New story! This will certainly be updated regularly, and I promise My Road to Redemption will be to, only have a few chapters left to write! So here is the start of a new adventure, one that shall be very interesting indeed...

As per usual all rights go to Gaston Leroux and I don't own any of the characters. Reviews and comments will be gladly received! Thank you.

"I was thinking maybe America." The fork that had been travelling up to Nadir's mouth paused halfway, his mouth still gawping open as he turned his attention on Erik. They were both sat in the parlour room of Nadir's small Parisian apartment, a little away from the hustle and bustle of the central city. It was snug, the fire casting a warm glow over Persian artefacts that Nadir had obtained from his home city and the occasional flea market that had popped up over the city. His manservant, Darius, lingered in the corner of the room, dressed in a traditional Persian garb; Baggy, white cotton trousers under a long beige tunic, awaiting his masters command. Even he sucked in a baited breath as he waited for his master's reaction.

"I beg your pardon?" He said eventually, placing the food laden fork back down on his plate, the fingers on his other hand drumming out a nervous rhythm on the table beneath.

"You heard what I said, Nadir." Erik murmured, focusing once more on the newspaper before him with rapt attention. Nadir needn't ask what had caught his friends eyes, for he knew. The wedding date of that Christine girl was there, on the third page, in bold black capital letters. Perhaps that is what caused his friends sudden remark.

"I did, but… Are you certain? America is a whole new world away!" Nadir exclaimed, pushing his plate away from him. The food suddenly was incredibly unappetising to say the least as a nervous knot started to form in his stomach. He signalled for Darius to take the food away, which he did with the silence of a prowling tiger. It wasn't long before it was just the two men left in the room.

"Precisely the reason why it is the perfect getaway location. A brand new start." Nadir pondered the suggestion for a moment, as he steepled his fingers underneath his chin.

"Yes, that is true. As well as that, no one will know us."

"Us?" Erik said, looking up from his newspaper in surprise. Nadir gave him the same look back.

"Goodness me Erik, you don't think I'm going to allow you to go on your biggest adventure yet without me, do you? No, I think not. Darius and I will be accompanying you, as is custom." Nadir stood up suddenly and paced around the parlour room, his friend's eyes trained on him in amusement. "We will need to look up shipping times and obtain some tickets, of course we will need to tell the Giry's about our arrangement-" Erik interrupted him with a derisive snort and threw the paper on to the ground, it's printed pages just inches from the fire.

"And why do we need to get those… those… Backstabbing witches involved?" He huffed, still unforgiving towards the two ladies who willingly revealed his lair to the De Chagny boy.

"Oh now Erik, really. That is a cruel thing to say about the two woman who have stood by your side for all these years." Erik laughed coldly, his eyes hardening with anger and bitterness as he stared in to the fire.

"Yes, and it took them a mere five minutes to change sides and betray me." Nadir scoffed and sat back down in his seat, his fingers intertwined as he leant forward on the table. He was about to jibe his friend but then he saw the deep set sadness resonating in Erik's golden eyes and sighed. He should've known better, really. The Giry's were like family to Erik, and to witness that sudden betrayal killed Erik even more inside. If his own family were willing to turn him, then who could he trust?

"Erik, they were worried. About you, and Christine, but especially her. She was young, frightened. She was as much as a daughter to her as you were her brother, but she had to choose one to rescue. Christine isn't as strong as you, so that is why Anna chose her, because you had gone… Well, insane." Nadir braced himself for a backlash of curses and threats, for comments like these normally had him against the wall, a hand hovering dangerously over his neck but nothing came. For the first time, in what seemed to be an age, Nadir studied his oldest friend in great detail. The flickering flames lit up his face, as well as the light from the sallow candles that sagged in their brass holders and grew concerned. He had never seen Erik look so… tired. The former opera ghost of the grand Palais Garnier looked exhausted from life, his eyes rimmed with heavy mauve circles, poorly concealed from stage makeup. He obviously didn't want Nadir to see how much the whole ordeal had affected him, in body and mind. The familiar spark he had seen so often resonate in Erik's eyes was dull, unwavering and truly, Erik really did look like a shadow of his former self. He had appeared to shrivel into himself, the fire that raged in him was no longer there, the confidence was broken.

"Erik?" He probed when he didn't reply.

"I am so tired, Nadir." It was as if he had been reading his mind, and Nadir had to stop his eyebrows rising up in surprise at the sudden confession. "I am tired of being the mad man that lives in a cellar. I am tired of being hated. I know I went insane, but she intoxicated me. And look what good that did me!" He exulted, grimacing as his voice broke on the last words. Looking away in embarrassment, he let out a shuddering breath and got up from his seat. "I need a fresh start. Away from this… place. Away from her. I want to live in the sun and not in the darkness."

"I understand." Erik nodded and picked up his cloak that he had draped on the chair behind him.

"I'm going to go for a walk, get some fresh air." He said, his cold persona quickly switched on after revealing too much emotion for his liking. As he stalked over to the door, Nadir asked him to wait for a minute.

"Perhaps, on your travels, you should visit Anna."

"And why would I want to do that?"

"Because she deserves to know about your plans, Erik. Plus, she is worried about you. She loves you, and wants you to be happy. You do know that, right?"

"Yes. I suppose I do." He grumbled, not willing to fully admit the truth as he opened the door and stepped out in to the darkness, the moon deciding it did not want to show its face tonight.

"We'll discuss America in more detail tomorrow then?"

"Yes, yes…" Erik agreed as he shut the door behind him leaving a bemused Nadir behind. Darius was still in the kitchen, taking a painstakingly long time to wash one plate and a set of cutlery so he could eavesdrop on the conversation. He felt a surge of excitement at the words exchanged and could not help but conjure up spectacular images of America and the endless opportunities that were open to them. Upon hearing his master summon him to the parlour room, Darius placed the plate on the drying rack and entered the room, drying his hands on a tea towel he grasped in his hand.

"Yes, Master?"

"Get some rest, Darius. We have a busy day ahead of us. We're moving to America."