Chapter 13 Beneath the moonlight

As Meg and Erik entered the grand ballroom, everyone stood up and began clapping, making them both feel embarrassed. The place was lit by hundreds of candles, just that the air was less heavy than it had been inside the chapel. Tables were gathered at both sides of the dance floor and in the front there was a long table which was supposed to be the one for them. Erik felt Meg tightening her hold on his hand, and she felt too how his arm tensed around her waist. Neither of them was accustomed to be the center of attention, always being the ones who stood behind everyone else. Meg had grown behind Christine's shadow, always being there to comfort and support here, to praise all her triumphs and guide her. But now for the first time she felt that everyone was really looking at her, not just as Christine's shadow.

Erik on the other hand had never been overshadowed by anyone, but he had been forced to live always hiding, away from everyone and everything. Now he truly realized what he had been missing, the silence of his lair was nothing compared to the warmth that smiles directed towards him gave him. For the first time he was beginning to accept himself, and he realized that not everyone was afraid of his face, that there were people who actually saw him as a great man.

Erik's expression relaxed as he nodded and smiled to the guests, guiding them both towards their seats. He glanced down to her, smiling when he saw her beaming expression. She was happy. And that was all that mattered to him right now. He pulled out the chair for her, grinning when she began fighting with her long skirts. Erik bent down and arranged them underneath the table as she tried helping him. With a sigh she straightened as Erik sat down next to her carefully. She smiled apologetically at him as murmurs and the sound of tableware began filling the room again.

The chair at her other side was pulled out by Fabrizio and Gisella sat down with a pleased smile on her face before her husband sat at the other side with Erik "So…do you like your party?"

"It's wonderful" giggled Meg, turning around to glance at Erik who was speaking with Marco and Fabrizio.

Meg felt a wave of happiness as she watched Erik talking excitedly with both men. She supposed that never before had he had what could be called proper friends, and to know that now he had won two wonderful friends made her feel extremely happy. Not only him, but she had also won two friends in Florence, she too had met two wonderful women who she could now call friends. Meg smiled to herself as Erik laughed suddenly, that warm, rich sound which made her heart tremble. Suddenly, his eyes were on her, sparkling with adoration, captivating her. She smiled back, blinking a couple of times and turning back to look at Gisella, who was now talking excitedly with Isabella, searching for something to distract her. Meg joined their chat soon, listening attentively as they both narrated how their weddings had been.

Surprised, Meg looked down to her lap when she felt a warm hand covering her own. She observed the way his hand trapped hers, his fingers lacing with hers in a comforting manner. She looked up again, her breath caught in her throat as he smiled enigmatically down at her, drawing lazy circles under her hand with his thumb. Somehow flustered, Meg tried to smile back and turned around to see Gisella, trying to ignore the sensations that simple touch were creating on her stomach.

The dishes Arabelle had selected for them arrived soon, interrupting their conversations. The chicken was delicious, as was the pasta. Meg was sure that she had never tasted so many delicious foods before. Lifting her glass, her eyes followed his every move. She realized that he was really interested in what Isabella was saying to all of them, smiling at the appropriate times or asking one or two questions. She studied the graceful way he held the fork and knife, no doubt why he played the violin and piano so beautifully. Her eyes traveled down from his mouth to the strong column of his throat, and in that moment he caught her stare, a look of surprise that showed that he knew that she had been studying him. But before she could glance away quickly, she was able to see the smile tugging from the corner of his lips. Meg took a piece of bread and chewed it slowly, nodding at what Isabella was explaining.

Meg stretched her hand to grab her cup, surprised when she found it empty and feeling her throat extremely dry. She looked around, trying to find the man who was attending them. But instead, Erik offered her his cup, which she accepted with a shy smile before drinking it without a pause. She put the empty cup on the table, aware of the intimacy of drinking from his cup. She took the napkin he was handing to her and patted her mouth delicately.

"Thirsty, Meg?" he whispered with a smile, his eyes moving to her lips.

"Merci" she answered with an embarrassed smile blushing hotly.

