Oh boy. It is about to get wild...


Chapter 40: A Bloody Battle.

Fazia did her best to keep her eyes forward despite her inner turmoil. If she looked away, she thought, maybe her cowardice would get the best of her. The sickening boil in her stomach was peculiar, a feeling she had never had before. Was she afraid? Her entire life she had been confident in her actions. The label of headstrong had consistently been used to describe her, though now she was at a complete loss. That French girl gave her a vital piece of information that she honestly had no idea what to do with. Her body moved out of obligation, like a programmed machine that could not stray from its course. Walking down this hall was just her body's automatic response.

Turn around. She thought. Just turn around.

But she couldn't. Words could not escape her lips as she faced the guards before her. They merely raised an eyebrow at her random appearance.

Fazia's mouth felt dry, though she couldn't help but swallow. A rough feeling of apprehension scratched down her throat as she forced herself to speak.

"I must speak with her majesty."

The guards glanced down at her, perplexity plaguing their faces. "She is not accepting guests."

"Please, tell her that it is urgent."

Please hurry. Fazia thought to herself. Before I change my mind.


Christine POV:

Golden locks, faded dimples that barely peeked as he grinned... it was like reliving an old dream. Before her was the image of her childhood. Though it had been a year ago, it felt like a century since she had last seen her old friend. The gun still smoked in his hands and he donned an unkept loose shirt and travelling tan pants. His blue eyes never left hers, and she could not deny the feeling of pure joy when looking at them. He was a pillar of heroism and impeccable timing.

"R-Raoul?" Christine gasped.

Behind him appeared an army. Men dressed in Persian garb raced into the throne room with their weapons drawn and fierce scowls on their faces. They fought against the Shah's personal guards that leapt into action, though all completely unprepared for such a sudden, fervent assault. The ringing in her ear drowned out their battle cries as they began their slaughter.

Christine felt completely frozen. Raoul's army surrounded her, attacking all the guards nearby. They almost formed a tunnel towards the Shah with her in the center. She could hear the Shah shouting orders behind her, but her eyes could not tear away from the blonde man racing towards her.

Raoul slid besides her, nearly toppling her to the ground as he pulled her close. She gasped at his tight embrace. He was real. Raoul was here in Persia. Relief, pure relief overtook her. She wrapped her arms around him, crying into his shoulder. This could not be happening. Was she dreaming? But she looked into his disheveled face and saw those familiar blue eyes.

"Oh God. You're alive." Raoul breathed into her hair. "Oh thank God you are alright."

His arms trembled, either from squeezing her so tightly or from his racing adrenaline. Either way, Christine was glad to be comforted by them. Though his sported a new, disheveled beard and foreign clothes, he still felt just as warm as he had in France. Christine's eyes closed at his words. She held onto him, almost as if she was certain he would dissipate if she let go.

"Oh, Raoul." She sighed. "What are you doing here?"

He pulled away from her embrace, cupping her cheeks in his hands. "I came to rescue you, my love."

Her smile faded. He had come all this way for her to just break his heart. A slash of guilt cut across her as he pulled her to her feet. She could not deny how relieved she felt to see him, to take in his familiar warmth. But that didn't change the fact that she didn't love him in the way he loved her. He was the sun in her life, but she had chosen to stay in the night with the moon. Would he turn and abandon her when she told him the truth? The thought caused her stomach to flip.

For just a moment, the room had gone silent. Raoul glared forward at the Shah, who was now surrounded by men with long, curved blades. He sat coolly in his chair, his menacing scowl causing Christine to shiver. Most of his other guards were at a stand still or pinned down by the enemy soldiers.

"Pedar." A voice called from the other end of the hall.

Her body tensed. A young man anointed in blue and gold armour walked down the new pathway forged by his soldiers. That alone did not cause her to tense, but the structure of his face. He was the spitting image of the Shah. She saw the same black eyes, angular face and thin frame. Yet, when he stormed down the main hall, he seemed like a different man entirely. It was almost as if there was an air of humility and compassion around him, not like the shivering aura that lurked around the Shah as he sulked about. His skin was much smoother, seemingly younger than the tyrant behind her. Her eyes widened at the realization that this must have been the Shah's exiled son.

