A/N: Hey, everyone. I know I said I won't be returning to the Phantom fandom until 2024, but I had this done and didn't want to wait because I am impatient. I will use this time to update everyone also. I am doing better, not at my 100% best, but I'm getting there. Currently having some health issues and tests are being done, so we will see how that goes. I will say that updates in 2024 are going to be very slow, maybe one update every 2 months if I can. I appreciate all of you for being so patient with me. You don't know how much that means to me that I still have people reading and commenting on this fic even though it is technically on hiatus. It really gives me the motivation to keep going. Anywho! Love you all so much and enjoy the chapter, I tried my best!

Also, ignore the errors. I did my best editing this lol I miss so much stuff sometimes.

/

Chapter 23: Expecting

"You truly do think I am...p-pregnant?" Christine asked, the word sticking in her throat momentarily as a smile crept to her lips. Her hands, still tender from being clasped so tightly she thought they might fall off, smoothed over the silken fabric shrouding her stomach. In the gilded cheval mirror, the very same that was once kept in the ballet mistresses' quarters of the Populaire, Christine envisioned herself with a distended belly and couldn't help the joy she felt.

Madame Giry nodded briefly and pursed her lips, then took a step backwards, having spent the past quarter hour examining and muttering over Christine, most of which was inaudible apart from the confirmation of pregnancy.

"My dear, I have been caring for you since your youth; any change in your body and I will notice," the older woman said before sighing heavily and continuing with whispered contempt, "That wretched man! Couldn't even have had the respect to not bed you until after marriage. Men are salacious beings, my child."

Christine's face heated instantly and she casted her gaze to the floor. "I-I must admit th-that I was the-" She paused and drew in a deep breath, the shame forming a lump in her throat that she attempted to clear quickly. "I-I was the one who approached him on the matter."

While it was overly unpleasant to admit such a thing to the woman who acted as her mother for nearly a decade, she couldn't allow Erik to be spoken of as if he were the only one responsible for their premarital pairings. It was she who - most of the time - showed blatant fervor to be taken to bed, or truly anywhere in the - Christine stopped the thought then and did her best to quell the twisting in her lower abdomen, thanking God that it went away promptly for once. Heaven, why did she have to think about being with Erik every second she was away from him?

"No matter, the deed is done," Madame Giry said with a slight, awkward smile, "however, I can confirm you are with child and extend my congratulations. Motherhood is a great gift, very rewarding and…" Her eyes flickered to Christine's, only briefly, seeming to be pondering something and she started again, "Are you sure you don't want to - " But abandoned words clung in the air between them and the Madame bowed her head, saying instead, "Shall we return to Erik and Meg?"

The look on the older woman's face was not lost to Christine, nor was the way she quickly stepped towards the door. Worry seeded itself in Christine's chest and pinched her heart tight and she couldn't help but blurt out, "Am I sure I don't want to do what?"

Madame Giry hesitated at the door before pressing her lips into a thin line and turning towards Christine, her eyes dropping to the yet distended belly with the same look of contemplation. After what felt like an eternity of introspection, she finally gestured to the edge of the bed and, being an obedient daughter, Christine seated herself and was pleased to be joined by her adoptive mother.

"My dear, I am a woman of God first and foremost, so do not think me immoral when I say what I am going to say," the Madame said, taking up one of Christine's hands and holding it in her own.

The sharp pain in Christine's chest increased more so and she blinked rapidly to be rid of the rising moisture, wondering what in the world would make her mother render such a warning and why she was so hesitant to speak on it. All she could do was nod to get her to continue as tightness gripping her throat was sure to hinder speech.

"You do have...options, Christine," Madame Giry stated softly, and for a moment, the whispered statement meant nothing to Christine - it was meaningless, it was...

The space between her brows crinkled and her eyes narrowed as she looked at their joined hands, puzzled as to why such a suggestion would be made. "You don't...you don't mean..." was all she could say as nothing she truly wanted to say could pass her lips without being louder than she had intended for this meeting. Instead, she bit her tongue lightly and shook her head before taking a few moments in silence to compose herself. Once she felt ready enough, she blandly said, "That is not an option."

It wasn't as though Christine didn't understand the meaning behind why Madame Giry suggested alternatives; she was keenly aware as Erik had said so himself, had mentioned it numerous times yet she was always able to comfort him by assuring him everything would be okay. The appearance of their children mattered not; what did matter was that they experienced love and compassion, something every child needed. It pained Christine that her adoptive mother - Erik's only semblance of a friend for years - had endorsed a measure that involved the death of a living being; though it was not the first and would not be the last time an unwanted proposal occurred.

"Your reasoning is not lost to me, Madame," Christine murmured, "Erik has expressed the same concern, but I will tell you the same as I tell him: our children will be loved, unconditionally, both in and out of the womb."

Madame Giry smiled weakly and took up her other hand to stroke Christine's cheek, and said, "Yes, of course. I apologize for my doubt. You have always been a good girl, always, and you will make an even better mother. That man is very fortunate to have you, my dear. Would've been a shame if you two hadn't found each other and he was condemned to that crypt. I am very proud of you for having strength when others could not."

