Chapter XXXVI

When Philippe returned the next morning Christine had to admit that she was slightly surprised and taken aback by Raoul's absence. Philippe followed Nadir up to the second floor of the home and checked on Aleyenne. Downstairs Christine wondered what the reasoning for Raoul's absence was.

From where Erik stood he could see that something was bothering Christine. Quietly he stepped out from the kitchen and inquired about her thoughts. He made it clear by his tone of voice that he suspected something was bothering her. He just couldn't imagine what it was.

"Raoul..." the name set him on edge when it escaped her perfect mouth. A mouth that he still thought about. She had kissed him and … and he had lived. And she had not sobbed or shoved him away with repulsion. The thought on its own was distracting enough to remove his temporary annoyance. But when Christine turned to him with those conflicted eyes it brought it rushing back again like a tidal wave. "I do not know why he has not come. I imagine that it has everything to do with his father but now I wonder if I insulted him somehow..."

"Why are you concerning yourself with such unimportant people?"

"Erik," she touched her forehead cautiously, treading carefully now, "I know that you are not fond of Raoul. I understand that he is very different from you. Also very different from I. But that does not mean that you have any logical reason for your distaste. Raoul is a kind man, he is... a friend."

"A friend," Erik resisted the urge to smirk. She was so naïve. He's an admirer Christine, not a friend, sweet girl.

"Yes Erik, a friend, but never mind that. What are your plans this evening?"

Erik told her of his idea to travel to the opera house and follow up on some ideas he had. She admitted that she was feeling terribly curious. Nadir had not shared many details with her about what the lair looked like. "You'll see soon enough Christine," Erik murmured softly, his velvety voice made her smile.

Nadir and Philippe eventually came down the stairs and Erik went back into hiding, this time he had a book to keep him entertained. Philippe sat down and asked Nadir about when it would be safe to move Aleyenne.

"She can be moved now if she'd like. I'd just rather she remain here for another day. A precaution to make sure that the wounds are treated properly during the first few hours after exposure."

"I understand," Philippe nodded.

Christine watched his wary expression for a long time. She wondered what it would be like to be in his position. If Erik were hurt... well she had seen Erik hurt. She remembered her terror and ultimately her plan to take action. But Philippe seemed rather... calm.

"What do you plan to do, Philippe?" Christine asked, not bothering with formalities. They were beyond that.

"What do you mean?"

"About Aleyenne? Surely she does not plan to return to your household. I do not imagine that your father will take that very well."

"I do not know." He ran a hand over his tired face. "I just.. I do not know."

…

The day was long and uneventful. When Christine and Erik finally had the home to themselves after Nadir had left to run a few errands she began to feel uneasy and skeptical. The prospects of being alone with him after what had transpired the day before were immediately nerve wracking. Nothing good could come out of it. But it wouldn't be his fault, and she knew it.

Christine couldn't stop watching him like a hawk. Every movement he made she caught, every breath he took she memorized. There was a certain fluidity to his movements that made her more interested in watching him. Christine was intently gazing at Erik when she heard a soft rapping at the front door. Erik looked up, quite annoyed at the sound and then suspicious. Christine looked to him with confusion and stood to get it.

"Do not open it, you do not know who it could be." Erik stood and quietly glided towards the door. Once there he pressed his ear against the wood, as if he could hear through it and then discern who stood on the other side. "Christine, go hide."

"Erik you are ridiculous!" She hissed quietly and moved towards the door. Once there Christine put her hand on the doorknob and stared up at Erik. He could see the determination in her gaze and relented.

"Fine, you may open the door. But wait just a moment until I return."

Christine waited as Erik moved into the kitchen. Whoever was on the other side of the door knocked again gently and waited patiently. Suddenly Erik appeared and came in Christine's direction, in his hand a knife glistened.

"Erik!" She hissed and rolled her eyes, "that is ridiculous-

"You never know. If you insist on opening the door then I will be just within arms length while remaining hidden." He tightened his grip on the knife.

A part of her wanted to laugh, but mostly she was in shock. "Erik put the knife away."

"No," he said seriously. His amber eyes flashed as the knocking continued. Quietly they both glared at one another and then she gave up and moved towards the door. Erik positioned himself just beside it, when she opened the door he'd be perfectly concealed behind it. Taking a deep breath Christine pulled it open.

Raoul stared back at her with something akin to surprise. She couldn't quite understand his expression. It was as if he was not expecting to find her here at all. But who else did he expect to be here? Perhaps Nadir, she reasoned as they both blinked at one another.

"Christine," he breathed her name softly. She blinked. "I... hello. Good evening."

