Things Less Than Likely

He wanted to die, here and now, alone in this rundown cabin in the countryside. Christine had left him, married the fop, and now he was stuck here in this blizzard. He lay beneath the one flimsy blanket he's found, shivering.

For a second his heart leapt with hope as the door he lay facing rattled open. Christine had come for him! He immediately fell back into the depths of despair as it turned out to be a sobbing redheaded woman. She turned toward him and let out a horrified gasp. Erik leapt up, instantly recognizing one of the people he blamed for his downfall, none other than La Carlotta herself.

He rushed her, ready to end her pathetic life and get some revenge before he to had to face his maker. The woman screamed and covered her belly as he approached, causing him to look down and freeze in mid-stride. The woman before him was quite clearly quite pregnant. He let his arms hang uselessly at his sides and gaped at her.

She instantly began to sob. "Please Monsieur Phantom, don't kill me. I'm going to have a baby. Please let me stay the night in this place. My carriage has broken down and the driver disappeared some hours ago."

She'd die if he forced her out into the storm, he knew it. Inwardly he groaned, as much as he hated the Spanish peacock, he knew he couldn't kill her and her unborn child. "Fine, but don't speak to me."

A smile lit her features and she threw her arms around him. "Thank you Monsieur, thank you!"

She went and sat on the floor as far away from him as possible, and humming to herself, began to take down her sodden red locks. Erik studied her with disdain for a moment before retuning to his post and pulling the blanket around himself, hoping she'd just disappear.

Some minutes later, the humming had subsided and an eerie silence fell between them, punctuated by the occasional sniffle or chatter of teeth.

"She should have the blanket you jackass…but she's Carlotta…but she's a pregnant woman." Erik argued with himself for some minutes before grudgingly pulling himself up and stalking towards her. He dropped the blanket across her shoulders and pulled it tight. "You need to stay warm." He said tersely as she turned toward him looking frightened.

He returned to his spot and let the silence return. "Thank you Monsieur."

"Your welcome…Is the child Piangi's then?"

"Si."

"I'm sorry."

"It is alright Monsieur, you payed for your crimes that night, she left you." Though he sure she was only saying such a thing for the sake of peace, it assuaged his aching conscience greatly. He sighed and lay down on the floor, drifting off into a fitful slumber.

The sound of the off key mutilation of one of Rossini's arias awoke him. Carlotta was still awake and was singing just as shrilly as ever. One glance at her face told him that not all was well. Her skin had taken on a pale almost blue tone. He scooted across the floor towards her.

"Are you feeling, um, well?" He lightly brushed his hand against her cheek, encountering what felt more like ice than skin.

"I'm fine, really." She smiled, believing her own words.

"Christ, hypothermia, she'll lose the baby at this rate."

"Would you mind if I got under the blanket with you…it's…very cold?"

"Alright, but no funny business mind you." Her look conveyed to him that she really might not mind some funny business with the opera ghost.

He allowed her to throw the blanket around and he wrapped his arms around her. "Monsieur, what is your name?"

"Erik, just Erik." Funny how Christine could never be bothered to ask his name.

"I hope we'll be good friends after this Erik, you can help me rebuild my career."

"Ever the ambitious bitch" Still, her words brought the glimmer of a smile to his lips.

"Would you sing for me Erik, you have such a lovely voice."

"I suppose I could do that." He began to sing a lullaby to the hypothermic Spanish diva he would have sworn that he hated up until this moment in time.

Carlotta drifted off into slumber in his arms, her deep brown eyes fluttering peacefully closed. For a long time he watched her rhythmic breathing, amazed at how lovely she could look when she was not strutting about like a peacock. He ran his finger along her cheek bone down to gently caress her full lips. Delicately he placed a kiss on the top of her head. Maybe there was more to this woman than he'd once thought, and just maybe they'd be good friends after all.