A New Beginning

Chapter 19

(Raoul's POV)

I waited downstairs in the living room with Christine. She was sitting on a chair and I stood next to her, both of us staring at the stairs on which Erik would be stepping any minute.

I decided to take Christine to the kitchen and distract her a little bit, so she started helping me with breakfast when suddenly, a crashing noise was heard and we both ran out to see what had happened.

Erik lay on the floor, his back facing us but his palms on the floor, attempting to push his body off the floor. Christine and I ran to help him, so I swung his arm around my shoulder, and held him up by the torso with my other arm. I sat him down on the divan and told him to breathe, but all he did was stare at his feet, and I knew exactly what was going on.

"Erik, are you alright?" He nodded to my question. "Would you be so kind then to bring me a glass of water," I asked him and once more, he nodded. Christine protested but I stopped her from going anywhere near the kitchen.

I stared at Erik as he stood up in a rather strange way and grinned nervously at me, but when he tried to take one step towards the kitchen, he collapsed on his knees. Christine worriedly leaned down to help him but I held my arm in front of her before her fingertips could even brush his shoulder.

"Is something wrong, Erik?" I asked him.

I knew I was being very sarcastic and mean to him, but I had to know exactly what had happened and he wouldn't tell us otherwise.

He shook his head. "Not at all," he replied as he pushed himself off the floor and on the divan. Then he tried to reach for Christine's hand but I once again stood in front of her before he could, and Christine stared at me very worriedly and utterly confused.

"Well, I'm still thirsty, could you please bring me some water?" I asked, and again, he nodded.

He stood up in a rather specific way, as if he had thought about it before he did. Then he looked at me and gritted his teeth. "One second," he told me. Just as he said those two words, he collapsed back on the ground; this time landing on his face. I closed my eyes and rubbed my eyes with my thumb and my finger as Christine rushed over to help him. I then joined her and sat Erik down on the divan.

He stared blankly at his feet and Christine looked into his eyes with hers filled with confusion and a bit of sadness.

"My love, what has happened? I want to help you, but you must help me," Christine told him as she kneeled in front of him and took his hands in hers.

Erik shook his head and took a deep breath. I knew he was trying to keep his tears from falling.

"I'm no good to you anymore," he told Christine. His voice cracked when he said those words, and a single tear made its way down his left cheek.

"What do you mean?" she whispered she wiped the tear away with her thumb.

He took another deep breath before he answered, stuttering, "I-I can't feel my legs."

Christine gasped and Erik put his head in his hands. Erik started crying now; sobbing, to be precise.

Christine leaned up, cupping his face in her hands and pressed her lips on his. "I love you, nothing we'll change that, and I will be with you always. I'm never leaving you again. I love you, okay?" she hugged him when she finished.

Erik gave a small smile, "I love you, my angel."