🎄 PotO Advent Calendar ‘19 🎄
Joyeux Noël
by @robingurl
Summary: Erik hasn't celebrated Christmas in 10 years since Christine left him. Now she's back and its time to celebrate again.
Notes: This is for my contribution to the POTO Advent Calendar. This is LND but it's not. It doesn't follow the time line. Christine doesn't die and she and Meg don't fight. Meg doesn't go crazy. Christine and Raoul leave on amicable terms.
I also mention an unborn child. This runs with my universe where they have a daughter. But that's it. :) ENJOY!
I thank Miles for giving me French Customs and Phrases.
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He exited into the back entrance to the park one morning ready to start his day. He pulled his cloak on after putting his mask over his face looking up briefly to see the sky was cloudy today. They looked like snow clouds. If the snow started too early they would have to close to park earlier than expected.
Regardless, it was the usual schedule: Write new music, attend rehearsals of all groups in his show, teach Gustav a new piece on the piano, and work on his newest piece for Christine.
The days were getting colder but for once he hadn't noticed for he was content. These past few months had started making up for his 10 years of loneliness he'd experienced when he had lost her.
Now she was back and brightening each and every day again just like she had back in France at the Opera House. Only this time, she and he were truly together. Not only together but they had a child together with another on the way.
He found himself wondering what she was up to this morning. She hadn't been beside him when he'd awakened this morning. He worried a bit for a few seconds on hoping she was safe and not putting herself or the unborn child in danger but then remembered that he hadn't seen Gustav either. That probably meant they were together and safe.
He closed his eyes briefly and he could see her happy smile hearing her say "Good Morning" as she always did. Just like everything she did, her voice, her mannerisms, her facial features, he held them near and dear to his heart.
A smile crossed his features as he straightened his mask and closed his cloak to keep himself warm. As he walked down the ally way he started to notice a warm glow in the fog from the ocean. He lifted his gaze eyes widening.
His park had been changed completely almost over night. There were giant strands of garland lining all of the buildings and attractions. What looked like lit garland was around the entrance and exit. Someone had taken his electric lights and hung them from the garland as best as they could. Giant bows and bells were placed over each arch and in each corner.
He honestly hadn't thought about decorating any of Phantasma for Christmas. To tell the truth, he hadn't thought about Christmas since she left him.
Before he had known her, he had never been a big celebrator of Holidays. He had viewed them as more of a nuisance that interrupted the daily flow of life.
He had always allowed his managers to decorate the Grand Opera as they saw fit. It made the paying customers happy and that was all that mattered.
That had changed once he had met her. Christine loved Christmas and would help Meg and Madam decorate the Opera House. When he was watching her from afar, the smile that crossed her features when she decorated was always so bright and innocent. Her blue eyes always sparkled in the candle light and took his breath away.
She always sounded so excited with each day that led up to Christmas Eve. With each day, she would appear in a Holiday colored garment. Her red curls always looked beautiful with the red dresses.
Once they had met, it seemed Christine had made it her mission to spread that Christmas "cheer" to him as well. Every time he went back to his lair there would be another decoration here and there until he was walking into garland every step he took.
He had grumbled once about it only for her to call him a "Scrooge" and that Raoul was alright with Christmas and decorating. After that he had no choice but to agree to it. At first he had only agreed to it to show the "fop" that he could celebrate as well but it quickly turned into enjoying the time with Christine and seeing her happy.
After she had left the opera, what little love he had for anything slipped away and left him with none. He ignored the holidays after she left. What good were they if she wasn't present?
Now as he stood there staring at his newly decorated park, he felt the love he had felt back in the opera. Memories were coming back of the decorated Opera and his lair. This all looked like Christine.
He's pulled out of his thoughts by a scream and crash on the ground around the corner. He stepped around and saw his beautiful Christine on the ground laughing.
Gustav came running and knelt down beside her, "Mother are you alright?"
"Yes, dearest, yes I am. I just took a tumble. These skirts aren't meant for one to climb in." She put a hand on her slightly pregnant belly as she stood up patting Gustav's head. "Don't worry, I'm alright."
"Angel? Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
They both turned around and saw Erik standing there looking petrified. Christine started to laugh again, "Dearest, I'm fine. I promise."
"Did you do all of this?" He found himself asking.
"Well, I thought it was time to decorate. After all, it is the first week of December." She dusted off her skirt smiling proudly. "I didn't do all of this myself, so do not worry." She could see his concerned gaze drifting towards her and the unborn child. "Gustav and the others helped." She walked over to him, red curls bouncing as she gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Gustav asked grinning. "I can't wait for everyone to see it!"
Erik hugged Christine to his side and looked around another smile crossing his features. "I-I do. I love it. I shall write new music just for the celebration of the holiday. We can have holiday themed attractions!"
"Like a Christmas park!?" Gustav chimed in excitedly. "We can have singing presents and and Père Noël?"
"Precisely! Now why don't you run along and tell Madam Giry, your ideas so she can start planning the new routine. Tell her I will begin on the music immediately." He encouraged his son squeezing his shoulder.
"You've got it!" The young boy exclaimed as he took off running down the road.
"Be careful, Gustav! Don't bother her if they are practicing!" Christine yells after him. She then turns to her husband, squeezing his hand. "Darling, are you sure you are alright with all of this? If I remember correctly, you used to hate me decorating where you lived and worked."
"That was before you introduced me to all of this." He motioned smiling down at her. "I never used to care for Christmas until I met you. You made the Holiday sound so beautiful and worth celebrating." He gently picks up her hand leading it to his cheek. "Then once you left, the holidays and everything that made life worth living left with it."
"That's all in the past. I'm here now." She said reassuringly as she stroked his face. She smiled up at him. "I promised you that we'd never be apart again. I promised I'd make up for the years we were apart and I meant it."
"I know dearest and I the same. Each day is a new adventure and I am looking forward to our next. You challenge and guide me like no one ever has before and I look forward to it."
Christine smiles. She was so relieved that he was alright with all of this. She had done it on a whim to surprise him. Gustav had happily agreed as did the other performers in the park and over night they had decorated the entire park. She feels him gently place a hand on her swollen stomach and she holds his hand there. "It's hard to believe that next year we have another little one to introduce to Christmas."
"If it's anything like this year, they will have a lot to love." He commented.
Above them it started to snow, they both glanced up hugging each other close. The struggle was over, the long years of being unhappy were being chipped away to a brighter new life.
She started to pull away and go finish her decorating when he pulled her close and kissed her. "My dearest Christine, Joyeux Noël"
She smiled and kissed him back, "Joyeux Noël, Erik."