Hey everyone! Had some extra time today so I decided to upload this new chapter. This chapter is one of my favorites, because it get's our story close to a climax. There are probably only 6 more chapters to go…I'm not sure yet. I do promise to have this story finished by the time the real Love Never Dies comes out. It be funny if this story resembled the show….Anyway I don't own Phantom. Enjoy!

Erik's POV

The following morning, I awoke to the sound of Christine breathing beside me. It was Monday morning, and I knew what I needed to do. As soon as I sat up, my body ached in agony, causing me to lie back down. I hadn't taken it easy the past couple of days. The doctor told Christine to keep me in bed, but I refused. I had even stopped taking that horrid liquid for my voice. I'm not one for relaxing, and with my show being only a few days away, how could I? Once again I stood up, and ignored the pain this time. After dressing, I walked to the kitchen to prepare myself a cup of tea. Today I needed to prepare the stage for Friday's show. I needed to raise the chandelier, and finish painting my backdrops. If we were going to be ready for Friday's show, the stage needed to be ready today. As I was standing over the stove, I felt Christine's arms wrap around my waist so lovingly. I turned to face her, only to see that she seemed upset.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, kissing her hand lightly.

"You don't look so well, Erik."

"I'll be fine, I have things to do today."

I turned back to the stove, and poured the hot tea into a cup.

"Could I help you?" she asked.

"No, just spend the day with Gustave. I need to move some things around on the stage; nothing too drastic."

"Will you come back for lunch?" she asked.

I nodded, and kissed her goodbye. After leaving my lair, I descended down the dark hallways to get to my theater. When I turned on the lights, the brightness burned my eyes so terribly that I had to dim them. Staying down in a dark lair all these years had damaged my vision, but not so much where I would change my entire lifestyle. I could never imagine moving into a house in the country side, or an apartment in Manhattan. I only lived with Madam Giry a short time, and hated the atmosphere of her house. I was only glad that Christine didn't seem to mind living deep within my lair. Yes I would do anything for her, but if she asked to move, I don't know if I would be able to do it. The first task I wanted to complete, was hanging the chandelier over the stage. After tying a heavy rope to the top of it, and throwing the spare rope over the rafters above the stage, I began to pull. Pulling up a chandelier had always been so easy for me, but today it seemed impossible. I pulled until my crisp shirt was full of sweat, and even then I did not stop. My face had become so sweaty that my mask slid off my cheek. Just as I was about to give up, I heard a voice coming from the doorway of the theater.

"Do you need some help?"

I dropped the rope, and came around the chandelier to see that bastard Raoul standing in MY doorway of MY theater. I immediately grabbed the extra rope that was lying on stage, and tied it into a noose; ready to use it on him.

"Oh don't kill yourself old man." was his reply.

I didn't put down the rope, and continued holding it as he began to descend towards the stage.

"Don't come any closer." I warned. "I'll kill you where you stand."

When Raoul was no more than two feet away, he stopped and glanced at the chandelier.

"I'd say you need help lifting that. I'd be willing to help you, if you put down that lasso of yours."

I couldn't trust this man, how could I? He almost killed me at least twice, and I hated him just because he abused Christine and my son. For all I knew, he was probably offering to help bring up the chandelier only to bring it down on me.

"Why do you want to help me?" I asked.

"Well, I'm leaving for Germany on Friday night and I need some money. If you let me help you up until Friday, I wanted to know if you would pay me a small fee. Just for food and some clothing…"

"How do I know I can trust you?" I asked.

"I lost everything." he replied. "What is left to be vengeful about? I'm being sent back to Germany without Christine….my life as I know it is over. Let me help you set up for Friday's show and pay me."

He still didn't convince me, and I refused to put down the lasso.

"If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it while you were busy lifting that chandelier. I could have just walked in here and shot you. I only have one condition, I don't want you telling Christine about me helping out. She wishes to never see me again, and I wish to abide by what ever she wants."

This time, I placed down the lasso and walked over to the chandelier again.

"You have a deal." I replied.

Raoul approached me, and tapped me on the shoulder, causing me to turn and face him. I wasn't wearing my mask, but it didn't seem to bother him.

"When men make a deal, they shake on it." he said, offering his hand.

I hated the thought of shaking hands with him, but I did. Afterwards, he picked up an end of the rope, and we both pulled together. The chandelier was up within seconds, and I tied the rope tightly to the rafter.

"What's next?" he asked.

"I have to finish painting the backdrops."

"Do you need help?" he asked.

"Sure, I'll get you a brush." I replied.

