Availre: I think he was stunned into silence.

Phantom Serenity: Indeed they are!

Epilogue

"there is nothing wrong with the violins!" Nina shouted at Erik.

"they are drowning out the wind instruments!" he snapped.

Nina turned to Meg and handed her Luke. Andre leaned over and whispered something in her ear. No doubt about her and Erik. She then stood up and climbed up the stairs on the stage to glower at Erik. "there is nothing wrong! You're just being stubborn!"

"your pregnancy is having an effect on your judgement!"

"And who's fault is that?" she snapped back. "two children. In addition, we have barely been married two and a half-years! Erik your reputation is growing. Not as a great composer, but as a great lover!"

"we'll discuss that later!" he said as his ears went red. "We're discussing music." He stared at her. "What does that have to do anything?"

"you're the one who said my pregnancy was affecting my judgement! I was blaming you for my prediciment! Two children in almost three years! Honestly!" She glowered at him. "Erik Destler, you better leave the violin section the way they are!"

Erik bent down and glared at her. "Nina, this is my production."

"I wrote this song!" she said. "I don't go rearranging your score!"

"because it's my job!" he said. "now go sit down!"

"I will not."

"please!" Mr. Reyer said from the orchestra pit. "you two sound like Carlotta arguing with her previous managers."

Nina immediately began laughing at the look of disgust on Erik's face. all too soon her expression changed and she let a sharp cry as she clutched her huge stomach. All anger vanished from him and closed the distance between them. He helped her sit on the piano bench. "Nina, is the baby coming?"

"Yes." She stated calmly. "Now Erik, promise me that you'll leave the score the way it is."

"no."

"then I refuse to leave this stage!" she shouted as another labor pain wracked her.

"Nina, you will not give birth to our daughter on the stage!"

"why not?" she shouted back. "either I get your word that the score will stay the way it is and I go to the hospital or I give birth here! What makes you think it's a girl?"

"ALL RIGHT!" He shouted. "YOU WIN!"

Nina's anger immediately turned to a happy expression. "thank you." she stood up gripping his arm and kissed him. "I love you."

"give me a few moments to cool down." He said as he helped her down the stairs. "And maybe I'll say I love you back!"

"you are always to calm!" she said. "it irritates me!"

"One of us has to remain calm!" He turned to Mr. Reyer. "continue with the rehearsals."

"oh! Have someone bring the costume sketches!" Nina said. "I've got a few hours to kill."

"Nina!" Erik said. "you try my patience!"

Nina turned and tapped him on the nose. "so…do…you!"

A month later Nina tucked angelica and Benjamin in the cribs in Erik's office. Their opera was finally being performed after two years of working on various ones. Erik's rewrite of 'The heart is slow to learn' was just as successful as 'Don Juan triumphant.'

Erik squeezed her hand and kissed it. "Excited?"

Nina groaned. "nervous."

Erik laughed and pulled her close. "don't worry."

"Erik, can we play our roles on our wedding anniversary?"

Erik frowned, "look, our wedding night was delayed for don Juan triumphant. I will not spend our wedding anniversary performing in front of a crowd!"

"but Erik," she pouted and leaned forward. "you raise the ticket prices and I guarantee the night will be a sell out."

"No I will not!"

Who cares what illusions the heart recommends? As long as you crave me, and kiss me, and save me, from everything I've ever known! Erik yanked Nina close and she held his gaze with her ever-flirtatious eyes. Am I suspending the truth? Reckoning ways to rephrase thou shalt not. Does your heart quicken to thicken the plot? Or are you as real, as this passion I feel? Flesh and blood, heart and soul, in the heat of the night.

Erik gripped Nina as the script called for and kissed her. she shamelessly pressed closer to him as the curtain went down. She let out a content moan and flung her arms around his shoulders.

"Erik! Nina!" Madame Giry said. "you two have to change!"

Erik groaned and picked her up and trotted to their dressing room. "I can't believe you talked me into this!"

Nina giggled, "I'm loving it though! Oh, it's so difficult to maintain control with your songs!"

Erik chuckled as he set her down and closed the dressing room door. "we've got fifteen minutes."

She rolled her eyes. "Erik, we never can manage in fifteen minutes. I was told during my last costume change I was acting like a complete flirt!"

"and so you are!" he said pulling her into his arms. " a big one."

"and who's fault is that?" she kissed him. "happy anniversary darling."

Erik pulled her close and smiled. Their tenth anniversary. If anyone had told him he would be married to a beautiful woman with two children, he would not have believed them. They had two children, three successful opera's and a lifetime to continue living and loving together.

Erik pulled back and handed her a glass of water. "I'm afraid I don't have any champagne handy."

Nina nodded, "I'm kinda glad we don't, you've seen me when I drink that stuff."

He chuckled, she had a low tolerance for alcohol. He touched his glass of water to hers. "here's to many more anniversary's."

Nina nodded, "here's to many more successes."

"boy or girl?"

Nina laughed and threw her arms around him, he let out a laugh as he felt the water from her glass trickle down his back.

Nina gasped, "oh Erik, I'm sorry!"

He laughed. With her around, life could never be dull!

The End.