We don't own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although we do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time, especially Erik!
A/N Hey everyone and welcome to a Round Robin Fan Fiction. For those of you who are not quite sure how this works, different authors take turns writing different chapters of the story. I have three authors already committed; chapter one, that is yours truly, chapter two, Terpsichore314, and my very talented niece, KatieKay90 will take up the challenge of chapter three, chapter four will be written by MJ Mod. We are looking for at least two more (more are certainly welcome) to join our crazy project, so if you are interested please email me and we will assign you your very own chapter!
Authors – ToryD, Terpsichore 314, KatieKay90, MJ MOD.
Secrets Left UntoldChapter 1 – Author – ToryD Beta – MJMod
"Miss, I'm afraid I am going to have to ask you to leave," the young airport's security guard said looking uncomfortable as he looked down at the young mother cradling her crying son.
Christine knew that she should have moved on an hour ago, but Ben had been giving her such a fit, and to be honest she just didn't have the energy. "If you will just give me a few more minutes?" she asked as she gave him a pleading look.
"Do you have some where to go Miss?" he asked, concerned for the thin looking woman and her cute little boy.
"I, ah…" Christine said as her voice trailed off into nothingness.
Security Agent John Robertson knew that she wouldn't last more than ten minutes out on the mean New York City streets with her good looks. "There is a shelter on Sixteenth and Main, about ten blocks north. They can offer you a hot meal and a safe place to sleep for the night."
Christine knew that the young security guard was just trying to be helpful, but she had been to the shelter he mentioned and while he was correct that they did offer a hot meal and warm bed, they also had several men in residence who wanted nothing more that to assault the unfortunate women who found themselves at their mercy. "Yes, thank you, I know the shelter you are speaking of," she said with a grateful smile that didn't quite reach her worried eyes.
Reaching into his back pocket he pulled out his wallet and extracted a ten, "Here, you're going to need cab fare," he said as he held out the bill.
Christine felt tears fill her eyes at his kindness. Kindness she was learning was a rare commodity in the world she found herself thrust into only three short weeks ago. "I can't take your money," she said as she rose to put Ben into his tattered stroller.
Frowning, John watched her with as she buckled her son securely. "Miss, please take it. I won't sleep well tonight not knowing if you got to the shelter safely," he said with a pleading look.
"I can't," Christine said with a halting whisper that attested to her strong sense of pride. "Thank you, but we will be fine," she said as she tucked a thick blanket around her little brother to keep him warm from the cold November night. Putting on her thin coat, she smiled once again to the security guard as she loaded up the stroller with their meager belongings.
John watched as she maneuvered her overloaded stroller out the main airport entrance. "Damn," he whispered to himself as he stared after her departing form. How in hell had life brought such a beautiful woman to this sorry state? He wondered as he turned to begin his rounds.
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Christine shivered against the cold wind that tore through her coat. God, how could Mother be so stupid to think that Joseph would take care of us? She questioned herself silently as she looked for a safe place to get Ben out of the cold. Not only had Joseph thrown her and his only son Ben out of her mother's house, correction she thought to herself with a short laugh of irony, Joseph's house as her unthinking mother had left her entire estate to her jobless boyfriend. Joseph had in short order dumped her belongings out onto the lawn and threatened to turn Ben over to the state foster care system. Christine immediately offered to take Ben as the thought of her baby brother in the hands of strangers proved unbearable. Joseph was only persuaded when Christine agreed not to interfere with the payments Joseph was to receive on Ben's behalf from her mother's social security death benefits.
Christine had taken an instant dislike to Joseph from the first moment she met him. His controlling tendencies around her mother grated on her nerves. He had systematically berated and brow beat her mother until she was but a shell of the woman she once was. Christine had been fortunate enough to be attending college on a full scholarship, when her mother got involved with Joseph. God! Christine thought as she remembered the first time she was alone with Joseph. He had gotten stinking drunk and made several heated attempts at seducing her. Christine shuddered as she recalled waking up to the smell of the cheep liquor on his breath as he began to grope at her young breasts. Luckily, he was so drunk that he passed out without causing any lasting physical harm. From that moment on, she hated Joseph and truth be told, she even hated her mother a little as well. Mother, even the word hurt as it crossed her mind silently. Had it really only been three weeks since her mother slipped from this life at the hands of an aggressive tumor.
Biting her lip, she tried to bank down her emotions as she pulled what little strength she had left in order to cross the street towards the brightly lit museum. It appeared that there was some sort of event, as there were a multitude of well-dressed men and women being photographed by a horde of press. She was lost in her own thoughts as she watched the beautiful people of New York ascend the steps to the majestic museum. The sound of screeching tires was the only sound that alerted her to the impending danger to her little Ben. Turning towards the sound she watched in horror as the large black car bore down on both her and the stroller that held her precious little brother. With a quick reflex, she lunged with all of her weight at the stroller's handle in order to push it up onto the curve out of the oncoming cars path. Knowing that impact was inevitable, Christine tensed as she waited for the certain onslaught of pain.
