Somewhere only We belong to

Took me a while, I know, but here's chapter 11 for my "rapt audience" (PhantomMiddleEarthLover). ;)

Enjoy, and please review!!

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Chapter 11

Final Confrontation

"You should move to Paris", Madame Giry told her substitute daughter the next day while helping her changing Gabriel’s diapers although she noticed with pride that Seraphine didn’t need much help in taking care of her children. The weakness she had shown before giving birth had faded already during her labor, and the ballet teacher had to bite back a few tears of melancholy when she realized that her daughter was a mother by now herself.

"The Ducards are still here… I doubt that they’ve already forgotten me."

"Probably not. But you’ll like to hear that they moved to the countryside", Madame Giry said, "I had quite the feeling that it wasn’t such a big loss to them. They only had you for a few weeks and when you were gone again, I believe they accepted it in their own kind of way."

"Did you expect me to simply disappear one day?"

She smiled at Gabriel as she took him into her arms. Madame Giry looked at the child with love in her eyes and sighed quietly.

"I did. At least I knew that Erik wouldn’t accept the situation… I’m just glad that you wrote me from time to time – I would have worried about you otherwise. Especially since I knew you were pregnant for the first time. And look at you – now you’re a mother."

She stroked over her daughter’s cheek, releasing a content smile. When they entered the room next door where Erik held Rachel, they found Madame Biselle pacing around like a restless panther.

"Are you alright, my dear?", Madame Giry asked the elder woman, already feeling that something wasn’t right.

"You remember yesterday when I told you that the De Chagnys had come by? They are here yet again."

"For God’s sake, then let them in", Seraphine sighed, earning an unhappy look from Erik who concentrated on singing softly to his daughter again afterwards. The effect of his voice on both his children was amazing as they had found out the day before shortly after their birth. His songs would soothe them or put them to sleep, causing Seraphine and himself to relax as well. And obviously the babies owned musicality already by now.

Only that moment, Seraphine realized that Erik hadn’t been wearing his mask since he had taken it off yesterday when she had asked him to. He seemed to feel comfortable, though, as Madame Giry and the midwife didn’t care and besides, she didn’t wish it to be any different anyway – she wanted her children to see their father the way she looked at him for he was handsome beyond belief in her eyes.

Leading the De Chagnys in, Madame Biselle immediately noticed the change of atmosphere. Erik tensed, trying as much as possible not to let the baby in his arms feel his discomfort. Madame Giry took her place next to Seraphine as if to protect her. Christine was obviously unsure of what to do or to say, and Raoul… well, the Viscomte showed only one single honest emotion: disgust at the sight of Erik’s face. He had spotted it already once before during that fateful night, but to be greeted with it again made him regret their intentions to come here. And for God’s sake, this monster had two adorable children by now and that fact should make him hide his face even more, Raoul’s mind screamed.

As if Rachel felt her father’s discomfort, she did the best she could do at her young age – spitting a rather big amount of mother milk across his blouse. Almost smiling at her in relief, Erik got up to go next door to wash and clean his daughter as well as himself, but Raoul’s voice was faster.

"One could think she can already recognize her father’s face", he stated in cruel joy, earning a bunch of evil gazes he successfully ignored. Even Christine felt utterly embarrassed by her husband’s action. But it was Seraphine who stunned all of them as she spoke up, moving to Erik’s side.

"Don’t worry – she knows her father very well… that’s why she can’t stand aristocracy."

Erik stared at her in disbelief, not quite being used to her defending him like this as it normally was him to give cynical answers.

"So that’s how you will raise your children", the Viscomte continued, "Condemning them to spot such distortion each day."

"And it will please you to hear that we intend to have at least three more of them as soon as we find time to make them", her voice replied absolutely calm. "Just in case you’re wondering – those two were the result of a very intense happening against the ballerina’s bathroom door in the Opera."

It was such a perfect lie that Erik found it hard to suppress a grin. Actually, they had never done it against any bathroom’s door – rather against walls or other places – but it sounded so convincing that even he felt tempted to believe her words. Besides, both of them didn’t exactly know when their children were made, but a place in the Opera was the nearest to the truth probably. And he was sure that having three more children was exaggerated as well although he felt his heart speed increasing in joy at the imagination of another baby. As an expected reaction, however, Christine blushed, but Raoul was too surprised and annoyed at Seraphine’s honesty to stop now. Seraphine on the other hand experienced a wave of rage flooding through her body. Not only did she feel responsible for her children, but also for Erik. After yesterday she had gained much strength, taking the task of protection more seriously than ever before. Thus she passed Gabriel on to Madame Giry to approach Raoul with both hands free.

"You should have never come here", she made clear.

"No, as I see myself that it truly was a mistake", Raoul moved slightly forward to give her a scrutinizing look, "To let him take you like an animal – I’ve always wondered what it’s like to feel such a carcass inside y…"

But he was cut short by a painful slap of Seraphine’s hand that reminded him more of a proper hit. And in a certain way she suddenly scared him more than Erik because he felt the motivation behind her move. She truly loved Erik, his mind told him, and in her eyes he was handsome, talented and unique as their children were to her.

"Now get out before I forget myself completely", she informed Raoul who didn’t hesitate any longer to obey. Christine, however, seemed unsure as of what to do.

"I’m sorry you married him, Christine", Seraphine said, softening her tone, when she saw the young woman’s expression, "I’ve always wished for you to get only the best. You could have been happy, but judging by the state of your appearance, you aren’t. There were times you looked like a shining angel… and now you’re nothing more than a shadow. I’m sorry. Go… after all, he’s still your husband."

Christine left with silent tears staining her face, and Seraphine felt her body’s tension slowly falling off.

"As for now", she turned around to face the three adult people and two infants remaining in the room, "I’ll have a bath."

"Dear Lord, you scared the hell out of him", Madame Biselle finally blurted out, not quite believing what had just happened, "For a moment I truly thought you’d kill him."

"I’ve only seen Erik in a rage like this", Madame Giry admitted as well, "but apparently it’s a feature you own as much as he does."

Erik, however, looked at her in silent admiration, pitying any man outside because Seraphine was only his.