Healing a Broken Soul

Chapter 16

"Raoul! What are you doing?" he asked looking at the gun in Raoul's hand.

Raoul was crying. "I... I... was going to, but... it was an empty shot... I ..."

"Oh, Raoul," Scarlett whispered. She hugged him as Erik removed the gun from his hand and returned it to the wall safe in the den. He cried and shook with fear. 

"Scarlett, you need your rest. Go to bed," Erik said patting her on the back.

"Are you sure?"

"We're good. Right, Raoul?"

"Yeah," he replied shakily, "You do need rest."

Scarlett left them and Erik led Raoul to a chair. "Oh God, Raoul. You can't do this to me."

"What do you mean?"

"Raoul, you're the only friend I've ever had. I don't know what I'd do with myself without you around here."

"I'm sorry, Erik."

"Does Christine have any idea that you're onto it?"

Raoul shook his head.

"Then let's go."

"No. I can't... I won't..."

"You just tried to shoot yourself in my basement! We need to do something about that."

Erik and Raoul walked back to his house. When they went inside, Christine was sitting in the living room, "Raoul, I was worried sick!" she yelled quietly as Gustave was sleeping. 

"You should have been," Erik snarled, "He tried to kill himself in my basement."

"What?!" Christine exclaimed.

"Don't upset yourself. You have to think of the baby," Raoul comforted her. She sat down and held her stomach.

"Raoul, tell her what you told me."

"Christine," he said holding both of her hands, "I can't have children."

"What do you mean, dear?" she asked looking at Erik.

"I got very ill as a child and the illness to my ability to have children. What I'm saying is I knew all along Gustave wasn't mine and I know that the child you're carrying isn't mine either."

Christine let out a cry and stood up screaming at Erik, "You son of a bitch! How dare you walk into my house and treat me this way. You have always wanted to break up our marriage just for your own enjoyment of watching it crumble. That's why you've done everything. It's why you burned the damned opera house to the ground! You've ruined everything, you bastard!" She slapped his face and his mask flew off and shattered on the ground. 

"Christine!" Raoul exclaimed, "None of this is his fault! You've done this."

Erik covered his face instinctively as big, wet tears welled in his eyes. 

"Mon ange, je ne blesse jamais vous," Erik was slipping into French in his upset state. (My angel, I never hurt you.)

Christine cried out in pain and clutched her stomach, "I think the baby is coming."

"Whose baby is it?" Raoul asked. 

"Raoul, it's yours! I haven't ever been with anyone except you and him. I'm sorry about Gustave... I truly am, but this baby is yours!  I would swear on my life. Maybe the doctors were wrong. I promise, Raoul. Erik, hand me that Bible." Christine held the Bible in her hands and swore up and down that on Gustave Daae's grave she had not cheated on Raoul. 

The men both believed her. As she writhed in pain, Erik led her to her bedroom. "Who's going to deliver the baby?" Raoul asked, "This is too soon. We weren't ready."

"We're going to have to, Raoul. There's no one else around."

"My God," Raoul shook his head. 

After hours, Christine gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. There was no doubt the baby was Raoul's. She looked just like him. While Christine rested, Erik went to search for a doctor. It was morning now. When the doctor returned with Erik, Raoul was holding his daughter, "Just think you could've been dead this morning..."

"It would've been such a mistake. She's beautiful and she's all mine. Uncle Erik, why don't you hold her?"

Erik took her into his arms, "What's her name going to be? A beautiful little girl deserves a beautiful name."

"Clara Megara de Chagny." 

Erik smiled, "Meg would be thrilled."

After making sure all of the de Chagny's were alright, Erik returned home to Arietta and Scarlett. "How's everyone doing?" Scarlett asked while cooking breakfast.

"There's a baby de Chagny and she's a spitting image of Raoul. Christine swore on a Bible the baby was his."

"Well, that's all good then." 

Erik wrapped his arms around Scarlett and kissed her neck, "God, I love you so much and I'm glad you're my wife.