As they finish their meal, the waiters arrived to remove their empty dishes. Marco stretched in his seat after all of them praised how delicious it had been. It seemed that everyone had enjoyed the meal and now were eager to stand up and dance. She watched as the guests struck up conversations with each other, laughed and relaxed, some of the men starting to remove their jackets and waistcoats. Erik talked with Fabrizio about a new composer from Russia who was now causing a sensation in Theatres all over Europe. She listened attentively as they discussed the musician's work, secretly enjoying being able to watch how Erik began to relax, slowly reaching a hand to his cravat and pulling it from his neck. She observed how his graceful fingers unbuttoned his jacket and waistcoat, absently staring at how his muscles pressed against the soft material of his jacket. He leaned forward to remove it, glancing surprised at her when she helped him remove it. He smiled gratefully and returned his attention to Fabrizio once again.

"Do you think he would dance?" asked Isabella, capturing her attention.

"Who?" asked Meg curiously, somewhat ashamed of not paying attention to what Isabella was saying.

"Your husband, of course!"

Music start coming from the opposite side of the ballroom, calling the attention of all the guests and from Meg herself. She turned around surprised to face Isabella who just grinned at her. She was aware of the sound of the chair at her side dragging out, but still was surprised when she saw Erik standing behind her.

"May I have this dance?"

She looked up straight to his eyes, his hand stretched out waiting for her to take it. His expression was of amusement and somehow she was able to see that he was well aware that they were once again the center of attention, his jaw imperceptibly tensed. As she noted the nervousness on his eyes she smiled and nodded, placing her hand in his. His finger's caressed her hand as she stood up, the warmth of his hand enveloping hers. As they made their way towards the dance floor, she felt his hand tense when everyone began clapping at them.

Erik placed his other hand at the small of her back as she placed her hand over his shoulder. He looked down at her with a smile and began guiding them in a slow waltz.

"I'm not used to being the center of attention" he whispered with a shaky laugh.

"Me neither" she answered softly giving a quick glance at the room "At the Populaire I danced with the ballerinas, the audience never saw just one of us, Maman made the choreographies so the audience had to see all of us at the same time"

He twirled her around "You were the best out of all of them"

"Don't say that" she said, feeling her cheeks burn.

"I never lie" he shrugged with a smile "You could have easily become the next Prima Ballerina"

She glanced up at him with confusion "But you never saw me dance"

Meg thought that his attention had been only for Christine, not wasting time with silly ballet rats. Besides, before Christine became the leading soprano, she had been a dancer with Meg. So why would he observe Meg dance when the person he used to love had been there too?

"Yes I did" he answered curtly. Erik looked into her eyes, his expression softening "No one compared to the passion and grace with which you danced"

Not even Christine, he thought. Yes, he had seen Meg dance plenty of times at the Populaire. He might have been blinded by his obsession, but still he could recognize true talent when he saw it. And Marguerite was no exception to that. He had observed her carefully, analyzing her every move and wondering how a woman could be so graceful and still have such a perfect technique. But he had observed her from a distance, hidden in the shadows of Box 5, never having imagined that someday he would be lucky enough to hold this perfect creature in his arms.

Meg looked down from his intense gaze and mumbled "And how did you learned to dance?"

He chuckled "I was the Phantom of the Opera, of course I needed to learn how to dance"

Erik twirled her around with a smile, surprising her. Couples were already filling the dance floor, and Meg spotted Marco and Isabella at the other side.

"I learned the same way I learned all I know" he continued when she faced him again "From watching"

She smiled "Well then, I must say you are an excellent observer."

He moved gracefully, guiding them in a perfect waltz around the dance floor. Meg continued to analyze his every move and giving quick glances up to him. After concentrating on his technique, she was able to anticipate what he would do next. Without a warning, he drew her close to his chest, forcing her to lay her head upon his heart. She listened at the slow pace, marveling at how even the pounding of his heart sounded like music. She felt a brush upon her ear and then he kissed her on the cheek.

"Is this how you expected your dream to be like?" he whispered as he lightly nuzzled her hair.

Meg separated from his embrace and stared absently at his chest, smoothing a hand to it "No"

A look of pain flashed in his face as his expression hardened. But before he could say anything she smiled warmly, rising on her toes and kissing him softly on his ruined cheek.

"This one is much better." she breathed.

He didn't say anything, so Meg glanced up to see his eyes. Her throat went dry as she observed how his eyes sparkled and an expression of adoration appeared upon his face. Not wanting to be parted from her, he eased her closer, planting a kiss at the top of her head.

