Alright everyone! Here is Chapter 2 of my LND fic! I want to start off by saying I do not own Love Never Dies. This chapter is mainly a flashback of the events that unfolded the night Christine was shot. I really hope you enjoy it. Again, this chapter is shorter than I would have liked, but as the story continues, they will (hopefully) get longer! xxx -Ann

The ride to the hospital seemed to drag on and on. The longer and longer the carriage drove on, Erik knew more, and more minuets that could be used to save Christine were wasted. The King's Hospital was nearly 50 miles away! His son Gustave was resting his head on Erik's lap. It was somewhat comforting to Erik, just knowing that someone else was with him. Gustave was so much like Erik. He realized that now. There was no doubt he was Erik's son, Christine was his mother. If somehow Christine survives this ordeal, they can all start anew. He, Christine, and Gustave could all live together, happily ever after. But Erik knew that there was a very strong chance that he could lose his beloved Christine. For she had been shot, by none other than her "best friend": Meg Giry.

Erik continuously pondered the thought of why. Even though he didn't want to believe it at first, he realized that it was entirely his fault that Christine was in this position. He once again forgot the people who were most important at that time. Meg had every right to be upset. She had worked so hard for 10 long years, and Erik had completely brushed her aside. Erik remembered the day she had come to his office after rehearsals.

Meg was exuberant "Did you like the new routine?" she was grinning widely. All she wanted was a positive critique. She had worked so hard, but mother always told her to "do better", or "still not good enough my little Meg".

Erik's mind seemed to be in another world "Yes it was… Good. Now if you don't mind I need to finish my work." Meg's heart must have shattered right there. Hours, and hours of practice, and all Erik said, was yes. Tears nearly came to her eyes but she knew she couldn't show one bit of emotion. He might think that she was too weak, or that she couldn't handle working so long, so hard, so-. Meg knew she had to stop this nonsense, so she quietly nodded, walked back down the stairs, and opened the door, exposing the chaos of the tourists' hustling around Phantasma. She couldn't contain her emotions any longer. The buildup of all her trials, and training, she couldn't handle it anymore. She burst into tears as she sprinted through the crowd. She didn't care who saw her. All she needed was to get away.

"Oh Christine." he muttered under his breath. He couldn't even fathom what had just happened. Somehow, in all his happiness, such a tragedy had occurred just after. He began to recall the events that unfolded tonight. It began at the theater at Phantasma. His wonderful angel of music had sung. She sung the most beautiful aria that he had composed. She had chosen him! After her performance he quickly rushed to her dressing room and proudly handed her a bouquet of white roses.

"Oh Christine! My Christine! What a triumph!" Erik was overjoyed to say the slightest.

"That song Erik, it was beautiful! And I-I felt beautiful!" Christine said as tears of joy began to flood her eyes. At that moment, Erik couldn't stand it any longer. He leaned in closer to her, and brushed a fallen piece of hair out of her face. Their lips suddenly met in a passion that they had long since forgotten. Oh how he had missed her. Her arms wrapped around his neck, as his strong hands gently caressed her sides. They broke away, nearly out of breath. She giggled and lightly kissed him again.

"Oh Erik, now we can be together… Forever!"

Forever… In Erik's mind, there forever ended very suddenly. He began to lose all hope.

They remained standing in the middle of her dressing room, not wanting to break the stare of looking into each other's eyes. Christine suddenly lost focus.

"What is it my darling? What's wrong?" Erik was concerned. On her dressing room table, she saw a letter addressed 'Little Lotte'.

Little Lotte,

Please forgive me. You deserve so much better than what I have given you these past 10 years. I am forever remorseful for the pain that I have caused you and our son. I know that I must leave you and Gustave. It pains me greatly to say the slightest. May your Angel of Music watch over you now, and give you what I wish I gave you, somehow.