"Raoul," Christine smiled tensely. Behind the door Erik wondered if she would forgive him if he sprung and chased Raoul down the street with the blade in hand. How indecent of him, Erik thought as he readjusted his grip on the blade, to show up here unannounced at this hour. "What... what are you doing here?"

"I came here to see you." He smiled kindly and swallowed back the knot in his throat. "Christine I... I must speak with you. May I come inside?"

"I am afraid not Raoul," she spoke with a genuine lament, but her reason were more than false, "Nadir is not home at this moment and it would be improper of me to invite you inside his home without his explicit permission, I am sure you understand."

"I do, I do. I do not need to go inside at all," he smiled. The color of his eyes shined at her as if he had nothing in the world to worry about. "Christine I need to speak with you. It is urgent."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes, yes," he laughed nervously and ran a hand through his hair. The motion caught Christine's eyes and Erik wondered what it was that had caused her expression to suddenly look so dazed. It is his beauty, he reasoned, of course Christine would fall to his charms. "From the moment I met you Christine I knew that there was something... special, or otherwise intriguing about you. I do not know what it was and I knew that I wouldn't rest until I found out. When I realized that you were in fact female I found myself relieved for reasons that I will not delve into," the hue of his cheeks changed as he said this. Christine remained naively confused and Erik's teeth went on edge. Raoul stepped forward shyly. "Christine... I want your permission..."

"Permission?" Her eyes widened with confusion.

"To court you, I want your consent." He took her hand in his own and stepped a bit closer. Behind the door, just a few inches away Erik's eyes widened and narrowed. Confusion swirled about him, it was infuriating. He did not like the ideas that this vicomte had in mind. He did not know why he felt so defensive about Christine. It made him... tense.

"Raoul?"

"Christine," he stepped forward once again, closing the distance between the two of them and touched her cheek fondly. Her eyes glittered at his touch and Christine forgot about Erik. He seemed to have vanished from her mind entirely as Raoul's eyes lit down at her. A tremble moved through his hand as he moved his mouth closer to her own. Christine seemed to be mildly unaware of what was happening, and yet her eyes lowered to his lips. "May I kiss you?"

Behind the door Erik's body seized. Kiss her?

The damn fool! I will have his head for-

Christine did not receive time to answer. It seemed to Raoul that the hazed look in her eye was enough of an answer.

His mouth was soft on hers. They molded themselves carefully against her own and unlike Erik's they were not passionate, if not... gentle. Light like a feather. His lips were as smooth as silk, not uneven and rough. Christine let out a hard breath as she realized exactly what she was doing. Her hands found his shoulders and Raoul's slid down to her hips. He could feel the tension in her mouth as she debated kissing him back, but she allowed his lips to glide against hers and his breath to gently creep against the flesh of her lips. His hands pulled her closer to him carefully, and her will begged her to open her lips, to allow him access to her hot cavern of her mouth... She sighed gently when Raoul's fingers gently pressed into the clothing she wore. It was when he released a soft moan the silence split.

"No... no," she said in a strong voice, placing her hands at his shoulders and gently removing him from her person. His lips were a deep pink and his face was flushed. The haze in his eye worried Christine and for a moment all she did was stare at him. What had taken over him? And why had she enjoyed the kiss? Why did she stop?

Erik..

"Christine?" Raoul's eyes widened with shame, "forgive me, I –

"There is nothing to forgive," she assured him, "I kissed you as well. There is nothing to forgive."

He blinked at her shyly and blushed. "Then you.. you enjoyed it." Now it was her turn to blush. It crept up her neck and lit up her face. "You did..." he smiled softly, "it is okay to enjoy it."

Not when Erik lies just on the other side of the door ready to spring at any moment, she thought warily.

"What does this mean?"

Christine looked up at him with confusion, "what does this mean?"

"Yes," Raoul bit his lip, "do you... return my affection for you? Is it mutual? I must know Christine this has been eating away at me. I am not making a declaration of love. I only wish to know you more and understand you."

"I am not sure that you and I could ever understand one another Raoul." Her eyes darted to her feet, "you and I come from very different worlds and your father has made it quite clear that he has certain expectations for his sons. And when they are not met... the consequences are severe," the reminder of Aleyenne seemed to darken his expression.

"I do not care about what he thinks. I care about what you think. What is it that you think?"

"I think that you should return home now Raoul... you do not know what it is that you are saying."
He shook his head, "do not mock me Christine. I am not a love sick fool hell bent on having you. I have never been more clear."

That is precisely the problem, she thought nervously.

"I will give you some time to think on all that has happened tonight Christine. I will not pursue you if you do not wish it. But I must have an answer."

She nodded, "that is fair."

"Very well then," he swallowed nervously and turned to walk out the door. "Goodnight Christine..."

"Goodnight Raoul..."

And with that she shut the door.

…

Everything was still.

