"Oh Christine, Oh, Christine please be mine

I want to be your Valentine

I'll do anything to be your rose

I want to be the Valentine you chose

Hold my hand and don't let go

Open your heart and feel our love grow

Lock me in your heart for just one day

Feeling your love while reality fades away

I'll wait year after year

Crying and sobbing tear after tear

Oh, Christine, Oh, Christine please be mine

I want to be your Valentine"- Excerption from the diary of Erik

Erik's POV

I had been working hard all week, working hard for Christine. Valentine's day was something I never celebrated simply because I didn't have anyone to celebrate it with. This year I swore it was going to be different. I had decided to do something special for Christine, something she would truly enjoy. I had been literally killing myself to finish it on time for Valentine's Day, and finished it on the morning of. I had left Christine on the eve to work throughout the night on it, and finished just as the sun came up. I was a complete mess, and lugged myself back to my flat to soak in a bath before crawling into bed to get some rest. My bed was extremely lonely without Christine, but knew I would have her beside me tonight.

I usually don't sleep many hours, but when I fell asleep, I stayed that way until I was woken by the grandfather clock I had in the hall. I laid there counting the chimes to see what time it was, only to realize that it was three in the afternoon. Had I really slept that long? I was still exhausted, and groaned into my pillow before deciding to get up and dress for the evening. After stripping off my night clothes, I donned my finest trousers and shirt before finishing it off with my suede suit jacket. I then placed my gloves over my grotesque hands and locked my flat, knowing I wouldn't be returning until the morning.

By the time I made it into town, the sun was already beginning to set. I knew it would be dark by the time I made it to Christine's, but first I needed to stop at the florist and pick up some roses. It had been years since I had given Christine roses, and tonight, I would do just that, but with a twist. I bought eleven real roses, and placed a fake one in the bunch. When everything was perfect, I paid, and headed towards Christine's flat. The street lights were already on by the time I made it there, and I looked around just to make sure no one was in sight or witnessing me going up the stairs. I was excited, because Christine probably had no idea what Valentine's Day was or what it entitled. Yes, I might have never celebrated it before, but I spent years watching others wallow in happiness and celebrate the day. Instead of walking in like I usually did, I knocked and hid the roses behind my back so she wouldn't see them.

Christine came to the door dressed in the most beautiful red and white dress I had ever seen her wear, and her hair was pulled up in a shiny ribbon. Did she know about Valentine's Day?

"Erik, I'm so happy to see you." she smiled widely and kissed me on the lips. "Come in."

I did as she told me to, and shut the door behind me. Once the door was closed, I smelled the most wonderful smell coming from the kitchen. Pie perhaps? No, this smelled more heavenly than pie….Beef? Oh, the suspense was killing me.

"Are you cooking?" I curiously asked.

Christine hurried into the kitchen and I followed with the roses still hid behind my back.

"Yes, it's one of your favorites."

She turned down the heat on the stove, and glanced over at me noticing the strange position that my arms were in.

"Erik, are you alright? What's wrong with your arms?"

"Nothing." I teased.

Christine's eyebrows knitted together as she gave me the strangest look I had ever seen her give me.

"Really? What are you hiding behind your back?"

I took a few playful steps back as Christine came forward.

"Nothing."

"Yes you are." she giggled. "What is it?"

I would have continued stepping back, but I began feeling Skimbleshank's paw tugging at the ribbon that was dangling from the bouquet of roses. I looked over my shoulder, and tried to push the annoying fur ball away with my foot, but he kept coming back, wanting to pull the entire ribbon off the roses.

"Stop it, you annoying vermin." I growled.

"Erik, what are you hiding?"

When Skimbleshanks wouldn't stop, my only way to get him off the ribbon was to finally bring the bouquet around in Christine's direction. She squealed at the sight of them, and embraced me.

"Oh, Erik, they're so beautiful."

She took them from my hands, and dug her face deep into their soft petals.

"Happy Valentine's Day, mon ange."

Christine looked up from her roses, and smiled.

"That was very sweet of you, Erik…..But wait?" she fingered the fake rose, and pulled it from the bunch. "This one isn't real."

"It's done on purpose, my love. You see there are eleven real roses, and they will eventually wither and die, but I promise to love you, until the last one dies…."

"This rose will never die, Erik…"

It took a few moments for Christine to get what I meant by the fake rose, but when she realized its symbol, she threw herself into my arms.

"Erik, that is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me. In all my years married to Raoul, never once has he done…..Oh, Erik, I love it."

When she looked up at me, her eyes were full of tears.

"I've upset you."

She wiped her eyes, and hurried into the kitchen.

"No, you've made me ever so happy….just let me find a vase for these."

