We’re back, and One Love, One Lifetime is again underway!
Chapter Thirty Five
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Erik was very upset as he stared into the mirror early in the morning. Lately as he'd been shaving the side of his face that did grow stubble, he'd been noticing an increasing amount of graying hairs on his head. It had started at the side, just a few strands here and there. Now, there was a definate gray undertone to his hair color, and it was infuriating. Such a blatent sign of his mortality made Erik feel depressed and usually put him into one of the black moods that Christine so despised. Grumbling a bit, he combed out the offending hair, finished his shaving, then retreated to the bedroom to get dressed for the morning, fairly pouting by the time he walked through the bedroom door.
Christine stood from the tub and wrapped a towel around herself, curiously wondering why Erik hadn't joined her. He always made a glib remark that he would come in the tub with her, and teased her mercilessly before striding arrogantly out of the bathroom. Today he hadn't. She frowned and stalked determinedly to the bedroom. She knew she was aging, but luckily, she'd aged well. Sure, she'd gotten the wrinkles around her eyes, but to her, that was a good sign of a happy life. Her hair didn't have any gray yet, and her body was still fit from walking back and forth to the opera and working her diaphram. She didn't understand the possibility of Erik losing his attraction to her, but it worried her greatly. Perhaps he was unhappy with her about something; with a pensive look, she entered the bedroom and slid her hands around him where he stood by the closet. "I thought for sure you'd settle in the tub with me this morning, Erik." She kissed along his neck, standing on tiptoe to reach him, while rubbing her hands down his front.
Smiling very slightly, Erik turned and wrapped his arms tightly around Christine's waist, leaning down to press his face into her damp curls. "Mmm... I'm sorry, I was detained.." he murmured, before drawing back and looking at his beautiful wife with a slight frown. "Do I look particularly old to you, my dear?" he asked suddenly.
Christine's eyes widened and she gulped. To her, Erik had never been more handsome. He was a loving husband, a doting father, and he'd never lost his passion for her. His voice was still excellent, and even as he continued to age, her desire for him, in every sense of the word, mounted. "Erik, why this sudden vulnerability? Everyone ages, my love..." She leaned up to kiss his jaw and snuck her hands down into his waistband, humming slightly in pleasure at his warm body.
Erik relaxed, guiding Christine to sit on the edge of the bed next to him. "I'm getting old, and I don't like it. I'll be dead while you're still a beautiful young woman!" he exclaimed, pouting. "And when I die, every man in the world had better die with me, because if anyone lays one hand on you..." he ground his teeth together for a moment, before forcing his jealousy down and turning to press a warm kiss to Christine's lips. "I apologize, it is utterly foolish of me to feel sorry for myself." he said simply, before pulling Christine into his arms and kissing her again. Perhaps some invigerating morning lovemaking would help his mood before he had to leave for work.
Christine smiled against his lips, and moved to straddle him on the bed. She squeezed her leg tightly around his waist, and ground her pelvis against him... only to feel nothing whatsoever, pushing back against her. She frowned and pulled away from his lips, reaching down to his pants. She unbuttoned his fly and grasped in eagerly, reveling in the fact that after all their married years, Erik still made her burn. Feeling for his usually rock-hard erection, she was flabbergasted to find him... her eyes, full of panic, raised to his. He wasn't excited about her! Her mouth fell open and she slid backward of his lap, tears filling her eyes. "What is it, Erik? Am I not... desirable, what is it?" She pulled her hair over her shoulder to twirl it around her fingers as a diversion.
Erik's eyes flew open, and he looked down at his lap in shock. "W-what?!" Filled with panic, he flipped Christine beneath him and kissed her ravenously, thrusting his tongue deeply into her mouth and moving his hands eagerly over her body, all to no avail. Sitting up, he grasped her hand and guided it to his not-so-happy manhood. "P-perhaps it needs a bit of encouragement?" he murmured, cheeks red with embarrassment at his problem. "I want to be inside of you so badly, I don't understand..."
Christine, in a fit of desperation, massaged him purposefully, glancing into his eyes and gulping. Tears started to fall down her face as she slowed her pumping, and her hand fell away from him with a startled gasp. Shaking her head in denial, she stood from the bed and hurried to pull her fallen towel around her. "I knew it!" She howled in pain. "I knew when you didn't join me this morning that something was wrong! What can I do, Erik? Is it my body? I can lose weight... I can..." She coughed suddenly, hacking coughs.
Erik stood, rushing after her and drawing her hard against him. "Don't cry, please! I don't know what's wrong, but it certainly isn't you, you're just as beautiful as ever!" Drawing away, he swallowed hard. "I-I'm going to be late for work, I shall be home this evening, as usual." he murmured, drawing close for a lingering kiss. "We'll try this again, everything will be fine." he insisted, desperation tingeing his voice.
Christine pulled away from him and muttered dispassionately all the way down the stairs, clutching the towel close. She needed liqour to get through this. Ignoring Maddy and Bella's startled glances as she entered the kitchen, she knelt to the cabinet storing the alcohol and began downing a bottle of bourbon.
