So...you know when your CD has a scratch on it and it starts repeating the same part of the word or a certain note until it drives you crazy? Sounds kinda like 'tch tch tch tch i i i i i t t t t b b b ur ur ur ur n n n' Well that is one of the many many things that annoy me to no end. Another thing that annoys me is when an author writes a story and then just leaves it so that I'm left guessing what will happen...for months...until they come back...Okay I think we all get the point here. I have left this story for a VERY long time. I am so very sorry for that. I have had a busy semester, and I thought it would help me be inspired to write. But it robbed me of time and my inspiration for this story went straight into the abyss. I have commited a horrible crime and I deserve to have my fingernails pulled out. I can't tell you how horrible and stupid I feel for leaving this phic for so long. I only hope you can forgive me and continue to read. I hope that I can get back on the horse and continue writing and pleasing you wonderful readers. Yeah, I'm out of the habit of writing as well so be patient with spelling. And since I'm just now jumping back into this story the chapter may suck. On that note... And now! The new chapter!
I do not own POTO ( I will no longer be writing disclaimers since its obvious I dont own this stuff)
Christine looked into Erik's face, completely unphased. She smiled gently and stroked his sunken cheek, trying to convey all of her love through that touch. How could she care about his face? How could she punish him for what was not even his fault? She kissed his forehead, trying very hard to make him understand that she didn't care what his face looked like. She then got up from his chair and moved to sit beside him on the sofa. She curled up beside him and put a hand on his knee. He would come to realize some day that his face did not effect her love for him.
Erik could hardly beleive it. She had not screamed or run upon removing his mask in the light. A smile spread across his face once the initial disbeleif had worn off. Christine now sat beside him on the sofa with her hand on his knee. He placed an arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head, she leaned even more into him and he rested his head on hers. He felt like a normal man with his lovely lady. He closed his eyes and inhaled the perfume of her hair, contented by her presence.
However, there was another who was not so content. Raoul de Chagny sat in the room formerly belonging to Christine. The whole place seemed empty without her, and there was an ache in his chest as he recalled all they had been through together. After she had left him at their wedding, he had been stunned. He had hardly been aware of the man who had led him out of the the theatre and back to his home. It had been weeks since that occurance, and he still felt a sharp pang in his chest when he remembered it. Then he'd seen Christine in the doorway of Mama Valerius' flat...with a man. A man with golden eyes and a realistic mask. He had hardly beleived it at first. She had disappeared from his life, only to go back to him. The thought of it bewildered him. Of course he had confroted her, nearly forgetting who she was with.
Raoul's eyes had locked with the gold ones that looked up from Christine to glare at him. He noticed that though Erik was glaring, the malice that had once been in his eyes was gone. It was replaced by a controlled protectiveness. The insanity and hatred was gone from his gaze, and it seemed to transfer itself into Raoul's heart, for he now hated that man more than anything. He immediately suspected treachery on Erik's part and wished to speak with Christine alone. Erik left them, but Raoul did not miss the possessiveness in his touch as he brushed his fingers over her cheek.
He had tried desperately to talk sense into Christine, but he only succeeded in making her angry. Fortunately, the conversation had ended on a more peaceful note and a request on his part to speak with Erik. He stood and looked up at the masked man with the dignity he had left, and told him what he had to say. Then he had left. He had wandered around the city for hours, until it was dark. He had then returned to his home and gone into Christine's room, lying down on the bed she had once occupied. He had fallen asleep fully clothed and woken up to find the clothing all wrinkled and askew. He couldn't have cared less.
He had no idea how long he had slept, and he really didn't care. He sat up on the edge of the bed and buried his face in his hands. He was void of emotion and felt empty. He sat with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands for several hours. He had done nothing but sit there. He hadn't even thought of anything. His mind was blank. However, he eventually found the will to get up and change out of his wrinkled clothes. He donned a nice suit and once again went out onto the streets of Paris, a considerable amount of money in his coat pocket. He walked at a brisk pace, not really noticing the people he bumped into. He had no destination, but he was determined to do something and not mope around to wallow in his misery.
He halted in front of the entrance to a nicer pub, considering the possiblities. However, he shook his head, quickly dismissing the thought. However, he did go into a fine restaurant and ordered a glass of white wine. The small amount of alcohol created a warm buzz in him, but his thoughts were not affected by the drink. He actually felt as though his head was clearer. He left money to pay the bill and a tip on his table, then exited the restaurant. He resumed his walk at a more calm pace and enjoyed the warm air of spring against his face. His world was not ending. Christine was right. He did not want to love a woman who did not feel the same way for him. It would not have been fair to either of them.