I took a seat in the armchair that was by the fire, and waited for Christine to return. When she did, she was carrying a heart shaped card of some sort.

"Here, Erik, Happy Valentine's Day."

I looked down at the cover, and fingered the red glitter and smaller hearts surrounding it. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

"Did you make this?"

Christine sheepishly nodded, and sat at my feet with Skimbleshanks.

"I wanted to do something nice for our first Valentine's Day together. I didn't know what to buy you so I decided to make one of your favorite meals, and a card."

"It's beautiful, Christine, so beautiful, just like you."

"Read it out loud."

I looked back down at the cover, and read the front.

"Happy Valentine's Day My Angel of Music."

I then opened it, and began reading the words that were written on the red paper.

"Erik,

You've given me a reason to smile once again

You've filled my life with peaceful dreams

And you've become my closest friend.

You've shared your heartfelt secrets

And your trust you've given me

You've showed me how to feel again

To laugh and love and see.

If life should end tomorrow

And from this world should I part,

I shall be forever young

For you have touched my heart.

Love you always and forever

Christine."

By the time I had finished, my eyes were so full of tears, and my heart was aching. No one had ever said something as nice as that was to me. I sat there in the arm chair sobbing, and pressing the card to my heart.

"Erik, please don't cry."

Christine stood up, and tried to wipe away my tears, but they kept pouring.

"Did….did you mean every word?"

Christine kissed me, and nodded.

"Every single one, Erik."

I placed the card inside my jacket, and stood up. I was going to wait until after dinner to show Christine my surprise, but I couldn't wait any longer.

"Christine…" I wiped my eyes, and went for her cloak. "There's something else."

"What do you mean?"

"It's your real gift." I said. "I was going to wait until after dinner, but I can't wait any longer."

"Well, what is it?"

"I didn't bring it with me."

"So you're taking me outside?"

"Yes, now come along."

Christine turned off the stove, and I helped her into her cloak before walking outside. The night air was cold, and Christine stayed close as we walked around Phantasma.

"So where are we going? Your flat?"

"Something like that, but not quite."

When we reached the Ferris Wheel, I stopped her, and placed my gloved hands over her eyes.

"What are you doing?" she giggled.

"Keep your eyes closed and do as I say."

I walked behind her, keeping my hands over her eyes as we continued to walk in the direction of her gift. Once there, I opened the door and ordered her to step up.

"Keep your eyes closed."

"Erik, where are we?"

"Almost there."

I didn't want her peeking until everything was perfect. I stood her in the position I wanted her to stand in, and then I stood in front of her, taking her own hands into my own.

"Can I open them now?"

I took one last look around our surroundings to make sure everything was perfect, before giving the order for her to do so.

"Ok, open them."

I looked at her, as her eyes opened and gazed towards the high rafters, the whitewashed walls, the eight rows of lacquered pews, and the stained glass window in front of us.

"Erik? Are we in some sort of church?"

I grinned.

"It's a chapel my dear, doesn't this all seem a bit familiar?"

Christine looked around a few seconds more, before letting her jaw drop.

"Erik….you…."

She didn't even finish her sentence, and stormed down the small isle and out the door to the cobble stone walk way to stand in front of the chapel, the chapel I had built from the tiny carved model Christine had made into an ornament for me.

"Erik! This is beautiful!"

Christine looked at everything, the arched shaped arbor over the door, the rose bushes surrounding both sides of the chapel, she looked at everything! When she stepped back inside, she ran her hand over the back pew, and gave me a beautiful stare.

"Tell me why you did this, Erik? You know we can't be married. You once told me you were going to build this chapel to marry me in."

"Are you disappointed that I built this?" I asked. "If it upsets you, I could always bring it down?"

"No!" she gasped. "Don't ever do such a thing. I love it, I just can't understand why?"

"I did it…..I did it because I know how much you probably miss having a place to pray for your father. In Paris I know it meant a lot to you."

She nodded, and placed her head down.

"Yes, even when I lived with Raoul, he hated when I would go to the cemetery to pray. He once said that "I shouldn't be doing it any longer because you had cursed my father's tomb with the devil within you."

"Christine, I would never do such a thing. I would never bring hell upon your father's grave."

"I know, Erik. It's been a long time since I've had somewhere to pray for my father. Yes, I know I can talk to him anywhere I go, but I feel closer to him when doing it inside a church or at his grave."

"I also thought that I would open it to the public come spring time. If I can't make use of it, surely everyone else could make merry and elope to Phantasma to marry."

I plopped down in the front pew, and stared down at my feet. This chapel had been my dream, and now it would become a reality but for someone else….for Christine, not me. I felt Christine sit down beside me, and place her hand on my thigh.

"Erik, Meg told me that you hate Valentine's Day."

