"I feel you in the morning

When I first awake

Your thought is with me

With each decision I make

You've been around forever

Since the first breath I took

Now I have to go on alone

But for love, I need not look

Cause by what you bestowed

In our wonderful time together

Will last within my heart

Forever and ever"- Excerption straight from the diary of Christine Daae.

Christine's POV

Erik and I had made love. It was the most breathtaking moment of our entire relationship. I slept in his embrace, my head snuggled deep into his chest, and his heartbeat soothing me to sleep. When I awoke, his spot was empty, and cold. I rolled over, and pulled the blankets over my naked body, too exhausted to move. When I heard movement on the floor, I opened my eyes to see Erik pacing near the wardrobe closet in nothing but his trousers. He was rummaging through his closet, tearing out a silk shirt, and carrying it over to his vanity.

"Erik?" I stretched, and sat up, watching him throw the shirt over his shoulders.

"Yes, Christine?"

He was standing there in front of his mirror, buttoning his shirt. He seemed angry, but I wasn't sure.

"Is something wrong, angel?"

He took a deep breath, and turned to face me, his fingers moving around the mask that was in his hands.

"Erik, you look nervous. What's wrong?"

"I…I can't do this anymore, Christine."

"Can't do what?"

He took a seat beside me, and looked me in the eyes.

"Christine, how could you let Eudora play piano? I thought we made it perfectly clear that she was not to…"

"To what? Be happy, Erik?"

"She plays like me! She can play by memory….She's going to find out, Christine. She knows we're alike."

I embraced his malformed face to calm him down.

"She doesn't know. Erik, she doesn't know the truth."

"She's smart, Christine. She's going to figure it out."

I kissed his lips, and brushed the dark hair of his wig.

"Erik, let's talk about this after the holiday. It's Christmas….let's enjoy it."

He nodded, and handed me my nightgown that was discarded on the floor.

"I'm making breakfast." he told me. "Get dressed."

"I love you….."

Erik was already halfway to the door, when he turned and smiled, placing his mask over his face.

"Me too…"

This was the happiest morning of my life. I rose from the sheets, and pranced to the vanity where my morning attire was already set out for me. Erik was such a kind gentleman. I threw the red and white dress over my head, and sat down to brush my long curls.

When I was fully dressed, I walked out into the kitchen to see Erik cooking something that smelled wonderful.

"What's for breakfast?" I asked, pouring myself a glass of juice.

"French toast."

Over in the corner, Eudora was sitting there stirring a bowl of white icing. Confused, I couldn't help but as what she was doing.

"Eudora, what are you doing?"

"Making the icing for our Christmas morning cinnamon rolls."

"A little early don't you think?" I giggled.

Erik turned to fill my plate with the French toast that was hot off the stove.

"Never too early, Christine."

Being together as a family was the best gift of all. It was the best Christmas eve I ever had. We spent the day listening to Erik playing carols on the piano, playing games on the floor, and being together as we should. That evening after dinner, I had wanted to make a trip to my flat to pick up Erik's Christmas gifts. After cleaning out his wound, and giving him his cough medicine, he had grown tired. I tucked him in, and bid him good night before taking Eudora on our little outing.

The streets were dark except for a few shops whose windows were dimly lit. Once we made it to our flat, I opened the door and headed inside with Eudora to gather what ever was needed for Christmas morning.

"Eudora, go get your gift for Erik."

I placed my gift into a bag along with some treats I had baked a few days prior. When I was ready to go, I couldn't help but notice Eudora standing over by our tree, fingering an ornament. But not just any ornament, the chapel Erik had carved many years ago, the one with the models of him and I standing inside of it.

I had given it to Erik as a Christmas gift years ago, but after our fall out, he had given it back to me, saying he couldn't bear to hold on to it. I had kept it hidden from Eudora, but for some odd reason must have accidentally placed it on our tree.

"Eudora, are you ready to go?"

"Mother, what's this? It looks like a church."

"Eudora…..come now." I kindly ordered.

But she wouldn't listen. She picked it up from the branch it was hanging on, and looked inside.

"And…is…this? Is that uncle….and you? What are you doing in here?"

I quickly snatched it away from her hands, and placed it into the pocket of my cloak.

"It's nothing, Eudora."

"It's very pretty, mother. Did uncle make that for you?"

How could I lie to her?

"Yes, many years ago, but I turned it into a Christmas ornament for him."

"Then why do you have it?"

"Come on, it's getting late. We must return to your uncle and you have to get to sleep."

"But mother, I'm not even tired."

"If you don't get to bed, then Santa will pass right over the flat."

