All I Ask of You

Chapter 25

I screamed as did several others. It wasn't until Erik fell over onto me and Gisele that I knew what had happened.

"You bastard!" Erik's voice screamed.

"Raoul! We must go!" another voice said.

"Quick, get a doctor!" Madame Giry commanded.

"Yes, Mama."

"Caroline?" Erik whispered.

"You're hurt," I mumbled.

"No, dear," he rasped, "Merely a scratch."

I cradled him and Gisele in my arms as I silently cried. Would these be the only moments I had with the both of them?

Madame Giry had done her best to slow the bleeding while we waited for a doctor, but both me and Gisele had traces of Erik's blood on us. I ran my fingers through his hair as his breathing seemed to become more and more labored. "Madame Giry, could you give us a moment until the doctor gets here. If this is the last time I'm going to see my husband, I want to see him completely."

She had tears filling her eyes, as did I, when she nodded quietly. She closed the door of our bedroom, and I gently removed Erik's mask from his face. He murmured 'no,' but I reassured him, "It's just us, Erik."

He was truly beautiful. Why had society been so terrible to him? If someone had shown him kindness, he wouldn't have been on the brink of insanity when I found him. "Erik, I love you. Please don't leave me."

His eyes fluttered open, "I love you." His voice was raspy.

Tears fell rapidly from my eyes as I touched his face. I heard a knock at the door and quickly replaced his mask. The doctor ran in and began to move Erik off of me. In moments, Erik was out of the room and I was left with Gisele. "Your Papa is a wonderful man. He was protecting us. He loves you, Gisele. He loves you so much."

Finally, the doctor returned to my room, "How are you, Madame Destler?"

"I'm okay. How's Erik?"

"I'll admit that his wounds were bad, but he's lived through worse. If he survives the night, I think he'll make it. I think I should take a look at you and this baby too. You've been through a lot of trauma for just giving birth."

I nodded and the doctor took Gisele from my arms to look her over and clean Erik's blood off of her. Then with Madame Giry's help, the doctor examined me and helped me to clean myself of the blood that sprayed all over me.

Despite the doctor and Madame Giry begging me to rest I went to the room where Erik was. His face was drained of all color and he was still. For a moment, I thought he was dead until his eyes met mine, "Caroline..."

I quietly walked toward him holding Gisele in my arms, "Can I hold our daughter?"

"Of course." I sat down on the edge of his bed and placed Gisele in his arms.

"She's beautiful, Caroline." He hesitated, then he spoke, "If I don't make it..."

"Erik, you are not going to die on me. I can't do this without you. You saved me from my solitude."

"Caroline, I am fighting like hell, but you must listen. If something happens to me tonight or ever, you must find the Daroga and tell him who you are. Take him the ring from my little finger and show him. He will provide for you. I have made sure of it."

"Please don't leave me, Erik," I cried as I placed my head on his chest. He tangled his fingers in my hair as he exhaled deeply.

"I will fight to live and protect you and Gisele until I cannot fight any longer."

AN:
HEY EVERYONE!
I quit writing this story a while back because it wasn't getting many reads, but it seemed like it was generating more interest lately. So if you're here and reading along, I'd love to hear from you in the comments! (Let me know what you want to see from the story, if you'll continue reading, etc.). If enough people are interested, I'll try to finish this book up by the end of summer! :)