"What must I do to win your love?

Beg you

Plead you

Not to leave

I ache to see you happy on this Valentine's Eve"- Excerption straight from the diary of Christine Daae

Christine's POV

Being away from Erik was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I didn't argue when he told me I had to live on my own, because I knew he was right. If there was anything I wanted to prevent, it was rumors and cruelty going around about our relationship. The flat Erik had moved me to was big enough to house an entire family, but he insisted that I'd be fine. When he left, I felt so lonely. The flat was completely silent, except for the crackling of the fire Erik had built me before he left. The first day there alone was the longest one. I occupied myself by playing with Skimbleshanks, but even he grew tired of rolling around with the ball of yarn I was teasing him with, and curled up on a pillow by the fire.

For a while, I sat by the window, looking towards Erik's flat wondering when daylight was going to end. I had nothing to do, and if I was to spend the rest of my life in this room alone, I was surely going to go insane. And then out of my boredom came the thought of Valentine's day. It was two days away, and I hadn't even thought about what to do for Erik. What ever it was, I was going to have to do it after dark….Maybe I could make us dinner and surprise him. Maybe I could even buy him something small. What ever I was going to plan, I would get everything together in the morning. I haven't been outside in a while, and knew the fresh air would do me good.

That evening, when it grew dark, I sat anxiously in the chair that was placed by the fire awaiting Erik's arrival. It was when I began to drift off to sleep, that I heard the door opening, only to look over and see Erik walking in with a bag of groceries in his hand. I immediately jumped up out of my seat, and offered to help him.

"Here, let me take that." I said reaching out my arms.

"It's alright, Christine, I have it."

He placed the bag on the kitchen counter, and came over to embrace me.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long." he replied, sinking his face into my hair.

"It felt like a million years."

"Well then, lets get some dinner and some nourishment to our child. Then, we'll talk."

I smiled as Erik let go of me and began unpacking the groceries.

"Let me make dinner." I suggested. "I'm sure you've been working all day."

"Nonsense, Christine, let me cook for you. Just you relax and let me do it."

I knew arguing with him would do me no good, and so I took a seat by the fire and waited for him to return. A few moments later, Erik lifted me into his lap and sat down in my chair. I giggled, and swung my legs over his lap, cuddling into his chest.

"You started dinner that fast?" I questioned.

"Yes, I told you it wasn't a problem. Now tell me how your day was."

"Nothing exciting, I just sat here waiting for you. I think I might go into town tomorrow. How was your day?"

"Work, work, work. I think I'm going to go to bed a lot earlier than I usually do. My legs are really aching up a storm tonight."

I lifted my head off of his chest, and pulled away his mask.

"Erik, it's the stairs."

"I know that."

I sunk off of his lap, and sat myself on the floor. I then unlatched his leg braces and placed them aside before running my fingers up and down his pant legs.

"Later I'll massage your legs for you."

"Erik would love that."

"So what's for dinner, Erik?"

"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?"

I giggled, and stood to my feet.

"I guess I'll have to spoil the surprise for myself."

I began heading towards the kitchen when Erik got up and headed towards me. I lifted the lid of the pot that was on the stove, and Erik playfully grabbed my hand.

"Why would you want to spoil the surprise for yourself?"

"Meatloaf, Erik?"

"Damn you woman…" he cooed. "You're such a spoiler."

"What are you going to do about it?"

Erik pressed his lips up against my neck, and traced his kisses down to my shoulder.

"Is your lesson learned yet, Christine?"

I closed my eyes, wanting nothing more than for his lips to do this all night.

"No, I still think I need more."

"More?"

His lips were now over mine, kissing me ever so passionately as our dinner boiled in the background.

"Erik, our dinner."

Erik went for the stove, and turned it off.

"Dinner is served, mon ange."

Having Erik here meant the world to me. We ate dinner in silence, enjoying our meal, and afterwards we cleaned up together before retiring to the bedroom. As I changed behind the privacy drape, I threw on my nightgown and came out to see Erik standing over my bed.

"When you fall asleep, Christine, I have to get going."

This broke my heart. I didn't want Erik to leave, he just got here.

"Don't leave." I begged. "Please, Erik."

