Trmo77: It will be a difficult choice for her. In honor of your trip, I made this chapter extra long.

Phantom Serenity: Unfortunately it's not that simple.

Chapter thirteen

"Thank you doctor." Christine said.

"Yes." Madame Giry said curtly. "Meg. Show him out. I need to talk to Christine." Meg nodded and did as she asked. Christine looked nervous as she tightly held onto the cane as she got of the examination table. Madame Giry shook her head, "all right, what happened?"

Christine exhaled and ran her hand through her hair. "I accidentally knocked his mask off his face."

Madame Giry's face stiffened, "did you see his face?" Christine nodded. "Did you do it on purpose?"

"No! I hit my elbow and I jerked my hand and it fell off." Christine sighed. "I hoped he'd come back. He locked me out."

"Do you blame him?" Madame Giry asked. "Christine, I've known him since he was thirteen. He'd been beaten, abused, starved and neglected. All because of his face. Can you blame him for being upset with you?"

Christine shook her head and whispered, "he kissed me."

Madame Giry blinked, "repeat that again."

"He kissed me."

Madame Giry stared at her. "Christine. Are you sure?"

Christine stared at her, "Madame Giry, I know what a kiss is."

"Was it a kiss on the cheek?"

"Madame Giry," she said. "He put his hands on my waist, backed me against the piano and," she dropped her gaze. "He…he kissed me. And," she exhaled. "I kissed him back."

Madame Giry stared at her, "you're leaving Christine. You cannot stay here!"

"Madame Giry."

"Christine. You've kissed him. You've seen his face." she frowned. "Did you scream when you saw his face?" Christine shook her head. "He won't let you go Christine. And Raoul. What about him? He's done everything for you. He gave up his fortune, his family, abandoned everything to get you somewhere you'd be safe and legal to marry and raise children."

Christine nodded. "I know. I-I'm a wretched woman. I kissed Erik, and I didn't think of Raoul until, I started comparing his kiss to Erik's."

"And?"

Christine moaned, "Erik's…. Well, his really," she groaned. "A kiss is just a kiss, I know that but it felt…right. Like, we could be meant for each other. But, I'm afraid," her voice broke. "This is happening to fast. And Raoul, I do love him, in a way. How could a girl not fall in love with him? He's been so wonderful, kind and generous to me."

"And Erik?"

Christine sighed, "Madame Giry, I don't know Erik. So, I have no right to feel this way. I don't pity him. I care for him. Very much. I feel like, I've always known him."

"And his face?"

"A little startling. But he is beautiful Madame," Madame Giry started. "No man could right such music and not be beautiful." Christine inhaled and asked. "How come his face is like that?"

"A malformation of the bones and cartilage."

"So, it's from birth?" Madame Giry nodded and Christine sighed. "He must hate the world."

"Christine, the world left scars that cannot be healed."

"I know that as well by personal experience. But Erik wants love. Every person deserves love, if even for a short time."

"Do you love him?" Madame Giry demanded.

Christine blinked. "I don't know him."

"Do you love him?"

Christine exhaled, "I-I I could love him. He's an interesting man. I like him a lot. But, I can't. I can't hurt Raoul. I can't. Not after everything he's done for me."

"And Erik?"

She sighed, "I'll talk to him. I've got to make him understand."

"Christine, he won't let you go."

"He will. He will."

"You're a fool Christine." Madame Giry said. "A fool."

Christine hobbled towards the door. Madame Giry shook her head in defeat. The girl had no clue of what she was getting herself into.

Christine turned to the piano player. "Play every sharp, flat and vice versa."

"Madam," he said in a lower voice. "Won't that anger the composer?"

She nodded, "maybe. But that's what I'm hoping. To ensure it, play a g instead f a c." she cleared her throat and smiled. "Let's try "where is love?" first."

Erik was there. She knew it. She could just feel it. To hear his music butchered would certainly get him to come out of hiding. He had locked the mirror, but had set the songs out on her makeup table for her to find. She had to talk to him.

Christine began singing and sure enough the piano player butchered the song. Christine fumbled along and matched her voice to the wrong notes. She didn't even get to the second line before Erik's furious voice exploded inside the opera house.

"ENOUGH!" The lights flickered. "CAN'T YOU READ MUSIC?"

Christine glanced up in the direction of his voice. "why don't you come down?"

"I will not madam!"

"Erik, stop behaving like a child."

"I will not come down because you request it madam!"

she exhaled, "if I begged you would you come down?" silence reigned. Christine exhaled. "would I be more convincing on my knees?"

she moved her skirts and got down. "STOP!" Erik snapped. But she caught the defeat in his voice. "I'll see you in your dressing room."

"All right." Christine turned to the piano player. "thank you. Now, no one move an inch."

Christine turned and hurried down to the dressing room. Madame Giry gripped her arm. "what are you doing?"

"I'm going to talk with Erik. Get this mess sorted out."

"Christine, if you are not back within an hour. You tell him, I am calling the police."

"you will do no such thing madam Giry!" Christine said. "this is my business! Erik and I will settle it, alone, without your…meddling."

Madame Giry stared at her and shook her head. "you'll be sorry."

Christine pushed past her and entered her dressing room. It wasn't any surprise to her that Erik was already there. She closed and locked the dressing room door.

Erik stood up, looking very menacing. "well, it worked! Damn you Christine!" he shouted. "how can you do that?"