Christine returned the smile, leaning into the touch and closing her eyes; though trepidation soon set in at the remembrance of the older woman's words only a couple nights before - the regret she had admitted to when it came to allowing Erik to be Christine's teacher. Perhaps, and she hoped with all her might, there may have been a change of heart from seeing how much they loved each other at their wedding. After all, Madame Giry seemed very pleased thereafter.

"Thank you," Christine sighed out as she lifted the lids of her eyes. Her mind then wandered to the baby and how happy Erik was going to be, but...oh, their trip to Auxerre. How was she to go while carrying a child? "Madame, we are leaving for Auxerre in the morning. Will being with child delay our travels?"

Madame Giry pursed her lips yet again and thought for a moment while shaking her head. "I suppose it won't hurt to be on horseback during this stage in the pregnancy," then she let out a soft chuckle before continuing, "You didn't see what I was doing while carrying Meg, it's a wonder that girl came out with all her limbs. But, as long as you are resting and staying well-fed, which I trust will be first priority with Erik, your health and the babe's health will be fine."

"Right," Christine said, "I will remember to ask Erik to stop more often. We barely did on our way here from Lyon due to the worry of being discovered, but I do believe we are safe now."

While she tried her best to sound convincing, even to herself, the thought of…God, she didn't even want to think of his name, didn't even want to think of either of their names. Her heart clenched at the memory of both encounters with such deplorable men, though, the hallway…that damned hallway hurt the most. It had been easy pushing them to the back of her mind these past months, having had Erik to mend her wounds, and what a job he did at that. Never had she felt so safe than she did with Erik, when she was in his arms or beside him while their horses trotted side by side.

It truly was a blessing that they found each other and she had the courage to stay by his side, something that Christine would never regret. He was to be the father of her children, her husband, most trusted confidant, all of these things for the rest of eternity. Any woman with a good head on their shoulders would be swimming with jealousy and wishing their husbands were as tender and caring as her Erik, as nurturing as her Erik… The thought of him as a father moved to the forefront of her mind and she knew that, if he treated their children with as much care as she received, he was going to be an astounding father.

The only worry presenting itself was that perhaps it was too soon for a child, especially since there was still the looming threat of being discovered by the de Chagny's. While Erik had agreed to give her children, protecting both her and a babe was something that hadn't crossed her mind until that moment. No, she had to have trust that Erik knew best regarding her protection. Their new home would be a haven, a place they could thrive together and have a family, a place for music and joy.

New beginnings.

"We will be happy and safe," Christine whispered, only realizing she said it aloud when Madame Giry gave an affirming nod.

"I am quite content with Erik's ability to protect you," the older woman said, standing and crossing to the door. "He has kept a watchful eye, first, over me, then Meg, now you. And soon, his family, however large it may be."

Christine glanced at the clock briefly, noting the time to be nearing the hour before midnight and it dawned on her that she was keeping Madame Giry up far later than she intended. She had lost enough sleep over the past few days meeting in Erik's home and helping with their wedding, so Christine joined her by the door and said, "Thank you, Madame. Truly, for everything. Now, I will share parting words with Meg and we will be on our way."

Madame Giry displayed felicity and pushed the door open. "I trust you will send for us when you settle in, my dear."

"Of course, we will." Christine stepped into the living room, her eyes immediately searching for her husband where she had left him, only to find he was nowhere to be seen. She gave a quizzical look before being alerted to the left side of the apartment where there was a door leading to what looked like a kitchen, light glittering through from the other side and illuminating the low-lit dwelling.

With Madame Giry close behind, Christine's curiosity drew her towards the laughter and she came to the door, peering through to see Erik and Meg with their sides facing the doorway. Erik was bent at the waist over two wine glasses, gently lowering an egg into one of them before pushing them together. Meg gawked down at what he was doing, eyes wide with the same expressive joy that painted Erik's face.

"Now," he said, glancing over at Meg briefly, "if you blow on the glass with the egg, like this - " His lips formed a perfect "o" and he blew on the glass containing the egg and Meg's eyes widened, "it will move to the other."

"How did you do that?!" the girl exclaimed, grabbing onto his sleeve and bouncing up and down excitedly. "How did you make the egg move?"

Christine saw Erik recoil slightly and nearly stepped forward but Madame Giry placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping her in place.

"It's merely a trick," he replied, eyes glued to his connection with Meg. "Why don't you try it?"

The young girl released him and, with a determined edge to her face, repeated exactly what he did. As she did so, Christine studied Erik, noticing how happy he looked, though she could sense the slight reserve in the air. While the thought of any other woman at Erik's side made Christine wince with jealousy, her closest friend made her feel no such envy. Instead, it pleased her, however odd it seemed, to see Erik sharing his interests with someone other than her. Of course, she was always attentive with the desire to learn how he trailed her every movement through the opera house and sat for hours as he talked about his tricks and traps.

Just then she imagined not Meg, but a young child at his side as he displayed the same tricks: how to speak from every corner of a room or make objects float between their hands… Christine's heart flooded with joy then and she couldn't stop the budding tears at the corners of her eyes, so she reached up and swiped them away and sniffled.

