Pursuit of Your Deepest Urge©
Chapter Fourteen: Assault
By Genevieve Lee
AngelBabe2000: Don't worry, I update quite frequently!
Eyeplayclarinet: Hmm…very good guess. (:
AvatarWolf: Hahaha. Your review made me giggle.
Scorpionorchild: Not too patient, I may get lazy. Hehe.
PhantomLoverG: OMG! Thanks so much!! (:
La-Petit-Aviateur: I got excited about this chapter, so I'm updating both chapters today! Hehe.
AnimeKitty37: I had to do it from Christine's POV. What fun would it be if I didn't?
Thank you to all my lovely reviewers who encouraged me to update a day early.
-----
POV-Christine
Assault (verb)
An unlawful physical attack upon another; an attempt or offer to do violence to another.
The door slammed practically in the two girls' faces and both stared at it, completely dumbfounded.
"Ever feel that they were trying to get rid of us?" Christine asked with a light smile, looking over at Meg.
Meg waved her hand at Christine. "Oh, no matter! You can ask your husband about it later! How much did he give you anyways?" She asked, greed filling her eyes.
Christine blushed. "He is not my husband yet, Meg." She stated as she took out the francs Erik had given her. She opened her two full palms and showed them to her friend.
Meg's eyes glistened. "He did give you quite a lot! I can't wait to spend it!" She giggled as she tugged Christine towards the street.
"We should not spend it all--"
"Nonsense! He gave it to us to spend, so why shouldn't we? Don't be such a ninny!"
"I am not ninny!" Christine stated firmly, now pulling her friend determined to show her how much she could spend.
-----
Christine put her hands in an elegant pair of black gloves, and she opened and closed her hand, trying to see how well they fit. Suddenly, Meg burst from where she was changing.
"What do you think of this gown?" Meg asked, twirling around for Christine's inspection.
Christine looked up and studied her friend. The gown she wore was baby pink in color, and hugged all of her curves. The pink complimented her rosy skin color and blonde hair. It was low cut, but so much it would be immodest.
Christine sucked in a breath. "It's beautiful on you Meg."
Meg smiled and clapped her hands together in excitement. "Oh, may I get it Christine! Please!"
Christine had been very careful about how much they spent, but seeing her friend's excitement made her bend. "I would be the worst friend if I did not."
Meg's face enveloped in a grin and she came forward, tackling her friend in a hug. "Oh, thank you, thank you Christine! I will repay you somehow!" Her friends voice slowly faded as she went to change.
Christine smiled and shook her head as she took of the glove and set it neatly back with the others. After a few minutes, the girls left the store ready to get something to eat. Soon, they were seated at a little café, and after placing their orders, sat back with their tea and talked.
"So, I was thinking…" A dangerous glint came into Meg's eyes.
"Oh no…this cannot be good." Christine teased her friend with a smile.
"That perhaps," She spoke louder now, as if she had not been interrupted, "we should get you something for your wedding night!"
Christine blushed as several people at surrounding table gave them disgusted looks. "Meg!" She said in a commanding voice. "Control your voice!"
Seeing what she had down, Meg looked down bashfully. "I'm sorry."
"It's quite alright." Christine replied. "But I think I would rather have your mother along for something like that." She said with all honesty. Christine, being quite naive, would rather have her surrogate mother along for that kind of shopping trip.
Meg shrugged as she took a sip of her tea. Suddenly, she set it down with haste and leaned into the table. "Christine! Isn't that Raoul and his brother?"
Christine could feel her face drain of color. "Where?"
"Behind you! But don't look, we'll just set some money down and leave."
Christine nodded, already fumbling around in her coin purse. She quickly got out a few francs and tossed them onto the table before rising and making their hasty exit out of the café.
"Christine!"
She stopped dead when she heard Raoul come up behind her.
He came up around her with his boyish grin. "I was hoping I would see you again! I wanted to apologize for what I said--"
"Monsieur, I do not think my fiancée would approve of me speaking with you." She said with all honesty, knowing Erik would not want her anywhere near him. She glanced at Philippe who was standing behind Raoul with an impatient look on his face.
"Fiancée?" Raoul's face fell. "Who are you to be now? No longer Daee…" He let his question trail off.
