Stories of the Night (Phantom of the Opera)

Chapter 15: Healing

Angry voices drift through the blackness that holds me captive.

"Leave this place and forget me! Forget her! I know you were sent by Christine to make her life a living hell but trust me, just the memory of you will do that!" I hear Erik growl.

"She is my wife, legally she is my property. I could easily go to the law and they will arrest you." My father's cold voice snaps.

"I don't think they would believe you after you held an entire crowd at gunpoint." Erik's voice gets low.

Then I don't hear my father's voice again, but Erik's beautiful voice floats though the darkness singing the song we sang to each other the first night he returned from La Bicetre.

"Then say you'll share with me one love one lifetime
Let me lead you from your solitude
Say you need me with you, here, beside you
Anywhere you go, let me go too
Kane, that's all I ask of you."

At his voice I fight the darkness, though it is warm and nice all I want is to see Erik.

Suddenly it's like I'm falling, a wave of cold hits me and I shudder, it's hard to breathe. My eyes open to a blurry world as I struggle to take in air. My eyes focus on Erik who leans over me.

"Erik..." I wheeze.

I shakily lift my hand to touch his cheek but my strength fails me and my hand falls. Instead Erik takes it and presses it to his lips and then to his unmasked cheek.

"How do you feel, my love?" He asks in a gentle whisper.

I shudder yet again, "It-It's so cold."

He nods shushing me and pressing his own hand against my cheek. I lean into his touch as he speaks, "You lost a lot of blood."

"Lay with me? Keep me warm-" My words falter at another shudder.

He slips under the blanket next to me and nestles his head in the crook of my neck. "I was afraid I was going to lose you." He breaths, his touch warming my skin.

"How long have I been asleep?" I ask in a whisper.

"A week. The Doctors said if you didn't wake up within a week you wouldn't make it. Although I'm glad you waited until I was finally able to run your father off." Erik says as he pull slightly away, getting a good look at me. "You're so pale..." He breathes.

"I'm fine now." I force a smile even though the pain from my leg just hit me.

He just shakes his head, "It should have been me."

"No Erik, he would have taken me back there. You never would have seen me again." I say through the pain. "How bad was the wound?" I ask, changing the subject.

"The bullet only clipped your calf, it should heal fine, you just lost a lot of blood." Erik answers.

"Will I be able to dance?"

He just frowns at me and my heart sinks. "You'll have too much of a limp and your calf won't be strong enough for point work."

I just nod. Now what am I going to do?

......... Two Weeks Later......

"Careful." Erik says as he helps me out of our bed.

I try to put as little weight on my wounded leg as possible. I glance at Erik who is smiling brightly.

"Soon enough I'll be able to walk down the isle at our wedding." I grin at him.

He takes my hands, "And we'll recite our vows and say 'I do' and then I'll kiss you." He kisses me deeply. "Then I'll spin you around..." He lifts me up and we spin around and around laughing. He then sets me down on the bed and I lay back, with him leaning over me. "Finally we will retire back here and have the most romantic night." He presses his lips mine again.

We suddenly jolt away from each other at the sound of a crash on the other side of the curtain that separates the bedroom from the room on the lake.

"I'll be right back." Erik whispers.

He stands and goes to investigate.

I grab the crutch he had made for me and lift myself from the bed, limping to the curtain, I peak outside.

"Not again." I breathe as I see Christine facing Erik.

"How many times do I need to tell you to leave her Angel? I know you love me, I am your Angel!" She exclaims.

He just shakes his head, "You were never my Angel and I don't love you. I love Kane."

"She is already married!" Christine sneers.

"Not to him." Erik replies.

"I was your first love, Angel! You can't just forget about me! I will have you one way or another!" She yells as she storms out of Erik's home.

Erik just shakes his head and turns to me as I slip from behind the curtain and limp up to him with the crutch.

"She won't give up will she?" I sigh.

"No, she won't." He grimaces.

"Let's just focus on our wedding, alright?" I ask Erik taking the mask off that he had slipped on when he went to investigate the noise, and pressing a light kiss to his lips.