"You see what are young hostess was doing while you were all enjoying yourselves? She was enjoying herself in a much different way," Natasha declared, making sure her voice was loud enough for all to hear. The music had stopped and the room had become deathly quiet. Christine wanted to look away from the looks of disgust that were thrown at her from behind the masks of so many people.
"Where is your husband, Madam?" she sneered. Christine said nothing, knowing Natasha was only doing this to humiliate them.
"You better have a good reason why you are doing this, Natasha," Erik's voice was laced with venom as he stepped from the crowd. Several people took a step back at the tone of his voice. Christine had never been so glad to see him in her life.
"Stay where you are, Erik, I have no qualms about killing her," Natasha said, making sure Erik could see the pistol. His fists clenched and his eyes found his wife's. She tried to smile reassuringly but it was difficult. Erik felt his heart stir in an unfamiliar feeling at the sight of her. She was half naked, all of her long, shapely legs bare and he knew there was nothing underneath and to him she had never looked more beautiful, even in her shameful position.
"Tell me something, Erik," Natasha commanded, snapping Erik's attention back to her. He said nothing, waiting for her to speak.
Natasha's eyes never left Erik's. "What does she have that I do not?"
Everyone in the room was obviously surprised by her question as was Erik, whose eyes widened only slightly behind the mask. Christine could hear something in the woman's tone that was familiar to her but she could not place it just yet.
"What?" Erik demanded.
"What made you choose Christine over me?" Natasha demanded, becoming angry. How dare he play daft with her?
"We were over a long time ago, Natasha! What the devil are you doing?" Erik nearly hissed. Erik could not believe that Natasha was holding Christine at gun point because she did not like the idea that he had married Christine instead of her. Christine suddenly knew the reason why she was doing this and the idea was not one that she liked to think about.
"She loves you," Christine whispered. Erik's eyes found hers. Natasha dug the pistol head cruelly into Christine's back and she winced.
"Shut up," she growled. Christine knew that that had to be the reason why she was behaving so rashly. She loved Erik and it was killing her that he had married another woman. In any other situation Christine might have felt bad for the woman but she had taken things to far.
"She loves you, Erik, and she is jealous of the fact that you married someone else!" Christine insisted, knowing it to be true. She cried out softly when the pistol dug even more deeply into her flesh.
"You will keep your mouth shut or I will kill you in front of him!" Natasha whispered furiously. She was angry at herself more then she was at Christine at the moment. How could she have let her emotions become so obvious? Deep down she had always known that she loved Erik from when she had first met him but she had never allowed herself to examine the feeling to closely. She had believed for a long time that perhaps he might be able to come to love her in time; she was beautiful enough, wasn't she?
They had always been good together and this greatness had told her that she might have a chance. But Erik had always had such a temper with her and she had always been so meek, giving in whenever they had an argument. Then she had become tired of backing down and had stood up to him, the fights had grown worse and soon it was too much. They had separated and Natasha had always hated herself for letting him go. Then, not long after he had married Christine he came to her home and they made love. He had been so desperate and the night had been full of pleasure and for one brief moment she had allowed herself to hope. That hope had been shattered tonight and she had gone against the plans that had been made for tonight.
"Natasha, you are acting foolish, let her go, now," Erik demanded, his voice cold and angry. Natasha had to fight back the tears that were in her eyes.
"I am not acting foolish, Erik!" she said angrily.
"Yes, you are-"
"Tell her you love her," Natasha interrupted. Erik stiffened and Christine swallowed the lump in her throat. This could not be happening! Christine's eyes found her husbands and his look was expressionless.
"What?" Erik said very softly. Natasha raised the pistol until it was pointed at Christine's head.
"Come closer and tell her you love her, and make me believe it," Natasha said. Erik did not move, surely this had to be a joke of some kind! How could he tell Christine he loved her when he was not sure that he did? He felt something for her, what that was he did not know? Natasha pressed the pistol roughly against Christine and Erik became aware of the tears in Natasha's eyes. She truly did love him...he could see it now. But he did not love her; he would never be able to love her.
"Move and tell her, Erik! And do not try anything, this gun will be pointed at her the entire time!" Natasha demanded. Erik slowly made his way toward the two women. Christine's eyes pleaded with him not to, she feared that Natasha might hurt him. Erik stopped when he was standing in front of Christine, his breath mingling with hers. Natasha backed up, but did not move the aim of the gun. The crowd was silent, transfixed by what was happening in front of them.
Erik's hands cupped his wife's beautiful face as he stared into her eyes, praying that he could do this and knowing that if he did not Christine would pay with her life. Christine's eyes were already moist and she laid her hands over his much larger ones.
"Tell her," Natasha hissed. Christine never looked away from the man before her, wondering what it would sound like to hear him say those three little words.
"I love you," he whispered, his voice full of meaning. As everyone watched he leaned forward and kissed her with everything he had in him.