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Erik fairly ran out of the office as soon as he was finished with his work, and ordered a hansom to take him to the nearest drug store. All the while he rode in the carriage, he stared out the window and drummed his fingers anxiously on his legs, absolutely terrified about going home to his angry and hurt wife without being able to properly make love to her and show her his affections. When the carriage stopped, he quickly paid the driver and rushed into the building, going to the employee. Nervously, he tapped the man's shoulder. "Excuse me, but do you have anything that might help a man...well..." fortunately, he didn't have to elaborate, as the older man laughed and nodded. "Oh yes, over here..." he murmured, leading Erik to the counter and taking a bottle off of the back shelf.
"A drop of this in something you're drinking will ensure that you'll be able to please your lady love quite well." he said with a wink. "I swear by it, works like a charm." Erik flushed scarlet and nodded. "I-it happens to you too?" he murmured, absolutely mortified that he was having this kind of a conversation with a stranger. The man nearly howled with laughter. "Of course it does, happens to nearly all old gentlemen at some point or another." he said with a chuckle. Erik bowed his head in embarrassment and paid the man, tucking the bottle into his pocket and heading home.
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Madeleine hummed as she swept through the house, looking for Bella to see what kind of mischief they could do today. She laughed as she thought about how easily influenced Bella was, and shook her head. At fifteen, Maddy was a vision, a little lady quite capable of teasing the boys. Her black hair was straight and ended at the small of her back, and her body had just a bit more filling out to do. Bella, at twelve, was a miniture version of her mother, but Maddy didn't feel threatened in any way. Maddy's thoughts were interrupted as she spotted her father's brown satchel on a chair in the sitting room, and she narrowed her eyes. When had Papa come home? She went to the kitchen, eager to find him. "Papa?" She called out, her eyes darting around expectantly.
Erik turned from the window at the sound of his daughter's voice and strode toward her, gathering his beautiful daughter close for a gentle hug. "Where is your mother, darling?" he asked after he'd released her.
Maddy smiled sweetly up at him and pointed at the stairs. "She didn't go to the opera house today. She wouldn't let me open up any of the bedroom's curtains, claiming it was too bright. The last time I saw her she was drinking in the corner of your bedroom, talking to Rusty. But I took the bottle away from her, so I think she'll be fine. It's been a few hours." She tilted her head. "What's going on, Papa?"
Erik frowned. "I'm old and she's self-concious." he said simply, before taking off for the stairs, then doubling back for a glass of water. Pulling out the bottle, he put a drop in, then drank in down, the flew to the stairs. "Christine!" he called before opening the door. That stuff had better work.
Christine's head shot up and her eyes darted around in the darkness. "Erik?" She pulled her knees tighter to her chest and tried not to cry.
Erik moved purposfully to the windows and drew back the curtains, then gathered Christine against his chest, and carried her to the bed. Dumping her onto it, he crawled over her and looked into her eyes with a grin. "Guess what I learned today, my darling wife." he purred, before trailing kisses down her neck.
Christine couldn't help but respond. Drawn from her wallowing, she wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her head to the side for easier access. "What did you learn, Erik?"
He grabbed her hand and shoved it to the front of his trousers, letting her feel how solid his manhood now was. "That it is entirely normal for old men such as myself to, once and a while, not be able to become like this." he said simply, before kissing Christine passionately for several minutes. "Now, there is a present for you in my trousers, care to unwrap it, my love?"
Christine frowned and took his face in her hands. "How did you find this out? And how did you become... like this?" She moved one hand to cup his manhood in demonstration of what "this" was.
Erik groaned. "I...I wanted to be sure that this time I would be able to please you." he murmured, the feeling of arousal between his legs becoming so intense that it was nearly painful now. "The drugstore, a... bottle..." he ground out, before crashing his mouth to hers. "Please, Christine, I cannot stand this a moment more..!"
Christine placed her hands against his chest and sat up beside him. "Down, boy," she spoke, sitting cross-legged on the bed. "You bought a drug to make you erect?!" She asked in surprise, trying to piece his sentence together; trying to understand why he needed it when before, she'd been the only "drug" he'd needed.
"Had to..." he gasped out, reaching for her again. "Christine, please, it hurts!" he cried, flinging himself against her. "I need you now, I cannot wait another moment!"
Christine sighed and laid back on the bed, stretching out beneath him. "Will you lose it while you're inside me?" She asked languidly, her eyes on his rock-hard manhood. She reached out a hand and swept it across the bulge in his pants, smirking slightly.
He frowned, shaking his head. "I don't think it's going anywhere any time soon, to be honest." he ground out, fairly tearing her dress off. "I love you, Christine." he panted, pressing his lips to hers.
Christine ran her fingers through his graying hair and pulled him close. "I love you too, Erik," she said sadly, before locking lips with him, and bringing her hips up to collide eagerly with his; and she forgot all about him taking a drug to be able to make love to her.
Breathing quite heavily, Erik flipped Christine beneath him and growled as he worked to quickly wiggle out of his trousers. "Get undressed." he hissed, eyes flashing with passion.
Christine gave him an outraged look before reluctantly pulling down her chemise and slipping it slowly off her body. She bent forward to strip her legs of her stockings, and growled at the pudge of her belly. Hesitantly, she looked up at Erik, for his usual approving gaze.
Calm down... Was all Erik could think, and he looked at Christine with worshipful eyes. "You're so beautiful, my dear... all those young dancers at the opera must envy you, you're better looking and twice their age." he teased, before claiming her lips passionately with his own. "And you're mine." he ground out, finally getting his trousers off and struggling with his shirt. "All mine..."