I rushed to him, and he embraced my body.

"Christine, all good things must come to an end."

"You said sunrise, Erik. Please stay until tomorrow."

"I haven't any pajamas, Christine, they're all back in my flat."

"Erik, you can sleep in your shirt and skivvies for all I care, just please stay with me."

Finally, Erik agreed, and began undressing while I crawled into the queen sized bed. A few moments later, Erik crawled in beside me wearing nothing but his white shirt and under shorts.

"Here, Erik, let me massage your legs."

He didn't argue, and I ran my hands over his twisted legs, as he relaxed against the pillows.

"What were you working on today?" I asked, ending our awkward silence.

"Many things, mostly posters for Phantasma and a few new songs for the carousel. I did a lot of walking today which is why my legs are acting up."

"You should rest them, Erik. It's not good for you to be walking around when they ache you."

"That's not the only thing that's aching me." he cringed, placing his hand over his exposed skull. "I've had a pounding headache since five o clock."

"Have you taken anything for it?"

"Yes, I just need my rest is all."

Erik pressed his head against the pillow, and groaned.

"Here it comes again."

"Maybe I'm massaging the wrong appendage." I teased, plopping down beside him and running my fingers over his exposed skull.

"Better?"

"Yes, thank you."

"What are you doing tomorrow?"

Erik closed his eyes, and sighed.

"Probably working."

"I'm going into town. I was thinking we could perhaps meet for lunch. That be nice, wouldn't it?"

"As nice as you think it would be, it can't happen."

He rolled over, and pressed me against the mattress. He had my full attention, and I knew by staring into his blue eyes that I had angered him.

"We can never be seen together in public, Christine. Our relationship must be kept a secret and out of the eyes of the city. It's not proper for a married woman to be seeing a man without her chaperone. Your pregnancy will start to show soon enough, and if we start seeing each other in daylight, people will begin to suspect otherwise. Do you understand? We will continue our relationship as it is; in darkness."

"I hate it, Erik."

"I don't like it any better, Christine, but for the time being things must stay this way."

I snuggled into Erik's chest, and inhaled the wonderful scent streaming from his body.

"Then let daylight never come."

Erik wrapped his arms around me as sleep began to take over, and kissed my forehead.

"Just sleep now, Christine. The child needs rest just as much as you do."

It was a wonderful feeling having Erik's arms wrapped around me as I slept. They were so warm and wonderful that I slept perfectly throughout the night. Only when I woke the following morning, I was no longer within his embrace. No, there beside me was an empty spot with Skimbleshanks curled up on Erik's pillow. I had wanted to go into town and get something special for Erik for valentine's day, but I couldn't move. My stomach felt sick, and my head weighed a million tons. Instead, I plopped back against my pillows, and petted Skimbleshanks. I never knew being pregnant would make me feel so exhausted, but it did….I was worn out.

For a while, I tried to close my eyes and fall back asleep, but a knock occurred at the door, and moments later Meg came strolling in.

"Christine? Why are all the lights turned off? It's daytime."

How did she know that I lived here? And why was she here? When she came into the bedroom and seen me laying in bed, she turned on the light causing my eyes to burn in agitation.

"Turn them off, Meg." I groaned.

"Why are you in bed?"

"Because I'm sick. How did you know where I was?"

Meg came strolling over to my bed, and fixed the blankets that were disheveled all about.

"Erik told me. He felt sorry about your boredom, and thought if I came over you would have something to do until he was finished working."

That was so kind of Erik to think of me like that, but I was sick, and in no condition to get out of bed.

"You know Christine, you're going to feel like this for the next seven months. Believe me, pregnancy is filled with exhaustion and feeling icky."

"Like you would know."

"I'm just saying."

At that moment, I felt a strange sensation in my stomach, only to lean over and throw up into the chamber pot that was placed there. Meg, being the good friend that she was held back my hair so I wouldn't get it messy.

"I wanted to go into town." I groaned. "Tomorrow is Valentine's day and I have nothing to give to Erik."

"Christine, how could you even think about going into town in your condition. I'm sure Erik won't mind at all that you couldn't get him anything. Besides, what are you going to get him? He pukes when he eats, and you got him a pocket watch for Christmas. You two might as well stay in bed and vomit together."

