So here's one more chapter! That means that there is only one more chapter left and then, sadly, it will be over. I tried to make this chapter really long in view that I'll be absent for two weeks probably, maybe less. But still I want you to know that, this story really means a lot to me and I really hope you are enjoying it as much as I do!

As always, a huge thanks to my beta-reader Judybear236 and her wonderful opinions!

Don't be shy and let me know what you think, opinions are appreciated! And now on with the show.

Chapter 22 Say You Want Me

Meg stepped out of the train, a hand gripping her bag and the other clasped tightly with Erik's hand. It was past midnight, but the train station of Florence was still crowded with people arriving and departing. Without letting go of her hand, Erik guided her through the sea of people until they reached the main entrance. They had spent most of the journey sleeping peacefully in each other's embrace, the events of the evening draining all energy from them, both physically and emotionally. Erik had purchased one of the cabins of first class, so they'd had the opportunity to lie down in one of the small beds that was inside the sleeping compartment. Although Erik had insisted that he was not tired, in the end he had been the first one to fall asleep, not being able to fight the drowsiness that invaded his body after Meg had begun holding him, her fragile hands tracing patterns in his chest and lulling him to sleep.

Now he looked more energized and rested than a few hours ago, the excitement of returning to Florence hard to hide. He found a carriage and helped Meg inside, placing their luggage at the top of the carriage. Meg rested her head against the soft material of the wall as she waited for him. She saw as he whispered hurriedly to the driver and then walked to the opposite side of the carriage. Meg slipped herself to the edge of the seat and peeked outside the carriage, turning her head and trying to catch a glimpse of her husband. She jumped and leaned back as she gasped surprised when a colorful bouquet of flowers was put in front of her.

The bouquet was lowered, allowing her to see Erik's face, an innocent smile lingering on his lips. He hopped inside the carriage, offering her the bouquet, his brows up in challenge. Meg grabbed the bouquet tentatively, bringing it near her face to inhale the sweet fragrance of the wildflowers, white, yellow, pink and blue. She smiled and looked up to meet his sparkling gaze.

"We left Paris so fast I didn't have the opportunity to give you flowers for your astounding performance and debut as Prima Ballerina" he explained hurriedly, a bit nervously.

Meg giggled and drew nearer to him, resting her head in his shoulders as she put the bouquet between them. He rested his arm around her shoulder, bringing her closer.

"They are lovely" she said, looking up to meet his eyes "Thank you"

He smiled satisfied and placed a lingering kiss in her forehead "You deserved it"

They remained silent for the rest of the journey to La Medicea. Meg closed her eyes contently as she breathed into his chest, finally being able to relax after the most difficult months of her entire life. She had waited long enough to be able to be like this with Erik, they had been through so many challenges that now she truly believed that they deserved a happy life, their future bright in front of them. She could never have imagined that what he was planning was on walking out onto the stage to sing for her, surprising her in the best way he could have. It had been her dream to hear him sing again, and not only he had done it, but he had sang for her a song that had made it very clear how much she really meant to him.

The carriage began to slow down as they got near to its destination. Meg stirred and opened her eyes slowly, peeking out of the window and trying to catch a glimpse of the place she had come to love. But what was in front of her wasn't La Medicea. It was instead a rather large cottage, built in stone and covered in ochre-colored plaster, with two floors, designed with the enlightened vision of the Renaissance. The carriage followed the path leading to the main entrance, a large wooden door carved with designs she couldn't identify from where she was sitting. Ornamental bushes adorned the formal Italian garden, magnificent trees scattered around the breath-taking building. Meg stared at the villa in quiet surprise, her mouth opened as if she was about to say something, her eyes opened widely as she tried to take in every detail of their surroundings.

"Where are we?" she managed to whisper perplexed.

"Home"

At that simple word, Meg turned around abruptly, her eyes bigger than ever before, a confused expression in her face. Had he said what she thought she heard? Had he said home? No, it couldn't be…this place was absolutely stunning, she didn't deserve all of this, and he shouldn't have done this. The carriage stopped in front of the main entrance, the driver opening the door for them to walk down. Erik smiled delighted and moved to step out, but she gripped his arm tightly.