Christine beamed and lowered her eyelids to half-mast as desire filled her soul. Erik's manhood was bigger than she'd ever seen it... and she wanted to know if it was that much harder, as well. Holding her breath, she reached out to run her fingers over the tip of him curiously.
Erik nearly howled with pleasure as he fell to Christine's side, eyes squeezing shut. "My God..." he gasped out, trembling and grabbing Christine's wrist in a crushing grip. "D-don't, Christine, I need to be inside of you." he breathed, voice thick and breaking with need. "Please..."
Christine's eyebrows furrowed, and she released him misgivingly. She didn't understand this Erik. He seemed too rough, almost, too impatient. She didn't know if she liked this side of him. "Erik... you're hurting me..." She flinched in his grasp and tired to pull away. "Please calm down. I don't like this..." Her voice was pleading.
Erik quickly pulled back a bit, laying beside Christine and keeping his hands to himself. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." Taking a few deep breaths, he reached out to take Christine's hand and kiss each fingertip. "Forgive me." he breathed, looking up at her pleadingly. Cautiously, he moved close again and pressed a gentle kiss to Christine's forehead, then the corner of her mouth.
Christine tried to make her heart stop beating so fast. She took a deep breath, then pushed Erik back on the bed with a hand to his chest. She smiled saucily, getting more into the mood with her domination. She straddled him, letting his manhood reach just the entrance of her womanhood, and rocked a bit, closing her eyes and humming deeply.
With a soft grunt, Erik thrust his hips up hard and pressed deeply into Christine. "Yes!" he cried, as if it were some great triumph. "Christine, my angel..." he panted, reaching out to grasp her hips in his hands and guide her movements against him.
Christine moaned in her lowest octave, her eyes still squeezed shut, and her nails digging like claws into his chest. "Erik.." She arched her back, thrusting her breasts forward, her body pleading with his.
With a seductive grin, Erik flipped them over, then began to thrust powerfully within Christine, sweat beading on his forehead and above his upper lip as he moved as hard and fast as he possibly could. He was absolutely furious with the man at the drugstore, he did not say a word about how much of a brute Erik would become! He had never forsaken Christine's comfort in lieu of his own pleasure and gratification, and he was both horrified and immensely aroused from the force of his need. It was like a void sucking him in, he'd never experienced anything so intense.
Christine cried out in pain and passion. She'd felt this kind of pleasure-pain before, when she'd asked Erik to be possessive, and he'd scraped his nails down her back. But this was different. Every time he moved, he hit a deep spot inside her that made her feel euphoric, and at the same time his intense thrusting was making her sore. It was bittersweet, and coupled with her confusion and bewilderment, made her head hurt. She began to beat at his shoulders with her hands, not understanding if she was telling him to stop or go on, even as her hips moved with him.
Erik grabbed Christine's wrists tightly, stopping her from hitting him and pinning her hands high above her head. Holding her thin wrists easily with just one hand, he used the other to pull her thighs high on his waist and groaned thickly as he was able to move even deeper within her body.
Christine's eyes flew wide open as Erik hit the mouth of her womb. She screamed as pleasure overtook all her pain, and then remembered the children. She bit his shoulder, moaning there, trying to keep up with his pounding pace.
This was pure torture! The pleasure Erik was feeling kept mounting and mounting, but no release came. Crying out in frustration, he moved faster, gasping for breath and settling his lips to Christine's throat, intent on leaving his mark.
Christine came with several shouts muffled into his shoulder. She grasped his upper arms, nails scoring as she came again and again. "Stop!" She pleaded, tears falling from her eyes. The pleasure was too much. She couldn't take anymore, lest she dissolve into nothingness.
With a deep, rasping cry, Erik felt his release wash over him. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before, so intense that it was actually painful, he crumpled on top of Christine as he poured himself within her, his climax lasting twice as long as usual. He was exhausted, not sure how he would be able to move enough to roll off of his wife, and... he was still... erect?!
Meanwhile, young Bella was in her room, which just happened to be right under her parent's room, downstairs. She heard the bed clank against the wall several times, and frowned. She knew her parents went at certain activies a lot.. but she could hear her mother crying, and screaming. Perhaps her father had lost it, like Maddy had once told her he'd done long before she was born. Worried for her mother, she ran out of her room and up the stairs, before hesistantly pushing the door open to their room. "Mum?" She questioned, a concerned look on her beautiful doll face.
Erik grunted, unable to move as he sucked in a deep breath and managed to lift his head to look at his wife. Oh boy. "The blankets, Christine." he groaned, hoping she would pull them up before their daughter saw her parents very naked.
Christine took several deep breaths and managed to wiggle beneath Erik and grab the kicked-away covers. She looked pleadingly at Bella. "Please go, honey.. please just go." She closed her eyes in pain. She felt very sore.
Bella's lower lip trembled, and she turned and rushed down the stairs to the music room. "Charles!" She called with a tremor in her sweet soprano voice. "Papa is hurting Mamman!"
Charles looked up from the piano at the sound of his little sister's cries, and frowned. "What are you talking about? Papa would never hurt maman, silly." he said, standing to comfort his little sister. "They were probably just... spending a little time together." he said, cheeks reddening.
Bella shook her head rapidly. "No, Charles!" She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face into his chest. "She's crying and screaming! I know what they usually do... we all do, but Charles, this was different!"