They continued to dance for some minutes until the next song started. Erik guided them again towards their table and sat as they both drank from their cups eagerly. Soon Gisella and Fabrizio followed them and sat at their sides as they began to talk again. Meg looked around the room as some couples were still dancing, and one of them was the little Lorenzo and Clara. Meg smiled to herself as she remembered how Erik had managed to bring those two kids together, probably not knowing that maybe one day they would end up together, like Christine and Raoul had. Fabrizio said something which made Erik laugh, a sound that always startled Meg, finding swarms of butterflies in her stomach. She gave a quick glance at her husband, marveling at how different they were. She felt small and fragile at his side, something that somewhat made her feel pleased. She looked around, her eyes fixing on the double doors which were open, letting some fresh air in.

Suddenly she felt rather nervous about later that night. It was a sensation close to panic, though she knew that it would never happen. How would he react when they were all alone? Would they share the same bed? Her throat went dry at the image of Erik saying goodnight and walking off to his room, leaving her alone, just like he had did the night he kissed her. But Meg knew better, she knew that even though he denied it, he did have feelings for her, she had somehow tasted his passion, even if it had been for a brief moment.

Meg chewed her bottom lip nervously, afraid of how would he react when they returned to their villa. Suddenly, she felt his warm hand covering her own, trapping it in his. Erik began to caress her hand with his thumb in a soothing manner. Meg looked up, meeting his gaze. He was frowning slightly, surely he had noticed that she was nervous at something. Not wanting him to worry about something irrelevant, she forced a smile and turned her hand against his, lacing their fingers together.

After they had served the wedding cake, Fabrizio stood up with his glass and called the attention of the guests. Meg turned to look confused at Gisella but she just grinned and nodded towards her husband.

"Excuse me, everyone" said Fabrizio as he cleared his throat "May I have everyone's attention?"

The room fell quiet as all eyes focused on Fabrizio. He smiled pleased.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you are all enjoying what has been a brilliant wedding celebration. I know this day means so much to everyone involved, and I know Erik and Meg are delighted that you are all here to share their special day." Fabrizio smiled, looking around the room at each guest.

"What more can I say other than Meg" He looked down to Meg who smiled shyly "You look absolutely beautiful, and Erik – let's just say, you look adequate."

The room filled with laughter as Erik nodded mumbling a quiet thanks. Fabrizio chuckled and taking a deep breath he continued.

"When Erik asked me to be his Best Man, naturally I did have some questions. What had I done to deserve such an honor? Would I be how he expects a best man to be? Was I really the best he could come up with? Then I remembered that, I was lucky to be able to call this great man a friend"

Meg smiled sweetly squeezing Erik's hand. She felt her eyes begin to fill with moisture but she fought the tears back. She knew that Erik was feeling the same way, his jaw was tensed visibly as his eyes sparkled.

"No speech about Erik would be complete without mentioning his passion for Music." Fabrizio continued "Whether it is his vast knowledge of composers and their works, his abilities to play a large amount of instruments, which has helped us win many students at the dance studio, or his fantastic piano playing skills."

"And what about Meg?" he glanced towards Meg with a warm smile "Since the first moment we saw her dance we knew she was a magnificent teacher, whose experience at the Opera Populaire had made her the incredible ballet dancer she is now. Maybe in the future we will hear about her being the Prima Ballerina!"

Erik looked at her with amusement as she remembered that he had said the same. She swallowed the lump in her throat as the image of her mother appeared on her mind. Oh how she wished she could have been here!

"Erik has given a large part of his life to music and in particular to the Opera. I'm sure the theatre guests amongst us will agree that he dedicates many selfless hours to play at his piano or violin" Said Fabrizio raising his arm.

Murmurs of agreement and some laughs filled the room as Federico grinned at Erik, who just laughed silently and shrugged.

"And what about you, Meg?" he asked with an innocent smile "For as far as I know, you practically grew up at the Populaire, no wonder you are such a fantastic dancer!"

"Erik, words cannot express how happy I am that you have finally married Meg this afternoon. I know, and I am sure everybody else here would agree with me, Erik you could not have made a better choice in Meg, and Meg look after him, he needs you as much as we all do."

Fabrizio looked at them with a warm gaze, his eyes sparkling with something Meg couldn't identify, but apparently Erik did, because he nodded and squeezed her hand.

