Chapter 128

Mama! Mama!! 'Mama".

Christine raised her head to see her eldest daughter running towards her as if a demon was at her tail. Before she could ask the six year old what was the matter little Geneviève had scrambled beneath Christine's skirts, effectively hiding herself from view. Christine was sitting in a rocking chair in the lawn and Geneviève's actions jostled her and startled the babe that was suckling from her breast. A wail burst from the little bundles chest and Christine sighed in agitation.

"Geneviève Bernadette Desslar! Look what you did! You woke your sister!" she scolded. No sound came from beneath her skirts but she could feel the little girls tiny arms wrap around her legs. Christine sighed and looked down at the dark haired beauty she held in her arms. One month old Pénélope Camille Desslar was the newest addition to the Desslar home, and her father's pride and joy. She had Erik's dark black hair and gray green eyes with Christine's milky complexion. She would always have a special place in Christine's heart because she had come very close to almost losing her in labor, a feeling Christine never wanted to have again.

It had been a long labor and Christine was convinced that she was not going to make it out alive. She did not care what happened to her in those moments, she only wanted her baby to be alright. Erik had stayed by her side the entire time, never once letting go of her hand, whispering encouragement in her ear. Almost fourteen hours after starting labor Christine had given birth to their second daughter. Erik had prayed to God, thanking him for making sure both Christine and Pénélope were alright, never being more grateful for anything in his life.

"Shush, my love, shush, shush,"Christine cooed, rocking gently back and forth. Pénélope stopped her crying once she began to feed again and Christine turned her attention to her other daughter.

"What is going on, Geneviève?" she asked gently, feeling the girl trembling in what could be excitement or fear. The little girl squeezed her leg. She was about to ask her again when she did not get a response when she heard shouts coming from straight ahead. Ah, this is what had gotten her six year old all worked up. A game was going on, Christine assumed it was monsters and princesses because that was the only one that was ever played. Poor Geneviève was the princess and the four monsters were now running towards them at that very moment. She could not help but smile at the sight.

Erik looked a mess. His coat had come off and Christine could only imagine where it had ended up. His white shirt was wrinkled, pulled out of his trousers, and stained in various places from the grass. He wore no shoes, his hair was disheveled and she marveled at the fact that his mask had somehow managed to stay on. Wrapped around one of his legs was little Alexander.

His dark brown hair fell in front of his blue eyes and a smile covered most of his face as he laughed happily. On Erik's other leg was Alexander's twin brother, Christian, who, despite being twins with Alexander, had managed to inherit his fathers green eyes. When the twins had been born their eyes had been the only way to tell them apart for a long time, now both Christine and Erik knew each one and knew which was which even with their eyes closed.

Last, but certainly not least, was a pair of little arms wrapped around Erik's neck as he clung to his fathers back. Their eldest child, Dominic, was a miniature version of Erik, with black hair and gray green eyes. Christine could easily picture Erik looking as Dominic did when he was younger, living with Emma. Dominic Tristan Desslar had been their first child and Erik had been rather smug about how wonderful he had looked when he was born, and of course he had loved it that he had gotten to use the name he picked out first.

Christine had cried when she had first held him in her arms because he was everything she had been waiting for for a very long time. All of the stress and hardship that had come before him no longer mattered the first time Christine laid eyes on him. He made everything worth the struggle. Of course Erik had wasted no time, as soon as Christine was able he had wanted to celebrate the birth of their son with a night of passion and a little over a year later she had given birth to GenevièveBernadette Desslar. She was perfect with her chocolate curls and blue eyes so much like Christine's.

For a few months Christine had believed that they would not be having any more children, but low and behold, she was told she was pregnant again. Both Anthony and Raoul had teased Erik, saying that he could not keep his hands off of Christine long and they forgot what she looked like when she was not pregnant. Erik, however, had thought himself a real man that his seed was so strong to produce. But neither he nor Christine had been ready for having two babies when they were only expecting one. Alexander Sébastien Desslar and Christian Xavier Desslar had been born on Christmas day and they both truly had been a gift from above.