A/n Wow I'm surprised that many of you liked the first chapter and want me to go on. :) Things will go a bit slow in their relationship in the next few chapters, but don't worry. Hehe

Hmm well I want to thank all my reviewers. Marumae- for being the first reviewer. Who reviewed my story like 10 minutes after I had posted it. Hehe.

To Shadowgirl hehe I'm so glad you read and reviewed. Welcome back to the wonderful worlfd of fiction . me sorry it was a bit nasty in that first chapter and all. But death isn't pretty.HisPhantomess- I love your name hehe. The Mouse in the Opera House – GAH! Not my cheese! Call them off! Look see I updated! Wild Mage Lioness –Aww bows thank you. And thanks to Elaina7774, Mominator and Jezebel21

Okay enough of that and on to the story :)

Disclaimer. I don't own the Phantom

When we last left the story….

The room was silent again, and Christine thought that the strange masked man had left her alone in peace.

So she was surprised when she felt strong arms wrap around her and yank her from Megs' bed.

Chapter 2

"Nooooo! Put me down! Let me go...right... now!" Christine shrieked as she kicked and flailed about. Fear fuelled her enough to fight back. Who was this man? Why was he wearing a mask? Was he an abductor?

'Good lord! He's a kidnapper!'

The thought caused another surge of energy to course though her small emaciated body. She struggled even harder when she was suddenly thrown over his shoulder, her arms pinned so she could no longer hit.

……..

He hated to hear her scream so. He didn't want to scare her, but he had no choice. Erik didn't want to stand and argue with Christine in this opera house that was now a tomb. He had to get her out and in a safer, much cleaner place. He remained as calm as he could to keep from frightening her any more.

'Damn she's so light. Nothing but bones and this shift.'

But she could sure fight. Erik grinned at her struggles, weak as they were.

'That's it Angel… fight, never give up that spirit.' He silently urged her to be brave as he placed her over his shoulder and left the dorm. He stalked quickly back the way he came with the girl screaming at the top of her powerful lungs.

"Let me go! Who are you! Nooo I want to go back to Meg! Meg!" She kicked but they did little to deter him, if anything he held her tighter.

Erik was half surprised that no one still alive in the opera house came running at her screams. Anyone could have walked in and taken Christine just as he had. That angered him. Scared him too. He was only thankful that he came when he had.

"Oh my God." Christine choked out as they entered the Opera. Out here the bodies where in a much more advanced state of decomposition. The sight was horrifying, as well as the smell.

Cursing, Erik shifted Christine on his shoulder and threw his cape over her head and body and wrapped her tightly. She didn't need to see the horrifying sight. He hoped that he didn't ruin her innocent mind even more by dragging her through the filth. But that could not be helped. He swiftly left the opera, in the lobby he weaved through and stepped over the bodies. By this time Christines' screams had turned into helpless sobs.

'Cry my Angel... let it out. Let the pain go…cry'

Yet even as he thought these things, he was already worried that the emotional distress was racking her already weak body. But he knew better than anyone that holding it all in would be far worse.

Outside, the cold late Autumn air was like a splash of crisp cool water on a hot summers day. Suddenly the reek of bodies that had assaulted him was gone. Out here in the open with the morning wind to carry the scent away, it was as if it was a beautiful harvest day. But the lovely sight was ruined by the bodies that littered the side of the streets. People running back and forth like confused ants, with cloths wrapped around their faces. The sound of distance screams was all that cut though the silence.

Erik didn't stop to enjoy the cleaner air. He quickly took the stone steps down to the street where a black covered buggy was waiting for him. The cold cleaner air seemed to revive the child from her lethargy a she returned to her struggles and screams from beneath his cape. In one swift movement, he unclasped his cape and took the girl from his shoulder and into his arms. He opened the buggy door and set her inside, cape and all.

He paused, looked about the street. It was chaos.

No one had even noticed her screams, or if they did, was too far gone in their own nightmare to care. Further down the cobble stone street, a wooden wagon was slowly being pulled along one side. People covered almost head to toe in soiled bandages were walking along it, gathering the bodies from the buildings and streets and heaving them into the back of the large wagon.

Lepers.

Seems old prejudices die hard. It was dirty nasty work that carried the risk of catching the disease. Only the lowest on the social ladder was willing to do such a job. So why not those who had a disease themselves and would most likely die anyways? Human way of thinking could be so twisted at times.

"Monsieur?"

Erik looked up at the driver of the buggy. He was wrapped in many layers of clothing, making it almost impossible to determine his body shape. His head and face was wrapped with a long white scarf. Only his eyes showed through. Dark eyes and ebony skin.

"Back to the Hotel, Daroga." Erik said softly as he joined a wiggling Christine in the buggy and shut the door.

Daroga snapped the reins and the two large black Friesians immediately started off into a trot. The racket of the buggy and the horses caused anyone wandering out on the street to suddenly jump back to the side of the road; lest they get ran over.

…… . .

Inside Christine was able to work her head free of the cape. She looked around wildly.

'Where am I? Oh God, I'm in a buggy. Where is he taking me?' Her gaze fell on the dark looming figure sitting next to her. He regarded her with a curious stare. 'That mask, that horrible god-awful mask!'

"Who are you? Where are you taking me?" she shot at him, glaring as best she could with her dark eyes.

Erik sighed and reached out to set a hand on her cheek but she jerked away before he could touch her. Hurt and anger immediately registered across his eyes and Christine sat back, pressing her back as far into the buggy as far away from him as possible. Erik shifted a bit uncomfortable in the tight confines of the buggy.

"You may call me Erik." He said softly. "I'm taking you to a place where you will be safe from the plague. Though I fear you may have already caught it." Seeing the fear in her eyes he quickly bit his tongue.

'I'm scaring her. Damn it!'

"But don't fear, if you are ill I am very confident I can cure you. I'm rather educated in the ways of medicine." He watched the fear drain from her face and was replaced with anger.

"You lie! If you were so well educated why are you not out there helping to save people? Why didn't you come to help me save Meg?" Christine covered her face with her hands, Ashamed that she was crying in front of her abductor. "Why didn't you save Meg?"

Eriks' shoulder sagged. For once he was at a loss for words. Besides, he couldn't think with Christine sobbing like she was.

"Christine, you must believe me. I thought you were dead till I saw you yesterday running from the open market" He reached out and took her wrists in his gloved hands and pulled her hands from her face so he could look at her. She tried to look away but he moved to catch her eyes with his. "Had I known you were alive I would have come for you much sooner. I would have taken you from that Opera before things became so bad. I would have taken both you and Meg. I would have done anything to make you happy. Christine!"

The young woman had lunged from her seat and dived for the buggy door. The small door flew open and Christine saw freedom in the form of cobble stones whizzing past her. But strong hands held her before she could jump and she screamed in frustration. Christine was yanked back into the buggy, she hit the wall from the force of the pull and watched as the abductor reached out and shut the door.

"That was foolish Christi -"

But Erik didn't get a chance to finish what he had to say. For as soon as he had turned back to the girl,..

…. . .

She slapped him.

…. . .

Christine knew she had made a big mistake as she watched his head snap to the left. She covered her mouth with her stinging hand to smother her gasp as she realized what she had done. Erik slowly turned his head back to face Christine, eyes open but anger flashed in the cool blueness of them. Slowly he lifted his hand to touch his bare, stinging cheek.

"Christine." He growled. It was a warning, and she knew it.

A/n There you go. Another chapter hehe don't kill for the slight cliffie. I'm know for cliffies in most of my chapters…please review and thank you for reading!