"Erik! Shut up, calm down and sit down!"

"I'll do no such thing!"

Christine stomped up to him, "oh yes you will!"

For a moment, the two of them stood there staring at each other. Her gaze flickered to his mask and he stepped back. She sighed, "Erik, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to knock your mask off."

He snorted, "do you expect me to believe that?"

"I do." She cleared her throat. "would you remove it please?"

Erik stared at her, "Are you mad?"

"maybe. But Erik, I hate talking to half a person. I've seen your face."

"And you want to see more of the devil?"

Christine struck his unmasked cheek. Erik clutched his face, before grabbing her and shaking her. "how dare you?"

"how dare you call yourself the devil? Erik! I've seen worse!"

"like what?" he shouted.

"a slave after he's received 100 lashes!" she snapped. Erik's grip stilled. "so many lashes had torn away the skin you could see his bones and muscles in some places."

"how could you see such a hideous thing?"

she inhaled, trying to erase the horrid memory. Raoul's father had ordered a hundred lashes for a runaway slave. All the slaves had been forced to watch, including her. Raoul, had been sick with the fever and his father thought her seeing that horrid exhibition was worthwhile.

"at Raoul's plantation."

Erik's scowl darkened, "who is this…Raoul? Is he the one you had your lunch with yesterday?"

Christine nodded and inhaled, "he is Erik." She cut Erik off quickly before he could as what was on his mind. "Raoul's in love with me." Erik's face stiffened. "you need to know that. What happened between us last night," her face flushed and she gestured lamely. "it can go no further than friendship."

Erik stared at her. "you kissed me." He said. "you kissed me and you say… it can go no further. Christine I-

She held up her hand, "Erik, please! Don't say anything that will cause hurt, pain and angst between us. There will be a strictly business relationship between us. Composer and singer. That's all."

Erik's stomach twisted, " it's because he's handsome and I'm hideous?" Christine shook her head. "his face is perfect and I've," he removed his mask, waiting for her to scream. "this cursed face!"

Christine stepped towards him, her eyes unwavering. She gently touched the deformity he paused as he fingers gently touched his aching flesh. Flesh that had been hungry for someone to caress.

"no Erik, it's not your face." she whispered.

"then what is it?" he said. "Christine, I am….very…attracted to you. You know that, otherwise you wouldn't be saying these things to me."

Christine nodded, "I'm aware. I'm saying these things to try and spare you pain."

"you know nothing of pain!" he snapped pushing her arm away. "you know nothing more than the prick of a needle!"

I don't know pain?" she said. "Erik, I'm going to show you something that is highly improper, but if it helps you understand me better, I'll do it."

Erik looked up as Christine began to undo her blouse. His face went red. "Christine!"

She inhaled. "now," her finger's shook with undoing the buttons. "you're the first to see this. And don't look away!"

"Christine." He stammered. "it's not right."

Her sleeves dropped around her and she at least had the decency to flush red at his gaze. She stepped forward and extended her arm. Erik tried not to, but Christine thrust her arm in his face.

Erik's heart stopped. he took her hand and examined it closer. Whip marks tainted her beautiful arm. He followed the line up to her shoulders.

"what?" he whispered. Christine lifted up her chemise top slightly and he saw marks on her stomach as well. Angry tears filled his eyes. "who did this? Who could… mar such beauty?"

"I never knew his name." She said. "but he's dead, Raoul shot him in the back when the man was going to defile me."

Erik hadn't expected to feel relieved, but he was glad that the boy had been there for her. "why?"

She inhaled and said. "Erik, I've got…Negro blood in my veins. In the states, that legally made me a slave."

Erik shook his head, "I don't understand. You don't even look like an african."

"Does it...matter to you...that I've got...Negro blood in me Erik?"

Erik stared at her. "How could you think that? You're a wonderful woman." Erik struggled for words. "You're voice is angelical. You're kind, why...why should I care about your nationality? I care about you. christine, you're so," He groaned. "how could he do this to you?" He touched a whip mark on her shoulder. "Me, I'm hideous."

"Erik, don't, you're not." She sighed. "You have a beauty underneath. Please know, I do understand pain. I endured it, yours was much worse, but I've had a taste of it. I have no idea how you were able to survive and become such a kind person."

Erik laughed bitterly, "kind. You…make me what I am." Tears filled his eyes and he traced a scar. "but you, you're too perfect for a…monster like me."

Christine stepped forward and shook her head, "Erik. This was just the wrong time and place. If it had been you instead of Raoul…things would have been different."

"how different?" he asked.

Christine shifted uncomfortably, "very different." She began to put her arms into her sleeves.

"did he…hurt you anywhere else?"

she paused, "my breasts, my back."

"oh Christine!"

"Shh," she said. "it's over Erik."

Erik watched her as she buttoned up her dress. His heart ached, but he couldn't help but ask. "why won't you me a chance to love you? You know I do."

Christine paused and looked at Erik. He hadn't meant to admit it to her in such a manner, but it was true.

"because of Raoul Erik. He saved me, gave me freedom and risked everything. I owe him my life."

"do you own him you heart and body as well?" Christine stiffened. He walked up to her and gently traced her jawbone. "I want you Christine. I need you."

Christine looked up at him, "would you take me against my will?"

He shook his head, "no. I want you. I don't want you struggling, crying and pleading. Maybe, you will realize that you love me too. I just hope that it won't be too late for us when you realize that."

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