Does This Smell Like Chloroform To You? (Blondie)

[Erik Lavalais]

Erik took a deep breath. He twirled the rose in his fingers, thinking. What if this didn't work? What if she didn't take the flower? Well, he had the bottle of the perfume for that. The Mazenderan Perfume...he'd soaked the rose in it carefully and planned out every step. Ever since he'd heard that she was getting married and then met that man who was to be her husband...It wasn't fair! Why should such a man, who would judge Erik on their first meeting, get to live in happiness with such an angel?!

Christine...Christine...She'd haunted his dreams since the day they'd met. He'd been inspired to write more music, lately, because of her. Teressa would listen to him when he spoke of her, and when Teressa shared that she was going to the bachelorette party to give Christine a gift, he'd figured out exactly what he was going to do.

He walked toward the room where he knew she was. He'd watched the couple for about a week, making sure his plans couldn't go wrong. That de Chagny boy would never risk the bad luck of seeing the bride before the wedding. And she...she was going to look beautiful. He was sure of it.

Straightening his tie, and smoothing out his hair, he knocked at the door to her chamber where he knew she'd be preparing for the ceremony. He was nerve-racked but tried not to let it show as his breathing hitched slightly then calmed down. Thank God his gloves were on or his palms would be sweating. And the mask was his complete saving grace. Otherwise, she'd never believe him...

[Christine Daaé]

Christine paced about the little room nervously, the only thing preventing her from wringing her hands was the bouquet she held in them, which was comprised of some white and pale pink roses from the garden outside. She hadn't expected to be so nervous. After all, they had been preparing for months, and even for a short while before coming to the manor, but now... Now it was actually happening.

The manor, as usual, was working in strange ways, bringing things there that should not be. About a week beforehand, Christine had returned to her chambers after leaving for only a brief time and found a trunk that seemed eerily familiar, although she could not place where she had seen it before... until she opened it up. Inside of it was a white dress which she had only seen once before and which she had never expected to see again, especially not after being brought here, to the manor.

Inside of the trunk, was a gown – a wedding gown – that had belonged to her mother from when Christine's mother and father had been married. She recalled seeing the dress in the trunk once before, back a long time ago when she had been only about five years of age when her parents were alive and they were living together on the little farm in Sweden. It was the only time she had ever seen the dress, and she never expected to see it again. She wasn't even sure her father had brought it with them when they had left, and after so many years, things get buried and you never quite know exactly where they end up... It was that very dress that she was wearing now for her own wedding. Oh, how she wished her father could have been there to see... to give her away...

She let out a soft sigh and finally sat down, resting in a chair there in the room and waiting to be gotten for the ceremony. She was quite anxious, hoping that all would go well. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, the lace of her veil covering her fair face. It was then that she heard a knock at the door. Could it be time? It seems a bit early yet... Cautiously, she wet to the door and opened it just a crack – not enough for the person on the other side to see her, in case it was Raoul – and answered.

“Yes?,” she answered. She peered out the crack and saw that it was not Raoul at all, but instead a tall masked man with dark eyes. Her heart stopped a moment. She wasn't sure whether it was Érik, or Monsieur Lavalais. If it were Érik... She swallowed at the thought. She had to test... “Oh.... hello,” she said, still keeping the door open only a small crack. “How are the honeysuckle?” If it were Érik, he would likely not know what she was talking about. At least that could give her a good idea as to who was there at the door.

[Erik Lavalais]

Erik cleared his throat and nodded, holding the rose carefully. "They're blooming splendidly, actually...Have you been out to the gazebo in the greenhouse, lately?" His voice was calm, suave...persuasive. He needed to be if he was going to gain her trust to take the flower and be invited into the room.

"I apologize for bothering you like this before your wedding, but...I wanted to give you this." This was it. No turning back from the plan now. He had offered her the rose, and if she took it, then he'd have to carry through.

"You look beautiful, by the way." He added, smoothly.

[Christine Daaé]

Christine shook her head a little, relaxing her grip on the door, now that she knew it was not her husband-to-be there at the door. A bright smile made its way across her rosy lips as an outward sign of her happiness and excitement for the upcoming ceremony. She shook her head a little when he asked her the question about whether or not she had visited the gazebo in the greenhouse recently,

“No, I have not, unfortunately. I’ve been so busy preparing for the wedding, I have not had much of a chance to, as of late… Though I do look forward to seeing it soon. Perhaps when we get back from the honeymoon…”

A crimson blush crept to her cheeks, her smile widening. “Thank you,” she said, taking the flower from him. “It’s lovely…” She placed the single red blossom among the white ones of her bridal bouquet. “There. A little pop of color… Please, won’t you come inside? I have a bit of time still before I need to be to the chapel.”

She opened the door further, allowing him room to entered if he so chose to.