"That's not funny, Meg."

"But it's true."

"I just want to rest, Meg. But if you see Erik, could you let him know that I'm not feeling well?"

Meg covered me up, and nodded.

"Of course, and I'll come check on you tomorrow. If you're feeling better, then perhaps we could go out for a while. I'm not meeting up with Roberto until the late afternoon."

I tried to smile.

"Sounds wonderful."

"Get some rest, Christine."

The day before, I had believed it to be the longest day ever….I was wrong… Without Erik beside me to make me feel better, I was in a never ending day. The hours seemed to drag on forever, and my vomiting never ended. At one point, the chamber pot I had been using over flowed, leaving the floor surrounding by a complete mess. I felt ashamed…. Erik had given me a place to stay, and so far I had done nothing but make a complete mess of it. I laid there on my back, rubbing my stomach, trying to calm the growing child I had within me. Erik however, did not keep me waiting long today. The night before, he hadn't come until the street lights of Phantasma came on…Tonight, he had arrived just as the sun was setting over the beach.

"Christine?" I heard the door open, and his voice immediately filled the flat.

"In here." I weakly called out.

Like a fox hunting a screaming rabbit, Erik was at my doorway within seconds of me calling for him. He turned on the lights, but kept them at a dim level so it wouldn't hurt my eyes.

"Meg said you were sick. I would have come sooner….but….Oh, Christine forgive me."

He examined my body ten times over, before realizing the mess that was waiting for him on the floor beside my bed.

"Christine, I should have come, I shouldn't have made you wait all day."

He staggered to the bathroom, and came back with a rag to clean up the messy floor.

"No, Erik, it's fine. I feel horrible for making you clean that up."

"It's nothing you wouldn't do for me. Besides, it's my seed that's making you feel this way."

"Erik, it's not….and it's normal. Meg said…"

"Meg? You're going to trust Meg? Like she ever had a child before."

"Erik, don't act like this."

"Sorry." he looked up at me from the floor. "You know how much I loath her."

"I'm fine, Erik, just a little exhausted is all."

Erik finished sopping up the mess, and stood up.

"I'll….I'll make you some toast and juice."

I laid there in silence, petting Skimbleshanks and waiting for Erik's return. I knew there was something wrong with him, but didn't want to upset him by sticking my nose where it didn't belong. I knew he wasn't happy about this child, but my will to get him excited about it wouldn't back down. Erik came back carrying a plate and a glass of red juice. He sat it down on the night table, and then took a seat beside me. He looked so exhausted, and he even removed his mask to rub his deformity with his hand.

"Are you feeling alright?"

I sat up, and reached over for the glass of juice.

"You're asking me if I'm alright?" he laughed. "I feel like a million bucks compared to you."

"You look tired, Erik."

He sighed, and handed me a piece of toast.

"Christine, you must understand that when Phantasma opens I'm always going to look like this. I don't get as much rest in the spring and summer as I do in the winter. When the park opens, I'm mostly always working, especially at night. There will be times when I cannot see you as often as I wish, but I promise to try and see you every day."

"Erik, why can't you just tell the press about this? Why can't you tell them that I'm your niece and you're caring for me?"

"Christine, we can't do that."

"And why not?" I selfishly scoffed like a whiny child.

"What's going to happen if your marriage is ever ended with Raoul? What then, Christine? If the press knows that you're my niece what horrible stories do you think will come out if this relationship you and I have turns to the romantic side? Oh, Christine, I know you're hurting inside from being away from me, and it hurts me just as much to be away from you. But I promise that things will work out."

I bit into my toast, and took a sip of my juice to wash it down.

"What about our child?"

"I already discussed it with you, Christine. I will be there for our child, but if things stay the way they are, I must be known as an uncle."

"But…."

"Christine, I promise I will be in this child's life just as much as a father would. You can trust me, I would never neglect either of you."

"Will you be there for the birth as well? Oh, Erik, please say you will."

Erik looked down at his hands, and then back at me, his face looking anything but promising.

"You're due in September, Christine. Phantasma is still open, and people are still out and about. I will get a doctor to come here and deliver our child."

"And you'll be here too?"

He paused before answering.

