Come on guys! Two reviews? I know that more people than that are reading this story! Reviews motivate the author you know! I just want to know who's reading this! And one review doesn't count! She's my friend so she's practically forced to write a review! (No offense Remy) Please guys! Review, just let me know what you think about the story. Even if it's just a 'good job' or 'I hate it'. If you review it might motivate me to write one or two more chapters before I go to Vegas next week.
*Sigh*-anyway-thanks to ErikaDyer for reviewing last time. And all the others who reviewed before that.
Chapter 14
Christine Daae was having a wonderful dream. She was dreaming about her father and herself in a picnic they had taken in Central Park when she was seven.
It was a beautiful summer day, kites were flying and there were people crowding the park. She smiled brilliantly at her father, hoping that he would let her buy a treat like ice cream. They sat down on a place that didn't have too many people in it. Suddenly, the wind started blowing and the clouds grew dark.
Christine looked around, confused. What was going on? This never happened! It had been a great day for her!
Suddenly she was in a hospital room again, her father's right before he died. He was laying on the bed, his breathing laboured. He looked into her eyes seriously.
"Christine...child, do not fear. You will have one to guide you once I am gone." He gasped. Christine felt tears streaming down her face.
"No! Papa! Don't leave me! Not again. Please-I love you!" She begged. A tight smile grew on her father's face.
"But you love someone else more do you not child? Someone who makes you feel wanted and loved. That is something I couldn't do after Beth's death. You have someone that loves you as well Christine..." And he fell into a deep sleep, one he would never wake from.
"Erik..." Christine whispered, waking up suddenly.
She looked around frantically, where was he? Where was she for that matter? Oh right-the guest room Erik had. He carried her there when she had fallen asleep. The books and CDs that lined the walls helped calm her down. They were the ones she used to listen to all the time. Most of them Disney classic, the Lion King, Mulan, that sort of stuff.
She saw normal clothes in the closet, jeans, t-shirts, that sort of thing. She picked her favourite ones out of the bunch and threw them on, in search of Erik.
She ran down the stairs and saw two of the servants that had been calling her a whore earlier. They glanced up, looked at each other but did not say a word.
"Excuse me-do you know where Erik is?" She finally asked. The woman looked at her in shock.
"The master has left you a note on the kitchen table. It is that was." She said snidely, motioning to a hallway on their left. Christine nodded in thanks and dashed down the hallway.
She finally reached the kitchen and saw the paper on the table. She figured Erik had gone to the opera house or something. Nothing could have prepared her for what was on that paper.
My dear Christine
By now you will have realized that I am gone. I am not coming back, I have caused you enough pain and suffering with me being there. I am a murder by heart Christine. I cannot change that and the best thing is for me to leave you. I will not tell you where I am going-do not come and find me. I cannot have you tainted by me Christine, you are everything I am not.
I know about what happened to you before your father died, your rape is fresh in my mind as I write this. The court orders, everything about it makes me sick. But do not dwell on the incident your whole life. Be grateful that you were not damaged worse and live your life to the fullest. Be thankful for what you have. Take care of Little Giry for me, convince her and her mother to reunite. They deserve each other because they're family. I am not a part of that family.
You will have the protection of my reputation wherever you go. If you continue to work with Jack and Ms Stewart that is excellent. If you decide that you are not right for that place I will not hold it against you and you will be welcomed wherever you decide to go next.
As to where you will live, I will not permit you to live in that hole you call a home any longer. This is now your house, all my possessions and riches are yours. Where I am I will not need them. They are for you and only you. I ask that you do not let anyone know about my bedroom. That is for us and us alone. Excluding Nadir we are the only two people in the world who know about it. I ask that you keep that sacred. To remember me by.
Please Christine-do believe I love you. I love you and I would die for you. This is a way to keep you safe.
I love you forever and always
Erik
Christine fell to the ground in a sobbing mess.
"N-no! He can't be gone! I was supposed to watch over him, love him, show him that he is loved! How could he think that he is a monster?" She sobbed.
And she was a sobbing mess that had no idea what to do now. She couldn't report him as a missing person-he hadn't been gone more than 8 hours at the most. And he didn't have many friends. What could she do? She had to get him back! She couldn't live without him!
It seemed like forever before she was able to think rationally enough to make a descision.
She called Meg. It seemed logical. Meg had known Erik longer than she had and was reliable. So it seemed like the best idea at the time.
Key words: At the time.
When Meg heard she started to freak out. A lot.
"What am I supposed to do Christine?! I don't know him at all! You'd be better off asking my mum or Nadir! Hell-ask the servants and they would know better than me! I haven't seen him in over 2 years!" She raged. She was worried as well. She knew how much Christine loved him and if he was to disappear then she couldn't say what would happen to Christine.
"Please Meg-I really need your help. He's gone! I need to get him back!" Christine said determinedly. Meg sighed, thinking for a moment.
