Disclaimer: Btw, Erik is my husband and he tells me I may write whatever I want concerning this because ultimately, he owns the whole poto franchise. SO, as long as I don't anger him……….: ) well, Erik willing, I'll be around for the next chapter. Thank you so very much for the reviews you all gave me on my last chapter. I really don't like just restricting myself to a couple points of view, so there's several. The main characters in poto may very well be Christine and Erik, but there's a lot of good background characters as well. Btw, conflict still reigns supreme. Keep that in mind when you read this.
Megan took her time returning to her mother, wandering around in the halls, dawdling as she usually did. She didn't know how to act after their explosive fight. Didn't know if she could handle one more argument. She had said the worst things, even though she had told her mother her feelings on the subject. Megan could keep secrets, and had from the moment Christine had entered her life. But she could not handle that such terrible secrets had been kept from her. Worst of all, she couldn't understand why her mother still loved the man who had almost ruined their lives.
"Dastardly cold, isn't it, my dear?"
Megan hid immediately, groaning to herself as she recognized the woman that was speaking in an office with the door open. Firmin's wife, she thought. How appropriate that she would be here along with her father. She smirked, holding back a rueful laugh that even Erik would envy, she'd wager.
"Yes, it is." He commented, going through his papers. "Glad we had stayed here instead of going home. Might have had an accident."
" I wonder where Megan is? Did you see her today?"
Meg growled, pushing away all the happy memories that her mother and this woman had shared when she first arrived with Firmin. Firmin's wife, Anna Marie, always loved giving presents at Christmas, and Meg had begun to anticipate her present, a white scarf embroidered with doves that had her name stitched with Anna Marie's own hand. She adored the woman, looked up to her. But now that she knew, that she lived with the man that had beaten her mother, she had no respect for her.
"No…but I've seen to Megan's lodgings tonight. Apparently they're staying here as well." Firmin stretched as he went through his papers, noticing that tonight would be a long one.
"It's a shame that you don't interact with her. She is your daughter, and if she doesn't know she should know." She stopped herself from going any further in her scolding, for it was such a painful point. Nothing short of a miracle that no one in the opera house had guessed or even questioned Megan's parentage and assumed Mme. Giry was a widow. Surely everyone had taken notice of the way they both had the same temperament. But one hardly took notice of such things unless the knew both father and daughter like Anna Marie Firmin did. It had been hard in her life for Anna Marie to accept that her Firmin had done terrible things in his first marriage, a shameful divorce. It had been even harder to become friends with Mme. Giry and her little daughter, Anna's own stepchild.
Firmin turned to his wife and tried to hold down all the mixed emotions that came pouring forth. "It is how her mother wished it. With the way I treated her, how can I blame her?"
Anna knew everything and wished the past to remain there. In the beginning, the truth had bothered her, for who could stay with a man who had done that to his first wife? She was at peace with the past. He had never raised a hand to her, or hurt her. The past was a shell of hurt man, without any money to help feed his wife and growing child. So instead he drank, drank away the losses. He failed to see what he had in front of him.
Anna had met him when he was long past that. How well she remembered when he had politely taken her by the hand and kissed it at that party so long ago! She had thought she would always be an old maid, living in her deceased parents home, never having any time for love letters, or fun. Because her friend had begged her to go, she had gone to the winter party, she had met Richard, the most gentle and reserved man she had ever laid eyes upon.
He was a part of the first year she had ever felt happy, or wanted. She couldn't see him doing all these horrible things in his first marriage, but she accepted it. Anna had overlooked her friends displeasure of marrying a divorced man, and had even become friends with his first wife. She had love and compassion in her heart for everyone.
"Oh….it just seems unfair somehow, darling." She said softly. "She's such a bright and beautiful girl."
"Which is precisely why, I cannot have a relationship with her. I ruined her mother's life…how dare I try to be on good terms and then….then ruin hers when she finds out the truth? How can she not hate me? Don't you see it's hopeless?"
Trembling…she tucked a brown curl back into place as she realized he had a point. "She'll want to know you, in her own time. You owe her an explanation, Richard. You owe it to her. She is your daughter."
