Can you believe we are at chapter 50? I feel I can never say it enough but thank you for your reviews and support. This story would be nothing without all of you.

Okay, so the next seven chapters or so will lead up to the end of Act 1. Wow, 50 chapters in Act 1? Can I draw things out or what? LOL Expect to see fluff, drama, misunderstandings, heartbreak, sadness, joy and a change of address. ;)

Chapter 50 also starts the one update per week plan as my new job takes effect on Monday. Thank you all for your well wishes. It means a great deal. Now I will stop all this chatter and get on with the show.

It only seemed liked yesterday when Cassie saw Thomas arrive and save her from her husband's vicious hold. Yet reality proved it was far from yesterday. The morning after the rescue, Thomas had a dozen lawyers at his home going over every possible angle and detail of how to arrange her freedom. While she did file for a divorce, each attorney told them that unless it was mutual, Vincent could prolong the hearings and file motions to continuously delay the process. With each word that came out of their mouths, Cassie's heart sank. She knew they were right. Furthermore, once Vincent received word that she had filed to dissolve their marriage, he would seek revenge. She couldn't endanger her family any longer.

Hence began a two month hiding period where Thomas arranged for her to be close at hand but out of harm's way, while Christine remained at the McCarthy estate. True enough, Vincent was outraged and continued to send threatening letters and unsuccessful visits to the house to try and get Cassie back. He did not believe that she was simply gone. One day, when Suzanna and Christine were out, Vincent chose that moment to barge into Thomas' home. He claimed he would not leave without what was rightfully his. Since Thomas knew the girls were safe, he agreed to let Vincent search the house. Finally, when Vincent could not seek out one more room, he voiced another threat before he rode away.

"You can't keep her hidden forever, old man. If you think this will make me give her up, you are more of a fool than I thought you were. Cassandra is my wife, not yours. No piece of paper will ever change that. So please tell my loyal wife that I miss her and will have her back shortly."

Thomas could only think about taking a knife and ramming into the place where a man's heart should be, although he sincerely wondered if Vincent possesses such an organ.

"If you really loved her, you would let her be free. You would end her misery and move on."

Vincent smiled. "You must have forgotten, old man. This is not America, land of savage beasts. We marry for life here. Cassie will always be my bride. So now I ask you, if you really loved her, you would stop the scandal and shame that is associated with her name. You would tell her that her place is with her husband and you would leave France."

"Get out before I kill you for trespassing! That's one law, you won't bribe or weasel your way out of."

"Adieu, monsieur."

Vincent rode back to the de Chagny estate. While he enjoyed reminding Thomas of what would never be his, he also knew that his hold on Cassie was becoming weaker and weaker.

Later that day, a knock was heard at a secluded boardinghouse miles away from town. Cassie approached the door and leaned into it, cautiously. She knew it couldn't be Christine, as Erik had accompanied her to visit Cassie yesterday. As a precaution, she disguised her voice and called out to the person on the opposite side of the door.

"Who is it?"

"Darling, it's me."

Hearing Thomas' familiar voice allowed Cassie to release a deep breath and quickly worked the locks of the door. Thomas hurried inside and before any words could be uttered, they embraced and it became apparent that their need for one another became too urgent to deny. It is not certain who kissed who first but within moments, Thomas picked her up and carried her to the bed.

Afterwards, when she rested her heard in the crook of his neck, she smiled despite their current situation. It had been almost a month since their last time together. While Thomas did visit often, their meetings were short due to fear of gossip and someone recognizing him.

"My mother would say, we never have any hope of marrying now." She kissed his neck.

Thomas wanted to whisper sweet words of comfort. He knew the last two months had been difficult for her. Despite the frequent visits by him and the girls, this was not the life she should have had.

"Cassie, I'm sorry. I know that this is not a life for you. I…."

She sat up and turned to face him, silencing him with a kiss. "I was teasing. Mother would give countless lessons on morality and decorum. She would say that a lady who gave herself away before marriage, would never be married afterwards." She laughed. "Then she would say something like, why buy the cow when you can have the milk for free?" She shook her head. "It took me two years into my own marriage before I even realized what that meant." She took the covers to hide her face.

Thomas smiled but he knew she was putting on a show for him. He lifted the covers and pulled her into him, as he wrapped his arms around her frame. He was hoping the law would be on their side. He thought somehow, Vincent would actually see the divorce papers and honor Cassie's wishes. He thought that after Vincent's latest act, he would be ashamed enough to let her go. Yet he had been wrong. He was always wrong when it came to planning a life with Cassie. The fact remained that he could not continue to put both their lives on hold.