Erik's head snapped up at the near silent sound and his visible brow pulled into the center of his forehead upon seeing her wiping at her eyes. In no time at all, he was at her side, taking up her hands and holding them between his own.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" he asked quickly, eyes darting between her and Madame Giry, whose hand had fallen back to her side.

Christine shook her head and welcomed his touch, sinking her teeth into the plush of her lower lip to control her excitement. The sudden urge to tell him she was with child was overwhelming, but she knew she had to wait, especially since they were set to travel come morning.

"Better than alright," she assured him, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand as a soothing gesture while she looked over at her friend who was still occupied with the glasses. "What were you showing Meg? I don't think I know that one yet."

"A magic trick," he said, grabbing Christine's chin lightly and drawing her gaze back to his eyes which were studying her curiously. "It's a harmless one, really, nothing like - well, it will not be setting any drapes aflame."

Oh! How could she have forgotten? The memory of Erik flaunting his ability to set light to whatever he held in his hand, even sitting beside her in the reading nook in the parlor which had resulted in a trip to Lyon for new drapery - of which Christine demanded to choose since it was his fault for being so clumsy.

"There is little harm one can do with an egg," Christine agreed while suppressing a giggle, which was easy to do as she was immediately captivated by the devoted eyes of her husband.

As Erik inched closer, he reclaimed his hand and slid it, instead, to her neck where he tenderly caressed her and gave her a perturbed look. It was clear he was apprehensive to believe she was alright, especially when his next movement was to wipe away a tear she had missed that was breaching her waterline. From just the simple connection, her heart fluttered and thumped and she swore it was beating loud enough for all to hear. The room disappeared as she fell deeper into the paradise that were her husband's eyes; Madame Giry and Meg didn't exist, the faint hum of electricity didn't exist; nothing existed but her Erik. His soft, stuttering breaths accompanied by the occasional drifting of his thumb over her velveteen skin was enough to set her body ablaze and she thought she might combust right there.

All of it, everything, was a dream come true; the very same dream she shared with Meg while hidden away under their bed in the ballet dormitories, their blanket working as a canopy of sorts. Though Meg's fantasies had begun to differ into adulthood with her finding traveling and adventure more favorable, their talk of fairy tale romances and princes saving them from their unfortunate lives had always remained a devout thought for Christine. It had become her phenomenon having, indeed, been rescued from a damning situation, albeit without her permission, but that she had made amends with.

"Christine, come see what Erik showed me!" Meg shouted over her shoulder, breaking Christine from her trance. Her eyes darted to her friend briefly, then back to Erik before she blinked several times to be rid of the tears that had started to clump her lashes.

No sooner had she opened her mouth to give Meg a reply when Madame Giry called from the living area, seemingly having returned once Erik moved to Christine's side, "Meg, Christine and Erik must go before it gets too late."

Meg straightened in an instant and carefully slid the two wine glasses to the back of the counter and shoved a large pantry box in front of them, her cheeks flushing crimson. At this moment, Erik steered Christine towards Madame Giry as Meg trailed behind them. Once they were all in the living room, a hand captured Christine's and tugged her aside, right out of Erik's grasp.

"Will you come visit tomorrow night? Or we can come to you, whichever is easier," the blonde girl said quite enthusiastically, then a little quieter, "I didn't get a chance to show you what Erik taught me. It's magical."

An uneasy stirring fell upon Christine and guilt pitted in her stomach at how she was, once again, leaving her best friend. It was difficult to imagine Meg's face once informed of the move, so steeling herself, she made to answer, but another voice chimed in, this time Erik's, "Christine informed me that she wants to depart for Auxerre in the morning. I am under the assumption that it is still her wish."

"Yes," Christine said softly, smiling meekly at her friend, "Erik and I are leaving for Auxerre. We have a new home and - " The urge to sob uncontrollably in her friend's arms was nearly unbearable, but she refrained and held strong, thankful that, now, she had at least a reason for her tears so as to have an excuse when Erik questioned her. "I will never be happier than I am now, my Meg. Of course, you should expect a letter shortly, but you must allow me some time to make my home ready for guests."

"Promise it won't be long? I do not have the strength to be apart from you for longer than a month or two," Meg said as her chin wobbled lightly, "I will not stand for it again."

Christine ran a soothing thumb over Meg's hand, just as she had with her husband, and nodded. "Erik will make sure I do not forget."

With an affirming grunt, Erik placed his hand on the small of Christine's back, an indication that he was more than ready to leave, and so was she. She allowed her hand to slip from Meg's and was none too surprised when the girl threw her arms around her, holding her in a tight embrace for only seconds before she was released. As Erik guided Christine to the door, to the world outside the refuge of walls, the excitement of what was to come lightened her heart and a huge grin stretched on her face. Parting words were shared with Madame Giry, then came the short walk to the stables and subsequent tunnel, until they were finally comfortable in their temporary sanctum.

It was as Christine returned to the scarlet bed that it truly hit her. Her life had begun, she was with child, and would have something sacred to cherish and care for.

Finally, after a decade, she had a purpose other than music.