Disclaimer: We own none of the characters from Phantom of the Opera.
Chapter Fifteen
Christine sat next to her husband on a large spread out blanket at the base of a large tree towards the back of the park, close to the woods, where it was completely secluded. Her legs were out in front of her, crossed at the ankles, and her hands were in her lap. There was about a foot of room between her and Erik, and there, three-and-a-half month old Madeleine lay on her belly, wiggling slightly and gurgling. Christine smiled and watched her daughter, laying a gentle hand on her back.
Erik looked down at Madeleine, smiling and resting his hand atop Christine's on her back. "This is very nice." He said gently, smiling as his daughter wriggled onto her back and grasped Erik's fingers in one hand, and Christine's in the other. Her eyes were bright and shining, and radiated a intelligence beyond her years. Erik and Madeleine looked into each other's eyes seriously, before she giggled and pulled his finger into her mouth, gumming at it with dancing eyes. Erik chuckled, and looked over to Christine, kissing her cheek.
Christine smiled and leaned in to Erik's mouth, capturing his lips with hers. She winced as her corset dug into her sides, but carefully evaded leaning into too much and placed her hand on Erik's cheek, bringing him closer to her and sighing contentedly.
Erik grinned against her lips, kissing her a bit more deeply and sighing deeply in joy. He was startled from his bliss by an insistent tugging on his hand. Looking down to Madeleine, he raised an eyebrow when the girl pulled his finger from her mouth and raised her arms up, begging to be lifted. Laughing, he drew the girl up into his arms, cuddling her to his chest with one arm, and pulling Christine to his body with the other arm. "Christine... I am so very happy...."
Christine rested her head on his shoulder and stroked the back of Madeleine's head. "You should be. You have two women who love you very much," she told him teasingly. When Madeleine fell forward, her arms outstretched toward Christine, Christine took her from Erik's arms and rubbed her back but the small girl wasn't pleased. She continuously wriggled until Christine simply set her down on the blanket. "What do you want, Madeleine?" She gasped in surprise and clutched Erik's arm when their daughter got on her hands and knees, and began to pull herself forward, crawling.
Erik gave a joyous laugh then, pulling Christine close. "You were right... she is like me..." He said with awe, grinning broadly. "This is about when I began to crawl as well I believe." He said, reaching out to stroke his fingers over Madeleine�s head gently.
Madeleine grunted and giggled, and fell forward onto her face and belly. Christine gasped slightly and took the small child in her arms, but when she gripped the blanket, Christine let her down once more and watched as she crawled forward again. Christine grinned up at Erik and pulled his head towards hers. "Now that she's occupied herself..." She raised a suggestive eyebrow and kissed him full on the lips, holding tightly to his shoulders.
Erik grinned against Christine's lips, kissing her with a voracious passion and holding her face in his hands, grasping her hips and winding his arms about her waist. "Mmmm... It�s been too long..." He purred, nibbling his mouth down her neck. And it was true... while Madeleine seemed well behaved, she could be a trouble maker just like Erik had been, and it was hard for Erik and Christine to find time to spend together.
Christine hiked her skirts up and moved to sit in Erik's lap, facing him. She straddled him and grinned as she moved her lips to his, and brought her hands up to run through his hair. She ran her hands down the front of his shirt, over his tight muscled chest, and tilted her head to kiss him deeper. She rolled her hips gently against his.
Erik gave a gasp of passion, thrusting his hips upward and glancing to their daughter. She sat on the ground and looked curiously at her parents, before picking a blade of grass and looking at it curiously, then putting in her mouth. Erik had to chuckle, before taking Christine's lips in his again, holding her sides and stroking his fingers up and down her back lovingly. His lips slid down to run across her jaw line, and he gave a very small whimper, pressing his hips up against her again.
Raoul de Chagny was walking through the park, dressed in his best clothes and looking about at the trees and plants with a smile. It was all in all very nice here, and he found himself glad that he had decided on this walk. He walked through a grove of trees, and his eyes widened when he saw a small baby, apparently a girl, sitting next to someone who appeared to be Christine, who was sitting on someone who was apparently the Phantom's lap. Striding forward curiously, he stood near them and said very softly, "Christine...?"