Charles just heaved a heavy sigh and stroked Bella's hair absently. "Would it make you feel better if I went up and took a peek?" he asked, drawing back and looking down at her with a slight smile.
Bella sniffled and nodded. "I just worry, Charles... after all the things Maddy told me about Papa and his actions at the opera... it scares me sometimes. There's times when I'm afraid to approach him."
Charles shot her a glare. "Well, you shouldn't be." he snapped, then softened. "Papa would rather cut off his own arm than hurt any of us. He's changed from what he was before. I'll go look, and be right back." With that, he strode toward the stairs, and paused outside their bedroom door, peeking in to see his father laying heavily across his mother with the blankets pulled up. He held his breath and listened.
"Are you hurt, Christine?" Erik murmured, straining to move himself off of her and finally managing to roll over with a soft cry of pain.
Christine shivered and pulled the covers around her tightly. "Erik.. I've never seen you like this. And I don't like it. I'd rather have you slippery soft than rock hard with a brutish manner. It.. it felt good at some points. But you were hurting me, bruising me." She turned away from him and sat with difficultly on the side of the bed. "I'm not as young as I used to be..." She wiped a tear away and stood up, cringing at her soreness as she moved to the door.
Erik winced, sitting up slowly and feeling his eyes sting with tears. "Please, don't go." he breathed, still too weak to get up to go after her. "I didn't mean to hurt you, it was that-that ghastly stuff I took, I couldn't control myself!"
Christine shook her head. "I need hot water to soothe my achiness, Erik. Can we talk about this later?" She didn't want to talk about it. For some unexplainable and rash reason, she felt betrayed.
"W-wait!" he struggled up and stumbled, then managed to rush to her side. Grasping her around the waist, he pulled Christine into his arms and cradled her gently. "I am so sorry. I did not know what else to do, you were so hurt this morning, I thought if I could make love to you tonight, everything would be okay." he said softly as he rubbed her back. "I did not know that it would cause such a reaction, I swear it to you."
Christine sighed in defeat. "Erik, this is all wrong. It didn't feel right, not at all." She placed her hands on his chest and looked up at him seriously. "I love you for you, Erik, and even if we could never make love again, I would be content with and love you!" Her hands dropped and she stepped out of his reach. "Or perhaps, like all men, you can't go without sexual play." She turned and reached for the door handle. "Don't hurt me again, Erik. I can't take much more."
Rushing after her again, Erik grasped her should and turned her around. "You are the one who was so upset and angry with me this morning when I could not..." he sighed. "I'm sorry, you know I never want to hurt you, you know I would rather die than hurt you..."
Christine rolled her eyes and pushed him away. "I said, we'd talk about it later. I can't deal with this," she motioned to his still fully erect member, "right now." Turning again, she threw open the bathroom door that connected to the bathroom, and stalked to the tub and facet Erik had set up. With a growl, she turned to him and glared. "Turn it on. You're the only one who knows how."
Erik moved in quickly and turned on the faucet, making sure the water temperature was perfect. "D-do you want me to go? I can go stay with Nadir if you wish..." he murmured, staring down at the floor in misery as tears filled his eyes.
Christine sighed, realizing that this wasn't easy on her husband, either. He loved her, and she knew he would never intentionally hurt her. She got an idea, and smirked most mischievously. "No. You know I don't want you gone." She took his hand and pulled him to the side of the tub. "You'll wash me, like a servant, in apology for what you have done to me." Christine entered the steaming bath, but only knelt there.
Erik smiled, blinking back his tears and nodding as he knelt at the side of the tub and began to run the washcloth over Christine's body slowly. After a few moments, he got up and crawled into the tub behind her. "Much easier to reach this way." he said simply, before guiding her head back to wet her hair. She's so beautiful... his mind began to wander, and within moments he was painfully aware that his erection was building even more, becomming a painful, throbbing ache between his legs. Sliding his hands from her shoulders down her arms, he began to rub the soap onto her body, before setting his lips to her neck and bringing his hands around her body to grasp and press against her breasts.
Christine shivered with delight. Now this was her Erik. She leaned back into his embrace and closed her eyes, and brought her hands up on top of his on her breasts, kneading with his hands. "Mmm, Erik..." She turned her head to be kissed, puckering her lips prettily.
Moaning softly, Erik pressed his lips passionately to hers, thrusting his tongue into her mouth and roughly turning her to sit upon his lap as he tried to manuver her thighs around him to thrust into her. One hand tangled in her hair, pulling her head back to attack her throat and shoulders with his lips and teeth.
Christine frowned and pulled away from him, trying to dislodge his hand from her hair. She shimmied away from his erection, and slapped at his shoulders. "No, Erik..." She gave him a reprimanding look and turned back around. She reached for a cloth and her bum rubbed slightly against his erection. Clearing her throat, she moved a bit more forward and began lathering up once more.
Frowning, Erik reached out again, grabbing her upper arms and hauling her up so both were standing in the tub. Quick as lightning, he had her leaned against the wall, their feet still in the warm bath water, and he grabbed her hard against his body, rubbing his arousal against her and biting hard at her shoulder.
