"Sweet talk of love has filled my head

Talk that has lead us to our journey's end.

Say you'll never leave me alone,

And let me move back in your home.

Love me now forever more

Oh, what does the future have in store?

I have no idea, I'm really not sure…"- Excerption straight from the diary of Christine Daae.

Christine's POV

The next few days stayed mostly the same. I would wake up beside my sick Erik, only to have Eudora bother me about him while making breakfast. Afterwards I would spend the remainder of the day trying to get rid of his fever. I was beginning to worry about him, but as the days went on, his illness slipped away. By the following Monday, Erik even came down the stairs to sit in the family room. He still had a terrible cough, but at least he was up and about. I'll never forget that morning. I came walking downstairs to see Erik sitting in his arm chair as the fire crackled before him. I kissed him on the cheek, and gently caressed his neck.

"How do you feel?"

He looked up at me with his masked face, and leaned back against his chair.

"Stronger."

He coughed, the terrible wheezing sound coming from his lungs.

"Rest, Erik, I'll get you something to drink."

"Thank you."

I walked into the kitchen, and started a kettle to make him tea. When the water was boiling, I poured it into a mug with his tea bag, and went back out into the main room to give it to him.

After placing it his pale, shaky hands, I felt his forehead, relieved to find that his fever was gone.

"You look better."

"Come now, Christine, I look like garbage."

"Better than you did a few days ago."

It was then that Eudora came walking down the stairs. As soon as she saw Erik sitting there, she hurried to him, excited to see her uncle up and about.

"Uncle, you're up!"

My daughter tried to jump up into his lap, but he cringed in pain.

"Eudora…" I pulled her away from Erik's lap. "Your uncle is still very sick. You need to go easy with him."

"Sorry, mother."

"Come along. Let us eat breakfast and then I'll take you out."

When my daughter was in the kitchen, Erik stood up on his feet.

"Could I perhaps join the two of you today?"

"Erik, you shouldn't….."

"I'm sick of laying around, Christine."

"Your cough is terrible, Erik. I don't want you roaming around in the cold."

"I'll bundle up."

I knew there was no way to stop Erik from what he wanted to do. He mumbled something about getting a shower before walking up the stairs. As much as I hated the thought of Erik walking around in the cold, I knew there was nothing more I could do to change his mind. When he came back down, he smelled wonderful, and was dressed in his suit with his walking stick in hand. Eudora came out dressed in her coat and gloves, ready to venture out in the snowy weather.

Erik, being the sweetheart that he was, helped me into my cloak, and even wrapped my scarf around my neck for me. My leg still bothered me, but being able to walk outside was something wonderful. Our daughter walked ahead of us, as Erik and I walked beside one another.

"Are you sure you're warm?" I asked him.

The last thing I wanted was for his fever to return.

"Yes, I'm fine, Christine."

Erik then interlocked his hand with my own. I gasped at this gesture, and knew things between Erik and I were getting better.

"I promised to take Eudora shopping." I said. "I told her I'd buy her some French clothes."

"That's perfectly fine. I want to check my post office box on our way. I haven't been able to check it because of how sick I've been."

I agreed, and continued walking towards the clothing shop that was on the other end of town. While I was entering the shop with Eudora, Erik told me he'd meet up with me as soon as he went for his mail. The post office was right across the street, making it easy for me to keep an eye on him from the store window. I told Eudora to pick out some clothes she liked, while I stayed close to the display window. No one would hurt my Erik again…..What happened to him was anything but right. I took turns, watching my daughter, and watching the post office door. Erik came walking out a few moments later with a stack of mail in his hands. After watching him cross the street, and knowing he was safe, I approached Eudora to see what she's found.

"Oh, mother there are so many clothes to choose from!" she exclaimed.

"Well pick out some that you like."

As Eudora began flipping through a few pairs of clothes on a rack, Erik joined me.

"Hi, Erik."

He murmured a small hi, as he stood there flipping through his mail.

I began wandering around the store with Eudora as she searched for her outfits. She picked out a cute gray and purple colored coat with a matching beret as Erik stood in the same spot looking at his mail. When I was finished paying for her outfit, I joined him, only to see a look of anger and panic across his face.

"Erik, what's wrong?"

He looked up from the letter he was reading, and slipped it into his jacket with a few other letters.

