Fatal Flaw

Chapter 16

"...Erik?" Asked Christine, looking back up at his striking blue eyes.

"Yes?"

"I... I think I would like to give it a try."

"Give what a try, Christine?"

"Us. I would like to give us a try.... What do you think?"

Erik quickly looked away and withdrew himself from her.

"Christine, I..."

"You...?"

Erik sighed and looked towards the ground.

"Christine... I can't seem to forgive you for leaving with the Vicomte 2 years ago... I don't want to get my heart shattered again."

"I promise not to leave you. I love you, Erik..."

"You never really apologized for leaving... Why did you go? It... It was my face, wasn't it?"

"No... It wasn't your face. I've already told you that I love all of you... That includes your deformity. I'm so so sorry for leaving you, Erik... It was because I was just... So scared of you... You committed murders... That, and your temper..." She whimpered quietly.

"I warned those idiotic managers, a disaster beyond their imagination would occur if they didn't obey my commands... You know that." Erik replied in a husky whisper.

"I'm sorry... I was so scared. I thought that you weren't capable of love..."

"Christine, have you noticed how none of my murders were bloody? I didn't let my victims suffer for long periods of time. It's not like I would stab them and enjoy their painful groaning as they slowly bled to death... I wanted to kill those who needed to be killed, and I wanted their deaths to be quick and fairly painless. Suffocation is uncomfortable, yet it's less painful then being stabbed to death."

"You wanted your victims to die quickly and painlessly, yet you didn't use a gun to shoot them in the head or heart?"

"Guns are... Too loud for my taste. I would rather use a silent weapon..."

"Oh... I understand... But..."

"But what?"

"Erik, I... I am willing to overlook those crimes. ...I want a relationship with you... Can you trust that I won't break your heart? Can you trust me, Erik?"

"Can you trust me?"

Erik sighed.

"I... I don't know. I need you to prove that I can trust you."

"Alright..." Said Christine, smiling warmly.

She stood up on her tiptoes, since Erik was taller than her. Because the theater was empty, her left hand traveled to his mask, removed it, placed a soft kiss on his deformed cheek, and placed the mask back. When Christine looked at Erik, she saw a tear come down of the left side of his face. She wiped it away and embraced him, holding onto him as if he were the only thing keeping her alive. He returned the embrace, gripping the fabric of Christine's dress with all the strength he could muster. He soon heard a choking noise, and noticed that his shoulder had been crushing Christine's throat.

(Has that actually happened to any of you? It's happened to me, and I hate it. -_-)

Erik immediately let her go and sincerely apologized a thousand times as Christine caught her breath.

"Christine, I am so sorry... I suppose all I can do is destroy... Perhaps you're right... Perhaps I'm not capable of love..." Erik said somberly.

"Erik, please don't think that. You are capable of love... Accidents happen! It's alright!" Christine giggled as she embraced him once again.

Erik didn't embrace her this time, since he was afraid of hurting her. Instead, he simply placed his hands on her back and closed his eyes.

"Oh, Christine..." Erik said in a low whisper as he picked her up bridal style.

She giggled, and he carried her outside, setting her down when they were in front of the theater.