She turned to glance at Raoul, who kept his arms tightly around her as they stood. What on earth was he doing here with the Prince?

The man stood boldly before the Shah, who released a slow, daunting chuckle.

"Pesar." He mocked. The two continued to converse in Farsi, the Shah's low growl contrasting against the young prince's bold demeanour. Christine glanced around. She looked for a shadow, a glimmer of amber, but saw nothing.

"Christine." Raoul whispered in her ear. "Slowly, come with me."

She looked up at him, who gestured back towards her friends. They all stood in a huddle around a taller man. Christine nearly gasped at the sight of Phillipe in the center, Sorelli quietly sobbing into his chest. Who else had travelled here from France?

"Raoul, what are you doing here?" She asked in a hushed tone.

He smiled brightly, wrapping his arm around her waist. "It will take more than a Persian army to hold me at bay, Little Lotte. Andre sent a cry for help and I came as soon as I heard."

Christine smiled to herself. That night seemed so long ago, though she was relieved to hear her brave efforts had paid off. My, how much had changed since that night on the mountain.

The Shah slammed his fist against the arm of his chair, causing Christine and Raoul to freeze in their place. He had stood quickly, his gripping onto his venomous whip at his side. He yelled at his son, who stood unflinching below him.

Christine's eyes widened. "R-Raoul. That whip. It is poisoned!"

Raoul glanced upward. The tension in the air began to grow dramatically. The two royals yelled, pointing and bearing their weapons. The guards tensed and scanned the room for their next potential attacker. Christine felt her heartbeat rattle against her chest before the Shah suddenly raised his hand, signaling for a sudden explosion of bullets.

They zipped around them, the sound of them flying by her causing her body to grow rigid. More of the palace guards appeared, relighting the fire of war. While she froze in place, Raoul literally leapt into action. He pulled Christine away, leaping back into the back wall by her friends. She fell against Meg, who wrapped her arms around the two of them. The soldiers yelled and fought, blood spraying against the tile and the sound of screams deafening her. Christine looked up at the Shah, who now stood over his son. The prince laid on the ground, gripping his bleeding arm which clearly had been shot. In the Shah's hand, the whip had been pulled from its small sheath.

"Raoul! He is going to kill him!" Christine yelled, pointing towards the Shah.

Raoul jumped to his feet, gun at his side, He raced forwards into the battle without a thought. "Mozaffar!" He yelled, raising the gun. Phillipe pushed past the women, barely making it in time to knock down a guard that swung his blade towards Raoul. The two Frenchman raced forwards, dueling against the many guards and dragging the young prince away.

The four ballerinas huddled against the back wall, their screams drowned against the violence around them. Christine looked around for Erik. Where was he?

"We have to get out of here!" Sorelli yelled.

Christine looked around. The Chagny brothers were too invested in their battle to come to their aid. They would have to find a way out on their own. Worse yet, Erik was still injured. If he did find them, there would be little he could do to stop the onslaught of soldiers.

"I-I know a way!" Jammes squeaked, pulling Christine from her thoughts. She crawled onto her knees towards a tapestry on the other side of a pillar. Christine watched in awe as she reached behind it and pulled on a lever.

A tunnel.

"Meg! Sorelli! " Christine called. "We don't have much time to explain, but Jammes and I found a series of tunnels that go underneath the palace. Jammes has just found another entrance to them. It is our only escape!"

Meg and Sorelli nodded, accepting her profound statement without hesitation. "Let's go!" Meg yelled, grabbing her friends' hands.

"Wait!"

The three turned as Darius slid in beside them. He wore similar blue clothing to the soldiers that came with Raoul. Two swords glinted in his hands.

"Are you alright?" He asked, quickly scanning the women for any injury.

"Darius!" Meg exclaimed. "Darius, what is going on?"

"This is a coup and a rescue attempt." He summarized in one rapid breath. "Come with me! I can get you out of here."

A man ran towards them, a blade raised above his head. Darius was quick to leap to his feet. With an expert manoeuvre, he sliced his blade across the man's chest while blocking his attack. The three women looked away, huddling together as the soldier collapsed in defeat.