"Cassie, I want to talk to you about something. Before you say no, I want you to really think about this. Don't answer me this afternoon. Wait until we see each other next…."

"When will that be?"

Hearing her plea made him even more determined to convince her to agree with Erik's offer. He kissed her hair and continued on. He told her everything Erik had shared with him, along with his promise to care for the girls and to tell them the truth, once the time was right. He immediately pointed out that Suzanna would be leaving for Greece in less than two weeks and how close Christine and Erik had become.

Cassie took all of what Thomas said in and then she got up from the bed, taking her robe and walked towards the window. She stood there for a long time. Thomas just watched her but fear swept over him when he thought that he might have offended her.

"Cassie, I know I didn't want an answer today but I need some form of communication. Please, say something." He got up from the bed and before he even reached for a stick of clothing, she called to him.

"Hold me."

He placed his arms around her and kissed her ear. "I know that this is a lot to take in. A new life with new names but this is not a life." He looked around the one room she was forced to hide out in. "You are in hiding now, with no hope of getting out. This way, we would be together and safe. Cassie, we may not be able to marry legally but you and I will finally be living as husband and wife, not just in our hearts."

She leaned into him. "When?"

Her one word response startled him. "What?"

She turned and took his face in her hands. "When, Thomas? When can we start our new lives together?"

He had to stop and mentally replay her answer again in his mind to make sure he hadn't misunderstood her. "You mean….." He laughed. "We…. We just need to get the documents from Erik. It shouldn't be long now." He looked at her in disbelief. "You really are saying yes?"

"Thomas, I love you and I am through wasting our lives on a hope that Vincent would be the man he once was and allow us all to move on. He won't and I have accepted that. I knew it when he tried to hurt Christine and I that night. Our girls are leading their own lives and aside from us, there is no one I trust with them more than Erik. Now is the time for us. I am saying yes, Thomas. Yes!"

They laughed as he picked her up and swung her around the room. He then brought her back down and noticed she looked a little pale.

"Darling, are you alright?"

She nodded. "I'm fine. My stomach has been doing flip flops for the last few days, no doubt in worry over our situation. But now….." She placed her arms around his neck. "We are finally going to be free!"

"I love you, Cassie."

"And I love you." She then took his hand and led him back to the bed, as her robe dropped to the floor.

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While Cassie and Thomas had been forced into secret meetings and prolonged separations, Erik and Christine had never been closer. Each letter had forced Erik to be completely honest with Christine and offered her the greatest gift she could ever receive from him; his trust. She knew how difficult the subject matter was for him by the way he would present the letters to her. If he would have only allowed her to embrace him whenever he would carefully place one into her hands but that was not the agreement. He would cherish and relish in her affection once he would see her on the hilltop the following day.

Those mornings were the hardest for Erik. He would pace the entire night before and would get himself ready far too early, which caused him to work himself up in nerves and sweat and thus have to change all over again. He would keep his eyes fixated on his pocket watch and when the time arrived he would hold his breath until he saw her and Midnight ride up. Some days, she would be late due to Midnight fussing about or some random question from the staff but Erik would wait and wait. Even thought he was afraid she would never arrive, in his heart he always held out hope that she really did love him, despite everything.

Whenever she was late, she would apologize profusely, rambling on and on as to why and then she would embrace him and apply tender kisses all across the unmasked side of his face. Truth be told, she did that whether she was late or not. In fact the only thing that would change if she was late was instead of running up to him and saying she loved him, she would say she was sorry and then tell him she loved him.

When she read how cruel his mother had been to him, how she never even wanted to name him and had tried to kill him as an infant, she cried for hours before she was able to continue reading. When his mother denied him a kiss on his fifth birthday and not only berated and punished him for making such a request but forced him to look upon his face for the first time and have him scar himself with the shattered pieces of the mirror, she found herself wishing a painful death on such a horrible, ignorant woman. However it was when Erik wrote that he had run away to spare his mother the choice of having to give up a chance at a new life with her new beau, or live with the guilt of condemning him into an institution, that she could not sleep and prayed for morning so she could take her angel in her arms and shower him with love that he had long been denied.

Christine could not imagine the letters to be any worse than being deprived of the love of mother all because of something he had no control over. Yet when he shared with her his time with the gypsies and his life of slavery to his master, she could hardly go on. She had to take a handkerchief and place it inside her mouth to suppress the sobs that came out of her when she read of his constant abuse and rape. She mentally did the math in her head and she gasped in horror when she realized he was only a child.

