r&r x

I wake to an alarm screaming screaming screaming down my ear. I look to see Raoul hurrying off the bed and straightening his uniform. It is the most peaceful sleep I have had in a long time.

I hear the unmistakable click of my door unlocking and see Erik prowling through. He stops and his eyes travel over my form while he suddenly turns on Raoul.

"I believe that is the alarm for the soldiers to congregate, is it not?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then may I ask why you're still here?" He begins to walk towards him; I can tell he is furious at something.

"I didn't know what to do with the girl, sir." Raoul replies, avoiding looking him in they eyes.

"She is under my care now. You may go." He hesitates a moment to long and I see Erik start to lose his temper. Raoul nods once and looks at me before leaving.

Erik is pacing. He is starting to scare me.

"Can I help?" I squeak and he suddenly stills and begins to walk towards me. I can't breathe.

"Yes." His voice is too calm. "You can start by explaining why the boy was in your bed all night."

He is still walking towards me and suddenly I'm against the wall. I bite my lip and stifle a whimper.

"Am I not enough, Christine?" His body is pressed up against mine and I can feel every inch of his body align with mine. "Am I not enough?" It is a roar, and I jump feeling the traitorous tears begin to trickle down my cheeks.

"Please, stop," I cry. "Why are you doing this to me?"

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Eight seconds and his hands, which hold a bruising grip on my shoulders, now slither up to my neck where he runs a finger over my collarbone. I squeeze my eyes shut as I frantically twist my head away from him.

"I love you." It's a silent whisper against my neck which to my traitorous body reacts, raising chillbumps along my body.

The scary thing is I don't hate Erik; if anything, I can imagine what my life would be like with him if I go back to the beginning, before he took me from the asylum:

It would be hard. Harder than anything I had faced yet. We would fight, cry, scream and here would be no happiness. But the music! Good god, the music. It would be tempting to stay purely for the music he creates.

I shiver.

"What do you want from me?" I panic.

"That's a stupid question, Christine."

I'm a ragged breath of desperation.

Click.

"Get your filthy hands off her, sir." Its twisted with a sneer.

Erik laughs- laughs!- and takes a single step back slowly. "De Chagney."

"I want you to keep the men outside and get us out of here," Raoul continues, oblivious to the smirk Erik is holding.

The pistol is buried into the side of Erik's temple and his smile is still there.

"Raoul, let's go. Please?" I grab the duffel bags that we had already stowed away in case opportunity arose and slid on across the floor to Raoul's feet.

We begin to move towards the door when a throat clearing stops us. "You may as well kill me now, because when I find you," his eyes are looking straight at me, "soldier, I will thoroughly enjoy tearing you apart limb from limb.

"You're making a huge mistake, Christine," his voice drops to a low hum and I feel myself begin to believe what he is saying. "You're throwing away everything! How do you know you can even trust the boy?"

I tear my gaze away from him and to Raoul. Raoul, my childhood friend, the boy who helped me.

Erik is a liar. A crazed man who is obsessed with me. A psychotic murderer. He's never going to help me.

I think.

"Let's go." The command breaks from my lips, "the longer we wait, the more soldiers will be back."

"He doesn't care about you!" Erik explodes and I flinch at the sudden intensity in his voice. "He wants to get out of here and he's using you!"

He blinks twice and touches a palm to his forehead. "I love you, Christine- I'll treat you like a queen-"

"Make the call." Raoul says carefully; he has managed twist his arms behind his back and has the gun pointed at his temple again.

"I would die for you, Christine." His eyes are dangerous; veiled with unsuppressed emotion. "I want you forever."

I'm hysterical, "I'm not yours to want." I want to get out of here right now. It's uncomfortable and hot.

"You could love me, you know." He is smiling strangely. "We would be unstoppable. We would create the most beautiful music the world has ever seen."

"Let me go," I whisper. "I don't want to be your creature."

"Don't you understand? The world has hurt you! The world put you here. You think by running away you will suddenly be accepted? Nothing has changed! You belong with me, Christine!"

"She belongs with me." It is cold enough to cut through steel and I am not surprised when Erik flinches and finally understands.

His eyes are horrified; unbelieving as he stares at me with panic etched into his features. "No." A laugh of disbelief. "Christine. Please. Please. Don't tell me he has filled your head with romantic notions. Don't tell me you have fallen for these- these lies!"

Raoul has Erik on the floor in a quick movement and I hear his back crack and his sharp intake of breath.

"I love you," Raoul urges gently. "Don't let him trick you-"

"He loves you?" His laugh radiates power. "Please! Good god Christine, I never knew that you would be so stupid to believe the lies that are coming from his mouth!"

"Unlock the doors!" Raoul is screaming in Erik's face and my legs are weak and wobbling.

"Raoul!" It is a hoarse cry. "Please stop! Just...don't hurt him anymore."

His eyes meet mine and suddenly the danger in them leaves. "You're right." He looks back down at Erik and pushes the pistol impossibly deeper into his temple. "One last chance, Destler. If you want to try me then fine. But you won't live gloat about it."

With a sigh -that was similar to the sort you would give when told the weather wasn't good- Erik pulled out a small device and laid it in his palm. Pressing far too many buttons, he nodded. "Go. I will enjoy this chase." He unfolds his body and stands straight. "May the best man win," he says, holding a hand out to which Raoul angrily shakes. "And to you, love," he takes my hand and places slow, sensual kisses on my fingers, "I will be seeing you very shortly." With a raise of his eyebrows, my temper has rose and instead of blushing at his stupid innuendoes, I find my hand clenched into a fist and punching him in the face.

"God, Christine." Raoul say, giving a small chuckle, examining Erik's body sprawled across the floor. "He's out cold."

"Are you ready?" I find myself asking him, butterflies pounding into my ribcage.

"Hell yeah!" He replies, holding out his hand which I readily take.

And then we are running.