Erik felt his heart stop at that one word. You. Was it possible? Was it even fathomable? Did the woman standing in front of him care for him as much as he cared for her? Did her desire reach as far as his did? She looked just as shocked as he did when the word spilled out of her mouth. Her eyes, that look he knew, it was one of desperation and loneness. Everyday his eyes held the same feelings the same look, but they would suddenly disappear when she was near. But the look was there now, begging him, pleading with him not to leave her now.

Oh God, how long had he dreamed of her, wanting him, desiring him? Was this a dream now, another cruel dream? His fingers still held her chin as he wondered, could she possibly even love? A monster, a demon, like him, could she hold even a minuscule place in her heart for him?

"Christine…" He savored the name on his lips as he bent his head for a kiss.

"No." She whispered, as the tears slowly rolled down her cheek. "I have ruined everything."

"No." His lips turned into a slight smile. "You have made everything better." Erik pulled her to him and kissed her.

"This…" Christine broke the kiss. "This cannot be right. You have to stop, now…"

"Why?"

"Because I do not have the strength to deny you." She stared intently into his eyes.

"Then don't." Again he brought her into a searing kiss. He brought his hand to her throat feeling her pulse.

"Erik, please." Her voice begged. "Stop. I cannot…"

"What is wrong?" He looked down at her.

"We cannot do this." She breathed.

"Why ever not?" Erik gave a lit chuckle.

"It…" This had to be her weakest moment in her life. "Its…"

"What, Christine?" He sounded concerned.

"The mask." She felt ashamed, but knew it was something that had to be address; she would know the exact man that made her heart soar and her mind whirl, or she would not know him at all. The feeling of immediate regret filled her as his arms came to his sides and he backed away from her.

"Why?" His eyes became furious. "Why must you be so meddlesome?"

"I have every right to know who I married." Her strength was returning, but her eyes were still rimmed red and face flushed. "And I told you I will be yours when you finally trust me."

"I cannot do that." He stood steadfast.

"I never said that you had to." She replied. "It was a fair warning. I trust you, and can trust that you will say when you are ready, until then I am yours but in spirit."

"If I show you," His head bowed in shame. "You will fear me, you will hate me for forcing you to marry me."

"You did not force me, I came to you on my own freewill." Christine shook her head. "And I could never hate you. As for fearing you, the only thing that I fear from you is that you'll leave me, cold and lonely. You are the only person that I ever spoke to that did not have to do with politics. You gave me my music back. How could I hate or fear you? I sense that even if I tried that I could not."

"How are you so sure?" He asked.

"I don't know." She gave a small laugh. "Perhaps it is because all my life I have been certain of everything I do and now that it is uncertain I feel as though it is right. Does that make any sense?"

"In reality it shouldn't." His eyes met hers for a moment. "But I suppose we have broken all ties from that."

"I suppose so." Her breath came out in a sigh. "I do not want to force you. Forgive me, it was a foolish request." She began to rush past him and he closed his eyes as he took in her sweet rose sent. His life had been nothing but his kingdom and daughter since she came into his life, was he willing to go back to that now? He would know that everyday she would speak to him guardedly; making sure that whatever she said would not indicate the mask. That is exactly what Cecile's mother had done after she asked him.

"Christine…"

"Erik." She turned to face his back. "This changes nothing. You are not ready, I can understand that. What I cannot understand is that you are willing to have intimacy with someone that you do not trust. I suppose it is true what they say about men, that sex is just a way of releasing tension."

"It would not be that way." He looked over his shoulder at her.

"How do you know?" Christine shook her head. "How do I know? And in showing that I do love you, I will be patience, and I will wait for you."

"What?" His body faced her. No one had ever said that they loved him, besides Cecile. Never in his whole life had been loved back like this. Never in his whole life had he loved like this. Christine felt the same, as her heart pounded in her chest. She knew that it was not right to put him out like this, but she had overcome her fears and she prayed that within time he could do the same. Yes she had been patient all these months and yet still no glimpse. She felt as though the mask was a barrier, blocking her out of the actual Erik. But still her mind fought that he needed more time, and she would allow that. As for the kingdom, she knew that her love must be kept secretive otherwise their enemies would use it against them. It did not matter anymore he needed to know.

"I love you, Erik." She said slowly. "I will wait until you are ready."

"How?" He looked at her like she was mad. "You have not seen beneath it! You cannot say that!"

"Perhaps not." Her shoulders shrugged. "But it is my fault for pushing you, trust me it will not happen again. I fell in love with a man not the mask."

"You will run when you see beneath it." His voice shook. "You will scream, curse, and pray that you will never have to see me again."

"No." She disagreed. "That is only in your head, Erik."

"In my head?" He laughed a humorless laugh, and then shouted, nearing her. "In my head? Nothing is in my head, Madame! I have seen it many times! My own parents could not stand to look at me without the damned mask! I know what they say, Christine! They call me monster, demon, freak! My own people call me that!" He took a breath and stopped right in front of her. "Tell me, how can I plan to believe that you will not do the same once you see it?"

"I would have run long before this if I did not receive you." Something in her eyes made him believe every word she said, and the anger began to slowly melt away. He backed away a bit and turned, leaning against the piano.

"My face has not been seen by anyone but Madame Giry and a few others." He said slowly. "It is deformed, and looks as if it belongs on someone that has died long ago…"

"Erik," She sighed. "I do not want you to do this because I want you to, I want you to do this because you feel right…"

"I do." His head bobbed "I am just warning you…"

"I do not need to be warned."

He just nodded again, and steadily took of his mask, still not facing her all the way. Placing the mask down on the piano he turned, with his eyes held shut. Erik listened for the screams but none came, he would almost take them now besides the deafening silence that was occurring. He heard footsteps coming closer, and stop in front of him. Still, he waited for something vile to happen, but it didn't. Instead he felt the tender touch of her soft fingers on his jagged side. They were not harsh and unpleasant, but delicate and tender.

"You always had this?" She questioned.

He nodded.

"It does not hurt, right?"

"No." His voice came out in a whisper, as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Its red from the mask." She pointed out. "The skin cannot breathe with you always keeping it away from some air. You should let it out more, and then it would not look so red. Perhaps when we are alone you can."

Again Erik just nodded. He did not know what to say, no one had ever reacted like this. It was almost as if she was interested in the morbidity of it. And he felt a gentle kiss on his deformed cheek. A single tear rolled down from his eyes.

"You're still Erik." Christine let herself a small smile. "And I still love you."

That broke the barrier between them as he pressed the small-framed woman to him, kissing her with such force that he became afraid he was going to break her. He stopped and leaned her head against his own.

"Thank you." He whispered, and seized her mouth once again. A knock at the door broke the kiss.

"Majesty." It was Madame Giry.

"Yes?" Erik called, quickly putting his mask on.

"I need her Majesty." She said. "Lady Jane is here to speak with her."

"I will be right there." Christine answered, wiping the tears from her face. She hastily kissed Erik and went towards the door, but he caught her hand and pulled her into a very passionate kiss.

"I truly love you Christine." He told her. "Please, never let that be questioned."

"It won't be." She smiled and hurried out the door with a small smile on her face.


As much as I would like to update this twice like my other story I cannot do that with this one because its not finished. But please reviews are always nice and I really like them! Wish me luck on my trips! Hopefully I'll update in ten days! please don't be mad if I don't! PLEase and thank yOU!

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