When she found him on the hilltop after his latest confession, she held her arms wide and he reminded her of that same scared little boy. He had been so worried she would consider him less of a man, now. But she whispered words of love and comfort to him as they both fell to ground, never letting go of the other.

"You are still the bravest and best of men, I have ever known. My precious, this changes nothing between us." She kissed his lips. "Nothing."

With tears still in his eyes he could not stop shaking, even after his angel's words of love. "You…. Forgive me?"

She didn't want to stop holding him but she had to in order to look at him. She tilted his head a little, but still kept her free arm tight around him. "You have done nothing that merits forgiveness, my precious. You did what you had to in order to survive. It was self-defense. My God, how you lasted as long as you did…"

"You could forget me, I would understand. I wouldn't try to follow you… I…."

"Erik Dexter, stop it!" She steadied his face with her hands. "I am not your mother. I am not going to let you think that for the rest of your life that you must pay for sins that are not yours. And how could I forget you? My guide, my maestro, my guardian, the love of my life? Do you think it is so easy to forget the great Erik Dexter? Angel, if you were to leave me…It is I, who would have no future. I love you, remember?"

He couldn't speak. He allowed Christine to kiss him tenderly and secured their hold. He never let go of her until nightfall.

Yet one morning things had played out a little differently. When Erik arrived at the hilltop, it was Christine who was waiting for him with his recent letter in hand and tears in her eyes.

"Christine?"

"Answer me one question, Erik."

He stood erect and poised, doing all he could to hide the tremors that were inside his heart. "All you have to do is ask me."

"Did you….." She wiped her tears with her hand and continued. "Did you love her?"

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"This has gone on long enough! I am sick and tired of having to wait to have my wife back. You said you were going to help me!"

"Calm down, Vincent." Raoul shook his head. Having Vincent recuperate at his family home was only a temporary plan. Yet Vincent had been playing for far too long with the banks and now he was homeless. It was a good thing that his mother was away and that Phillip had been much too preoccupied as of late to really care what was happening in the west wing of their home.

"Don't tell me to calm down. It is not your wife who is God knows where, doing God knows what. You were supposed to help me!" He went to pour himself a glass of alcohol.

Raoul had about enough of Vincent's constant complaining. "Vincent, I told you before, you have not made this any easier. You are broke, drunk half the time, completely in debt to the point where you lost your wife's family home and after your behavior that night, you are lucky I have been able to keep you out of jail."

"I told you that you only know half the story. She's cheating on me!"

"Can you blame her?" Raoul's direct comment stopped Vincent cold. Raoul walked up and took his glass away. "Your weakness is pitiful. Father was right, you are weak."

"Weak? Now see here!"

"You are in no position to give me orders, Valerius. I took you in due to the relationship you had with my father but let me say I question how one could have ever existed. Now, if you really want Cassie back, you need to do a complete 180 degree turn around."

"How do you suppose I do that?"

"For one, stop drinking. You can't afford it anyway and it's only a matter of time before Phillip realizes something is up."

"Why should he care?"

"Oh I don't know… He is currently seeing some American slut who is the granddaughter of your arch enemy. See how this puts me in an awkward position? You aren't the only one making sacrifices."

"Raoul, I know you have been very hospitable. I just want my wife back. I know it's gone all wrong but I do love her and…."

"Then get her father's house back before she finds out. Secure yourself some money and get out of debt. It will be easier for the judge to grant a reconciliation if he sees that Cassie has a supportive husband who can take care of her. Like this, you are no good to anyone and no court in their right mind would allow a woman to return to you. You're destitute."

"I need money to start filing motions…"

"So what are you going to do about it?"

Vincent looked at Raoul completely lost. "I…"

"What if we were to make a business arrangement?"

"How? I have nothing, remember?"

"Well, it seems as if you could secure a handsome dowry right now."

"Dowry? I have no daughters. My wife is barren, remember?"

Raoul was almost starting to think that Cassie would be better off without him but then again that would foil his plans. "You do have a daughter, although she is not blood, she is your legal ward."

"Christine….."

"Think of it. You could start again. Pockets full, debts paid. And without a cumbersome ward at your heels."

"You wish to marry Christine?" Vincent swallowed hard. Despite everything, he knew that Cassie would never love him if he gave up her only child to a loveless marriage. "No, I can't. Cassie would hate me. She would never love me like she once did if I did that. I can't."

"But you would be doing your daughter a great service. She would marry into one of the best families in France. She would want for nothing and I and would protect her."

