Twisted Every Way(Phantom Of The Opera Fic)

Chapter 28: Time at last

Gustaves diary

August 9th 

I miss her.

August 10th

"Time has passed. I don't remember Raoul very well. Yet, with how much Mother talks of him, all in regret and all tender affection for letting her go,  I feel I know him better than anyone. I suppose I'm like him. I can't seem to keep what I love. Sometimes I see more of Raoul in me than my own father. But whenever I hear of him I instead think of Autumn. We are similar in that respect. Raoul and I."

August 19th

I am better, yet I find myself lonley. I miss her. I wonder if shes found what she is looking for.

August 30th

I am an older brother today. What pain. The girl has Autumns smile. 

August 3rd

She sent me a letter today. The first one in a year. She is coming back. She is not coming back alone.  

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Erik paced from one side of the hall to the other in a mad rush. Early. How could the baby be early? Was that good? Or was it bad- this constant fretting clearly was doing nothing to help his already nervous disposition. 

It had been his running down the stairs, he was sure. That's what started it. 

By god if she died in childbirth he'd never forgive himself.

He had finally discovered the perfect chord progression for a lullaby and had come racing down the stairs half scaring the poor Christine to death. Her face turning deathly pale in pain as she clung to his shoulder. 

Erik had been hurried out of sight, Nadir there to 'act' as the father. Certainly, his own face could not be shown. They moved hurriedly out of the catacombs and to a small apartment on Rue de La Main. 

It was now there that Erik paced, too and fro, like an madman. Gustave had been sent to madam Girys, which he seemed far too familiar with. Perhaps now they knew where he had disappeared to. 

Finally, after many grueling hours on Christine's behalf, Erik sat down, his head rested against the wall. 

"I'm here," he whispered, "Know that I'm here."

Suddenly, the small wail of a child came from the room. Erik tried to stand but felt his knees trembling. 

"You have a beautiful perfect young girl Mrs. Destler!" he heard the doctors voice heartily laugh. 

Erik felt close to tears, tears that were soon evaporated completely by horror. 

"Another hour yet and we'll have the second."

Erik choked... A second?!

He heard Christine's frail and terrified voice, "No monsuire you will pardon me. There is no second."

Erik's hands clenched in a dangerous spasm of muscle, his back ached, his vision blurred. 

Cantaloupe. 

two.

He had barely anticipated being able to handle one but Two! 

Nadir exited the room, finding Erik collapsed in his own bedchamber disturbed evidently to the highest degree. 

"Erik!" Nadir exclaimed, "Rejoice. There is yet life in the world, yet goodness. Come focus on what has happened not what is to be willed. Have you thought of a name."

Erik shook his head, snapping from his daze, "Some," He mumbled. "But they all seem so unfitting now. I think I shall call her ili. It is greek, for sunflower. She has brought the sun into the darkest of my world."

"Fitting," Nadir smiled, trying to coax his friend out. "Ah, we have been through a lot you and I."

"Yes," Erik nodded. "Many times, good and bad."

"I was with you in box five the first time you saw that poor child. How you cheered that night. What a sparkle she lit aflame in your eye. We never thought we would be here as we are now eh?"

Erik smiled timidly, "No Nadir, I never quite dared imagine this." 

Erik shuddered as he heard Christine scream and then a deathly silence.

In a mad rush, he pushed Nadir away, raced down the hall and was about to break the door down when he heard Christine's fain voice.

"Oh don't take him away please, I wish to see him."

He heard the doctor shift uncomfortably.

Stillborn.

What else?

His heart seemed to collapse with grief, but not all had been said yet. There was still time.

"I don't want to upset your nerves, madam."

Christine's voice was strong now, determined as he had ever heard her yet. "Monsuire, let me hold my son."

He heard the doctor carry the silent bundle over to its mother. Christine gave a small sniffle of joy and cried out, "Oh how perfect he is."

It hadn't died.

Erik's brow furrowed and a red rash crept up the back of his neck. Why then had the doctor hesitated so?!

"I am sorry," he heard the doctor's voice say. "It is so peculiar, so rare! There are medical rehabilta-"

"No!" Came Christine's stern voice, "A child should be a child. None of that propaganda. Let him be."

"As you wish Ma'am," Came the doctor's quavering voice. Erik hid behind a doorway as the Doctor exited the room.

Speaking to who he thought was Nadir he gave a sigh and said, "Please sir, beware that your comments on the child do not upset her. The situation is stressful enough."

Erik hardly waited until the Doctor had left view before darting into the room. There sat his wife, exhausted but peaceful, two small children bundled and set gently on her lap.

"Come Erik," she whispered drowsily, "Come and see."

Both children lay silently, his daughter had a twisted sour expression upon her face, as if she were annoyed at being disturbed at all, whereas his son lay silent.

"Erik," Christine said, her tone changing deep and forlorn. "Erik remember as we discussed."

Erik stared at the two children, barely hearing his wife, "Yes. I remember."

Christine gave a heavy sigh and slowly lifted the boy to his father.

Across the left side of his temple, where Erik's deformity was most focused, ran a long, deep scar of twisted flesh.

Erik recoiled, wincing internally. This had been why, this had been the reason.

But then, as if a candle, slowly flickering as it caught the wick, the small child's eyes fluttered open.

Silently it stared, silently Erik stared back.

Worries dissipated and floated away.

How beautiful it was, how much he had missed, not holding Gustave like this. So small the boy felt in his hands, so delicate and precious.

"Have you thought of any names?" he asked slowly in barely a whisper.

Christine nodded, "I thought Ilios. It's greek, for the sun."

Erik smiled, how much their minds thought alike. 

"But for him," Christine beamed, "I don't know. What do you think?"

"Eli." Erik said after nearly a forever of thought. "Eli and Ilios."

By the time he had said this, his wife was already fast asleep. 

"Hello Eli," Erik whispered, "I'm your father."

((Erik would make the best dad ever right? What kinda corny dad jokes do you think he'd be prone to make? Tell me in the comments below XD))