Yours in regret Raoul Vicomte De Changy

Christine put the letter down trying not to cry. "Oh Raoul." she looked up at Erik. He consoled her but something was also on his mind

"My darling, I hate to break the subject, but where is Gustave?"

Christine grew panicked. "Gustave, GUSTAVE! He was supposed to be here after the show! I told him to wait backstage for.. For Raoul…. He wouldn't!"

Erik was fuming at the thought "That bastard! How dare he take this child! Our child!" Erik began rushing out the door, before one of his workers stopped him. The man was tall, and a little heavy. He had tattoo's covering his entire face. Christine thought that it was peculiar, but he looked as if he belonged at Phantasma.

"Master, the Vicomte left here alone, sir. I saw him with my own eyes. There was no one with him. Was there anyone else here that could hav-." Erik's eyes widened.

"Madame Giry! That comment she made! The greedy snake! Go now Squelch bring her here!" The man quickly ran off as Erik tried to somewhat comfort Christine. Another man came holding Madame Giry by the arm. This one was very different from the first man. Instead, this man was very tall, and very lanky. Madame Giry looked dumbfounded.

"What is the meaning of this? How dare your freaks handle me in such a fashi-" Erik was beyond frustrated.

"The boy woman! Where on Earth is the child?"

"Th-the boy! You think I would take the child? How dare you accuse me of such a thing! You don't think I know who he is!"

"Well he can't just disappear! Who else could have taken him?" They all stood around pondering that question until Madame Giry spoke up.

Suddenly, a woman came rushing up to Erik. She was beautiful. She was wearing a black dress, that was covered in rhinestones. A brace was on her leg, it matched her dress perfectly. Her name was Fleck. Fleck had great fear in her eyes.

She spoke up. "Sir, I just passed Meg's dressing room, an-and she was gone! But her mirror, was smashed. In pieces on the floor, but sh-she was pulling someone small.." Her eyes widened as she and the others realized what had happened.

"God, I left her so distraught, who knows what she might have believed…" They all grew quite panicked, for they all knew that Meg was a very unwelcoming to the thought of Christine stealing her spotlight at Phantasma. They all had different ideas on where she might have taken him, but Erik remembered, when he was in the bar about to confront Raoul, Meg had walked in. She came to the bar every morning after a long swim.

He vaguely remembered her statement. "Great place to step off the pier, and vanish."

"Come! We must hurry; I think I know where they're going!" They all rushed off in a mad dash towards the pier. Phantasma was bustling during the night. People always seemed to find it a little more mysterious, and haunting during the nighttime. Maneuvering through the crowd however, was quite a challenge. Especially in the situation they were in. When they arrived at the pier, they couldn't believe their eyes. Meg was holding little Gustave at gunpoint. Tears were streaming down his face as he wept for his mother. They all knew her intention. Meg was going to kill him.

"Not another step, not another word.. After all this time, you finally watch me. I tried my best, worked long and hard, but you never noticed. I did everything for you! She was never there! I brought in all the investors, how you might ask? BY SELLING MY BODY! They didn't want to see your cheap compositions! Mother and I did so much, and you NEVER… Never…." Meg was so distraught. Her mind was in another place. The gun was beginning to slip from Gustave's head. Meg pushed the boy forward, as Gustave ran to his mother's arms. Meg looked down for a minute before pointing the gun at Christine.

Erik was shaken out of his thoughts as someone tugged his coat.

"Come on Papa.. We're here."

And there you have it! Chapter 2! I really hope you liked it. As you are reading this I am in the process of writing Chapter 3. WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT? As always, I LOVE reading reviews so please leave them!

And now, I would like to send an ENORMOUS thank you to: xMegxGiryx (: She is my beta/co-author! Without her, I'm not sure this chapter would make it! You said that you're a better beta author. Well, I read your story Phantom Saga(: I thought it was BRILLIANT! Keep on writing stories please!(: I'll be messaging you soon regarding chapter 3(: But I can't say it enough, thank you so much. xxx -Ann