"Are you saying you're in love with her?"

Raoul imagined Christine's perfect body and face. She would be the ideal wife. No other woman would look better on his arm. "We were made for one another."

"Raoul, I don't know….."

"Well you better start knowing. I can't carry you forever. I am giving you the means to have what you say you want. What's it going to be Vincent? A life of money and Cassie or one full of poverty all alone?"

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Erik was expecting a million different questions from Christine. He was expecting how he could allow a young, innocent girl who was similar to her risk her life and fall to her death because of his pitiful need to be accepted? He thought she might ask how he could agree to such a request, when he should have known better. He also thought she would ask what happen after Giovanni found his daughter's lifeless body on the cold, hard ground. Yet a question about whether or not he was in love with Luciana was not one he ever contemplated.

"Did I love her?" Erik couldn't even comprehend the question. He was a boy, a teenager. He had carnal thoughts, as was natural but love? No. Maybe he thought he loved her once but after experiencing the feelings he felt for Christine, he knew with certainty that he had never loved anyone before his angel and would go to his grave not loving or wanting anyone else.

She started to walk in circles. "I know, I have no right. I know that I am being unreasonable. I don't even think I was born yet when you knew her but…. The way you wrote about her. I…. At first, I cried because of another terrible loss you had to face alone. To lose your only father figure like that over an accident. An accident he was responsible for! Yet then I thought back to the young woman who knew you, lived with you and fancied you. The words are here, Erik on the page. I couldn't help but wonder how you felt. And I know I am being selfish. How can I expect a man of 31 years to never have enjoyed the company of a woman or experience love when I know I wasn't able to be there. I don't want to think of you always alone but Erik, it still hurts me so!"

"Christine, stop crying my angel. Please. It tears at my heart when you cry, especially over me." He wanted to place his arms around her and hesitated but then realized the worst she could do was tell him to stop. He had heard far worse in his lifetime. He slowly placed his arms around her waist and let her eyes soak his jacket. "You asked me a question and I have every intention of answering it."

"Erik….."

He took off his jacket and placed it on the grass. Then he pulled her down with him and she clung to his chest as he adjusted them comfortably on the ground.

"I was a young boy when I met Giovanni. It was the first time in my life where I felt notice because of myself. He was a very good man, Christine. Please, do not think ill of him."

"But he allowed you to live with this guilt that is not your fault."

He sighed. "I was very happy learning his trade and taking in all the town had to offer. People respected my talents, Christine and soon his men were asking me for advice and approval. I never even knew he had children, until Luciana came home from school. I knew the moment I saw her that my life with Giovanni would forever be changed."

"Was she…. Nice?"

Erik laughed. "No, she was quite cruel and selfish."

She looked up and was puzzled. "But…."

"Christine. I was younger than you are now. I had never seen a woman like that. So proper, so uppity and so trying! She went out of her way to make me and her father uncomfortable. I found her attractive but no more than I would have found any other woman attractive at my age. She was beautiful but she was cold around the heart. Although, in her defense I think she was trying to find her place, too. For I was as much a surprise to her as she was to me."

She took his hand and entwined it with hers. "Did you two ever speak nicely to one another?"

"Maybe but it was out of respect for Giovanni. I was so confused back then. I didn't like her interruptions and yet I liked seeing her. Giovanni probably knew far better than I did on what was happening but he….. "

"He what, precious?"

He smiled when she called him that. "I think he thought we would come together on our own . Yet, I was no fool. I knew my face would be a barrier for us. The more I kept my distance, the more she would circle around me. It was suffocating in that household and finally, Giovanni wanted to put a stop to it."

"Your mask." She understood now the meaning behind the words in his letter. "He thought that if she saw your face she would either love you anyway or let you be. Letting you be, would bring things back to normal and if she could love you then Giovanni would get his wish."

This time it was Erik's turn to be puzzled. "His wish?"

"That she could love you for yourself as he loved you. That you would really have a family of your own."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I hated him for asking me to remove it. He ordered me and in my struggle of hurt and hate and fear and ….. Hope, I did. I expected her to run away. I didn't expect her to scream." He shut his eyes. "She screamed and ran and must not have noticed the edge of the roof for when Giovanni went to find her, all he saw was his daughter dead on the cold, concrete floor."

"Erik, forgive me!" She pulled him to her breasts and caressed him. "You are not blame for any of it and I had no right to accuse you of being human. Falling in love is our most basic human desire and I….."

