Christine's POV

The following morning, I rolled over and noticed the warm sunlight shining into my room. I stretched, and caressed my pillow to my chest, smiling at the wonderful night's sleep I had gotten. It was then that the shelf shifted and Nadir came walking in carrying a tray filled with some toast and a cup of tea.

"Morning, Christine."

He placed the tray down in front of me, before opening the drapes that were hanging over my widow.

"It's a beautiful day outside. I believe the winter is finally gone."

I looked down at my breakfast, and picked up one of the pieces of toast.

"You didn't have to make me breakfast."

"Oh, no trouble at all. I actually just dropped a tray off for Erik as well."

I bit into my warm, buttery toast.

"And how was his reaction to that?"

"He was still asleep. It's better to visit the bear's cave when he's asleep rather than when he's awake and angry."

I giggled, and took a sip of the hot tea.

"Erik's lucky to have a friend like you."

"Yes, well, he knows it, even though he never expresses how he feels."

Nadir took out his pocket watch, and checked the time before snapping it shut.

"Well, I should be getting down to my post. I shall visit you later on."

When Nadir left, I sat there enjoying my breakfast. As much as I hated being away from Raoul, this life wasn't half bad. After I was finished eating, I dressed into my daily attire, and decided to give Erik's shirt back to him. I approached the door, with the garment in hand, and slowly opened it, being sure to stay quiet just incase Erik was still asleep. I tiptoed into his domain, headed for the wardrobe closet that was all the way on the other side of his room. As I carefully passed his bed, I couldn't help but glance his way. It was strange seeing him asleep. I had spent many nights in his lair, sleeping in the room he had specially made for me. I was always aloud to visit any room within his lair that my hear desired, all except for one: his bedroom. Not that I could have snuck in to have a peek anyway, because it remained locked at all times. Some nights, I would find myself restless and tiptoeing around his darkened lair. When ever I would approach his bedroom door, I always wondered what magical activities were going on inside of it. But now I knew that he slept, and just like any other human being. He was laying on his stomach beneath the thick layer of blankets, one hand stretched above his head while the other covered his deformity. His breathing was soft, except for a few quiet moans once in a while.

When I made it to his wardrobe closet, I quietly opened the doors and looked for a spare hanger to hang his shirt up with. As I was doing so, I heard him start to talk in his sleep. I thought he had spotted me, but when I turned my head to look at him, he was slightly kicking the blankets, and turning his head from side to side.

"No….stop…."

I wondered what he was dreaming about, but didn't dare wake him.

"No…..please, don't do this…..Christine!"

When I heard my name being called out, I could no longer hold myself back from waking him. I was more afraid of getting a glance at his unmasked face than the anger he was sure to bring out upon seeing me in his room, but I didn't back down. When I was right beside him, I placed my hand onto his back, and the touch instantly woke him. He gasped loudly, and shot up into a sitting position. When his hand came away from his face, I quickly turned my back so I wouldn't get a glance at the hideousness of it.

"What in God's name are you doing in here again?" he growled. "I thought I told you to stay the hell out of here!"

"I….I wanted to return your shirt." I promised. "That was all."

"Well, don't just stand there. Hand me my mask."

I cautiously turned my head to the bedside table, and saw the white garment sitting there with his wig. My fingers trembled as I reached out to touch the article, and when I had a firm grasp around the leather mask, I lifted it, only to spot faded bloodstains on the part that his face sits in.

"You're hurt?" I questioned, leaning my arm behind my back to give him the mask.

I felt him snatch it away from me so violently that I thought my fingers were going to go with it.

"No, you stupid girl!" he growled. "It's uncomfortable to wear, and the endless hours of having to wear it tears my already sensitive flesh to shreds."

In a flash, he was out of bed and donning his robe that was hanging over the bedpost. He didn't bother placing his wig on, leaving the star shaped wound on his balding head exposed before my very own eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." he plopped himself down in throne like chair, and began writing.

His tea was beginning to get cold, and so was his toast. I slowly approached his desk, and took a seat across from him.

"Your breakfast is getting cold." I said, pushing the tray towards him.

Erik didn't even look up from his work, and pushed it back towards me.

"Don't come in here and tell me what to do, Christine."

"I'm not telling you to do anything, Erik, I'm just stating a fact."