"Nothing…" he assured, taking me by the hand.

Something seemed wrong about him. For once we left the store and headed to the park, he didn't join his hand with my own. He also seemed very upset and on edge, as if any little thing would set him off.

Once we arrived at the park, Eudora ran towards the frozen pond as Erik and I sat on a nearby bench. He was silent, and I knew there was something terribly wrong…..

"Erik…" I placed my hand over his thigh, and looked up at him. "What's wrong? You haven't been the same since we've left the clothing store."

"I…I got a letter." he told me. "I…I have to go back to Coney Island."

"Why? What's wrong, Erik…."

Erik was clutching his fists together, so tight that they were turning white.

"Mr. Squelch has written a letter informing me that Phantasma is in shambles. A terrible snow storm has everything buried in ice, and that no good Meg has turned my opera house into nothing more than a center stage Moulin Rouge."

"But Phantasma is closed to the public." I said.

"I know that!" he spat. "Seems as though she's using my opera house for her own benefit because I'm not there!"

Erik was furious, and I couldn't blame him.

"I have to go sort some things out." he told me. "I'll be back in a few weeks."

"No, we'll come with you, Erik."

"No, there's no reason for me to drag you into it, or cut our holiday short."

"There's always another time for a holiday, Erik. Phantasma is more important, and besides, Eudora and I will go crazy without you."

"I'm….I'm sorry Christine."

Erik felt terrible about all this, but it was perfectly fine.

"I'm a terrible friend."

"No you're not. It's not your fault Meg is taking advantage of your park, and the snow is nothing of your control."

"I'm going to give her a piece of my mind." he growled. "And when I get my hands on her….."

"Erik…."

"You may find her a friend, but I can assure you that she is nothing….nothing but the crud beneath my shoes…."

"Don't hurt her, Erik."

"I don't hurt people anymore."

"Mommy, look at the ducks!"

Both of us looked over at Eudora to find her watching the ducks walking onto the frozen pond.

"Christine, I feel terrible for pulling Eudora away from all this. Look how happy she is…."

"Erik, it's fine. We'll spend Christmas in Phantasma."

I had wanted to do so many things in Paris, but I knew Phantasma was more important. That night, we were on the first ship back to New York. The weather was terrible, and ice and snow had caused our ship to rock terribly across the sea. This time around, Erik got us one room instead of two….It not only made me feel comfortable, but it also kept me closer to Erik through his sea sickness. Eudora was laying on her bed as I was laying on the extra one with Erik.

"Mother, why did we have to leave Paris? Is uncle still very sick? Is that the reason?"

I leaned up, being easy not to disturb Erik's sleeping form.

"Something bad has happened in Phantasma, Eudora. It snowed a lot and the workers are having trouble keeping the place shoveled and safe from the ice."

"That's not all is it?"

"No, Meg has also done something bad."

"I liked Paris….I didn't want to leave."

"We'll go back again someday, love."

My daughter played with her toes, and looked up at me, her eyes filled with such concern.

"Mother, could you tell me about my father?"

This caused me to gasp. Never had my daughter ever asked about her father. If only she knew her father was sleeping beside me…What could I tell her?

"Your father….he…he died."

"What was he like?"

"Kind, and he loved you very much, Eudora."

My daughter paused, and continued playing with her small toes.

"Is it weird to say that it feels as if father never left?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like uncle took his place…"

My daughter was so smart…..she was only four, but she was so smart. I could only hope that she would never find out the truth.

"Love, you shouldn't think like that."

"I know, but…everyone else has a father…."

"I know, love…..But you must understand that sometimes children don't have fathers. My father died when I was very young….Your uncle has been there for me, just like he's been there for you."

"I love Uncle, mother."

I smiled.

"I know. Now get some rest."

Eudora laid down, and clutched her stomach.

"My belly hurts. The rocking of the ship doesn't make me feel good."

How badly I wanted to tell her about how alike her and her father were, but couldn't find it within my heart to do so.

"Rest now, love."

When Eudora was asleep, I laid down beside Erik, and stroked his hair. Because Eudora was also in the room, Erik kept his mask and wig on so he wouldn't frighten our daughter.

"Erik?" I softly called his name, as my fingers still ran through his fake locks.

"Hmm?"

He stirred in his sleep, and opened weakly opened his eyes.