"So then Ladies and Gentlemen, It gives me immense pleasure, not to mention relief, to invite you all to stand one more time and raise your glasses, in a toast to Erik and Meg. The new Signore and Signora Destler" He smiled tenderly as he raised his glass and everyone else did the same "We wish them well for the future and hope they enjoy a long and happy marriage"

The guests burst into applause as everyone emptied their glasses of wine. From time to time, people were beginning to leave the room, not before stopping by to say goodbye to Erik and Meg. She saw as some of the children yawned tiredly; it was surely way past their bedtimes. To her surprise, Erik stood and stretched out a hand towards her. An expression of confusion shown in her face as Erik leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"They are waiting for us to leave" he chuckled, his hot breath causing tickles all over her neck.

Meg glanced around and noticed that it was true, most of the guests had already left, but there were others who kept playing with their cups or glancing at them. Meg smiled shyly up at him and took his hand as he helped her up. He led her towards the door, as they nodded and said goodbye to the remaining guests. Arabelle, Federico, Marco, Gisella, Fabrizio and Isabella waved them goodbye from their table, not without Marco reminding them of the dinner the next day.

They stepped out to the cool night, his grip relaxing notably. They walked in comfortable silence until Meg noticed a carriage waiting for them at the end of the stairs. She glanced up at him.

"Now what?" she said shyly.

"I have a surprise for you" Erik said with a mischievous smile nodding towards the carriage.

She stopped abruptly and protested showing the sparkling ring on her hand "No, you already surprised me"

Erik chuckled and tugged her hand so she kept walking "Do this for me, Cherie"

Meg knew that whatever she tried to do, he would end up winning. So she let him guide her towards the carriage. The driver opened the door for her and she climbed up with Erik's help, but before he could follow her, she turned around with an expression of excitement upon her face.

"I have a surprise for you too" she giggled and turned around, not being able to see the questioning look he gave to her.

Meg stared silently at the beautiful cabin, made of wood painted in white. It had a modest porch with two chairs and a table in it. The cabin shone with a warm glow that made her feel nervous and relaxed at the same time. Erik stood by her side holding her hand gently. She looked up at him, her lips slightly parted in surprise. He was already staring at her, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Federico has lent us this cabin they own" he explained as he began walking towards the porch "He said this would be their wedding present for us"

"I had no idea they possessed such a beautiful cabin" she whispered excitedly "I must thank them tomorrow"

Walking hand in hand they walked up the steps of the porch. The night was absolutely beautiful the stars sparkling and the cool breeze caressing her face. Meg couldn't believe that just hours ago she had married Erik, it just seemed so unreal for her. He opened the door for her and she entered. The room was surprisingly large with new furniture, at one side there was a modest kitchen and at the other a living room. It was similar to their villa at La Medicea, probably a bit bigger, if that was possible. Candles were already lit, creating an atmosphere of calmness that was beginning to make Meg feel nervous. She walked around the place as Erik still stood on the doorframe observing her every move. Unconsciously, Meg began to remove the veil, which was already becoming uncomfortable.

"It's really beautiful!" she declared after a moment with a laugh "My god, there is a pond here!"

Meg stared from the door which led to the backyard. There was a pond, relatively smaller than the one at La Medicea, but still it was beautiful. The water sparkled with the stars as fireflies dance around the grass. She put her hands over the cool glass and pressed her face to get a better view of the whole garden.

He came up behind her, gently placing his hands on her waist and hugging her from behind. She stiffened for a moment but then relaxed at the pleasing sensation his arms created on her. Meg felt him inhale at the top of her hair and placed a kiss at the top of her head.

"Maybe if you want to, we can go for a swim" he breathed in her ear, placing another kiss in her cheek.

Meg felt butterflies in her stomach as he traced the length of her neck with his nose. She knew nothing between them could happen, he wouldn't allow it, and he was just mocking her to see how weak she was. She closed her eyes and relaxed, feeling him chuckle as his face pressed against her hair.

"I need to sit down, these new shoes are not very comfortable" she mumbled untangling from his embrace and walking in the direction of the couch.

He followed her from behind and sat down at the opposite upholstered chair. She sat and bent to rub her ankle, pulling at the lacings of the shoe. Erik watched her struggle with the complicated knots until he leaned forward.

"May I?" he asked with a chuckle. Without waiting for her answer, he took her foot and placed it over his knee. He, then began to work on the knots, his fingers moving over the shoe with extreme grace.