"And since when is pushing a tray of food towards someone not an attempt to force it down their throat?"

I sat there for a few more seconds watching him write, deep in thought as if nothing could ever stop him.

"You don't eat enough." I said.

"Because I'm not hungry."

"So when are you hungry?"

If there was one thing Erik hated, it was being disturbed from his work. He slammed his hands down on the desk, and spilled a pile of his papers on to the floor.

"Why is Christine trying to disturb Erik from his work!"

"I'm not…."

"Then go back to your room so I can work in peace!"

I couldn't believe this! All Erik ever wanted was my company, and now that he had it, he didn't want anything to do with me!

"Is this what you expect out of me? To sit in my room countless hours and do nothing? Look, if it's about last night, I'm sorry, ok?"

This had caught Erik's attention. He gracefully folded his hands and placed them on top of his desk, his eyes looking my way.

"Oh, now we're sorry?" he sarcastically stated. "You have the nerve to hurt my feelings and now we're sorry? After you let your poor Erik cry himself to sleep? After he sat up all night wishing for nothing more than for his empty heart to explode!"

"I'm sorry." I quickly confessed. "I'll go back to my room now if you want me to."

Erik turned a large document in front of my face, and grabbed my arm to stop me from leaving.

"Not yet. I'd like you to see something first."

"What?"

"Your new life. I've been up working on it all night. I couldn't sleep…."

"But you were asleep this morning?"

He simply nodded.

"Yes, after Erik tried that silly suggestion of yours."

I smiled, for he had placed a pillow beneath his shirt and it had helped him sleep.

"See? I told you…."

"Enough about that." he snapped. "Just look at what I gave you."

I did, and read it word for word. He was sending me to a town called Medoc. My papa used to tell me about it, and I knew that such a place was all the way across France.

"Medoc?" I questioned.

"Yes, it's away from Paris and it's safe. I have a small place near the beach, and that's where you'll be staying. You'll be leaving first thing tomorrow."

"And what about you?" I asked. "Where will you go?"

"I…I haven't decided yet. Besides, I'm barely able to move at the moment. I might be here for another week or so."

"Who will take me to this place?"

"Nadir. I have arranged him to take you by carriage. Now, not another word, Christine."

"But what about…."

"Not another word." he replied. "Just go to your room and get ready for the move. I have things to do and wish to be left alone."

I knew he was still mad at me for what I had said the previous evening, but did as he asked, and went to my room. I decided not to bother him any longer, and to just accept his help and nothing more. I knew once I was situated in my new home, I would be able to come and go as I pleased. He did owe me this after all, didn't he? I had given him the one thing no woman ever had or ever would…..

What was even stranger, was dinner that evening. I had spent mostly the entire day sitting in my room reading and looking out the window. That evening however, Nadir came to get me for dinner; a gesture I gladly accepted. I sat in the same seat as I had the previous evening, and began devouring the dinner he had made. But something was different tonight…..I was so occupied with eating beside Nadir, that I didn't even notice Erik sitting down at the far end in his throne like chair. He was hunched over some paper work, with a glass of red wine sitting beside him. He seemed so far away, that it was like he wasn't even joining us, which was most likely his intention. When Nadir saw my eyes looking his way, he reached across the table and turned my head back to my plate, shaking his head as if telling me not to look at Erik.

"What?" I whispered.

"He does this all the time." was Nadir's low reply.

I should have kept my eyes on my own plate, but it was so strange seeing Erik sitting at the dining room table with us.

"Erik, would you like some pork?" I kindly asked. "It's very….."

"No…" was his fast reply, keeping his eyes on his work.

I should have gave up right then and there, but did I? Of course not, I was still busy trying to repay him for all the kindness he had shown me over the years.

"Well, then how about some potatoes?"

"Nadir, if you don't keep your dinner guest from bothering me, than I will go right back upstairs and never join you again." he barked.

Once again, Nadir turned my head so that I was facing him.

"Erik does this all the time, Christine. He enjoys coming to the table to finish up his work and have a glass of wine or two. Just let him do as he pleases."

When Erik finished writing on what ever document he was currently working on, he placed it aside and began sipping on his wine.

"Nadir, do you have anymore of that medicated wash?" came Erik's achy voice.

"Yes, why?"

