "Isobel…" She tested the name, the feel of it on her tongue and couldn't help but smile. "Yes, she'll be called Isobel."

"What is wrong with you?" Both girls started at the raised voice of the ballet mistress coming from the hallway, clearly angered. They tried to listen closer but Christine only caught one word. "…The Vicomte…"

Her eyes immediately fluttered down to Isobel who'd stopped feeding and lay content, eyes closed, in her mother's safe grasp. Would Raoul be able to tell this perfectly formed baby that she'd carried wasn't his blood, she wondered? Those pale eyes fixated on her again and a grin spread over her daughter's face. Christine chuckled for a moment and lifted a finger to stroke the girl's cheek – Raoul should be the last of her worries, she decided. Perhaps she shouldn't even have to face him again after this, now she knew for sure; how could she face him now she'd born another man's child?

"Christine," She was brought out her thoughts by Meg's voice, milder than usual. "Would you like me to fetch… Well, I mean do you want to see-"

"Erik?" Christine finished the sentence for her friend. "If you wouldn't mind," She gave her friend a grateful look as she disappeared through the door in a cloud of blonde waves and then couldn't help but look back down to Isobel, complete adoration in her eyes. Christine still couldn't quite believe this was really her baby, a part of her and yet also a part of…

The click of the door shutting caused her to look up – and there he stood. Erik was not quite as she remembered him – he seemed more flustered, his skin was paler and he didn't seem as threatening as before. Nonetheless, Christine couldn't help but let her smile grow even wider at the sight of him after all this time and she couldn't help but gain some comfort from his presence.

"It's really you…" She muttered as Erik shifted uncomfortably beneath her gaze and he looked down at the floor, uncertain of what he should do. As more sounds came from the hallway she creased her brow slightly: "What's going on out there?"

"Well…" Erik had started and Christine looked up at him expectantly, glad to have enticed him into conversation so easily. "There was an… an intruder, whilst you were all in here and I may have taken matters into my own hands." He quickly cut in as a gasp escaped her: "No-not like that! I mean, well, I just broke his nose…"

Christine couldn't help but snort slightly at this, causing Erik to look up from the floor and smirk slightly. But as she watched this soon changed to slight guilt and then: "I'm sorry, I lied," He had blurted the words out before she could ask. "I… The intruder wasn't…" Christine frowned as he sighed before meeting her gaze properly again. "It was Raoul…"

She felt her jaw drop, but Christine knew this was just because of Raoul's presence in the house rather than Erik's actions – how could he have followed her here? She'd left long before the party ended and somehow he'd still managed to find her. This rather ruined her plans to remain away from him for a short time. Christine looked down to her daughter who was half-asleep in her aching arms; she needed time to work out what she could do now she'd had Erik's child.

"So," he broke the silence before she'd finished her trail of thought, not that she minded – it would keep her calm. "How have you been? I mean you know, before all this." Erik gestured to the bed and Christine again found herself suppressing laughter – she'd never realized quite how much joy she found with him, she hadn't felt the urge to truly laugh in a long time.

"I've been," For a moment she yearned spill her heart out to him, to tell him how miserable and guilty she'd been every day since she'd left him. She wanted to shout at him for leaving, she wanted to cry to him about how lonely life was with Raoul but most of all she wanted to get up, to embrace him, to feel his familiar lips against her own. But Christine closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath whilst blinking back any tears that'd threatened to spill – it wouldn't be fair to do any of that, not right now. "I've been well, thank you, it's been… It's been a quiet life I suppose." She smiled weakly, knowing she probably wasn't convincing him. "I've missed my voice lessons though, doing scales at the piano alone isn't nearly as fun…"

She looked for a reaction to any of this but instead saw Erik's eyes fixed on the sheets in her arms and her lips turned up in amusement. "You could hold her…" He suddenly looked up to meet her eyes and Christine was surprised to see a slight blush reach his good cheek. She watched as his mind seemed to decide whether this was appropriate but she'd already decided a refusal wasn't an option – she needed him to hold her, to cradle his child, even if it didn't know it.

Warily Erik moved toward the bed and nervously perched on the edge, taking extra care that he didn't cause her any sudden movement. Christine shifted the blankets in her arms careful not to stir Isobel from her light sleep, for it was probably better Erik didn't see the eyes that he would no doubt recognize as his own. She made to pass the bundle to him but his arms remained bolted to his sides, hands in his lap and twiddling his thumbs.

"You don't have to be worried," She spoke kindly to him with an affectionate expression and slowly the haunting blue eyes came to meet hers'. "She won't fuss…"

Erik still looked nervous, like a performer on opening night, but gradually he lifted his arms to the peach blanket and before she knew it he was cradling Isobel like she might break at any second. Christine lifted a hand to rub his arm, surprised to feel him flinch at her touch but not looking up – all Erik's attention was focused on keeping the baby safe, he was a natural…

"What's its name?"

"Oh," Christine had forgotten she was yet to tell him. "It's a girl – I've named her Isobel…"

Erik nodded, still not moving his gaze from the infant in his arms as he visibly shook with nerves. She continued to rub his arm in an attempt to comfort him, peering over his shoulder to ensure the girl's eyes remained firmly shut…

"Where is he?!" Suddenly both of them jumped as they heard the bellowing from the corridor – the unmistakable sound of Raoul's voice. Erik immediately dumped the baby back in Christine's arms and made a break for the door that joined to the kitchen, no doubt to wait until Raoul was out of the hall and dart upstairs. She was so focused on Erik's movements that Christine wasn't paying attention to her daughter fully until the tiny child began to wail, clearly upset after the sudden change of faces. Softly cooing to the girl, Christine lifted her up to her shoulder and rubbed her back soothingly trying to hush her but she already knew it was too late….

"Christine?" His voice came from the doorway in a hushed tone, almost as though he were in awe. Raoul made his way to the bed and Christine tried with all her might and through all her exhaustion to plaster a glad expression across her face, the guilt at the pit of her stomach growing with every step he made.

As her husband sat on the bed, Christine had to be careful not to tumble as the mattress shifted. She didn't want to look at him, she couldn't face those eyes…

"Is this…" She nodded, wondering why he should ask such an unnecessary question.

"It's a girl, Isobel," She muttered under her breath. She felt an arm slip round her back and watched as Raoul lightly touched her daughter's downy brown hair. Christine finally dared to look up and was almost physically hurt by the utter wonder she saw in Raoul's expression – his lopsided smile was as perfect as ever, his dimples showing despite the bandages across his nose, and his hazel eyes were gleaming with what she guessed must be happy tears. She was a horrible person, he was already so invested and she may well have to tell him…

"Our girl," Raoul tested the words and Christine almost physically winced at them. "She's a perfect little beauty, Christine…" He pressed his lips to her damp forehead with a fierce passion that had Christine feeling she might be sick.

The brunette felt overwhelmed by his presence – it was not until she met Meg's eyes over Raoul's shoulder that she felt she may have some control again. Their look shared all of Christine's anguish and in return the sympathy of the ballerina was passed back as they found themselves wondering the same question: how could things possibly progress from here?

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I TOLD YOU IT WOULD BE UP SOON – although this will probably the last in a while as my storyline only has one more chapter planned out after this. However just so you know, it's never abandoned – even if I'm like a grandma and still typing :L I feel my heart break a little every time I have to write Raoul because he's such a sweetheart in this and I know I'm gonna have to have his downfall at some point :( Oh well, I'll get over it – enjoy and please review! :)