Hello readers!

I had one terrible nightmare early this morning, and I cried for hours until I fell back asleep. It was terrible and so realistic, did it ever happen to you? I had to go check on my mother to see if she was still alive, so it gives you an idea just how shaken I was. :s

Okay, about the chapter, you will finally meet with a new character! :D

I hope you will like it,

Kaya

Chapter 3

With much care, Erik put away the belongings Meg had left behind in boxes, then took everything to the cellar. He thought that Elizabeth's niece would not want to live amongst her cousin's things. Searching through old chests he found old curtains, which were more veiling than actual curtains. They were still in good condition though they were obviously old and they were a nice cream color. He knew exactly what to do with those, thinking they would look lovely in the new guest room.

He did not know why, but he wanted to make this place a haven for Liz's niece. Somewhere inviting, calm and warm where she would feel safe and where she would be able to rest. The young woman was traumatized and had a broken leg, both wounds took loads of time to heal and time combined with rest would be what she needs most.

Back to the bedroom, Erik arranged the veils onto the ceiling, forming arcs that gave an ethereal look to the room. The veils fell nicely from the ceiling around the four poster bed. It was perfect! As he looked at his handy work, Erik suddenly wondered why he was doing all this as he kept working around the room onto the last details, making it more beautiful by the minutes. He thought it was because working on this bedchamber kept his mind busy and it occulted Christine from his thoughts rather effectively.

When he was not doing anything, Erik would often find himself humming his Music of the night and daydream about that night when Christine looked him in the eyes for the first time, walking to him with complete trust as he sang to her. He was suddenly brought back to Earth when Madame Giry entered the bedroom only then did he realized his mind had once more wandered away from what he had been doing. She had a tray in her hands which she deposited on the nightstand.

-"Oh my goodness, Erik, this is magnificent." She said frankly

Elizabeth was impressed, to say the least, but not really surprised, she knew of Erik's many talents. He then told her that her niece would need rest and calm and that Meg's decoration would give headaches to anyone.

-"Your daughter had weird tastes." He declared, taking a peek at the food she brought

-"Look who's talking about weird taste…Mister I-kept-a-coffin-near-in-case-I-would-die."

He did not say anything, not even to tell her he did not keep that coffin in case he would die, but because he felt he did not deserve to live… Elizabeth poured the tea, smiling as she thought about what Erik had done for her niece. Tears spilled down her cheeks, she hated to know she would meet this young woman for the first time since she was a child in such circumstances.

Tuesday morning time came for Elizabeth Giry to pick up her niece at the train station. Erik gave her a good luck hug, even though it was very much unlike him but both had done different things from their usual since he came to live in the small house Avenue des Peupliers. When she was gone, the Phantom returned to his hiding place in the attic, trying to relax by playing his old violin. Though nervous about this newcomer, Erik did not know why, he was also looking forward to it. But he had to admit that the fact he would have to hide once more like a ghost saddened him.

The train from Belgium arrived precisely at 1 o'clock that afternoon. Elizabeth saw a small cloaked form on the passenger platform, a gendarme walking beside it. It could not be anyone else than her niece. She could tell she had problems walking since she was limping. The walking stick her niece was using was of poor quality, made out of rough wood. Madame Giry hoped her hand was not covered with splinters…

Slowly, the old ballet mistress approached them, not knowing if she was supposed to meet them or wait inside the station. As she made her way down the platform, she worked really hard at keeping her emotions at bay. She wanted to run to her niece and embrace her, while another part of her wanted nothing more than hide far away from anything that was reminding her of her lost sister. But she could do neither. She held her breath as the gendarme spotted her.

-"Madame Elizabeth Giry?"

-"Yes." She answered, somehow numbly

-"I am Constable Lafontaine." The man beside Madame Giry's niece said with a bow of the head. "I'll be brief. Your niece had not said a word since the death of her parents. She might detain some crucial evidence. If she ever says anything, you are to inform the French Prefecture of Police, they shall contact us."

-"Do you have a clue about who did this?" Elizabeth asked, repressing her tears with surprising ease

-"You will understand that since we are still investigating, I am not allowed to divulge any information." He answered formally, with an annoyed tone. "Only Mademoiselle Le François can help us find the murderer."

-"I will do my best to help however I can, Constable."

-"On that, I have to return to Belgium, my train is going in a few minutes."

The constable said nothing more, he only bowed briefly and he was immediately on his way. Elizabeth turned to her niece looking at her right in the eye for the first time since she arrived. She was desperately trying to find the remaining of that little girl she once knew and loved. But the laughing curly haired child had disappeared. Her big black eyes were empty and cold and her lips were sealed.