He could say nothing more…he knew she was right. He did owe her an explanation for walking out on her mother all those years ago. He had no right to keep a secret so big. The only reason he had worked so hard to be a Manager here, was too look after his daughter in his own way. He had tried to forget the past, but all of that past shone in his daughter's eyes.
Megan scurried away from her hiding spot, trying not to cry. She couldn't go to her mother now, she was too filled with pain and the feeling of hopelessness. She wandered the halls alone in the dark, thinking about what had been said until she found her mother's office. Erik had said he would come and get her when Christine was feeling well… and she felt like it had been hours, and she had to talk to someone….hopefully Christine was better and had not taken ill. If she did, Megan wouldn't know what to do, she'd be so beside herself. She knocked softly, waiting to see if there would be a response. She was still afraid of Erik, still afraid of the past just as much as her father was afraid of the past.
Christine woke up uncomfortably. She had forgotten where she had fallen asleep, on Mme. Giry's desk. Perhaps they had lain her there because it was easiest to examine her there and keep her alive. Plus, it was closest to the Opera doctor. She rubbed her neck with the back of her hand and smiled. Erik was asleep in the chair, his arms folded and dozing sweetly.
She stood and smoothed her dress, frowning at the stain that was made by the snow near the hem of her white gown. Despite it's tears and the mud stains, she refused to leave the room and see if she could find Meg. She hated the dark and didn't want to be in such a huge place as the Opera Populaire was, wondering around and stumbling through it's long halls and corridors.
She crouched and warmed her hands by the fire, watching the orange flames mix with the red. She had hardly been inside Mme. Giry's office before, and took notice of it now as she warmed herself. Then, she heard the sound of a knock, so soft and tiny that it was barely recognizable. She stood and stretched, trying her best to not awaken Erik.
"MEG!" She whispered as she opened the door and felt her younger friend hug her tightly. "Why aren't you with your mother?"
"I couldn't go…"
"So I see," Christine said, patting the hair on her friends head. "What are doing up at this hour? It must be near three in the morning!"
Meg sighed, noticing that her friend had much motherly instinct within her, and it glowed from her like a bright candle. Something had changed within Christine, and it was soothing. "Oh, I just couldn't go. We had a fight this afternoon."
"How terrible," Christine thought wistfully. Her father had never fought with her, not over anything that would lead her to leave him for hours as Meg had. She vaguely remembered her mother, but she remembered the last words to her mother were ones in anger. Her eyes misted over in regret. "I am sure she will forgive you."
"She has, and that's the hardest thing. She should be angry at me for finding out her secrets…she should be mad that I went to America. But she's not."
"She missed you, Megan. She loves you, and was afraid for you. She's your mother and always will be. Whatever secrets are there, they were there because she wanted to protect you."
Megan looked up and nodded. Shaking softly with tears falling down her face, she smiled at her friend's warm face. Something quiet, she thought as she watched her friends eyes cloud with tears of her own.. She turned her head to the side and noticed Erik sleeping. "He can't hear us, can he?"
Christine laughed softly but understood her friends need for privacy. "I doubt that he's listening. He's been fast asleep for as long as I have been."
"Christine…forgive me.."
"For what Megan, you've done nothing wrong."
"I'm still afraid…."
Christine understood immediately. She knew deep down that their tragic love tryst had not left anyone unaffected. Especially her best friend, Megan. "It is alright, Megan. You don't have to be afraid."
Megan stiffened and walked out of her friend's embrace. "I have no guarantee for someone who disregards all human life besides yours, Christine. I saw the dead bodies with my own eyes."
"Oh Megan!" Christine whimpered, "I'm sorry you'll just have to believe me. Please."
"Christine….I just don't feel safe. Would you mind at all if we went for a walk in the halls?" Megan begged.
Christine's eyes went round at that. "In the dark?"
"The dark won't harm you. It always helped me to think." Megan suggested. She couldn't stand there at the doorway. Now that her friend had been rescued by Erik, the fear overcame her and she no longer wanted to be here to tell Christine everything.
"Alright Megan. Give me a moment and I will be there." Nervously she drew the door to a close. She couldn't go without telling Erik where she would be. She didn't want him to think she had done something drastic. Christine went over to his sleeping form and reached over and softly pressed her lips to his unmasked cheek, smiling softly.
"I will be back, Erik." She whispered in his ear.