Christine made a few protesting noises and began squirming. Frustrated that he would try this again, when she'd just reprimanded him to tears, she writhed, trying to push him away, hoping he would slip in the bathwater. Only her wish backfired, and one leg slipped, causing her to try to avoid falling by bring her knee up... only to connect with Erik's very hard member.
Erik backpeddled so quickly that he tripped over his own feet and fell outside of the tub with a hoarse cry. Quickly turning to his side and curling into a ball, he clutched at his injured area and wheezed. "It's a good thing I'm sterile already, woman!" he howled, rolling onto his back and groaning, tears of agony streaming down his cheeks.
Christine's eyed widened and she bit her lower lip worriedly. "Oh, Erik, my love, I'm so sorry!" Entirely contrite, she moved forward and knelt beside him. "Please don't be angry, Erik, I didn't mean to! I slipped and..." She sighed and bent to his hands, moving them away. "Please let me make it better..."
Whimpering, he moved his hands back, relieved to see that apparently even with that horrid inhancement drug in his system, his manhood did not find an attack on its comand center arousing in the least. His erection had completely disappeared, and he sighed in relief dispite the new kind of throbbing ache he felt now. "You seem to "accidently" do this to me a lot." he ground out, reaching for her hands and holding them tightly as he tried to sit up.
Christine bent down and kissed the tip of him, then reached out to massage him with her hands. "I'm so sorry, mon amour... please forgive me." She helped him to stand and held him to her tightly. "If there's anything.. and I mean anything.. at all.. please... I'll do anything to make you feel better." She shook her head sadly. "This is all my fault. I was just upset that you wouldn't get excited for me, Erik, and I've been feeling bad about myself, and then you take medication when I used to be all you needed..." She sighed and squeezed his hands. "I'm sorry, my love, truly, I am."
Erik let out a slow sigh and lifted Christine easily into his arms, carrying her back to the bedroom completely unaware of the peeping tom still watching through the partially-open bedroom door. Laying her down happily on the bed, Erik reclined next to her and nuzzled her neck. "I am sorry as well, I should have talked to you before taking anything." he said, lifting his head to look lovingly into her eyes. "I will never take it again, I promise... but Christine, there may be times when I.." he flushed, embarrassed and ashamed. "You deserve a man who can... please you without any problems like this for many more years, Christine. What happens if I can never make love to you again?"
Christine frowned and sat up, self-consciously wrapping her arms around herself. "Are you trying to be rid of me, Erik? I know I'm not as young as I used to be.. but just because I don't have a lot of energy.. well... I have plenty of energy!" She pouted and bit at her lower lip. "You don't want me anymore, do you? Is that what this is about?"
Erik shook his head wildly. "No! I just... I'm afraid I will disapoint you if I cannot perform, just as I did this morning." he blurted, cheeks going red. Rolling over, he faced away from Christine, horridly embarrased and more than a bit fearful.
Christine sighed and molded her body to his back, wrapping her arms around him. "Erik... there are other ways to pleasure me... and sometimes I'm just pleased by being held by you, cherished by you." She kissed his shoulderblades. "I love you, Erik."
Sighing in relief, Erik rolled over and gathered Christine close. "I love you too." he murmured, before kissing her sweetly, then tucking her head beneath his chin ahd shutting his eyes, pleased to hold her close. "So you... are not angry at me any longer?" He had to be sure. Charles, still watching, strained his ears to be sure to hear his mother's answer, as it would either put all he and Bella's worries to rest, or prove that his sister had been on to something.
Christine murmured against his collarbone, "I'm disappointed that you took the medicine, Erik. But not angry. I understand your need to please me." She snuggled closer. "I want to be able to make you aroused."
You do, my dear. I can be immensely aroused without physically showing it, this morning I wanted you so badly, but..." He sighed, running a hand through his hair and kissing her cheek. "It may never happen again, we can not know for sure." Please, if there is a God, do not let it happen again...
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The door slammed against the wall, making a dent in it as Maddy came flying through. "Papa! Mama!" She ran to the kitchen, eyes wide, hair a mess. "Charles got beat up at school!"
Erik lifted his head from his wife's bossom, where he had been busily trying to seduce her to bed, promising something nice growing in his trousers, and was ready to lay into his daughter when he realized what she'd said. "What?!"
Maddy rolled her eyes, giving up hope that they would ever stop copulating at inopportune moments. "I said, Charles got his bum kicked today! You should have seen it! Then Bella came out and tried to save him, and she got thrown to the ground!" She smiled triumphantly. "BUt I wasn't stupid enough to get involved. It was Charles' own fault. He was trying to steal Rodger's girlfriend!"
Erik's brow furrowed. "Only because of that?" he asked, eyes narrowed. He had a hunch there was another reason his son had been attacked...
Maddy shrugged. "Ask him. I came out a bit late, and ran all the way home to tell you. You need to teach him how to fight back, Papa.. or something."
The door swung open then, and Charles' voice rang out. "MADDY! IF YOU SAID ANYTHING TO THEM I WILL-" he cut off when he entered the kitchen and saw his parents and older sister looking at him.
Christine cried out as if she were the one hurt. "Oh, my baby boy!" She rushed to him and gathered his head to her bosom, which contained effort, considering he was taller than she now. His face was totally unrecognizable; bleeding continously, dark splotches about his face. She grabbed a cloth from the counter and began dabbing gently at his face while cooing to him.