"Stay close to me!" Darius ordered, trying to pull the women to their feet. "We have to get out of here!"

"Darius! Over here!" Jammes yelled, pointing towards the now open tunnel door. Darius hesitated. He looked at the tunnel, then towards the madness around them. "On second thought, follow her! Follow...um...let's just go!"

As the women rushed towards Jammes, they remained close to the side of the wall. Darius escorted them by standing on the outside, closer to the battle. Both of his swords were drawn and ready for an oncoming attack. Meg scoffed at him as they ran. "You don't know her name? After all this time!"

Darius raised his hands in the air defensively. "We are in the middle of a battle, woman! My priority is not recollecting her name!"

Jammes entered the tunnel, her friends following close behind. The tunnel was dark and this time they did not have a lantern. Darius sensed this and once all the women were in the tunnel, he turned to face the throne room.

"Wait here! I'm going to find some light!"

The women begged him to stay, but the young soldier raced into the battle, dodging attacks and fighting off soldiers as he ran towards a burning torch on a nearby pillar.

Christine glanced around the room. She could not see Raoul or Phillipe. The swarm of men grew thicker and thicker by the minute. On top of that, she could not see the Shah. Her heart tensed. If he was going to escape, wouldn't a secret tunnel be the way to go? She outstretched her arms, hoping to keep her friends at an arm's length down the tunnel. At least then, they would have a running start ahead if the Shah did appear.

But then her eyes saw it. Him. A sudden swirl of black that caught her attention. Her eyes widened for just a moment, scanning the madness of men until at long last, she saw him.

"Erik!" She yelled, stepping out of the tunnel. She remained crouched, ready to race into the madness to find him. He was on the other side of the room, battling two or three men around him. Flawlessly, he deflected one attack with a small blade while his other hand controlled a lasso. It expertly wrapped around a soldier's neck and yanked him to the ground. He seemed too engrossed in the battle to notice where she was hiding.

"Erik!" She yelled again, cupping her hands around her mouth to let her voice echo against the walls. She stood up, moving away from the door despite her friends' pleas. From this distance, she could see him clearly. She watched as he threw a man to the ground before turning to her. Their eyes locked for just a moment, his jaw loosening at the sight of her.

"Christine! Get out of there!"

She turned. Raoul raced towards her, a small trickle of blood dribbling down the side of his face. Phillipe was not far behind him, a newly acquired sword in his hands. She sighed in relief at their arrival. Now they could all escape together and be free of this tyrant's clutches.

Raoul seemed to have a different idea. He reached out and gripped onto her wrist, noticing the other women in the new escape path. He pulled her towards the tunnel, though she resisted.

"Wait!" She begged. "Raoul, you have to help Erik!"

Raoul's brow furrowed. Before he could speak, Darius appeared with the torch in his hand. He nodded brightly towards the two Frenchmen.

"Hello Messieurs! Follow us!"

Raoul scoffed. "I think we will find our own path. Thanks for the torch, good chap." He raised the side of his gun, smashing the grip of the gun against the side of Darius's head. Christine screamed as Darius collapsed on the ground. Raoul pulled her away, wrapping one arm around her waist and lifting her off the floor. Phillipe grabbed the torch from Darius's unconscious body.

Darius murmured and groaned against the tile. His eyes fluttered open and shut as he tried to regain consciousness. Meg raced forwards to help him but was stopped by Phillipe's outstretched arms.

"What are you doing! He is our friend!" She yelled.

"Go! Get into the tunnel!"

Christine pushed her hands at Raoul's chest, though his grip around her waist held her in place. "We can't leave him!" She begged, trying to break free of his grip.

"He is with them, Christine! I don't have time to explain!

"He is not with them, he is with us! Raoul, we must take him with us."

"He will only slow us down. Come on, Christine! Make haste!"

"No! No, Raoul!"

Raoul pushed her against the wall, staring desperately into her eyes. "He is with him. Please, I cannot let you go with him. Trust me, Christine. Come! Please we have to go!"

