Love Unveiled

Chapter 1

Chapter One) Love is Stronger than Death

He almost had the gun in his hand when it fired a shot. Erik's hand flew up to his chest looking for the wound. He felt no pain and saw no blood.
Wh-?

When a loud crash was made on the boardwalk, everyone screamed. Erik turned to find Christine gripping her stomach.

"Christine!" He rushed to her side.

Meg ran to her friend, screaming. Erik yelled to get away then turned to Madame Giry, "Giry get help!"

When she didn't move he yelled, "Quickly!"

Giry ran off with Meg in search of help. Gustave suddenly gasped, "Father! Where's Father?"

Before he could run off, Christine gripped his hand and pulled him closer to her. "Gustave, you father--your real father-"

"Christine," Erik stopped her through his tears. He shook his head pleadingly.

Christine looked up to her Angel, "I know; I promised." Her voice was shaky due to the wound, no doubt. Erik shook his head as she continued. "But you're all he has now. He has to know."

"Christine," He sobbed behind her back as she leaned forward to talk to her only child she was leaving too soon. 

She looked to Gustave again, "Your father, your real father, is... here."

Erik lifted his head and looked at his son through tears. Gustave looked to him then to his mother, "No. No!"

Christine held his hand tighter. She smiled and began to sing with the little breath she had left, "Look with your heart and not with your eyes. The heart understands, the heart never lies."

Gustave shook his head again as he got up and ran off screaming that two letter word. Christine called after him, "Gustave."

"Gustave!" His father called louder. "Gustave!"

The worried mother tried to go after her son but fell back down into Erik's lap. Christine struggled from the pain that seemed to suddenly appear. Erik wrapped loving arms around her. Trying to put pressure on the wound, he rocked her as they both continued to cry. Christine's breathing got lighter and lighter with every passing second.

Erik began to sing, "Once upon another time our story had only just begun. I had a taste of joy, the most I ever knew. Now, there isn't any time and somehow our story is done."  Erik looked in the direction the child ran off to as he continued. "And what about the boy? What am I to do?"

Erik buried his face in her hair as she sang, "Just love, just live and give what you can give. And take the love that you deserve."

Erik joined her as she continued to sing, "Just love, just live."

Christine's voice faded out after that line and she couldn't continue. But Erik did, "And give all that I have and take what little I deserve."

Quietly Christine began to sing again, "Come closer, I beg you."

Erik adjusted them so that he was somewhat closer but Christine sang, "Closer still."

"Ah." He adjusted again. Now their faces were inches apart when he leaned forward.

Christine sang again and smiled as she did so, "Remember love... love never dies. Kiss me one last time."

He sobbed but obliged her last wish. Their lips were connected until she longer had breath nor strength to continue. She fell limp her in angel's arms. "No!" He sobbed loudly. He pulled her closer, now her head was on his shoulder as he continued to sob on hers. He held her tighter. "No..." He continued.

He rocked her back and forth. Then he felt Gustave come and lay on his mother's skirts, crying himself. He put his hand on the boys head then removed it as if he touches something poisonous. He noticed Raoul standing there in shock. Close to tears. Erik let go of his angel and let Raoul hold her one last time.

Erik walked to the edge of the pier and sobbed on the railing. He fell to his knees; the pain to was too much. She shouldn't be gone. Not now, not yet. He couldn't help but blame himself again. He was the reason she was in this mess, the reason Gustave almost drowned, the reason everyone was hurt. It was his fault. And he continued to tell himself.

Until he felt a small hand placed on his shoulder. He slowly lifted his head to find Gustave, searching him with comforting eyes.

"Love never dies, love never falters." Erik sang sadly to his son. Gustave would be the reason Erik lived. "Once it has spoken, love is yours. Love never dies, love will continue."

Erik and Gustave met each other in a hug and sobbed onto each other's shoulders. Sobs ceased only slightly as Gustave gently pulled away and reached his hand up to his father's face. Erik's body trembled. Gustave gripped the white mask and pulled it off Erik's face. Erik continued to cry has Gustave used his other hand and gently stroked his deformed face.

As Madame Giry returned with doctors and without Meg, Raoul walked away, forever, with tears streaming down his face, Madame Giry sat where the sand and boardwalk begin and sobbed.

Through this Gustave began to sing, "Love is not always beautiful, not at the start. So open your arms and close your eyes tight. Look with your heart and when it finds love... Your heart will be right."

Erik joined him. And so did Giry but she could barely be heard. "Look with your heart and not with your eyes. A heart understands, a heart never lies. Believe what it feels and trust what it shows. Look with your heart, the heart always knows."

"I'm getting a pulse!" A doctor yelled.

Christine's three remaining loved ones looked at the seemingly lifeless body in shock and surprise. Erik shook his head in doubt.

"Heart rate is beginning to pick up."

"CPR," Another one ordered.

Relief fled through the pier has everyone heard the soprano gasp and choke for air. Erik and Gustave ran to her side, as close as they could get and watched as she slowly came back to life. "Christine," Erik sighed.

"Mother!" His son exclaimed.

"Christine?" Madame Giry gasped.

"Back away please!" said the doctor. "We must get her to the hospital."

They let the doctors head off with their beloved songbird. Erik squeezed Guatave's hand tightly and assuring.