Charles glared at Maddy and squeaked when he felt a hand squeezing hard at his shoulder. "Stealing someone's girlfriend? I certainly hope it did not involve a certain lasso..." he hissed, and Charles flushed. "No, sir." he mumbled, looking to his mother for help.
Erik nodded. "Just stealing someone's girlfriend, right?" he moved to stand next to Christine, and Charles gulped. "N-no. They... my face, papa." he said with a soft sigh. Erik nodded. "I thought as much. I shall be having a discussion with the school tomorrow." Charles gaped. "No! That will make everything worse, you can't!"
Christine scowled, but didn't say anything about Charles' behavior. After all, Erik had tried stealing her from Raoul, but just as she'd thought to point it out to defend her son, she realized that she's belonged to Erik, as his angel, and Raoul had been the one to steal her first. She sighed. "Erik... let him explain more, hmm?" She wrapped an arm around Charles and moved with him to the sitting room. "Sit down, sweetie pie."
Maddy snickered in the background.
Charles sat down with a miserable expression, looking up at Christine pleadingly. "Really maman, I'm okay. It barely even hurts now!" He exclaimed, hoping to escape to his bedroom before his parents embarrassed him any further. Maddy was going to give him Hell with her teasing as it was. Erik just kept his arms crossed over his chest, looking like a Phantom Mount Vesuvius ready to blow at any moment.
Christine frowned and ran her hand lightly through his curls. "Charles, I know you feel you are a grown young man now, but the truth is, you are not, and you worry me with this kind of behavior!" She dabbed at his wounds gently, a strained look on her face. "Please don't scare us like this again." She looked at Erik sternly, sending him a not-so-subtle message with her glower that he should talk with his incorrigible son. Then she turned her seething gaze to Maddy. "And I don't appreciate you not joining in as Bella did, to help your brother."
Maddy shrank back against the wall with a pout and then folded her arms across her chest. Bella glided in... she always glided. She was regal, just the way their mother was, and Maddy, though she denied her jealousy hotly, was ever envious of Bella's total grace. She was so perfect, and she knew it. The Charles Incident, as she was going to call it, only made the situation worse, for it appeared as if Maddy cared nothing for her brother and Bella loved Charles even more. With one last venomous glare, she stomped to her room and slammed the door.
Charles winced and Erik growled, looking down at his son severely. "Tell me you at least left a mark on the other fellow." he murmured, not sure this was exactly how Christine wanted him to talk to Charles, but not knowing what else to say. When his son nodded vigorously, Erik gave a satisfied nod. "Well good, I'm sure he'll leave you alone now, at least. Unless... well, he didn't thrash you, did he? Did you at least bloody his nose?"
Charles glanced warily at his mother, then nodded. "And I think he has a black eye now, too." he added, puffing out his chest.
Christine's brows drew together in what could only be described as a snarl. "First you want him to leave a mark, then you want him to give another child a black eye?!" She reached out to indignantly pound Erik's shoulder. She smoothed her skirts and turned back to her son. "Charles, violence is NOT the answer, and your father had to learn that the hard way." Although, ironically, violence was the only way Raoul left them alone... she shook that though off and sent a fierce scowl in her husband's direction.
Bella swiftly cut in. "Actually, Mother, it was I who managed to make the other boy pay. Charles was too weak." She gazed up at her father for approval. She so wanted to be like Maddy, to have her father's respect and adoration. Perhaps that had been what she was thinking when she'd attacked the boy who'd clobbered Charles. Sighing, she went to Charles and wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind. "I'm sorry," she whispered to Charles, not wanting him to feel bad because she'd snitched. She desperately wanted her older brother to understand her aspirations to get her father's attention.
Erik looked first to Bella, then Charles. "All right, explain from the beginning Charles." he ground out, feeling a headache coming on.
Charles gulped. "W-well... Rodger is very rude, and his girlfriend is so beautiful..." he began, then realized that wasn't probably the right way to start. "I mean-Jillian already said she liked me anyway!" he blurted, face reddening. "She said that if she wasn't with Rodger she would have been my girlfriend and then I told her she should just break it off with him, and she said she couldn't because it wasn't proper for a woman to do that, and I said I would talk to him-" Erik cut Charles off with a dark look. "The point, please." He ground out, rubbing his temples. Charles winced. "I told Rodger that he was an ass to treat Jillian poorly, and... we he didn't look that strong!"
Erik frowned. "So, he hit you then?" Charles nodded. "Y-yes, and then he said that Jillian would never want to be a-" he bit his lip, "a monster's girlfriend and that she was probably just being nice because I'm so ugly."
Bella harrumphed and hugged Charles's shoulders tighter. "That's not true, Charles. You're the best man in the world. Besides Papa..." She smiled tremulously up at Erik, then continued. "Any girl would be lucky to have you, Charles, really! I know Jillian likes you." She smiled reassuringly at him and took the cloth from her mother to continue cleaning him up.
Christine went to Erik's side and pulled him by the lapel to be level with her eyes. "What are we going to do about this? He obviously idolizes you and I will not condone violence, but Erik, how can I tell him to not stand up for himself when someone calls him ugly?" Her eyes filled with tears and she looked at Erik with desperation.
Erik sighed, kissing Christine's forehead. "I don't know... hopefully the situation will take care of itself, but if he's attacked again, I won't have him stand there and take it, he needs to fight back."