"The bruises on my shoulders are bothering me. I think I'd like to use it on them while soaking myself in the tub."

"That would do you good, Erik." Nadir agreed. "I'll come give it to you as soon as I'm finished cleaning up from dinner."

Erik finished his wine, and gathered to his feet.

"Thank you, friend."

And with that, he left the kitchen as if he'd never been there at all.

"Now I'm friend." Nadir laughed.

"Erik's attitude sure changes when he wants something." I stated.

"I'm just glad he gets happy anymore."

Nadir rose, and offered to take my empty plate to the sink, when I decided to help him clear the table.

"Does Erik dream a lot?"

"Why do you ask?"

I placed a few dirty plates into the soap filled sink.

"Because I went into his room this morning and he was screaming in his sleep."

"Yes, nightmares. You just stay out of his way, Christine. You wouldn't want to see his anger at its max."

"I thought he loved me…." I pouted. "He seems ever so angry at me."

"He does love you, Christine. Christ, you're all he ever talks about."

"But why is he so serious all of a sudden?"

"He needs to be, Christine. Erik has it in his mind that he lost you a long time ago and this is his way of keeping it off his mind. He figures that as long as he treats you like anybody else, the pain won't come back to hurt him."

We finished, and Nadir reached up in the cabinet for the jar of medicated wash Erik had asked for.

"Come along then." he instructed. "Let's get you back to your room and…."

Before Nadir could finish, a loud noise from down below occurred.

"What in the world was that?"

"It sounded like a smash."

Nadir moved us to the stairwell behind the wall, and pointed up the stairs.

"Go ahead, Christine. You know the way. I'm going to head back downstairs to check on things, particularly that noise."

"What about the wash Erik requested?"

He looked at it, and threw the filled jar to me.

"Here, take it to him."

"Me?" I questioned. "He'll go mad."

But Nadir was already halfway downstairs.

I groaned, and continued my way back to my room. Once there, I took the door to Erik's, and noticed that the doorway to his secret wash room was already lit. I took the stairs, already hearing his voice commanding me on what to do.

"Nadir, just leave the wash on the table."

"It's Christine."

I came off the last stair, and turned to spot him up to his shoulders in soapy water. He struggled to sink himself down further into the suds, embarrassed to be exposed to me in such a way.

"Oh, Christine…." he sunk himself deeper. "Wh..what are you doing here?"

His voice seemed kinder, perhaps even a bit shy. When he sounded like this, I wasn't afraid to speak to him.

"There was a smash downstairs, and Nadir went to investigate it."

"And gave you the wash?"

I nodded, extending it to him.

A wet, sud covered arm reached out from the tub, and took the jar of wash from my hand. He then placed it on the table beside the copper tub, and looked up at me.

"My body thanks you for bringing it down here."

I don't know what made me ask, but for some odd reason, when ever Erik acted kind and civilized it always made me want to stick around.

"May I ask what you're using the wash for?"

Erik's glance went to the water, as if he were too nervous to tell me.

"The backs of my shoulders. I was taken from behind by the mob and hit with a heavy object."

"Could I see?"

He pressed his eyes shut.

"You shouldn't. It's extremely gruesome."

"I've seen worse."

Shit….there I went again, letting him know how hideous his face was.

The moment I said the words, I pressed my hand over my mouth, and gasped.

"Erik….I…I didn't mean it, really…"

"It's fine…." he cringed. "You're probably right. Nothing could be as gruesome as my face."

I knew I had struck a nerve, one that stretched all the way to his heart. Why did I have to find his face so hideous? I stepped around the tub, until I was behind him. It was then that he slid himself upward just enough to expose his shoulders. They were covered in suds, and I bravely extended my hand to wipe them away. The water was so cold….why? Why was he sitting in such cold water?

"Erik, that water is freezing, aren't you cold?"

He just shook his head.

"I'm not even in it and I'm cold." I stated, continuing to wipe away the suds.

"Erik's body is always cold. His heart is lonely and without a single soul to warm it. Nothing in this world could fill the hole in my heart, nor warm it."

The suds were completely gone, leaving a side of him I had never seen with my own two eyes. His flesh was so pale, and his shoulders were covered in gruesome black, green and purple bruises.

"Erik…..they look so painful."

"Yes…."

