I know, I am starting another story when I have two in progress already, but this story has been in my head for months, and I just had to start it. It's different, but I hope that you like it.
I have to give a lot of credit to Tambalina for letting me adopt this idea from her story, The Repercussions of Regret. Thank you so much for allowing me to expand on your creativity!
To the few people who knew him, it was no surprise that the darkest and earliest hours of the day were Erik's favorite. He savored the shroud of anonymity as he strolled the vacant avenues of the small, conservative little town in which he lived. He encountered no one on this chilly night in early spring, one of the few positive differences between Bonqueval and Paris, a city that was always alive. His breath was visible in the air as he slowly walked along the cobbled streets, bathed in an eerie glow of a fully peaked moon, his thoughts full of the work that lay ahead of him soon after the dawning of a new day. Realizing that it must be well past midnight, Erik glanced at his pocket watch beneath the dim light of the moon, the face of the gilded silver barely revealing the time, which was much later than expected.
After the disastrous outcome of Don Juan Triumphant, Erik had been issued a new identity and withdrew from Paris to the small village of Bonqueval, located on the edge of a forest and almost seventy miles outside of the heart of his creativity. It had been over two years since his unfortunate affair with Christine Daae, and as before, he lived his life mostly in seclusion. He even forsook his impeccably tailored suits for the more humble clothing worn by the locals in town, although he could not resist drawing out the old worn opera cloak on a few occasions.
Tonight was one of the few nights when Erik had dragged the old thing out, intending to repair some popped stitches, but instead he found himself gliding about the night as though he were hunting prey. He suspected that as the legend of his character began to filter outside of Paris, his identity would be discovered and he would be evicted once more, and his life would then resemble that of a nomad. Erik rarely thought of that night anymore, the night that Christine had finally rejected him after years of insecurity and false hopes. Anytime a small recollection would bubble to the surface of his memory, he would quickly shift his brain's attention to something, anything, that would take his mind off the pain. The thoughts that plagued him on this night were of certain repairs that needed to be undertaken on his property, and whether additional skill would be required for the task. He certainly hoped not as his disdain for humankind had hardly diminished.
Erik's heavy boots crunched along the partially frozen gravel path when he was within the visual range of his home. Surprise could not describe how he felt when he witnessed Antoinette Giry standing outside a parked carriage, clearly anxious and impatient for his return. He quickened his pace as his mind searched for possible motives as to her unexpected visit at such a late hour.
"Good heavens, Anne, what are you doing here at this time? Is everything all right?' he asked with deep concern.
"My daughter is missing, Erik," the strong-willed woman replied. "She has been gone for two weeks now." The tone of her voice gave Erik the suspicion that she somehow suspected himself responsible for the girl's disappearance.
"Have you contacted the police?" She was silent, but raised an eyebrow with the absurdity of the question. "Well, have they any leads?" he amended.
"I could not tell them the whole story. Something happened to her that night."
Erik cringed at the implication of her words. "Before you continue, come inside before you become sick."
He unlocked the door and bid her entrance to the cold and damp interior. He did not offer to take her coat right away, but stooped to a light a fire to warm the room in the newly reconstructed fireplace before heating some water in the kitchen for tea. He returned a few moments later to resume their conversation.
"She is not well, my Meg," she began hesitantly. Erik placed his hand over hers; noting the absence of warmth and the slight tremble within, and she took a few seconds to consider her words. "I am not sure if, in the chaos of escaping the fire, she was struck on the head, but she is now completely obsessed with you."
"With me?' he exclaimed incredulously, nearly spilling the hot tea in his lap. He knew he was a pretty extraordinary character, but for Meg Giry to become so sick like this was very tragic.
"Yes. She is delusional, Erik, as she thinks your old nickname for her of "Empress Giry" was meant to come true. She positively abhors Christine for her childish behavior, selfishness and disregard for others, and especially where you are concerned. I am afraid that she thinks she is in love with you."
"In love with me? But she hardly knows me, other than what you tell her!" Anne sipped her tea and nodded in agreement. Erik sat in startled wonderment, pondering what had transpired to turn the beautiful vivacious blonde into a crazed recluse. "Meg Giry, little Meg, in love with me? But, why is that such a problem? Am I so unworthy of a human that I do not deserve to be loved? Perhaps Meg does love me, does that have to make her delusional?"
He expressed such thoughts to Antoinette, and she was positively outraged at his words, fighting to control her urge to throw the steaming tea in his face. "She does not remotely resemble the girl she once was! She has fled our home, and I am not certain where she has gone, although I am tempted to believe that she has taken up residence in your former home. I need you to find her and bring her back to me."
Erik was struggling with his emotions, wanting Meg's safety but extremely reluctant to go back to the terrible memories that awaited him there. "Anne, no, I cannot go. Please, send the police down there, but not me."
Wordlessly she rose from her chair and smacked him hard across the face. A bright white light appeared before Erik's eyes and he brought his hand to the stinging, unmasked portion of his face. "How dare you! I rescued you from a life of humiliation and torture, and for selfish reasons and a reluctance to let go of the past, you refuse to locate my only daughter. Go find her for it is you who caused this mental illness, one way or another!"
"Haven't the police checked my lair?" he asked desperately.
"No, I did not want to create a connection between the two of you for fear of her possible implication in the crimes. They know only that she has been missing for two weeks, and she has disappeared before, but not for this long a duration. I had hoped she would return on her own, otherwise I would have contacted you sooner."
Erik remained quiet, clearly at the mercy of his fears once more.
"If you do not do this for me," she continued slowly and seething with bitterness that filled Erik's eyes with fear.,"I will make sure that you are located by the police and that you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
The teacup shook so violently in Erik's hand that he accidentally spilled a small stream into his lap. Recovering himself, he fled to the kitchen and patted down his black wool trousers with a towel. He then returned to the living room to witness Antoinette stoically seated, her face a blank mask that hid her emotions well.
"Do not seek the threaten me, Antoinette Giry, for it appears that without my gracious assistance, your daughter will never be located. I will do this, though, because I am indebted to you for saving my life all of those years ago, and I know how much Meg means to you I will head into Paris in the morning to search for her. I will begin my search below the opera house, though I doubt that she would attempt to wander through the canal and debris, not to mention all of the traps. If my search is in vain, I will look amidst the other theatres and the brothels. Don't blanche like that, Anne, you don't know if she is living in a brothel, but she will have to earn a living at some point. I promise I will find her. Now perhaps you should head to the inn just a few miles from here, I'll pay for separate rooms for both you and the driver, and then we can embark early in the morning."
Antoinette agreed and was genuinely appreciative of Erik's efforts. They woke up the slumbering cab driver and informed him of their plans for the following morning, his enthusiasm restored at the prospect of more money.
"In the morning inform no one of either my encounter with you or Madame Giry," Erik sternly warned as he let a few more francs drop from his grasp.
"It ain't my business what you two do together in there," he smirked.
Erik was about to pummel the insolent cabby for his smart mouth when Antoinette grabbed his arm and rolled her eyes at the foul remark. "Thank you. Please get some rest, as I know how hard you work. My dear Meg is more cunning than I had realized, so please do not underestimate her."
"I will do my best, Anne, for her sake and yours."
He held the door as she climbed into the carriage, a fierce scowl once more settling across her aging features. As he watched the cab ride further down the road, he recalled the condescending words as they echoed within his head.
"You will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."