Remembering the Angel

& I Loved You.

Christine's POV

Gustave nodded, and after he walked into his room, Christine walked over to the table and picked up the rose. A piece of parchment hung from it's string, she read the note,

"Ashamed of who I was. Now not afraid to try. I will be by your side, knowing now I'd sooner die. Than leave you, again, in the dark, beneath a moonless sky."

Christine walked over to her Angel and knelt across from him. She untied the note from the rose, to keep for herself, but held the rose itself out for him.

"And I love you, yes I love you, I trust every word you've said. But, from now on please, my love, just talk to me instead."

And she placed the red rose between her and her Angel.

Erik's POV

Erik had given up. He knew one day Christine will remember him as The Phantom. There was no way around that.

But, right now, Christine loved him as Erik, as someone she held good memories of. He would prove himself in this time, because for now, she trusted him.

Erik was fully given to her, and now he gave her a choice, there on his knees. She would have to accept that he would not tell her the whole story, or send The Phantom off in disgust at his audacity.

He had planned on her choosing the second option.

But yet, there she was. Kneeling across from him, red rose on the floor. Choosing him over the whole truth.

He deserved to die for this. And he knew it.

"Christine," Erik still refused to meet her eyes, "I don't know if you fully understand, I cannot give you all you deserve, if you were to know the truth-"

"Erik." She took his chin in her soft hand and brought his eyes to hers, "Whatever that past held. Whoever the ghost in my dreams is, he will not harm us here. It doesn't matter to me anymore."

No, my love, he will not harm you, thought The Phantom himself, he will not harm anyone ever again.

"Christine..."

"Mon ange." She placed a hand on either side of his face, and looked at the mask guarded him once more, "please, just stay this time. That is all I ask of you."

Erik couldn't believe his ears. His Angel, his queen, his life was asking him to stay. As if it was an option for him now. He would never leave her. Not until it was at her request. Even then, he wasn't sure if he could leave her.

"You have me in my entirety, my Christine. You always have."

Christine stared at him, and a smile spread across her full lips.

"You took this from me the other night." She said lightly, touching his mask.

Erik remembered Christine's sleeping face. Tear stained cheeks, breathing in and out with sobs even in her dreams. He would never forget that image, it was burned not only in his mind, but in his heart.

"I am not worthy of this, mon ange," he said painfully, "You have forgiven this corpse far too many times."

Christine reached up and touched the outline of his mask. Erik felt her warm finger brush along the ends of the wounds where the mask didn't reach, he felt a shiver go down his spine.

"How many times must I tell you this, Erik, you're so beautiful to me. Inside..."

She took of his mask and set it by the rose that still lay between them.

"And out."

The warm finger had turned into a warm hand, caressing the side of his face he had hid so long from the world.

But he did not feel ashamed of his face. He looked into Christine's eyes and saw no trace of fear, she truly thought he held beauty.

Christine inched closer and brought her forehead to his, and set the rose in Erik's hands,

"I love you." She whispered.

"Oh Christine," he reached up, touched her angelic face and sang, "I love you."

She kissed him lightly, only once, but it warmed his heart all the same.   

"I'll go and get Gustave."

A thought dawned on Erik. The other's would never hold his secrets for him if they knew Christine's memory had partially returned. He didn't trust anyone, especially the Viscount, to bury his past.

Their love, his joy, would have to be a secret held in the nights. He hated himself for keeping him as The Phantom from Christine, but he knew her mind was fighting to connect the pieces. One day the puzzle would be complete and he was sure then she would never forgive him.

Erik would have ask more of her. More favors, more secrets, more lies. That is always what his life seemed to return to.

Christine's POV

Christine walked into Gustave's room and saw him studying his music, tapping a pencil to his head. She couldn't help but laughing to herself.

He looked as if he was a man studying reports in an office. His vest was unbuttoned, and a serious look on his face, he would have looked much older if there wasn't a half eaten cookie next to his lamp on his bedside table.

"Darling?" Christine walked over and knelt next to Gustave's bed, "would you like to come out into the drawing room and sit with us?"

Gustave looked up from his music and smiled brightly, "You and father are alright?"

Those words made Christine's heart swell, finally, she could give her son a father. One that cared for him, and loved him, and would show him the wonders of the world. As opposed to one that hated what didn't belong to him.

"Yes love, your father and I are alright." She combed her fingers through his messy hair. Hadn't she done if before he left today?

Gustave grabbed her hand and they walked into the room where her Angel was pacing by the window.

She took a deep breath, and stopped him with her gaze.

"Gustave, I would say I'd like you to meet your father, but I think you already know that much. The same to you, I think you already know your son. Our son." 

********

Note to Reader:

Hey guys! I loved writing the 'our son' line. I feel like it was something no one expected Christine to say, but she needed to. Like all throughout LND she never fully seems call Gustave 'theirs'.

Well, now she did.

I committed to a college Monday night! Wish me luck in my next chapter (lol book pun) of my life!

& if anyone is under the impression this story will be ending soon, sorry to break it to you, but no. Haha! I have a plan for these characters that spans another 11-13 parts  AT LEAST.

So I hope you stay around for the end :)

Your Humble Servant,

W.G.