As she grabbed the doorknob to leave, she glanced back. If she hadn't known him to be asleep, she would have thought she had seen what very well might have been a smile of contentment on his face.
Nadir sat in his home near the Opera house, reading the mail as he had a moment to settle. It was pleasing to him to have a nice fire-nothing to worry about, and no cause to rush off to the Opera. Namely, Erik being that cause. He done so much for Erik, and although he could never forget, he had tried to stay away from Erik and let him live his life. It seemed too good to be true, this year of peace. Reaching upon his weathered desk he drew out the letter that Mme. Giry had sent him.
M. Nadir,
I do believe there is danger in our Opera house again. My daughter has returned, only for me to find out that she will not tell me why she left. She has brought back, Christine. As she was always Meg's friend , I scolded my child with caution, but remembered the great friendship the two shared. It is hard for anyone to dislike Christine, but we have all risked our very lives to keep the both her, and Erik safe. I do not believe that she will be able to keep herself away from the Opera, nor keep herself from our fellow opera ghost who is still in love with her. I know that you watch over Erik as do I. I made a mistake in informing Erik that Christine had returned, thinking that by telling him we could somewhat delay or prevent their meeting again. I am almost certain however, that all of this was in vain. Please M., I know that you have an understanding of sorts with Erik. There has been too many accidents, too many…brushes with disaster. Their very meeting could signal the end of the Opera house itself.
Please see to this situation immediately. Our very lives are in your hands.
As always,
Mme.Giry
Nadir rung up his carriage and grabbed his heavy coat as soon as he had read the lines. His friend did not comprehend what he had done to the young girl, and vice versa. It meant everything to him to stop it. He could not have anymore death.
Erik could not help the overwhelming emotion that had swam up. He could not forget her real kiss to him, when she had kissed him on his misshapen lips, clung to him as if only he in the world existed. She had thought him asleep, just now. He reveled in the feeling...and the part that loved her still reached out for hope. Christine had such a healing quality about her, yet such sadness. What could he do to show her that she could trust him, even though he had done everything to prove to her she shouldn't? He waited for her return. Obviously it she had gone with Megan to go somewhere…but her promise that she would return….that she wanted to be around him. It gave him more of a gift than he ever deserved from her.
The door creaked open, and he reached for his mask and swiped the tears of joy away before Christine could see them. Too soon, he reasoned. He could not break their fragile bond by telling her that he still loved her.
"Christine?" He whispered, standing and stretching quickly.
"I'm afraid not." Nadir said, nodding his head formally. He had spent the last of a good hour trying to find out where Erik was hiding, and had ashamedly spied on Christine leaving Mme. Giry's office.
Erik clenched his hands, unsure if he had found Christine. How dare Nadir ruin such a moment. "Why, are you here?"
He said dangerously, taking his clock putting it back on. "Where is Christine?"
"I do not know. What are you doing in Mme. Giry's office, Erik?"
"That is of no importance to you." Erik disregarded his friend and focused on keeping Christine's suicide attempt a secret.
"It is of every importance to me. I am you friend Erik, I must see to it that you and Mlle. Christine are safe. Even if that means from each other." His soft accent had quietly held back all the swimming memories of the child who had braved everything, even risking her lover's death to show compassion to Erik. He had remembered, when Erik had come to his home and told him how Christine had kissed him, but bade Nadir not to look at his face. Yes, it was ugly, his face, Nadir remembered, but nothing as ugly as his raw anger when unleashed.
"I would never harm her, you know that Nadir." He said, flicking letters off of Mme. Giry's desk out of frustration. Keep them apart? Why, everything was falling into place!
"No, you would harm everything she loves to make your point. Come hell or high water, right?"
"Nadir, you've done everything for me. You have helped me rebuild my home. I am not as stupid as you assume. You will not keep me and Christine apart. As a matter of fact, Christine and I have come to a understanding that needed neither of your careful watch or Mme. Giry's. "
"Erik you play with a child's heart. A young woman who has suffered so much. Let her go. Let her live her life. She has lost her beau. Do you not think that even her understanding with you was on feelings that were and still are mixed? Do you realize that she is a woman in morning for her young lover?" Nadir felt as if the man that was Erik easily dismissed the months of suffering. How could Erik so easily forget the pain when he looked at Christine?