I didn't hesitate a single moment, and reached for the jar of medicated wash, rubbing the warm liquid into his shoulders. The moment my hands made contact with his cold flesh, I heard a small gasp escape his lips.

"Wh…What are you doing?" he shyly asked. He sounded so much like a scared child.

"You can't very well have done this on your own."

"I would have manag…..oh, harder…."

The sudden arousal in his voice took me by surprise. Had he never had this done to him before? I stood there, rubbing the wash into his shoulders, and massaging them at the same time, his boney limbs cracking beneath my palms.

"There's so much tension in your shoulders. How many year's worth do you have here?" I teased.

"A lifetime's worth of tens….Right there…."

I squeezed where he asked me to, causing a loud crack to occur.

"You can stop if you don't wish to do this."

"Do you want me to stop?" I said with a devilish smile. "Be honest."

"No, not really, but Erik doesn't want Christine doing something she is not comfortable taking part in."

"If I didn't wish to do it, then I wouldn't be. Besides, it's the least I could do after you've offered to help me…."

"We're even then….oh, a little lower…"

I moved my hand beneath the bruises, and pressed my palm up against his sud covered back, only to feel lumpy crisscrossing scars. The feeling of them was strange, and I pulled away at first.

"Erik, your back is completely emaciated."

"Yes, years and years of being punished with a bullwhip…..yes, right there…"

"Is that why you sleep on your stomach?"

"Indeed. There is hardly enough even flesh covering my back for me to get comfortable laying on it. That whip ate away more flesh than you could ever imagine."

I had felt these scars the night I had sex with Erik, but seeing them before my own very eyes was something completely different. I never seen a back so destroyed before…The condition of it actually made me feel sorry for him…..for no woman would ever look upon such a sight and smile. But this man had helped me, and so I didn't pull away….I just continued pressing against his flesh in every spot that he wanted me to. But the water was so cold, that my hands were becoming numb.

"Forgive Erik." he cried upon seeing my pale hands. "He shouldn't have made you do that knowing how cold the water was."

I turned to grab a towel to dry my hands with, and the next thing I knew, he was out of the tub and throwing on his robe. He disappeared around the corner for a few moments, returning in his trousers and long over coat.

"I hope you are packed and ready to go?" he asked, adjusting his mask within the mirror that was hanging on the wall beside the tub.

"Yes, just the clothes on my back."

"I'll give you my shirt…." he offered. "To wear to bed…. tonight that is…. The place already has all the supplies you'll need, clothes being one of them."

"That's very kind of you."

"Yes, well, it's the least I could do, Christine."

"Will you write me?"

His eyes widened.

"You truly wish for Erik to write?"

I nodded.

"We are friends, and it wouldn't be very kind of me to accept your generosity without keeping in contact with you."

He nodded.

"I will." he turned his back to me, his hand touching his mask. "I am dreadfully sorry about being so hideous, Christine. Sometimes I think things between us could be different if not for my…..my aliment."

"Erik….I…."

What was I to say? He was right. If it weren't for his face, I could probably stomach him for more than five minutes.

"It's fine, it was my mother's fault. She….she was deeply saddened when my father died before my birth. The stress was too great for her and most days she wouldn't eat, she'd cry herself to sleep…..But then….she smiled the day she went into labor with me. She thought she would give birth to a perfectly healthy baby even after all the depression and stress she put me through….." he closed his eyes. "But she was even more devastated when her supposed to be "Charles Jr." emerged from her womb…..I…I wish I was dead…Being dead is better than having to go through life…..hated and unloved."

My god, I never knew about this! The story alone brought tears to my eyes. I should have hugged him, I should have apologized, but I did not.

"Erik…."

That was all I could say, because it was then that footsteps were heard from upstairs. I thought them to be Nadir's, but there was more than one pair.

Erik instantly crept to the lights, and shut them off before coming back and covering my mouth with his boney hand. We stood there in the dark, listening to the sounds of voices and footsteps from up stairs.

"Erik…..who's up there?" I softy whispered.

He placed his finger to my lip, and swiftly moved to the stairs to have a closer look. The moment Erik placed his ear to the trap door and heard the voices, he looked down at me, and motioned to stay quiet. He waited until the footsteps were gone, before motioning me to come to him. I was so scared, but I stepped up onto the stairs with him, and stayed close.

