A.N. Here is the most important chapter in this fic. Yes, we've reached the climax stage. :) Hope you are all going to enjoy this. Special thanks, as always, to dark-hearted rose and everyone who has supported me throughout with this fic. I couldn't have come this far without the encouragement from you guys.

Chapter Twenty One

It was now nearly the end of October, and Oscar was finally allowed to read a paper that Nadir had brought with him on his last call. Erik still let the weekly visits happen, if for no other reason than to keep an eye on the Persian while putting the latter's mind at ease. He hated the prospect of justifying Oscar's presence in his home to his loyal but at-times-meddlesome friend who would have never believed him helping anyone without an ulterior motive. As a result, Nadir was still blissfully unaware of her existence in Erik's life. This arrangement had been perfectly acceptable to her since she was never one to believe in widening the net of trust. She was, however, curious about the only man who was allowed to visit the lair.

"You trust him, don't you?" she asked casually, carefully setting up the table, the only activity Erik trusted her with in the kitchen, apart from slicing bread and peeling fruits.

"Whom do I owe that rare pleasure to?" He knew whom she was referring to. Still, her assuming so bemused him.

"You know whom. You would not otherwise have let him live when he paid you an unexpected visit. Umm, that soufflé smells gorgeous."

"It will taste even better," he smiled, dishing out the meal he had prepared. "As for your question, trust is not a simple matter of yes or no. I do trust him to a certain extent, however. He saved my life by telling me what the Shah had in store for me after the building construction had completed and giving me the name of a few palace guards who were susceptible to a bribe."

"He followed you to France," she observed, after taking a few delightful bites.

"It was too dangerous for him to stay in Persia. The Shah would have found out he was the last to speak with me before I disappeared from his grasp. Besides, he was getting tired of making a list of people to be killed and tortured. I packed and sneaked out enough treasure from that cursed land to set us both up comfortably for life."

A contemplative pause settled between them, till they emptied their plates.

"What is his name?"

"Nadir. Why do you ask?"

"He saved your life. The least I could do is to remember his name," she said, nervously pondering whether the time was right for the proposal that she had been afraid of making known to him for a whole month. "Why did you not ask him to simply buy the opera house on your behalf? You could have run it anyway you liked. They could have performed your opera every night."

"For one thing, I hadn't written an opera by that time. It only occurred to me later on that I could suggest improvements on what they performed above my home. In any case, Nadir had to keep a low profile. Even now, his accommodation is not luxurious. A rich Persian would have attracted much talk and made it easy for the Shah to track him down," he replied, speculating on why she looked rather nervous.

"If I tell my father that I will respect his guidance on my future and go back to the army, I can secure enough funds to buy the building. It will be bought in my name, but yours to run. Nadir can play the manager for the outside world."

"No," came a sharp, bitter reply. "You will do no such thing."

"It doesn't mean that I cannot find a way to come and see you often. I can insist that I will not accept any overseas posts during the peace time." She put up a protest, even though she was already half-defeated.

"I said No. Any further discussion on this matter is closed."

October rain was cold and heavy. Erik roamed the murky streets of Paris alone, not caring how long he had been out. The cleansing and purifying effect of the rain was lost in his cheerless mood. He felt neither relief nor regret from the thought of the concerned Oscar. The rain had penetrated into the last layer of clothing, but even the icy chill his body was protesting against did not matter enough to take him to the realms of rational thought – dry clothes, warm bed, and the undeniable power of his hold on her. He knew he was probably over-reacting, but could not help feeling dismayed by Oscar's proposal. A harsh laughter rang through the mainly deserted streets, briefly catching the attention of a few grumbling soldiers who patrolled the area and the Parisians who braved the weather.

Somewhere deep inside his mind, he suspected that her old life was not what she genuinely desired; that she merely tried for a solution that might benefit both him and her father. He could persuade her to forget the feeble attempt. He should make her see that it would not work. Yet, his pessimism had returned and became stronger, even as he now was certain of her love towards him. Perhaps love would never be enough. Even now, she could not commit herself to the safety and security of his underground home. His damning pride would be his downfall once again. He should not have underestimated the General's hold on Oscar; he should never have made the decision to return her to her father.

It was nearly early morning when he finally returned to where he left her, knowing she would not manage a moment's peace. It didn't comfort him to know that she had suffered as well, but he could not bring himself to forgive her yet. Her sleep-deprived eyes looked sad as he purposely ignored her greetings, proceeding to discard his wet clothing and dry himself.

"I have always suspected that you would not belong to me," she began quietly. "And you proved me right tonight. You would not follow me. It would be the end of us if I did not choose to stay here with you; if I did not choose to be where you want me to be."

Erik stood still for a moment, reflecting on her words and wrapping himself with a warm robe. He was still bitter, but his sullen silence was finally broken.

"Is it so wrong of me to want you to be at my side? I told you I would give you the freedom to make a choice. You need not try to buy off what would be yours."

"You have no idea how the idea of going back to life above the ground frightens me. But when you decided to give my freedom back, you also made me responsible for my actions, my decisions. I cannot choose merely by my desires."

"Go on," he said, seating himself next to her.

Despite his dark mood, he was willing to hear her out. He might as well, if it meant that the awkward discussion would never be repeated.

"I wanted to be strong for both you and my father. I didn't want him to think that his trust in me was misplaced. As for you, I thought maybe, just maybe, you would let me help you to prove your brilliance to the world."

Erik made no answer, and she supposed rightly that he would not change his mind, but tried one last attempt to push the solution that might be just acceptable to both men who had equal claims on her life. Taking his hands in hers and lifting them up for a closer look, she said as though musing to herself, "These hands that both destroy and create. They could offer so much more."

He did not remove his hands from her grasp, but remained quite untouched.

"You can live your life as you see fit. I will not go back on my words. But if you choose to resume your previous life, it will not be for my benefit," he muttered, his tone weary, yet conclusive.

After suffering his stubbornness for a torturous length of time, she had no option but to concede to the inevitable conclusion that there would be no happy resolution that would please both her father and Erik. The only option open to her was to follow her own desires. As she sensed his weight leaving the mattress, a blind panic stirred inside her. "Wait," her voice came out as desperate as her grip on his wrist. There would be no going back on what she was about to give away.

"I choose you," she whispered. A pang of guilt towards her father made her uneasy, but could not stop her from saying what Erik needed to hear. "I don't have to wait till the end of this year and go back to the world to make that decision. Since you informed me of your intention to free me, I have often thought about my options in the world above. I know now what I truly want. I will stay wherever you want me to be. I cannot bear losing you."

His gaze held unwavering conviction in her eyes for a long while. Erik felt tenderness spreading through his whole being, melting away any trace of resentment. Quietly, he returned to her side and held her face in his palms.

"No regrets?"

"No."

He knew then that she had become what he always wanted. She had finally crossed the illusive threshold; she belonged to him.