"Wha-what do yo-you mean?" she stuttered, her hands suddenly wet with nervousness.

Erik grabbed her hand and placed a kiss on her palm "If we are going to start a new life, I think we need a place that we can call home."

Suddenly, Meg felt a lump in her throat, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. The look in his face was of complete pride, he was happy with everything that he had done. Without being able to stop herself, she threw her arms around his neck, causing him to lean back into the wall of the carriage, taking her with him.

"I'll take that as a good sign" he laughed, his hand circling her waist and returning the embrace.

"You didn't have to do this" she laughed through a sniffle.

Erik straightened and grabbed her hand, guiding her out of the carriage "Yes I did, mon ange"

She let him drag her out of the carriage, a smile on her lips. He let go of her hand and turned towards the driver to help him take their luggage down to the floor. Meg stared mutely at the imposing building in front of her, their home. She took a few hesitant steps towards the wooden door, her mouth opened with surprise. She was vaguely aware that Erik had dismissed the driver and was now walking by her side, their bags in his hands, his eyes studying her face and admiring the many emotions displayed there.

He had made the purchase a few days before he returned to Paris. When he had first voiced his plans to Arabelle and Federico, he had been quite surprised at the overwhelming reaction he had gotten from the older couple; even giving him the name of a real estate agent. In the end, Erik was torn between this house and another that was a few miles away from La Medicea, meaning that it would be a longer trip were they to visit back and forth. But there was something about this place that just told Erik that it was the right choice. He could visualize Meg and himself living on this place for many, many years, growing old together, perhaps, even their children running around the great gardens…

He grabbed the key from his pocket and placed it into the keyhole, turning it slightly. But before he opened the door, he looked up to meet her eyes, a big mischievous smile on his lips.

"Ready?" he asked, making her feel even more nervous than she already was.

"Just open the door" she squeaked impatiently.

Erik turned the doorknob and opened the door, stepping aside to let her in first. Meg let out a deep breath once she was inside the house. If she thought Erik would choose a modest and simple house, she was absolutely wrong. The place was anything but simple. In fact, it was beautiful. Every window and light reflected generously throughout the spacious living room, a large window at her right that led to the garden, allowing them to admire the view. Although it was already late in the night, Meg couldn't help but imagine how it would look in the morning, rays of light pouring through every window and making the room warm.

Meg began walking slowly further into the house, her heart beating faster with each step she took. Erik disappeared somewhere up the stairs with their luggage, leaving Meg alone to take in in her surroundings. Comfortable armchairs and an overstuffed sofa were carefully grouped to provide a quiet respite from an exhausting day, while inviting her to enjoy the pleasures of reading, uninterrupted contemplation and relaxation. She went on, until she entered the dining room, candles already burning and a pot with fresh flowers similar to the ones she was holding. Somehow she suspected that Arabelle had something to do with all of this.

"Elle est belle" Meg breathed.

"Yes, you are" came the response from behind her.

Meg turned around quickly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. He was standing at the treshold, a look in his eyes that made a shiver run up her spine. She slowly made her way back to him, leaving the flowers at the table before reaching where he was standing. As soon as she was close enough, he reached out for her, arms opened. Without hesitation, she encircled his waist and rested her head into his shoulder.

"Do you like it?" he asked, his breath tingling her ear.

"I love it" she stated, leaning back to gaze into his eyes.

He tilted his head, a playful smile tugging from the corner of his lips. Slowly, he placed a finger under her chin, tilting her head up and leaning down, he covered her mouth with his. Meg sighed contently as he unclasped the buttons of her cloak, and let it slide down her shoulders. In a similar manner, she ran her hands slowly up from his stomach until she reached his neck, where the buttons were. As soon as both their cloaks were off, he broke the kiss and straightened.

"It would be selfish if I said that I did this without any help" he explained as he circled her and bent down to pick up their cloaks "So I must admit that Arabelle and Federico helped me quite a bit"

"That's so sweet of them" Meg answered as Erik walked into the living room and placed cloaks on the hanger. Meg made a mental note to visit them tomorrow to thank them.

"Yes it is" he said loud enough for her to hear it.