She was no match for him. Though she tried to resist, Raoul easily dragged her along into the tunnel. Phillipe led the way, the other women following quickly behind. The growing darkness made her panic. Erik should be here with her, helping them escape. She looked behind her, just catching a glimpse of him as he fought off another guard. He was racing forward, pushing people in his way aside frantically. She saw the same glimmer of fear in his eyes that she had seen the other night. Except this time, Christine decided, she would not wait until he was hurt before interceding.

With all her might, she freed one of her hands, reaching out to him. He had to reach her. He just had to.

"ANGEL!" Christine screamed. Her voice echoed out of the tunnel, causing all of the soldier's to flinch at her desperate cry. Raoul grabbed her hand and pulled her forward in a full sprint.

"No, Christine! Come on!" Raoul begged. The group ran forward, Christine stumbling to keep up. She knew she had been loud enough for him to follow them down the tunnels. At least, this way, he would be able to catch up. Internally she prayed that her voice was enough to guide him. More than anything, she wanted to run to Erik and escape the madness around her. But she knew that her friends' safety were just as important. Erik would catch up with them, she reminded herself, and then everything would be alright.

She continued to run behind Raoul, his hand gripping hers tightly. She studied him, a feeling of uneasiness taking a hold of her. Something wasn't right. Raoul had always been a man of reason, yet he attacked Darius without a thought. Maybe Raoul had no idea that Darius was their friend? It would make sense. Darius could have seemed like a Persian guard ready to attack them. But Darius greeted them with a smile, as if they had met before. Her heart ached. Had they met before?

"No!" Phillipe instructed. "We need to turn here."

Jammes stared in confusion, her heaving chest glistening with sweat. "How do you know?"

Phillipe grinned, pulling a map out of his jacket pocket. "I have studied these intensely. We must go to the dungeon to save the rest of the crew."

The women gasped. Christine felt her heart drop. It was as if all the worries in her mind disappeared. Madame Giry, Gabriel, even Carlotta were waiting for them. The thought of saving them just seemed too good to be true.

Jammes perked up. "The tunnels to lead there! Christine and I found one in the harem and used it to get to the dungeon, but there are plenty of guards there."

Raoul chuckled, raising his pistol. "Do not worry about the guards. Just be prepared to help them run. I am sure they are weak from their time in the dungeon but we will need to hurry."

Christine gulped. Numbly, she allowed Raoul to lead her forward as the group raced through the tunnels. She glanced behind her, hoping to see his familiar eyes lurking in the shadows.

But she saw nothing.


Christine glanced around the corner. There were two guards, standing tall against the back door leading to the crew's cell. They remained silent despite the jeers and maniac laughs of the prisoners in the nearby cells.

"Good God." Raoul muttered, appalled by the stench and noise of the dungeon. "This is disgusting. How could you bear it, Little Lotte?"

Christine kept her mouth sealed in a thin line. Now was not the time to tell him that the Phantom of the Opera kept her sane during her captivity. For just a moment, she blushed. This was the room where they had first kissed.

She closed her eyes. Erik would find her, he always did. Now she just needed to focus on helping everyone else escape. Once they were free, she would tell Raoul the truth and join Erik, wherever he was. Erik had told her that today would be the day to escape and she planned on fulfilling his word. But despite what Raoul thought, she would not return to France with him. Erik would come with them too.

Sorelli stepped forward, her hand lightly rubbing Phillipe's shoulder. "Do we have to kill them?" She whispered.

Phillipe glanced back at her, his eyes softening. "I am afraid I cannot think of an alternative in such little time."

"I can." Meg growled. She stepped forward, glaring at the two Frenchman. "I think we have all seen plenty of violence these past couple weeks before you two buffoons arrived."

Raoul scoffed. "These two buffoons are saving you and your mother's lives."

She glared at him. "I think you are more than aware that we could have escaped without your interference. Darius would have brought us to safety just as easily as you, but without love sick glossy eyes and the pathetic need to show off. I understand he seemed like an enemy soldier, but you would have learned the truth if you would just listen to us. Now get out of my way!"

Meg stormed past them, sprinting down the hall. Christine reached out to stop her, but Raoul pulled her back.

