Chapter Twenty-Two
It was around noon when curious Madeleine sought out her father. She had many questions that had been unanswered for a long time now, and she decided she wanted answers right then. She found Erik in his music room, and she ran over to him eagerly, her long black hair streaming out behind her. She hopped onto the piano bench beside him and stood so that her face was in his, and she placed her hands on her hips as she had seen her mother do many times.
Erik looked up from his composing, tilting his head. "What is it, dear?" He asked, his eyes glittering behind his mask. Did she want to learn some more piano?
Maddy reached out and placed a small hand on his mask softly, her big blue eyes sparkling as she looked at it. "Papa, will you take this off?"
Erik sighed and nodded, reaching up and tugging off his mask. He wasn't entirely sure why he had decided to wear it today anyhow... "Is that better?" He asked with a smile. He still couldn't understand how his daughter wasn't upset or frightened by his face.
Maddy nodded and with a small smile she reached out and traced the ravaged side of his face, running her fingers lightly over his marred skin. She tilted her head to the side in thought as she examined it, and then looked to the place his nose should've been. "Papa, why does Charles have a nose and you don't?"
Erik's face flushed at the question, and he shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure, Maddy." He said, touching her nose playfully. "But I'm quite glad he has one."
Maddy traced his face again, her head still tilted. "Charles looks like you, Papa. But I don't." She brought a hand to her own face and frowned, not feeling the different textures she did on her father's face. Still convinced her father knew everything, she asked softly, "Why is that, Papa?"
Tears filled Erik's eyes at the innocence in his daughter's voice, and he drew Maddy tightly into his arms, cuddling her close. "Because, darling... you were very lucky. Your brother and I were not."
Maddy frowned, and pulled back slightly to cradle her father's face in her hands as Christine had done so many times, and she said, "But Papa, I think you are special and I love you." A slight pout came to her lips. "I want to be special, Papa. Do you love me as much as you love Charles, since he looks like you?"
"Oh Maddy, of course I do, you know that. You were the first miracle I have ever known and I will always love you." He said as a tear slid down his cheek. "And don't ever forget that. You are a miracle, and very special indeed." He placed a quick kiss to her forehead then, and held her close.
Maddy still wasn't satisfied, but she twirled her fingers through Erik's hair and giggled. "My hair is like yours!" She announced. She loved her mother's long brown curls but sometimes she thought Charles's head of brown curls was very humorous as it bounced about. She reached forward and idly played a note on the piano, and then another, until she had formed a short song Erik had taught her. "Papa," she began again as she focused on the keys, "What will the new baby look like?"
Erik had wondered that same thing himself, and he sighed. "I'm not sure... but I certainly can't wait to find out... I bet he or she will be just as beautiful as my little girl." He said as he tickled Maddy's tummy. At least I hope so...
Maddy giggled and then said playfully, "Will it be very fat? Mamma is bigger than she was with Charles!" Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Will you love a fat baby, Papa?"
Erik laughed heartily and stood, swinging Maddy in his arms as his eyes danced. "Of course, darling." He said as he tossed Maddy over his shoulder, gave her a little slap to her rear, and walked toward the door. "Come now, lets go find your mother."
Christine heard Maddy's giggles and looked to Charles sitting on the counter. "Your sister is crazy, isn't she?" Christine smiled and popped a piece of apple into her mouth, knowing very well the crazy side of Madeleine came from her. "Perhaps we should hide from them?" She scooped Charles up into her arms and ran to the dining room, and then out where the stairs were. She climbed them as best she could while nine months pregnant and carrying a one year old, and hurried into her bedroom. "Quick!" She told Charles as she let him fall to the bed. "Under the covers!"
Charles giggled and looked up at his mother admiringly, before wiggling under the blankets and causing them to shake with his laughs. "Maman hide!" He cried through his laughs.
Christine grinned and lowered herself onto the bed, and lay back, pulling the covers over her head. "Now be very still and quiet, because you know how well Papa can hear!" She reached out to push Charles's brown curls out of his eyes.
Erik carried his daughter to the kitchen, which was the last place he has seen his wife, and he frowned when there was no sign of her. "Hmmm... I wonder where she has gotten to." He tweaked Maddy's nose, and began to walk up the stairs. Reaching the end of the hall, he grinned when he heard his son's giggles, and he walked into the bedroom he and Christine shared. Looking to the bed, he chuckled at the two obvious shapes of his rather round wife and his tiny son. "Now, I wonder where they could have gotten to..." Gently he sat Maddy on the ground and began to look around the room. "Come, Madeleine, and help me find your mother and brother."