Charles just smiled at Bella, letting her clean up his face while he watched his parents. He knew they were talking about him, and felt terrible for upsetting his mother.
Christine peered at Charles over her shoulder, assessing his injuries. Overcome with emotion, she fell to her knees before the settee, taking his hands. "Oh, my little bon-bon, my brave little bon-bon. Will you be alright?" She ignored Bella's giggles.
Turning pink, Charles groaned. "Maman, really I'm okay. My face is numb, I can't feel a thing!" Realizing that might not exactly be reassuring, he heaved a heavy sigh. "Honestly, I'll be fine." he insisted, hugging his mother tightly for a moment.
Bella's beautiful blue eyes, so like her mother's, went wide suddenly. "Where's Phillip?!" She squeaked, looking fearfully around the house.
Erik frowned. "Is he not home yet?"
Suddenly the sound of doggy claws on the hard wood floor sounded, and the door to the kitchen pushed open, Rusty happily trotting in with Phillip in toe. "Is it true that Charles got the stuffing beaten out of him today?" he asked conversationally as he sat down in one of the kitchen chairs.
Bella glared. "What, you didn't see it?" She asked contemptously.
Christine shot her a stern glare. "Bella, apologize immediately; Phillip isn't the only one with imperfections, and unless you want me to give your siblings free reign to point yours out, you will be contrite about that comment to your brother." She moved to hug Phillip to her tightly, proud of her resilient young son. "Then go and see what's wrong with your sister."
Bella snootily voiced, "I'm sorry I was snide, Phillip." She glanced at Christine. "Mother, the last thing Maddy wants to see is me. She hates me because I'm beautiful."
Phillip snorted good naturedly. "Eh, I don't mind Mum, you should hear the things they say at school." Granting her a quick buss to the cheek, he scooted out of his chair and shuffled to Charles, reaching out to run his hands over his brother's face and assess the damage. "Ugh, you're all swollen and sticky. Disgusting."
Bella looked at Phillip doubtfully. "If you make fun of my brother one more time, I swear I will make you regret you are blind." She said it more menacingly than she'd ever been; Lord help the person in the way Bella's fiery temper.
"Why, will your head explode, Bella?" Phillip asked, snorting derisively.
Christine was outraged. "Bella! Phillip is your brother, as well!" She threw her hands in the air. "What is wrong with my family these days?!" She stalked to Maddy's room and tapped on the door. When no answer came, she opened the door and walked swiftly in. The sight that greeted her stunned her. "Maddy?" Her heart stopped. "Madeleine?!" Maddy was nowhere to be found.. but her window was wide open. "Erik!" Christine called, rushing out back into the sitting room. "Maddy is gone."
Erik let loose a string of curses that made Charles laugh outloud and Phillip smirk. Rushing toward Christine, he stared at her. "Where would she have gone?!"
Christine placed her hands on her hips, and Bella copied the action. "How should I know, Erik? She's your daughter." Bella's chin jutted out, a true spitting image of Christine. "Yeah... she loves you more than anyone, like you do her," Bella voiced her biggest concern, her only jealousy.
Erik rounded on Bella, an outraged and hurt look on his face. "How on earth can you say that? You have quite a mouth on you today, ma belle." he murmured, moving toward Bella and grasping her chin in his fingers. "I love each of you equally, and your jealously is quite unbecoming." Kissing her forehead, he stalked to the coat rack and pulled on his cloak. "I'm going to go find her." he said simply. Moving toward the door, he stopped and doubled back to take Christine into his arms. Giving her a quick, but very passionate kiss, he smiled. "We'll continue our... conversation when I return." Patting her bottom affectionately, he grinned and let himself out the front door.
Maddy, meanwhile, after running from her home and into the park, thrust her hands into the pockets of her cloak and hugged it close around her. It was so cold this time of year... but she'd rather be out in welcoming cold than unwanted in the warmth of her home. She kept her face down, her long legs eating up the path through the park.
Erik paused at the street, wracking his brain for where his daughter would have gone. It was fall, so it was chilly... would she have gone somewhere warm? The church? He wrinkled his nose. No, Maddy enjoyed being in a chapel about as much as he did. The library was too far, all the way on the other side of town, she'd have to be insane to have tried to walk that far... He thought a bit as he began to walk, scanning the area for his daughter. Letting his mind wander a bit, he recalled when Maddy was younger, still a girl small enough to carry about on his shoulders. In the fall they'd talk walks to see the leaves changing on the trees... Perhaps she'd gone to the park!
Picking up his pace, Erik jogged down the street, darting in front of a carriage and spooking the horses. Calling a quick apology, he continued to race along, ignoring the few strange looks he got and focusing on searching the crowds of people for his daughter.
Maddy hummed softly to herself. Of course, it was no marvel as Bella's had become. Maddy, as all the children, had an affinity for music, an appreciation and a talent with her voice. But in the few short years Bella had come closer to maturity, their mother had instantly began drilling the girl, both parents excersizing Bella's voice continually. They never asked Maddy to sing anymore. Maddy the Mezzo-soprano, not Maddy the stunningly beautiful lyric soprano. She closed her eyes in pain and continued her self-loathing as she went deeper into the huge park.
