A/N: *sighs* seems that s the last chapter...
I want to thank everyone for reviewing and supporting me and this story: vanilla, The Ashes Fan, MarcoHietala'sAngel, Daae-Phantom-Love, DarkMage6, 123456, a super cool reader, gunners7, Queen Madisyn of Narnia, Melstrife, PhantomPhoenix, MmeButterfly, Jade Wiliams, s.e tudor, I-BabyJane-I, Balack88, ..Wonderland, IamthePhantomoftheOpera, ABC, Erik's Phantomess, Musical Maryann, Lothiel, Ankhsenamun, Me, Epic Insanity, Rikku Ree, TwilightLoversetc, girl, green-eyed-owl, the yellow flower, funny girl, witch-of-the-west9482, RibbonRose, DaFatGnome, LonesomeGurlAngelOfDeath, Sparkhouse, gerardsfan, crazyverycrazy, Nataliia, Erik'sNewChristine, liVe-yOur-fAntasY, atlgirl76, bayu. kaling, nasikari, momoxradtastic, Salina tambi campuran Kaling, FineEyes, XxAniketosxX, Kuroneko, Wandering-Phantom, PhantomOperaStar and TheTamster.
But most importantly, I want to thank XxxCherikxxX :)... thank you, sweetheart, for everything you ve done for me :)! without your support i would have never uploaded this story on FFN... IOU a great deal :)... thanks again...
Erm... Let's get down to business ;)...
For my anonymous reviewers :D :
MarcoHietala'sAngel: hahaha... yes you re right, but don t forget that Carlotta never showed to him her 'real' self... xDxDxD...
hmmm...*thinks*... i think that "Dark chest of Wanders" is the song for this chapter... especially the line ''All the burdens gone..." ;D... hope you enjoy it...
123456: hehe... you re right :D... thank you so much for reviewing :)!
ABC: thanks :D! hope you enjoy it :)...
PhantomPhoenix: hahaha... it is never really late for anything xD... i loved your idea veeeery much... i laughed so hard just by imagining it :)...
i m really so glad you like my story... thank you very much :)!
Me: xDxDxD thank you :D!
MmeButterfly: aaah... she will, don t worry xDxDxD... thanks for reviewing :)!
gunners7: aaaaaw... thank you so much for your wondrful review! i hope i was quich enough to respond xD ;)... here's your chapter :D...
Kuroneko: thank you very much... hope you ll enjoy the ending too :)...
Melstrife: yes! Erik decided to act like a man , at last ;P... i m so glad you enjoyed :D! thank you :)...
Balack88: don t worry, don t worry she will, but i won t say anything more xDxDxD... enjoy the chapter :D!
vanilla: hehe... yes Erik was very cute in the last chapter :)... thanks for reviewing :)…
Behold... the last chapter of Judging by the Cover... ENJOY!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PotO or the main plot of the story.
Judging by the cover
Chapter 16: A chance, a mask and the epilogue of a love-story
"Give me a chance...a chance to show you how things should have been between us from the very first moment. Please, Christine..." Erik's words were echoing in Christine's head.
"What are you trying to tell me?" she murmured confused.
"I am trying to tell you with words what my soul, my heart and body have already told you, my precious, unique love. And of course you guessed it from the first time we made love, didn't you?"
Christine stared at his eyes bewitched and felt her heart beating with happiness. His body had indeed made sure to show her, in its own way, the love Erik was talking about. Suddenly, she felt her cheeks flush as desire and longing were waking again inside her.
"I thought it was just sex." She babbled uncomfortably, and she felt even more uncomfortably when Erik burst into laughter. "What did I say this time?" she questioned offended.
"Oh, my love... my little angel... Even if I hadn't any proof of your innocence, what you said just now, would have been enough to convince me. Because no experienced woman would claim that what happened between us was simply sex." He paused, smiled at her and gave her a soft kiss on the lips "But what's the point on explaining? You and I will never have 'just sex'. Because we will always make love Christine... one gentle and wonderful love during our entire life."
He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, the girl was staring at him in awe, then he opened them and they locked gazes "I... I love you Christine..."
Christine couldn't mouth a single word for several moments. She just stared at him and Erik frowned.