"It's the police." he whispered. "They're in the house."

"Are they still in your room?"

"No, they're out in the hall. Come on…."

Quietly and slowly, Erik opened the trap door and helped me out. The house was fully trapped, how had they got inside? But as soon as I was back in Erik's room, I noticed the window was open. From out in the hall, there were footsteps and voices. Erik dragged me to the open window, and looked down at the street below.

"This is our only way out, Christine."

Before we had the chance to make another move, from out of nowhere, Erik was hit over the head by a police officer who was hiding in the shadows.

"And now you're mine, monster!"

No! I couldn't let this happen. I couldn't let this monster hurt Erik, my angel. Before he could give Erik's body another blow, I pushed him over Erik's desk.

The sudden crash had caused another officer to come barging in from my room. When he saw his fellow officer on the floor, he came towards me with his hands outstretched towards my neck.

"You're going to come quietly, Miss Daae!"

"Like hell…."

I was backed against the wall, and this man placed his disgusting hands around my neck as I kicked and screamed. He was choking me! God! He was choking the life out of me. I tried to get loose, but it was no use. Suddenly, the man was hit in the back of the head with one of Erik's heavy candle sticks. When he fell over, it was Erik who was standing there as my hero.

"Erik…."

He threw the candle stick aside, and pulled my arm to get me out of the room. It was extremely dark, but I could tell that his head was bleeding.

"There's a swarm of officers outside, Christine." he groggily warned. "Jumping out the window would mean certain death."

Outside in the hall, there were more officers standing about, guarding the area.

"You know the rules of the house, Christine. Get to the basement and I'll meet you there."

"But…."

"No buts." he growled. "I'll hold them off."

I was so confused on what to do. He was saving me….Erik, was protecting me, and for what? I had treated him so badly. The officers spotted us, and were on their way towards Erik and I….This was my final chance to do something….give him something…..and so I kissed him. It wasn't a lover's kiss, just a quick peck to the lips, but it was enough for him.

"Go!"

When he pushed me, I walked along the forbidden floor of the house, as officers chased me. Up ahead their were Persian rugs placed along the floor.

"Stay off the rugs…." I silently repeated Nadir's warnings, as I was headed straight towards them.

"Stop!" the officer's shouted. "Miss Daae!"

But I didn't. I was sending them straight into a trap. As soon as I was near the rug, I tapered off to the tiny bit of floor while the officers stepped onto the rug and fell straight into a never ending pit below. When other officers across the hall saw this, they headed straight towards me. I traveled along the floor, keeping my back to the wall as I tried to get past the open gap that the rug had covered. I ran around each corner as more officers caught up to me, one even grabbed hold of my dress and tore the skirts. I was searching, searching for any trap possible that I knew of. I sighed in relief, when I noticed a set of stairs coming up ahead.

"The stairs will collapse upon any pressure applied to them." I told myself, heading straight towards them.

I paused at the first step, wondering how to get down to the bottom without having to use the stairs. The officers were so close now, and I only had a matter of seconds to make my decision. So I jumped….jumped onto the railing, and swung my body over the edge as the officers stepped onto the stairs and instantly fell to their deaths. I was now hanging a floor above ground level, with more officers headed my way. I was hanging on for dear life, wondering what to do now. But suddenly, I was grabbed, grabbed from behind, only to see Nadir standing on a chair to help me down. I let myself go, and he grabbed me, pulling me right behind the wall that led to the basement.

"Come, Christine, the house is on fire." he gasped. "We must go."

"Where is Erik?" I cried. "Is he down here yet?"

"We haven't time for him. He will catch up to us….."

I tried pulling away from Nadir, but it was no use. The smoke was beginning to get unbearable, and I could hardly see a thing. I wasn't sure where Nadir was leading me, but we eventually came out from an underground tunnel, on the other side of the street, where his horse and carriage was waiting.

"Wait!" I gasped. "Where's Erik!"

Nadir shoved me into the carriage, and motioned his horse to start galloping away. I tried to jump out, to get back to the burning house that was in flames, but Nadir wouldn't let me.

"It's too late, Christine! It's too late for Erik….He wouldn't have wanted us to wait…."

But as we escaped from Pairs, all I could think about was "What if it wasn't too late?…." I could only hope that Erik made it out safely and would soon join us….I hoped.


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