Maddy placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head. "Papa, do you think me stupid?" She motioned toward the large bump tenting the sheets, and grinned. "I'm smarter than you!" She stated, raising her eyebrows as if trying to challenge him.
Christine grinned at Charles under the sheets and placed her forefinger to her lips.
Erik laughed, and scooped up his daughter, tossing her to the bed with a laugh before climbing on himself. Wrenching back the covers, he grasped Christine into his arms and kissed her fully.
Charles shrieked with laughter, jumping at his big sister and squeezing her tightly. "Maddy, up! Pick me up!"
Maddy grinned and stood on the bed, pulling Charles onto her small hip and holding him tightly. She nodded towards their parents, and made a disgusted face. "Ew, Charles, Mamma and Daddy are going to give the special hug again!"
Christine blushed and pulled away from Erik's lips, and smiled almost shyly up at him. "You found us," she said softly, and glanced over at Charles. "I suppose I led them to us, Charles." She gestured to her swollen tummy.
Erik laughed and caressed Christine's stomach as he looked to his son. "Well... Charles's laughing didn't help I suppose..."
Charles flushed a little, walking shakily to plop down on top of Christine's belly. "Maman, I can feel the baby!" He exclaimed, eyes wide with wonder. "It's moving, it's moving!"
Christine grinned and nodded. Maddy yelled loudly and pushed her brother off and onto Erik, and climbed onto her mother's stomach. "My turn!" She announced, and jumped as the baby kicked. Christine made a pained face and Maddy giggled and tapped lightly on her mother's stomach, only to receive another kick.
Erik tugged his daughter from atop Christine and laughed. "Now it is my turn." He stated, resting a gentle hand on his wife's stomach. "Well, I'm going to guess that this is a boy... very strong." He said with wide eyes. "And he must be using both feet, as well." He laughed softly, running his hand up to brush against Christine's cheek.
Charles wrapped his tiny arms around Erik's waist, snuggling closer to his papa's chest and looking up curiously at Erik's masked face. He didn't understand why his daddy wore the mask, he had never seen his father without it on that he could remember.
Only Maddy seemed to notice the interest Charles took in their father's mask. She made a mental note of that. She was quite sure Charles didn't know what he looked like, and had noticed many times that Erik rarely walked past a mirror with Charles. More questions for another day. Right now she wanted to feel the baby kick again.
X
Christine let go of Erik's hand as she saw a small bush at the other end of the lake they were approaching, luscious berries hanging off temptingly from it. She took Maddy's hand and pointed towards the bush. "Food!" She grinned at her daughter. "I'll race you!" Maddy took off easily, and Christine ran as best she could, not putting full effort into it so that she wouldn't hurt herself.
Erik looked down at his son, who walked slowly beside him while hanging onto his father's hand, and smiled slightly. "Well, I suppose it's just you and I." He stated simply.
Charles nodded and tugged his father toward the lake, sitting down beside the water and tugging at a few blades of grass. He had overheard his mother and father arguing before they left for the park, something about a mask... he knew the fight was about him, but he didn't understand why.
Erik plopped down beside his son, running a hand through Charles's thick curls and yawning. "I wonder if they will bring any berries over here for us." He looked at the calm water of the lake and grinned. "We should have brought our fishing poles, there are fish in that lake, after all."
Charles gasped, hopping up and wobbling only for a moment before grabbing Erik's arm. "Fishies? Can I see them, papa? Can I?!"
Erik laughed and nodded. "I'm sure you can see them in the shallows... just be careful and don't fall in."
Charles nodded and ambled over to the edge of the water. Erik realized too late that the lake was quite placid. Like a mirror it would reflect just about anything. He winced. Well, this should ruin just about the entire family outing...
Charles peeked into the water, looking for fish, and his eyes widened at the sight he saw instead. "Monster!!" He cried, falling backwards and screeching in fear. He began to cry, crawling toward his father and whimpering. "Papa, there's a monster in the lake! Make it go away!"
Maddy had been watching her father and brother carefully, knowing the dangers of the lake. Her eyes went wide as Charles looked into the water, and began to cry and call monster. She tugged at her mother's skirt and didn't wait. She began running towards her fallen brother. "Charles!" She cried out, frustrated she couldn't reach him.
Erik winced, tears filling his own eyes, and he pulled Charles into his lap. "Shhh... Charles, that isn't a monster.... that is your face." He assured the boy, stroking his cheek. "You and I, we look the same, see?" He reached up and removed his mask slowly, shocked when his son only cried harder.