She tried to keep her dress down as he continued working with her shoe. Meg began to relax after a moment, leaning on the couch as she watched cautiously his every move. His fingers were strong but at the same time gentle. As he worked on the knots, her eyes traveled up his arms, observing the muscles beneath his white shirt as they contracted when he put some tension on them. His sleeves were rolled up, a detail which allowed her to contemplate his forearms, something she had never seen before. She glanced quickly to his relaxed expression, a soft smile written upon his lips. He was relaxed and not worried about what he was doing, although for Meg it felt a really intimate gesture.

After a moment, her boot slid off, bringing Meg the ability to flex her toes once more. She sighed relieved and closed her eyes in thanksgiving. Without a warning, she felt his strong demanding hands upon her tiny foot, slowly massaging it to ease her stiffness. She opened her eyes in surprise and without wanting to, let out a lusty sigh. He looked up in surprise as his movements froze, and she knew that he was aware of her constant vigilance. Slowly, a smile began tugging from the corner of his mouth as his eyes sparkled with amusement.

"I know now why you are such a good dancer" he said returning his attention towards her feet.

Dragging her attention from his hands towards his face, she observed as his lips parted in a smile. Without wanting to, Meg began to relax again and laid her head over the couch.

"Why?" she whispered with a grin, knowing that he was about to say something to tease her.

He lifted her other foot to his thigh and began to work quickly over the knots, somehow being faster than before. She bent over to pull at the hem of her dress so it covered her legs. He chuckled and looked up at her, amused by her behavior. Soon, the other shoe came off and Meg sighed again, just that this time more silent. He began to work on her other foot, relieving the soreness she was feeling. Meg kept quiet as he massaged her feet at the same time, his massive hands slowly relieving all the tension.

Finding her voice once again, Meg parted her lips slightly and repeated "Why?"

Erik chuckled and grabbed her feet firmly and raised one so she could see it.

"They are tiny!" he laughed.

She began laughing at his expression and withdrew her feet quickly, standing up and walking away from him as he continued laughing. She tried to reach the door that led to the room but before she could reach the doorknob, he grabbed her by her hand and turned her abruptly, colliding with his chest. He looked down at her with an apologetically expression. His lips parted and he was about to speak when without a warning he began laughing again. Meg expected him to apologize but instead he held out her shoes.

"You are forgetting Clara's shoes" he laughed.

Sticking out her tongue, Meg grabbed the shoes and hurried to the bedroom, saying, "I need to change my clothes!"

And with that she closed the door behind her, muffling the sound of his laughter. She turned around and leaned back against it, closing her eyes as she tried to slow her racing heart. God, how was she supposed to not want him if he acted that way? She opened her eyes again, taking in the sight of the bedroom.

The room was surprisingly large, probably twice the size of her own at La Medicea. She walked around the room cautiously, admiring every single detail. There was a fireplace, which was already crackling; a large window that looked out onto the backyard, in which she could see perfectly the pond shining with the reflection of the stars. She moved to the closet, now worried about what was she supposed to wear, she hadn't packed anything! She opened the closet slowly, surprised when she found several of her dresses hanging up inside the wardrobe. There was also some of Erik's clothing next to hers. She smiled to herself and grabbed one of the nightgowns.

Meg turned to study the room, and for the first time she noted the high double bed in front of her. It had creamy white sheets, three small pillows resting against the bed pillows. Suddenly Meg felt as if she couldn't breathe, and laying the dress quickly upon the bed she crossed the room and opened the large window to admit the night air. At that moment she noticed a familiar package lying on the chair in front the fireplace. She walked slowly towards it and smiled when she realized what it was. She smiled and caressed the yellow paper; surely Arabelle must have put it there.

Letting out a sigh, she walked once again towards the bed. She sat up gingerly and stretched a hand to her back, trying to pull at the laces of the dress. But soon she realized that it was impossible to reach even one lace. Somehow she managed to slip one arm out of the dress, but the moment she did, she felt the fabric began to pull. Afraid that the sleeve would tear apart, she slid her arm into the sleeve once again. She closed her eyes in frustration, she couldn't even undress herself! Arabelle and Gisella had helped her earlier that day, which had required very little from her own help. Doing this alone was a completely different story. A soft knock on the door made her open her eyes abruptly, bringing her back to the present.

"Meg…are you all right?"