"Okay....tell me the address and I'll be there as soon as I can. I have to do something first." She agreed. Christine almost cried from relief.
"Oh thank you so much." Christine whimpered then gave her the house address.
~*~
Meg didn't know what she was doing. Well, she did partially. She needed to help her friend. And help her friend she would. But there was going to be consequences for it.
She got off the bus where she used to stop everyday. She walked about a block to the south and turned off into a street.
She stood in front of a house for a moment, just sizing it up. Noticing that nothing had changed really. The paint had faded and some of the flowers were larger. But it didn't look different at all.
She slowly reached into her pocket and took out a key that she had grabbed from her measly items.
She walked up the walkway, her feet dragging, her mind screaming against this action.
Finally she reached the front door. She rang the bell then inserted the key into the lock. She opened that door and called out:
"Mom? Mom?! It's me-Meg! Please come here for a moment!"
Suddenly she heard footsteps barrelling down the steps from the second floor. Mother and daughter embraced for the first time for a long while. Finally Antoinette stepped back and looked at her daughter, he eyes red and puffy from the tears.
"Oh ma fille....thank you for coming back to me. I'm so sorry....so sorry. I did not mean it." She said softly, not wanting to upset her only daughter.
"I'm so sorry too maman. But we will talk later-I need your help." She whispered.
"What do you need? Are you in trouble?" Antoinette asked sharply. Meg shook her head.
"No-it is Erik who is in trouble. He has run away, and he may do something drastic." She said frantically. The puzzled look her mother had on her face forced Meg to explain everything that had happened (minus the prostitution part) since she had left.
"We need to help Christine find Erik maman! You should see him with her, he's very gentle and loving." Meg begged.
"But why did you come to me Meg?" Antoinette asked.
"Can you help us look for him? Please! This isn't normal for Erik-and Christine is on the verge of a mental breakdown!" Meg cried tearfully, the emotions of the past little while getting a hold of her.
Antoinette sighed.
"Come on-we'll take my car."
~*~
The car drive to Erik's estate was awkward. Neither knew what to say to the other after a year's separation.
Finally Meg tried to bridge the gap between them.
"So...uh-date any new guys while I was gone?" She ventured. After her father Jules died her mother had gone on a brief stunt of depression, leaving Meg to fend for herself basically.
She had only dated once since then and they guy had turned out to be no good.
Until now apparently.
Antoinette turned red.
"I may have met a detective while searching for you....he was nice." She muttered. Meg burst out laughing at the look on her mother's face.
"Are you serious mom? A detective? Aw man-I can totally not see you going out with a detective! I mean-sure, it would be cool and all. But still! Mom! What's his name?" She asked, chattering non stop. Her mother smiled, this was the Meg she remembered.
"His name is Jason Gideon. He is a nice man Meg. When you meet him you shall realize that. His work can be dangerous and that is why I do not want to be serious with him. I could not bear it if I lost another one that was dear to me." Antoinette said seriously. Meg sobered and nodded.
"I'm sorry-it's just....after dad died you were so sad. I want you to be happy again mom. That why I left." Meg said miserably. Antoinette nodded.
"I know-and we will speak of this later when things are not quite so crazy. All you need to know is that I love you Meg and I can't bear the thought of losing you too."
Meg nodded in agreement as they pulled up to the house.
"Wow! Does Erik really live here?" She exclaimed. Her mother chuckled.
"Yes he does cherie. You forget that Erik is a very rich man, as paranoid as he is."
The stepped out of the car, surveying the house. They didn't miss the pale face that peaked out the front window as they approached.
Christine met him at the door, fresh tears running down her face and her nose was running.
She looked at the two of them, they bore a striking resemblance to the other. Besides the fact that Antoinette wore black and Meg only wore cheerful colors.
"Christine-this is my mother, mother this is Christine-the girl that I was telling you about." Meg made quick introductions.
"How do you do?" Christine offered a watery smile.
"Very well. I just want to offer my thanks for taking my daughter in when she needed it most." Antoinette thanked her. Christine shook her head.
"It was what anyone would have done in my situation. Meg made great company." She offered.
They both smiled at each other.
"Great-now that we're all done talking about me I think there was a reason you called me here Christine?" Meg asked impatiently.
Christine's face crumpled. Tears sprang into her eyes again.
"W-while you were gone I got a phone call. The man demanded to speak to Nadir but I said he wasn't there. He sounded familiar and I don't know why. But he asked who this was and I gave him my name and he said that he would try again later." She sobbed.
"What does that have to do with anything Christine?" Antoinette asked gently, trying to calm the young girl.
"What I'm saying is-he didn't ask for Erik. Anyone else would have addressed the master of the house first. But not him. He knows something! I know he does!" She sniffed, trying to get a hold of herself.
Both Meg and her mother looked at each other, realizing that Christine was right. At that moment the doorbell rang.