Erik crossed his arms, with a smug smile on his face. "I more than realize it. I agreed to be friends with her."
"I know you more than you think. Neither of you will allow it, it is folly. You are both always reaching for more when you cannot have it. Her with her father, you with your constant greedy need of her. Let it go."
"You cannot ask that of me."
" I can and will for the sake of her. Friend or not, you are not one she can not easily confide in. I know you will never lay a hand to her, but the truth might harm you more than you wish. There's a part of her that still loves Raoul. Had he been alive, she would have never come back. They might have been married by now, she with children."
Erik held his rage in check, but his breath came out like a hiss. "Stop! It didn't turn out that way! Don't torture her with a dream, either! I know she loved him! He's dead, nothing can change that!"
"Erik, for your sake….keep yourself away from Christine. " He laid a hand upon Erik's shoulder, well aware what potent danger laid beneath his tan fingers.
"My sake? I doubt anyone cares about my sake. Christine needs a friend. You do not know her like I do."
"You love her too much to stay friends for long. You cannot disguise your feelings as well as you can disguise your face. You told Paris that you loved her."
Erik well remembered that night, on front of the stage. He had openly begged for her to change her mind, and then she exposed his face to the world. "Paris would do well to forget a ghost. I do love her Nadir. I'm the only one in the world who understands her. Not even her Vicomte could understand the longing in her heart…her love for music. I can."
"Please leave her alone Erik. Please. Swear it to me." Nadir shook a crooked finger Erik, his whole body aflame with anger.
Erik began to yell out his anger so he would not wring that neck. He had never been so tempted to do it, not in all of his being. "I cannot, nor will I ever! You will not keep me from her Nadir! No bond of friendship we ever made will be worth what I feel for her!"
"Erik…please.."
"NO! NEVER! I must watch over her and protect her. I swore to her, a sacred vow, only you'll never understand because you don't understand us. You don't know her."
"Neither do you. Keep away from her Erik, watch over her and protect her if you must, but do not ruin her life and what's left of yours. I swear to you, I will not save your life if you put you or her in jeopardy , even if it's my hand on the trigger. You cannot harm that child. If she comes to you in friendship, in love, whatever, it is my business. I am the one who protects you and keeps watch over you. Be good enough to remember that Erik." Nadir did not even take a second glance as he walked away his old fashioned Persian robes catching the breeze of the door as it violently shut.
Erik looked away, knowing that Nadir was no liar. He would kill Erik if it meant giving Christine the life she deserved, giving him the dignity in death that he deserved. Saving him from his own folly. Erik had to protect Christine now, even from herself. This wasn't about love. He began to think. If he could not contact her by speaking with her face to face, what would he do?
Hastily he picked up paper and wrote a letter to Mme. Giry, explaining that she was to take care of Christine and see to her having new clothes as her current ones were torn and of no use. Secondly, she was to make sure that Christine could reach him whenever she wanted. Whether Mme. Giry would allow this, he did not know, but Mme. Giry owed it to him to see that she was at least taken care of.
Wherever Christine had gone, she would be back. He had heard her tell him so herself this early morning as she kissed his cheek and walked quietly out the door. Oh! What might have happened had she stayed! He had promised the world to her if she but asked for a corner of it. But Nadir had told him sound advice, even though he didn't want to inwardly admit it was true. What if Christine could only be on friendly speaking terms, always in love Raoul, truly in love with Raoul?
The truth was, if Christine loved a dead man for the rest of her life, it would kill her as much it had killed him when she left. He couldn't stand to see last night happen again. She had to be happy, and far as he was concerned, that happiness had to involve him in it. Being what ever he had to be. Angel, first, and now her confidante.
He began to write another letter, leaving it there on the desk to read when she returned. He knew she would be profoundly disappointed, but right now it was enough to know that they were on speaking terms again, even more than speaking terms. He thought about how he felt when she had fallen in to his arms and asked him to stay and watch her sleep. He had woken up many times to see a beautiful face smiling, and so he had to reach out and touch her hair, make sure she was real.
He couldn't sleep and not know that this had all been a dream. Erik finished the letter and grabbed his cloak and hat, making himself exit with all the strength he had, not waiting this time to see her reaction. He couldn't see the look of sadness on her face when he had abandoned her, to keep them safe from Nadir, and himself.
