The next couple of days went by smoothly, the pair read together and chatted comfortably and Christine had taken up an interest in learning how to cook, so Erik happily started teaching her what he could, although most of her dishes were thrown out as a smoking black heap.
One morning Christine woke up to the sounds of thunder rolling in the distance and rain hitting her window in little angry drops. She groaned and got out of bed, quickly walking across the cold wooden floor to her closet to get dressed.
Just as she was exiting her room, Christine heard a knocking at the front door. She stood in the hallway for a moment, wondering if it was just one of the shudders flapping in the wind, but after a minute or two had passed she heard it again, but this time it was louder. Christine immediately ran down the hallway and knocked on Erik's door, flinging it open as soon as she heard him respond.
He was sitting at his desk, bewilderment written all over his face. "Christine? Are you alright?"
"There's someone at the door!" Christine made it sound like an angry mob was about to ransack the house and kill them both.
Erik stood up and started walking towards the door, Christine following close behind him. Without hesitation, he opened it, and standing in the rain and early morning fog were the two Giry ladies. "Welcome Madame and Mademoiselle Giry."
"Meg! Madame!" Suddenly, Christine was no longer hiding behind the masked man, but instead enfolding the women in a tight hug as soon as they stepped inside.
"Christine!" Meg exclaimed just as happily, wrapping her arms tightly around her friend.
Madame Giry stepped aside and let the two girls chatter happily. "Hello Erik, I'm sorry if we woke you."
"Madame, you have known me for a very long time, and when have you ever caught me sleeping?" Erik teased gently. "Thank you for coming. Since you provided so much help in securing the furniture for the house I thought it was only fitting for you and your daughter to come visit, plus I am sure Christine has missed you both terribly."
Christine seemed to hear her name and she turned to face the masked man and her old dance instructor. "Hm? Oh, I bet you two are frozen! I'll go make everyone some tea!" Christine said as she happily ran off to the kitchen.
Erik watched her go with a skeptical gaze. "Meg? Would you mind helping her? To be honest, I don't trust her with the stove just yet."
Meg smiled and nodded before following after Christine. After the two girls had left, Erik led Madame Giry to the living room and they both sat in overstuffed chairs facing the fireplace.
"As I said in the letter, I couldn't have been happier with your choice of furnishings. Thank you once more."
"And as I said it my reply, it was no great trouble at all. Christine seems happy, and you also appear happier than I remember." Madame changed the subject abruptly, but she had never been one to be discreet or sugarcoat things.
"Yes, I believe we are quite content." Erik replied, gazing into the fire.
"There have been rumors going around in the city, since she left Raoul."
"I didn't care for gossip along your rats in the Populaire, nor do I care for it now, Madame."
"I would not mention it if I did not think it was important. Raoul has said that his beloved fiancé left in the night. He also would not speculate if she left willingly or not, but the public seems to believe the latter." Madame picked her words carefully, but she knew Erik understood her meaning.
"I thought they assumed I was dead? I read the paper, and a rather boastful gentleman talked all about how he had shot the masked man down, heard him scream and then fall on the ground dead before him." Erik replied coldly.
"They believe you are a phantom, Erik, a ghost that haunts a destroyed building, and since Christine's 'disappearance' it seems they only believe in you more."
Erik felt his rage boiling inside of him. How dare the boy issue a public announcement saying Christine left in the night, leading everyone to assume it was a kidnapping! He had been a fool to think the damn boy would just let her run back to him without somehow saving face.
"Tea is ready!" Christine said cheerily as she carried in a silver serving tray, her face glowing. Meg followed close behind with a smile on her pretty face as well.
"No wonder you wanted me to watch her! I thought water was impossible to burn, but Christine may prove me wrong." Meg teased as Christine set down the tray and poured everyone a cup.
"Oh hush! I was doing fine!" Christine said and turned to Erik, a pout on her face. "Honestly, sending in someone to watch over me as I make tea!"
"One can never be too careful." Erik said, but his mood was considerably darker than before and Christine took note, but decided against asking about it with the Giry's present.
The rest of the morning continued without a hitch. Meg and Christine mostly rattled on about this or that while Madame Giry and Erik sat and listened. As afternoon came around the Giry's departed for other appointments with promises to keep in touch. Christine watched the two women walked down the gravel pathway, avoiding puddles the morning storm had left and as soon as they were out of sight she closed the door with a happy sigh and returned to the living room where Erik sat, staring at the dying fire.
Christine sat down next to him and snuggled against his side, as usual, but he didn't put his arm around her. Then she remembered how his mood had soured earlier. "Erik? What's wrong?"
"Nothing, Christine." He said unconvincingly.
"Erik, I know something's wrong, I saw it earlier. Now are you going to play silly games with me or just tell me what's bothering you."
"What if it was none of your business? Did you take time to ponder that notion?" Erik said as he stood up to begin pacing the room like a caged tiger.
"Fine, it's none of my business then."
"What did you tell the boy when you left?" Erik finally said after a heavy silence had filled the room.
"What?" Christine exclaimed, shocked and confused. Was he talking about Raoul?
"Are you becoming hard of hearing, darling? I said, what did you tell the boy when you left?" He stopped pacing and stared at Christine with his intense golden eyes.
"I told him the truth! That I was going back to be with you!"
"Don't lie to me Christine." Erik warned as his eyes continued to bore straight into her.
"Why would I lie to you? I told him that I couldn't stay with him! That I needed to go back to you, that I wanted to stay with you!"
"Oh, I see. So did he just call up his little carriage and wish you bon voyage then?" Erik spit venomously at her, finally turning his gaze away, only so he could pick up his pacing again.
"No he did not! He spent a great deal of time telling me how wrong I was, and how he wouldn't allow me to go. But I think he knew he couldn't keep me with him." Christine stood and walked over to Erik, standing in his path and grabbing one of his arms gently. "He knew during our performance that you held everything I had, my mind, my heart, my entire soul."
"Are you aware of what he told the public?" He asked, although the venom was gone from his tone and his eyes were much softer.
"No, I don't particularly care."
"That's what I told Madame. But it seems your dear boy has made it appear that The Phantom is still around, and has kidnapped you."
"What?! That's ridiculous! People actually believe that?" Christine shouted. "I'm going to write him immediately! I'm going to insist that he take back that statement, and tell them that I am fine and left on my own will!"
Erik's temper seemed to cool as soon as Christine's flared. Something inside him needed to hear her say just one more time that she came back to him because she wanted to. He wrapped his arms around her and engulfed her in a tight hug.
Christine was surprised at first when she felt Erik's arms wrap around her, but she realized that he had needed reassurance and she had given that to him. She hugged him back fiercely, burying her head into his chest.
And in that moment, she didn't care what everyone else thought. All that mattered was that she was with her angel and they were safe and secure and in love.