Everything I Do

OceansAway and Gerik's Angel

Christine had anxiously waited for the day her feet would step upon the soil of this new continent. Yet, when she did, she wished that she could run back on the ship and beg for a passage back to France. But when she thought about the sickness, waves, and food, she quickly abandoned the idea. She was here now, that was all there was to it.

New York. Such a large place with so many people! The city of Manhattan that she was in now seemed bigger than all of France! She walked timidly, trying to find her bearings. A post office was nearby, so she quickly shuffled in to there.

"May I help you, Ma'am?" The man behind the counter asked.

"Oui. Je-" She realized the man may not be able to understand French. She began hesitantly in English that she had learned from several English songs and operas she had learned. "I am… Searching, for a-non, an inn to stay at."

He kindly wrote down a list of addresses where she'd be able to find a good night's rest. Thanking him gratefully, she quickly went in search, her tattered suitcases heavy in her hands.

When she reached the first address, she found a vacancy and entered her room; she dropped her bags on the floor and collapsed on to the bed, thoroughly exhausted both physically and mentally.

She lay in the bed for a long hour. Her mind couldn't settle. Why did she come here? What caused her to come somewhere so entirely different than France? Why leave everything she knew? She tried to stop the flood of questions. I came to forget. I came to forget him!

Oh! But why couldn't I have forgotten him at home? With dear, sweet Raoul? Tears rolled down her cheeks soaking the pillow.

Oh what a fool she was! She was a fool to run from her problems. She was weak for keeping it all to herself. Then she was a fool to stay away. Keeping them all worried. She was weak for wanting to go home. Why couldn't she be strong? Protected herself from the whole ordeal.

Her thoughts began to run in circles? Why? I was such a fool. I am so weak. Why? Eventually the thoughts lulled her to sleep.

Yet her dreams gave her little comfort - they were all focused on a world away, where a Comte searched for his fiancée and their friends were worried to death about her safekeeping.

"She's nowhere! Absolutely nowhere." Madame Giry announced, after finding her way in to the lair again.

Erik grunted in acknowledgement, but did not stop his folding of clothes.

"Erik? Erik, are you...going somewhere?" She asked, suddenly hopeful when she saw the bags. He was going after Christine!

"As a matter of fact, I am." Erik informed her steadily.

"Then you should know that London, Perros and all of Paris has been covered and that he has sent officers to Southern France last I heard."

"Covered? What do you speak of, Antoinette?"

"The search for Christine, of course! Those places are already covered, so you should start-"

"I'm not going to find Christine!" Erik exclaimed.

"You're...not?"

"No. I'm leaving on my own. To go try and make something out of this worthless life while I can. I told you before - if the girl wants to run away like a child, let her. She will come back when she's ready."

"How do you know?" Madame Giry enquired, aghast.

He side glanced at her, his jaw set. "She'll come back when she's ready." He said stubbornly, in a low voice. "But what she does is no longer any of my affairs." He picked up his suitcase. "I take my leave."

"Where are you going? In case I'd have to find you?"

"I'm planning on going everywhere, but nowhere. You won't be finding me."

"But what if we find Christine? Or what if she's injured?"

Erik turned to the elderly woman. "I don't care, Madame. I have nothing for her. To me, she is now just another runaway soprano that has turned in to a brat, thanks to both that Comte's hands and my own. He gave her everything in the world; I gave her everything under it. I even gave her front stage and her greatest gift. But he has spoiled her heart. I have too. So now, I wash my hands from it all. Now, I take my leave." And with that, he took a bag of things and put them in her hand. "These are the few valuables from down here. You may sell them, for you deserve the money after your years of service to me."

"It wasn't service, Erik - it was caring and love."

He ignored this, and picked up his suitcase, grabbing his hat and putting it on to shade his face, the exited through the Rue Scribe.

Madame Giry waited, hoping that somehow he'd change his mind and stay. He never looked back.

She now stood in the void and empty abode of the Opera Ghost. With both the woman she thought a daughter and the man she thought a son gone, her heart had never been so heavy.

Raoul was persistent. No one dared to question him. He had officers searching all of France, as well as parts of Spain, Germany, even England. So far there was no sign of her. He was contemplating sending officers to Switzerland, Belgium, Andorra, Monaco, Luxemburg, or Italy.

She could be anywhere. She was well known. Perhaps she was taken into lesser-known countries. She would be easily recognized elsewhere.

Where in the world could she have gone?

Raoul has searched her rooms. Countless times. To his knowledge, nothing was taken. Her dresser was messed up, as she was preparing for dinner. But all the jewelry was there. All of the fine frocks he had bought her were in the closet. Most of them untouched from the day he bought them.

He was worried for her. Who would take his angel? He had no enemies, save for the monster. He must have taken her. No matter what Madame Giry said.

The monster's inner nature had won. He could not act humanly. For he was not human. And who can win a battle against themselves?

But that gave him no excuse! He would rescue her from the monster. Again, and if need be, again, for the rest of eternity.

If there were breath in his body he would stop that monster. If it had just been for lying to Christine, if the monster had released her as soon as she knew the terrible falsehood, he would still work as diligently as he did now to avenge her.

But he had done more than lie to her. He had abducted her, prevented her from talking to him, and murdered countless people with his evil schemes. The night of the Opera disaster, the monster suddenly left. He came back drenched. Raoul was not surprised to see the body of his brother being brought in when he awoke from his time in the torture chamber.

He had killed his brother. If the matter were not personal enough it was now. His brother was the closest to a father like figure he had. Now his aunt and uncle were his guardians. Philippe had put it in his will. He assumed that Raoul would remain childless and chase after other low class figures.

But Christine wasn't just another low class figure. She was perfect.

His aunt and uncle were currently traveling throughout all of Europe. They were unable to reach by post. He would have to wait another year and a half until their pre-scheduled visit.

He would not wait for them for anything. He would find Christine, bring her home, and marry her. Then he would locate the demon. He would bring the creature, Erik, he dared to have a name, and he would bring him to justice.

A/N: Chapter 3!!! I have the first 10 ready. I'll update when I get back from my grandmother's.

Happy 4th of July! Whether you celebrate it or not!

Thank you eyeplayclarinet again for your review. Please review! Tell me what you think. I must have messed up on something...