Well, what's the verdict guys, like it or not? I know, I have a problem with conflict….I adore it. Read and Review please. Love you all lots, you know, and I'm sorry it took so long to finish.
Megan took her time returning to her mother, wandering around in the halls, dawdling as she usually did. She didn't know how to act after their explosive fight. Didn't know if she could handle one more argument. She had said the worst things, even though she had told her mother her feelings on the subject. Megan could keep secrets, and had from the moment Christine had entered her life. But she could not handle that such terrible secrets had been kept from her. Worst of all, she couldn't understand why her mother still loved the man who had almost ruined their lives.
"Dastardly cold, isn't it, my dear?"
Megan hid immediately, groaning to herself as she recognized the woman that was speaking in an office with the door open. Firmin's wife, she thought. How appropriate that she would be here along with her father. She smirked, holding back a rueful laugh that even Erik would envy, she'd wager.
"Yes, it is." He commented, going through his papers. "Glad we had stayed here instead of going home. Might have had an accident."
" I wonder where Megan is? Did you see her today?"
Meg growled, pushing away all the happy memories that her mother and this woman had shared when she first arrived with Firmin. Firmin's wife, Anna Marie, always loved giving presents at Christmas, and Meg had begun to anticipate her present, a white scarf embroidered with doves that had her name stitched with Anna Marie's own hand. She adored the woman, looked up to her. But now that she knew, that she lived with the man that had beaten her mother, she had no respect for her.
"No…but I've seen to Megan's lodgings tonight. Apparently they're staying here as well." Firmin stretched as he went through his papers, noticing that tonight would be a long one.
"It's a shame that you don't interact with her. She is your daughter, and if she doesn't know she should know." She stopped herself from going any further in her scolding, for it was such a painful point. Nothing short of a miracle that no one in the opera house had guessed or even questioned Megan's parentage and assumed Mme. Giry was a widow. Surely everyone had taken notice of the way they both had the same temperament. But one hardly took notice of such things unless the knew both father and daughter like Anna Marie Firmin did. It had been hard in her life for Anna Marie to accept that her Firmin had done terrible things in his first marriage, a shameful divorce. It had been even harder to become friends with Mme. Giry and her little daughter, Anna's own stepchild.
Firmin turned to his wife and tried to hold down all the mixed emotions that came pouring forth. "It is how her mother wished it. With the way I treated her, how can I blame her?"
Anna knew everything and wished the past to remain there. In the beginning, the truth had bothered her, for who could stay with a man who had done that to his first wife? She was at peace with the past. He had never raised a hand to her, or hurt her. The past was a shell of hurt man, without any money to help feed his wife and growing child. So instead he drank, drank away the losses. He failed to see what he had in front of him.
Anna had met him when he was long past that. How well she remembered when he had politely taken her by the hand and kissed it at that party so long ago! She had thought she would always be an old maid, living in her deceased parents home, never having any time for love letters, or fun. Because her friend had begged her to go, she had gone to the winter party, she had met Richard, the most gentle and reserved man she had ever laid eyes upon.
He was a part of the first year she had ever felt happy, or wanted. She couldn't see him doing all these horrible things in his first marriage, but she accepted it. Anna had overlooked her friends displeasure of marrying a divorced man, and had even become friends with his first wife. She had love and compassion in her heart for everyone.
"Oh….it just seems unfair somehow, darling." She said softly. "She's such a bright and beautiful girl."
"Which is precisely why, I cannot have a relationship with her. I ruined her mother's life…how dare I try to be on good terms and then….then ruin hers when she finds out the truth? How can she not hate me? Don't you see it's hopeless?"
Trembling…she tucked a brown curl back into place as she realized he had a point. "She'll want to know you, in her own time. You owe her an explanation, Richard. You owe it to her. She is your daughter."
He could say nothing more…he knew she was right. He did owe her an explanation for walking out on her mother all those years ago. He had no right to keep a secret so big. The only reason he had worked so hard to be a Manager here, was too look after his daughter in his own way. He had tried to forget the past, but all of that past shone in his daughter's eyes.
