Author Note: Lyrics are from "If I Can't Love Her" from the Beauty and the Beast musical

Madame Giry laid in bed, back to the window, eyes closed. She wasn't asleep, couldn't sleep. She hadn't since the night the opera house had burned down. Her fault. So much of what happened was her fault. For most of Erik's life she'd been his only connection to the world, and she'd failed him. She'd saved him and she'd failed him.

Careless and unthinking, I moved onward
No pain could be deeper
No life could be cheaper

She opened her eyes when she felt the bed sink behind her. At first she thought it was only Meg, but a flash of lighting illuminated the room and Antoinette Giry realized with a start as she saw the undeniably male shadow on the wall that it was not Meg who had climbed into bed with her. She opened her mouth to scream and felt a hand cover it as she turned to face her intruder.

"Shh Nettie. It's me." She yanked his hand off her mouth and glared at him.

"Damn it Erik! You frightened me! How dare you sneak into my house in the middle of the night!"

"What was I supposed to do knock on the front door? What if Meg answered?" he whispered. Antoinette sighed, he was right. They both laid down on their sides to face each other like they had as children when he'd been afraid of the storms outside and the shadows they made on the walls. It had made her realize that despite the horrid circumstances under which they'd met he was still just a boy.

Now, lying there she wanted to ask him what had happened that last night at the opera house but didn't. She knew she couldn't force him.

"I made you something." He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small horse shaped candle. He reached across her to set it on the night stand and lit it. She rolled over to stare at it.

"Thank you." She smiled. It had been a long while since he'd made her anything.

"Why Nettie?" Erik asked desperately. He doesn't sound angry, only hurt. "Why did you send him after us. Why?"

Love a lost illusion
Helpless
Unforgiving
Cold and driven
To this sad conclusion

"I was frightened."

"Of me?"

"For you."

"I let her go. She chose me and I let her go."

"You love her."

"I'm leaving Paris Nettie."

"Where will you go?"

"Does it matter?"

"It does to me."

No comfort, no escape
I see, but deep within is utter blindness
Hopeless
As my dream dies

Antoinette continued. "You could stay with me."

"My soul left with her. I wish to live out my life alone. I only came to say good-bye to my dear little Nettie." Erik can see her start to shake, she is crying. He moves closer to hold her.

"I am sorry Erik."

"I forgive you." They fall asleep and in the morning he is gone.

No spirit could win me
No hope left within me