"Oh guards!" Meg cried, waving her hands madly. "Help! The Shah is in danger!"

Christine could not see her dear friend, but instantly understood her plan. Though the guards did not speak French, they seemed to understand Meg's frantic gestures and pleas. The group hid in the tunnel, closing the door and peeking through the peephole. The two guards raced to the dungeon entrance, gasping as they heard the sound of battle echo throughout the halls. They sprinted ahead, Meg closing the door behind them with a victorious grin.

"Meg, that was incredible!" Jammes squealed as she opened the tunnel door and entered the dungeon.

Meg flipped a curl of her hair over her shoulder. "It was nothing, really."

Christine stepped forward, eager to join her friends in congratulating the fierce blonde. But something pulled her back.

She turned to face Raoul, who held her hand tightly. His whole demeanour had changed. He stood slumped against the back door as if all the strength in his muscles had evaporated into thin air. His hollow eyes studied her, a wave of sorrow briefly passing over them.

"Christine, I am sorry."

She furrowed her brow. Her lips opened to speak, but she didn't know what to say. "You...you didn't know about Darius. I know you were just trying to protect us."

Raoul's lips formed a thin line. He didn't say anything at first.

"I shouldn't have." He began, stopping himself to tenderly cup her hand in both of his palms. "I shouldn't have let you come here. All of this pain and horror you have been through is because of me."

He glanced down at their clasped hands. She felt her cheeks blush as he studied her bare ring finger.

"I love you." He whispered before standing straight. His eyes glanced up to hers. "I don't know what I would do if I knew that you had been hurt because of my mistake."

"Raoul-" She tried to interject, but before she could speak, he leaned forward. It was as if time slowed down. His wet lips pursed as he grabbed her waist. The feeling of being so intimately close caused her to shiver, though a bubbling feeling of unease assured her that this was not a sensual shiver. It was a shiver of fear. She turned her head, letting his soft lips gently caress her cheek as her hands found his shoulders.

Christine gently pushed away, doing her best to ignore the look of confusion that plagued his face. "Raoul, I-I can't."

He shook his head and waved his hands dismissively. "Forgive me, This isn't exactly the most romantic place-"

"That's not what I meant." She avoided his gaze. This was it. This was when she would have to break his heart and tell him the truth. The words struggled to leave her lips as if something was holding them back. She knew that her love for him had changed. No longer did she look at him as a potential husband, but more like an old friend. But that wouldn't change the fact that his heartbroken eyes would crush her soul.

"I-"

"Hurry up, you two." Phillipe called to them. "We don't have much time."

Raoul seemed to re-energize at his brother's words. He smiled down at her, brushing her cheek with his thumb. "Don't worry, Little Lotte. We can talk later."

He always rubbed her cheek like that. It used to melt away all her fears, but now it caused her stomach to flip. She wordlessly followed him out of the tunnel and through the dungeon. Would they actually have time to talk later? She glanced back behind her, wishing that she could find Erik. Her heart ached to think why he was taking so long to find them. Was he still battling for his life in the throne room? Had he gotten lost in the tunnels? A line of tears formed at her eyes and she blinked furiously to push them away. She had to stay strong for now. Fate had brought them back together before, and it would not separate them now. Quickly, she joined the group.

"Ma fille?" A raspy whisper echoed throughout the halls.

"Mama!" Meg cried.

All of the crew was trapped in one cage. They now stood near the bars, an eruption of smiles and tears staining their dusty faces. Louis's thin arms reached through the bars, pulling a sobbing Jammes into his embrace, She kissed his angular face as he stood stunned that she was actually here. Madame Giry wailed as she and Meg collapsed on the ground, their tight hug barely separated by a few metal rods.

Christine felt as though the air had been pushed out of her lungs. Before her was not the relieving sight she had hoped to see. The truth was that even in the short amount of time, they had all grown sickly thin. Carlotta and Piangi stood nearby, holding each other while crying at the sight of their rescuers. Their once plump faces seemed pale and angular. Their clothes were tarnished and torn, revealing bruises and the new protrusion of bones. Gabriel and Louis seemed drastically thinner. Their once fit, youthful frames had turned nearly skeletal in the matter of days.

