One day left.

I woke up to the normal sight of a note by my nightstand, this time accompanied by a sprig of lilac. He was out shopping again.

I took longer to get ready that morning since he had just bought me new bath soap and I was determined to enjoy what little I had down there. When this was finished, though, and I was dressed and ready, I realized something seemed off. The house quiet. Too quiet for a typical morning, even without Erik...

Suddenly realizing that Lemon was not cooing as he always did in the morning, I ran out to check on him, terrified. The drawing room appeared perfectly normal at first, but the corner was empty. The cage was gone, and so was its occupant.

"Why must you take everything away that makes me happy?" I cried, even though Erik could not hear me.

My chest was so full of heat, and my eyes so full of tears, that I was tempted to destroy something of his in childish retaliation. He had so many fragile things, like that ugly old ostrich egg in the Louis-Philippe room.

But it was a thought I would never act upon. Why hurt Erik for no reason? What good would it do?

When he came back, though, I was spitting mad and immediately confronted him. He just stared at me blankly the entire time.

"Why did you take him away?" I demanded.

"Who?" He replied simply, ignoring me as he set down a bag of groceries.

"Lemon, Erik, the canary!"

"What canary?"

I blinked, "What do you mean? The one that you bought for me! The one that's been in the drawing room for almost two weeks now!"

"Erik hallucinates sometimes, too." He replied simply, chuckling. "There was never a canary in this house."

I crossed my arms in exasperation, "What have you done with him?"

"Perhaps you ought to take a nap, my dear... or perhaps this was a dream you had?"

"But Erik, he's real, you bought him for me the last time I visited... Don't you remember?"

"No... Maybe if you have some breakfast you can come to your senses."

My senses? Come to my senses?

"Did you kill it?" I asked.

He laughed again, "Why do you keep going on about this made up canary? We have no need for a canary down here; you sing more beautifully than any songbird... Now, I want to have another picnic today."

I crossed my arms again, more resolutely, "I won't go anywhere until you explain where you put Lemon."

"In the kitchen, my Christine, with the other fruits."

I glared at him, "That was the canary's name. Lemon."

"Oh, why would you name it that?" He asked, as if he was listening to a child's made-up story.

"Because-it-looked-like-a-lemon-and-you-know-that!"

He laughed again, "Did it really? Well, what a wonderful imagination you have! Come, tell me what we should pack for the picnic."

"I just said; I'm not coming until you tell me where Lemon is."

"In your pretty little mind. Now tell me what you would like."

I stormed away to my room. If he would not answer me then I did not have to answer him.

It was exceptionally easy to behave like a child when one was treated like one. But what was with him? Why did he seem to not remember Lemon? Or was he just trying to fool me, like the hallucination with the siren?

Upon slamming the door, my eyes started to well up with tears. Had he killed my pet? And why had he, when he knew I got such joy out of caring for it?

I had my head buried in my lap while I cried, and I didn't notice Erik open the door. As I looked up for a moment, I screamed in seeing him, then clapped both hands over my mouth.

He shielded his face with his hands and fled. Oh, no, no, what had I done now? What trouble has your poor face gotten you into this time, Erik?

"Erik," I called, still wiping away my tears as I pursued him into the drawing room. "Erik, you just surprised me was all. I wasn't scared, I just..."

He was in a heap in his armchair, sobbing wretchedly. He wouldn't even look up at me as I spoke.

"Erik, I'm truly very sorry," I told him kindly, going on my knees like he did with me. "I didn't mean to scream. You don't frighten me anymore."

He noticed where I was and he tensed, telling me through tears, "G-get up from there, stand up, you should never sit at Erik's feet."

I obeyed only because of how distressed he was. But, really, he was being melodramatic about the whole thing. He knew I had just been surprised... didn't he? Well, I had truly been scared, but I couldn't let him know that.

"That is why you do not want to marry Erik," he sobbed. "Because he is so ugly... and you fear Erik... and you also hate him because he cannot remember about the bird you seem so fond of."

"It is not because you are ugly that I don't want to marry you, Erik," I told him. "Remember what I said my first day?"

"What?"

I was like a mother with her child.

"I said that you were the most unhappy and sublime of men," I told him, the memory horribly vivid, "and that if I ever trembled before you it would be because I was thinking of the splendor of your genius... Remember that?"

He nodded, "Then you do not hate Erik?"

"No. But the reason I do not want to marry you is simply because I do not want to marry anyone."

"It's so lonely to be unmarried..." he said sorrowfully.

"Not if you have friends. And you have me, Erik."

"Yes... Yes, but how can I know you will return and not leave Erik without his one friend?"

"Do you forget the ring you gave me? The first one, to keep me returning to you?"

I showed it to him to remind him, and something cleared in his eyes as he looked up at me.

"And will you keep returning, if you have it?" He asked. "Will you continue to?"

"Of course! You're my friend, Erik, my dear friend... Would you like my hand to kiss?"

"It will be a farewell kiss..." he said softly. "For you will be returning home today."

I blinked, not believing what I had just heard.

"What did you say, Erik?" I asked.

"Bring your music box with you so that you can have Erik's music when you leave," he said, his tone weary. "And return Friday night. Allow me to get the key to the Rue Scribe gate, one moment."

What on earth had changed his mind to free me? And how free was I?

Had... had I actually saved him?

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Yay, she's free! For now, at least. And what does that mean? The Persian is coming soon! Hopefully in perfect, Leroux-accurate fashion

And thank you for the reviews! Oh my goodness, the feedback is so positive so far! Can I address one? Is that a thing? Anyway, yes, I did write that song from chapter 13 originally :) I almost didn't put it in 'cause I thought it'd be too cheesy, but I'm glad people seem to like it, so I'm definitely not taking it out.