Don't own anything.

Erik

Entry 8

I held her closer to me as she pushed against me, as though she was trying to get inside my body.

I did not mind, so I helped her in her goal and held her tighter, happiness filling me at having her so close to me. I began to slowly stroke her long hair, loving the feel of it again my bare hands.

One of us needed to break the silence so I decided that it would be me, we could not stand like this all night, though I may have wished me could. So I asked her the simplest and safest question that I could.

Had she missed me?

Though I could tell that she had and Madame Giry had told me so I did not quite realize how much I needed to hear the words from her own lips.

She had missed me, I felt a wave of relief at hearing this.

I apologised softly to her, feeling regret for having left her alone for so long when it had clearly caused her a lot of pain. As much as it has caused me.

I felt her stir in my arms and she moved away from me.

No I did not want her to move, I did not want to let her go.

She looked up into my face and I felt ashamed of my mask, but she was not staring at the white leather that adorned half my face instead she was looking into my eyes, her own being filled with wonder and worry.

Her small hand rose to my face and closed around my bare cheek. A feeling of bliss filled me at her touch and I leaned into her hand raising my own and placing it over hers, pushing my face into her palm I closed my eyes. Content.

Then came the question that I had been dreading.

"Why did you stay away so long?" she asked me softly "I have missed you so much."

I opened my eyes to look at her puzzled face and slowly took her hand from my face holding it between us as I tried to think of a reply.

Finally I settled on my answer.

"I thought that you would hate me." not only hate me, but despise and loath, I added inside my head.

"No, no, of course I do not hate you. Why would you think that?" she answered me passionately, shock filling her voice as she looked at me in utter confusion.

My heart swelled in the knowledge that she did not hate me and by the look on her face she never had.

I had posed as an angel for all these years, deceiving her.

She shook her head at my explanation and wrapped her arms around me once more. Happiness filled me yet again as I felt her arms around me.

She then told me that she was grateful for having me in her life, she did not care how it had came about,that I had been there when she had needed someone to care for her (if only she knew how mush I loved her).

She took in a deep breath looking at me, her expression indecisive.

I did not know what she was doing as she moved towards me and standing on her toes she placed her hand on my shoulders leaning into me.

Then she whispered.

"I love you."

My heart stopped beating and everything seemed to slow down.

She continued to lean towards me and then her soft lips fell onto mine and I froze.

She loved me.

She. Loved. ME.

I had never in my life expected to hear those words form her lips.

I had expected to love her from a distance and watch as some gentleman like that boy swooped in and carryed her of.

I felt her move away from me, but I could not allow it.

I took her in my arms, holding her tightly.

I half expected her to pull away from me but she did not, instead her arms wrapped around my neck as I kissed her in return, losing myself in the moment.

She loved me, she loved me.

My heart was singing with joy.

"Christine."

She stiffened in my arms and we broke away from each other, but I would not let her go completely and kept my arms around her waist.

That boy.

"Christine."

By the faint sound of his voice he was climbing the staircase.

I looked at Christine, her eyes shining with joy. Joy that I had put there.

I pulled her to me once more and kissed her forehead.

"I have to go."

Her grip on me tightened but she nodded her head in understanding, releasing me slowly.

I pulled away from her and ran for one of the statues that covers the roof of the opera, and hid myself behind it just as the door of the roof opened revealing the vicomte.

"Christine, what are you doing up here?" his voice drifted to me and I felt my muscles clench.

"I though you were tired and going to bed." he added. I peered around the statue to see him wrap his arm around Christine shoulders and lead her towards the door.

I felt a twinge of joy as she turned to glance in my direction, smiling.

"I needed some air Raoul." she answered him softly.

"Well I will escort you to the dormitories." he told her.

I felt my anger rise.

"No Raoul, I need to go to the chapel." she said softly as he opened the door.

"It is getting late Raoul, go home, I will be fine." she continued her voice fading away as they vanished from my sight.

My mind reeled with what had just occurred.

Christine loved me, she had kissed me, she loved me.

But then it occurred to me, I had never told her how I felt. That stupid boy had appeared.

The chapel, she was going to the chapel.

Quickly I made my way through the silent theatre not bothering with the passages behind the walls but sticking to the empty corridors.

I approached the chapel to see Christine standing before the candelabra a candle lit before the picture of her father.

Her head twitched to the side and I knew that she knew it was me.

I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her small waist as she swayed against my chest her head resting on my shoulder.

I leaned in close to her ear.

"I love you to, my angel."

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