Meg walked into the kitchen, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of the large room. It was similar to the one of La Medicea, except for the fact that painted wooden panels were found on the doors of the various cabinets. But what surprised her most was the delicious aroma that surrounded her as soon as she walked in. At the table there was a plate covered by one of those fancy silver objects that she had seen in the fancy restaurant near the Opera Populaire. Why was it hard to remember its name at that moment?

"And also she insisted on making us dinner" Erik explained as he walked past her and stood at the edge of the table "She said that we would be starving after such events"

Meg walked briskly to his side and leaned against the table "Well, Arabelle knows me quite well"

In one swift movement she removed the object, revealing a plate with a quite generous quantity of Arabelle's delicious pasta. Meg felt her mouth water at the sight of the dish, and from Erik's expression, he too, was hungry.

After eating almost all of the entire pasta, Meg put down the fork and leaned back into the chair of the kitchen, a content sigh leaving her lips. Erik chuckled and stood up, placing the now empty plate at the sink and began washing it.

"Mon Dieu, I had forgotten how delicious Arabelle's cooking was" Meg breathed, placing a hand on her stomach.

"After the surgery, she insisted on cooking for me" Erik said as he gave the plate to Meg, who dried it with the towel "I'm sure I gained a lot of weigh during those months"

Meg burst into laughter, placing her hands over the countertop. Her gaze met Erik's who just looked at her questioningly. But soon, he was laughing too at the sight of her flushed cheeks and tears falling down her cheeks.

"You are a very dramatic person, Monsieur" Meg said, hardly able to breathe as she tried to stifle her giggles and placed a hand over his abdomen "Your stomach seems normal to me"

"You should have seen me after the surgery" he stated, an expression of disgust on his face "I couldn't eat solid food for about two weeks and I did lose a considerable amount of weight."

Meg's cheeks turned white and began stammering "My God! Why haven't you told me? What did you do, then? What did you ate? Arabelle should have sent me a letter! You were here starv-"

Erik grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her gently while he chuckled "Calm down, my love. Arabelle did nothing else but to force food down my throat. After Marco said I could begin eating properly, Arabelle began preparing dishes for a whole army."

"Well, that explains a lot more" Meg answered defiantly "I bet you just lost like two pounds"

"I beg your pardon, Madame?" he asked with mock surprise, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he grabbed her hand "Are you stating that the former Phantom of the Opera likes to over-react?"

"Not at all, crashing down a chandelier is something everyone does these days" Meg answered casually.

Erik stepped forward, his eyebrows rose in mock offense "I needed a way to escape!"

"And bringing down a chandelier was the best option you had" Meg scoffed.

In one swift movement, Erik grabbed her by the waist and pressed her against himself. She let out a shriek, looking up to see into his eyes. He leaned down, grazing her jaw and ear with his lips.

"But you must admit that it was something memorable" he chuckled in her ear.

She put a hand on his chest and pushed him away with a giggle "Not at all dramatic."

"I was the Phantom! I needed to be impressive!" he protested.

"Just admit it was dramatic" she said raising her eyebrow and lifting her nose up.

"Never" he stated, but then chuckled "Now come, there is something I want to show you"

Erik grabbed her hand and guided her out of the kitchen, blowing out the candles as they passed. They walked up the stairs towards the second floor and into the first room. Meg couldn't help the gasp that left her lips at the sight of the room. The room was illuminated by a warm glow provided by the candle light. The walls were of a creamy color, a high window opened that led to the balcony, the warm breeze filling the room. Meg walked into the room, her mouth opened with surprise as she made her way to the other end of their stunning quarters. There was a four-poster bed across the room, scarlet quilt covering the white sheets of the bed, and on the other side, there was a modest sofa and a desk.

Meg entered the bathroom, surprised by the beauty of such a simple place. A creamy wallpaper matching with the yellow embroidery on the walls of the bedroom. An enormous white tub was placed near the right side, a basin at the other side, a wide mirror up in the wall. She caught her reflection, her pale cheeks and tangled hair, the costume a little bit wrinkled by the long trip. It was then when she realized how awful she looked.

"I think I need to freshen up a bit" she said, turning around to face Erik. He was sitting on the bed, his jacket on the couch while he loosened his cravat.