"I'd rather keep my eyes closed." he murmured. "Watching the desk and wardrobe closet shift from one end of the room to the other makes me squeamish."

"I just wanted to know how you were feeling?"

"Sick…"

"Do you want some ginger ale?"

"Yes."

I reached over on the night table, and picked up the half filled glass of ginger ale.

"Here."

I placed it up to his lips, and he slowly drank it.

"That should help your stomach, Erik."

"Thank you."

When he was finished with his drink, I sat it aside, and leaned my head up against his chest.

"Eudora isn't feeling well either."

"What's wrong with her?"

Erik shot up, and looked over at her.

"Calm down." I told him. "She's only like you."

I kissed him on the lips, and heard a sigh of relief.

"Great. That's the last thing I wanted to happen…. let my daughter inherit my motion sickness."

"She is you, Erik."

"Unfortunately."

When Erik laid back down, I got the craziest idea in my mind….one that made Erik upset.

"You know, Erik…..maybe we should just tell her."

"No….No we can not….You didn't tell her anything did you?" he snapped.

"Of course not, but I think it's time she knew the truth."

"Never!" he angrily whispered. "Eudora can never know."

"And what, Erik? Have us become lovers? Become lovers without even letting our daughter know the truth?"

"And what will become of us once the whole city knows about Mister E's daughter that mysteriously popped out of the blue? The one Christine supposedly had with her husband who mind you, was away at war!"

"Erik, our daughter deserves a father, does she not?"

"It's too late for that, Christine. I am to be her uncle and nothing more….Now switch the subject before you wake up our daughter."

"It has to happen sooner of later, Erik. Our daughter can't keep going on like this. She tells me every night that she wants a father. I don't want her finding out the truth before we tell her. Do you know what that will do to her if she finds out on her own, that her whole life has been a lie?"

"She won't find out about it, Christine."

Why was Erik being so stubborn? He had a daughter who was exactly like him!

"She's smart like you, Erik. She can't be played like a fiddle….She's going to know sooner or later that you're her father. What will happen when she finds out how musically talented she is? Or how great her temper can be? Those are all the things she inherited from you, Erik…..She'll know right off the bat."

"No she won't!"

"Yes, Erik, she will."

He grabbed me by my night gown, and pulled me ever so close to him, so close that I could feel his mask against my chin.

"This is exactly why we can't have a relationship, Christine!"

"And why is that?"

"Because you're always pressuring me about things like this….. We can't tell her the truth, and that is final."

I was about to say something, when Erik leaned over and vomited into the chamber pot below the bed. This caused Eudora to wake.

"Uncle, are you ok?"

I rubbed Erik's back sympathetically, as he emptied his stomach.

"Yes….little one…I'm…I'm fine."

When Erik rolled onto his back, my daughter hopped into bed with us.

"I don't want you to be sick, uncle…"

"I'm fine, little one."

"Can I sleep here with you and mommy, uncle? I don't feel well…."

Erik covered her up, and held her body close to his own.

"Of course you can, little one. I want you to feel better."

"And I do when I'm next to you…."

I wrapped my arm around Erik's chest, and fell asleep with all three of us together in one bed.

The following morning, I awoke with my arm still draped around Erik's chest. The rocking of the ship had subsided a little, but the ice hitting the ship was still as loud as ever.

"Erik, are you warm?"

I could feel him shivering through his blankets, and covered him with my quilt. But when I reached my arm further over Erik's chest, the spot Eudora was in was empty and cold.

"Eudora?"

I lifted my head, and brushed the strands of hair out of my face to look across our room. It was empty, and our daughter was no where in sight.

"Erik…Erik wake up."

I shook his shoulder, hoping to wake him. He groaned, and rolled over to his side….

"Erik, wake up….Eudora is gone."

When he heard this, his eyes shot open, and he sat up.

"What?"

"Eudora is no where to be found…."

He looked around the room, not believing a single word I had said. When he found out that she was truly missing, he shot up from his spot, and quickly fumbled with his leg braces.

"Come on."

He pulled me to my feet, and down the hallway we went. Eudora was nowhere to be found, and my heart was racing…..Erik pulled me up the stairs to the door that would take us outside. The air was freezing cold, and the snow was still falling, making the deck nothing but a sheet of ice.