"Daddy's a monster!" He screamed, rushing from Erik's lap and crying for his mother as he rushed from the lake and toward his sister. "Maddy! Maman!!"
Christine gasped and threw her berries to the ground, and followed after Maddy. She watched as Maddy took Charles and cradled him in her arms, trying to sing to him to make him feel better. When Christine reached them, she fell to her knees and threw her arms around them both, and cooed softly in Charles's ear. "Hush, my little one, it's alright, you're fine."
Christine looked up at Erik, her blue eyes fiery, but Maddy turned and reached him first. "Papa, why?! Why did you let him see!"
Erik buried his face into his hands, sobbing softly. He couldn't answer, his grief was too strong, and he turned from his family, shaking with fear. Apparently, Christine didn't want his face shown any more than he did.
Christine bit her lip to keep from crying, and she cradled Charles face in her hands. "Listen to me, my son. There is no monster, do you understand? Maddy, come here, help me." Maddy didn't listen. She approached her father and snuggled into his arms, holding him around his neck tightly.
Erik only cried harder, clinging to his daughter and sobbing into her hair. He kept his eyes squeezed tightly shut, and vaguely wished an attack would come now and take him from the grief his entire family was suffering at his fault.
Charles snuggled tightly to Christine's chest, and continued to cry softly. "Papa is a monster, Maman... make him go away.."
Christine shook her head fiercely and held her son away from her. "Don't ever say that again. Papa is not a monster. He loves you, and he loves Maddy, and he loves me, do you hear me? He's not a monster." She took his hand and moved him toward the lake. "Charles, what you saw... is your reflection." She sighed shakily and wrapped her arms around him as she peered into the water. "Look," she said gently. She traced his face. "I think you're beautiful. Look at your eyes, one's like mine and one is very dark... That's unique, Charles. And look at your hair! It's like mine!" She patted his back. "You're beautiful, and so is your Papa. There is no monster."
Charles trembled as he looked at his reflection, hardly able to believe what he was told. "Why don't I have a mask like Papa?" He asked, his voice shaking as tears continued to fall down his cheeks. "Why am I like this?!" He turned to cling to Christine again, and cried harder.
Erik heard the words his wife and son spoke, and looked up nervously at his wife. He felt as if only his daughter accepted him at this moment, and he kissed her forehead gently. "I love you..." He whispered in her ear, squeezing her close.
Maddy squeezed him tightly and kissed his ravaged skin wildly. "I love you too, Papa, I'll always love you and I know that you are just special and truly beautiful."
Christine sighed heavily and wiped Charles's tears away, running fingers through his hair. "Listen to me, Charles. You are very smart, do you know that? Papa gave you that. Papa's smart, and so are you, because of him. You have my curly hair, because you're a part of me. Charles, you are like this because you were meant to be very special." She fought a sob and said softly, "If you want a mask, we will make one for you... But Charles, we all love you and there is no reason you should have to wear one."
Charles nodded slightly, and looked to Erik shyly. "Maman... did I make papa cry?" He asked softly, meeting her gaze and blinking a few times.
Christine caressed his face and shook her head sadly. "He's afraid of losing you, he knows you're special and he doesn't want you to think of yourself as a monster. Look at the way Maddy holds him. Maddy loves him very much, and you do too, don't you?" She tilted his chin up. "He's fought so hard to protect you from everything... He remembers when he was a young boy, much like you, and because he was so special, people treated him badly, because they were jealous. But you have us, Charles, and it will be different. Think of how many people adore you! Uncle Jean Claude, Aunt Meg, Uncle Nadir... they all care for you greatly, and they know you're special, too."
Charles nodded and appeared deep in thought for a few minutes, his tiny brow furrowed cutely. "Well... I suppose if they love me..." He wrapped his arms around Christine's neck and kissed her cheek. "I love you maman." He said, before rushing over to Erik and jumping on him. "I'm sorry Papa! Don't be mad at me, I'm sorry!"
Erik looked down at Charles with surprise, then looked up at Christine as a tear slipped down his cheek. Wrapping his arms around Charles, he kissed his son's forehead and cheeks. "Never run from me again!" Erik exclaimed, tightening his grip on Charles and beginning to cry once again.
Maddy smiled as she watched them, beginning to feel glad that the whole ordeal had happened. She was glad she and Charles had inherited some intelligent genes from their father, and understood things easily, otherwise everything could've gone worse. She walked to her mother and put an arm around her shoulders. "What are we going to do with these boys?" She asked, tilting her head to the side with a small smile.
Christine smiled and patted her back. "I'm very proud of you, Maddy." She kissed her cheek and then moved toward her husband, and reached out to wipe his tears away, smiling tremulously at him as her hand fell to the top of Charles's head of curls.