As Raoul de Chagny strolled the streets of Paris, Christine Daae slept peacefully on the sofa in the house by the lake. Her head rested in Erik's lap and he stroked her hair as he began to doze off himself. The pain in his head had started to return, and sleep had cured it for the most part the last time it had happened. He observed Christine as she slept for a moment, the rise and fall of her chest, the barely noticible sound of air entering her slightly parted lips. His own lips began to tingle and he felt the horrid urge to kiss her while she was asleep. To touch her. She was like a drug, and he needed to have every ounce of her. Erik fought the vile thoughts away as best he could.
But his efforts were in vain, as he was constantly reminded of how close she was to him. The weight of her head being supported by his lap. Her hair splayed over his legs. Her feathery breaths escaping her mouth. She shifted in her sleep and unconsciously curled closer to him. He wanted to scream at these feelings to drive them away. His entire body shook. It was like he was having to physically restrain himself to keep his hands off of her. He wanted nothing more than to escape. To run away from her temptation. He whimpered as she shifted again, a soft sigh coming from her mouth as she cuddled up to him.
"Christine," the name emerged as a cracked whisper as Erik gripped the armrest of the sofa.
Erik's heart pounded in his chest and he squeezed his eyes shut to try and forget that Christine was there at all. But he eventually peeked from beneath his eyelids to look at his angel. His eyes went straight to lips. She had kissed him before. What would be so wrong about giving her a little kiss as she slept? Just a sweet gesture to let her know that she was loved and guarded. Nothing more. There was absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Erik leaned down to press his lips to hers. He was mere centimeters away when she shifted again. Erik felt his eyes roll back in his head as the scent of her hair and breath wafted into his nose. A shudder ran through his body and he sat bolt upright with a small growl. His mind raced and his whole body seemed to throb with the beat of his heart. She was so perfect...
"God help me..." Erik murmered a tear escaping his eye. "No, help her..."
"Erik?" Christine ran a hand through her hair as she woke up.
"Yes, Christine?" he struggled to form coherent words as he watched her stretch and yawn.
"Nothing," she smiled and tilted her head, giving him that look.
Erik felt like shooting himself. He knew that everything he was feeling was being read like a book in his eyes.
Christine looked into Erik's eyes and saw a whirlwind of emotion. His eyes burned into her with an emotion that she could not place, and it unnerved her. She felt self- conscious and shifted where she sat on the sofa. Erik twitched visibly and his eyes raked over her body, that same odd look in his eyes. She felt naked under his powerful stare, and she was frightened now.
"Erik?" she started, her voice shaky. "Are you alright?"
"Christine..." he all but growled, sending shivers up and down her spine.
She scooted away from him on the sofa, keeping her eyes locked on him.
"Erik, what is wrong?" her voice fluttered as he moved closer to her.
Christine was horrified. She was pressed against the armrest of the sofa and Erik seemed to hover over her, his crazed eyes searing into her own.
"Erik," Christine's lip trembled and she had to pause before speaking again. "I'm scared. You're scaring me, Erik."
"Oh Christine..." Erik's voice was sweet and absolutely intoxicating. "You are so beautiful."
"Erik..." Christine could feel herself shaking, tears building in her eyes. "Please stop. I'm so scared."
Erik couldn't control himself. Something had slipped and he no longer had any control. Christine was at God's mercy. All he knew was that she was staring up at him and she looked so incredibly beautiful. She was speaking but all that he registered was the sweet sound of her voice.
"Erik please!" he heard her now. Her sweet voice was near hysterical. "Stop! I'm so frightened! Please!"
Tears ran down her face and she was trembling violently. Pure fear was in her eyes. Erik knew she was in absolute horror. But he could not stop himself.
"There is no need to be afraid, dear Christine," he chuckled. "If you'd only trust me..."
Christine let tears flow freely. She cried and tried her best to keep her mind collected. He had not laid a hand on her, and she was weeping like an infant. She was pathetic and she knew it. She sniffed a few times and tried to blink away the tears. But he only continued to stare at her. Like a predator stares down its prey. Her stomach flipped and a new round of tears threatened to pour from her eyes.
If you'd only trust me...
She had said those very words to him in the tunnels after he had been terrified that she would remove his mask. Now she knew how he felt. She swallowed her fear enough to speak.
"I trust you, Erik." she whispered.
Erik felt a smile tug at his lips as he heard those words. A low chuckle built in his chest and came up to his throat as he bent over Christine's still shaking body and kissed her face where the tears had been. He kissed away all the teardrops that had collected on her face, then used his thumbs to wipe away the tear streaks. She flinched at his touch and he stroked her hair and face with the tips of his fingers to try and calm her.