"Eudora!" I called out her name, hoping she would answer.

Erik and I frantically walked hand in hand around the icy deck hoping to spot our daughter. If there was one thing I knew, it was that she was going to be grounded once we docked in Coney Island for this little stunt of hers. And where was she? Around the corner, sliding on the ice with her shoes…She was laughing and giggling, as she fell over and over again on the ice. God! One good slip and she could slide right off the ship and into the water without a single person knowing….she would be lost forever. When I spotted her, I left Erik's side and stomped right over to her and pulled Eudora up by her arm.

"What in the world were you thinking, young lady!"

"Mother…..I…I was just playing."

I violently spun her around, and pointed to the nearby edge of the ship.

"You could have slipped right through the bars and fell into the ocean, Eudora! No one would have even known!"

"I'm…I'm sorry."

The seriousness in her voice was enough for me to believe her, but I was still completely furious about the whole situation. My daughter tried to look upon Erik for some sort of smile, but he was anything but pleased. He crossed his arms, and gave her one of his mysterious "Phantom anger" expressions. I knew the look. He had given it to me a thousand times before. His malformed lips would lean to one side, as his eyes followed me, even as I walked away from him…..He was now doing the same to Eudora, causing her smile to vanish.

"When we dock in Coney Island, Eudora, you are punished."

"Until when!" she whined.

"Until further notice."

"And when is that?"

"Eudora….." Erik growled. "Don't argue with your mother."

"You're not my papa…." she wailed. "You can't tell me what to do…"

Eudora's temper was coming out, and it was just as violent as Erik's. Her remark had hurt Erik, and I wasn't going to stand around and let her back talk like she was.

"Eudora….You will respect your uncle! Now apologize to him before I make you sorry for ever saying that."

My daughter sighed angrily, and looked away from the both of us.

"Sorry…."

"To his face." I replied.

She turned.

"Sorry."

Erik didn't say a word, and I motioned towards the door.

"Go back to the room this instant, young lady. Your punishment can start now…."

Our daughter stomped away, leaving Erik and I standing together in the cold.

"That hurt, Christine." he said, leaning up against one of the rails. "She won't even listen to me!"

"Erik, she always listens to you. You watch her all the time when I'm working."

"Christ! I can even discipline my own flesh and blood! You heard her! You heard what she said "He can't tell me what to do! He's not my papa!"

"Erik….please…."

"Well I am! I am her god damn papa, Christine! It hurts me so bad to keep this secret hidden day after day."

"Then why don't we tell…."

"No!" Erik snapped. "I don't want to start this subject again…."

"Erik, having a child is all you ever dreamed about, and I know it hurts you for things to be this way."

"Christine, stop…."

"No, only if you say you don't love me will I stop…..I love you, Erik, and I know you love me too…..You may not be able to say it, but I know deep…."

"What do you know!"

He pounded his fist on the icy railing.

"What do you know, Christine!"

"That our daughter loves you, and she's living a lie!"

"Stop Christine! Just stop!"

"I will do nothing of the sort. How much do I have to pound in your head!"

"Nothing you devil of a woman! You don't have to pound squat into my head! And just for the record, why don't you stay out of it!"

I grabbed onto Erik's shirt, and joined our bodied together.

"Tell me you don't love me, Erik….Tell this to me and I will leave you alone for the rest of your life…."

He looked down at me, his pale face turning wet from the snow.

"Why would you even ask me to say such a thing?"

"I would do it, if that would make you happy."

"What?"

"Leave you forever. I am a bother to you…..a heart ache…."

"Never….You, Christine are anything but a bother, and I refuse to lie to you. I've never lied to you…..I can't say the same about you, but…I…I thought things were working out just fine between us the past couple of days. I don't want to ruin it by bringing up Eudora's fate with me. It's bad enough that she's my daughter…"

"Why would you say that?" I gasped.

"You know what I mean. Christ! The Phantom's offspring….the flesh and blood of a monster….I…I don't deserve you."

"Come on, Erik….." I said switching the subject. "Let's get inside where it's warm."

And so we turned and entered through the door, walking together back to our room. We weren't sure what laid ahead for us when ever we arrived in New York, but at least we would be trudging this journey together….That's where it stood for now, anyway….

Please review everyone…..Next chapter we shall be reunited with NUTMEG. Go Erik!