Erik gently shifted Charles to one arm, wrapping the other around Christine's shoulders and tugging her close to his body. He rested his head on her shoulder then, and let his eyes slide closed. "I'm so sorry, Christine... I should never have let him see either of us."
Christine shook her head. "No, my love... Don't be sorry. Good came out of this, and it is better we faced it sooner rather than later." She leant up and kissed his cheek. "Now you don't ever have to wear the mask and when we accost each other it'll take less time to get undressed," she told him playfully.
Erik smiled through his tears, brushing his lips against hers and sighing softly. "I love you, Christine..."
Charles whimpered a little and snuggled closer to Erik. "Papa, I want to go home." He whispered, his big eyes looking up at his parents curiously. They seemed to be attached at the mouth, and he called to his sister. "Maddy, how come you never kiss me like that!" He pouted cutely then, and wriggled from his father's arms, rushing to his sister and pouncing on her.
Maddy wiggled and pushed him off. "Ew, Charles, not like that! That kiss means they are about to give the special hug, and only they can do that! But I saw Uncle Jean Claude and Marie doing that the other day!"
Charles stuck his tongue out, rolling his eyes. "That's icky, Madeleine... don't talk about that!" He said, looking back to his parents. "Is the special hug what made the baby in maman?" He asked, head tilting.
Christine's eyes widened and she turned her head to look at her children. "The special hug, hmm?" She laughed and looked back at Erik. "If that's all they think it is..." She whispered to him, an eyebrow raised. She looked to the water. "I always loved to see you wet; your shirt plastered to your skin, your pants outlining everything..." She grinned. "Want to swim and give the special hug in the water?"
Erik laughed heartily, standing with Christine in his arms and walking to the edge of the lake. Looking in, he chuckled. "Well, the water looks clean enough..."
Charles grabbed Maddy's hand then, and tugged her to the edge of the water. "Teach me how to swim, Maddy!" He exclaimed, bouncing with excitement.
Maddy's eyes widened and she looked up at her parents. "You're not serious!" Christine raised an eyebrow and began to undo her dress, grinning up at Erik as she pushed it down her swollen tummy and stepped out of it. Her corset was all that remained, and she edged nearer to the water, sticking her toes in. Maddy looked to Charles. "Charles, the water is yucky, there's fish in there!"
Erik grinned, shedding his suit jacket and undoing a few buttons of his shirt. Kicking off his shoes and tugging off his socks, he winked at his daughter, then gave Christine a little push and waded into the lake. "Ah! It's really cold!"
Charles stepped into the water and shrieked. "Maddy, a fish touched my foot!" He laughed and splashed his hands. "Come play with me!"
Maddy shook her head vehemently as Christine grabbed Erik around the neck and laughed evilly as she pushed his head under the water, dunking him. She pushed at his head and then let it go, and stepped back into deeper waters, afraid of what she would receive for punishment. Maddy bit her lip and growled, and then slipped off her pretty dark green dress she loved so much, and smoothed out her little chemise. "This is only for you, Charles." She winced as she stepped into the shallow end, and took firm hold of her brother's hand.
Charles grinned, bouncing in the water, and he splashed at Maddy.
Erik leapt through the water and caught Christine's waist, pushing her completely under and ducking down to seal his mouth with hers and give her air that way. His hands traced her stomach and legs, and he growled softly in the back of his throat, tugging her up and pulling them out into deeper water so both had to tread water to stay above it. �Hug me.� He commanded with a grin.
Christine grinned and threw her arms around his neck, growling when her large stomach got in the way of pressing her body completely to his. "I should've known better!" She exclaimed. She huffed and then shrugged. "I'll kiss you, instead." She took a deep breath and dipped under the water, and grabbed his hips. She traced her thumbs over his abdomen teasingly, and then came back up for air. "This is going to take a while," she announced, before dipping back under once more.
Erik reached out, turning Christine in his arms and holding her back against his front. He continued to tread water easily, grateful that only their shoulders and up were really visible above the water. Slowly his hands moved up her body, touching her breasts, then moving down to push at her thighs. "Christine..." He whispered softly into her ear, tilting his head and capturing her lips passionately.
Christine groaned and kissed him back ardently, holding the back of his head and allowing her tongue to slip past his lips. She let her other hand slide down in between him to caress him, and leant her head back to rest on his shoulder. Her hand left his head and she placed it on top of his hand, moaning as her thighs opened a bit.