We both walked backstage, never taking my eyes off of him. I didn't believe he was here to help me for one moment, and so I agreed to keep a steady eye on him. After I handed him a brush, I told him to finish painting the forest backdrop, while I finished painting the one of an opera house. I sat there on the stage, filling in the stone colored walls, glancing at Raoul every so often to make sure he wasn't up to any funny business. As the hour passed, I couldn't help but notice that he was just sitting there, doing as I asked him.

"How is Christine?" asked Raoul after almost an hour of silence.

"Just fine." was my reply. I hated Raoul, and wasn't about to join him in a friendly conversation.

"As long as she's happy, then I guess that's all that matters."

"She is happy."

"I couldn't help but notice the ring on your finger, where did you get it from?"

I glanced over at Raoul, to see that he was glancing at me.

"I don't wish to speak about my life. You're here to make money and nothing more. Christine and I are happily married, and that's all you need to know."

"What about your son? Has he seen your face?"

Raoul was making me terribly angry, so angry that I was going to throw him out at any given moment.

"Look DeChangy, if you must know, my son has not seen my face. Now you better stop with the questions, and on with your work. Another word, and I'll throw you out of here with no pay at all."

"I just wonder about one thing.."

"Which is what?" I asked.

Raoul then stood up, and placed his brush down.

"Why do you get her?

What makes you deserve her

What makes you have the right

She was mine…

And you stole her right from my sight…"

"I stole nothing." I replied angrily.

"Please Monsieur do not lie

Back in Paris I thought you died…

But you didn't

And so the years went by

When we needed help we got a letter

A letter I should have known

Was written by the likes of you

And you alone…

But I was blind

And way to drunk

To even smell out a skunk

And so we came here without a word

Thinking this would help us all…

Then you appeared causing our love and marriage to fall."

I squeezed my fists, and paced around him as I fought back with my opinion.

"No dear boy please get it right

I stole nothing day and night.

She came to me

And nothing more.

Her love for me made my spirit soar.

You abused her day and night

For the past decade

That's ten years!

How could you expect her to love someone

Who beats and brings her tears.

I only tried to help her

I only kept her safe…

She came onto me that night

When I took her to this place.

She has kissed me way before

She even broke up with you

Your marriage with her is over

I've moved on and now

You should too…"

With that, I placed the brush back into his hands.

"You have a choice boy; work and don't speak another word, or leave now. I'm going to have lunch with my family, and shall return within the hour."

"You're lucky I need the money." was his reply.

After watching Raoul return to painting, I placed my mask back on my face and left for lunch….

Raoul's POV

When that bastard was gone for lunch, I placed down my brush and laughed. It was now time to put my plan into action. No one marries a beast and gets away with it! Madam Giry wasn't going to help me, so I needed to do this on my own. Getting Erik to trust me was as easy as taking candy from a baby. Even though I knew the man hated me, I knew he wouldn't resist helping someone that his dear sweet Christine loved. I waited a few moments just to make sure he was gone, and then I started. Everything needed to be ready for Friday night's show, and I was going to make sure Friday night's show was a show no one would ever forget. How dare he even attempt to sing on stage with my dear sweet Christine? One thing was for sure, after Friday night, she was going to regret ever leaving me. I only had an hour, until he returned and so I began….

Erik's POV

I still didn't completely feel right in every part of my body. Everything ached, and I still had things that needed to be done before tonight's rehearsal. Christine had made me a cucumber sandwich, but for some odd reason I wasn't even hungry. Gustave, who was sitting beside me, ate his sandwich as though he hadn't eaten in a week. Christine on the other hand seemed to be worried more about me than eating her lunch. As I stared down at my plate, I felt her hand touch mine, causing me to look up at her.

"Erik, is something wrong?" she asked.

"Just tired I guess." was all I could say.

"Father, could you listen to me play?" asked Gustave after a few seconds.

I was about to answer, when Christine answered for me.

"Honey, your father needs to rest, perhaps later."

"I'm going to go practice then."

When Gustave left, Christine removed my mask and placed the sandwich in my hand.

"Erik, you're not going anywhere until you eat your lunch."

"I'm not hungry Christine, I'm just exhausted."

"You need your strength, now eat."

I took a few bites out of my sandwich to make her happy, and then drank a glass of water to wash it down. Afterwards, I kissed Christine goodbye and returned to my theater. The first thing I did was look for Raoul, but he was no where to be found. I searched everywhere: the backstage, the dressing rooms, even the rafters, but he wasn't there. When I returned to painting my backdrops, I saw a note placed where he was working just before I left. I picked it up, and read what he had written.