Megan scurried away from her hiding spot, trying not to cry. She couldn't go to her mother now, she was too filled with pain and the feeling of hopelessness. She wandered the halls alone in the dark, thinking about what had been said until she found her mother's office. Erik had said he would come and get her when Christine was feeling well… and she felt like it had been hours, and she had to talk to someone….hopefully Christine was better and had not taken ill. If she did, Megan wouldn't know what to do, she'd be so beside herself. She knocked softly, waiting to see if there would be a response. She was still afraid of Erik, still afraid of the past just as much as her father was afraid of the past.
Christine woke up uncomfortably. She had forgotten where she had fallen asleep, on Mme. Giry's desk. Perhaps they had lain her there because it was easiest to examine her there and keep her alive. Plus, it was closest to the Opera doctor. She rubbed her neck with the back of her hand and smiled. Erik was asleep in the chair, his arms folded and dozing sweetly.
She stood and smoothed her dress, frowning at the stain that was made by the snow near the hem of her white gown. Despite it's tears and the mud stains, she refused to leave the room and see if she could find Meg. She hated the dark and didn't want to be in such a huge place as the Opera Populaire was, wondering around and stumbling through it's long halls and corridors.
She crouched and warmed her hands by the fire, watching the orange flames mix with the red. She had hardly been inside Mme. Giry's office before, and took notice of it now as she warmed herself. Then, she heard the sound of a knock, so soft and tiny that it was barely recognizable. She stood and stretched, trying her best to not awaken Erik.
"MEG!" She whispered as she opened the door and felt her younger friend hug her tightly. "Why aren't you with your mother?"
"I couldn't go…"
"So I see," Christine said, patting the hair on her friends head. "What are doing up at this hour? It must be near three in the morning!"
Meg sighed, noticing that her friend had much motherly instinct within her, and it glowed from her like a bright candle. Something had changed within Christine, and it was soothing. "Oh, I just couldn't go. We had a fight this afternoon."
"How terrible," Christine thought wistfully. Her father had never fought with her, not over anything that would lead her to leave him for hours as Meg had. She vaguely remembered her mother, but she remembered the last words to her mother were ones in anger. Her eyes misted over in regret. "I am sure she will forgive you."
"She has, and that's the hardest thing. She should be angry at me for finding out her secrets…she should be mad that I went to America. But she's not."
"She missed you, Megan. She loves you, and was afraid for you. She's your mother and always will be. Whatever secrets are there, they were there because she wanted to protect you."
Megan looked up and nodded. Shaking softly with tears falling down her face, she smiled at her friend's warm face. Something quiet, she thought as she watched her friends eyes cloud with tears of her own.. She turned her head to the side and noticed Erik sleeping. "He can't hear us, can he?"
Christine laughed softly but understood her friends need for privacy. "I doubt that he's listening. He's been fast asleep for as long as I have been."
"Christine…forgive me.."
"For what Megan, you've done nothing wrong."
"I'm still afraid…."
Christine understood immediately. She knew deep down that their tragic love tryst had not left anyone unaffected. Especially her best friend, Megan. "It is alright, Megan. You don't have to be afraid."
Megan stiffened and walked out of her friend's embrace. "I have no guarantee for someone who disregards all human life besides yours, Christine. I saw the dead bodies with my own eyes."
"Oh Megan!" Christine whimpered, "I'm sorry you'll just have to believe me. Please."
"Christine….I just don't feel safe. Would you mind at all if we went for a walk in the halls?" Megan begged.
Christine's eyes went round at that. "In the dark?"
"The dark won't harm you. It always helped me to think." Megan suggested. She couldn't stand there at the doorway. Now that her friend had been rescued by Erik, the fear overcame her and she no longer wanted to be here to tell Christine everything.
"Alright Megan. Give me a moment and I will be there." Nervously she drew the door to a close. She couldn't go without telling Erik where she would be. She didn't want him to think she had done something drastic. Christine went over to his sleeping form and reached over and softly pressed her lips to his unmasked cheek, smiling softly.
"I will be back, Erik." She whispered in his ear.
As she grabbed the doorknob to leave, she glanced back. If she hadn't known him to be asleep, she would have thought she had seen what very well might have been a smile of contentment on his face.