Christine's eyes widened and she pulled back from Erik's lips and hands, and she looked up to find the very same man who had ruined her wedding. He looked very handsome indeed in incredibly nice clothes, and his hair swaying with the wind. Her heart almost went out to him... Almost. She glared and snatched Madeleine toward her, ignoring the baby's grunts and whining. Coldly, she asked Raoul, "What do you want?"
Raoul looked down at the beautiful little girl in Christine's arms, then at Erik's face, half hidden by his mask, and then at Christine's face. "Is this... is this your child?" He asked in wonder, ignoring the coldness in Christine's voice and instead nearly smiling at the beautiful baby.
Erik stiffened at Raoul's entrance, but said nothing, instead folding his arms protectively around his wife and daughter.
Christine's eyes softened and she looked down at her daughter, and then back up to Raoul. "Yes, this is Erik�s and my daughter." The baby cooed and lifted her hand to wave sweetly, Christine watching with a raised brow. She'd made sure as Madeleine's knowledge grew that she should be polite, but usually Madeleine could tell when she was uneasy. She sighed uncomfortably and gazed up at Raoul once more.
Raoul grinned then, moving forward nervously and kneeling next to Christine to take a better look at the baby. "She's absolutely beautiful..." He whispered, as if he were surprised such could happen when one had a child with someone like Erik. However, he reached out to gently take the girl's hand in his own, and he smiled even broader when she squeezed his finger and smiled. Looking up shyly to Christine, he flushed slightly. "Congratulations... I had no idea, how old is she?" He asked, avoiding looking to Erik due to his nervousness.
Erik's body was tensed, but he still said nothing, instead merely tightened his grip around Christine and Madeleine when Raoul touched his daughter, and sighed very softly against the back of Christine's neck when Raoul spoke.
Christine's eyes softened considerably, as well as her heart, as she saw Madeleine accept Raoul. It was odd, really, but she didn't mind him being there. Ignoring the protectiveness Erik had, as any man would for his wife and daughter, she smiled. "Thank you, and she is nearly four months old." Her hand went out to Madeleine's in Raoul's, and she grinned when her fingers drew over his palm. The poor man, he probably was extremely lonely and longing to have what she gave to Erik. The least she could do was befriend him.
Raoul smiled when Christine's hand touched his, and he felt almost as if no time had passed, and he was still courting her. "I only wish I had been the one to father her, you must be very proud." He said softly, taking Christine's hand and squeezing it tightly. Sitting back a little, he looked to Erik with pleading eyes, before looking back to Christine. "I apologize for my behavior... well, before. It was very rude..." He said, looking toward the ground, then up in Christine's eyes. "I was grieved...and I know that is no excuse... but it's the only one I have."
Erik sighed and relaxed slightly at Raoul's words, squeezing Christine gently and moving her to sit beside him instead of upon him. Gently he reached out and took Madeleine into his own arms, needing the comfort he received from having his daughter's little body cuddled against his. The girl cuddled closely to Erik's chest, closing her eyes sleepily and yawning, raising a small fist to her mouth and relaxing in her father's arms. Erik grinned, eyes twinkling then, and looked to Christine.
Christine, however, was busy looking into Raoul's eyes, having not released his hand. Her heart was touched by his sudden humble ways, and she started to wonder for a moment if she wished he were the father, as well. No... No, I love Erik. But didn't she promise Raoul the night she broke their engagement that she would always love him? There was no harm in holding his hand or smiling at him, and she did both of those then.
Erik's eyes widened at the look in Christine's eyes as she looked at Raoul, and he clutched tighter to his daughter, looking away from the scene before him and feeling his heart constricting tightly in his chest. Maybe she would be better off with Him. Erik thought, tears filling his eyes.
Memories of the time he saw the two on the rooftop came flooding back to him. Raoul had had that look in his eyes then, and Christine had been looking at him with that same smile. Holding his hands just as tightly as she did now.