I knew my daughter was too excited to sleep, but she had to in order for Erik to get his rest as well. When we reached Erik's flat, I was about to walk up the stairs, when I heard someone shyly speak to me from behind.

"Merry Christmas, Christine."

I turned around and spotted Meg standing there with a small wrapped gift in her hands. I didn't say anything at first, and handed Eudora the key to the flat.

"Go on upstairs, Eudora."

"But mother…."

"Now…"

I waited until Eudora was inside before turning to face Meg again.

"Meg, what do you want? It's Christmas. Shouldn't you be home with your precious lover or something?" I growled, remembering all the pain she had caused my family.

"Christine….I…he….he left me after I came to Erik's defense that night…." she looked towards the ground, too ashamed to say another word.

"Am I supposed to feel sorry for you, Meg? Erik is deathly ill because of something you did."

"H…How is the master doing?"

"Sick, Meg. He has a terrible cough, and is still in agony from what happened to him."

"It is Christmas, Christine. I was hoping to come and ask for forgiveness."

This made my anger turn to rage.

"Forgiveness? You disappear and leave me alone for one month, and then you have the galls to come here on Christmas and ask for forgiveness? I have none to give, Meg! I'll never forgive you for what you did. I don't want you in my life anymore…..We are no longer friends, and I want you to leave me alone!"

"And what does the master have to say about this?"

"Since when did you start calling him master? Don't you dare come here on Christmas eve and try to be all proper with him. He's suffering, Meg, and it's all because of you."

"I would do anything for your forgiveness, Christine."

She dropped to her knees, but I only kicked the snow in her face. I ran towards the stairs, and looked at her one last time.

"It's not my forgiveness you must gain."

With that, I walked up the stairs and into the flat. After locking the door, I looked around the corner to see Eudora placing her gift to Erik on top of his piano.

"Uncle will be so surprised."

"Indeed he will. I think it's time to go to bed now, love."

After tucking my daughter in, I turned out the lights and silently walked to Erik's room. When I turned on the lights, the blankets on the bed were thrown aside and he was missing.

"Erik?" I called out to him, only to hear a coughing coming from inside the bathroom.

"Erik, are you alright?"

"Just peachy…." came a painful groan.

I stood in front of the door, and slowly pushed it open to see Erik standing hunched over the toilet grasping his stomach. But all over the seat were scattered droplets of blood.

"Erik…" I gasped his name, as I ran to him, only to have his hand stop me.

"Christine….please…"

"No, you're vomiting blood. What's happened to you?"

His voice was hoarser than usual as he tried to calm me down.

"I…I was coughing very hard. A vessel in my throat most likely tore. Which would be the reason why my throat is suddenly sore."

I took a cloth from the bathroom sink, and wiped his mouth.

"Come, Erik, let's get you back in bed."

After getting him back under the covers, I crawled in beside him, and laid there.

"Erik, you would tell me if you felt extremely ill, right?" I asked, my head pressed against his chest.

"Wh…What are you saying?"

"I love you, Erik, and I don't want to see you suffer."

"Christine, I'm getting better, you know this." he groaned.

"I have something for you."

I reached over where my clothes were laying, and took out the chapel ornament. I then snuck it beneath the covers, and placed it into his hand. Erik's fingers clasped around the small object, before bringing it out to have a look at it.

"Christine…..you…you kept this? All these years?"

I nodded.

"I would never throw away such a beautiful thing, Erik. I want you to have it back, but only if you truly want it."

He pressed a small kiss to it, before placing the object down beside his discarded mask and wig.

"Forgive me….I….I've made a huge mistake by giving it away in the first place. I thought getting rid of it would help me hate you, but…..Oh, Christine I missed it so much and for years have been dying to get it back. I didn't want to ask you for it in fear that you would have thrown it out. But now….Oh, Christine, thank you…"

He leaned over, and placed a small kiss to my lips.

"How could I throw that away? Erik, I've never lost my love for you."

"And as much as I've tried to do it, I never lost my love either, only hid it."

I sighed, and closed my exhausted eyes.

"Goodnight, Erik, I love you."

"As do I…."

It was snowing again, but I didn't mind at all. I curled up beside Erik's warm body, and slipped away into a deep sleep. During the night I did hear Erik coughing, but we both slept as if nothing could ever tear us apart again.

The next morning, I was waken by Eudora jumping up on our bed. I felt her plop into my lap, and begin shaking me full of excitement.

"Mother! Mother! Wake up! It's Christmas morning!"

I opened my eyes, and sat up to greet our daughter who was bouncing there with a look of sheer excitement on her face.