"Do you want me to wait outside?" he asked awkwardly, his eyes showing his own nervousness.

"No, that's all right, I'll change on the bathroom"

He nodded and proceeded to take off his long black boots, staying only with his white shirt and the brown trousers. Meg realized that he was dressed as he had been the night of the fire, when she had found him, or to be precise, when he had found her. The story was repeating itself; they had run away from Paris and were now safe in Florence. Just that this time they weren't hiding, his face wasn't deformed and they were married. Meg felt a lump in her throat as she walked rapidly towards her bag, took her nightgown and rushed into the bathroom without looking back at him.

Not sure what to do, Erik stood up and walked out onto the balcony. The fresh air hit his face as he leaned over the railing with a smile, trying to get a better view of the gardens, although he highly suspected that the darkness wouldn't be helpful. He had waited for this night for so long, finally a day when Meg and he would be free and happy, nothing tying them to the past. The premiere had gone better than he had expected it to, he had never anticipated the overwhelming reaction of the audience toward him. And for once in his life he felt satisfied, with who he was and what he was doing. And everything had been even better with her by his side.

She had danced as beautifully and gracefully as always, perfect, if he dare say. The way her eyes had glowed when she realized what he was doing. She always had been insecure about herself, he knew how much she feared that his feelings for Christine had been stronger than what he felt for her. But she was completely wrong, no one had ever made him feel the way he felt, not even Christine. He was determined to make all her fears go away, and not let anything or anyone come between them. Although he still was afraid of these new feelings inside of him, he still was thrilled that she had been able to make him feel that way. Sometimes he still wondered if everything was just a dream and he was about to wake up in his lair, dampness, silence and darkness surrounding him.

But with each glance and touch from her, somehow he felt alive, more than he had ever been.

Meg stepped out of the bathroom quietly, surprised when she saw Erik was not in the room. Glancing around, she realized that the doors of the balcony were open, and immediately she knew where he was. Since he had left the catacombs of the Opera Populaire, he had spent as much time as he could out in fresh air, it didn't matter whether it was day or night, he had a certain addiction when it came to feeling the air caressing his face. She placed the costume near her bag and began unpacking some of her clothes, placing them in drawers. After some moments, when her hand touched something furry, she smiled and took the music-box from her large bag. Erik didn't know that she had it, so perhaps it would be a way of saying thank you for buying such a beautiful place for them. Meg had rescued it because somehow she felt that it had meant so much to him, and it too made it feel like he was closer to her when he was away. She placed it over the desk and when she was finished with her own clothes, began unpacking Erik's bag too.

After she was finished, she grabbed the music-box and walked out into the balcony, the air making her nightgown dance around her legs. He was there, sitting on the ground, his hands behind him supporting his weigh as his head was tilted up looking at the sky.

"Star-gazing?" she wondered out loud with a smile.

Erik turned around from where he was sitting, his entire body freezing at the sight of his wife: she was standing at the entrance of the balcony, her body covered in a silk robe of a gold color, her long blond waves, which had been pulled back for the performance, were now hanging loose around her shoulders and dancing with the wind. Her chocolate eyes were glowing with dim light provided by the candles, and he highly suspected that she was not aware that the faint light outlined her form, revealing far more than she knew.

He met her eyes, a shy smile in her lips. It was then when he noticed that she was carrying something quite familiar to him. His music box. He nodded his head inviting her to approach, and she obliged rapidly. She was about to sit next to him when he shook his head.

"Why don't you sit against me?" he asked, somehow scared that she would not want to do that. But as always, she managed to surprise him.

She bit her lip and raised her eyebrows "Are you sure?"

He nodded and she obeyed, sitting down between his legs and leaning back into his chest, his lips near her left ear, one of his arms circling her waist lazily as she made herself comfortable.

"So what is this you have?" he said suspiciously, tickling her ear with his breath.

Meg giggled and craned her neck to look at his face "Don't your remember it?"

She then proceeded to put it down on the ground, and pressing gently a hidden button under the box where the monkey was sitting, the music soon began sounding. She leaned back once more against him, looking at the monkey with a pleased smile.

