Hidden Abuse
Chapter 1
By Robin Gurl
(A Love Never Dies AU based off the movie cast.)
He watched from the above the sea docks, it was dark which made it easier for him to hide. His heart was beating madly as thoughts ran through his head.
In just moments, Christine would walk down off the ship and he would see her again. Just seeing her beautiful face would give him a spark of life - a few hours of feeling happy again. A brief halt to the loneliness he had grown to know.
Christine could save him.
The ship's horn bellowed signaling it's docking. He watched as reporters started to gather around and swarm the passengers as they disembarked. A part of him wished he could fit in so he could see her closer.
His hand reached up touching the mask on his face. He knew he would never truly fit in anywhere. With the hideousness behind the mask he would always be an outcast.
Passengers one by one started exiting the boat, welcome by their loved ones and reporters. The wait was agonizing - he just wanted to see her.
His breath caught in his throat as he saw her. Even though it had been 10 years he still recognized her face. Her features hadn't changed much - only a hint of maturity and the way she held herself - everything else was the same. She was still his Christine, the Christine he remembered from back then.
Erik was happy.
His happiness faded into anger as he watched Raoul grab her arm. Christine didn't make a sound, but Erik knew her. He could tell from her features that the grip had hurt.
His hand clenched the railing of the walkway he was standing on. How dare Raoul treat her this way. Treat his Christine that way. A growl escaped him as he turned away from the scene below him to signal to his assistants to drive the carriage in.
It seemed now he had another task to complete. His hands clenched into fists, Raoul was going to pay.
He was standing on the outside on the porch of their hotel room. It had been quite the climb to make without being seen. They were on the 8th floor of the hotel near by. He had made it though as per his usual stealth.
He watched inside trying to hold back the urge to burst in. First he had to get rid of that idiot. Get Raoul out of the room. His one goal was to speak to her nothing else…
"Dear, we can just go back if it bothers you so." Christine pleaded trying to calm Raoul down before it escalated into another of one of their fights.
Raoul only took another drink of his whiskey, his eyes narrowed. "It was you who wanted to come to this god for saken place to begin with."
Her eyes lowered looking at the floor, "I-I just…. we needed the money and I can't help much. But I can sign, darling. And if they will pay me to sing then why not?"
"Why not? It's degrading and humiliating."
Christine's eyes widened hurtfully, "T-To sing? Just earlier you said I was an artist."
"One says what is needed to shut the press down. You were an artist. You haven't sang in years. I'm actually surprised he's paying you so much."
"R-Regardless, for one nights work we can put the money towards the debt we owe?" She stammered not wanting to break down and fight with Gustave near by.
"And there it is - blaming me again for all of this." He glared slamming his glass on the piano.
Christine flinched not saying a word.
Erik was already climbing down the outside of the hotel. Once on the ground he pulled out a piece of paper with writing on it. He had prepared for this part.
Quietly he approached the bellhop, "Deliver this to Viscount and Viscountess, please good sir."
The bellhop took the note then tried to see who had given it him but there was no one there just a sack full of coins. He stepped out of the hotel to look around scratching his head.
Gustave stood behind them holding the toy he had found in his room. There were many others that had been put there as gifts from Hammerstein but this one was his favorite. The melody it played sent chills down his spine and inspired him to write new music. However, his desire to show it off was quickly diminished as he watched his father yell at his mother, again.
"Darling, I wasn't blaming you." Christine tried to argue keeping her voice soft. "I was just saying that this could help. Things haven't been right and I thought I could help make it right."
Raoul approached her to say something else when their son interrupted them. "Father come and see this toy I got!" His attention was diverted for the moment from his wife to his son. Not that either one of them were helping his nerves at the moment.
Gustave's attempt to break up their fight failed as his father only ignored him and turned back to Christine. "Blaming me won't change the fact that you haven't sang in 10 years. Can you still sing? Worthy enough to be paid for it?"
She blinked taken back. She knew it was the alcohol talking but it didn't make it any easier. The more drunk he got, the more vile his insults became. The deeper they cut and the harder they were to forgive. "O-Of course darling." She said carefully.
He reached out without warning and grabbed the wrist he had wrenched hard earlier at the docks. "Good you better. Don't embarrass me." He squeezed it tighter growling. "I've enough embarrassment to deal with without you two making it worse."
Christine winced trying to pull her arm away. "R-Raoul let go!"