"Merry Christmas, Eudora." I said hugging her ever so tightly.

Eudora was not satisfied with just a hug from me, and began shaking Erik.

"Uncle! Uncle wake up!"

Erik rolled over, and pressed his face malformed face down into the pillow so Eudora couldn't spot him.

"Eudora….please, a little privacy." he kindly stated. "We'll be out in a few moments."

I knew Erik wasn't used to this. Ever since our parting, we had spent Christmases at my flat, with Erik only coming over to visit. Waking up beside me on Christmas morning was something new to him. When our daughter ran out of the room, he rolled over to face me, reaching out for his pocket watch.

"Christ….it's only dawn." he groaned, snapping it shut. "Can we at least wait until the sun comes up."

I brushed the gray strands of hair out of his eyes, and pressed a kiss to his mouth.

"I was up earlier than this when I was a child."

Erik instantly sat up, and placed his head down onto his knees.

"I'm a monster…..I'm dreadfully sorry, Christine. You must understand that I've never had a real childhood Christmas. My Christmases were filled with beatings and pain. My mother would have a party down stairs, and I was ordered to stay up in my room. I once came creeping down the steps just to have a quick peak, only to scare her guests. My mother gave me thirty lashes for it, and every Christmas after that she locked me away in the cold attic."

"Erik, please, it's fine, really….You didn't know."

"I don't deserve you, mon ange. I am a monster."

I kissed his tears away, and wrapped my arms around his skeletal frame.

"You're everything to me, Erik."

This had instantly put a smile on his face. He pressed me down to the mattress of our bed, and placed delicate kisses to my neck.

"Erik…our daughter is awake."

"So she is…" he cooed, kissing the lower part of my ear.

"Erik, she cannot see us like this." I giggled, playfully trying to lift his chest off of my own.

"Close your eyes, my angel." he ordered, lifting himself off of me.

"But why?" my cheeks were red with embarrassment as he sat there waiting for me to close my eyes.

"Christine…..just do as I ask."

I plopped back against my pillow, and placed my hand over my eyes to show Erik I was doing as he had asked.

"Now what?"

"Count to ten, and then open your eyes."

I silently counted, and when I got to ten, I opened my eyes to see Erik completely gone.

"Erik? Where are you?"

I got out of bed, and looked down towards the floor to see rose petals leading into the bathroom. I giggled, and walked into it before flipping on the lights. I looked around, wondering why Erik brought me in here, only to look on the sink, and see a small jewelry box placed there. I gasped, and picked it up, opening the lid. But inside, there was nothing….Confused, I placed the box down and noticed a sealed letter also sitting on the sink. I opened it, and read Erik's scratchy handwriting.

"Christine,

I know you must truly be confused, but I assure that you will understand if you search deep within your heart for the meaning of this gift. The box may look empty, but you know there is a gift waiting inside for you. Something you have lost many years ago….something I have also taken out of storage and placed back on….

One love one lifetime

Erik."

I thought long and hard about what this meant, and then my heart skipped a beat…..There was something inside the box, it was my ring! My invisible wedding ring! I reached inside the box, and slipped it right back in place. Erik had placed his on as well!

"Christine…."

I turned around to see Erik standing there fully dressed with a smile on his face.

"Erik…."

I jumped into his arms, causing him to stumble backwards, and land on our bed. I was so happy that I leaned in to passionately kiss him. I didn't care if Eudora saw us….we were one again.

"Christine, my angel…" he lay there gasping, and running his fingers through my curls. "It must stay this way, but I swear to you that one day when things calm down, we will have a real wedding, and….."

He paused, taking a beautiful silver chain out of his pocket, and hooking it around my neck. When I felt something cold hit my chest, I looked down to see a ring I hadn't seen in years dangling from it. It was the ring I gave to him the night before I left the opera house with Raoul! He kept it! Erik had kept it all these years!

"Erik….." I was so surprised that I didn't even know what to do.

"Everyday, Christine, look down at this and remember my promise to you."

I wrapped my arms around his neck, and cried. I would someday be his wife…..his real living wife….

"I love you….So much, Erik."

"Merry Christmas, my love."

I wanted to continue kissing him, but he stood us up, and pushed some of the curls away from my face.

"Come, Eudora is impatiently waiting, and I have cinnamon rolls in the oven."

Seeing our daughter looking at her wrapped gifts was a sight that made both our hearts instantly warm. She looked so much like Erik, facial expressions and all as she crawled around them, wondering what they were. I had bought her some outfits for her dolls, and asked Erik if he wanted to go on something else with me, but Erik insisted that he had something for her.

"Mother! Can I open my gifts!"

