AN: Thanks to all of you who favorited or story-alerted my story!!! However, that does NOT help me very much….I like and need and crave reviews!!!! I'll shut up now and get to the story!!! =]

"Christine, Christine! What has he done to you?!" As he [Erik, in her mind] reached towards me, I faded into the black.

I emerged from the room in the wedding dress Erik had fashioned for me. I imagined my eyes were glazed over from his hypnotic voice, but my mind remained alert. It was currently wrestling between the two men that claimed my attention. Raoul was kind, gentle, and a wealthy Vicomte. But Erik was unique, a tortured soul who would do anything for me. In time I knew I could grow to love him despite his face.

God, please help me to choose. I prayed. Since you have seen fit to take my earthly father from me, I pray to you for guidance.

Erik's unmasked face appraised my appearance, and I thought I saw tears come to his eyes as he muttered something along the lines of "Finally….my angel is mine."

I slowly walked towards him, my limbs trembling with the uncertainty I held. Come on, God, please give me a sign!

Erik gestured for my hand as I continued forward. I watched it slowly rise before me to his own outstretched hands that held….what? I gasped as he settled the most exquisite ring I'd ever seen onto my left ring finger. He knelt and I could see he was struggling with some decision with his inner demons. Then he composed himself and kissed the hand he held. I pulled my hand away, but from shock not disgust. Erik's face crumpled in pain as he muttered angrily to himself. He got up and swished his cloak behind him. I started after him and almost put my hand on his shoulder, but hesitated—who knew that that small action would do him? At first I thought Erik's kiss was my God-given sign, but then…

The sound of splashing and an unmanly shriek caused both Erik and I to turn towards the sound issuing from the direction of the labyrinth.

"Hello, what's this?" he murmured, "Someone come to play?' I ran after him, but he was too much too fast, and mad [as in crazy, not anger], for me to catch. So I stopped, panting, as Erik ran towards his labyrinth.

………………………………………..

"You try my patience, make your choice!" Erik cried angrily, but I could see the fear in his eyes.

"Don't make her lie to you to save me!" said the chained Raoul.

What to choose? Who to choose? I vacillated between the two men and the life I would lead with either choice….I loved them both, but if I could save both their lives…..

"Goodbye, Erik, I'm sorry," I whispered as I kissed Erik on the cheek and left my newly-given ring in his hand.

"So be it," he whispered back. And louder, "Go, both of you, before they find you here. GO!!!!!!" And he turned away in pain, releasing the lever that would free Raoul. That was the last time I saw him…

I was slapped rudely awake by my husband. I gasped briefly at the pain, but refused to acknowledge it beyond that.

"Stop murmuring his name, you wretch!!! And WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY STUDY?!?" Raoul shouted, enunciating his words with slaps and punches across my already bruised face. Suddenly he noticed the bottle in my hand, still gripped in my tightly clenched fingers. He picked me up by my collar with both his hands and demanded, "And WHAT EXACTLY are you doing with. My. Alcohol? It's MINE!!!" He shook me violently and finally let me slide to the floor. As my grip slackened on the bottle, he picked it up and cradled it. "My precious….She didn't hurt you too badly, did she? Hmmm? Oh, good. I'll see that she never touches you again," he said with such tenderness that it made me want to scream. But I held back and remained limp on the floor. Maybe if I pretended to be already unconscious, he would stop beating me and leave….it had worked before. "Hmmm," he murmured, jabbing me in the ribs with his boot, "Looks like we're done here. See you after work, dear." The last word was spat with venomous sarcasm so thick a snake would not have believed him.

Once I heard his footsteps retreat outside the door of our manor, I allowed myself to curl up into a small ball and sob. I sobbed for myself, for Erik and the life I had left behind, and for my dead daughter that, had she lived, I would have wanted to name Josephine. And that's how Kaitlynn found me, hours later.

"Oh, my dear, is he at it again?" my most trusted and favorite servant whispered, kneeling next to me. She saw what went on between my husband and me, and wished she had the power and station to change it. Alas, she could do no more than bandage my wounds. She was the only female Raoul allowed in the manor. She would not have been allowed if I did not need assistance bathing and dressing.

I could feel her hands fluttering over my body, trying to find an uninjured part of my body to pat comfortingly. I rolled out of my ball and laid my head in her lap. Kaitlynn gently ran her old, wizened hands through my hair. "Let's get you cleaned up, shall we?" she asked. I nodded and let her lead me to the water closet. She cleaned the blood off my body and out of my hair, and bandaged me as best she could. Throughout my cleansing, I haltingly told her all had occurred since she had seen me last. When we were both finished, she turned me to face her. "This has got to stop," she said, looking into my eyes whilst grasping my shoulders. In other circumstances this might have made me laugh, as she was a good half-foot shorter in stature than I, but I could not even manage a proper smile anymore.

"I know," I murmured, "I know. I said the same thing last night after I lost Josephine. But what can I do? I'm just a woman." I laughed a grim, mirthless laugh afterwards.

"Oui, I know," Kaitlynn sighed, "We've been through this before. Your family's all dead, and it would be improper to return to the Populaire by yourself. And the Girys are gone…wait, are they anymore? You said they were only on vacation for six months, and they left over a month before the wedding (bad timing if you ask me, but….),"

"Oui, oui, of course! Why didn't I think of the Girys?" Because you're an idiot, that's why. the voices said cruelly. "Oh, so you've returned, have you?" I retorted.

"What was that, dear?" Kaitlynn asked, confused at my outburst.

"Oh, nothing, Kaitlynn," I said. She appeared confused, but mostly convinced. She let it go and continued.

"Well, I was thinking….I know how to drive a carriage, and if Monsieur Raoul has not taken it to work…." she started.

"Perfect!" I exclaimed, "And if you borrow your husband's cloak, you could pass for him, as he is quite tall and the cloak would cover you completely!'

"Only if you know where the Girys live, and if they haven't moved," Kaitlynn said, reluctant to accept the praise.

"Oh, I do!!! I know where their house is! I stayed there during the holidays, when the Populaire was devoid of dancers. And thanks so much for thinking of this idea and helping me, Kaitlynn!!!" I enveloped her in a giant hug.

"Now, none of that, now," Kaitlynn said with false gruffness. She pulled me off of her and said, "Now if you want to be at the Girys before that husband of yours gets home, we need to get you dressed and out of this house soon!"

So we changed and left the house…….

AN: Oooh…..cliffy!!! If this is the only way I get readers, so be it! =] Will the Girys accept Christine? Will Christine and Erik reunite? Keep reading, and I will try to keep updating!!!! I hope my bracketed notes helped, not hindered. Review saying they weren't helpful and I'll take them out. =] Review please!!!!!!!!!!!!

(BrokenessBear and WeepingWillow2616 made an appearance in this chapter!!! Go read WeepingWillow2616's story Second Chance!!!)