-"It's alright, Catherine, you are quite safe here." Madame Giry murmured, taking her niece into a cautious embrace

The porters took the girl's luggage to the coach Madame Giry just hailed, the driver was unlikely to help, he was paid to drive, not to carry heavy things… The porters heard the short conversation between the policeman and the older woman and so, after they helped the girl into the coach, they wished her good luck and refused older woman's money.

Madame Giry was sitting across from her niece, watching her as she ignored the porters. The coach began moving, but Catherine remained stoical. She asked how was her journey, but her niece kept acting as though she was deaf. This would be harder than what she would have expected… Catherine was looking out the small window, deadly silent.

The only moment Madame Giry thought Catherine would change behavior, was when they arrived at the Avenue des Peupliers. She was persuaded she had caught the ghost of a smile on her niece's pale face, but the moment she tried to get a closer look, it was already gone.

The coach came to a stop and Elizabeth helped Catherine out. She unfortunately had to pay the driver a little more so she could have a hand with the luggage. Catherine did not move from her spot, she kept staring at the small house with the yellow door. She seemed to be studying her new home, looking at the walls down and up.

She gasped almost soundlessly as she saw something move behind the attic window. She told herself it could be anything, like a curtain floating of the breeze sneaking inside… While they were on their way back, her aunt told her they would be living alone together and so it could not be anyone in the attic…

Once they were inside, Elizabeth guided her niece to Meg's old bedroom. Catherine struggled with the stairs, her leg hurting badly and she was exhausted from the long uncomfortable journey in the train. The fact that her cane was a tad too short for her did not help…

When they entered the bedroom, Madame Giry caught another quick smile from her niece and a gasp when she saw the unique decoration. A bouquet of freshly cut roses was resting in a crystal vase on the bedside table. The flowers filled the air with their delicate perfume. Elizabeth silently thanked Erik for this nice gesture, even if she could not help but wonder where he found these roses…

Catherine sat on the edge of her new bed, finding it a lot more comfortable than the one she was provided at the prefecture in Belgium… Bending down, she painfully tried to remove her shoes, until her aunt came to help her, taking them off as delicately as she could.

Without bothering with removing her cloak, the young woman lied down with a yawn, incapable to move a moment longer. Elizabeth covered her with a blanket and put a log in the fire.

-"If you need anything…" She began, before she suddenly remembered her niece could not speak. "I will come back with some supper in a few hours. Rest in the meantime."

On that, feeling a sudden rush of emotions, Madame Giry left the bedroom. Forgetting about her arthritis, she silently ran to the attic. She cried a moment before drying her tears and plastering a cold expression to her face. She had a word or two for the Phantom, though the flowers were a nice touch, she did see him from outside and she was convinced Catherine saw him as well.

Erik did not miss any detail of Elizabeth's niece's arrival. He saw the small cloaked form from above and noticed she had a strange way of walking. He did know she had a broken leg, but with the way she was walking, she would not be likely to heal anytime soon… He saw her look up to the attic window and he hoped he had had time to hide before he was noticed. Though, when he heard noises in the stairs to the attic, he knew he had been seen. Soon after, a flushed, breathless Madame Giry appeared.

-"Don't say a word." He chuckled, trying to light her spirit a bit. "Did she see me?"

-"I cannot be sure…" She admitted with a tired sigh, not feeling like being angry anymore. "It won't be easy with Catherine…"

-"Tell me." He asked, sitting beside her

-"Poor child, what the letter said was true, she is mute. She is not the little joyous girl I knew anymore."

-"Can you blame her? She just lost everything."

-"If that was not enough, the Constable representing the prefecture asked me not too subtly to make her speak. they want to know what she saw that night, but…"

-"Don't worry, Liz, she'll come to you one she is ready. Just remember how I was when you found me."

-"Yes, you were silent for a while. My memory has yet to fail me…" She sighed. "You are probably right. She will need time to adapt herself to her new life."

-"She will need time to accept her new life." Erik corrected. "It's a question of acceptation, not adaptation. Your niece will probably have to find herself a reason to live, I know what I'm talking about."

-"Like you with Christine?" She asked, but immediately regretted it when she saw his eyes fill with tears

-"No." He answered lowly. "I meant music."

His words made sense. Christine brought him out of his loneliness, but what had him hold on was his music. He could somehow relate to Elizabeth's niece. She was shocked and lost, as he had been. Erik tried to regain his composure, trying not to look weak under Madame Giry's scrutiny, turning his back to her.

-"Listen to her, Liz, even if she is not speaking, she'll find a way to tell you her needs."

-"Thank you, Erik, for your council, you reassured me a great deal." She smiled tiredly. "I'll go fix some dinner now, Catherine must be starving."

-"I would not be too surprised if she doesn't eat much, if anything."

Madame Giry nodded. She would not force her niece to eat, nor would she force her to speak. Time was what everyone needed in this house.