Erik burst into the park, startling a flock of birds who squacked noisily as they took flight. Dashing along the paths, Erik began to call out to his daughter, hoping his voice wouldn't send her into hiding, but instead bring her to him. "Madeline! Darling, where are you?" he called, slowing to a brisk walk as his old age finally caught up with him and he breathed a bit more heavily. "Maddy!"
Maddy jumped and stopped dead in her tracks, her gaze darting around fearfully. She quickly gathered her cloak tightly around her and moved to the nearest tree, preparing to climb it.
Giving a frustrated groan, Erik began to wonder if she'd even come here at all. A mounting sense of frustration came over him, and he continued to walk a bit further down the path, before slowing to a halt and looking around helplessly. He couldn't go home without her, Christine would be furious. Not even realizing he was very close to his daughter, who was on the other side of the tree, he gave a long, heavy sigh and sunk down on the stone bench to the side of the path. Casting a quick look around and assuring himself that there was no one who could see, he ducked his head down and slipped off his mask to mop at the moisture on his face. He was abashed to realize that it wasn't all sweat, and he rubbed furiously at his eyes. "Damn, damn, damn." he grumbled, replacing his mask and putting his head in his hands.
Maddy stared sadly at her father, below her, crying. For a moment she felt bad, and then selfishly she drew into herself and threw up her angry barriers once more. Many years ago, when she'd been a simple child, he'd promised to love her and never forget her. She knew she had to share him, but she still want him for herself. He was her Papa, and she was most certainly his little girl. Furiously, she wiped at the tears now steadily falling, and couldn't help but let a sobbing moan escape from her mouth. She instantly knew her mistake, and tried to huddle closer to the tree.
Erik's head snapped up, and his body shifted naturally into the pose of the preditor, the Phantom. Slinking carefully toward where he heard the sound, he stood below the tree, looking about a bit. "Well then, I guess ma petite ange doesn't want to see her father." Leaning against the tree trunk, he folded his arms over his chest and shut his eyes. "That's okay, I can wait here all night for her, even though I'm rather hurt that she'd think I could ever love one of her siblings more than her, seeing as she was my miracle." Feigning a yawn, he shut his eyes and made himself as comfortable as possible against the rough bark of the tree. "Oh well, I can wait, even though it's pretty cold here. You can endure anything for those you love." Smirking inwardly, he waited.
Maddy frowned and angrily swiped at her tears again. "Papa, I know you too well, and your reverse psychology, although well executed, does not work on me." She huffed and drew her cloak closely against her, shivering now.
"Get your well-shaped behind down from that tree immediately. If I have to come up there after you, you'll realize that you are neither too old, nor too big to be taken over my knee." he growled, looking up through the dead branches to meet her eyes. "Now."
Maddy's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You'd fail if you tried to come up here. Although you're still a stallion, as Mama calls you, you're older now and in no shape to come and get me." She folded her arms and lifted her gaze away from him. "It's quite comfortable up here, too. No annoying siblings, no betraying fathers..."
Erik growled, jumping for a branch and swinging up. "How dare you." he hissed, standing on the branch and swinging up onto the next one, getting closer and closer to his daughter. "First Bella insists I play favorites, and now you think I've betrayed you. You've no knowledge of betrayal, Madeleine Destler!" He grasped the next branch, almost an arms length from his daughter, and heaved his weight upon it, only to hear a cracking sound. Easing off of it quickly, he balanced on a lower branch and gave her a dark look. "Listen here. I don't know what makes you think I've betrayed you, but you're still my little angel, my miracle from a God I'd thought forsaken me. You cut me to the quick with your accusations. You must realize you have three siblings which also require my affections and devotion. My loving them does not make me love you less." Reaching for the branch again, he used it to balance as he grasped one directly over it, intent on using it to swing over the breaking branch and land on the branch Madeline was occupying. However, things don't always go as planned, and as he swung out on the branch, it gave a sickening crack and broke off, sending Erik down, down, down, until he was able to catch himself on a branch with a leg and an arm. Gasping for breath, he whipped his head up to look at his daughter. "Can we please stop behaving as apes now? I'm too old for this."
Maddy suddenly giggled, and shook her head sadly. Agilely, she leapt from branch to branch until she reached the ground. She tapped her foot and looked expectantly up at her father. "Will you be coming down soon, Papa?" She smiled sardonically. "Here, I'll catch you." She held her arms out.
Grunting, Erik unhooked his leg and let himself drop the rest of the way to the ground, landing heavily on his rear. Standing slowly, he groaned and dusted himself off, then strode to his daughter, grabbed her tightly against his chest, and buried his face in her hair. "Don't ever do this again, I beg of you." he whispered, squeezing her close.
Maddy clutched him fiercely, regretting every moment of her selfishness. "I'm sorry, Papa," she whispered hoarsely, tears falling once more. "I just love you so, and you've spoiled me for so long I don't think I could live without you continually doing it." She laughed haltingly at her explanation, pressing her face against his chest. "I love you, Papa. I love Charles. I love Bella and Phillip. And I love Mama." She looked up at her father's face, reaching out to touch his face lovingly, her hand gliding softly over his mask. "But I feel closest to you, Papa, and I can't help being possessive. I'm your petite ange, remember?"
"Indeed, and you always will be. Now let's get home before your mother decides to lose her mind with worry. She's getting a bit senile in her old age." He smirked and drew back, beginning to lead Maddy home. "You won't believe what she called your brother..."
Chapter Thirty Six