Christine pulled herself free from Raoul's grip. Her eyes focused on Madame Giry, who sobbed at the sight of her. Christine raced forward and collapsed next to Meg, crying as Madame Giry wrapped an arm around her. Madame Giry, for the longest time, was her only maternal support. To finally see her again brought up such emotion that she didn't know exactly what to do. She wanted to tell Madame Giry everything, but could only cry tears of joy instead.

"Oh my angels." Madame Giry sobbed into her hair. "I cannot believe this is real."

Christine glanced over Madame Giry's shoulder. Sophia and Ignacio were propped up against the back wall. Both looked ill, pale and sickly against the stone. But they smiled weakly at the sight of the four ballerinas. Christine returned a gentle smile.

A loud clunk stopped their teary reunion. Raoul had broken open the cell door, grinning triumphantly to the others. "Come! We have arranged transport to get us back to France. But we must leave quickly! Madame Giry, can you stand?"

Madame Giry nodded, wiping a tear from her eye. "Yes, monsieur. But Sophia and Ignacio are gravely injured. They will need assistance."

Raoul, Phillipe, and Sorrelli ran to their sides, helping the older couple to their feet. Sophia glanced at Sorelli in confusion but released a shuddering sigh of relief at Sorelli's weak smile. It seemed the anger she once held for the 'rat' had dissipated. Phillipe carried Sophia on his back, Sorelli standing behind them to help support her. Gabriel and Piangi came to assist with Ignacio and Raoul took the lead. Madame Giry took the torch from him, wrapping one arm over her daughter for support.

Raoul felt around the back of the dungeon. He pushed away an old, wooden contraption to reveal another lever. A new tunnel formed in front of them. "We must hurry!" He yelled. "This tunnel will lead us outside.. Let's go!"

The prisoners quickly escaped the cell. Carlotta, once free from the bars, pulled Christine into a quick embrace. "Thank you! Grazie, signora!"

Christine was shocked at the Prima Donna's uncharacteristic sign of affection, even more shocked when the woman kissed both her cheeks before running ahead with Piangi. She shook her head, blaming her actions on starvation.

Christine nearly followed her. But as she took a step forward, her feet suddenly stopped short. The crew was saved. They would go with Raoul to the end of the tunnel and return to France. But...was that what she wanted?

She glanced back behind her. No. That part of her life was over now, and she was relieved to know all those she loved would be safe, but she needed to remain here. Her trembling fingers formed into a fist as she made her decision.

"I am not coming." She stated boldly.

Everyone froze. Phillipe was in the lead, stopping and turning towards her. The entire group stared at her with loose jaws.

"What?" Gabriel asked.

"Christine, don't be absurd." Madame Giry whispered.

Christine cleared her throat. "Go ahead without me. I have to make sure Erik is alright."

Raoul straightened. 'Who is this Erik you keep mentioning."

The entire cast grew quiet. They glanced between the two former lovers, all aware of the fact that Christine had not told Raoul about her new interest. Christine felt a blush creep up her cheeks at their slightly accusatory gleams. As much as she wanted to sit down with Raoul and explain everything, her friends did not have time.

"My angel of music, Raoul. He is real and he is here. I have to go to him. I know this is confusing but you have to trust me."

She expected Raoul to look at her like she was mad. In fact, she expected him to be completely stunned. Instead, a fierce scowl stained his once pleasant facial features.

"You mean the Phantom of the Opera?"

Her breath hitched. How did he know that her angel was the phantom? She stepped back, almost stunned at his revelation. Had he known this entire time? While she wallowed in pain, had he known that her angel was, in fact, a man?

"How did you..." Her voice trailed. She did not want to know the answer to her question, though her mind begged for an answer. Raoul stepped forward, his hardened expression unchanging as he stepped closer.

"Christine, do not tell me you care for that freak."

Christine gasped, her hand coming to her heart. "You know Erik?"

"I had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting him a few days ago. You cannot trust that madman. He will hurt you and kill all those you love just to have you. I don't know what he has told you, but he is the same monster that tormented us as children."

