Running From the Past

Chapter 12: Hopeful Ideas

Sara sat chained up like a slave in tears while the evil demon from hell Nuel sat taunting her to know end waiting for her to flip out so she would be immediately arrested. There was nothing Sara could do and no where to run. She was trapped. There was one idea rolling around in her brain, but it wouldn't work in a carriage. It was more suitable for an outside capture where she could easily run away. She slumped down defeated and lonely. He won't come for me she thought sadly. I wouldn't even come for me. I broke probably the most important promise of my life and lied miserably. No better than Christine. He's not coming.

No! The other half of her mind screamed back at her, you're wrong. He loves you, he'll show up.

XXX.

The cloaked figure approached the opera house timidly, yet fierce determination shown brightly in the eyes. Of course, since all the doors were now locked, she hiked up her clothes and proceeded to climb the roof and storm in the back way. This was not proper behavior for Christine Daae, but it was needed. If Erik heard it from anybody else, they would be dead. No question about that. She closed the back door as quietly as she could, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness. She hoped Erik would still allow her to step foot in his building and not kill her on the spot just because he could.

She realized she had absolutely no idea how to get to him…All the times she had ever gone to his lair, he had brought her; she never went by herself. Silently, Christine moved across the building to her old dressing room harboring a single idea. The room was dark and dusty after many moons of non-use, and she was very surprised that Erik hadn't walled it up for good. She stood in front of the mirror, said a quick prayer begging for the idea to work, and started to sing.

"Angel of Music, Guide and Guardian, grant to me your glory…" Nothing. What was it she expected to happen?

"I am your Angel of Music, come to me Angel of Music…" Was it him? Could it be him? Was he just going to lure her down to him so he could kill her and no one would ever hear her screams? Erik held out his hand mentally kicking himself for this again. He was taking her to his home, Raoul was still in existence. Nothing had changed. Erik was like the lost puppy. No matter what she did, he would always come back. Christine took his hand and together they went through the mirror once more like so long ago.

Christine didn't even wait for the boat, or even to arrive at his home. "I know where Sara is" she told him, breaking any moment they had.

"So do I. She's exploring."

"No Erik, she's not." Christine argued, "She came to see me and Raoul sent her back because he thought you would ruin her life and she wouldn't grow up, well, normal."

Erik stood in shock with his arms crossed watching her. That did sound like a very fop-ish thing to do. "No…no, it can't be" he tried to convince himself. "She promised I made her promise" he sobbed falling down to his knees without bothering to stop the tears. Christine swore she could see the exact moment in time his heart shattered. She sat down next to him and held him tight as he cried. She wasn't afraid of him, he was harmless right now.

"How do we get her back? God Christine I want her back, make her come back to mee"

"Shh, I know Erik, but she didn't run away from you that is a plus isn't it? Why would she? I'm sure you treat her like a princess. Now don't cry, we'll figure something out"

"Princess" he echoed. "She's my princess and I need her in my life. She's the only one to ever, ever look me straight in the eye and not at the mask. Tell the Vicomte goodbye. You won't be seeing him again."

"What do you mean I won't be seeing him again?"

"He'll die for this." Erik told her standing up. "I knew I should have killed that miserable fop when I had the chance to. This is the second time he's stolen something important from my life, I will make damn sure there is not a third."

"Erik no," Christine said grabbing onto his arm. "He's not the worry right now. Get Sara first, kill later." She explained hoping by "later" Erik would be too overjoyed to remember about killing anyone. He sat back down with his head in his hands crying. Christine looked at the even more broken down man in front her and rubbed his back in circles in an effort to be comforting.

We have to get her back she thought, this could very well be the final push to send him over a cliff…

Suddenly she had a break through. "Erik, if I go to run an errand real quick, will you be here when I return?"

He sniffled. "My body might be but I don't know about me per say."

Christine smacked Erik upside the head, "That is enough of that talk. How would it look to Sara if she came home and saw her daddy, you, dead? Again. Now I promise, I have an idea that will help us. I just need to pick some things up." She squeezed his hand tightly, "I will be back. I promise."

"Like you promised the last time?"

"Please trust me. You don't have to forgive me right now, but at least trust me…Please?"

"Alright, fine." He gave in, "But I'm not trusting you for 'you' I'm trusting you for Sara. I won't do anything to myself and I will be here when you return."

"Good, now sit there and don't move. The sooner I leave the sooner I'll be back" she lectured and ran down the hallway, back through the mirror and finally out the door. Erik could do nothing but sit, wait, and worry. Here we go again God, bargaining time. Help my girl return back to me, and I promise to change for the better…I promise.

Laying down on the floor, he played back the past few days with her. How in this short length of time he truly laughed and smiled more than in his whole life. Pulling his cape over his head, he cried until he had nothing left.

XXXX

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