"It's because I do. In all of my ten years living on Coney Island, I never had someone to spend it with. What made matters worse was when Dr. Gangle decided to throw a Valentine's Day dance and invite everyone."

"Meg said you tore the place apart."

I nodded.

"Do you know how heartbreaking and degrading it is to step into a dance hall and see everyone kissing their dates and dancing about when you yourself don't have someone to do that with? I was the only one, Christine, the only one out of all the freaks who didn't have a date. I thought of myself to be unlovable, and a monster….I tore everything apart and cursed the blasted holiday."

"I hope I've changed that, Erik."

"Indeed you have."

I pressed my hand to the part of my jacket that held the card Christine made me.

"After reading what you wrote to me, I don't believe I'll ever have a horrible Valentine's Day again."

"I want to give you a gift, Erik."

"You've given me the world, Christine, there's nothing more you can possibly give me."

"How about a living wife?"

My breath became caught in my throat upon hearing this. How could she even say such a thing when she was married to Raoul?

"Christine, please don't start this again. You know as good as me that you're already married and cannot ever marry me in such a circumstance. Do you know what the town's people would think?"

"I didn't say the town's people needed to know."

"Documents and marriage licenses get around, Christine. Besides, you're already listed on a marriage certificate with Raoul."

"I didn't say before the town's people, Erik."

"If not them, than who?"

"Before the eyes of God."

"You've gone mad, Christine."

She shook her head, and helped me to my feet.

"Madly in love is all I am, Erik, madly in love with you."

She led me to the alter, and stood before me with her hands interlocked with my own.

"Christine, this can never work."

"Yes, it can, and it will, Erik. Do you believe in magic, Erik?"

"I, my dear, am the master of magic. But what does this have to do with marriage?"

"Everything. Now do you want to be my husband before God or not?"

My heart was beating a mile a minute in my chest, and all I could do was nod.

"You built this chapel, Erik, it be unfair if you weren't the first one to be married in it. Now, I'll start the ceremony."

Christine paused as my hands sweated within my gloves.

"Oh, and take these off, and that mask. I wish to feel my husband's hands and see the face of the man I am about to marry."

I looked towards the open door of the chapel just to make sure no one was watching. When my deathly cold boney fingers made contact with Christine's, I shivered, but only for the slightest of seconds.

"Heavenly father, we are gathered here today to come together as husband and wife. Yes, I know I have sinned by wanting to marry Erik, but you know me. You did create me after all, and must know the abuse and horror that I have been facing these past ten years. I'm sure that you could make an exception for me. If you believe I am making a huge mistake by marrying the man before me, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Christine silenced, and looked up at me.

"I guess God has nothing to say about this. Erik, do you take me to be your wedded wife before the eyes of God? Through sickness and in health, for richer or poorer until death do we part?"

I stood there shaking like a leaf, as Christine awaited my answer. Since the day I was born, never did I think that I would be standing at an alter beside Christine. Yes, this marriage was only going to be between her and I….and God, but it felt so right.

"I…I do."

Christine smiled, and laughed when I didn't say anything more.

"This would be the part when you ask me my vows."

"Oh….Um…..Christine, do you take me to be your wedded husband before the eyes of God? Through sickness and in health, for richer of poorer until death do we part?"

"I do."

"Um…what now?"

Christine giggled.

"We exchange the rings."

"What rings?"

"The magic rings, Erik."

I wasn't sure what Christine meant by this, but watched as she curled her finger, and slipped it over my left ring finger. She paused for a few moments, before sliding her ring shaped finger off my own.

"Don't you see it, Erik? It's an invisible ring….only you and I can see it. Your finger may look bare to the town's people, but when you look down, you'll be able to see it."

Christine was so creative, and so….so beautiful. My own magic wedding ring, one that I could only see….

"What does it look like, Erik?"

I raised my left hand to my face, and traced over my finger….

"It's gold, Christine, the most beautiful gold I have ever seen. But that's not all, there's something engraved all around its surface."

"Really? What is it?"

"It's written in French."

I twisted my hand around as if reading the engravement on my ring.

"Amor Numquam Moritur"

"Love Never Dies." Christine gasped.

'Precisely."

"That's beautiful, Erik. Do you have a ring for me as well?"

I bent my finger in the shape of a ring, and slid it onto Christine's wedding finger and over Raoul's ring. Touching that damn thing was like fire to my flesh. How badly I wanted to tear it off, but knew Christine needed to wear it in town.

"Ah, much bigger than Raoul's." she giggled, holding her hand up to her face. "You got me a ring so big that it cover's the measly one Raoul gave to me….Oh, and so beautiful too, Erik."

"Only for you, my love."