"Angel, No!" He held her as he lifted his head to see her eyes. "Can't you see? I didn't love her. I didn't know what love was, not that kind of love. No one bothered to show me until you."

His words left her paralyzed. She could only look at him.

He cupped her chin. "You are my first and my last love. You are 10 times the beauty that Luciana was because you have 10 times the heart. Yes, I wrote about her so she could be respected and missed but that is because I will forever blame this." He pointed to his face. "As the cause of her demise. She was just as young as I was. I robbed her of growing up, of changing. But I did not love her. I love you. I know after all you have learned about me, I would be an idiot to think you could still picture a life with me but as crazy as that fantasy is, I still want it and I do dream of it, Christine. I dream of you and us and a life together."

"You no longer have to dream anymore, Erik. I am yours. You can have all of me. I love you. I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as I will tomorrow."

Her eyes looked at him with such love that he didn't dare blink. He didn't want to miss a moment of it. She kissed him and all the fears and guilt and sadness were suddenly washed away. Erik proceeded to match each kiss, passion for passion and soon found himself changing their positron from sitting to lying down with each other. Christine offered no protest as her body graced the top of his, peppering his face with more kisses.

"Erik, I love you. I need you."

His body was becoming feverish and only Christine's hands could cool him. She began to work through the buttons on his shirt and soon she had access to his chest. She smiled when he did not object to her offering up soft, wet pecks to his chest and biceps. He moaned his delight and wrapped his hand in her hair.

"Christine, I am just a man. Please…Not like this…."

"Erik, I don't want to wait. I want this as much as you do. We love each other. We can marry quickly and….."

He rolled her over, now empowered that he was on top. He kissed her with such a frantic desire that shivers went up down Christine's spine. She knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him. "Erik, I'm on fire."

He grabbed her hair one more time and kissed her desperately before he groaned as he pulled away. "I'm sorry, Christine but we can't."

She was frustrated and embarrassed. "Why do you do that? Why do you pull away when we both want this?"

He turned to look at her. "Because I don't want to marry you quickly. I want you and I to enjoy an engagement and proper wedding." He saw her look away in the distance. He turned her face to look at him. "I want a proper wedding night. I want my wife to have me for my first time."

She was about to nod, knowing that he was right when his words came echoing back at her. "First time? Erik, you mean that… But you don't act or kiss as if….."She wanted to say more but she only blushed.

"Not all women are as blinded by the mask as you are my dear. And yet, I find that it is perfectly acceptable to me, as long as you will be my wife." He smiled.

"Are you…. Erik, did you just ask me to marry you?"

He laughed. "Well, I had imagined it to be a little different but yes, angel. Will you be my wife?"

"Yes! A thousand times yes!" She jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, causing them to fall back on the ground, with her on top of him again.

"Christine!"

She giggled. "Whoops! I'm sorry."

"You lie." He answered playfully.

"Okay, I'm not sorry. I love you and I can't wait to be your wife!" She kissed him but before anything further could progress she patted his chest and moved to get up, only to be stopped by Erik's sudden tug of her hand. "What is it?"

"We may not be able to enjoy a wedding night just yet but there are a few things we can do. I have been reading up on it. Care for a different kind of lesson, Mademoiselle Daae?"

"As long as you are my teacher, I will learn anything, maestro!" Her eyes widen with anticipation.

"Rule one, no hands."

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After a rather productive lesson, Erik escorted Christine back to Midnight and helped her get on the horse. He kissed her tenderly.

"You are an exceptional, student, Mlle Daae."

"Well, I have my teacher to thank for it. He lets me do things over, and over again. He is a perfectionist." She giggled at her boldness.

Erik clutched the side of her face and she let her cheek lean into the palm of his hand. "I love you, Christine."

"Not as much as I love you, Erik." She closed her eyes for a moment and dreamed of his face. His real face. She then opened her eyes and looked at him with his mask. Soon, you will hide no longer.

"Be safe. I will see you soon."

"More letters?" She asked half in earnest and half teasingly.

"I think the next time we meet we will require words….. And kisses." He kissed her once more and then sent Midnight off.

As he watched his love ride away from him, he touched his mask. "The last barrier. Yet, I am not scared. She loves me for me. Surely after all that, a face is immaterial." Engaged. He smiled. Yet the smile faded. "Good God, Persia! I can't leave her now!"

A/N: So many questions. How is Erik going to get out of Persia? Why is Phillip so preoccupied all of a sudden? If Persia isn't in the cards, what about Thomas and Cassie's future? And I know no one cares about Raoul and Vincent but those two together make me cringe. Until next week!