Releasing only one very small shuddering sob, Erik pressed a soft kiss to his Madeleine's forehead, and the girl opened her eyes slowly, took one look at her obviously upset father, and began to cry. She was never one for crying for no reason, and was generally a very quiet baby. However, she was also very intuitive, like her father, and was incredibly sensitive to other's emotions. Erik looked down at his daughter helplessly, knowing that she would not calm until he did, but that was quite impossible.
Christine frowned and let go of Raoul's hand, glancing back at Erik and the baby and moving toward them, sitting on her legs. She rubbed the back of the baby's head and looked into Erik's eyes. Seeing the look there and knowing immediately what was wrong, she turned back to Raoul and smiled softly. "She's hungry," she told him apologetically. "I suppose I should feed her..." She'd never liked lying, but it was necessary now. "Perhaps I'll... Perhaps we'll see you again sometime?"
Raoul nodded, standing. "Yes, I would like that very much." He said softly, taking Christine's hand and dropping a quick kiss to the back of it. "Congratulations again!" He called over his shoulder as he began to walk back the way he had came, a happy bounce to his step.
Erik looked up at Christine once Raoul was gone, and then back down at his daughter, trembling with the effort to keep from crying, which only caused Madeleine to cry harder.
Christine sighed sadly and moved toward them, and balanced on her knees as she wrapped an arm around Erik's shoulder and pulled his head to her bosom, her other hand resting on the baby's head softly. "Erik, my love, please calm down."
At her words he exploded emotionally, and began to sob heavily, holding Madeleine with one arm and throwing the other tightly around Christine's waist and cuddling his face into her chest, continuing to cry uncontrollably.
Christine kissed the top of his hair and held him to her. "Erik, why are you so upset? He was completely respectful to us..." She pulled away and tugged his mask off his face, wiping his tears away gently from his marred cheek, and kissing him there.
Erik pulled in a few deep breaths, and hung his head. "The... the way you two...looked at each other..." He whispered brokenly. "Just like you did... on the roof of the opera..." He breathed, giving another choked sob. "You still love him!" He wailed, throwing himself against Christine again and sobbing into her chest. "Whether you realize it or not you must love him still... or you would not have looked at him in such a way..." He whispered, his voice pained and small.
Christine thought on his words while rubbing the back of his neck. She was definitely not in love with Raoul. Perhaps she loved him, but she did not love him the way she loved Erik. She loved him the way she loved Jean Claude, or Meg. She was upset with herself for causing Erik to believe such things, and she was angry with him for even considering she may love another... especially Raoul. She grasped his face in her hands and whispered sternly, "I love you." She stroked his tear streaked face and tilted her head sadly. "When will you comprehend that? When, Erik?" She sighed and shook her head. "Yes, you're right, I love him. But not as I love you. You're my husband, Erik, and I chose you." She stroked Madeleine's full head of dark hair. "I had your daughter..."
Erik sighed, nodding slowly and sighing in relief when Madeleine stopped crying, her face turning back to its normal color and her eyes looking almost self-satisfied as she gazed at Erik. He gave a very small smile as he lifted Madeleine higher to kiss her forehead, and she gurgled happily. Almost shyly, Erik looked to Christine, and sighed as he ran a hand over his face. "I apologize... I'm just so afraid... I don't ever want to lose you, Christine." He whispered, laying his head on her shoulder and sighing heavily.
Christine kissed his forehead and smiled down at her daughter, who beamed back at her. She reached out and wiped away the child's tears. After pecking Erik on the lips, she lifted Madeleine from his arms and cooed playfully at the girl. "Are you really hungry?" She questioned, raising her eyebrows as if expecting Madeleine to form a full sentence to answer her question.
Erik yawned just slightly, laying back on the blanket and letting his eyes slide closed. He reached his hand out blindly and took Christine's arm, tugging her to lay beside him. Looking over to his wife, he smiled softly, eyes still puffy from crying, and very shyly moved to curl against her. "Christine..." He whispered softly, looking into her eyes beseechingly. "Could you...well, would you hold me?" He asked, seeming a bit like a young boy who needed comfort. His voice quivered slightly as he lowered his gaze, embarrassed.