"So by the power invested in the lord above, may he now pronounce us husband and wife. You, monsieur, may kiss the bride."

And I did just that. I kissed her so passionately that we fell over into a pew. I didn't care, I was Christine's husband before the eyes of God. And with our invisible rings, we walked home, kissing every inch along the way. When we arrived back at Christine's flat, we didn't even worry about eating dinner, no, that could wait. As soon as we opened the door, our bodies crashed up against one another's as our kisses only became deeper. Christine turned out the lights, and laid me back against her bed as she crawled into my lap. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons of my shirt, as my hands braced her side.

"You're so beautiful, Christine." I murmured. "So beautiful."

Her fingers grazed over the scars of my newly exposed flesh, as my own fingers trailed up her thighs.

"Enough talking." she cooed. "Just love me, Erik."

"I do, Christine."

With that, our lips met and never broke away. Our clothes came off our bodies, as the fire within ourselves burned for one another. We crawled beneath the covers, and made sweet passionate love until the late hours of the evening. I fell asleep with my face pillowed against her curls, inhaling the wonderful scent of her shampoo. Yes, my night had been like a wonderful dream, but my nightmares were only beginning.

I found myself once again in the degrading cage I had come to know. It was foggy, and everything was silent.

"So, my little demon is lonely."

The voice sounded so familiar! It was my master! I spun around the cage, my arms and legs tied to the bars as my naked body shivered and trembled in the winter air.

"Does my demon want some company?"

I heard the rusty gate of my cage opening, only to see the obese body of my master reaching inside for me.

"No! leave me alone!"

But he didn't, he crawled into the cage beside me, and began running his cold disgusting hands all over my naked flesh.

"You tell Taticu where you like to be touched."

"Stop."

I tried to move my arms and legs about, but it was no use, I was stuck. From above my head, I heard the rattling of the bars, only to look up and see Raoul standing outside of my cage.

"Yes, you like that don't you, monster? It's the only pleasure you're going to ever get."

Soon everything was spinning until a crowd appeared around the cage as my master continued to violate my body with his own. Everyone was laughing, but I was begging them to stop. Christine was there too…she was standing at the bars, looking in at me with such seriousness.

"You're disgusting…"

"Christine….no….love me…"

"Never."

"Even a spider has the right to mate…."

"Not you, you disgust me."

I jolted awake in a fitful rage. I was still naked within the sheets, but my chest was pouring with sweat, and my mind was pounding with agony. Why wouldn't my mind rest? Why was I constantly having horrible nightmares? They were only becoming worse and worse…..

"Erik?"

I heard the soft coo of Christine from beside me, only to look down and see her stirring in her sleep.

"I'm fine, love."

"Did you have another nightmare?"

I plopped down against the mattress and stared up at the ceiling as I ran my fingers through my thin hairs.

"I'm fine, just go back to sleep."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, I'm perfectly fine."

I reached over on the night table full of my small belongings, and clung to my pocket watch. When I clicked it open, I held it towards the ceiling and read the time.

"I should be going."

It was already five in the morning. Had my nightmare lasted the entire night? I sat up, and ran my hand through my hair one last time before swinging my legs over the side of the bed.

"Erik, angel, don't go."

Christine was now behind me, kissing my boney shoulders with her soft lips.

"I must. I'll return tonight."

I stood up, and placed on my shirt and pants that were in a pile by the bed.

"But what about my stew? We didn't even eat it."

"Save it for tonight, and we'll have it for dinner."

Once I was dressed, I turned back to see Christine looking at me as she lay there beneath the covers.

"You were amazing last night, Erik."

"As were you. Don't give me all the credit."

I reached down on the night table, and placed my wallet and pocket watch back into their proper places on my clothes.

"Erik, you're not wearing your ring." Christine teased.

"I don't remember taking it off." I added back to her.

I leaned down to kiss Christine, when I felt her finger slide over my left ring finger.

"There, now you're wearing it."

"Thank you."

I kissed her one last time before straightening myself and picking up her real wedding ring that bound her and Raoul together. She had taken it off the night before just before we made love.

"You my dear, are not wearing yours either."

I placed it in her hand.

"Now do me a favor and place it back on. You mustn't ever walk out of this flat without wearing it."

"I know that." she replied, placing it back on her finger.

After locking on my leg braces, I threw on my jacket, and gave her one last look.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. For now get some rest and mind the baby."

"I love you, Erik."

I approached the door.

"And so do I, my beautiful bride."

And after locking the door behind me I walked into the cold morning fog towards the direction of my workshop….

Fluff, fluff, fluffy bunnies! Hope you liked it! I fluffed it up super charge for you all! Please review! Story is gonna be going a bit into the future now, but not too much into the future! Love you all!