Erik walked over to his armchair and took a seat as I sat in his lap watching our daughter.

"Go ahead, Eudora."

Our daughter tore through my gifts, loving the outfits for her dolls, and trying to dress them the instant they came out of the box. When my presents were all opened, Eudora looked up at the largest present…..this was most definitely from Erik.

When she tore away the paper, I don't know who was more excited, me or Eudora. It was a large wooden scale model of the Phantasma opera house. Large enough for her to place her dolls inside of it.

"This is amazing!" she squealed.

Eudora took one of her dolls, and placed it on the stage.

"Lilly is going to be a star!"

"Did you like all of your gifts?" Erik asked her.

She turned, a huge smile lighting her face.

"Like them? I loved them!"

As Eudora played with her doll house, I turned to Erik, and placed a kiss to his neck.

"There's presents for you too, Erik."

"Oh, Christine…you didn't have to buy me anything." he groaned.

I patted him on the knee, and stood up to grab his wrapped present from the other room. I placed the heavy box into his lap, and watched him pry away the wrapping paper with his boney fingers. Once the box was opened, he took out the golden parts, smiling most likely at the comment he had made to me about his violin weeks ago.

"I see you've come to your senses." he chuckled.

"If you weren't going to part with the old junk the least I could do was buy you all new parts."

"I picked them out, uncle!" Eudora exclaimed.

"Yes, thank you. She'll be looking and sounding as good as new in no time."

"There's one more, uncle!"

Eudora scurried to her feet, and grabbed the gift she had placed on top of Erik's piano.

"Here, this is for you from me."

"Eudora, you didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to, uncle."

I myself had no idea what the object was, but watched as Erik tore away the paper, revealing more and more of Eudora's gift. When the wrapping paper was off, Erik's face had gone completely blank, and I knew why…. There in Erik's hands was a picture frame Eudora had decorated in silver glitter and shapes she had cut from paper….But inside the frame was a picture of her and Erik…..the only one ever taken. Erik was speechless, and Eudora pointed to the frame.

"Remember when you and I spent the day together at Phantasma, uncle? It was so much fun. It was actually one of our best days together. When I saw that you didn't have any pictures of me, I thought this one would be great."

Erik only nodded, and stood to his feet with the frame still in his hand.

"Th…thank you…"

He rushed himself into the kitchen, leaving our daughter confused.

"Mother, did he like it? He didn't even say he did."

"I'm sure he loved it more than anything in the world."

I patted my daughter on the head, and told her to play with her dolls. That frame had struck a nerve in Erik's heart, and I had to calm him down before it went any further.

Erik was standing at the counter with his back turned towards me, crying….I couldn't see the tears, but I could hear him heaving.

"Erik, it's ok."

"No, Christine, it's not ok….." he sobbed. "Everything is not ok…."

"Erik…."

"No!" he turned to me, his tears streaming down his mask. "Why do you think I don't have any pictures of Eudora around the flat! It's so I won't have to look at what I can never have."

"Erik, please…."

"No…" he placed the frame in my hand, and I looked down at the photo of the two of them. "Here we are in pictures acting like father and daughter, and yet, I know it can never be that way."

"Erik, if you don't like the frame…."

"I love it, Christine….it breaks my heart to see us like this, to know this is how things could truly be between us….."

"Erik we could tell her. Things can be like this….you can have more pictures, I can give you her baby pictures to hang up….."

"That would only pull me out of who I'm supposed to be, Christine. It's hard enough keeping the thought of being her uncle in my head. Do you think I like not being able to tell her the truth, to love her as I'm supposed to….I am her god damn father, Christine!"

"What?"

That small voice had caused us to both turn and see our daughter standing in the doorway.

She was in tears now, but what could we do? She knew…..she had heard us!

"Eudora, just go play with your dolls." I told her.

"When were you…..g…going to tell me? He's my papa?"

She was backing up towards the family room, sobbing.

"Eudora, listen to me…"

"No….You both lied to me! You're lying….he's not my papa…..he's my uncle! My uncle!"

Before Erik could say a single word, she opened the door and fled the flat.

"Eudora!" I called her name, but she wouldn't stop.

Erik dropped to his knees, and sobbed into his hands.

"Eudora…Even she….doesn't want me….to be her…..God! No….No.."

"Erik….."

I was torn between two worlds. I didn't know who to help first, Erik or Eudora….. I needed to find her. I threw on my cloak, and headed out the door, hoping to find my daughter….even though it was really Erik who needed me more.

Dun Dun Dun! Please review! Oh, and I'm letting you decide what should happen next. Send in your thoughts! Love you all!