"How did you know I loved this music-box?" he whispered stunned.

"I didn't" was her simple answer.

He then placed a kiss on her cheek, his hand lingering on the soft skin of her cheekbone. She sighed contently as he caressed her face almost imperceptibly. Erik gathered up her hair in one hand, and draped it across her other shoulder. His fingertips grazed the exposed skin, making Meg shiver in delight, and after a moment, he leaned down and kissed the warm skin of her shoulder with great care, and then continued up to her neck. She closed her eyes, leaning into his touch as he continued to trace the skin of her back with his lips, the scent of peaches clouding his senses.

"You amaze me" he breathed, his head resting against her hair.

"Why?" she sighed.

Somehow he always enjoyed how she fit into his arms, as if she had been made just for him, her small compact body pressed against his strong frame, protecting her fragile form, soft in all the right places, making him feel as never before. Suddenly the music stopped, and the only sound was their slow breathing and the air of the night.

"How you make me feel" Erik explained, his nose trailing her temple "Somehow you know things about me that not even I know"

Meg felt something change in his voice, so she released herself from his embrace and turned around, kneeling in front of him. As soon as she was facing him, he placed a hand over her cheek, grazing her lips with his thumb.

"I think it was my mistake I never told you before how I feel about you, Meg" he began, his eyes searching for any sign of discomfort in hers. When he found none, he continued "I was afraid of not being good enough for you, of not allowing you to have a good life with a good man. I was afraid of forcing you to marry someone who did not deserve you, I thought you were acting out of pity."

She tried to protest but he place a finger over her lips "Please let me finish. I know how difficult it was for you to face Christine on your own, how you must have felt, and I cannot blame you. I would've acted the same. Not until you told me how you really felt, did I realize how wrong I was and what a fool I had been. I was afraid of finding someone who would break my heart again, and what I feared the most when I found you, was that perhaps you wouldn't only break my heart, but destroy it. I ask your forgiveness for being a blind fool and not allowing us to be completely happy. But right now, at this moment, I truly realize that it was you who saved me, not me. You were the one who took me out of the darkness and made me a new man, a better man. So please, ask me once more how I feel about you."

Meg knew what he was talking about, but she couldn't speak, a lump formed in her throat as she fought to find her voice. He had a pleading look in his face, waiting for her to talk. She knew how much he cared for her and meant to him, so when she looked into his eyes once again, she was absolutely sure about how she felt about him.

"How do you feel about me?" her voice came out softly, her eyes sparkling with shyness.

He stood up, taking her hands in his and helping her get to her feet. With great care, he stood closer to her, his hand cupping her cheek.

"I love you"

His voice was confident and strong, like nothing she had ever heard before. Meg's breath hitched in her throat, fighting the urge to throw herself against him. Her cheeks began getting warm as she felt her heart bursting with joy.

"I love you, Meg" he repeated, his face now inches apart from hers. Meg closed her eyes at the proximity as he murmured once more "I love you"

His lips brushed hers tentatively, as if asking for permission, as if this was their first kiss. For some reason, she felt that it was, because now she knew that he loved her, and finally she was able to know what the electric current that flowed whenever they touched meant. He loved her, he truly loved her. With their lips touching, her hair intertwined in his fingers, their breathing as one, little by little, they kissed for the first time.

After a moment, Erik kissed her back with much force, Meg responding eagerly to his kiss as he pressed her body against his. Erik leaned back enough to gaze into her eyes. His eyes were darker than she had ever seen them, but at the same time, they were glowing like never before. He began walking into the room slowly without letting go of her hand, taking her with him. They stopped at the center of the room, and slowly, he bent his head down to graze her jaw with his lips. He continued up her cheekbone, her temple, down once more to the corner of her mouth as he slowly made his way down to where her neck began. She whispered his name, not wanting anything more than him to kiss her. He seemed to understand the meaning behind her whisper, so he straightened, meeting her eyes. She placed her small hand in his cheek, caressing the new skin softly. Placing her hands in the back of his neck, she pulled him down and kissed him eagerly, trying to show him how she felt too. He kissed her desperately, with all the longing and need he had been denying. His hands traveled down to her thorax, his touch burning through the soft material of her nightgown.