"Yes, Christine, I will be here."

"Promise me, Erik."

"I promise to be here, Christine."

"No matter what time of the day it shall occur?"

Once more, Erik nodded.

"No matter what time of the day it shall occur."

I was happy with his answer, and finished my dinner. Afterwards, Erik took away the dishes and came back to tuck me in.

"Get your rest, Christine."

"Will you stay with me? Please don't leave, Erik."

"You're ill, Christine, you should have the bed to yourself. Besides, I must get back to my work. Phantasma is nearly two months away from opening, and I have yet to complete everything I want done."

"But, Erik…."

"Christine, I'll be back tomorrow night, but earlier, I promise."

"Earlier?" I questioned.

"Yes, and we'll spend the entire night with one another."

"Really?"

He nodded, and kissed me on the lips.

"Cross my heart, Christine."

"I love you, Erik."

Erik smiled, and placed his mask back on.

"I love you too, Christine, not rest."

"Stay with me until I fall asleep?"

Erik agreed, and took a seat by my side.

"I think I can do that."

I closed my eyes, and waited for sleep to take over as Erik hummed me to sleep. When I woke the next morning, Erik was gone, and Skimbleshanks was laying in his spot. Today was Valentine's day, and I felt ten times better.

"Christine? Christine are you here?"

I dashed out of bed and to my wardrobe closet to get dressed.

"Yes, Meg, I'll be there in a minute."

"How do you feel?" I heard her ask.

"Great!" I shouted out. "Like a new person."

I quickly threw on my dress, and fixed my hair in the mirror before grabbing my cloak.

"That's great, because you wouldn't believe what Erik's doing."

I found this strange. What was Erik doing? And how did Meg know about it.

"What are you talking about, Meg?"

"I went to get a cup of coffee at the Café this morning and saw Erik passing by with a whole bunch of tools."

I rolled my eyes.

"Meg, he's working. You do know that Phantasma is only two months away from opening."

"I followed him."

Meg looked as if she were the cat who swallowed the canary. She seemed so excited to tell me what Erik was doing.

"You followed him?"

"Yes, and I believe he's had a change of heart about Valentine's day."

"Really? What did you see?"

Meg smiled playfully, and turned her back.

"I won't say, or else it will ruin the surprise, plus if Erik ever found out that I told you, he'd probably fire me from my job."

"Meg!"

"No, you'll have to wait. Oh, but the good news is that Erik is thinking differently about Valentine's day. I would have thought him to be as cold as ever, but it seems times have changed."

"Well if that's the case." I said. "I better be getting into town to get him something."

"Like what?"

"I'm making him dinner, and making him a card."

"That's it?"

I walked out with Meg, and locked the door behind me.

"Yes, Meg. Erik isn't materialistic. He doesn't need things to make him happy. I know just hearing kind words are enough for him."

"And why is that?"

"Meg, you know as good as me that that he's never had anyone say nice things to him. Now come along so I can shop and get back to get everything ready. I don't know when Erik is going to show up tonight, but he said it's going to be early."

Meg and I walked into the crowded city to the bazaar so I could by the ingredients needed to make Erik dinner.

"So what's for dinner, Christine?"

"I'm making him a stew. It's one of his favorites."

I purchased some carrots and broccoli before heading towards the stationary store to buy some paper to make Erik a card.

"So what do you think your baby is going to be? A boy or a girl?"

I shrugged.

"I have no idea. I don't care what God gives me, it'll be beautiful no matter what."

"I'm sure Erik will be wanting a son."

Meg followed me into the crowded stationary store, like a lost puppy.

"Why would Erik want a son?"

"Come on, Christine, who else is he going to give Phantasma over to when he gets old?"

"At the moment Erik doesn't care for the thought of me having his child. I've been trying to get him excited over it, but nothing has seemed to work so far."

"Give him time, Christine, I mean, who else is going to give him a child? He should be thankful."

"I don't like to think of it like that, but maybe after tonight he'll change his mind."

After buying the red paper I needed, I bid Meg goodbye and headed back to the flat to get everything ready. I wanted this to be the best Valentine's day ever for Erik, and I knew it would be….

Ok everyone, please review! Excitement is coming soon! Love you all!