Nadir sat in his home near the Opera house, reading the mail as he had a moment to settle. It was pleasing to him to have a nice fire-nothing to worry about, and no cause to rush off to the Opera. Namely, Erik being that cause. He done so much for Erik, and although he could never forget, he had tried to stay away from Erik and let him live his life. It seemed too good to be true, this year of peace. Reaching upon his weathered desk he drew out the letter that Mme. Giry had sent him.
M. Nadir,
I do believe there is danger in our Opera house again. My daughter has returned, only for me to find out that she will not tell me why she left. She has brought back, Christine. As she was always Meg's friend , I scolded my child with caution, but remembered the great friendship the two shared. It is hard for anyone to dislike Christine, but we have all risked our very lives to keep the both her, and Erik safe. I do not believe that she will be able to keep herself away from the Opera, nor keep herself from our fellow opera ghost who is still in love with her. I know that you watch over Erik as do I. I made a mistake in informing Erik that Christine had returned, thinking that by telling him we could somewhat delay or prevent their meeting again. I am almost certain however, that all of this was in vain. Please M., I know that you have an understanding of sorts with Erik. There has been too many accidents, too many…brushes with disaster. Their very meeting could signal the end of the Opera house itself.
Please see to this situation immediately. Our very lives are in your hands.
As always,
Mme.Giry
Nadir rung up his carriage and grabbed his heavy coat as soon as he had read the lines. His friend did not comprehend what he had done to the young girl, and vice versa. It meant everything to him to stop it. He could not have anymore death.
Erik could not help the overwhelming emotion that had swam up. He could not forget her real kiss to him, when she had kissed him on his misshapen lips, clung to him as if only he in the world existed. She had thought him asleep, just now. He reveled in the feeling...and the part that loved her still reached out for hope. Christine had such a healing quality about her, yet such sadness. What could he do to show her that she could trust him, even though he had done everything to prove to her she shouldn't? He waited for her return. Obviously it she had gone with Megan to go somewhere…but her promise that she would return….that she wanted to be around him. It gave him more of a gift than he ever deserved from her.
The door creaked open, and he reached for his mask and swiped the tears of joy away before Christine could see them. Too soon, he reasoned. He could not break their fragile bond by telling her that he still loved her.
"Christine?" He whispered, standing and stretching quickly.
"I'm afraid not." Nadir said, nodding his head formally. He had spent the last of a good hour trying to find out where Erik was hiding, and had ashamedly spied on Christine leaving Mme. Giry's office.
Erik clenched his hands, unsure if he had found Christine. How dare Nadir ruin such a moment. "Why, are you here?"
He said dangerously, taking his clock putting it back on. "Where is Christine?"
"I do not know. What are you doing in Mme. Giry's office, Erik?"
"That is of no importance to you." Erik disregarded his friend and focused on keeping Christine's suicide attempt a secret.
"It is of every importance to me. I am you friend Erik, I must see to it that you and Mlle. Christine are safe. Even if that means from each other." His soft accent had quietly held back all the swimming memories of the child who had braved everything, even risking her lover's death to show compassion to Erik. He had remembered, when Erik had come to his home and told him how Christine had kissed him, but bade Nadir not to look at his face. Yes, it was ugly, his face, Nadir remembered, but nothing as ugly as his raw anger when unleashed.
"I would never harm her, you know that Nadir." He said, flicking letters off of Mme. Giry's desk out of frustration. Keep them apart? Why, everything was falling into place!
"No, you would harm everything she loves to make your point. Come hell or high water, right?"
"Nadir, you've done everything for me. You have helped me rebuild my home. I am not as stupid as you assume. You will not keep me and Christine apart. As a matter of fact, Christine and I have come to a understanding that needed neither of your careful watch or Mme. Giry's. "
"Erik you play with a child's heart. A young woman who has suffered so much. Let her go. Let her live her life. She has lost her beau. Do you not think that even her understanding with you was on feelings that were and still are mixed? Do you realize that she is a woman in morning for her young lover?" Nadir felt as if the man that was Erik easily dismissed the months of suffering. How could Erik so easily forget the pain when he looked at Christine?
Erik crossed his arms, with a smug smile on his face. "I more than realize it. I agreed to be friends with her."
"I know you more than you think. Neither of you will allow it, it is folly. You are both always reaching for more when you cannot have it. Her with her father, you with your constant greedy need of her. Let it go."