Christine couldn't process his words. Erik had seen Raoul and hadn't told her? How long ago was it that Raoul had arrived to save her and Erik kept it a secret all together? He knew that she still cared about him and had plenty of opportunity to mention it. Yet at the same time, she was terrified of the intensity of Raoul's words. He was lying. Erik was not a monster and would not hurt her friends. She had seen his acts of compassion, the way he sacrificed everything to ensure their safety. But why was Raoul so adamant that Erik was like that?

"You're wrong." Christine trembled, gasping as Raoul grabbed her shoulders.

"He will be the death of us all! You cannot choose him over me!"

A loud bang caused them all to jump. It sounded as though a door had been slammed against the wall.

"The guards!" Philippe cried. "Quickly!"

The group sprinted into the tunnel, Raoul's grip on her hand hurting her. She tried to pull her hand free when a loud scream caused her to freeze.

"CHRISTINE!"

It was the most broken, desperate, and chilling sound she had ever heard. Raoul's eyes widened, his face paling as he made eye contact with her.

Despite all the pain in his tone, she knew that voice anywhere. It was the voice of her angel.

Christine turned, a bright smile erupting on her face. He had found her! He had finally found her! She was ready to take one step forward before a pair of arms threw her back into the tunnel, shutting the door behind her.

"Erik!" She cried. She leapt to her feet, pushing Raoul to the side to pass him. But Raoul was prepared. He grabbed her, throwing her over his shoulder. She pounded her fists against his back as he raced down the tunnel.

"Let go of me! Raoul! Let go! ERIK! ERIK!"

Her words fell on deaf ears. The crew was a good pace in front of them, through she was certain they could all hear her. She tried to free herself, her stomach aching as his shoulder dug into her stomach. Tears fell freely from her cheeks.

"Raoul, stop! Please stop." She cried, but Raoul did not. She could hear him huffing as he ran forward. No matter how much she struggled, she could not escape his grip.

The group had arrived in a large circular room. Four different paths appeared before them. Phillipe set Sophia down and into Sorelli and Jammes's arms as he searched the map frantically.

"No not...it..." Philliple mumbled, studying the map. Christine ignored him, doing her best to break free of Raoul's grip.

"Put me down!" She begged. He wrapped his arms around her legs.

"Forgive me, my love." He whispered. Phillipe suddenly perked up, pointing towards one of the new tunnels. "This way! Everyone quick-"

A gunshot silenced the elder brother. Raoul let out a sharp cry as he collapsed to the ground, Christine falling to his side. She barely stopped her face from smacking against the stone as her forearms took the brunt of her fall. She glanced over to Raoul, who writhed in pain on the ground beside her. Her eyes widened as a patch of blood grew against the thick white cloth covering his shoulder.

"Raoul! She cried, quickly putting pressure on the bullet wound. He winced in pain, lifting his head to stare at his attacker.

A dark laugh echoed around them. A man appeared out of one of the newer tunnels, a group of soldiers behind him. He was shorter, his narrow faced speckled with a small black beard and long, thin sideburns. His yellow teeth revealed themselves past his thin lips as he grinned widely.

Christine shivered. She had never seen this man before, but Raoul seemed to recognize him. "Javad." He hissed.

The man smiled at them. Behind him were a handful of men, who fanned out before them. All of them seemed equally as dangerous, each carrying a sword at their side. Phillipe approached them, his sword raised. Without taking his eyes off Javad and his men, he quickly helped Christine and Raoul to their feet. Christine helped Raoul stand. He leaned into her heavily, groaning in pain as blood trickled down his arm. As Christine tried to study her attacker, Phiillipe stepped protectively before them.

"Javad." He said calmly, though a hint of wariness laced his tone. "We are friends. Rafiq eman." He tried to communicate in broken Farsi. Christine watched with baited breath. Javad laughed, raising his gun to Phillipe's head. The crew gasped and huddled closer, except for Raoul who tried to dash forward. Christine held him back, though her shaky arms barely could. Phillipe raised loosening his grip over the sword to demonstrate compliance.

Javad muttered something in Farsi, grinning at Phillipe. Clearly Phillipe's compliance was not what interested him. "Au revior." He muttered menacingly.