Without a warning, his tongue caressed her lower lip, earning a moan from her. He tensed at the sound, surprised of what he was capable of doing. Stroking her hips gently, yearning to feel the texture of her bare skin, he began undoing the knot on the back of her nightgown, the material falling at her back causing the entire nightgown to hang loose on her body. Suddenly, she opened the last few buttons of his shirt and her pressed her hand against his bare chest, tracing the skin with her long fingers. He groaned in satisfaction and kissed her deeply as her hands began caressing the skin of his back, sending shivers running across his spine. Meg felt his hands tracing her jawline and down her neck, then to her arms and along the curves of her body, his lips crashing against hers in a breathtaking battle. She felt her knees buckling until he had to hold her up, supporting her with his arms. Gently, he laid her on the bed, positioning himself on top of her.

They remained still, gazing into each other's eyes longingly, trying to express what word couldn't. She reached up a hand, placing it carefully atop the side of his face which used to be deformed. He closed his eyes at the sensation of her hand stroking his cheek, that simple touch awakening him even more. He balanced himself over her and leaned down to kiss her once again, her lips finding his in the middle. His lips met with hers, kissing her in a rough, feverish rhythm, making her feel like she was on fire. Erik kissed her mouth with a furious passion, opening her willing lips with his own. His hands were everywhere, running up and down her sides, her arms, her neck, her face. He moved them so she would be on top of him, earning a gasp of surprise from his wife. She kissed him eagerly as soon as she was balanced, her hands lost in his hair as he tugged her bottom lip. Without a warning he rolled over, pinning her underneath him once more. Slowly, she pushed at his shirt, and with his help, she removed it. Her hands explored the contours of his chest, traveling from his collar bone to his solid stomach. His hands traveled down her body, touching her carefully as if she might break if he pressed any harder. Wherever he touched, her skin burned, leaving a tingling sensation where his hands had just been.

"Je suis à toi" he whispered breathlessly against her neck, feeling her fingers running through his hair.

"I have always been yours" she answered, pulling him back towards her lips.

Erik had never felt more alive. He had never felt more in love. She was beautiful, the woman lying underneath him, touching him and yearning for him. She was beautiful. She was his.

Slowly, Erik slid her nightgown down her shoulders, unfolding the material from her body. Her heart began beating faster with nervousness of what was to come. His eyes never left hers as the material came off from her body, exposing her to him for the first time. His eyes sparkled with adoration as he leaned down, covering her mouth with his. Meg encircled his neck with her arms, traveling down to his back, feeling the faint outline of the scars which proved how much he had endured. She was expecting him to flinch away from her shy touch, but instead, he seemed to welcome it, groaning in satisfaction against her lower chest. As her hands traveled down his broad back, he leaned back, looking at her breath-taking form beneath him, his hands touching her as if to assure himself that she was real. Slowly he bent down, placing a warm kiss on her stomach and traveling up, tempting her with each touch.

"Beau" he whispered once he reached the soft spot beneath her ear. She squirmed underneath him as a shiver ran across her spine and threw her neck back, giving him permission to touch the skin of the long column of her throat. Shyly, Meg's hand began traveling down his chest until she reached his waistband. He gasped in surprise at the feeling of her hands working with his brown trousers. He looked up to her, tracing with his fingers her lips, red and swollen from his kiss.

"I love you" she breathed out suddenly.

His heart stopped at that exact moment, his eyes opened with surprise. He had never dared to believe that he would hear someone saying those words to him, and yet, here he was. Resting atop his wife, in the room of their home, the words leaving her lips. Erik intertwined their hands, raising them towards his lips and placing a kiss atop her knuckles, his eyes never leaving hers. She smiled tenderly, her heart bursting with joy at the expression in his face. He leaned down and kissed her passionately, something different in the kiss. She closed her eyes at the sensation of the man she loved kissing her and touching her, knowing that she wouldn't rather be in any other place.

"Make me yours"

Erik stilled, and for a moment, they simply stared at one another. Erik then broke the silence by taking her lips again, kissing her as deeply and ardently as possible. He brought his forehead to hers with a heavily contented sigh before making her his.

Je suis à toi- I'm yours