"There is no need to fear your Erik, Christine," he said sweetly. "Erik would never let anything bad happen to you."
Christine had been making an effort to calm herself. It had been working until he had started speaking in third person. It had caused her to freeze, making her incapable of movement. Something was wrong. Erik would never to this to her if he realised how incredibly scared she really was. But evidently, Erik was not in his right mind. She remembered his headache the previous day. He said it had been a slight headache. Could that be a contributor to his behavior now? She gasped as she felt the tips of his fingers on neck, just below her ear.
Christine wondered if it would be wise to trust him in his state.
No! No! No! Stop this, Erik! Look at Christine! Stop!
Erik had been shoving the annoying thoughts away while he admired Christine, but he figured his thoughts were usually correct, so he raised up a bit to get a better look at her. The blood drained from his face as he saw what he had caused. Christine had tearstains down her cheeks and all the color had left her face. She was pressed against the arm of teh sofa. She was trapped. He was trapping her. Her eyes were locked on him and it was as though she was afraid to look away. She was afraid, and that was the end of it. The only move she made was the constant shaking that was quite visible to Erik. He beheld his hand, which was stroking the soft skin of her neck.
Erik shook his head and tore his hand away from Christine. He all but jumped off the sofa, tripping over his own feet and stumbling back a few feet. Upon regaining his balance he looked up at Christine. She had moved into a sitting position on the sofa, her eyes showing concern, but also wariness.
"Erik?" she inquired hesitantly. "Are..."
"Oh Christine!" Erik nearly sobbed, hysterical. "Tell me I did not hurt you! Tell me you are unharmed! Please, Christine! Tell me you are alright!"
"Erik you did not hurt me! I am fine!" She stood from the sofa and moved toward Erik.
Erik stepped back a few more feet to distance himself from Christine stopped coming toward him.
"Please forgive me, Christine," Erik stuttered. "I do not know what I was thinking. I did not mean to do it! Please beleive me!"
"Erik I do beleive you," Christine said gently, all the wariness gone from her eyes. "What happened?"
"I do not know," Erik shook his head, looking down at his trembling hands. "You were so beautiful when you were sleeping...I could hardly resist the urge to touch you. But I did! I would never touch you when you were unable to defend yourself! But when you woke up...it was as though I lost all self control. Oh Christine! I never meant to do this to you! I will never touch you again if you will only forgive me! Thank God I did not hurt you...Oh Christine..."
Erik tried to support himself by holding onto one of his chairs, but his attempt was unsuccessful. He fell to his knees on the floor and covered his face as he wept. He had practically attacked Christine. She could never forgive him for that. She had trusted him, and for what? None of it mattered anymore. She was going to leave and he was going to be alone again. The thought of it wasfor him. But he had brought it upon himself. It was his own fault. Nobody to blame but himself.
Christine watched as Erik crumpled onto the floor and began to sob. She did not know what had happened just then, but she knew that it would never happen again. Erik would not allow himself to lose control again. She moved to his side and sat on the floor beside him. She placed a hand on his shoulder, but he flinched away from her touch. She refused to give up and instead began rubbing his back. He continued to cry, but made an effort to calm down. Once he had stopped, Christine took his hand in both of hers and set it in her lap. She looked up to try and meet his eyes but he had turned his head away from her. She reached up and cupped his cheek, turning his head so she could see his face and eyes.
Christine immediately searched his eyes. She saw multiple feelings; shame, sadness, but mostly his eyes were pleading with her.
"Erik," Christine started, running her hand through his sparse hair. "You did not hurt me. I was only frightened. I love you. There is nothing you can do to change that."
With that, she pulled him in for a kiss. At first Erik was reluctant to react, but after a moment when he was more secure he relaxed and it was only natural to respond. Christine smiled into his mouth and ran her tounge over his bottom lip.
The two kissed, Erik trying to earn and forgiveness and Christine trying to assure him that it was given.
Christine enjoyed the sensation of the kiss, but it was darkened by the fact that she knew there was something wrong with the man she loved. She vowed to care for him and keep him safe from everything he may have to face, whether it be the world or a cold. She loved him and she would not let anything or anyone take him from her. She loved him.
Erik was hers. To have and to hold. For richer or poorer. I sickness and in health. Till death did they part.
Yes, she loved him.
Thank you all for reading! Merry Christmas to you all, and I am sorry the update is so short. Please review! Once again Merry Christmas!