She didn't answered, so he entered the room a moment later, finding her almost entirely dressed, and a pout forming on her lips. Meg glanced down in shame, stretching once again one arm to her back, trying to grab one of the laces and failing miserably once more.

"I-I can't..." she whispered with frustration.

Looking up to meet his eyes, she saw how a small smile played on his lips. He swiftly moved to her side, grabbing her hand gently and helping her stand. He walked and stood at her back. She felt his fingers begin working on each lace, so she pulled her hair aside. Erik worked on the lace of the dress, and soon Meg could feel the dress begin to get loose. With both her hands she held up the front of her dress, feeling his eyes burning on the skin of the smooth plane of her back. He slid his hands to her waist and turned her around.

His expression was calmed, his eyes sparkling with something Meg couldn't identify, was it adoration? Trying to clear her mind, Meg blinked a couple of times and looked down, clearing her throat.

"Faire demi-tour" she ordered, feeling her cheeks burning.

He raised his eyebrows but did as he was told, facing towards the opened wardrobe.

"If you turn around, I swear I'll kill you" she threatened trying to check if he could see anything.

He chuckled "I won't, dear"

After a moment, she realized he wouldn't turn around, so as fast as she could, she slipped off the wedding gown and changed into her cotton nightgown. As she tied the lace under her bosom, she observed amazed as he raised one of his arms and trailed his fingertips over the sleeves of her dresses. She smiled to herself at the sweet gesture; his curiosity always was bigger than him.

"You can turn around" she declared.

He turned around, a grin written upon his lips. But before he could say anything his eyes met hers. She watched as his eyes traveled down to her nightgown and back up. Erik smiled and stepped closer to her.

"Now you must turn around" he said, grabbing her by the shoulders and motioning her to turn around.

She sighed and walked to the other side of the room, in front of the fireplace. She tried to ignore the sound of the fabric as he removed it and tried to say something, it was then when she saw the package again.

"I have something for you" she sang, grabbing carefully the package.

"You didn't have to give me anything" he answered, his voice muffled by what must have been his shirt.

"But you did!" she protested, raising once again her hand to show him her ring.

"That wasn't my present" he answered with a chuckle "You can turn around now"

Meg turned around abruptly, ready to answer back and protest about what he had just said when she faced his broad chest bare. He only wore night trousers. Quickly she looked up to his eyes, one of his eyebrows lifted telling her that he had noticed. She approached him and extended the wrapped gift. He observed her face and then the gift.

"This is for me?" he asked softly, his gaze never leaving the package.

"It's not much compared to what you gave me, but I think you will like it" she explained nervously, looking down to the present.

He grabbed her by the waist and guided her to the edge of the bed, sitting by her side. She looked up to see his eyes as he took the present with careful hands. His eyes sparkled with joy, something that made Meg's heart tremble.

"No one has ever given me a gift before" he whispered "Just your mother"

Meg felt her heart breaking, but still, she smiled brightly "Then I hope you like it even more"

He put the present on his lap, admiring it cautiously. She observed amazed as a lot of emotions appeared on his face as he slowly and carefully began to unfasten the yellow paper. Parting it slowly, she watched him stare at the crystal box in which rested a new quill, inkwell and white score sheets inside a black leather folder which had his initials embossed in gold.

"Perhaps, now that you are beginning to have a new life, you can also begin to compose again…" she began to apologize.

As she mumbled, she observed as Erik ran his fingers across the box and opened it carefully, caressing his initials with great care. He looked up to her, his eyes sparkling with moisture.

"Il est parfait" he breathed, silencing her from her mumbling "Thank you"

She smiled as he began to fan the score sheets, observing his initials embossed on the edge of each of them. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he stood up and placed the box on the boudoir. Meg observed his every move as he opened a drawer and took out a small package. As realization dawned on her, she stood and moved across the room to the other end, putting as much space between them as she could

"No, I won't accept anything more" she protested, her arms stretched out so he couldn't get any closer.

"I already bought it," he reminded her with an innocent stare "You wouldn't like to break your husband's heart, would you?"

He grinned as Meg let her arms fall limply at her sides, watching him slowly approach her. He stopped in front of her and handed her the package with an innocent smile. She sighed and took it, unfastening it carefully. Meg let out a gasp when she felt the cold and delicate material in her fingers. Taking it carefully, she lifted it and admired every detail of the delicate necklace. It had a pendant, and taking it with careful fingers, she read "Sempre al vostro fianco".Tears began to well up in her eyes as she understood what it said.