Christine smiled indulgently. "Of course, my love." She placed the baby in between them, and murmured shyly, "Unless you mind my breasts being in your face." Madeleine rubbed her eyes sleepily and accepted her mother's breast, cuddling against her. Christine reached above her and stroked Erik's face, smiling. "You know you'll never lose me, don't you?" She took his hand and kissed his palm. "I love you."
Erik smiled softly, cuddling against his wife and laying his head on her chest. He threw his leg over hers, and wrapped an arm around her waist. Erik gave a great sigh of pleasure then, kissing Christine's collar bone lovingly, then snuggling his face into her chest and closing his eyes. 'I know, my dear... I love you too..." He whispered, squeezing her for a moment and smiling as he looked down at his daughter who lay between them.
Noticing Madeleine had fallen asleep, Christine carefully pulled her dress up, situating herself, and then a though occurred to her. She crawled around her daughter and climbed up Erik's legs, straddling him. She kissed him deeply and ran her fingers through his hair, then slid her hand down to his chest. "Where were we?"
Erik purred softly at Christine's words and slid his hands up her legs, kissing her passionately and grasping her hips tightly in his hands. His entire body came alive at that one moment, it had been so very long since they had last made love, and Erik pressed his hips up against Christine then, groaning in need.
Christine smiled and grasped his shirt, and fell beside him, then pulled him over her body. She ran her hands down his sides and to his back, and then down to slide into the back of his pants. She moaned into his mouth and squeezed his rear, and then moved her hands up and underneath his shirt. Pulling her mouth away, she glanced over to make sure Madeleine was still asleep before she tugged his shirt up and over his head, and threw it to the side, not caring where it landed when she saw his pale upper body. She almost growled and lifted her head to slide her tongue across his chest.
Erik groaned in need when Christine removed his shirt and moved her mouth over his chest, and he thrust his hips upwards blindly, clutching at Christine's head and threading his fingers through her hair. "Christine... I need you so...." He mumbled, his head thrown back as he whimpered low in his throat.
Christine looked up at him with the same raw desire shown in her eyes, and she grasped his shoulders. "But you have me, Erik." She reached up and grabbed his head down to hers. "So take me..." She whispered, before kissing him desperately and running her hands down his back.
Erik whimpered then, grasping the back of Christine's dress and opening it to pull it down, exposing her breasts. Lowering his mouth, he took a nipple between his lips, closing his eyes and suckling curiously. His eyes widened when a bit of milk came forth, and he looked up to Christine in shock, the thought hadn't even crossed his mind that such could happen, and he flushed slightly as he moved his lips away and looked at Christine, embarrassed.
Christine had thrown her head back in passion, and she opened her eyes worriedly when he moved away. She gripped his shoulder and asked cautiously, "Is something wrong?" She looked down at herself, and, finding nothing amiss, she looked over at their sleeping daughter. Utterly confused and shamed that she'd done something completely wrong, she bit her lip and kept her eyes from his.
Erik flushed brightly then, touching Christine's cheek and kissing her gently, knowing the taste of her milk was still on his lips. Pulling away after a moment, he looking into her eyes, hoping she understood now why he was so embarrassed. Nervously he toyed with the blanket beneath them, forcing himself to hold her gaze.
Christine's eyes widened and she smiled slightly. "It... It doesn't taste that bad, Erik." She blushed and leant her head up to kiss him again, sliding her hands into his hair and massaging the back of his head.
Erik smiled softly, lowering his mouth again to her breast and looking nervously up at her. "I know... I just... was worried you would be upset..." He whispered, before suckling again and closing his eyes in pleasure. There was something so erotic about this act, and he groaned deeply as he lifted Christine's skirts, caressing her thighs and tickling at her knees, humming in pleasure.
Christine sighed and her hips thrust up, crashing into Erik's. She grabbed his head and caressed his face. "Erik... Please..." She tugged at his hips, and moved her hands to his bottom as she rubbed herself against him. Her back arched and she moaned lightly.