Erik looked down at Christine then with wide eyes, before glancing to the children. Shrugging, he reached down and tugged his pants away, giving a soft sigh of relief and pressing himself against Christine with frustration. Reaching down once again, he moved her chemise up a bit, and pushed forward, still frustrated when he couldn't seem to get in the right position.
Christine lifted a tad, using his forearm for support, and eased down on his flesh, closing her eyes and letting her mouth hang open as she settled on him. She breathed deeply and began to rock slightly on his manhood, begging Erik for release.
Erik gasped, forcing himself to remain silent as he pressed into Christine deeply and tightened his arms around her. He found it a little difficult to keep above water, as he was a bit preoccupied, but he did his best. Nonetheless, they would sink a bit before he remembered to kick his legs and keep them up, and Erik lowered his mouth to Christine's, letting their kiss muffle his cries of pleasure.
Christine gasped each time he kicked them back up, for it pressed him more deeply into her. She held onto him tightly, and slid a hand down his hard thigh tantalizingly before grasping his head and moving her lips to his neck. She felt the coils low in her stomach tighten, and she breathed out heavily in anticipation, controlling her moans, for she did not wish to alert the children.
Erik couldn't help himself as a low moan slid from his mouth, and he bit Christine's shoulder to keep from making any other sounds. Instead, he thrust harder within his wife, squeezing his eyes closed and silently cursing when they began to sink again. Giving a mighty kick, he whimpered softly and moved faster within Christine.
Charles stopped splashing in the water when he heard his father's whimpers and his moan. "Maddy... are they okay?"
Maddy raised an eyebrow and looked over at her parents, particularly Christine as she cried out and her head fell back on Erik's shoulder. "I... I don't know Charles." She examined them carefully. "Mamma?" She called out, swimming a tad forward after she'd wrapped Charles's arms around her neck and he was secured on her back.
Christine gasped as she felt bliss over take her, and she moved with Erik as she tightened around him, holding the back of his head and moaning quite loudly in his ear.
Erik noticed the children drawing closer, but he couldn't bring himself to stop, and instead he sped up a bit, and finally hit his release. A tiny cry flew from his mouth as he thrust once more within his wife, and he gasped once before they went underwater. I knew I was forgetting something...
Charles gasped and tugged hard at Maddy's hair. "They sinked!" He said, eyes wide.
Maddy slapped at Charles hands and threw him across the water into the shallow end. "Stay there!" She commanded before diving under. When she saw her parents, she gasped and sucked in water, and came up coughing. "Papa's naked!" She exclaimed, swimming back to the shallow end with wide eyes.
Erik pushed up with Christine in his arms, gasping for breath and shaking his wet hair from his eyes. Looking over at Maddy, he flushed. He had noticed her dive under and see them...
Christine gasped for air and held on for dear life to her husband, and cursed herself as she felt them sinking again. "This was all my fault. I knew I was too heavy to tread water..." She swam to the shallow water, after dipping her head under to push her wet hair back off her forehead smoothly. She grabbed Charles out of the water and stepped onto the grassy bank, and set him down as she tried to find something she could dry him with.
Erik pulled up his pants swiftly, and swam from the lake, collapsing next to his wife and grasping her face in his hands, kissing her passionately. "I forgot to tread is all... and thank you..." He murmured, nibbling at her ear playfully.
Maddy settled next to her brother and pushed her raven hair off her shoulders. "Mamma, what are we going to use to dry off? I'm cold."
Christine shrugged and snuggled into Erik. "I'm using your father..."
Erik laughed, before standing and grabbing his suit jacket. Reaching over to Charles, he dried the boy off, then tossed the jacket to Madeleine. "Dry off before you get sick."
Christine sat up and tugged at Erik's arm. "We need to get the children home Erik, really." She fell back again, not able to full sit with her large stomach in the way. Luckily, the lake was not far from their home, and she wouldn't have to waddle more than a quarter of a mile.
Erik nodded and stood, helping his wife to stand and dropping a quick kiss to her forehead. Bending over, he scooped Charles and Madeleine both into his arms and looked down at his wife. " Then let us be off."
By the time they reached home, Madeleine and Christine both were shaking from the cold, and Christine hurried Maddy to her room before going to hers. She changed into a new chemise and decided that since it was already late in the day, she wouldn't put on a dress. She pulled a robe on over her chemise and walked back toward the stairs. She stopped abruptly, though, as she felt wetness down her legs and feet. "Erik..." She called, eyes wide in consternation.
Erik frowned, rushing from Charles' room and toward up the stairs. He gasped when he saw the look on Christine's face, and he rushed to her side, helping her to bed. "The baby, it's coming!"
Chapter Twenty Three