Christine could not keep the grin from her face. She had wrestled Erik's surname from him the night before. "Madame Destler." She said.
Meg then stepped forward. "If you will excuse us now Monsieur Victome, we must be leaving." She then took Christine's hand and began leading her away. But not before she caught the astonished look of Philippe de Chagny's face.
As they began walking down the street, Meg leaned over. "They are following us."
Christine turned around, and indeed Philippe and Raoul de Chagny had given chase. Though Raoul looked less sure than his brother.
"Quick, over here!" Christine tugged Meg into a dark alleyway. "We will just stay here until they pass, then we shall return to Monsieur Khan's home." She said, wanting nothing than to be with Erik.
"I don't know, Christine…" Meg replied, fear etching onto her face.
"Hush! They are coming closer!" Christine pressed herself and her friend to the wall of the alley.
Their hiding place fooled no one though, because soon both brothers were beside them. Philippe wasted no time in grabbing Christine roughly by the shoulders and pressing her against the wall.
"Christine!" Meg cried, but Raoul coaxed her a few yards away, all the while throwing worried glances at his brother and Christine.
"What did you say your fiancée's surname was?" He demanded.
Christine cried out in pain and fear as she turned her head away, silently willing Raoul to stop his brother.
"Tell me!" His grip tightened on her arms and she became short of breath.
"D-D-Destler." She managed to stutter out. Why did she feel like she was betraying Erik by telling them this?
"Philippe!" Raoul barked. "Let her go! She has no part in this."
Philippe looked at his brother before returning his gaze to the young woman before him. "Tell your fiancée we are coming for him." And with that, he shoved her against the wall before walking from the alley. Raoul followed but not before stopping in front of the frightened Christine and bowing. "My apologies Mademoiselle Daee." He began to leave when he heard his brother call him, but not before he leaned forward and whispered a warning. "Warn you fiancée." And with that he was gone.
Meg ran to Christine's side. "What in heavens name was that all about?" she gripped Christine to help her stand from leaning against the wall.
"I don't know…" She replied absent-mindedly. What was this all about? "Let's just get home."
-----
Both Meg and Christine decided not to say anything, for they did not want to worry anyone. Christine was still dreadfully shaken, and according to Meg, pale. As their hired carriage stopped outside Nadir's home, Christine quickly tried to pinch roses into her cheeks. Meg then took her friend's hands and led her into the house.
Everything seemed normal enough, and Christine hoped it could continue to be that way. Her fiancée stood to greet her and Christine mustered up the most charming smile she could at that moment. But Erik's steps suddenly stopped short.
"Christine, are you alright?" He asked, concern flecking into his golden eyes.
"What? Oh…yes. I am fine." She said shaking her head. But she quickly glanced at Meg, who glanced at Madame Giry. She could see her fear reflected into her friend's eyes, and as Erik looked back and forth between them, Christine knew she was found out. After Erik said his hasty good-byes, he led her from the house.
He seemed to have a collected silence, as if lost in his thoughts. He did not ask her how her day was, what she bought, or about the change she still had in her coin purse. In fact, they did not exchange one word all the way back to his home. She was still obviously shaken, and her body trembled slightly, causing the flight into darkness to be even more difficult than usual. This caused Erik to take her elbows and guide her the whole way. Only when they entered his home, did he question her.
"Christine, what happened?" His voice was firm.
She was not really paying attention to where she was walking, and in her haste to get to her room, tripped on one of the stone steps. She landed on her palms, her face inches from the ground. Erik was next to her in a flash, grabbed her upper arms to help her up. Christine hissed in pain and drew back from him, causing anger to flash in Erik's eyes. He grabbed Christine roughly by the wrist. She gasped and tried to draw back but he held fast. He shushed her sobs that had finally escaped and he gingerly lifted up the sleeve of her gown, exposing huge black and blue bruises in the shape of hands directly below her shoulders. Christine hiccupped as Erik looked down at her. She had never seen him so angry.
Her crying finally turned into huge heart-wrenching sobs and without a second look, Erik took her into his arms and coaxed the story from her.
Genny's Note: I know what you're thinking. "Is Christine the dumbest broad on the planet?" Why yes, she is. (: Well please review.