"Erik,

Thank you for the job offer, but I cannot be around you. When I found out you married Christine, it only hurt me. I shall be returning to Germany on Friday, please keep Christine safe and happy forever more.

Raoul…"

Something didn't seem right, but I fully understood. It was better that he wasn't around me. The more and more I saw the man, the more and more I wanted to kill him. It was good to know that he wouldn't be coming around any longer…I hoped.

Christine's POV

That evening around five, I gathered up Meg and Gustave to go to rehearsal. I hadn't seen Erik since lunch, and it worried me. He was still sick, and he needed his rest. I couldn't make him do anything though. Once Erik had something in his mind, there was no changing it. When I arrived, I noticed that the stage was now decorated with beautiful backdrops, and the beautiful chandelier hung highly over the stage. Everything that Erik did made the theater turn into another world. As soon as Gustave was on stage, he grabbed his violin, and began to warm up, while I tried to find Erik. Usually he was seated in the front row of the audience, but tonight, he wasn't. I wanted to check the halls, and knew I could do so while I was on my way to my dressing room to change. When I passed his dressing room, I couldn't help but notice that there was a light burning from inside. I knocked, but no one answered, and so I knocked a second time…and still no one answered. Finally I entered, to find Erik hunched over his desk; fast asleep. His gray hair was a mess, and as I approached him, I could see that he had blisters on his hands. One thing was certain, he worked himself too hard. When I touched his shoulder, he opened his eyes and sat up.

"What time is it?" he asked in a tired voice.

"Forget about the time, Erik. What happened to your hands?" I asked.

Erik looked down at his blistered hands, and then back up at me.

"It must have happened while I was changing around the score."

"What?" I questioned, not knowing what he was talking about.

Then, from under him, he removed a pile of music sheets and handed them to me.

"I sat here copying enough to give everyone their own copy."

I then realized that Erik had forced himself to write the opera over and over again. This was a foolish, hardworking man that stood in front of me, and oh how it angered me. He would rather work himself to death, rather than taking the time to rest.

"You will not be singing tonight, Erik." I replied in a firm tone. "You have worked yourself to death today. Enough is enough for one day."

After leaving him, I walked to my dressing room and changed into my costume. I was going to make sure that Erik rested the rest of the night, even if it angered him. To my surprise, Erik had listened to me and didn't sing that night. He merely sat there in the front row of the audience, watching and criticizing. As I sang and danced, I noticed the pain in his face, automatically letting me know that the broken blisters on his hands were aching him. After rehearsal, I dressed back into my clothes only to walk out and find Erik still sitting in the audience, watching Gustave play solo on stage. The look in his eye was as if he were watching himself play. Erik was a great father, and I was so glad that he was able to be a part of Gustave's life. When he finished playing, Erik smiled and stood up from his seat.

"That was magnificent, my boy. You play better than me sometimes."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes really, and when the audience sees you as the only person supplying the instrumental music on Friday, they too will be astounded."

When we returned back to the lair for the evening, I tucked Gustave in bed and blew out the candles. When I made it to Erik's bedchamber, I didn't see him anywhere.

"Erik." I called. "Are you here?"

After a few seconds, a pained voice called out to me.

"I'm behind the curtain…in my bathroom."

When I walked behind the curtain, I witnessed Erik standing over a basin of water, soaking his hands.

"Does it hurt?" I asked.

"Yes, terribly."

"You should have known better, than to do that to yourself."

"I had to do it Christine, everyone needed a copy of the script."

"You're not going to heal your hands by soaking them in water."

"Then how?" he asked.

I knelt down to the cabinet that the basin was sitting on, and opened the small door. Inside, Erik had lots of bottles with different labels posted on them. I then reached in the back and picked up the clear bottle I was looking for.

"This will clean out the infection." I said, as I removed his hands from the water. When I poured the liquid onto Erik's soar hands, he moaned in pain and I watched as the open soars on his hands fizzed. Afterwards, I dipped them back into the basin to clean them off, which only pained him even more.

"They'll get better now. Just promise me that you'll never do that again."

Erik smiled at me, and nodded.

"I promise."

With that, I bandaged his hands tightly, and crawled into bed with him.

"I would like to take you out tomorrow Christine."

I kissed him lightly on the lips and smiled.

"Why's that?"

Before closing his eyes, he placed his bandaged hand on my cheek ever so softly and said…

"Because I am your husband."

Seconds later, we were both fast asleep….leaving me with dreams about where Erik was taking me tomorrow….

Ok end of chapter…Let me know what you think everyone! Next chapter should be up soon…or when ever I get another free moment.