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Erik cursed his decision to ask Isabel to the fund raising event, for her incessant inane conversation was already grating on his nerves as they made their way through the busy downtown traffic.
"You just don't know what you're going to get when you use an unknown caterer," Isabel said as she waived her bejeweled hand through the air.
"I'm sure that you were able to save the evening," Erik said in a bored tone as he looked out the blackened window.
Isabel leaned against his strong shoulder, "Yes of course you're right," she said as she placed her hand on his thigh in a caressing motion.
Erik considered her advances, not quite sure if he wanted to take her up on her implied invitation to share her bed later this evening. While he enjoyed their sexual relationship, he found that lately he was missing something. Something to give his life some meaning, something more than just making loads of money and bedding beautiful women. Hitting the button on the console before him, Erik lowered the partition between him and Darius. "We shouldn't be more than an hour," he informed his driver as they approached the brightly lit museum.
"Yes Sir," Darius responded as he made a turn onto the side street. As he approached his upcoming stop, Darius was alarmed to see a young girl with a stroller step out directly in front of them. "NO!" he cried out as he braked hard.
Erik looked up just in time to see the startled blue eyes of a young mother as she pushed the stroller out of the way, putting herself directly in their oncoming path.
Erik beat Darius out of the car to see the condition of the woman they had just hit. "Isabel, call for an ambulance," he ordered his date in a brisk tone.
Darius was beside himself with guilt. "Oh Mr. Demetrius, I couldn't stop in time," he said in a shaking voice.
"It's not your fault Darius, she stepped out in front of the car," Erik said as he took off his heavy wool coat to drape it over the unconscious woman. "See to the child," he ordered his driver as he frowned down at the young mother's pale features.
Christine moaned as she felt a sharp pain travel across her midsection. BEN! Her mind reminded her of her little brother. "Ben!" she cried out as she opened her eyes to stare into the concerned green eyes of a half-masked man. Startled for a second, she closed her eyes tightly to try to adjust her vision.
"We have an ambulance on the way, please just stay still," Erik said in a soft tone.
"No!" she said as she tried to rise only to cry out as a shooting pain radiated within her head. Putting her hand to her head, she closed her eyes as she sought an ending to the excruciating pain.
"Lie still!" Erik ordered in a firm, annoyed tone.
"Ben, I have to get to him," Christine said as she took in a deep breath.
"Darius, bring the boy over here so she can see him," Erik said as he kept a careful watch over the young woman.
Darius holding a still sleeping Ben leaned down so that his mother could get a look at him.
Christine felt tears of relief fill her eyes at the sight of her unharmed brother.
"The ambulance is on its way," Isabel said as she approached the front of the car. "My God she is a homeless person!"
Erik shot Isabel a look of contempt at her cruel comment. "Wait in the car!" he yelled at her through his tightly clenched teeth.
Isabel raised her chin in defiance but did as ordered and stalked back towards the car's backseat.
"I'm sorry," Erik said as he saw the look of embarrassment on the young woman's features.
"Don't be, she's right you know," Christine informed him with a sad smile. "I have to get going," she said as she sat upright.
"You're not going anywhere but to a hospital!" Erik informed her.
"No," She said firmly as she pulled herself up on to her shaking legs. "I have to take care of Ben," she said as she winced at the pain in her side.
"You're in no condition to take care of anyone let alone an infant. You are going to the hospital and that is the end of it!" Erik said with an authority that raised Christine's anger to a level she had never felt.
"Listen, I appreciate your concern, but it really isn't any of your business!" Christine said as irritation began to alight within her eyes.
"The hell it isn't!" Erik said as he scooped her up into his arms and carried her back towards his car. "Darius bring the baby and her belongings, were taking them both to my personal doctor," Erik said as he carefully placed Christine in the back of his car.
Isabel looked completely put out by Erik's actions. "Erik, I refuse to ride with a homeless person!" She said haughtily.
Once Erik had Christine settled to his liking, he grabbed hold of Isabel and lifted her clean off of her seat to set her unceremoniously upon the sidewalk.
Christine watched the unfolding scene with wide eyes, as Erik reentered the car with little Ben in his strong arms. "Darius, if you would please take us to Dr. Martin's clinic?" Erik said as his driver slid behind the wheel after he had stowed Christine's stroller and bags within the trunk.
"Yes Sir," Darius said as he started the elegant car.
Christine's eyes darted from the half-masked man that held her little brother so tenderly to the screeching woman who stood on the sidewalk.
Erik smiled as he saw her astonished look. "My name is Erik Demetrius," he said as he stared into her thin pale face.
Christine looked at her rescuer and smiled her first real smile for the first time in a month. "My name is Christine…Christine Daae," she said as the long elegant car whisked them away into the cold November night.