"Christine, please... Say something, swear me if you want to but please speak to me..."
"Oh Erik... my love..." Christine whispered as Erik was holding her tightly on his body.
Erik's smile reached his eyes after listening to her words. He picked her up in his arms, bridal style, and walked towards the bed.
"No, Erik, we can't..." she protested when he started removing her clothes "All my clean clothes are packed, I would have nothing to wear... and..."
"Perfect!" Erik said in satisfaction without moving away from her "Because I cannot imagine anything I would want more than to hold you naked in my arms, knowing that there's no way to escape from me."
Christine grinned and Erik started kissing her, but accidentally she touch his mask and he pulled away abruptly...
...
"Erik..."
He closed his eyes firmly "Christine, don't even think of it. Anything but that my love, please. I don't want to lose you… not because of this." He sighed and rose carefully.
"Erik, no... It really doesn't matter to..."
"No! Never ask me that Christine..." he interrupted her.
"How do you expect to share my life with someone who is hiding from me? Please, my love..." her voice was pleading.
Erik turned away "Why do you insist? You already know there's a deformity underneath... isn't that enough?"
Christine bit her lip and thought of telling him that she had already seen him and she had no problem. Yes, it was shocking, but she loved him. But no... She wanted to find out if he would trust her enough as to show her...
So she rose too from bed and stood on her knees behind Erik, who was now sitting at the bed's edge.
"No, it s not enough." She caught his hands that hid his face. "Because I want to... watch your expressions as I make love to you." She recalled something he had told her "All of your expressions." She said meaningfully.
Erik was stunned and turned to face her. Christine didn't lose her time and put her hand onto his mask locking gazes with him... he flinched but didn't pull away.
"Just… just do it slowly..." he begged her and closed his eyes for one more time.
Christine chuckled softly "I won't hurt you..." she brought her face closer to his "I promise..." she whispered on his lips and kissed him. She felt him relax and ever so gently she pulled his mask. Erik let a sudden cry as her hands touched his deformity, but she swallowed it in her kiss. Then he became more confident and deepened the kiss...
When they finally broke apart Erik was blushing and Christine giggled.
"But how?" he wondered.
"Easily... It's part of you..." she kissed him suckling his tongue into her mouth "But can I confess something?" she nibbled his earlobe.
Erik was too caught up with surprise to answer, so she moved on making sure she was hugging him close "I had seen your face before..."
Erik inhaled sharply and looked into her eyes...
"Wh... Where?" he mumbled.
"He looks so vulnerable... I think I love him even more now." She thought and smiled. "The night before we made love... yesterday… you were swimming and I woke up. Then I saw you."
Erik bit his bottom lip "You mean that we made love after you saw my face?" the girl nodded happily "Oh, my little angel what would I do without you? You are my life's greatest gift." Christine smiled and caressed his puckered skin.
He nuzzled his face in her hand and smiled as he heard her giggling. "Oh god! I don't want to think what could have happened if I had lost you. And it would be entirely my fault, I am sor..." She put a finger onto his lips.
"Hush... No need to think of such things. We are together now." She ensured him.
"Christine I... I want to share something with you... about my life..." he sighed and moved on "My... My parents and Carlot..." she cut him once again...
"I know... Antoinette thought as a fiancée of yours I knew, so we had a little talk."
Erik ran his hands through his hair nervously. "I can't believe it..." he said in awe but abruptly he turned serious. "I am going to have a serious talk with her! And whoever told her about those things... she wasn't supposed to know... not yet."
He immediately caught Christine's panicked expression and he laughed making her laugh too.
Christine sighed and sat finally on his lap resting her head on his shoulder... then a playful smirk dressed her face. "Do you know what else I saw the night I saw your face?"
He was taken aback and shook his head.
"Mmmm..." she murmured as she shifted closer to his ear. Immediately her hands travelled slowly down from his chest... to his stomach... hips and finally reached his belt.
Erik's eyes darkened with desire as she licked playfully his neck.
Soon, he was back to his normal passionate self, as with a roar he turned Christine onto her back and rested his body on hers.
She laughed at the sudden movement, but as soon as he settled himself at her natural cradle and grinded her core slightly she left a hiss and pulled his face to hers.
