[ HOLA, RP friends- and anyone else that magically found my story.

So you're probably wondering what the heck this is. Well, I'll tell you.

This is a sort of continuation- or, rather, an add in- on what happened after Crystal, Erik Paul, and Christine Storm left Christine Elisabeth with Erik Delano. If you don't know what I mean, there's a thread on my wall you can follow. Basically, (and I'm just calling them Erik and Christine here, not Christine Elisabeth and Erik Delano) Erik has forced Christine to marry him. And she's none too happy about it, but going along with it to keep Elissa (her daughter) and her friends safe (especially Crystal- Erik Delano isn't exactly fond of her… o.0)

Side note- if the first line doesn't give it away, this is in Christine Elisabeth's PoV. ]

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Cold indifference. That's all I ever got from him.

It surprised me, to be honest. He had what he wanted. I was going to marry him. I was his, and his alone. Yet he regarded me as if none of it mattered.

I was walking through a pitch black passage, save for the lighter I carried, the same lighter Crystal had left here on one of her last visits. I stepped into his lair carefully, setting the lighter down next to the passage's entryway. I looked around. Erik was nowhere to be seen.

Then I heard it. A powerful, overwhelming, and slightly demeaning sound. Erik was playing his organ.

At first, it sounded something like Don Juan Triumphant. Powerful and seductive. Yet the more that I listened to it, the less familiar it seemed.

Suddenly, the music stopped, and only then did I realize that he'd purposely put me in a trance, for I was right next to the organ, eyes wide in amazement. I blinked, growing confused.

"Erik… what-?"

I didn't have time to finish my sentence. He stood up, an odd glint in his eye, an emotion I couldn't put a finger on. Before I knew it, he uttered the words that could've been the death of me, if we had been on worse terms.

"We are going to Perros- today. And you will marry me."

Before I could so much as react, he covered my mouth and nose with a cloth. Chloroform, I realized.

I collapsed, unconscious, in his arms.

~0~0~0~0~0~

Darkness. Nothing but darkness, and that beautiful smell…

I blinked repeatedly, seeming to come to my senses. The carriage jolted, and I sat upright, scooting away from Erik, who sat beside me, and whose shoulder I'd been using as a pillow for the entirety of the carriage ride, then settled to stare out the window at the countryside rushing past.

He sighed, adjusting his position to look out the opposite window. What did he expect? He forces me to marry him, drugs me, and drives me to Perros. Against my will. What, did he think I'd be happy about it?

I closed my eyes, thinking. What would happen after this? After we were married, that is. Sure, I'd be forever his- but what good did that do him?

He's hoping you'll fall in love with him, I thought.

Tough luck, then. I crossed my arms, fuming silently. I refused to love him, after all he'd done.

Suddenly, the carriage stopped. I furrowed my brow, confused, yet said nothing. Erik climbed out of the carriage on the opposite side, walking to the other side and opening the door for me. I stepped out slowly, cautiously, almost.

He sighed. "The horses are being replaced," he explained. "We'll be on the road in fifteen minutes, at most."

I nodded, looking around. We had stopped at the opening of a forest, the sides of the road now lined thickly with trees. I smiled a little- I'd always loved the woods.

Erik gave a wan smile at my happiness. I then had the nerve to speak.

"Do you… you don't mind if we, maybe… explore… a little?" I asked quietly, shuffling my feet and feeling utterly stupid.

Erik grinned. "Certainly," he said, offering his hand. I took it hesitantly, and soon we were trudging through the forest, stepping over fallen branches and rocks, walking past tree after tree. For once, since I'd been condemned to a fate I thought to be the worst possible, I was at peace.

Erik was obviously pleased. I knew that he'd been worried about me, sulking around, especially after all I'd been through; Raoul's death, being sexually assaulted… it was a lot to handle. Now I had a smile on my face, I was giggling like a little girl, and most importantly, I was happy. And if I was happy, so was Erik.

We continued on like this until we reached a creek, running right through the forest, with the clearest, bluest water I'd ever seen. I leaned my head against Erik's shoulder, sighing happily. If anyone saw us, they'd think we were lovers.

Well… that did apply to Erik. But not me. Not ever. I refused to love him.

Erik wrapped an arm around me, humming contentedly. I tensed a little, but didn't make any moves away from him. There was no use in ruining the moment.

Apparently not moving away had given him the wrong idea. He turned to face me, bringing his face closer to mine, closer than I would've preferred at the time. And in seconds he was kissing me.

I was terrified. Why, now that I look back, I had no idea. I attempted to pull myself away from him, to get as far away as I could, but his steel embrace prevented all means of escape.

Tears streamed down my face. I didn't love him! I couldn't!

So why was I kissing him back?

I finally managed to free myself from the kiss, staring back at him, my face contorted with frustration. He frowned, confused, at me.

"I don't… love you…" I forced myself to say, looking away from his intense gaze.

He sighed, releasing me from his embrace. I said nothing, walking back in the direction we'd come from.

Soon the carriage was in sight, but the horses and driver were not. I stood on the side closest to the forest, staring at the door, thinking.

Why had I kissed him back? I realize, of course, I did love him at one point, but that had been shattered when he broke his promise to me and killed off several stagehands, kept me his prisoner, nearly choked Crystal to death, and forced me to marry him. He'd said, at one point, that marriage would be my decision. What happened to that?

Of course. I didn't love him anymore. This was the only way, in his eyes, for me to be his. Forever.

But I no longer wanted to be his! I wanted Raoul to be alive, but no longer drunk, so Elissa would know her father. I wanted the three of us to be a family. I wanted to laugh my head off with Crystal on a regular basis, without putting her in danger. I didn't want anything he was forcing upon me. But I had to accept it- if I didn't, I would be putting all my friends and family in danger.

Erik and the driver returned soon, and with two new horses. In minutes, we were back on the road to Perros.

I kept my distance from Erik through the entire ride, settling to watch the forest scenery fly past, until there was none left. I leaned my head against the seat, my eyes fluttering shut. I blinked repeatedly, attempting to remain awake, but to no avail. The last thing I felt was Erik's strong arms around me, supporting me as I drifted off, my head leaned against his shoulder, as if I hadn't awoken from the chloroform at all.

~0~0~0~0~0~

[ So… I'm not sure if I should continue. Tell me to, and maybe I will. :P ]