A lot gunshot rang throughout the hall. Sorelli and Raoul screamed, but they quickly grew silent.

Phillipe remained standing, his hands slowly dropping to his side. But instead of collapsing, it was Javad who fell forward. He gripped his stomach, gurgling as blood dribbled out his mouth. Christine had to look away, burying her face in Raoul's soft curls. No matter the violence she had endured over the past couple months, she would never be able to stomach the sight of a man dying. The entire room, soldiers and cast turned to face the shooter. Christine eventually joined them once her stomach had regained control.

A grey haired man stood boldly near the opening of the tunnel that lead to the dungeon. He held a smoking gun in his bloodied hands. His disheveled uniform was sprinkled with blood and remnants of golden trim. A swollen bruise was slowly forming on his cheek, but that did not stop him from smiling.

"Oh I am sorry." Nadir chuckled mirthlessly. "Are we interrupting something?"

Christine half expected a new battle to sprout, but was shocked as the other soldiers raced away into the darkness of the tunnels. She watched them run, a smile forming on her lips of pure relief.

Raoul left her arms, hobbling towards his brother.

"Phillipe! I thought you were a-"

A blur of darkness raced across her vision. A lone, gloved hand quickly collided with Raoul's jaw. It was a fierce slugger punch that sent Raoul spinning before he collapsed onto the ground. Christine shrieked in shock, her hand covering her mouth as Raoul laid motionless on the ground.

A dark silhouette with a gleaming white mask stood before her. He panted deeply, his eyes focused down on Raoul's knocked-out body. With a deep breath, he spit on the barely conscious vicomte.

"I told you I would fucking catch you." Erik growled.


That last part was for all you hardcore E/C shippers. You're welcome. Just so you know: 'pedar' means father and 'pesar' means son. (Based on a quick internet search, so please take that with a grain of salt.) I will be releasing the next chapter either tomorrow or Tuesday, depending on my schedule. It is mostly done and I am eager to get it out there to share. See you soon!

Guest: Erik does not have telepathy, however, he can control his voice so only certain people can hear him. That is how Erik is able to communicate with Christine so that only she can hear him. Hope this helps! Glad you are enjoying the story!

Lindaweng: Thank you so much! glad you are liking it and even more glad you found it!

Flesh of Midnight: Thank you for your reviews. Even when faced with Raoul, she still knows what she wants.

Badpixie06: I love hearing your thought process on these. Yes, Erik is doing his best to be a better man and it clearly shows. Christine also definitely has made her decision, though Raoul is not exactly making it easy for her. I tried to make it so they learn about each other piece by piece, but now they know everything. They are all caught up and both certain this is what they want. So glad you were able to see that. And although this was an unconventional "Erik saving the day" I hope you still enjoyed it haha. Thanks!

NPennyworth: Haha so glad I am forgiven *phew*. I did try to get this chapter up sooner but life happened. However, the next chapter is pretty much ready and I promise it will be up tomorrow or Tuesday. Just hold on a little longer! She really does have great friends, especially with how much is dumped and revealed on them in such short notice. Thank you for your great reviews!

Phantomgirl24: *Looks at your review and sobs "ermagurd she said my chapter was bEauTifUl"* Thank you SO much! When I wrote this ending I thought of you in particular haha. Couldn't send him off to Antarctica so I thought this would be the next best thing. Sorry you did have to wait a whole week, but no need to fear, that will not happen this week. Thank you!

Amya1020: Ah yes, the bad sunburn. That is a great way to describe it haha. I agree that his gnarly face is exactly why he is who he is, so I too thought it would be best to show an extreme disfigurement. I too feel the same way about Raoul's timing. He was there when she needed help...but honestly would have preferred someone else lol. Thank you for your kind words!

Lucyole: Nadir really does have bad timing, a characteristic I low key think is hilarious. As for the Sultana's fate, that will be kept hush hush for now. But I am curious to see what you think based on the intro. Did you like Fazia in this chapter haha? Thank you for your reviews!

Guest: If I could add that meme onto my last chapter I certainly would haha. Your comment made me laugh. Thank you!