A/N: Welcome everybody to book two of Return To Me. If you have not read that book, then I suggest you read it before this one, otherwise, you may get greatly confused. Well, enjoy and pelase review as always!

Chapter 1

I was running blindly through the silent streets of Paris. It was dark out, around midnight, and there were only a few scattered streetlights illuminating my way. My vision was blurred from the tears that were threatening to pour down my face. The only thing that kept them from falling was my pride and anger, but as I envisioned the sight that I saw only an hour before in my home, I couldn't help but let the tears flow freely down my face.

How could my mother have done this atrocity? What could have pushed her over the edge so much to make her murder my father? Wiping angrily at the tears streaming down my face, I continued rushing through the hushed streets. My first thought was to go to the Opera House to speak with Erik, for maybe he could be of some help to me, and possibly talk to Christine. No, he would not do that. Instead he would probably applaud her at achieving what he had wanted to do for over a decade. But still, I at least had to go tell him what my mother had done. I could only hope that Evelyn would not be there, for God only knows what "motherly" advice she would try to impose on me.

At last I reached the Opera House and turned down the alleyway that lead to the secret tunnel. I opened the brown entryway and hurried down inside, beginning my descent to Erik's lair. Running though the dark tunnel was not to my advantage, for I managed to trip many times over the numerous deep cracks in the ancient stone floor. I finally got to the staircase and strode up them as quickly as I could, but still being careful not to trip any more. Opening up the hatch, I climbed through and went up into Erik's home. Looking quickly around me, I saw no sign of him anywhere.

"Erik!" I called, still glancing around to try to find him.

I searched frantically around for him, yet still I saw him nowhere. Running down a walkway, I entered Erik's room without thinking about the consequences of doing so. Erik was not in there either, and to my disappoint, was apparently not anywhere in the Opera House.

"Where could he be?" I mumbled to myself.

Hanging my head, I decided to leave the Opera and go search for him. This time instead of going through the tunnel that I had come in through, I just went through the Opera House like any other person would. Luckily, there were no construction workers in the Opera to stop me or question me about why I was there without anybody else. In my head, I was desperately trying to think of any place that Erik would have gone, but to my dismay, I could think of nothing. As I wandered the streets once more, my mind swirled with things that Erik had said to give me the slightest clue as to where he would have gone. But in all my memories, I could not think of anywhere that Erik would go to if he were not at the Opera House.

Still walking the darkened streets, I walked past a bookstore, one that I remembered going to with my parents. I stopped and stared inside, noting that it had not changed much since I was there last. It was made of brick with two windows in the front, each displaying a couple of books. Then it hit me, books. Memories of a conversation I had with Erik not too long ago came rushing back to me. It was after I had gone to the bookstore with my parents, and then they dropped me off at the Opera House, still holding my newly purchased book.

I had just entered Erik's home, holding my new book, when he turned and greeted me. He noticed the book that I was holding in my hand and asked me about it.

"What book is that, my dear?" he asked while he pointed at the book.

"The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde," I said proudly as I showed him the book.

"Ah," he said while he took the book from my hands and looked it over, "Dr, jeckyll adn Mr. Hyde. A great classic about the conflict of good and evil inside all of us. Have I ever told you about my dear old friend, Nadir?"

I shook my head

"Well, Nadir is an old friend whom I have known for a long time. He saved me from the traveling fair. You remember that tale?" I nodded. "He was the one who rescued me from those horrible men. Well, he also loves books. I would say that he is one of the most literate people I have ever met. He has read all the great classics. You know… I haven't seen him in quite a long time. Maybe I should pay him a visit. He does have a home here in Paris when it's springtime. Perhaps you should met him some time; discuss your favorite books."

"I would like that very much," I replied, taking hold of my book once more.

I relived that memory, yet it did not fulfill all that I needed to know. Now I knew who it was I wished to find – Nadir – but where was he? I did not know where this man was located, all the information I had was that he had a home somewhere here in Paris. Still thinking, I began to walk once more, though I did not know where I was going. I was still trying my hardest to think of something that would at least just give me the name of the street that I would this Nadir on. The only other time that I could remember Erik mentioning Nadir would be the story of the traveling fair where they displayed him as "the Living Corpse." This was a horrible story that I remembered Erik telling me vividly. I also remembered everything about how he had told it, how he was so saddened and enraged at the same time.

During the end of the story, after Nadir had rescued him, Erik did mention the scenery that he had seen. He said that they ran through many streets, and then finally came upon a dirt road laden with many trees. All around there was green grass and they approached a hill with a big white house sitting on top, one with a porch wrapping all around it.

I could only think of one place in all of Paris that looked like that – L'eau. It was just north of here, and I could easily get to it. I remembered going there once with my mother, she said it was going to be a mother daughter trip, and I was looking forwards to it. And indeed I had had a good time. The landscape was marvelous, green plains everywhere, planted with budding trees. This sounded like just the place Erik had described to me. Luckily the trip my mother and I had taken had just been last year, perfect for remembering how to get there, for the path was fresh in my mind. I took the route that we had taken not so long ago, and I knew that I would most likely not get there until morning.

The trip wasn't a very exciting one, for no one was there to speak with, but at least I did have the moonlight to show me a few sights along the way. I had been walking for who knows how long, when I noticed that the sun was just about to set. I stopped in my tracks and watched in silence as the sun began to light the whole green valley that I was standing in. It was a beautiful sight, seeing everything glisten with the new light. The fresh dew on the grass and flowers reflected it perfectly. As I watched, I also noticed that up ahead was a little cottage village. A joy spread inside to think that I had actually found where Erik and Nadir were. Soon I began once more on my journey and I neared the cottages. None of them looked like the house that Erik had described to me, thus causing a sinking filling to now replace the joy that was inside me only moments before. As I looked around some more, my eyes landed on a hill in the distance, where a gorgeous house was set. It was white with many stories and a porch, just like Erik had described. Throwing all thoughts aside, I took off running towards it, hoping against hope that this was the right place.

I ran up the slightly steep hill, until I approached the front of the house and bounded up the steps. Standing at the door for a moment to catch my breath, I began to think about how Erik would react to seeing me after what I had said. But I shook my head, for I did not care what his reaction would be, or so I thought. Raising my hand, I knocked at the door, expecting to see a man that I did not recognize open up the door. My eyes widened as I did see a strange man open up the door in front of me. He was only a few inches taller than me, was mildly fail framed, but not exceedingly so, and he was wearing a brown suit. His hair was short and brown, balding a little in the front. The look on the face practically mirrored mine, shocked and confused.

"Y-Yes?" he asked.

"Sorry to bother you, Monsieur," I said meekly, "but you wouldn't happen to know an Erik?"

"Erik?" he repeated, a bit more shocked that I would ask that name. "Well, I do know one…"

This got me excited, causing me to interrupt him. "Does he wear a mask? Tall, brown sleeked back hair?"

"Why yes, he does," he replied, getting a bit excited himself. "You wouldn't happen to be… Emma?"

I was not expecting this, and widened my eyes in pure wonder and shock. "I am she. How did you know…"

But before I could finish, I saw a tall man appear behind Nadir. I recognized him at once, and seeing him again nearly caught my breath. He stared back at me, obviously just as shocked and in awe as I was.

"Emma?"

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