...
After some time of kissing and teasing, Erik left a growl at Christine's playfulness and she giggled.
"You sound like a lion." She said onto his lips.
"I am! And a very hungry one." He mumbled and bit her neck.
At the meantime, he had removed Christine's dress and she was now laying only in her panties and bra.
"You shouldn't play with your food you know."
"Shouldn't I?" Erik smiled devilishly and started moving downwards, his lips caressing every inch of her body.
Christine followed his movement till she was almost sitting, resting on her elbows, in a pose that made her breasts rise up towards him.
Very carefully he removed her bra.
"Such beauty..." His words were barely audible.
Right then he dipped his head and started kissing her soft flesh. His feather-light kisses brought tears to her eyes. She felt so loved at this moment.
Very soon he moved to her navel and hips till he reached the place he was aiming for.
Christine's panties were removed almost immediately and she turned her head blushing.
Erik chuckled and leaned forward to really see her for the first time.
The girl saw his hungry gaze and before she good stop him, with a flick of his tongue he tasted her...
She squealed and grabbed Erik's hands for dear life. She hadn't felt such intense pleasure before.
"Pure nectar..." he thought while loving her wet centre with his tongue.
Christine moaned incoherent words at his attack and then, out of the blue, his laps turned slower and gentler...
"My sweet angel, what did I do to you?" he said, but Christine couldn't hear him.
Erik closed his eyes and continued stroking, learning, discovering and exploring her secrets gently, like he was trying to make her forget the pain he had caused her a few hours before with his sexual assault... like his lips and tongue could ease that pain...
"Please ... please ..." she said, pulling him up to face her.
He listened her breathing changing into a faster rhythm. She was almost there and he wanted to be with her at that moment... inside her, feeling her...
With light's speed he undressed and lied on top of her.
"I have never known anything so ready, so welcoming... all for me, my beautiful angel. Are you ready my love?" he pecked her sweetly and positioned himself at her entrance.
Christine cupped both his cheeks and rose to meet his lips. The moment before touching, she whispered a soft "Now..."
And with a final look into her eyes he thrust.
Her eyes rolled back in ecstasy and her legs wrapped around his waist to bring him closer. He had filled her so deeply, and so fully.
Erik didn't dare to move at the beginning, he just stayed there feeling her tightness engulfing him.
Christine stared into his eyes and smiled "I love you." She mouthed.
It was like the god, he had never believed in, had finally smiled at him.
"Oh god, I love you!" he shouted "I love you more than anything."
And with that he finally began moving his hips slowly at first, but as soon as Christine started meeting his thrusts he built a steady but relentless rhythm to satisfy both of them.
Christine was delirious. Her arms were clawed at the back of his shoulders as he had put his head at the crook of her neck, suckling occasionally and leaving his marks on her.
Christine's moans became again high pitched, she was so close...
Erik rose and put his weight on his hands as he thrust one last time.
"E-e-e-erik..." she screamed and shuddered and he chuckled. But his laughter died abruptly as she squeezed hard around him.
"You are exquisite, my angel." He said through clenched teeth as he felt her spasms on his cock.
Then he climaxed too, filling her with his love in hot spurts.
...
"I wish to stay like this forever." She said and cuddled closer to his side.
"You don't have to go anywhere. I would be more than happy to stay here with you" He smiled teasingly.
Christine sighed and rose kissing his marred cheek.
Erik could only hold her tightly on his chest. He wanted to feel her weight on him...to make sure that this was not a dream.
They made love for the rest of the night till they both fell exhausted in a peaceful slumber inside each other's arms.
...
The next morning, or better noon, Erik opened his eyes and smiled at the goddess in his arms, who was now playing with his chest's hair. Her soft curves moulded on his strong body.
"Good morning." He said huskily.
Christine smiled and kissed him softly on the lips.
"Mmmm... the best thing to do when you wake up." He said as he stretched his body in content.
"Indeed..." Christine agreed as she watched her wild cat stretching.
"Now... where did you find the nightgown? Our clothes are packed." Erik frowned.
"Well... Mary came to wake us for the flight. And I told her that we would stay some more days. So... she unpacked the clothes and put them again inside the wardrobes. I hope you don't mind." she bit her bottom lip.