"Always by your side" whispered Erik quietly.

She looked up at him and smiled "That's all I ask for"

Erik smiled, his eyes on her hair. Meg lifted one hand to her hair and realized that it was still pinned as Arabelle had made it.

"I must look really silly with my hair like this!" She giggled and ran to the boudoir, resting the necklace carefully next to his gift and began to take out the pins. She observed in the mirror as Erik walked slowly to stand behind her.

As soon as he was at her back, she felt the warmth emanating from his chest. Without a warning, he raised a hand and began to pull out some pins and combs from her hair too. After a moment she felt a long section of her hair falling down. She could see how he followed her every move as he also took out some pins. The moment most of her hair was down, she observed as he stood marveling at her reflection, as if it was something he had never seen before. Meg continued taking out a few pins that were left when he reached up and and took a tendril of her hair between his fingertips, caressing it softly.

"It's beautiful" he breathed.

She met his gaze on the mirror and smiled when she saw the curve of his mouth lifting up. As soon as all her hair was down, she turned around, colliding with the expanse of his chest. She pressed her hands against his chest surprised and looked up. As soon as their eyes met, his expression darkened. He raised one of his hands and placed a tendril of her hair behind her ear and left his hand there. Dipping his head, his lips brushed hers carefully, as if asking for permission. Slowly, she raised her hand from his chest and caressed his jaw. When he felt her acceptance, he kissed her with all the longing he had felt since the moment he saw her walking down the aisle. She leaned against the boudoir, caressing the back of his neck sweetly as he traced with his other hand her hip. Meg sighed his name and kissed him back, making him groan with satisfaction.

She gripped his shoulders, feeling the raised scars on his back, the ones which testified to what he had endured throughout his life. He passed his fingers over the smooth surface of her back as her fingers caressed his back sweetly. Erik pulled her closer to his chest, desperate to feel every inch of her perfect body. He moved her head gently back to trail brief kisses beneath her jaw and neck. His breath sent shivers up her spine, and soon he gripped her arms tightly and looked up, his eyes sparkling, more stunning than ever. The room fell quiet, the only sound their labored breathing as they fought to gain some air.

"I can't do this" he whispered shaking his head "Not to you"

"Why?" she asked in wonder as she felt her heart beat slowly once more "Do me what?"

He cradled her against his chest, feeling his head falling down to her shoulder as he traced gently with his fingers her back. He sighed deeply and she tightened her arms around him "I can't allow you to have feelings for me, not when my future is uncertain"

"I'm afraid that's too late" she choked, her eyes filling with moisture.

He pulled away to stare directly at her eyes "You are making this more difficult for me"

"We won't be parted in Paris" she protested, gripping him tightly.

He sighed and kissed the top of her head "I wish I had your faith"

"You'll see, everything will end up good for us" she said hoarsely.

He straightened and bent down to kiss her gently. He tilted her chin up "I want to see you smile"

She tried to smile, trying to swallow the lump that had formed on her throat. He smiled and grabbed her by the hand, leading them towards the bed. Meg climbed up the bed as he blew out the candle at his side. She laid her head back on the soft pillow and felt him climb onto his side. The room was silent for a long time, his soft breathing calming Meg down somehow.

How could he believe that things would end up bad for them? Everything would turn out fine, the police just wanted to ask her some questions, they wouldn't blame her of anything. Even though she had helped Erik escape. He deserved happiness, all his life had been filled with pain and loneliness, and now he had the opportunity of a new beginning. Meg wouldn't let his past torment their future.

Meg shifted a bit restlessly, trying to get comfortable. She jumped slightly when she felt his strong arm wrap around her waist, tugging her back into his frame. He pulled the blankets around them and pulled her tightly against his chest. She rested her head over his heart, the sound relaxing her and lulling her to sleep. Meg felt his soothing fingertips running gently along her skin. He began with her arm, raising goose bumps all over her skin. His hand slipped to her hair gently brushing it away from her face and running his hands through it. Her eyelids began to feel heavier as exhaustion crept into her body.

Meg was already half asleep when she felt his warm lips over her forehead.

"Thank you for marrying me"

Faire demi-tour-Turn around

Il est parfait-It's perfect