"You cannot ask that of me."
" I can and will for the sake of her. Friend or not, you are not one she can not easily confide in. I know you will never lay a hand to her, but the truth might harm you more than you wish. There's a part of her that still loves Raoul. Had he been alive, she would have never come back. They might have been married by now, she with children."
Erik held his rage in check, but his breath came out like a hiss. "Stop! It didn't turn out that way! Don't torture her with a dream, either! I know she loved him! He's dead, nothing can change that!"
"Erik, for your sake….keep yourself away from Christine. " He laid a hand upon Erik's shoulder, well aware what potent danger laid beneath his tan fingers.
"My sake? I doubt anyone cares about my sake. Christine needs a friend. You do not know her like I do."
"You love her too much to stay friends for long. You cannot disguise your feelings as well as you can disguise your face. You told Paris that you loved her."
Erik well remembered that night, on front of the stage. He had openly begged for her to change her mind, and then she exposed his face to the world. "Paris would do well to forget a ghost. I do love her Nadir. I'm the only one in the world who understands her. Not even her Vicomte could understand the longing in her heart…her love for music. I can."
"Please leave her alone Erik. Please. Swear it to me." Nadir shook a crooked finger Erik, his whole body aflame with anger.
Erik began to yell out his anger so he would not wring that neck. He had never been so tempted to do it, not in all of his being. "I cannot, nor will I ever! You will not keep me from her Nadir! No bond of friendship we ever made will be worth what I feel for her!"
"Erik…please.."
"NO! NEVER! I must watch over her and protect her. I swore to her, a sacred vow, only you'll never understand because you don't understand us. You don't know her."
"Neither do you. Keep away from her Erik, watch over her and protect her if you must, but do not ruin her life and what's left of yours. I swear to you, I will not save your life if you put you or her in jeopardy , even if it's my hand on the trigger. You cannot harm that child. If she comes to you in friendship, in love, whatever, it is my business. I am the one who protects you and keeps watch over you. Be good enough to remember that Erik." Nadir did not even take a second glance as he walked away his old fashioned Persian robes catching the breeze of the door as it violently shut.
Erik looked away, knowing that Nadir was no liar. He would kill Erik if it meant giving Christine the life she deserved, giving him the dignity in death that he deserved. Saving him from his own folly. Erik had to protect Christine now, even from herself. This wasn't about love. He began to think. If he could not contact her by speaking with her face to face, what would he do?
Hastily he picked up paper and wrote a letter to Mme. Giry, explaining that she was to take care of Christine and see to her having new clothes as her current ones were torn and of no use. Secondly, she was to make sure that Christine could reach him whenever she wanted. Whether Mme. Giry would allow this, he did not know, but Mme. Giry owed it to him to see that she was at least taken care of.
Wherever Christine had gone, she would be back. He had heard her tell him so herself this early morning as she kissed his cheek and walked quietly out the door. Oh! What might have happened had she stayed! He had promised the world to her if she but asked for a corner of it. But Nadir had told him sound advice, even though he didn't want to inwardly admit it was true. What if Christine could only be on friendly speaking terms, always in love Raoul, truly in love with Raoul?
The truth was, if Christine loved a dead man for the rest of her life, it would kill her as much it had killed him when she left. He couldn't stand to see last night happen again. She had to be happy, and far as he was concerned, that happiness had to involve him in it. Being what ever he had to be. Angel, first, and now her confidante.
He began to write another letter, leaving it there on the desk to read when she returned. He knew she would be profoundly disappointed, but right now it was enough to know that they were on speaking terms again, even more than speaking terms. He thought about how he felt when she had fallen in to his arms and asked him to stay and watch her sleep. He had woken up many times to see a beautiful face smiling, and so he had to reach out and touch her hair, make sure she was real.
He couldn't sleep and not know that this had all been a dream. Erik finished the letter and grabbed his cloak and hat, making himself exit with all the strength he had, not waiting this time to see her reaction. He couldn't see the look of sadness on her face when he had abandoned her, to keep them safe from Nadir, and himself.
Well, what's the verdict guys, like it or not? I know, I have a problem with conflict….I adore it. Read and Review please. Love you all lots, you know, and I'm sorry it took so long to finish.