Erik started laughint "Of course I don't mind. But I prefer you more without any clothes on." He nudged her playfully. "I would ask you anyway to stay here till our... Wait a minute, this reminds me that..."
He rose like a lightning and rushed into the bathroom to throw some water on his face. Christine remained silently watching his naked body moving. Then he returned, wore his trousers and shirt, fixed his tie and kneeled in front of her. "...that I haven't made a proper proposal…"
Christine observed him in awe.
"Christine Daae, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" he asked smiling broadly.
Christine jumped on him happily and kissed him, driving both of them onto the room's floor.
"Oh, yes!" she squealed in delight as Erik, from a lying position, took her hand and kissed the fourth finger before placing the ring, which she had given back to him, on it.
Epilogue
(Almost a year and a half later...)
"We didn't marry the way your grandfather wished, but he would never allow us to celebrate Holly's baptism in a small family ceremony." Christine laughed while she and Erik were observing the quite big number of people who were present at the large room.
"Mmm... are you sure that Holly is ok with him?" Erik asked nervously, watching his grandfather walking around and showing off his new granddaughter.
"In case you don't remember, he always repeats us that he has held more babies in his arms than the ones you will have held when you reach his age." Christine stated smiling.
"Perhaps, but none of them was our daughter!" Erik said cheerfully "I think it would be better to take Holly, Christine. She seems kind of anxious. She may be hungry. I suppose she didn't eat a lot before..."
...
"Jesus! I don't believe there is another father devoted to his daughter just like him." Antoinette whispered to Christine while Erik was approaching his grandfather. "I knew he would become a good father...but not like this..."
Christine laughed filled with happiness as she watched her husband taking their daughter in his arms with a look of pure adoration in his face.
Their little girl was born exactly nine months after their wedding. Which means, a month after the date they thought she would be born. But no one else knew that apart from the two of them. Such as that their daughter, before becoming a year old, she was going to have a little brother or a little sister.
"Isn't it a little soon?" Erik had asked her nervously when Christine had become suspicious.
She blushed and then laughed as she remembered that she had asked him to make love to her after their daughter's birth.
Her beloved, proved to be a wonderful father. And an even more wonderful husband and lover. Christine sighed and her eyes darkened.
Erik saw that look and immediately recognised it. He gave the baby to Estelle, saying that he had something serious to discuss with Christine.
Although Estelle wrinkled her brow, she just took little Holly without asking for an explanation and walked to Christine's grandmother, who was by that moment a very good friend of hers.
"But Erik, we cannot do that!" she protested as he led her into one of the hotel's, where the celebration was held, suites.
"Why not?" Erik teased her "Right now I'll go insane if don't make you mine."
"Ah Erik..." Christine sighed as he started kissing her neck making her shiver.
""Ah Erik" what?" He teased her and chuckled darkly.
Christine, instead of answering, took his face into her hands and after removing his mask she sought his lips.
"I knew it from the very first time I met you that you were a wanton, my angel." He whispered with passion on her lips "A wanton exclusively mine!"
Christine smiled and bit his bottom lip teasingly.
...
The rest of their lives was spent in happiness... peace... and serenity with the love of each other and the love of their family.
THE END...
Oh Eros, the conqueror in every fight,
Eros, who dominates everything in every place,
Who sleeps on girls' soft cheeks at night,
And roams across the ocean seas
And through the shepherd's hut
No immortal god escapes from you,
Nor any man, who lives but for a day.
(Sophocles, 'Antigone')
A/N: ''end'' such a harsh word XD...
anyways... i hope everyone liked the ending... don t hesitate to flame me if you didn t xDxDxD... i can bear everything right now, it s the last chapter after all ;)...
NOOOOOOOOOW... about the competition...
Firstly, i wanted to thank everyone who participated and voted... But, forgive me it was too hard to choose the winner... all the ideas were so different and creative...
I asked you to vote in order to help me choose,but every nominee got 1-3 votes... as you understand, the difference is not that big...
SO... here everyone wins... and as i promised the winner will get the first chapter of the story i m currently working on...
The chapter will be up as Chapter 17 of ''Judging by the cover'' in a little while (logically ;) )…