Erik slid his lips from Christine's breast with a cry of passion, and he lifted her skirts further up, reaching between them to unbutton his pants and slide them down a bit. Looking into her eyes, he thrust himself within her powerfully, and he gave a sharp cry of passion at the feeling of being held within her.
Christine threw her head back against the blanket with a moan and a satisfied smile, and was about to move her hips when she heard a whimper beside her. She looked over to Madeleine, who had stirred and was watching her parents with interest. The small child looked up at her father and waved, giggling, as if she knew she was interrupting.
Erik groaned when he saw Madeleine, and looked down to Christine, silently asking her what to do now. His body screamed not to stop, but his mind was trying to insist that it was wrong to do this before his daughter. She's young... she doesn't understand, and she'll never remember when she's older. He reasoned to himself, ignoring the fact that he remembered things from that age.
Christine narrowed her eyes at her daughter and contemplated for a moment the after effects of this. She needed this now, needed to feel the release that only Erik could give her, and hadn't been able to for a very long time. She grabbed his shirt, threw it over Madeleine's head, and then wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him passionately as she began to move up.
Erik laughed as Madeleine giggled, sucking on the arm of the shirt as it sat atop her head, seemingly completely distracted. He kissed Christine back with a voracious passion then, thrusting within her deeply and growling in the back of his throat at the amazing sensations rushing through his body.
Christine moaned and met his every thrust, breathing heavily and struggling to get him even deeper within her. She hadn't felt this full body contact in so long, and she felt completely alive. She kissed down his chin and to his neck, nibbling softly and almost grunting as she worked to meet his thrusts and move them faster.
Erik gave repeated soft whimpers and moans, pulling her legs further up around his middle and moving even deeper within her body. He gasped and threw his head back in pleasure as he moved even faster within his wife, sliding his hands up to cup her breasts and massage them gently.
Christine moaned deeply as she felt herself nearing the edge of her ecstasy and wrapped her legs tightly around Erik's middle, locking her ankles. She gasped when she felt a small hand over her mouth. She looked over to see Madeleine frowning at her, and the small girl moved closer to sit next to her head.
As Christine shut her eyes against the bliss overwhelming her and released with a cry, Madeleine giggled and said clearly, "Mamma!"
Erik gasped in passion, thrusting within Christine as she tightened around him and releasing as well, shaking and moaning long and low from the pleasure of that washed over him. His eyes snapped open when he heard his daughter speak, and he gaped at her, panting for breath and feeling dizzy from his exertion. "Maddy? Did you just say..?"
Madeleine moved forward then, grabbing Erik's shoulder and standing as she held onto it for support. She laid a hand on his marred cheek and cried, "Papa!"
Christine gaped at the small girl, still shaking slightly from her powerful climax. She glanced at Erik with wonderment and then back to her daughter. "Maddy, talk again, my little love."
Erik gasped when Madeleine touched his cheek, and he took her hand, kissing it lovingly and taking her other hand, helping her to walk back to Christine and placed her hands on Christine's arm for support as he withdrew from Christine's body with a shudder. Swiftly he pulled his pants back up, and fixed Christine's skirts, then sat down and looked at his wife with shock. "She's talking earlier than I did, even..." He said, eyes wide.
Erik smiled, kissing Christine's forehead lovingly and stroking Madeleine�s hair gently. "She's absolutely amazing, and she's part of you as well...I think she must have the best traits of us both. And I'm glad that she looks like you... so beautiful..."
"She has your talents and genius, though, and I am truly grateful for that. She's going to be great, Erik. The world will love her." She stroked his cheek. "The world will love you..."
Erik flushed at Christine's words then, drawing her into his arms and nuzzling her cheek. "I love you so..." He whispered, kissing her temple, then the top of Madeleine's head. "I love you both."
Madeleine grinned, displaying her pink gums, and took Erik's hand in hers. "Papa!" She sputtered happily, and Christine laughed. She was happy to see Erik's bliss, to know that finally he would be treated right by not only her, and their few friends. The world would love him, for he had been the one to father what was sure to be one of the most known people in all of history.
Chapter Sixteen