"Father! Come and play with me!" Gustave tried again.
Raoul let go of Christine's arm and turned around glaring, "Gustave, the answer is no."
There was a knock on the door to break up all of the tension. Christine watched curiously as Raoul went and got the telegram. She was surprised to see his face light up. "What is it?"
"Mr. Hammerstein, he wants to see me in the hotel bar, alone." Raoul pushed past her grabbing his coat. He handed some coins to the bellhop who left.
"Alone?"
"He may lack courtesy but at least he can pick a business randeovus." He put his coat on happily.
"Please dear -" She started regretting that she had said anything.
"Please what?" He answered glaring at her.
"N-Nothing dear." She lowered her gaze massaging her wrist with her good hand. She heard the door slam leaving her and Gustave behind, again.
Gustave watched his mother worried as she paced the floor a bit, "Mother are you alright?"
Christine startled a bit and turned to face her son forcing the best smile that she could, "Of course dearest. I'm just fine."
"Father never plays with me…" He responded. "Doesn't he love me?"
"Oh darling of course he does." She was saying it as much for him as for herself. She sat beside him pulling him into a hug. "Some times love can be hard to find in stressful times."
"Stressful times? Is that why Father gets angry with you a lot?"
"Papa has a lot on his mind is all." Christine tried to reassure him. "Once I sing it will all be better, I promise."
Gustave hugged his mother tightly, "Mother, if you're ever frightened you can tell me."
She blinked a few tears forming in her eyes. "Darling, mother is not scared. We just have to be brave. Now, you run along to bed alright? I'll be in there soon to tuck you in. Maybe even read a chapter of the new book we got in Paris before we left?"
His eyes lit up as he pulled away, "Alright! I'd love that!" He kissed her cheek before running off to his bedroom.
Christine sat down letting out a heavy sigh after sending Gustave to bed. Raoul had gone down stairs to do God knows what and she was left up here alone. She turned to look at the strange toy Gustave had received, startling as it started to play. It was a tune she knew from her days at the opera.
She stood up and quickly moved the toy to the piano to get away from it. Suddenly feeling trapped in the room by herself. It left her feeling sick to her stomach. "O-Oh god, what have I done?" She whispered to herself wrapping an arm around her stomach as she tried to regain composure. A few tears threatened to run down her cheeks as she heaved leaning against the piano.
What was she going to do? It was times like this (and they were frequent) that she wished somehow, someway that he was still alive. That he would come save her from all of this or better yet that she would wake up to it all being a dream.
However, she knew she deserved it. This was the choice she made. She chose Raoul and now this was just how things were. But it didn't make it any easier.
A noise from the balcony made her look up. Christine backed away from the door unnerved by the noise. "W-Who is there?"
The doors swung open and she felt her heart drop to her feet. Her breath got stuck in her throat as he stood there. Then she felt the world spin as blackness closed in.
"Christine? My Christine?"
She woke up to hearing a familiar voice. One she hadn't heard in a decade and never thought she'd ever hear again. Slowly she opened her eyes and her vision cleared - he was kneeling beside her.
She nearly screamed as he reached for her. "W-What?!" She managed to get out as she panicked. "What are you doing here?!"
He sat back on his knees letting his hands drop slightly, he took a deep breath trying to figure out what to say. All of the nights he had practiced on how he was going to speak to her were gone leaving him with nothing. "I-I live here on Coney Island. I saw you were coming. I-I had to come see you!"
She sat up after regaining her strength and got to her feet quickly moving away from him. "S-So you LURED us here to do your bidding? This has been your plan along?!"
Erik stood to his full height shaking his head, "No, it just worked out like it did. My Christine, I'm so pleased to see you! I read about it in the papers!"
Christine looked anything but pleased as she pushed his hands away. "Your Christine?! I-I'm no longer your Christine!"
He stayed put this time instead of trying to approach her again, his heart was bursting with feelings that he wanted to share and yet he could tell she didn't feel the same way. "I-I keep remembering that night that you came down to see me…"
She turned and glared at him, "That was ONE night, Erik. One night a long time ago. It was just a one night fling, thats all it was. You made sure of that."
His gaze dropped embarrassed as he sighed, "I-I know that but I'm here to make it right."
"There is no making it right. I am married." She held up her hand to show him her ring. "The choices have been made, Erik. They were made 10 years ago." Her voice shook as she stared at him. "I-I can't believe you. Turning up like this."