Healing a Broken Soul

Chapter 9

Erik once again paced outside of the bedroom. This time both Christine and Raoul were with him. Gustave was sleeping on the floor of the sitting room and Christine was rocking the new baby. "Do you want to hold her?" Christine asked.

"No! I don't want to touch that little hell spawn that's killing my wife!" he growled.

"Don't talk that way," Christine whispered.

"Erik, let's take a walk," Raoul said quietly. He put his arm around his shoulders and led him out of the lair. They sat on a bench in Phantasma. It was the dead of night and pitch black outside. All Raoul could see was the porcelain mask on Erik's face. It was glistening and he knew that he was crying, "Erik..." Raoul put his hand on his shoulder which seemed to worsen everything. He began sobbing hysterically like he did the night in the lair.

"I didn't want the child... Then I got excited to raise a child with my wife... Now if she dies, I don't want the damn parasite."

"Erik, you can't think that way. Meg will be fine. You can live your fairytale-" Christine emerged from the lair and Raoul saw the handkerchief in her hand. She dabbed her eyes and came over to Erik's side. She hugged him tightly.

"Erik, I'm so sorry..." she whispered as she held him.

His body shook with sobs and then he ran into the lair. When he reached the bedroom, he saw Madame Giry holding Meg's hand. Meg had her head against a pillow and had a slight smile across her lips. "Meggie," he whispered running to her side and grabbing her other hand.

"Erik," she murmured, "I love you."

"I love you too," he replied, "Meg?"

"Meg?" Madame Giry whispered.

She didn't answer and they both realized that she had passed. Erik began to sob and Madame Giry did as well. Erik stood and went to Madame Giry's side, "I'm so sorry."

"You did this! You're a demon! You got her pregnant and she died from your child! Get away from me!" Madame Giry screamed.

Erik shrunk away and returned to the sitting room. Christine and Raoul were sitting and crying. Christine stood and Erik saw his daughter in her arms. "You should hold her, Erik."

"I don't want to touch her. "

Days later, Meg had been buried and Madame Giry had fled Phantasma right after the funeral. Erik had been staying with the de Chagny's because he didn't feel he could return home ever. So he began transforming Madame Giry's old residence into his own. Also staying with Christine and Raoul didn't hurt because he still hadn't touched his daughter.

"Come on, Erik," Raoul suggested after dinner one evening, "Let's take a walk to the bar."

"I don't feel much like drinking," Erik said.

"You have to get out of the house. Come on, my treat."

With a little more persuading, Erik and Raoul went to the bar. They each ordered a glass of Whiskey and a bowl of peanuts. They sat quietly for awhile and sipped their Whiskey while crunching on the peanuts.

"Alright, Christine wanted me to talk to you about something."

"I know what's coming..." Erik sighed and put hit forehead in the palm of his hand.

"Erik, Gustave is the best thing that ever happened to me. I think you're making a huge mistake. Your daughter needs a father and it's not going to be me. She needs you. You only have each other. I mean you have Christine, Gustave, and I, but she is your family. The sweetheart needs a name and she needs a father."

Erik began to tear up, "What if she hates me?"

"She won't... Now, come on, finish your drink and get ready to hold your daughter."

They finished their drinks and returned to the house. Erik sat down in the sitting room while Raoul went to get the baby from the nursery. He walked carefully down the steps. Erik was shaking as he placed his daughter in his arms. She looked up at him and began cooing. "Hi, there, little one..." he said as tears rolled off of his cheeks. "I'm so sorry," he sobbed, "I'm so sorry, you sweet little girl."

Raoul was overwhelmed with emotion watching everything unfold. He couldn't believe that he had seen the Phantom of the Opera cry so much over the last few days. "Are you going to name her?" Raoul cleared his throat.

"Meg and I talked about naming her Juliette after her father, but I don't need that reminder every time I call her name."

"Then name her something different."

"I don't know what to call her though."

"I don't know anything about music, but what about a musical term? She's the daughter of a musical genius after all."

Erik paused for a moment while rocking his daughter, "Arietta... Arietta Grace Destler."

"That's a lovely name for a lovely little girl."

"Thank you," Erik smiled a little.

"I didn't know you last name was Destler. That's nice..."

"Y is just a pseudonym... Destler is too. I don't know what name I was born with... My mother abandoned me and my father never knew about me."

"You will be a much better parent than them."

Erik sighed, "I hated you less than a year ago and now I don't know what I would do if I didn't have a friend like you in my life."

A few days later Erik had his daughter baptized with Christine and Raoul as her godparents. They returned to the de Chagnys home to celebrate, but after losing Meg so recently, Erik didn't feel much like celebrating. He retired to bed early and Raoul volunteered to keep and eye on Arietta that night. After all, Erik had to go back to work tomorrow so he could make money to support himself and little Arietta.