Erik stared at Christine, and she stared at the door. Her breathing was deep, and becoming more shallow with each passing moment. Something in her told her to be afraid, to worry. But another side of her rebelled. Why should she care about what Erik thinks about it, he had made his feelings very clear on where they stood.

With that thought she turned to him with a smile.

"It was just Raoul."

"Of course it was Raoul," he spit, "I knew that the moment you opened the door." She rolled her eyes and turned to go to her chair, Erik watched her with anger. Why am I angry? He wondered as he forced his jaw to unlock. "He kissed you." The words felt like fire on his tongue. He did not know how to say it and not sound absolutely disgusted by it. Christine dropped onto the couch in a very unladylike manner, and stared at him, almost expectantly. "How could you have kissed him? He is disgusting. His kind judge our actions as if we are criminals doing what we do for sport. Do you know what he'd say if he knew all that you've done to survive? He'd scorn you and curse you for being a survivor."

"You have no right to judge me," she muttered angrily, noticing the way he quivered. "You have no right to-

"Stop it," he warned her quietly, stepping forward and dropping the knife onto Nadir's small table. "I tell you these things not because I wish you harm but because you should know that these... people are not people to surround yourself with. They are selfish!" His amber eyes widened with anger, "how can you be so blind. I see it in your eyes Christine. You are thinking to ..." Erik's rage grew as she blushed. "You would give yourself to that fool!" He thundered angrily. Christine shrieked and stood up quickly, backing away from him as Erik began to come after her, his hands were balled. "He is nothing! He will destroy everything that you and I have dreamed of. He will never know your potential and he will never love you! He will love what he believes you to be but he does not know you does he Christine? He does not know that you are a survivalist-

"Stop-

"Or that you would kill to survive. He does not understand you and he will never understand you!" Erik's amber eyes seemed to stretch horribly wide. The possibility of losing Christine was enraging him more and more, and it frightened Christine. She could see the awful emotions twisting his mouth, deepening his voice, making it a terrible slithering sound unlike anything she had ever heard before. Her eyes watered at his words and finally she hit a wall. Erik stopped in front of her shaking and glaring.

"Have you stopped to consider that he will just throw you away into the street? You and I are street rats Christine," Erik reminded her bitterly, "he will not love you. You are unlovable to his kind. You are uncouth, rough. Unrefined and wild. He would tame you!" He seized the moment to grasp her arm and hold up her arm, "he wants you to bear his children. Look at you! Look! You –

"Stop it Erik!"

"You are Christine, have you forgotten about your Angel of Music?" The words set her on edge, "you would give up your fathers dreams for a beautiful face?"

Christine's tears slid down her face so beautifully that Erik had to stop and watch. She looked endearing even in her sadness, and he found it eerily unsettling. Despite it's beauty he did not enjoy the sight of her sadness. The girl was getting to him and he knew it all too well. It weakened him, and strengthened his resolve all the same.

"Christine?" Nadir stood at the front door that neither of them had realized was open. She turned her face and blinked away her tears. Trying her best to regain composure. Erik was finding it hard to swallow the knot in his throat. Nadir moved forward into his home with apprehension. Something was wrong and it didn't take him long to figure out that it had something to do with Erik. "Christine what is wrong?"

"Nothing," she smirked nonchalantly, turning to face Nadir. Now that she had dried her eyes she looked as if though nothing was wrong. But Nadir could see the tension in her limbs. Also, the anger all over Erik's demeanor. "I am going to sleep on the floor beside Aleyenne tonight. I plan to get up early tomorrow."

"Oh," Nadir nodded, still suspicious of what exactly was going on. "Alright, good night."

Christine gave him a curt nod and then escaped to go up the stairs without saying a word to Erik.

The two men stood in silence for a long time. Their seemed to be a calm resolve sliding over Erik's expression. I have to move us in by the end of this month, he reasoned quietly, I cannot afford to lose anymore time.

"Erik, I've handled it." Nadir murmured, drawing Erik out of his thoughts, "the beds are in the Opera house."

"Perfect... all that is left are the candles, and the safety measures to ensure no wanders happen upon my home."

Nadir nodded and then watched Erik as he took a seat. "What is it that Christine has to do tomorrow?"

Erik looked up at him blankly, "tomorrow Christine will leave early and see Raoul in attempts to convince herself that she is doing the right thing. Everything will go well, and they will be fine. She will be angry with me for doubting her judgment. Then, some days from now he will do something that will remind her of who he is. When he does I will be here to ensure that she never see's that boy again."

So... you think you've got it all figured out Erik?

Well we'll see about that. Okay my darlings, the next chapter is going to be relatively tame compared to Chapter 38. So with that being said - here is yet another warning, BE WARY OF CHAPTER 38.